Tianyi Fan Yin? Returning to the Lotus Grotto-Heaven. (Begging all you dear readers to subscribe and keep reading)

"N-no..." The girl shook her head timidly.

"Is Fanyin your full name?"

Qi Zhaoyue could not help asking again.

"Y-yes, I've always been called that since I was little."

"Is that so?"

A trace of disappointment flashed through Qi Zhaoyue's heart. So I was overthinking it after all.

Qi Zhaoyue stopped dwelling on it and looked at Fanyin as she spoke again. "You're an orphan, you've wandered the Capital since childhood, and you have no cultivation at all?"

Fanyin slowly raised her head. Her long hair covered her eyes, and only her voice, as faint as a mosquito's hum, could be heard, carrying a trace of fear and a hint of anticipation she could not conceal:

"Y-yes."

"May I ask... if I join the Divine Maiden Sect, will I... will I never have to go hungry again?"

As her words fell, several barely suppressed snickers rang out in the hall.

A little beggar without even a lineage or any cultivation, a mere lowborn wretch with a base bloodline, actually dared to seek a master in the Divine Maiden Sect? And she even asked whether she would go hungry?

How could Her Highness Zhaoyue possibly accept someone with such a base bloodline into the Divine Maiden Sect?

Qi Zhaoyue's delicate brows furrowed slightly, her gaze sweeping over the disciples who had laughed.

Under Qi Zhaoyue's gaze, those disciples instantly lowered their heads in fright. All laughter stopped abruptly, and they dared not make another sound.

"To wear a fawning face before the strong, yet put on airs before the weak..."

"Nothing could be more contemptible!"

Disgusted, Qi Zhaoyue waved her hand. Dozens of streaks of white light flashed, and everyone who had just laughed vanished from Mount Qingliang.

"Everyone says that throughout the Great Yu Dynasty's thirty thousand years, no humble household has stood among the upper ranks, and no great clan has fallen among the lower."

"But I have also heard..."

"'You shall aid me in bringing the obscure and lowly to light; recommend talent alone, that I may employ it.'"

"This time, that is how it shall be!"

With that, Qi Zhaoyue withdrew her gaze and spoke gently to Fanyin:

"Yes. Once you join the Divine Maiden Sect, you will never go hungry again."

"Not only will you never go hungry, you'll have more new clothes than you could ever wear, and the finest cultivation resources..."

"R-really?"

Fanyin's voice was filled with disbelief.

"Really." Qi Zhaoyue nodded, then reached out and said softly, "May I see your face?"

Fanyin hesitated, then nodded lightly, but her body was terribly tense and rigid.

Smiling gently, Qi Zhaoyue reached out with her fingers and carefully lifted the long hair covering Fanyin's face.

In an instant, Qi Zhaoyue's pupils contracted sharply, and the smile disappeared from her face.

She let Fanyin's long hair fall, covering her face once more.

Then she turned and instructed Ye Luoxue beside her, "Luoxue, take her away and get her properly cleaned up."

"From today onward, she is my first personal disciple."

Ye Luoxue froze slightly, clearly not having expected Her Highness to make such a decision.

But she quickly recovered and answered respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness."

Meanwhile, the two hundred or so ordinary disciples farther away once again erupted into an uproar.

"What? A personal disciple?!"

"Did I hear that right? The sect master is actually taking a lowborn little beggar without any cultivation as her personal disciple?"

"In Great Yu, no humble household stands among the upper ranks, and no great clan falls among the lower...

Her Highness actually meant it when she said the Divine Maiden Sect would select people on talent alone? Joining the Divine Maiden Sect really has nothing to do with background, lineage, or bloodline?!"

"Gasp! This time, all those female cultivators who were skeptical about whether Her Highness Zhaoyue really selected people on talent alone and were waiting to see, along with those whose backgrounds have left them frustrated and unfulfilled, or barred them from the immortal path...

They're probably going to trample down the Divine Maiden Sect's gates!"

For a time, all manner of discussions rose one after another, and everyone's face was filled with envy, jealousy, and shock.

Fanyin was stunned as well. She raised her head and looked through the gaps in her hair at Qi Zhaoyue's back, calling softly:

"M-master?"

Qi Zhaoyue turned around, gave Fanyin a gentle smile, and reached out to ruffle her tangled hair.

"Yes. From now on, call me Master."

"With your master here, no one will dare bully you again, and I won't let you go hungry anymore."

"Thank you, Master!"

Fanyin immediately cried out in excitement, her golden eyes behind her hair curving into two little crescents.

Ye Luoxue stepped forward and bowed slightly to Fanyin. "Miss Fanyin, please come with me."

"Mm-hmm..."

Fanyin nodded and gave Qi Zhaoyue a reluctant look before following closely behind Ye Luoxue and leaving the hall.

Only after their figures disappeared through the hall's entrance did Qi Zhaoyue draw a deep breath.

At that moment, Qi Zhaoyue was no longer in the mood.

She simply instructed some of the maids originally from the Eldest Princess's residence to take the Divine Maiden Sect's outer disciples away to rest, then left with Qi Lanxing.

Night.

The study in the Eldest Princess's residence was brightly lit.

Qi Zhaoyue sat behind the desk, her red fingernails tapping lightly against its surface, her mind filled with Fanyin's face.

Fanyin...

Tianyi Fan Yin...

Were they the same person or not?

Recalling how breathtaking Fanyin's face had been the instant she saw it, coupled with her extraordinarily unique bearing, Qi Zhaoyue had to admit that, even as a woman herself, she could not help feeling tender affection for Fanyin.

Forget it.

Whether or not she was that legendary Tianyi Fan Yin, ranked first on the Rouge Peerless Beauties Ranking...

Her aptitude was absolutely among the top three of all the people I had ever seen.

Even I probably couldn't claim to be unquestionably better than her.

Who would have thought founding the Divine Maiden Sect would bring me such an unexpected delight!

Qi Zhaoyue marveled inwardly. But...

At the thought that sooner or later, she would bring this kingdom-toppling beauty of a personal disciple into the Lotus Grotto-Heaven as well and present her to Xu Changsheng.

For the first time, Qi Zhaoyue felt a little sourness in her heart.

Shouldn't Xu Changsheng thank me properly?

Perhaps...

I could set him a few conditions?

After all, with Fanyin's looks...

He couldn't possibly offer nothing in return, could he?

Just as Qi Zhaoyue was considering what conditions she ought to set Xu Changsheng...

Knock, knock, knock-

A brisk knocking came from outside the door.

Immediately afterward came Zhu Xiaoliang's clear, melodious, wonderfully lively voice, carrying a hint of impatience:

"Senior Sister! Senior Sister! It's past midnight! I'm here!"

"Where exactly is that secret realm?"

"Can it really let me enter the Tenth Realm: Dao Comprehension Realm within three months?"

"If I really reach the tenth realm, I'll definitely give Master a good scare, hehe~"

Qi Zhaoyue came back to her senses.

She stood, walked to the entrance, and opened the door.

Zhu Xiaoliang stood outside, still wearing white Daoist robes, her little face flushed and her eyes sparkling, impatience written all over her face.

Seeing Qi Zhaoyue open the door, Zhu Xiaoliang immediately spoke excitedly again:

"Senior Sister! Let's hurry! I can't wait!"

Looking at Zhu Xiaoliang's pure, innocent appearance, utterly unaware of what was about to happen, Qi Zhaoyue could not help picturing...

Her without a stitch on, her skin fair all over, her jade body reclining, drenched in fragrant sweat.

Her flowing tresses clung languidly to her cheeks, neck, and front, her eyes brimming with spring waters as she bit her lip and cried softly, subjected to all manner of bullying...

For some reason, Qi Zhaoyue felt a little anticipation.

"Follow me..."

As Qi Zhaoyue spoke, she raised her hand and waved it lightly.

In an instant, a lotus appeared out of thin air before her.

The lotus spun, its petals unfurling layer by layer, and soon a silver gate of light appeared at its center.