Members of the Spirit Alliance from the vassal states are at the very bottom of the organization. They have no authority to recruit new members or expel anyone.
All the power is concentrated in the Vermilion Spirit Alliance.
"Well... that's not decided yet," Joanna Zuo said. "But according to tradition, a deputy leader will definitely go."
"Oh... so it's still undecided!"
"Here's the deal: when the time comes, I'll do my best to go. Even if I can't, I'll ask whoever goes to look after you," Joanna Zuo said. "Just relax!"
"Aw, thank you, Sister Joanna!" Grace said, her face lighting up with joy.
Joanna Zuo smiled. "Since you're already here, do you want to take a tour of the Spirit Alliance?"
"...Sure!" Grace replied.
So Joanna Zuo took Grace on a stroll around the public areas of the Spirit Alliance.
In fact, Grace was more familiar with everything here than she was with her own home.
But being shown around like this by someone else felt... different.
"Hey? Who's this?" Suddenly, a voice called out from behind.
The two turned to look, and Joanna Zuo's expression instantly darkened.
Around the corner stood a young woman in white, seventeen or eighteen years old. She was petite, her face shaped like a crescent moon, her eyes full of emotion—stunningly beautiful.
Lily Xu!
Grace lowered her gaze, hiding the disgust she couldn't quite conceal.
"Senior Sister, who is this? Why haven't I seen her before?" Lily Xu asked again.
"Mind your own business!" Joanna Zuo shot her a glare, grabbed Grace's hand, and walked away.
"Wait!" Lily Xu blocked their path. "Senior Sister, what's with your attitude? Why are you talking to me like that?"
"What do you want?" Joanna Zuo glared at her.
"Oh wow, look at you all fierce! Your husband is way more polite than you!" Lily Xu laughed. "Just this morning, he gave me a hairpin set with mystic-grade spirit jade. It's gorgeous!"
As she spoke, she touched a vivid green hairpin on her head. "Senior Sister, don't you think it's pretty?"
Joanna Zuo couldn't hold back and, fueled by righteous anger, raised her hand to slap her.
But Lily Xu caught Joanna's hand and sneered, "Oh? Just as I said you have no manners, now you want to hit me?"
Joanna Zuo was restrained, her expression turning serious. "You've reached the fifth rank!"
"Hahaha!" Lily Xu laughed. "I have your husband to thank for that. When I was refining a fifth-rank pill, I was missing the rarest ingredient—and he gave it to me!"
"Have you no shame?" Joanna Zuo gritted her teeth.
"Shame? Of course I care about my face! With a beauty like mine, my face is more important than anything!" Lily Xu said in a sweet, smug voice. "But you, Senior Sister, with your looks, it doesn't matter if you have shame or not!"
"Hehehe!" Suddenly, Grace couldn't help but laugh.
Lily Xu turned to Grace, her expression sour. "What are you laughing at?"
Grace waved her hand and said, "Sorry, sorry! I just can't help but laugh whenever I see a clown. Miss, don't take it personally."
"Who are you calling a clown?"
"Shameless and proud of it, ugly and blind to it—if that's not a clown, what is?" Grace looked at her and laughed again.
Her laughter was so dazzling, so beautiful, that even the scenic Spirit Alliance Mountain seemed to pale in comparison.