Destiny is Inevitable

Hearing Yi Feng's anxious inquiry, Lu Xinlan's eyes shimmered with emotion.

This gentleman had never shown much emotion before, always as distant and unfathomable as the bright moon.

But now,

Yi Feng had voiced his concern—an exceedingly rare occurrence—revealing just how much he cared for her. To receive such genuine regard from him made her feel her life was truly worthwhile.

Lu Xinlan nodded with a forced smile.

"Thank you for your concern, sir. Xinlan is deeply grateful."

"The results of the Eastern Sea Heavenly Sacrifice won't be known until tomorrow. I don’t know what will happen—whether it will be me or someone else."

"But this Eastern Sea Heavenly Sacrifice is like a blade hanging over our heads, ready to fall at any moment. Once chosen, there’s no escape or resistance against such absolute power. It’s an inescapable calamity for all female cultivators of our Eastern Isles."

As she spoke,

Lu Xinlan’s clear eyes reddened slightly, her restrained expression barely concealing grief and indignation.

Yi Feng couldn’t help but empathize.

No wonder the prodigies of the Eastern Sea harbored such hidden fears, dreading this century-spanning calamity. Faced with such a fate, no one could remain calm.

To lord over the islands with such arrogance, demanding the sacrifice of their finest talents every hundred years—

This was truly excessive!

Watching Lu Xinlan’s silent suffering, Yi Feng could hold back no longer.

"It’s true that you reside in the Eastern Sea, but can’t you negotiate terms? What makes these merfolk so formidable that they can act with such impunity?"

The question seemed to strike a nerve. Lu Xinlan’s eyes burned with greater fury.

Yet, within moments,

Even this usually composed beauty couldn’t hide her dread.

"Sir, you don’t understand."

"The Heavenly Dragon Merfolk possess bloodline power, said to descend from the lineage of true dragons—hence their self-proclaimed title as the Heavenly Dragon Clan. They’ve dwelled in the abyssal depths for countless ages, their bloodline power especially potent in the ocean. Even the great sects of the mainland fear them."

"For tens of thousands of years, whenever the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk surfaced, we human cultivators could only retreat. Even those with blood feuds who sought refuge in the Eastern Sea dared not pursue vengeance here. Only recently did several major sects unite to raid an outlying island for revenge—and that was only because the century’s deadline hadn’t yet arrived."

"That single act of defiance was already a rare miracle, unheard of for millennia."

"Over time, the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk have become like emperors of the Eastern Sea. We live here in submission, powerless to resist..."

That domineering?

A mere fish-man race could intimidate so many factions?

Yi Feng was stunned, finding it hard to believe.

"They’re that formidable?"

"I’ve heard the Black Isle’s lord is a formidable figure, and the island itself is filled with hidden talents. Has no one ever resisted? Just let these merfolk strut about unchecked?"

The question made Lu Xinlan’s expression darken further.

"Tens of thousands of years ago, the 34th Lord of Black Isle once spoke against this practice. That lord was a peerless genius, a dazzling prodigy of his era."

"Yet, before the Third Prince of the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk, he lasted barely a single move. The gap between them was like heaven and earth, a humiliation that cowed the isles for millennia."

"After that, terror gripped every island. With our meager strength, we could only bow to the Third Prince, trading submission for a century of peace."

"Forgive my shameful words, sir..."

The cruel reality was lamentable.

As Yi Feng watched Lu Xinlan’s bitter, self-mocking eyes, he fell into deep thought, saying no more—but the matter was firmly etched in his mind.

A day later.

In an elegant courtyard at the heart of Black Isle,

Several women clad in white robes stepped forward, their pristine demeanor commanding reverence, their auras extraordinary—yet their expressions were ice-cold.

"Lady Shuyao."

"By decree of the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk, you have been chosen as the Heavenly Maiden. We implore you to accept your fate."

Lu Shuyao clenched her jade-like fingers, refusing to rise.

After a tense silence,

Her lips parted, her usual composure gone, voice laced with icy fury.

"Nonsense!"

"How could I possibly be the Heavenly Maiden?!"

The sword-bearing women exchanged glances but remained silent.

The eldest among them produced a jade slip.

Instantly,

A faint glow emanated from the slip, coalescing like flowing sand into five shadowy figures seated in midair, their faces obscured by dark hoods.

Even as mere projections, their oppressive auras were terrifying!

Lu Shuyao paled, dread flooding her heart.

Reluctantly, she rose and bowed.

"Greetings to the five esteemed elders..."

The figures ignored her courtesy. The eldest spoke in a voice like frozen steel, brimming with irrefutable authority.

"Lu Shuyao."

"As a direct descendant of the Lu family, your talent and beauty are renowned across the isle. By decree of the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk, you are now the Heavenly Maiden. This is destiny!"

Lu Shuyao’s head snapped up, her face deathly white.

Why?

Why this outcome?

She had already lost the Tower Lord position to Lu Xinlan in the competition—fine, she could accept defeat. But now, even the Heavenly Sacrifice fell to her?

Why did all the good fortune go to Lu Xinlan?

Damn it!!

Tears welled in her eyes as she bit her lip hard.

But when she looked up again,

The five elders’ projections were resolute, their indifference now laced with unveiled killing intent.

In that instant,

Lu Shuyao’s pupils contracted violently—then dulled into lifeless calm, as if all light had drained from her soul.

She knew she had no choice.

Before she could react,

The elders who had once doted on her vanished without another word.

Only the sword-maidens remained, bowing respectfully.

"Young Mistress."

"As the Heavenly Maiden, you act under the elders’ orders. The matter is settled. Do not make this harder for us servants."

The words chilled her to the bone.

Swallowing her rage, Lu Shuyao closed her eyes, forcing back her tears.

"Fine... fine."

"What a glorious title—Heavenly Maiden."

"How utterly mocking..."

Escorted by the terrifyingly powerful maids,

The young mistress stepped out of the courtyard like a lost soul, her graceful steps now leaden.

She said nothing more as she boarded the palanquin, as if resigned to a fate beyond her control.

Meanwhile,

Deep within the Treasure Pavilion,

Yi Feng and Lu Xinlan sat in heavy silence, their expressions grim.

Upon learning of the "Heavenly Maiden’s" identity,

Even Yi Feng couldn’t suppress his sigh.

"Fate plays cruel tricks."

"To think Lu Shuyao would become the so-called Heavenly Maiden—struck by injustice at her lowest point."

Lu Xinlan nodded, her eyes still burning with quiet fury.

"You speak truth, sir."

"But it wasn’t the elders who chose her. The Third Prince of the Heavenly Dragon Merfolk decides each sacrifice. No one can oppose it."

"The humiliation she suffers today... may one day be my fate as well."

Her voice carried no gloating, only the sorrow of shared suffering.

As they reflected,

A palanquin glided through the sky, escorted by white-robed figures, drawing countless gazes as it vanished into the distance.

Yi Feng finally showed a flicker of curiosity in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on Lu Xinlan and asked,

"Is that Lu Shuyao inside the carriage?"