Panic slowly took over Shangguan Lingxiu and Old Mistress Shangguan's expressions.

Watching the three joss sticks burn quietly, the grandmother and granddaughter duo could not help feeling that the joss sticks looked prideful and refined as they burned, untainted from all worldly affairs.

No matter how gracious the incense blazed away, the calm composure of the two people who were waiting was slowly but surely being ruffled.

As the three joss sticks were about to reach their ends, there was still nothing. Old Mistress Shangguan could not help being consumed by anxiety.

"What's happening? Why isn't there any reaction?"

The old mistress stared restlessly at the smoke and subconsciously murmured, "Could it be… fake?"

Once she entertained this possibility, it was difficult to maintain her composure. The old lady felt chilled to the core as she trembled uncontrollably.

This was Shangguan Family's last trump card – the family's biggest secret. It was the pillar and mental support that the Shangguan Family of Generals had depended on to go through countless challenging times!

If the incense was a fraud, would it not be a joke for the family's many generations to have pa.s.sed it down verbally and guard it so ceremoniously for millenniums?

If this were true, Old Mistress Shangguan knew fully well that she would not be able to accept it.

On the contrary, Shangguan Lingxiu was more composed. "Don't be troubled, Grandma. Time is surely needed for this incense to pa.s.s the message along."

"What do you mean?" Old Mistress murmured as if she had caught onto a life-saving straw.

"Since this incense has to be lit and burned, it means that the deity must need some time before receiving the message. If the deity were so divine, it's probably a powerful presence that does not belong to our continent. No matter how magical these joss sticks are, it's connecting another world to this world after all – a certain duration of time must be needed. Even if the deity moves to depart upon receiving the message, it has to cross the distance between two worlds. This definitely needs time as well."

"Since there are so many imaginable processes, how can the deity really rush over within the burning period of the incense? No matter how omnipotent the deity is, it's still a challenge."

Shangguan Lingxiu continued to conjecture, "I think the deity is already terrifyingly powerful to be able to rush here within a day or two. Asking for more will only be troubling ourselves with self-thought fantasies."

"What you say is reasonable. I was too high-strung and lost my rational mind," Old Mistress Shangguan muttered, feeling her distressed mind slowly calming down.

Shangguan Lingxiu's a.n.a.lysis was obviously well-grounded. It was logical reality and undeniable facts.

Both of the ladies calmed down again to wait in silence, antic.i.p.ating the arrival of unknown serendipity.

Then, they heard a light chuckle. It seemed to have come from beyond the sky; illusory, yet it also seemed real, resounding in their ears. As they doubted themselves and second-guessed their thoughts, they saw the smoke in front of them quiver suddenly before a pretty silhouette materialized from it.

A lady clad in white who looked like she had stepped out from a portrait wore a light smile as she stood before the grandmother and granddaughter.

When Old Mistress Shangguan was young, she knew that she had been a fair beauty. Shangguan Lingxiu was also at the age where she was at her prime, the most beautiful time in her life.

When these two ladies took in the beautiful face in front of them, however, they were simultaneously stunned. A self-deprecating thought bubbled within them immediately – 'How could there be such a beautiful woman in this world? I'm so far from it!'

It was not at all adequate to describe this white-dressed lady before them as sensual, beautiful, or enchanting. Simply using these adjectives was akin to blaspheming this beauty!

Such splendor did not belong to the human world at all!

Even if it were the heavens, among the otherworldly fairies, she was obviously unmatched in her allure. Her charm was incredibly incomparable!

The enchantment of her gaze, the draw of her smile, the elegance in her posture, any of these could already enrapture the world, mesmerizing them to voluntary, repeated deaths!

"This young girl has a detailed mind, does she not?" the lady said with a gentle smile, "Old Mistress, this young girl is the final candidate the Shangguan Family has picked after all these years? Your wish is to be bestowed upon this girl?"

"As you have said, divine one," Old Mistress said respectfully.

The lady in white looked at Shangguan Lingxiu with a smile, scanning her from head to toe and from left to right, before she nodded and complimented what she saw, "Not bad, not bad. Just her temperament is already exceptionally decent. Just as I like."

"Can I ask Old Mistress a question?" she turned to the old mistress and asked with a smile.

"Please do," replied the old lady.

The lady in white started lightly, "According to what I know, the opportunities to develop the later generations in this world are usually kept for boys. However, Old Mistress has chosen your granddaughter. May I ask the reason behind this choice?"

The lady asked casually but the old mistress dared not simply answer.

Heaven's intention was never to be challenged – since the lady was a deity, every question she raised must have her reason; maybe there was something else between the lines, maybe it was another test?

Although she looked friendly and gentle, the otherworldly vibe she exuded from her being, the dazzling beauty and the indescribable aura all made one feel that she was tremendously n.o.ble and saintly.

Old Mistress Shangguan took a moment to sort out her thoughts and replied, "Honestly, I have my considerations. Firstly, this girl has done too much for our family. The family owes her too much and has thus hindered her marriage. Now that she finally has someone she likes, her martial journey is barely achieved due to previous family issues. She's a prideful one, unwilling to become a burden of the man she loves…"

"This stands as a reason. You mentioned firstly just now, so is definitely a second reason?" the lady asked without expressing any further opinions.

Old Mistress Shangguan answered, "Yes. The second reason… I've made this decision thinking for the future of Shangguan Family as well."

She paused for a heartbeat and said, "Boys represent the continuation of the lineage and the family's heir, but Shangguan's boys have never been too interested in the martial arts. They are more interested in battles and wars. It's destined that the boys of Shangguan can hardly go far in the martial path."

"Even if an incredibly talented boy who's extremely responsible for the future of Shangguan were to go for this opportunity and succeed, Shangguan boys are aggressive by nature. It's an innate characteristic, without exception. The martial world battle in this realm is already in chaos, what's more, the uncommon path to deity? The risk of succ.u.mbing midway is too high."

The lady in white nodded slowly, deep in thought.