Morning light filtered through the windows, golden and soft. Lin Yuan stirred awake—comfortably warm, tucked into bed. For a moment, everything felt calm.
Then a memory struck him.
Wait… last night, wasn't I lying on the grass…? And weren't Lady Yuexian, Xiao Hu, and Qingxue beside me?
He sat up abruptly—only to nearly fall off the bed in shock.
Lady Mingyan, lying beside him with a serene expression, opened one eye lazily. "Is there a problem if I sleep here?"
Lin Yuan clutched his chest. "No, I just—wasn't expecting anyone."
"You were asleep under the Soul Tree," she said, stretching slightly. "Sect Leader Yuexian carried you here."
"…I see."
After a moment, she added, "Let me into your pocket dimension later. I have something to do."
Lin Yuan simply nodded, still recovering from the surprise.
---
Later, beneath the Soul Tree, Lin Yuan sat cross-legged, watching the sky slowly turn orange and gold. The clouds above caught fire with morning light.
Sect Leader Yuexian landed softly beside him.
She was quiet for a moment, then asked, "How do you know about my past?"
Lin Yuan looked up, eyes steady. "I don't know the details. But… I think we've suffered similar things."
She let out a dry laugh. "How absurd. A twelve-year-old boy comforting an old monster like me."
Lin Yuan tilted his head. "How old are you, really?"
"Old enough," she smirked. "Though if people see us together, they might think we're sisters."
They both laughed softly.
"…Do I have to meet the princesses again today?" Lin Yuan asked.
"No," she replied. "Actually, I never invited them. The truth is, you are the actual 'princess' chosen for the event."
"…Wait. You want *me* to go on stage for the beauty competition?"
"If you don't want to," she said casually, "then advance to the next cultivation realm. Otherwise, you participate."
Lin Yuan sighed. "Then I'll participate."
---
Later that morning, after breakfast—simple egg-fried rice, freshly prepared by Sect Leader Yuexian—she told him, "Stay. I have a surprise."
She returned with a sealed crystal vial filled with silver-red liquid.
"You remember that nine-tailed fox I told you about?" she said, smiling. "This is her blood."
Lin Yuan's eyes widened. "You used her blood? Isn't that… cruel?"
"I didn't kill her," Yuexian replied coolly. "I'm still the Sect Leader. I asked, and she agreed. It's part of her cultivation. She shed it willingly."
"…So, what's it for?"
"Beauty enhancement," she said, opening the vial. "Charm, allure, spiritual refinement. It'll awaken your dormant aura."
She began applying the fox blood gently to his face, neck, hands—even soaking his hair.
"It's… itchy," Lin Yuan muttered, flinching.
"Endure it," she said. "You have a beautiful face. But beauty without charm is incomplete."
She brushed the bloof like a chef seasoning a dish—slow, precise, and firm.
---
The Next Three Days
* Day one: herbal masks. Lin Yuan wore full-body skin wraps to moisturize and protect visible skin.
* Day two: a rare ice lotus essence mask—chilling to the bone.
* Day three: fire pearl mist—burning hot, opening pores and enhancing blood circulation.
On the **fourth day**, the competition arrived.
Yuexian personally dressed Lin Yuan, guiding him into a soft violet gown embroidered with silver moons. She applied makeup, blush, and a faint layer of peach-tinted lipstick. A light perfume—cold, elegant, yet sweet—completed the transformation.
When Lin Yuan emerged, Xiao Hu's jaw dropped.
"Sister Lin?! You… you look like a real goddess!"
Even Qingxue was speechless.
"Your face… even your scent changed!"
"You're ready," Yuexian said, voice proud. "Now walk like a noble lady.Dont be afraid"
"I'm not afraid," Lin Yuan replied calmly. "Because this… doesn't define me."
---
**The Beauty Competition**
The stage was filled with glowing lanterns and drifting petals. 57 disciples from the Taiyin Sect, and 10 royal princesses from outside sects, all stood ready.
Then Lin Yuan walked onto the stage.
Eyes turned. Gasps echoed.
"Who is she?"
"Which kingdom sent her?"
"She looks divine…"
Even the princesses who had seen him before couldn't recognize him.
A judge leaned forward. "Young lady, what is beauty in your eyes?"
Lin Yuan gave a calm smile.
> "Makeup and skincare help help us get attention from another people,it's highlights our beautiful. Cultivation removes impurities that's make us beautiful. But mortal beauty—that's different. That's about light in your eyes, and peace in your heart. Everyone has beauty… it just shines in different ways.Beauty is something you like.If you love someone and she gets skin burn you will still see her beauty but strangers will not see her beauty."
The entire courtyard fell silent.
Then—thunderous applause.
The judges gave him a perfect score: 10 out of 10.
And just like that, the "hidden princess" of the Taiyin Sect became the star of the day.