"Ah... such a sea of people."
"This is nothing. Just wait until you step onto the stage for the Wardance Ceremony—that's when you'll truly see a sea of faces."
In the corridor of the Skysplitter, March 7th gazed at the crowded hallway, filled with people of all kinds, and couldn't help but sigh. A touch of apprehension crept into her heart.
As if sensing March 7th's inner turmoil, Yunli didn't offer reassurance. Instead, she issued a stark reminder:
If you can't even handle this crowd in the corridor...
Once you're on the stage for the Wardance Ceremony, your legs will be trembling so hard you won't even be able to grip your sword.
"Hmph..." March 7th didn't fully grasp the nuance of Yunli's words, but she understood the underlying point.
Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she clenched her fist, pressed it against her cheek, and shook it repeatedly to psych herself up.
"Don't worry, Master Yunli."
"Since I'm the Luofu's Defending Swordsman, I'll fulfill my duty properly and uphold the Luofu's dignity and honor as the host!"
"Ah, that has nothing to do with me," Yunli said, crossing her arms and dousing the situation with cold water. "You're defending the Luofu's dignity and honor, not Zhuming's."
"In fact, I'm rather looking forward to defeating you and claiming the Wardance Ceremony champion's title as a Zhuming representative."
"Hahahahahaha!"
With these words, Yunli unleashed a villainous cackle.
"Ugh..." March 7th's eyes drooped at the sound, and she lapsed into speechless exasperation.
Anyone who didn't know better might think Master Yunli had been possessed by some ancient fox spirit...
It's too uncanny...
"Meow, meow? (Isn't she even more of a villain than me? Shouldn't you adopt her too?)" The Phantylia Kitten, nestled in Lumina's arms, heard Yunli's decidedly villainous laughter. The little kitten lifted its gaze, licked its paw, and meowed insistently, gesturing toward Lumina.
Phantylia Kitten recognized that laugh all too well.
Wasn't that the same laughter she used to unleash when invading other civilizations, just as they were on the brink of internal Destruction?
Isn't that exactly the kind of laughter I used to let out when I was a Lord Ravager?
So, when she heard that laughter, the Phantylia Kitten couldn't help but sink into a reverie.
She recalled the awe-inspiring grandeur she had once wielded as the Lord Ravager.
And now...
Phantylia Kitten gazed at the paw before her, sighing inwardly with resignation.
She stuck out her tongue and licked it again.
I used to be the Lord Ravager, the one who reveled in villainous laughter...
But... there's no going back now...
"Have you gone daft, cat?"
Hearing Phantylia Kitten's meow, Lumina glanced down at her. She suspected the drastic fall in status had driven the kitten mad on the spot.
Hmm... that makes sense.
Indeed, the transition from the Lord Ravager—a supreme being who manipulated entire galactic civilizations with ease—to a mere "domesticated kitten" was, by traditional standards, an immense demotion.
But one must consider more than just the surface. It also mattered whose "domesticated kitten" she had become.
Being Lumina's "domesticated kitten" was a world apart from being anyone else's.
After all, across the entire Galaxy, how many people, Intellitrons, and creatures yearned to become Lumina's "pet kitten"?
If you were someone else's "pet kitten," no one would even glance at you.
But if you were Lumina's "pet kitten," you'd evoke envy, jealousy, and ultimately, respect.
Your status would rival even that of a Lord Ravager.
The Phantylia Kitten, however, clearly hadn't grasped this yet.
Her perception of her status remained rooted in her role as Lumina's captive apprentice.
Ignoring the Phantylia Kitten's words, Lumina snapped out of her reverie and her gaze fell upon a Foxian Woman ahead.
It was a familiar face—the Foxian Woman who had helped resolve the Scott incident at the Artisanship Commission.
Xikui, was it?
"Everyone, this way!"
Spotting the group, Xikui waved them over.
"Let's go," Lumina said, gently tapping March 7th's head to rouse her from her speechless daze. She then led the way toward Xikui.
"I received instructions from Madam Yukong to come and escort you here."
"By the way, Miss March, the announcement that you'll be representing Lieutenant Yanqing's guards as the Defending Swordsman has already been made public."
"Ah? And... did it cause a huge commotion?" Hearing this, March 7th's heart clenched. She pressed her hands to her chest, pursed her lips, and waited anxiously for Xikui's next words, her whole body tense.
"A huge commotion? Hmm... not really." Xikui considered for a moment before shaking her head. "When I passed by the Contestant Hall earlier, the loudest and most frequent topic of conversation was—'Who is March 7th?'"
"Oh, I see. Well, that's good then," March 7th said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"When we get to the Contestant Hall later, what should Miss March say if they ask about her identity?"
"Hmm... I'm March 7th, and I'm Sister Lumina's best friend!" After a moment of thought, March 7th's eyes lit up. She planted her hands on her hips and delivered this overwhelmingly imposing self-introduction.
"Hmm... It seems Miss March is quite relaxed."
"To maintain such a state under these circumstances, Miss March's mindset is something many Sky-Faring Commission employees could learn from."
Although March 7th's self-introduction was somewhat humorous, the oppressive feeling brought by her status was quite overwhelming, surpassing 99% of self-introductions.
"Little March, my reputation might not necessarily be useful."
"If there are any 'Who is Lumina?' comments, I will teach you a lesson."
Hearing March 7th's completely different self-introduction from the original story, Lumina said with a light laugh.
The Wardance Ceremony might not be a major grand event, but it was still an activity facing the entire galaxy.
So, it was unlikely that a situation where people did not recognize her would occur.
This wasn't Lumina boasting; it was simply the reality.
After all, even Lumina herself did not know clearly to what extent her reputation had reached throughout the galaxy.