As soon as the Emperor had finished his sentence, the contenders go over to wherever their respective companions were seated.
The first contender that Yuying decides to follow with her eyes is Zheng Yimeng.
Zheng Yimeng is talking to one of her companions as they take out what looks like an extension of her long lilac hair ribbon attached to a bamboo stick from a bag and hand it over to her.
It kind of looks like the ribbon apparatus that Yuying has seen rhythmic gymnasts use at competitions on TV, during this one time when the Olympics was being broadcasted live.
/It sure looks like one.../
Yuying thinks to herself.
/Or maybe...it is one.../
Yuying purses her lips.
/It'd be really interesting to see how Zheng Yimeng will be incorporating the ribbon into her performance./
/I wonder if the cultivation dance thing that she was talking about is any similar to rhythmic gymnastics?/
/I'm seriously looking forward to see her item./
Yuying then shifts her gaze to the second contender, Hua Maque.
Yuying widens her eyes slightly when she realizes that Hua Maque, with the assistance of one of her companions, is unsheathing a sword from its cover.
It's a stark contrast to Zheng Yimeng's soft and delicate long lilac ribbon.
Then again, this Hua Maque didn't seem to be anything like the other girls.
Not in the "I'm quirky" sort of way that you see female protagonists on Wattpad channel, of course.
The other girls carried themselves in the traditionally feminine, mild-mannered, and soft-spoken way that ancient Chinese men favoured.
Hua Maque, however, doesn't seem to give a fuck when it comes to conforming.
Instead of taking small and gentle steps, Hua Maque walked with a swagger and an aura of self-confidence.
Instead of keeping her head bowed, Hua Maque keeps her chin up like she knows what she wants.
Yuying notices the intricate patterns of flowers and sparrows on the handle of Hua Maque's custom-made sword.
Yuying parted her lips slightly to form a half-impressed and a half-surprised 'o'.
/I've never seen anyone who suits their sword even more than Hua Maque does./
Yuying has seen many kinds of swords from the countless of Chinese dramas and comics that she'd watched and read.
However, she'd never seen anyone fit their sword more than Hua Maque fits hers.
/Hua Maque is practically born to wield this sword./
The silver sword was so sharp that it glimmered under the bright lights of the Main Hall.
It doesn't look like the plastic and flimsy like the swords that Yuying has seen contestants use in Wushu competitions (Chinese martial arts competitions).
It doesn't look fake at all.
Even from where Yuying was sitting, the sword looks so sharp that she feels like her the skin of her finger would split open if she were to stroke the blade ever so gently.
Yuying grimaces at this thought.
/I can't wait to watch Hua Maque's performance./
/I have a feeling that it's gonna be the best wushu performance that I've ever watched./
/I wonder how she's gonna incorporate cultivation to her martial arts, too./
/We'll see./
With this, Yuying shifts her gaze over to the third contender, Liu Yuqi.
As much as Liu Yuqi both resembled and reminded Yuying of her often times insufferable older sister, Yuqing, the latter couldn't help but find herself unable to take her eyes off the contender and her companions.
Yuying watches on as Yuqi's companions pull out a large wooden case with intricate cherry blossom patterns carved into it.
Yuying narrows her eyes slightly when Yuqi steps forward and lifts up the lid of the case up to reveal something wrapped with a velvet cloth with similar cherry blossom patterns.
Yuqi slips her hands under the bottom of the clothed item. She proceeds to take it out ever so carefully and delicately that it's as though she's carrying a newborn baby.
As soon as the item is in her arms, Yuqi slowly peels the velvet cloth off to reveal a guzheng.
Just like its wooden case and velvet cloth, there were cherry blossom patterns carved into the guzheng.
Yuqi looks at her guzheng so lovingly that Yuying feels like she's looking at a mother embrace her beloved baby.
/Yuqing has the same look in her eyes whenever she plays her guzheng./
Yuying muses.
/Besides, even though Yuqing doesn't have any cherry blossom patterns carved onto her guzheng or wooden case, she'd wanted them so badly that she'd painted them on by herself./
/Instead of being furious at Yuqing for painting on her expensive guzheng and wooden case, dad and mom were impressed by the pink and flowery patterns that she'd produced./
Yuying sighs.
/Then again, that's not very surprising./
/After all, regardless of whatever it may be, dad and mom are always impressed by Yuqing./
/They probably would've killed me if I was the one who'd painted on the guzheng instead of her./
Yuying studies Yuqi one last time before she finally withdraws her gaze.
/No matter how I look at her, this Liu Yuqi really reminds me of Yuqing./
/Anyhow, I'm excited to see what she has prepared for tonight./
Instead of looking at the rest of the contenders to see what they were doing, Yuying decides that she would just stare into space for the remainder of the time.
After all, the other seven contenders hadn't left as deep of an impression on her as Zheng Yimeng, Hua Maque, and Liu Yuqi did.
Yuying was looking forward to what the three of them had to show.
...
The contenders fell back into the line that they'd formed at the front of the Main Hall as soon as they were done with their preparations.
The Emperor raised his hand to signal that the first contender could begin her item.
/Well, this is gonna be a long ride./
Yuying takes a deep breath.
/On a second thought, though, this is actually kinda cool./
/I feel like I'm a judge on X Factor or America's Got Talent or something./
/Now, if only we had buzzers to press, just like on the shows.../
Just as Yuying was daydreaming about just how awesome it would be if she, the Emperor, and the Empress had buzzers just like the judges on X Factor and America's Got Talent do, Zheng Yimeng takes a step forward.
She's holding the wooden stick attached to the long lilac ribbon in her right hand.
"Your Majesty, Second Prince Zhao," Zheng Yimeng greets as she bows, "I, Zheng Yimeng, will be performing a cultivation dance item for you and the esteemed guests tonight."
The Emperor nods in acknowledgement before he turns to Yuying.
Yuying blinks, confused as to why the Emperor was looking at her for a moment before realizing that he was waiting for her to tell Zheng Yimeng that she could begin.
And so, Yuying clears her throat and puts on her best Simon Cowell voice.
"Whenever you're ready," Yuying says coolly, trying to sound as casual and nonchalant as possible, as though she's been doing this for years now.
Zheng Yimeng nods before she takes her place at the center of the Main Hall. The rest of the contenders step to the sides so that she could have as much space as possible.
Just then, the soothing sound of a dizi (Chinese flute) echoes throughout the Main Hall.
Yuying blinks in surprise. She doesn't remember seeing a dizi anywhere and wonders where the sound is coming from.
Yuying doesn't have to wonder for long when she soon realizes that the sound of the dizi is coming from Zheng Yimeng herself.
That's when Yuying notices that there's a purplish aura surrounding Zheng Yimeng that she seems to be harnessing and controlling as she moves ever so gracefully.
It doesn't take long for Yuying to realize that Zheng Yimeng was producing the tune using her cultivation abilities.
/Oh, I see...!/
/Zheng Yimeng is so good at dance cultivation that she doesn't need a musician to play her background music.../
/She's able to harness her cultivation abilities and produce music by herself through her dancing.../
Yuying watches on in awe as the music seems to follow the way that Zheng Yimeng seems to glide through the air effortlessly.
It quickens when Zheng Yimeng is up on her tiptoes and travels across the floor swiftly, and slows when she bends her back and extends her arms above her head.
Zheng Yimeng looks just like a graceful swan, dancing in her own little flowery lake, amongst lilac flowers and blossoms.
Zheng Yimeng so good at commanding the long lilac ribbon that it seems to have a life of its own. It follows her movements and prances in the air just as gracefully as she does.
Just then, the long lilac ribbon completely detaches itself from the wooden stick. It's now floating in the air as Zheng Yimeng commands it with the wooden stick, as though it's a magic wand.
Yuying is absolutely amazed. She's never seen anything like this. She feels like she's watching a snake charmer charming a cobra.
Just then, Zheng Yimeng raises her hand holding the magic stick up and starts to spin. The long lilac ribbon starts to surround and spiral around her as though it's a long lilac snake coiling around, but not suffocating, her.
Zheng Yimeng is spinning so quickly that she reminds Yuying of the spinning tops that she'd played with when she was younger.
Just then, Zheng Yimeng ascends into the air, together with the long lilac ribbon still spiralling around her.
Everyone lets out an audible 'ooo' of amazement at this mesmerizing sight before them.
Yuying doesn't know why, but she feels inclined to look at Mingyi's reaction again.
When she does, Yuying realizes that he's digging his nails into the side of his wheelchair so hard that she's surprised that he isn't bleeding yet.
There's an indecipherable look in his eyes that Yuying had never seen before. It's a look so complicated and complex that she can't put her finger on what it is.
However, before Yuying could look further into Mingyi's reaction, Zheng Yimeng comes back onto the ground, and her long lilac ribbon re-attaches itself back to the wooden stick that she was holding like an obedient puppy going back into its kennel.
Zheng Yimeng smiles sweetly as she bows, signalling that her performance was over.
Everyone is so stunned by her performance that it takes a while for them to recover.
Soon enough, Zheng Yimeng was met with a well-deserving thunderous applause for her incredible performance.
To say that Yuying was impressed would be an understatement. She'd never seen anything like this in her entire life.
It was also Yuying's first time witnessing cultivation outside of the Chinese dramas and fiction that she'd watched and read.
/So this is what cultivation is like.../
However, Yuying knew that this was only the beginning to this fascinating world of cultivation.
Before she knew it, it was time for the next contender to go.
Hua Maque takes a step forward with a confident grin on her face.