Sixtieth Scene: The Furious Hundred Flowers

Page (1/3)

The chief assistant of the Son of the Empty Sky entered and bowed. “Princess of the Hundred Blossoms, my apologies, but our lord is at a critical stage of cultivation and cannot receive you at this time.”

The Lady of Hundred Blossoms’ eyes dimmed. Not a trace of anger appeared on her face; her voice, soft and tinged with grievance, replied, “I understand. Please tell the Empty Sky that regarding the matter of Sang Hongye, I was not the one who brought it forward.”

“That is not important, Princess. Sang Hongye’s significance within Bishop Anthony’s faction has surpassed all expectations. The logistics team of the previous First Lady has been handed over to her. Soon, the history of marketing strategy will gain another classic case of self-sabotage and public redemption. The Qining faction has been cast as the villain in this affair. Our lord is not yet aware of this, but when he learns that over half of his followers are involved, I cannot imagine how far his fury may burn.”

The Lady’s complexion paled, a delicate vulnerability settling over her. “I am sorry, but I too am a victim in this. My followers are the most deeply implicated.”

“You should be grateful that Bishop Qining never interferes in your rivalries. Whether you are a victim or not, only the True God knows. If you truly had nothing to do with this, you would not be here today.”

She straightened her back, her tone sharpening. “As the fiancée of the Empty Sky, am I not entitled to be here?”

“This place welcomes every princess. But let me be clear: silence does not mean consent. Please do not claim to others that you are our lord’s fiancée—at least, do not let it reach my ears.”

The Lady raised her voice. “Starrie! I am—”

“Your Highness, I know you are one of the Seven Ladies. Your purpose here is clear to me. But when the topic first appeared on the Starnet, you did not come; when Sang Hongye’s star-recorded images spread, you did not come. Only now, when the situation is out of control and only the gods can change the outcome, do you appear. Unfortunately, our lord is not a god, much less your guardian deity.”

The flower in her hand began to wilt. She frowned. “Are you truly not going to intervene?”

“No. Though many followers are involved, their actions are minor and require only a verbal apology and some compensation for Sang Hongye. You should not be here. Instead, you should return to your own planet and investigate how many of your followers have appeared on Sena’s petition list. According to internal intelligence, anyone seeking forgiveness must vow to become Sang Hongye’s contract devotee.”

The Lady leapt to her feet. “How dare he?!”

“As your chief strategist, you know Sena. Why wouldn’t he dare? I advise you to check for any weaknesses you may have left behind, lest you lose your followers and your reputation as well.”

Page (2/3)

“What do you mean by that?”

The chief assistant smiled and gestured politely for her to leave.

Face pale and lips pressed tight, the Lady of Hundred Blossoms was about to speak when her wrist communicator lit up. Her consciousness swept into the device, absorbing a live broadcast from the verification expert. Jaw clenched, the flower in her hand crumbled to dust. With a flick of her toes, she soared into the sky as a streak of light, all decorum forgotten.

Starrie snorted coldly. “Foolish. If this is the quality of a seat-holding Lady, and she still dreams of controlling the former First Lady’s domain of faith?”

A nearby guardian knight asked cautiously, “But, isn’t she His Highness’s girlfriend? Was that wise?”

Starrie replied, “Girlfriend? His Highness has never acknowledged that. Only idiots think a few tricks can manipulate the temple. Last time, when she borrowed His Highness’s name to expel Sena, he ordered me never to report any matters regarding the Lady of Hundred Blossoms to him again. As for the child—one look into the records is shocking. She’s only a few centuries old yet has been pregnant over ten times, never once carrying to term, and each loss coincided with a surge in her cultivation. Who could believe that’s a coincidence? This time, Sena exploited her nature and played her like a fiddle. She foolishly got involved, didn’t even take proper precautions, and thought she could win. She incited His Highness’s followers, and only when the situation spiraled did she realize the danger.”

“So, we really have to compensate Sang Hongye?”

“The latest intelligence says Sang Hongye is a divine citizen, not a common subject. Everyone thought Bishop Anthony didn’t value her, but it was all for her protection.” Starrie began to destroy the furniture used by the Lady, especially the flower-stained carpet. “She’s just a child, yet she suffered for nothing. If it were me, I would apologize and compensate too. Even if Sena used suggestive magic, only those with evil in their hearts would fall for it. If you harbor malice, you must answer for your actions.”

“A divine citizen? That Sang Hongye—rumor says she holds the Primordial Demon’s Sacred Heart, resolving the energy imbalance of the spiritual body. Even when public criticism was at its worst, she remained calm, painting faith mediums. Truly remarkable. Bishop Anthony’s judgment is always impeccable.”

“Of course. After a successful refinement, her talent equals, even surpasses, the average standard of advanced civilizations. Apart from her birth, she has no weakness. Surpassing the Lady of Hundred Blossoms is only a matter of time. What’s more, with this reshuffle, Bishop Anthony is most likely to ascend.”

The Lady of Hundred Blossoms returned to her planet, nearly consumed by fury. Petals whirled around her like a snowstorm, each as sharp as a blade.

“Your Highness, the verification expert’s star-broadcast is spreading quickly. Those students...”

“Send them away!” she snapped at her chief assistant. “Idiots! They can’t even disguise themselves properly! And you—couldn’t you see through Sena’s worthless tricks? Why didn’t you warn me?”

Page (3/3)

“I advised you not to bring out the White Jade Celestial Flower,” the chief assistant murmured. “After the verification expert’s broadcast, those students apologized publicly on the Starnet and volunteered to intern in the Insect War Zone. Sang Hongye even wished them a safe return.”

“They panic too easily! That little commoner brat is well past the age of legal responsibility, even by lower civilization standards! Rivalry among peers is not a crime!”

“No, Your Highness. The latest news is that Sang Hongye is a divine citizen, not a commoner. Her age is reckoned by her post-refinement bone age in the temple.”

“Sena, you planned to set me up from the very start!”

Her fury intensified. Even a few uncertified aspiring followers dared defy her. For the first time, she regretted underestimating Sena’s cunning and pressing him too hard—but that thought was quickly crushed as her hand pressed her abdomen.

No scheme matters in the face of absolute power. As long as she had this child, once the Son of the Empty Sky emerged from seclusion and saw her excellence, she would never lose. But Starrie, the chief assistant, was too troublesome and would have to be dealt with.

Calming herself, she asked, “Who is this verification expert? Has anyone investigated?”

The chief assistant replied, “He is an artificial intelligence, free of desire, interested only in exposing the truth. His reputation is excellent, and he has more followers on the Starnet than the average priest. I’m sorry—all attempts at negotiation have been rejected. We had no means to persuade him, and he even kept evidence of the Hundred Blossom Palace’s attempts at coercion and bribery.”

PS: Sisters, don’t forget to add this to your favorites and vote after reading~