From the dragon-shaped golden incense burner, thin curls of Dragon Saliva Incense smoke rose slowly, drifting lazily past the carved beams and painted rafters.
Amid the lively crowd, a woman stood like the moon surrounded by stars, encircled by several sons of nobility.
She wore a moon-white silk robe, the outer layer of sheer gauze embroidered with gold-threaded fox patterns. Each step she took made the delicate fabric ripple like flowing water.
Her black hair was loosely coiled into a graceful phoenix bun, secured only by a wooden hairpin set with a single pearl.
In this splendid, glittering banquet hall, her beauty stood out in a way that was calm and ethereal—like a celestial maiden untouched by the mortal world.
To those around her, she merely gave a polite nod, and with that small movement, the pearl by her temple swayed lightly, reflecting a faint glow across her porcelain-white cheek. Even the golden vessels nearby seemed to lose their luster beside her radiance.
Lu Lingyi, though considered one of the most beautiful women present, still paled slightly in comparison to this woman.
"It really is Chu Xianyin," Xu Letian whispered, his eyes lighting up.
"Chu Xianyin's from the Wasteland Realm too," Ma Ruoruo said, "but her mastery of the Zither Dao is nothing short of divine craftsmanship."
Wei Jia nodded. "For someone like her, origin no longer matters. She's a chosen daughter of the Zither Dao itself."
A faint flicker of jealousy crossed Lu Lingyi's eyes.
There were some things one simply couldn't control.
Chu Xianyin, born in the Wasteland Realm, should have had no standing among the nobles of the Horn Constellation Realm. But her terrifying talent in the Zither Dao had captivated countless major figures from that realm—many of whom were obsessed with music themselves.
Because of that, Chu Xianyin's status had risen swiftly and remarkably high.
Yang Cheng remained indifferent, not bothering to greet her—he simply wasn't interested.
Before long, a man and a woman appeared at the grand staircase, surrounded by attendants and guards.
The palace lanterns flared to life all at once, scattering warm light across the white jade steps, which now shimmered like a path of stars.
The man walked forward through that light. His long black robe was embroidered with sun, moon, and stars in silver and gold thread that gleamed beneath the lamps.
His hair was bound with a top-grade mutton-fat jade hairpin, matching the ancient bronze divine sword hanging at his waist.
He had sharply defined brows, a high, blade-like nose, and thin, cold lips as pale as frost. His eyes were deep and distant, giving him a sense of noble detachment.
At his side, the woman's presence was a blazing contrast—her crimson dress clung tightly, the collar dipping low to reveal smooth skin as luminous as fine jade.
Her eyes were slightly upturned, her gaze sultry and dangerous. When she smiled, it was like sweet poison wrapped in honey—both alluring and lethal.
Her appearance drew gasps throughout the hall; even beside Chu Xianyin, her beauty held its own.
"Wang Bingrou," Ma Ruoruo breathed. "Wei Jia, isn't she the one you admire the most?"
Wei Jia's eyes shone instantly.
Wang Bingrou was another renowned Zither Dao master.
Unlike Chu Xianyin, she came from an ordinary family in the Horn Constellation Realm but had risen through her sheer talent and artistry to become a guest of many powerful figures.
Such a story made her an idol for countless ordinary-born cultivators.
As the group whispered among themselves, Gong Yi suddenly approached. He turned to Lu Lingyi with a charming smile. "Lingyi, I've secured a rare opportunity for you. Young Master Wang has agreed to meet you in person, as a favor to me."
While he spoke, his hand moved as if naturally—almost touching hers.
But Lu Lingyi instinctively stepped back, glancing toward Yang Cheng.
Gong Yi's expression darkened slightly. "Lingyi, think carefully. This kind of opportunity is priceless—others couldn't even dream of it."
Lu Lingyi hesitated, visibly torn, her eyes still fixed on Yang Cheng.
His gaze, however, was calm—distant, almost indifferent.
"Lingyi, what are you waiting for? Hurry and go with Young Master Gong," Yan Qingzhi urged.
She couldn't deny that Yang Cheng was remarkable—but Young Master Wang's background was far more powerful.
Besides, anyone could see that Yang Cheng and Tang Xingyu shared an unusual bond.
With someone like Tang Xingyu—peerless in both beauty and talent—how could Lu Lingyi possibly hope to win a place in Yang Cheng's heart?
Lu Lingyi bit her lip hard.
Yang Cheng's detached eyes stung far more than any words could.
"…Alright."
At last, she followed Gong Yi away.
A satisfied smile curved on Gong Yi's lips. He shot Yang Cheng a meaningful, almost mocking glance before turning around.
Watching their retreating figures, Xu Letian muttered irritably, "Damn it."
He thought Lu Lingyi was a fool.
She had chosen to chase after that so-called Young Master Wang instead of standing beside Master Yang.
Sure, Wang was rich and powerful—but Yang Cheng's potential was beyond anything they could imagine.
Yang Cheng, however, remained composed.
He had never cared for Lu Lingyi in the first place—so he gave her no kindness and felt no loss.
Yan Qingzhi simply shook her head. To her, this was nothing worth fussing over.
Master Yang had both unmatched talent and formidable strength.
But the Wang family—what kind of existence was that?
It was one of the oldest clans in the Horn Constellation Realm, with a foundation so deep that no one could truly measure it.
For Master Yang to grow to the level of the Wang family… how many years would that take?
Five hundred, or perhaps one thousand?
Such a distant future wasn't something she believed a woman should gamble her entire youth on.
Besides, if something unexpected happened along the way—if Master Yang met an early death—then there would be no future at all.
Young Master Wang, on the other hand, was different.
The Wang family's power already existed here and now.
If Lu Lingyi managed to cling to Young Master Wang, she might even share in a bit of that fortune.
"Your Highness, Crown Prince, you're here as well?"
A delighted voice suddenly rang out from behind them.
Everyone turned and saw that Chu Xianyin had somehow appeared at their backs.
She had spotted Yang Cheng.
Xu Letian and the others froze.
This was Chu Xianyin—the same woman admired and pursued by countless influential figures from the Horn Constellation Realm.
Yet now, the look on her face was one of genuine surprise and joy, almost like someone meeting a long-lost lover.
Chu Xianyin was indeed overjoyed—not only because Yang Cheng had once helped her, but also because she knew of his deep mastery of the Zither Dao.
For someone like her, who lived and breathed music, finding a kindred spirit meant far more than any status or background.
"Congratulations," Yang Cheng said with a faint smile.
To him, Chu Xianyin was merely an acquaintance—nothing more.
Perhaps due to his influence, Chu Xianyin's attainment in the Zither Dao in this life far surpassed what she might have achieved otherwise.
Still, Yang Cheng felt nothing beyond mild approval for her accomplishments.
Xu Letian and the others were stunned.
Master Yang clearly knew Chu Xianyin well.
Thinking about it, though, it made sense. Both were the most outstanding geniuses of the Wasteland Realm.
What surprised them more was the way Chu Xianyin behaved. Even if she had known Yang Cheng before, her attitude now wasn't that of an equal.
No—the respect and admiration in her eyes were unmistakable.
"Master Chu, we're fellow students of Master Yang at the Myriad Phenomena Dao Academy. I'm Xu Letian."
"I'm Dongfang Sheng."
"I'm Zeng Niu."
The others quickly introduced themselves, each visibly excited.
Even Ma Ruoruo and Wei Jia, who might have felt jealous under normal circumstances, showed only curiosity and admiration.
Only Yan Qingzhi seemed slightly awkward, her expression tight.
Yang Cheng found himself a little surprised too.
He hadn't expected that Chu Xianyin's reputation among the young elites of the Horn Constellation Realm had already reached such heights.
This, too, had come far earlier than it should have—decades ahead of time.
"Nice to meet you all," Chu Xianyin said warmly.
Upon learning they were Yang Cheng's dormmates, her usually distant demeanor softened completely, replaced by a rare hint of enthusiasm.
"Master Chu, I didn't realize you and Master Yang were so close," Xu Letian said with admiration.
Chu Xianyin smiled lightly. "To me, His Highness the Crown Prince is both a mentor and a friend. It's a pity he's not interested in me—otherwise, I'd gladly follow him."
The group collectively froze.
Even if they thought she might be half-joking, her tone still revealed something undeniable—
In Chu Xianyin's heart, Master Yang's place was one of absolute reverence.