Volume 3, Chapter 383 – Might As Well Take Them All

“Heaven Mandated Male Lead… Wei Ziqing.”

Lu Zhuxin stared at the man, narrowing her eyes, a glint flickering in her gaze.

[Host, now that you’ve laid eyes on another one of your own Heaven Mandated Male Leads, any thoughts?]

“Hmmm.” Lu Zhuxin crossed her arms and pressed them against her chin in a thinking pose.

“Not as handsome as me.”

[…]

[Huh?]

“Coy and affected, what a mama’s boy.”

Lu Zhuxin’s eyes turned sharp, her expression grave.

“Something this androgynous and coquettish gets to be a male lead?”

[…]

[Host… maybe you should reconsider what you just said?]

While Lu Zhuxin was busy conversing with the system, Wei Ziqing, who had just stepped onto the stage, suddenly came to a halt.

He turned his head slightly, his gaze drifting toward the side of the spirit platform.

Cheng Yinyin grabbed Lu Zhuxin’s hand, exclaiming with excitement. “He’s looking at me! Noble Consort Wei is looking at me!”

Lu Zhuxin gave a strained laugh, the smile never reaching her eyes.

“03, I’ve already changed this storyline. Will Bu Lianshuang still cross paths with Wei Ziqing?”

[Host, what do you think?]

“Heh.” Lu Zhuxin let out a cold laugh. “So everything comes down to however the small world’s Heavenly Dao decides to play itself out?”

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The system’s answer was already clear enough.

Because of the small world’s power of restoration, as long as a Heaven Mandated Woman’s karmic bond hadn’t been completely severed, the power of the Heavenly Dao would gradually mend that bond even if the storyline connecting her to the male lead had been altered. Given enough time, it would restore itself regardless.

“So Bu Lianshuang showing up here is fate at work too?”

The system didn’t answer.

On the platform, Wei Ziqing had already withdrawn his gaze.

He didn’t linger. He walked straight toward the seat of honor at the viewing platform, as though that brief pause had been nothing but chance.

As the phoenix feathers drifted down, Wei Ziqing’s brow furrowed slightly.

He rubbed his thumb gently over the golden phoenix ring on his hand, sinking a thread of his consciousness into it.

“Immortal Sister, are you certain my fated one is over there?”

“Of course.” A woman’s voice answered. “Boy, are you doubting my divination now?”

“Immortal Sister, how could I ever doubt you?” Wei Ziqing said. “If not for you, I’d still be stuck struggling in the mire of the duke’s household.”

“Heh. Good that you know it.” The woman gave a cold laugh. “Your path has been rough, nothing going your way, and it’s because you haven’t yet met your fated one. Once you meet the girl destined for you, your fate itself will change completely, from a phoenix’s fate to that of a dragon.”

“She’ll become your strength, and help you rise to the throne.”

Wei Ziqing’s heart burned at the thought.

“But, Immortal Sister, of those three girls over there, which one is my fated one?”

The woman answered without hesitation. “No idea.”

“No idea?” Wei Ziqing was taken aback.

Just moments ago, when the immortal sister in the ring had told him the direction of his fated one, he’d assumed she’d already worked out that person’s identity.

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He hadn’t expected an answer like this from her.

“Heh.” The woman in the ring gave a cold laugh. “That’s not on me. Not long ago, the thread of your marriage fate suddenly went haywire, turning blurred and indistinct.”

“It’s as if someone tried to sever your marriage thread using some great power.”

“Boy, you’d best be careful.”

“Your fate is unusual, your romantic ties as vast as the sea. In this life, you’re destined to be entangled with countless women in all sorts of ways.”

“But if someone forcibly severs your marriage thread, your fate will be ruined.”

“When that happens, forget about keeping your phoenix fate. You might even have your entire fortune drained away and be cast aside by the Heavenly Dao.”

A shadow crossed Wei Ziqing’s eyes.

As someone originally from Earth, he’d never believed in fate or spirits or any of that.

But given that something as bizarre as transmigration had happened to him, he could hardly afford not to believe now.

Wei Ziqing withdrew his consciousness from the phoenix ring.

He beckoned, and an attendant walked over.

“Go find out who those girls sitting over there are.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The attendant bowed and withdrew.

Wei Ziqing’s gaze drifted back toward the girls in the distance.

“The girl fated for me. Who could she possibly be?”

“Immortal Sister, you know what, maybe I should just take them all.”

Wei Ziqing’s lips curved.

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“The Empress is a woman anyway. She won’t be able to enjoy them properly.”

The voice in the ring said, “Consorts carrying on affairs is a serious crime. Weigh that for yourself.”

…

Watching the smile curl at the corner of Wei Ziqing’s mouth, Lu Zhuxin suddenly felt a chill run through her.

She knew that expression far too well.

That shameless flirt was definitely not thinking of anything good!

Lu Zhuxin turned her head and looked toward the noble young lady sitting not far off.

The girl was watching her too, through hazy eyes.

Her lips moved, silently forming words at Lu Zhuxin. “Miss Fox, I’m here to help you.”

No! I don’t need your help at all!

Lu Zhuxin’s face twisted.

That troublemaker Huang Huying, always acting on her own without asking! No sense of timing at all.

“Second Sister! Second Sister!” Cheng Yinyin suddenly grabbed Lu Zhuxin’s hand. “Noble Consort Wei just looked over here again! I’m sure I didn’t imagine it this time!”

“Do you think it’s because my outfit today left a strong impression on Noble Consort Wei? Do you think my chances of winning this selection are pretty good?”

“…” Lu Zhuxin no longer felt like talking.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp gaze on her.

The gaze wasn’t coming from anywhere else. It was coming from behind her.

Chi Xiyan was glaring daggers into her back.

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Just then, the official who had stepped onto the stage earlier finished reading out the rules for the consort selection.

He turned and bowed respectfully to Wei Ziqing. “My lord, all the candidates for this selection have arrived. Shall we begin the formal selection?”

Wei Ziqing looked up and gave the crowd below a faint smile.

He waved his sleeve, sending golden red phoenix feathers scattering.

“Let’s begin, then.”

The official from Huayue Court took out the roster.

“Everyone whose name is called, come up to the stage in order for testing.”

Aside from looks and family background, talent was also one of the criteria for the Empress’s selection.

That was why the first round of the selection was a test of talent.

But this test was different from the spiritual root assessments that noble children underwent during their early education.

What was being measured wasn’t spiritual roots.

The candidates who had come for the selection were all roughly the same age, but the resources each family possessed varied greatly.

And the same resources, when used by people of different talent, produced wildly different results.

To avoid this kind of disparity, the Empress had specifically revised the testing method.

“Those going up to be tested, please unleash your strongest attack technique against the testing spirit stele.”

“This stele will judge your talent based on your attack.”

“It will also judge how diligently you’ve cultivated by measuring your control over your spiritual power.”

“A final score will be determined based on the overall assessment.”