All Milfs are my disciple

The atmosphere inside the grand hall of the Divine Palace turned deathly silent. The golden light filtering from the ornate ceiling dimmed slightly, as though the very heavens were holding their breath. The moment the words left Zi Xiao's lips—his demand resounding clearly across the space—all the elders seated around the jade platform froze. Their gazes shifted, uncertain, tense, each flickering toward the Palace Master.

The Palace Master, robed in resplendent gold-embroidered robes that shimmered with traces of Dao runes, did not speak. His sharp, hawk-like eyes narrowed, a contemplative glint flashing deep within them. He seemed to ignore the others, lost in thought, his fingers tapping slowly against the armrest of his jade throne.

"As expected..." he mused silently, "how could those dogs of the Heavenly Court be so generous for no reason?"

His brows furrowed faintly, casting a shadow over his otherwise calm face.

"What's so special about that random girl? She only came here to take the disciple acceptance test, nothing more. And yet they're offering a saint-level artifact in exchange for her… There's definitely something I don't know. Something they're hiding."

His eyes darted once toward the corner of the hall where the young girl, Li Yao, stood alone, her presence like a candle in the wind. Her figure was slightly trembling, her face pale.

"If I become too greedy," he thought, "and try to keep her, I might lose the benefits—and worse, I might offend the Heavenly Court itself. I do not fear them, but making an enemy of a force equal in strength, and for a girl whose secrets I don't even understand... that may not be a wise decision."

He exhaled slowly, his gaze turning heavier.

"Perhaps it's better to accept the saint-level weapon. After all, there are many girls in the world. Why invite unnecessary trouble?"

Meanwhile, high in the sky above the hall, Zi Xiao floated mid-air, his violet robes fluttering in the windless space, his hands behind his back as he surveyed the crowd below. His eyes, sharp and disdainful, glanced across the faces of the Palace Master and the elders. A mocking smile curled at the edge of his lips.

"Hmph… Fools." His thoughts were cold, venomous. "They don't know the true value of that girl… Li Yao."

A flicker of crimson appeared in his gaze.

"She carries the bloodline of the phoenix. If the Heavenly Court can extract even a portion of that blood… the value would be equivalent to dozens of saint-level weapons. Perhaps even more. In the beginning, we offered to marry her into one of our branches. It was a chance. A grace. But she dared to reject us."

His expression twisted, full of scorn.

"We even offered her clan wealth, gave her father titles and lands. Yet those idiots dared to deny our goodwill. Hah… they chose death."

His eyes locked onto the trembling girl in the corner of the hall.

"It was only by sheer luck that she managed to escape to this Divine Palace. But now—" a wicked glint passed through his eyes, "—where will she run from me?"

As he thought this, his lips curled slightly into a cold smirk, but he said nothing. His confidence in victory was absolute.

Down below, Li Yao's heart pounded wildly within her chest. As her gaze met Zi Xiao's hovering form, she felt a chill rush down her spine, as though an ancient beast had locked onto her.

Her legs weakened, and panic surged within her.

"No..." she thought, her will trembling, "it's over..."

Her hands clenched unconsciously, the nails digging into her palms as despair swallowed her whole.

"They're offering a saint-level artifact… for me? Just what do those bastards from the Heavenly Court want? What did I ever do to deserve this?"

Her eyes burned with confusion and fear.

"Was it just because I rejected their marriage proposal? Just that... and they would go so far?"

She looked around the hall, hoping—praying—for someone to step forward. But the elders' eyes were distant, the Palace Master unmoved, and not a single soul looked her way with kindness.

"It's no use..." she realized bitterly, "the Divine Palace won't protect me. How could they, when such benefits are placed in front of them?"

A bitter smile crept onto her lips. Her vision blurred as tears welled in her eyes, threatening to fall.

"I'm not even a disciple yet… I just came to take the test. I have no identity, no background here. To them, I'm worth nothing compared to the treasure being offered."

With that thought, the fragile wall holding back her sorrow crumbled.

Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she closed her eyes in silence. Her shoulders slumped, the weight of her fate bearing down upon her.

"I'm sorry, father…" she whispered inwardly, the image of a kind face surfacing in her mind. "I won't be able to avenge you..."

The hall felt cold, distant. Time seemed to freeze.

Suddenly, amidst the silence, a voice thundered across the sky.

It was sharp, arrogant, and filled with disdain.

"You can get lost."