CHAPTER 306: CHAPTER 306 SI MINGJING: THIS IS THE TRUE CHALLENGE! 1

Bai Jiusi saw the cunning glint in Liangliang’s eyes.

She knew full well that this child was crafty, and calling her "mother" at this moment certainly harbored no good intentions. But what of it? In the face of true strength, all conspiracies and tricks are nothing but paper tigers! Bai Jiusi considered her dancing skills superb, having long surpassed the original version danced by Ye Siyuan, and felt she held the winning ticket.

"High Priest, shall I dance for you in the dressing room?"

"So be it, very good."

The group knocked on the door and entered Ye Siyuan’s dressing room.

Ye Siyuan and Si Mingjing had already finished their makeup, and the two sat chatting in chairs. Upon seeing the incoming group, a barely perceptible smile flashed in their eyes.

The big show was about to begin.

Sheng Liangliang dashed eagerly towards Ye Siyuan.

"Aunt, may we use your dressing room so my mother can perform a dance?"

Ye Siyuan furrowed her brow.

What mother? That wasn’t a mother at all! Hearing Little Liangliang call Bai Jiusi "mother," Ye Siyuan felt a wave of revulsion, as though she had swallowed a fly alive.

Bai Jiusi noticed Ye Siyuan’s expression and mistook it as fear of being upstaged, feeling secretly triumphant.

"Siyuan, we were once sisters-in-law, after all. I believe you wouldn’t mind me dancing here, would you?"

Ye Siyuan deliberately kept her face cold and remained silent.

Bai Jiusi ignored Ye Siyuan’s mood completely. Seeing that the dressing room was spacious—a full one hundred square meters, more than enough for her to perform—she confidently told the High Priest, "High Priest, I’ll dance once, and you can see what you think."

The High Priest, filled with anticipation, stood by, ready to watch.

Bai Jiusi had once perfectly interpreted "Dragon Dance." She was gifted, and it was quite possible she might even perform "Heavenly Auspices" better.

Sheng Liuyun and Yun Yin also stood aside, both quite disapproving. "Dragon Dance" was not her creation, so when Bai Jiusi actually started dancing, the two were not optimistic.

But Bai Jiusi didn’t think so. She danced with fiery passion, with fervent enthusiasm, achieving a unity of dancer and dance! Her face glowed with confidence; she believed that once her performance ended, the High Priest would surely be dazzled by her. Then, she would represent Mu Continent on stage! She would become the brightest star of the day. For this, she had been practicing diligently from morning till night for the past two weeks. When it came to the ability to imitate, nobody could surpass her, Bai Jiusi!

Si Mingjing and Ye Siyuan also sat by, watching.

This dance was choreographed by Ye Siyuan.

Every dancer wished to take on "Heavenly Auspices," and Ye Siyuan was one of them. She had also put in great effort to adapt "Heavenly Auspices" into a dance.

When Si Mingjing suggested using their opponent’s plan against them, Ye Siyuan had danced her choreography of "Heavenly Auspices," recorded it, and stored it on Liangliang’s phone. Furthermore, she deleted the segment of the dance that Liangliang had sent to the High Priest.

Bai Jiusi stole the phone and, finding this video on it, assumed it was the dance Liangliang had sent to the High Priest.

It was apparent that Bai Jiusi had genuinely put effort into this dance, performing it even better than Ye Siyuan herself.

Unfortunately, however brilliantly she danced, it was all for nothing.

Ye Siyuan laughed inwardly, though a knot of anxiety tightened within her, afraid that the High Priest would critique her choreographed dance as worthless! Because Ye Siyuan knew that her choreography paled in comparison to the "Heavenly Auspices" danced by Mingjing. The greatest difference lay in the intent. Dancing and writing college entrance exam essays are not much different. If you don’t even understand the intentions of the one setting the question, no matter how beautifully you write, or how lavishly you pile on the words, it’s all for naught—off-topic! Throughout history, no one has been able to truly interpret "Heavenly Auspices"; they’ve all missed the mark. Only Sister-in-Law’s dance roused those dreaming!

At this moment, Bai Jiusi finally finished dancing.

With a final, exquisite pose, she concluded the solemn yet gorgeous dance.

She panted slightly, regulating her breath, anticipating the High Priest’s amazed expression and excited voice.

Unfortunately—one second, two seconds, three seconds passed. There was no amazement on the High Priest’s face. He said nothing.

Bai Jiusi’s heart trembled slightly. What’s going on? Didn’t the High Priest really like this dance? Hadn’t he said on social media that he could neither eat by day nor sleep by night because of this dance... This shouldn’t be his expression at this moment!

Suddenly anxious, Bai Jiusi’s voice lacked its previous absolute confidence. "High Priest, what do you think?"

"Wow! Mommy is so amazing! Simply fantastic! Who can rival Mommy!" Sheng Liangliang suddenly raised her voice in praise.

Yun Xiaosu also clapped enthusiastically, very supportive, mimicking Sheng Liangliang’s tone, "Wow! Mommy, how can you dance so well! You’re unbeatable! The opening ceremony performance has to be yours, right, Uncle?"

After pondering for a long time, the High Priest said, "I’m sorry, Commandery Princess Bai. You danced very well, but you didn’t interpret the true meaning of ’Heavenly Auspices’."

"That’s impossible!" Bai Jiusi’s voice rose.

The High Priest’s expression was one of regret. "Commandery Princess Bai, it’s not your fault. In truth, very few people can interpret the real meaning of ’Heavenly Auspices.’ Even I couldn’t interpret it before I saw the video Liangliang gave me. Everyone has misunderstood it, including you and me."

Bai Jiusi suddenly clenched her fists. "How could that be? I followed exactly..."

Her voice stopped abruptly. She covered her mouth, unable to accept this reality.

Pressed for time, the High Priest didn’t have leisure to explain further. He squatted down and pleaded with Sheng Liangliang, "Little Princess, who was the one who danced that dance?"

Sheng Liangliang toddled over on her short legs, pattering into Si Mingjing’s arms. Her sweet, childlike voice now held genuine delight, "Uncle, it was Jingjing!"

"What?" Bai Jiusi exclaimed in surprise from the side.

How could it be Si Mingjing? Wasn’t it Ye Siyuan?

The High Priest’s gaze fell on Si Mingjing.

Si Mingjing was a dragon girl; this had become an open secret in the Undersea World. The High Priest had heard about a White Dragon appearing over the skies of the Royal Capital of Gendaya and had been eager to meet her. He never expected to encounter her in this way.

"So it’s Miss Si. Could you dance a complete ’Heavenly Auspices’ for me?"

Si Mingjing responded calmly and gracefully, "Of course, I can."

Si Mingjing was wearing a gown specially tailored for her by Ye Siyuan. It was an ancient-style gown with a train of two to three meters. With its fitted waist, the gown flowed ethereally. When she danced, she captivated all eyes, an image of unspeakable beauty.

And this was merely in the backstage dressing room, without the enhancement of music or lighting. If it were on stage, the effect would be amplified more than tenfold.

As Si Mingjing danced, memories surged forth. Her heart brimmed with the image of the man in her memory, holding her own corpse in anguish, his heart torn with grief.

She wasn’t dancing; she was expressing her love.