Within the Harmony Divine Palace, the first round of the Palace Selection neared its end.

Throughout the process, numerous celestial maidens of exceptional talent stood out. Amid applause and envious gazes, they fulfilled their dreams. There was even one peerless fairy who stood out from the tens of thousands. She won the special regard of the palace’s high echelons. She seemed destined to soar to the heavens!

In the grand hall of the palace, three revered Valkyries were in charge of the selection.

These Valkyries belonged to the core power of the Harmony Divine Palace. They stood above Divine Bud Disciples, Stellar Sea Disciples, Taiji Disciples, and Samsara Disciples.

Seated in the most honored positions at the front of the hall, one had to crane their neck to look upon them.

To the left sat a Valkyrie with ice-blue hair, her strands falling like a glacial waterfall. Her face, a portrait of frosty allure, was set in eternal cold, her gown the color of deep ice. Her very presence seemed to freeze the air around her.

“I just heard about her,” Feng Yao whispered to the Mortal Dust Devil Seed nestled within her heart. “She's called Bing Xuanqing, the Frost Valkyrie. She's from the Ice Lineage. Their faction has grown strong in recent years.”

Yun Xiao, having regained his usual demeanor, turned his attention to the Divine Harmony Palace’s inner dynamics.

“Looks like an old ice queen who’d freeze you out if you so much as blinked her way,” he commented, observing her aloof elegance.

“Old? She looks pretty young to me,” Feng Yao retorted.

Indeed, in the Cloud Nation, she would pass for merely in her twenties, the peak of her allure.

“A shame she’s so cold,” Yun Xiao mused, finding no beauty in her icy demeanor. “Apart from the Ice Lineage, there are two others, right?” he asked, piecing together information from Zhao Menglin’s compendium.

“Yes, one is the Snow Lineage, and the other is the Sea Lineage,” Feng Yao confirmed.

“All water-based,” Yun Xiao chuckled.

“Women are like water, inherently gentle and enduring,” Feng Yao pointed out.

“Do they seem gentle to you?” Yun Xiao countered, his gaze sweeping over the fiercely competitive, envious celestial maidens around them.

Caught without an answer, Feng Yao quickly shifted the topic. “The other two Valkyries also decide our fate. The one on the right, Dantai Hailan, belongs to the Sea Lineage, while the one in the center is Xue Yuening of the Snow lineage.”

Through the eyes of Feng Yao, Yun Xiao could see Dantai Hailan to his right: a woman with lush, dark green hair, her figure more voluptuous, her eyes as deep as oceans, exuding an immense presence.

Yet her lineage’s prominence wasn’t in the vast dao of the sea, but in its chilling gloom—her aura felt like a sea of shadows and frost, where no life could endure.

So, the sharp cold of the Ice Lineage and the bleak gloom of the Sea Lineage cast an uncomfortable pall over the hall.

In the center, the Valkyrie of the Snow Lineage, Xue Yuening, seemed purer, more untouched by the world.

Yun Xiao was surprised to see that this woman appeared a bit older. Her long white hair was likely her natural color, not a sign of aging. Her face also bore the gentle marks of time, contrasting with her less statuesque posture compared to the other two Valkyries.

Not only was Feng Yao keenly observing them, all the celestial maidens remaining in the Harmony Divine Palace were anxiously watching these three Valkyries. Their futures within the Palace, which lineage they would join, all hinged on the decisions of these three.

It was a moment that would define their destinies!

The Ice Lineage with the Frost Valkyrie! The Sea Lineage with the Sea Storm Valkyrie! The Snow Lineage with the Moon Lemon Valkyrie!

“The selection for entering the palace consists of two phases.

“The first phase involves each group choosing ten for a melee. There’s no need to fight until only a few remain; instead, they must demonstrate their abilities within the chaos for a span of 100 breaths. Each Valkyrie may choose one candidate to advance to the next phase, or none at all… of course, they might all choose the same person.”

In this first phase, a Valkyrie’s choice was crucial. For instance, if the Frost Valkyrie selected someone to progress, and they succeeded in the second phase, they would automatically join the Ice Lineage. If more than one Valkyrie chose the same individual, the disciple could choose their lineage.

“And the second phase?” Yun Xiao casually asked.

“There’s a supreme celestial treasure called the Harmony Divine Crown with nine Yin Stars on it. It measures the depth of one’s Corona, revealing one’s talent for the Fourth Dao Tribulation. The more Yin Stars that shine, the greater the candidate's potential. At least three must light up for a candidate to officially become a disciple of the Harmony Divine Palace,” Feng Yao explained with anticipation.

“Nine Yin Stars? The Harmony Divine Crown? Have you seen it?” Yun Xiao asked.

“Not yet, the second phase of the selection hasn’t started. But I heard that the crown used in the selection is just a replica, still, it has seven Yin Stars, which are sufficient for the selection,” Feng Yao responded.

“What would it mean if all seven Yin Stars light up?” Yun Xiao asked.

“That would be incredible,” Feng Yao replied, “They say lighting up five stars could grant a chance to become a Valkyrie. Six, and one might become a Valkyrie Princess. That's already a high honor.”

To light up all seven stars would likely rival the effect Yun Xiao once achieved at the Sword Ruins.

“It’d be interesting if they used the real Harmony Divine Crown for the test,” Yun Xiao chuckled.

“What are you thinking? They’re measuring the Corona. Mine comes from a Sanguine Spirit Serpent. Though it has evolved, it might not be that powerful. I’m even afraid it won’t light up three Yin Stars,” Feng Yao said with a twist of her mouth.

She wasn’t being modest; she truly lacked Yun Xiao’s boundless confidence.

“Just get through the first hurdle. If the three Valkyries don’t choose you, I might just have to bail you out,” Yun Xiao remarked.

“Underestimate me and prepare to be proven wrong!” Feng Yao retorted.

As she spoke, suddenly, the steward beneath the Valkyries called out her Harmony Ring's number and name.

"Number 53,162, Wanyan Guifeng, please step forward!

This commanding shout stirred the blood, yet it couldn't help but draw a chuckle from Yun Xiao.

"Annoying…!" Feng Yao hummed in annoyance as she stepped onto one of the icy battlefields.

It must be said that the three Valkyries were formidable; within the grand hall of the Harmony Divine Palace, numerous battles raged, yet they precisely identified the most skilled participants through their performances.

Only those selected in this melee of ten could advance to test their Corona talent in the second phase—a crucial stage indeed.

And these Valkyries had to be discerning, keen not to overlook any hidden talent whose Corona depth might reveal a genius.

Feng Yao was the first to enter the icy battlefield! Her tall figure and enchantingly demonic beauty immediately drew many eyes.

Some stood out even amongst tens of thousands of exquisite celestial maidens, like a crane among chickens. To be radiant without vulgarity—that was true peerless beauty.

"Bone age, 17."

As she stepped onto the icy battlefield, the celestial formation on the ground unexpectedly displayed her age.

"This devil girl is so young, and she's already in the Fourth Dao Tribulation?"

"Where did this genius come from? I've never heard of her before..."

"Her thighs go all the way up to my neck!"

"Truly impressive."

"Indeed, one of her is worth ten of you."

Whispers of various tones—curious, cold, and mixed feelings—quietly arose around them.

"Wanyan Guifen!"

Feng Yao suddenly heard a cold and unpleasant voice. Turning around, she saw a young girl in purple stepping onto the battlefield, her gaze toward Feng Yao somewhat frosty.

"Well, what a coincidence?" Feng Yao hadn't expected to be grouped with Zhao Mengmeng, whom she had registered with. It seemed the Harmony Divine Palace had somewhat lazily grouped them by their registration numbers.

"Bone age, 27."

The celestial formation revealed Zhao Mengmeng's true age as well.

She looked no more than 15 years old; unexpectedly, she was a decade older than Feng Yao.

But that was normal here in the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm; celestial maidens under 50 typically appeared very youthful, and even the slightly mature women might be hundreds of years old.

Of course, before 50 years old was the explosive period of rapid advancement in cultivation.

Even Yun Xiao felt tempted to step onto the celestial formation himself, wondering if it could reveal something infinitely great…

"Stand behind me!" Zhao Mengmeng held no real malice towards Feng Yao; she was merely irked that this little devil girl, relying merely on her beauty—a trait scarcely valued in the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm—drew more attention than herself.

"Alright," Feng Yao nodded.

Soon after, Zhao Mengmeng's friend, Lin Wan, joined them. She was 28 years old, nearly the same age as Zhao Mengmeng. The two were clearly planning to stick together in the chaotic fray of ten.

"What are your strengths?" Zhao Mengmeng asked, her gaze coldly sizing up her opponents, as she spoke to Feng Yao.

"Some blood arts, maybe some backstabbing?" Feng Yao said.

"As a devil, aren't you supposed to be in the front line with your strong physique?" Lin Wan said incredulously.

"I can't. I'm afraid of dirtying my face," Feng Yao replied flatly.

She knew these two looked down on her, yet they pretended to be allies, which she found quite tedious.

"Your face?"

Hearing this, their disdain for Feng Yao deepened.

"Fine, just stand there and be part of the background," Zhao Mengmeng dismissed her, having no real expectation of Feng Yao entering the Harmony Divine Palace beyond merely going through the motions.

And then, their group of ten was complete.

They had only 100 breaths to showcase their worth!

Zhao Mengmeng's eyes hardened, and she whispered to Lin Wan, "To truly impress the Valkyries, we must take on the hardest challenge. You and I together against seven. If we defeat them, our entrance to the palace is guaranteed."

"I was thinking the same," Lin Wan replied coldly.

Their alliance was obvious, and the other seven celestial maidens caught on quickly.

Everyone wanted to prove themselves! No one could afford to be targeted and eliminated in a flash! Nor could they simply linger in the background!

They were all astute, quickly discerning Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Wan's intentions and adjusting their strategies accordingly.

BOOM!

The moment the steward announced the start of the battle, the seven other celestial maidens unexpectedly banded together, unleashing their Sword Souls, Life Sigils, celestial weapons, and Coronas in a concerted assault, whipping up a storm of icy clouds toward Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Wan!

"Master!"

At the high platform, beside the frosty-haired Frost Valkyrie, a young woman in black leaned forward and spoke, "That girl there is my sister, Zhao Mengmeng. She's already in the Establishment stage of the First Baptism Realm and could reach the Second Baptism Realm by 30 years old."

The Frost Valkyrie glanced at Zhao Mengmeng and responded, "Her talent is no less than yours, and her courage and spirit might even surpass it. I might grant her a spot. If she shines under the Harmony Divine Crown, I might take her in as a disciple as well."

JustLivingJL's Thoughts

"Fine, just stand there and be part of the background," Zhao Mengmeng dismissed her, having no real expectation of Feng Yao entering the Harmony Divine Palace beyond merely going through the motions.