Chapter 4

Emperor Aurelius's pupils shrank abruptly, and the look he gave me turned probing and dark.

Lucienne quickly hid the smugness in her eyes, her rims reddening, her voice choked.

"My sister's cultivation is nowhere near the level needed to become a goddess. She only used the Forbidden Demonic Arts to force her ascension because she didn't want to let down our parents and the clan. Please don't blame her."

As she spoke, she looked at me.

"Seraphelle, I wanted to cover for you, hoping you would turn back before it was too late, but you refused to stop."

"I truly can't bear to watch you fall into demonhood and endanger the Six Realms. Don't blame your sister."

The way my clanspeople looked at me turned to disgust and wariness.

"Seraphelle actually used such a crooked, evil art to ascend. If she manages to enter the Celestial Palace, the Heavens will send down punishment, and the Flower Fae will be guilty of a crime that could wipe out the whole clan."

"The spiritual power of a forbidden art is unstable. She could fall into demonhood at any moment, and by then Seraphelle won't even be able to control herself. That would be a slaughter, a catastrophe."

"How could she disregard the lives of the entire clan for her own selfish desires!"

Lucienne wanted to use the crowd's fury to force me to give up the position of Flower Goddess myself.

I drew a deep breath and forced myself to calm down.

"I don't know what tricks you used, but the person in the Mirror of Retrospection is not me. I have never cultivated the demonic path."

Lucienne clutched her chest, the tears on her lashes trembling as if about to fall, and turned to look at Emperor Aurelius, the picture of piteous helplessness.

"The Mirror of Retrospection is an ancient divine artifact. With my cultivation, how could I possibly tamper with it?"

"Whether my sister has cultivated the demonic path or not, Emperor Aurelius can find out with a single examination."

Emperor Aurelius looked at me with a mixture of disappointment and inquiry.

He raised his hand, and a current of inner power moved to probe into the depths of my soul.

Instinctively I took a step back and warded it off.

"I can accept the examination, but it must be three days from now."

"The Soul-Restoring Dew Lucienne just had me drink was tampered with. Examining me now isn't fair."

The moment I finished speaking, the clanspeople broke into an uproar.

"What a joke. Soul-Restoring Dew does nothing but strengthen spiritual power. Talk of it being unfair is utter nonsense."

"Three days, and who knows what forbidden art Seraphelle will use to pull the wool over our eyes. By then the Heavens' punishment may already have come down, and the Flower Fae destroyed."

"We demand that Emperor Aurelius examine Seraphelle's soul now!"

They flung up their arms and shouted, standing on Lucienne's side and crying out for her.

Emperor Aurelius looked at me, then at Lucienne.

That once proud, untamed face turned grave.

"Seraphelle, I'm sorry. The safety of the Six Realms cannot be risked. I must examine your soul now."

Resigned, I closed my eyes and let Emperor Aurelius's inner power probe into my soul.

Before everyone's eyes, I was lifted into the air by Emperor Aurelius's divine power.

Thirty-six streams of spiritual power coursed through my body. I held myself rigid and unmoving, like a corpse.

After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, I settled steadily back to the ground.

Lucienne's eyes held excitement and triumph she couldn't hide.

She stepped forward and took my hand with false tenderness.

"Seraphelle, you've suffered, but you'll be well soon."

"Once your corruption is driven out, you'll still be our parents' good daughter and my good sister."

Then she held me tight and whispered in my ear in the lowest of voices.

"Seraphelle, your position as Flower Goddess is mine now."

The next instant, Emperor Aurelius announced in a ringing voice:

"Seraphelle's divine power is pure. There is no sign of demonic corruption whatsoever."