A slender silk sash encircled her willow-like waist, its elegance enhancing her graceful form. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her back like flowing satin, gleaming with a soft luster. Her delicate, oval face bore not a trace of rouge, yet glowed with a flawless purity, reminiscent of the finest jade, even radiating a faint crystalline sheen. Her obsidian phoenix eyes, half-lidded, concealed their brilliance as she swept a languid glance over the crowd. Her rose-colored lips curved into an ambiguous smile, its meaning unreadable.
Though but twelve, she already possessed the stunning allure of a masterpiece carved by heaven's own hand. Coupled with her ethereal aura—serene as a snow lotus, dazzling in motion—she held the gaze of every onlooker without effort.
"Ah Li." A familiar, gentle voice called out.
Gu Qingli lifted her eyes and saw Gu Qingche. Only this cousin had remained close to her over the years, treating her with warmth and quiet care, regardless of her strength.
She offered a faint smile, and at once the air was filled with the sound of indrawn breath.
Her smile, fleeting as a blooming epiphyllum, was enough to steal the soul.
Watching from the side, Gu Qinglin ground her teeth in fury, cursing this "useless" cousin as nothing short of a seductive vixen.
Now thirteen, Gu Qinglin had developed well physically, and under the doting affection of the Gu family elders, had blossomed into a fine figure of youthful elegance. Yet her haughty temper had only grown more intolerable, marring the charm of her otherwise fair features.
She was now an eight-star Spirit Adept—a commendable accomplishment, though it owed much to the torrents of precious elixirs lavished upon her by the clan. In recent years, her arrogance within the Gu family had reached new heights.
In contrast, fourteen-year-old Gu Qingche exuded a calm and steady warmth, an aura that naturally inspired trust and affection. His clean, handsome features were lit with a spring-like smile, his tall figure bearing a greatsword on his back. Despite his tender age, his presence already held the makings of a leader.
His talent in cultivation was not lacking either—under the clan's tutelage, he had attained the rank of one-star Martial Warrior, an admirable feat for someone so young.
However, should he face Gu Qinglin in combat, he would likely fall short—after all, she possessed a magical beast of the third tier, one even stronger than herself.
Her beast companion, the "Scarlet-Eyed Blood Lynx," had been personally captured from the Beast Prison Forest by the clan patriarch and his men.
The strength of a magical beast was closely tied to that of its master: as the master grew, so too would the beast. But if the beast's level surpassed its master's, it could not aid in her advancement.
Hence, it was generally advised to form a contract with a beast of comparable power for better control. Though Gu Qinglin's contracted beast exceeded her by a tier, the patriarch himself had overseen the bond—thus ensuring its success.
Indeed, the Gu clan had spared no effort nor resource in shaping Gu Qinglin's future.
Gu Qingli, disinterested, did not even spare her a glance. Her gaze instead swept across the crowd's matching attire, a subtle lift of her phoenix brows betraying a trace of amusement.
"Qingli, why are you not wearing the clan uniform?" Elder Mu asked with a slight frown. Though disdain simmered in many hearts, none dared challenge her openly due to the looming presence of Dongfang Kunlun.
Everyone knew she was now a Martial Swordmaster, though many assumed her low level was masked by the effects of a Marrow-Cleansing Pill bestowed by her master.
Gu Qingli's eyes swept coldly over Elder Mu, offering no reply.
"If all are present, let us depart."
"She should be the last person wearing our clan's emblem. It would only tarnish our name. Elder Mu, you should be grateful," Gu Qinglin scoffed, her biting words far too venomous for a mere thirteen-year-old.
"With her worthless strength, even with someone like Master Kunlun guiding her, she's still mud that won't stick to a wall. Just a first-tier? And she dares to attend Windcloud Academy's selection? What a joke!"