The woman slowly descended from the tower, accompanied by six maids clad in orange, yellow, green, azure, blue, and purple dresses.
Her footsteps echoed like a tinkling spring, clear and melodious with an indescribable charm.
The moment her stunning features were revealed to the crowd, her heavenly charm and flawless aura left everyone breathless.
"Could this woman be Mu Rou, the Saintess from the House of Harmony? Her celestial beauty is seldom seen in this mortal realm. It's indeed hard to find such a perfect woman, it's like an angel has descended to the earthly world," one of them said.
Chu Yuan couldn't help but marvel at Mu Rou. Since arriving in the Great Wu Dynasty, her beauty was the most perfect he had ever seen, seemingly without any flaw.
In his eyes, she was shrouded in an ethereal aura, her figure blurred and wrapped in a hazy crystalline mist, making her more mysterious; even Chu Yuan could not discern her abilities.
And all of this made him more astounded.
"She really is like a fairy," mumbled Chu Xiaoniang under her breath.
As Mu Rou approached, she suddenly felt a gaze on her, deep and abyss-like.
Her eyes landed on Chu Yuan. As their eyes met, she felt a slight shudder, like her soul was being sucked into his gaze, as if turning into an empty shell.
"I appreciate all of your presence here at the House of Harmony," she said.
Mu Rou managed to hide her reaction.
Her voice was as melodious as a droplet of water falling onto a silver plate. Her eloquent speech left the nobles and royals stupefied, utterly captivated by her enchanting aura.
While others were lost in bewitching charm, Mu Rou's gaze fell on Chu Yuan once again only to find him smiling faintly, seemingly unaffected by her allure.
"It's our honor to see you," Liu Xi hastily said. On just a glimpse of Mu Rou, he felt his soul being drawn towards her. He felt that he would willingly comply even if her demand was his death.
"Indeed, indeed. Given your beauty, you're the most enchanting in the kingdom. We would do anything you ask of us," some young nobles said as they watched Mu Rou, their eyes full of awe.
Mu Rou smiled and said, "You're all distinguished nobles and princes of the Great Wu Dynasty, I dare not demand anything from you. Would you still comply if I desired to become the Empress of the realm?"
"If you wish to, I will be the first to pledge my allegiance to you. I'm even ready to dispose of the little Emperor. Humph, who is he but a child? He doesn't hold a candle to you," Liu Xi suddenly roared, his neck veins bulging.
In his eyes, there was only Mu Rou. His soul was captivated, his brain no longer censoring his words.
"Even if you have the courage, I do not," Mu Rou said softly, "I was merely joking, and when I said the realm, I didn't mean here."
"This woman," Chu Xiaoniang gritted her teeth, "She's a real enchantress."
"If you truly want that, I am willing to risk my life to make it happen," Liu Xi said, clenching his teeth.
"Enough, let's not discuss this today," Mu Rou said with a laugh, diverting the topic.
"I've heard that today is your eighteenth birthday. I've been pondering on a gift and have finally found something worthy for you," Liu Xi said, his eyes focused intently on Mu Rou.
Unfazed by his gaze, Mu Rou replied with a gentle smile, "I am but a mere eighteen-year-old, there is no need to trouble yourselves."
"Not at all, not at all," Liu Xi replied. With hopes to get closer to Mu Rou, he stepped forward. But the maids blocked his path, making his face turn awkward. He took out a guqin with dark gold stripes, "Miss, this is a guqin made from Submerged Dragonwood. It is made by a top craftsman.
Although, the strings aren't actual dragon strings, they're made from precious Blood Dragon Steel and added with Meteorite Fine Gold."
The guqin was heavy, the dark gold stripes seemed active like a dragon, absolutely a fine piece.
"What? It's made of Submerged Dragonwood? Rumor has it that Submerged Dragonwood only exists in the Submerged environment and contains the majesty of the dragon. It's harder than Thousand Refinement Steel and Ten Thousand Refinement Steel, and it's extremely rare. I can't believe Liu Xi could procure such a piece."
"And there is Blood Dragon Steel. The Submerged environment has a dragon pool with various dragons. Their blood is used to forge steel. Our Great Wu Dynasty also has dragon blood but does not know how to create Blood Dragon Steel."
"That's why there is a camp called the Blood Dragon Camp in the Submerged environment, extremely powerful."
"This guqin is worth a fortune!"
"Compared to Liu Xi, our gifts are inferior."
"Damn, looks like Miss Mu Rou will have a more favorable impression of him now."
The rest of the people, seeing Liu Xi's precious gift, looked at their own gifts and shook their heads. They couldn't help but feel jealous as they watched Liu Xi snatch the spotlight.
"Indeed, it is a fine guqin."
Mu Rou glanced at the guqin, indicating a maid in a purple dress to move it to one side, and said with a smile, "Thank you for your kindheartedness, Master Liu."
"It's nothing, having the chance to gift you this guqin is my fortune," Liu Xi replied.
After Mu Rou's comment, Liu Xi felt as if he had lost his bones, and his soul was about to fly into the sky. Out of everyone present, he was the one who had spoken the most with Mu Rou.
"Look at the proud face of Liu Xi. It's infuriating! He is just flaunting the fact that his father is the Chief of Staff, so he can acquire more resources," another candidate muttered resentfully.
The other royals and nobles, despite their anger, had no choice but to sulkily present their gifts to Mu Rou.
"Sir, don't you intend to gift a little to me?" Mu Rou's gaze fell upon Chu Yuan. Since arriving here, he had not spoken or moved. Unlike the others who were infatuated with her, he always sat calmly.
No matter how she tried to sense his spirit, she found that his surroundings were enveloped in an abyss-like aura, swallowing up all her perception.
As Chu Yuan was about to speak, Liu Xi sneered, "Who are you? I know so many people but I've never seen you before. What's your name? You didn't prepare even a small gift for the fairy's birthday. Did you barge in here? If you're not sincere, you better leave."
"And who do you think you are?" Chu Xiaoniang snapped.
Her brother was the monarch of the Great Wu Dynasty, and here was Liu Xi, ordering the emperor to leave. Was he anything more than the son of the Chief of Staff?
"Speaking of which, I do have a gift," Chu Yuan looked into his System Space and pulled out something, "This is a little gift I've prepared for you."