LERIAN ZERI, in her 20 years of existence before she became Guang Ai Li. She spent her life reading, studying, training and experimenting. She never experienced dating and she's never been kissed on the lips.
'But why...? Why is my first kiss being taken by some stranger?!!!'
'And why can't I resist and push him away? Instead I am responding and following his every move!!'
"Ahem!"
Guang Ai Li gasped and forcefully pushed the man away from her because of Tianshang fake cough.
Her eyes were wide open as she touched her lips while looking at the man attractively biting his own lip.
'Just who the hell is he?!'
"W-w-why did you do that?!" She hissed.
She knows that her face is as red as tomato and that she looks flustered. Tianshang happily fly on the man's side.
'This guy! Do you still considered me as your master?!'
"Tianshang! Don't go near that pervert!"
Tianshang look at her with a question mark all over his face.
"But señorita... Master have been calling you his bride that means you are the Divine Beast Lord's wife."
"Bride?! Wife?! How come I become his bride without me knowing? And I don't even know him?!" She shouted, frowning.
She turn her back on them.
"Shou Gonglu."
Her feet stopped from walking and turn her head on them. "Huh~?" She boredly said.
The Diving Beast Lord walked towards her wearing his serious face. "The name is Shou Gonglu. Now you know."
Guang Ai Li dozed off as she looked straight to his eyes. She didn't know how long has she been staring at his eyes if it hadn't because of the fog that slowly devouring his image she wouldn't realize it.
'Shou Gonglu.. Why call me your bride?'
GUANG AI LI's eyes brow twitched as she look at the servants rushing back and forth like they are preparing for something.
'What's going on?'
She grab the collar of the Eunuch who happened to passed by in front of her. He was holding a jar of liquor and he's sweating a lot.
"What's happening?" She asked while looking around.
"T-this... T-the Imperial Academy's great masters will arrived here to find new disciples." He said, huffing.
She nodded and let him go with a smile on her face. 'Imperial Academy? Sounds fun!'
She go back inside her manor to prepare. Mei Hui go back to her hometown, her mother just passed away.
'Should I give her a reward when she comes back?'
She braided her hair into two. It's the hairstyle her mother used to do before she go to school. Her mother as Lerian loves braiding her hair and she missed it so much.
She put some peach blossoms flowers on her hair to make it looks pretty.
She also wear a simple aquamarine robe. It's the only descent clothes she could find in her cabinet. She always wears a simple dress and she didn't want to wear any accessories.
She smile while looking at the mirror.
'This Guang Ai Li sure is a beauty!'
She looks so young and innocent though it's true that this body is young, but she looks younger than her age.
She took a deep breath and stand up. Until now, she's still not used on seeing her violet and yellow eyes.
She head towards the Palace Hall. The Palace Hall are still far away but she could already see a lot of people.
She heard from the servants that there are twelve great masters in the Imperial Academy and each of them have ten disciples. But there's only one master who don't want to accept any disciples.
People said that he pledged to God that he will only took one disciple and will never took another one.
'What his name again? Tong Fang?'
When she finally arrived inside the hall most of the people were wearing white and robes and the hem of their robes and sleeves have a cloud-like design.
Each clouds have 11 different colors. Blue, Red, Yellow, Violet, Pink, Emerald, Orange, Peach, Aquamarine, and Black. The last color is very special since it's from the Great Master, Tong Fang.
She walked towards the center to greet the emperor. The Concubines and her siblings are sitting in front.
From left to right. Nai Feng, Guang Xian Nai, Guang Xian, Chu Bei, Emperor, Bei Ru, Chen Yi, Yi Tuo.
'They didn't even prepare a sit for me?!'
She stopped herself from raising her eyebrow and frowning. It will only affect her image of being weak and naive.
"Ai Li greets his majesty." She bow.
"You may rise."
She stand up straight and looked around to find a sit. She saw a man with black hair looking at her intently. She tilt her head stare back at him.
He looks pretty handsome and she can't stopped herself from comparing Shou Gonglu to him.
'No matter how you looked at it, Shou Gonglu's handsomeness is incomparable.'
She almost slap herself because of that thought. 'Why am I thinking about that pervert?!'
She smile and walked towards the man. He looks so aloof and nobody sits beside him.
'Is he one of the students of Imperial Academy? But why is he the only one who is wearing red?'
"May I sit there?" She asked tilting her head.
He raised her head and his eyes met hers. 'Wow~! gold-like eyes. And it looks so alluring! So attractive!'
He just nodded and she immediately sit beside him. There's already food serve on the table and they all looked delicious.
She heard gasped from the people around her, so she raised her head to see what's wrong. Everyone looked shocked while looking at her direction even the Emperor and the rest too.
'Why? Did I do something wrong?'
'How dare she?!''
''Doesn't she knows that only disciples can seat with the great masters?!''
''Who is she?!''
''Why is she sitting besides Lord Tong Fang?!''
There are a lot of people muttering something but she didn't understand what they are saying. She looked at the man besides him.
'Is sitting beside him a big deal?'
"Ahh.. Can I really sit here?" She hesitately asked him.
And again, he just answered him with a nod before drinking his alcohol. He looks so elegent while doing it.
"You don't mind but all of them do. Do you have any skin allergy? Are you being picked on by someone powerful? Or.." She sniff him. "You're not smelly so I guess that's not it."
Tong Fang spit the alcohol he's drinking because of what she said and burst out a laughed. If she looked shocked, everyone looked more surprise than her.
"HAHAHAHA!!" He laughed as he patted her head.
He's been observing the girl beside him the whole time. 'Others may think she's stupid and weak, but her aura says the opposite.'
Guang Ai Li looked at him with confusion. 'Is there something funny?'
''He's laughing!!''
''Waaah~! So handsome!''
''L-lord Tong Fang!''
''Who is that kid? Why is she talking to Lord Tong Fang?''
She looked around and all of them are looking at them.
'The hell is wrong with this people?!'
Her attention went back to the man beside her. He's not laughing anymore but there's still a small glimpes of smile curve on his lips while sipping on his drink.
Everyone went silent when the emperor clapped his hand twice to get their attention.
"Please pardon my youngest daughter's behavior, Lord Tong Fang." He apologized.
'Huh? Tong Fang? Where? Why are they bringing up my name?'
"It's alright, your majesty."
She stiffed and quickly turn to face the man on her side. He's looking at her father with a small smile on his lip.
'He's the great master Tong Fang?!'
"I think...." He looked at her and put a silky robe on her shoulder. "I found the right disciple." He said that made everyone gasped.
Her eyes widen and turn to see Guang Chu Bei's reaction. She want to laughed at them mockingly when she saw their expressions but she stopped herself.
She mentally laughed at them. 'They all looked so priceless!'
She grab the robe and take a look at it. The robe looked so different than the others but have the same design.
The color is outstanding. Naivy blue. It also have a white color cloud-like design on the hem and sleeves.
'But wait. Did he just say disciple?'
''Youngest daughter? Is she the rumor weak princess?''
''Why would Lord Tong Fang choose her to be his disciple?''
''Didn't they say that she's a useless princess?''
'The rumors say she's stupid and naive.'
She ignore everything they muttering about her and looked at Chu Bei who's glaring at her.
"L-lord Tong Fang.. That child is fragile and still ot the first rank of cultivation." The emperor protest and tap Chu Bei's shoulder with a smile.
"This is my eldest daughter. She's already at the last stage of 5th rank in Cultivation and also a Rank 4 summoner." He proudly introduce her.
'For your information Qi Bung Yu! I am already at my 10th rank and I am a heavenly rank summoner!'
She mentally rolled her eyes. She bow her head down and act sad.
Lord Tong Fang saw what she did and tried not to laughed and remain his poker face.
'This little girl is really good. Pretending to be weak when she actually fight.'
Guang Ai Li turn and face Lord Tong Fang and sadly hand over the robe.
"M-my father is right, Lord Tong Fang... I'm weak and know nothing. I'm sorry." She said.
"No.. I chose you and it's your decision if you want to be my disciple or not. It doesn't matter if your only Rank 1, but I want you to be my disciple." He pushed back her hand and gave her a determine looked.
"Lord Tong Fang.. my daughter here is much stronger. If she drink the Divine Beast's tears she can easily breakthrough." The emperor pushed.
Lord Tong Fang glare at him that made him pale.
'Wow! He looks handsomely scary when glaring.'
The image of her brother Gaudion as Lerian flashed in her mind that made her smile wryly.
Lord Tong Fang saw her smile. It's not a fake wryly smile and he can feel the sadness of her smile. It made him upset even more.
"For me, drinking or eating something just to breakthrough easily is cheating. Let me remind you this, your majesty. I. Hate. Repeating. My. Words." He coldly said and turn to her.
"Now, let me ask you one question. Do you want to be my disciple?" He seriously asked her.
She glance around, everyone were silently waiting for her answer. Her gaze stopped at Guang Chu Bei's direction. They were glaring at me and giving me a threatening look like they wanted me to say 'no', except for Guang Xuan who doesn't looked interested.
She smile and turn to Lord Tong Fang and happily nod her head.
"Master!" She called him.
Tong Fang eyes gleam and smile back to her before giving her a small purse. It's a green purse with a dragon embroidery. She looked what's inside it.
"A jade pendant?" She mumble.
"It's gift from your master." He said.
She raised her head and smile. "Thank you, Master."
He just nodded and patted her head.
'I am now a officially Imperial Academy's student!'