0064 - The Bold Fragrance.

Li Qingwei concealed his murderous intent, focusing instead on the last person in the group. He avoided making direct eye contact with her, to not reveal his anger and displeasure towards this entire group.

Although she is a young woman, she is the oldest in age except for Li Qingwei, her body is also as mature as a mother of nine children and as seductively tight as a demoness. She was draped in a loose purple-pink robe with white floral patterns highlighting her exposed shoulders and barely succeeding in keeping her motherly bosom contained.

"What a cute boy you are?" Before Li Qingwei could initiate the young woman's introduction she spoke first looking at Wei Tian. In height, She dwarfed all as Li Qingwei had to look up.

"How dare you use your filthy..." Li Qingwei cursed, but before he could finish, she bent down to meet his gaze. Despite his seniority, Li Qingwei fell silent.

"Coward!" she remarked provocatively, her words laced with disdain.

"Big Sister is really big." Wei Tian quickly said out loud to diffuse the tension. 

"You like them?" She brought her elbows closer to accentuate her motherly bosom. 

Wei Tian nodded honestly, and his honesty seemed to make her very happy as she smiled in return.

"Your feet would get tired, you can ride on Big Sister's shoulders or rest your head on my bosom," she teased, her words flowing smoothly and seductively. She glanced sideways at Minister Li Qingwei, clearly aiming to provoke a reaction from him.

"I'm Wei Tian, Big Sister!" he introduced himself formally.

"I'm Caiyi Yanzhi, a fragrance sent out by the Celestial Blossom Sect to perfume the world," she declared proudly.

Li Qingwei turned and walked away to cool off his head for a moment and then turned to address them all.

"I will not mince my words," he began, his tone grave. "Our Imperial Majesty, the Divine Dragon Emperor, has initiated the Successor Ceremony." His announcement sent shockwaves through them. It was too soon, too early, and this is far too secret. Their clans needed to be informed, to prepare. This sudden arrangement, without any prior notice, left them all wondering: what was the purpose of this secretive successor ceremony?

"There's no need for alarm," Li Qingwei soothed, his voice steady. "The Successor Ceremony has always been cloaked in secrecy. Those tales of fanfare and celebration? Mere formalities, a spectacle for lesser clans deemed unworthy of an invitation."

His words dispelled some of their doubts but also fueled a secretive dread about the extent of Imperial schemes and the facade they had crafted to portray their successor ceremony as impartial.

"Is that why Lu Clan isn't invited?" Gu Lei interjected, his tone tinged with discontent.

"Lu Clan is invited, but they won't win anyway," Li Qingwei explained. "And to ensure that, we're here—to give you all an opportunity, to be the ones who will lead the ceremony, who will be bestowed with the Imperial blessing." He emphasized each word, his tone grave and deliberate.

Mo Kan raised his hand and started writing something in the air which glowed out.

"I resign."

"I also have no ambition to be part of Imperial power." Caiyi Yanzhi also voiced her decision, her gaze unwavering as she looked at Li Qingwei.

Others were also not sure how to proceed with this sudden revelation. Some exchanged uncertain glances, while others remained silent, contemplating their next move.

"You're not invited here to voice your opinions; you're here to obey," Li Qingwei ground out, his teeth clenched in frustration. "You have no say in it. One of you will be the next successor. Whether you want this to be a boon or a curse, it will be your choice." His words were a stern admonition, cutting off any dissenting thoughts in the minds of those present.

However, both Mo Kan and Caiyi Yanzhi remained adamant in their refusal to participate, standing defiantly despite Li Qingwei's admonitions.

Li Qingwei was about to lose his patience when Wei Tian stepped forward. "Then just lose and get a valid reason for leaving the ceremony."

Wei Tian's words struck a chord of logic, eliciting sighs of relief from those who did not wish to openly protest. Mo Kan did not continue as his posture got soft. 

However, Caiyi Yanzi was not in the mood to be ordered around by selfish men hiding their dirty intent.

Li Qingwei's patience finally broke as he stomped the ground. A spiritual pressure radiated out of him, targeting Caiyi Yanzhi. She took the whole brunt of that pressure as her legs gave up beneath her, and she fell to her knees, struggling against the overwhelming force bearing down on her.

"You dare defy the will of the Divine Dragon Emperor?" Li Qingwei's voice boomed, echoing with an ominous intensity. "You dare challenge the authority of the Imperial Court?"

Caiyi Yanzhi gritted her teeth, refusing to yield despite the immense pressure weighing down on her. "I will not submit to tyranny, Minister Li Qingwei. I will not bow to corrupt power and unjust traditions."

Li Qingwei's fury boiled over, his control slipping as he took a menacing step forward. "You insolent subject! Do you not understand the consequences of your actions? The Successor Ceremony is not a game. It is a sacred tradition, ordained by the Divine Dragon Emperor himself. To defy it is to defy the very foundation of our empire! To reject it is to spit in the face of the very heavens, the very mandate that grants him the right to rule you!"

Caiyi Yanzhi remained unmoved, her expression resolute. "I defy the heavens!"

Li Qingwei's eyes turn red with murder. "GUARDS! This traitor will face the Emperor's justice! Execute her now!" and he immediately decided to execute Caiyi Yanzhi then and there. Others shook at the Minister's decisive decision.

Before guards could move Wei Tian came in between Li Qingwei and Caiyi Yanzhi. "I pray for peace! Please hear the words of this humble monk!"

Li Qingwei, as if caught stealing, felt so embarrassed that he nearly broke character and almost dropped to his knees to bow to Wei Tian, but he managed to collect himself just in time.