"Oh, right, I never asked before."
"Is Lumina really that famous?"
Hearing March 7th's introduction and seeing Xikui's approving and affirmative expression, Yunli couldn't help but wonder about Lumina's true identity.
Her grandfather and Yanqing's attitudes, her acquaintance and promised duel with General Feixiao, and even the Little Kitten she held, capable of easily defeating Yunli herself—all these signs pointed to her noble status.
Yunli rarely used the internet, and when she did, she only accessed the Xianzhou Net to research matters related to swordsmanship. As a result, she had never heard of Lumina, not even a whisper of her existence.
But seeing the reactions of those around her, Yunli couldn't contain her curiosity any longer and finally voiced her question aloud.
"Me?" Lumina feigned surprise, then shook her head with a smile. "I'm only moderately known. I'm far from truly famous."
"Geez, Sister Lumina, what's with all the modesty?" March 7th teased. "Your news is still dominating the top spots on the Luofu's trending topics!"
March 7th pulled out her phone, opened the social media platform specially created by the Interastral Peace Corporation, and tapped on the Trending Topics list.
Of the fifteen top trending topics, ten were related to Lumina.
"Hmm... Lady Lumina?" Xikui glanced at March 7th, then at Yunli, and finally at the small, white-furred creature that Lumina had transformed into, a hint of confusion flickering in her eyes.
Without dwelling on it, Xikui chuckled and explained to Yunli, "Heh heh heh, Miss Yunli."
"Lady Lumina's prestige and influence in the Galaxy is probably comparable to the entire Xianzhou Alliance itself."
"So amazing!" Upon hearing this, Yunli's small eyes widened, her mouth dropping into an "o" shape, her little face plastered with the word "astonished".
She had clearly never imagined that the Lumina standing before her was essentially a living, breathing embodiment of the entire Xianzhou Alliance!
Actually, that wasn't quite true.
Xikui had actually exaggerated things a bit.
Hmm... exaggerating the Xianzhou Alliance.
At least on the specially crafted social media platform created by the Interastral Peace Corporation (IPC), Lumina's reputation and status far surpassed those of the entire Xianzhou Alliance.
In fact, one could argue that even the IPC itself couldn't match her influence.
While it's typically true that an organization's influence far outweighs that of an individual, this rule simply didn't apply to Lumina.
It might sound like a fairy tale, but it was undeniably the reality.
However, neither the Xianzhou Alliance nor the IPC seemed particularly concerned about this.
In fact, the IPC's official account even weighed in on the matter directly, praising Lumina with slightly less enthusiasm than they reserved for the Amber Lord, making their stance clear.
Declared that Lumina was their Mother... (Strike that!) Declared that Lumina's status ranked only below that of the Aeon.
"That's quite an exaggeration. I'm merely a humble Physician," Lumina remarked.
"We're nowhere near the scale of the behemoth that is the Xianzhou Alliance."
In response to the flattery, Lumina naturally engaged in the tried-and-true practice of mutual admiration.
You praise me, you flatter me.
I'll praise you, I'll flatter you.
Isn't this a fundamental law of survival in the Cosmos?
"I'm?" Xikui automatically extracted the keyword, quickly recalling the preceding conversation and immediately realizing what was meant.
Her gaze fell upon the small, white-haired figure before her, disbelief etched across her face. With a hint of uncertainty, she asked, "Lady... Lady Lumina? Are you... are you Lady Lumina?"
The white-haired figure was undeniably adorable, and its hair did resemble Lumina's, but...
"Yes, it's me." Understanding Xikui's confusion and uncertainty, Lumina canceled the Cognitive Shielding in Xikui's eyes and nodded.
"!" Xikui blinked, stunned, as the tiny, waist-high white-haired figure suddenly transformed into the familiar form of Lady Lumina.
She quickly regained her composure, glanced at the bustling crowd around her, and murmured respectfully, "Lady Lumina."
"I'm here to participate in the Wardance Ceremony. Feixiao must have informed you, right?"
"Yes, Lady Lumina. All the arrangements are complete," Xikui replied swiftly, not daring to be careless. "You may choose to advance through each round, or skip directly to the match against General Feixiao."
"I'll take it one round at a time."
What's the fun in skipping straight to the final match?
Lumina would definitely start from the first round!
"Understood. I'll relay the instructions immediately." Having received her answer, Xikui retrieved her Jade Abacus and sent a message.
"Don't worry, I won't appear on the Wardance Ceremony arena in my true form." Though neither Xikui, the Xianzhou, nor Feixiao had explicitly stated it, Lumina understood the implications.
As one of the few officially confirmed Emanators in the Cosmos, appearing at the Wardance Ceremony in her true form would indeed give her an unfair advantage.
Therefore, Lumina would disguise herself before stepping onto the Wardance Ceremony stage.
Then, at the final moment, Lumina would defeat Feixiao, revealing her true identity amidst the stunned silence of the audience.
At that moment, whether live, on broadcast, or watching from beyond the broadcast via Herta's devices, everyone would be shocked and amazed, wouldn't they?
Hmm... Knowing Herta as well as I do, she'd probably just call me boring.
"Thank you, Lady Lumina," Xikui said with a slight bow, offering no further comment.
She glanced at the clock on the corridor wall to confirm the time.
Turning her gaze to March 7th, she said, "Miss Yunli's contestant information for the Wardance Ceremony was approved long ago.
"And Miss March 7th, though you joined the competition at the last minute, the Sky-Faring Commission has already prepared all the necessary paperwork for you."
After a brief pause, Xikui pointed to a staircase nearby. "Please proceed up these stairs. The Contestant Hall is just a short distance ahead."
"Mm-hmm! Thank you, Sister Xikui!" March 7th replied, expressing her gratitude.
She took a deep breath, composing her spirit as if preparing for battle.
The Contestant Hall loomed ahead, where she would soon face her opponents in the Wardance Ceremony. Naturally, March 7th would need to summon every ounce of her focus.
"Let's go," Lumina nodded, taking the lead as they set off.