Chapter 14: The Dance of Power and Peculiarity

With the arrival of Huang Yao Yue and Lan Wu Xi, the ball seemed to reach its zenith. The two sisters, Huang Yao Yue and Yun Feiyan, who were like kin in Yunxiao Kingdom and affectionately known as “Yun-Huang,” were now gracefully dancing with their respective partners, their elegant figures weaving through the throng. Together, they formed two breathtakingly beautiful sights.

Naturally, what captivated everyone else most were the two brave individuals who had plucked these ‘golden flowers,’ removing the thorns that guarded them.

Though Yun Jingping was famously known as a martial arts failure in Yunxiao Kingdom, his dramatic surge in power had long since dissolved his once-bleak family standing. Not only had he ascended to become a formidable expert among the Yun family’s younger generation, but with the unwavering support of his father, the Yun family patriarch, his rise to the position of the next patriarch was all but assured.

Once he assumed the role of Yun family patriarch, Yun Jingping would truly be able to stride fearlessly across Yunxiao Kingdom. As one of the three great clans, the Yun family’s overt strength might rank second, yet no one could fathom the true extent of the power concealed behind them. Which of Yunxiao Kingdom’s top three families, after all, would lack a hidden ace up their sleeve? It was merely that the opportune moment had not yet arrived.

Furthermore, rumors circulated that the Yunxiao royal family and the Yun family shared a bloodline connection. Whispers even suggested that it was the Yun family members who carried the legitimate royal bloodline, and that the Yunxiao royal family was merely a branch house.

Regardless, Yun Jingping’s shedding of his ‘failure’ title and his complete transformation were undeniable facts. With the Yun family’s resources bolstering him, his future prospects shone brilliantly.

Therefore, seeing Princess Yun Feiyan and Yun Jingping attend the banquet and even dance together was well within everyone’s expectations.

After all, a hero paired with a beauty was a timeless truth that had held for centuries. Had this been Yun Jingping during his ‘failure’ days, people might have scoffed, likening him to a toad aspiring to eat swan meat.

Yet, the current him was more than worthy of a princess. Moreover, judging by Yun Tianqi’s demeanor towards Yun Jingping today, it was clear he approved of Yun Jingping and harbored intentions to unite the two.

In this way, it was a “joyful occasion” for both the Yun family and the Yunxiao royal family. Rumors had long circulated that Princess Yun Feiyan had given her heart to Yun Jingping of the Yun family, and this sight seemed to confirm those whispers.

While children of prominent families often found their lifelong happiness sacrificed for political marriages, their personal matters frequently became tools for alliances. However, if one could find a suitor with whom they were truly compatible, it was undoubtedly the most felicitous outcome for all.

Moreover, as the sectarian powers within Yunxiao Kingdom grew increasingly formidable, even subtly extending their reach towards the imperial capital, how could the Yunxiao royal family remain oblivious? Due to the delicate circumstances, they could only feign ignorance. Yet, with the full backing of the three great clans, the Yunxiao royal family would no longer fear these sectarian forces, and even outright annexation would not be out of the question.

Thus, long ago, the Yunxiao royal family had dispatched an envoy to the Yun family to propose a marriage. The intended groom, naturally, was Yun Jingping, the current patriarch’s son.

However, the intended bride was not Princess Yun Feiyan, but rather Princess Yun Ying, the Yunxiao royal family’s youngest, seventh princess.

Although both were princesses, their statuses were as disparate as heaven and earth. It was widely known that Yun Feiyan possessed the legitimate royal bloodline, and her mother was the daughter of the current Yunxiao royal family’s maternal uncle.

In contrast, Yun Ying’s mother was merely a lowly palace maid, who had been fortunate enough to gain the king’s favor and conceive Yun Ying. Ultimately, to protect her young daughter, she had tragically hanged herself before the two-year-old Yun Ying.

Though Yun Ying was later bestowed the title of princess by the king, she was ostracized by her siblings. Even between Yun Feiyan and Yun Ying, interactions were infrequent.

The king, for his part, completely neglected her, even intending to use this daughter, whom he had never truly acknowledged, as a mere tool to maintain the relationship between the Yun family and the Yunxiao royal family.

However, upon hearing the news of Yun Jingping’s immense surge in power, and after sending people to verify it, they promptly switched the intended bride from Princess Yun Ying to Princess Yun Feiyan.

The Lin family, too, naturally received a royal marriage proposal. It was said that Lin Yunxi’s intended bride was now Yun Ying, a princess with no backing, who could only be treated as a disposable commodity.

Yun Ying’s predicament evoked both sympathy and sorrow. Given Lin Yunxi’s dissolute and aimless lifestyle, it was widely believed that Yun Ying’s life would be exceedingly difficult if she truly married him.

But when it came to Lan Wu Xi and Huang Yao Yue, truthfully, everyone was utterly bewildered.

One must understand that Huang Yao Yue was the sole daughter of the Huang family, and the family’s future was destined to be entrusted to her. Her talent was arguably the most exceptional in the Huang family’s history. She had reached the peak of the Profound Wheel realm by the tender age of sixteen, and there was even a possibility she would enter the Golden Core realm before turning seventeen. She was a genius among geniuses, surpassing even Yun Tianqi by a significant margin.

Yet, the young man dancing with Huang Yao Yue—all anyone knew was that he was Huang Yao Yue’s fiancé. Beyond that, they knew absolutely nothing. Even though Lan Wu Xi appeared remarkably outstanding to many, most still did not hold high hopes for him.

After all, the potential power Huang Yao Yue embodied was simply too immense; even the current princes paled in comparison and felt secretly ashamed. Unless it was the Third Prince, Yun Tianqi, who could perhaps barely match her, no one else could even conceive of a second suitable candidate.

What the crowd did not know, however, was that the royal family had once secretly proposed a marriage to the Huang family, hoping to betroth Huang Yao Yue to the Third Prince, Yun Tianqi.

Such a favorable arrangement, if offered to any other family, would have been immediately accepted. After all, forging ties with the Yunxiao royal family was a dream for countless clans.

But what kind of family was the Huang family? Huang Yao Yue’s father and grandfather were notorious for doting on their daughter. Political marriages held no appeal or significance for them, for they possessed the strength to disregard such matters. They would absolutely never force Huang Yao Yue into anything she did not desire. Thus, the marriage proposal was rejected swiftly and decisively, indirectly curbing the Yunxiao royal family’s arrogance.

“Oh? Isn’t that Sister Huang? Have they come to dance too?”

Yun Feiyan, happily dancing with Yun Jingping, also noticed Lan Wu Xi and his partner. She spoke sweetly, a hint of playful coquetry in her tone.

After hearing Yun Feiyan’s words, Yun Jingping couldn’t help but glance over. Upon witnessing Lan Wu Xi’s peculiar, duck-like dance moves, an odd expression flickered across his face.

“So many people are watching us, what do we do? I’m so nervous; I can’t dance at all! I’m definitely going to embarrass my father completely.”

Having just begun to dance, Lan Wu Xi had never so clearly realized that he was utterly unsuited for dancing.

With every step, he seemed to precisely evade all rhythm points; the concept of a beat was entirely alien to him. Lan Wu Xi’s contorting movements resembled those of a zombie, utterly devoid of life or vitality.

“Don’t be so stiff; relax. Close your eyes and imagine you’re a feather, letting your body naturally sway with the music.”

Huang Yao Yue said softly, attempting to help Lan Wu Xi find the rhythm. Her tone was noticeably different from before.

But…

“Hiss~ Can you please try to follow my rhythm? My feet are going to be swollen from you stepping on them today!”

“Lan Wu Xi, are you doing this on purpose?! You stepped on me again! Dancing with you today is truly the worst luck I’ve had in eight lifetimes!”

“You… don’t pull me! And you’re touching me improperly again! You are absolutely doing this on purpose!”

In any case, throughout this dance, only Huang Yao Yue’s furious complaints could be heard. It was all because Lan Wu Xi simply couldn’t dance; no matter how she tried to teach him, he had no sense of rhythm. Not only did he repeatedly step on her feet, he even utterly destroyed Huang Yao Yue’s considerable musicality. As expected, he successfully shattered the nascent goodwill Huang Yao Yue had just begun to feel for him, crushing it to dust.

“Darling~ Their dancing is so ugly! Is that person really from the Huang family?”

Just then, the couple standing near Huang Yao Yue and Lan Wu Xi couldn’t help but chuckle. The woman, in particular, spoke with a simpering, coquettish tone.

“Heh, I always thought Huang family members would at least carry themselves like noble ladies and gentlemen. Who knew they’d be parading such an unsightly spectacle here, like some country bumpkins?”

The man’s lips curled into a sneering smile, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, yet perfectly audible to Lan Wu Xi and Huang Yao Yue, who were preoccupied with correcting their dance. Huang Yao Yue’s delicate brows shot up as she whirled around, intending to identify the audacious individual who dared to slander her family so openly.

While the Huang family was undeniably powerful, their disdain for associating with other influential families had led to their ostracization and resistance from many powerful clans. Covertly, numerous underhanded tactics had been employed to undermine the Huang family’s burgeoning status.

As the sovereign rulers of Yunxiao Kingdom, such matters naturally could not escape the Yunxiao royal family’s notice. However, since the Huang family was so unappreciative, the enemy of their enemy became their ally. They were content to turn a blind eye to these vanguards who could suppress the Huang family’s power, feigning ignorance as if they saw nothing.

“Eek~ Darling, she was just staring at you! Her gaze was so terrifying, I’m simply trembling~”

“Let’s keep our distance from them. I’ve long heard that the Huang family’s young lady is overbearing and unreasonable. People like us are simply beneath the Huang family’s notice.”

Their objective achieved, the couple retreated from Lan Wu Xi and Huang Yao Yue. Huang Yao Yue’s face, however, was now clouded with a dark expression. Her fingers slowly began to gather a surge of vital energy, preparing to teach the audacious and arrogant pair a lesson.

“Don’t strike! If you act now, you’ll be playing right into their hands. Moreover, it would implicitly acknowledge that your family members are all unreasonable.”

Despite his terrifying lack of musicality, Lan Wu Xi possessed an innate gift for spiritual energy perception. Standing less than half a meter from Huang Yao Yue, he had already sensed a subtle ripple of spiritual energy. Seeing Huang Yao Yue’s chilling expression, he knew that if he didn’t intervene, she would certainly cause a major incident.

“What does it matter? Anyone who dares to slander my family, even the Yunxiao royal family, I will seek justice from! Do they think a few nobles can make me wary? Let them all come; our Huang family dares to accept them all!”

Only the Huang family dared to utter such words. In the current situation, even Yun Jingping and the Lin family could only swallow their anger. But who was Huang Yao Yue? The future head of the Huang family, and a preeminent genius. Her status alone far surpassed that of those noble children.

Even if she were to execute them on the spot today, no one would dare to truly trouble her; at most, she would pay some spirit stones to settle the matter.

“Don’t get agitated. Striking now would only bring momentary satisfaction. I have a method that can both relieve your anger and help you exact revenge.”

“Really? What kind of method could you possibly have, you oaf?”

Huang Yao Yue asked, skeptical, feeling that Lan Wu Xi didn’t seem smart enough to devise such a plan, and was likely just trying to fool her.

“Heh heh, we’ll see.”