Chapter 22: The Big Sister Bai Yue and Her Little Brothers

In the garden of Bai Yue’s bedchamber, the scene was a world apart from the rest of the palace. It was a riot of colors, with all manner of flowers competing for beauty. Thanks to the ambient light element that permeated this place, these fragile blossoms were able to thrive.

In a pavilion at the center of the garden, Bai Yue reclined lazily on a lounge chair, savoring this rare moment of respite and enjoying the services of her two younger brothers. Now twenty years old, Bai Yue had reached the peak of the eighth step, and she had become remarkably adept at handling affairs of state. Today was a rare occasion on which she had managed to secure a three-day leave from Feng Xiu.

"I suddenly feel a bit of tension in my shoulders," she mused. "Oh, right, it must be the heavy burden of an empire I’m carrying. Baby Dragon, Little Didi, come over here and knead your sister's shoulders."

Behind her, six-year-old Ah'Bao and six-year-old Mendy exchanged a helpless look, yet they complied with their sister’s command. For the past six years, apart from studying and physical training, their lives had consisted mostly of being bullied by Bai Yue. At first, the two brothers were young and easily deceived, diligently acting as Bai Yue’s little followers. As they grew older, they caught on to her ways and became reluctant to be bossed around. However, Bai Yue had used her fists to explain exactly why she was the older sister and they were the younger brothers. Thus, they had grown accustomed to it.

"Not bad, not bad. After all this practice, your technique is improving!" After sipping some fruit juice, Bai Yue stretched lazily. "Baby Dragon, Little Didi, you’re both awakening in a few days. Are you nervous?"

"I am six years old now; don't call me Baby Dragon," six-year-old Ah'Bao corrected, his face stiff and full of haughty pride—a look that appeared quite adorable given his lingering baby fat.

Beside him, six-year-old Mendy had yet to tie on his signature white ribbon. His star-like blue eyes, coupled with his white hair and white robes, added a touch of mystery to his ethereal temperament. Even at six, Mendy already possessed the bearing of a future Star Demon God.

"Sister, I'm six too. Please don't call me Little Didi; it sounds strange," Mendy added.

Bai Yue let out a wicked laugh, turned around, and pinched both Ah'Bao’s and Mendy’s cheeks. "Baby Dragon, Little Didi, you're only six—aren't you just little brats? Stop pretending to be adults all the time. Come on, say 'Sister' for me." Bullying her brothers every day made the drudgery of her daily work much easier to bear.

"No!" Ah'Bao swatted her hand away, resolute. He looked up at the sky in resignation, his large, watery eyes filled with a sense of world-weariness. Heavens, he felt as if he couldn't stay in the Demon Imperial City much longer! Being bullied by Bai Yue daily made him want to thrash his sister a hundred times over in his mind. But he simply couldn't beat her.

Mendy, however, remained indifferent; he had long since grown used to it. To escape, Ah'Bao turned to him. "Mendy, didn't you want to spar with me? Let’s go, to the Grand Trial Grounds."

"Yes, Your Highness," Mendy replied immediately. The two brothers scurried off, moving as fast as they possibly could. At that moment, Ah'Bao had only one thought: he had to become stronger so he could beat his sister up!

"Little Didi—ah, damn it, Mendy." Ah'Bao had let the nickname slip and corrected himself in the next second. He was definitely being influenced by his sister! It was all Bai Yue’s fault! Ah'Bao cleared his throat. "Tell me, what do you think our talent will be?"

Mendy smiled faintly. "Sister’s talent is so high; I believe Your Highness's talent will naturally be excellent."

At the mention of his sister, Ah'Bao’s face fell. "I don't like hearing that. Come on, Mendy, let's head to the training grounds! You’re too weak—how will you follow me in the future if you stay like this?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Mendy replied, following him.

***

Three days later, the brothers chose to undergo their awakening on the same day. The weather was bright and clear. Within the Star Demon Palace stood the Star Demon Tower, a place filled with illusory mystery, its every corner etched with blue-violet magic arrays. At the center of the tower lay a massive star disk, above which tens of thousands of stars shimmered with blue-violet light. Behind the disk stood a pillar reaching from the earth to the heavens—the Star Demon God Pillar.

A blue-violet radiance emanated from the pillar, and blue stars began to flicker. These stars varied in size, hovering between the real and the ethereal. Through the pillar, one could almost catch a glimpse of the future.

Before the star disk stood two figures, one tall and one small: the Star Demon God and his son, Mendy. The Star Demon God knelt and patted his son’s head. "Child, stand in the center of the star disk."

"Yes, Father."

Mendy climbed the high steps with some effort and stood in the center of the disk, looking up at the Star Demon God Pillar. The Star Demon God slowly raised his right arm, palm upward, and as he began to chant in a low, mysterious voice, a miniature star disk condensed in his hand.

"Universal laws, threads of fate, power of causality, fortune of the future."

The Star Demon God Pillar emitted specks of starlight that rained down upon Mendy. Mendy felt as if he were seeing many scenes, but they were all too blurred to discern. Through the pillar, he seemed to see a tall figure, but it was not his father, the Star Demon God. In that instant, a flood of information rushed into Mendy’s mind—not only the heritage of the Star Demon clan but also the laws of the star paths. He realized that the tall figure he saw was the first Star Demon God.

Between the real and the ethereal, Mendy saw this tall figure turn, smile faintly, and reach out to gently cover his eyes.

"Ugh..." Mendy squeezed his eyes shut, finding immediate relief.

Witnessing this anomaly, the Star Demon God was slightly startled. Then, his gaze fell upon Mendy with warmth. "Child, I can no longer see your future, but that is fine. I look forward to you carving out a better future for yourself!"

Mendy kept his eyes tightly shut, but his small voice was exceptionally firm. "I will, Father!"

Meanwhile, Mendy’s internal spiritual energy began to climb. Sixty, seventy, eighty... finally, it settled at ninety points! The awakening ceremony was complete. The Star Demon God stepped forward and tied a white silk ribbon over Mendy’s eyes.

"An innate internal spiritual energy of ninety points. You have done well, child. From this day forward, you are the Prophet of our clan!"