"The ceremony begins at noon. Where are you going?"
Bai Yu sized up Bai Shengyi. She had evidently made progress after her excursion, but her boisterous nature remained unchanged.
"Huh?" Bai Shengyi had assumed the Duke of Rong's departure yesterday meant the succession ceremony would be canceled.
"What huh? Hurry up and follow," Bai Yu gently ruffled his niece's hair and led the way. "Many elders will be here today, so don't cause any trouble."
Clearly, despite their limited time together, he understood Bai Shengyi very well.
Bai Shengyi protested, "Second Uncle, I'm usually very well-behaved, you know."
Bai Yu cast her a deadpan glance. Did she really believe her own words without any guilt?
Bai Shengyi had intended to seize this opportunity to ask Bai Yu a few things, but Bai Sicheng found her.
"Ayi, you're here. The butler said he couldn't find you; your elder brother thought you'd gone out," Bai Sicheng said warmly to Bai Shengyi after seeing Bai Yu, calling him "Second Uncle."
Bai Yu nodded indifferently.
Clearly accustomed to his attitude, Bai Sicheng didn't mind and continued to Bai Shengyi, "Hurry and change your clothes. Also, this is today's schedule..."
Bai Sicheng ushered Bai Shengyi back. The usually gentle person was in a hurry, wishing he could split himself in two.
Bai Shengyi felt a sense of daze. Listening to Bai Sicheng's words, she suddenly felt it was all too troublesome!
If she hadn't agreed to it herself, she would have gladly walked away.
"Can't it be simpler?" Bai Shengyi asked softly. She had initially thought the ceremony would just involve offering incense and presenting a pharmacopoeia. But from the sounds of it, it also required ancestor worship and kowtowing.
"Ayi, I know you're dissatisfied with the Bai family and don't care about these titles, but..." Bai Sicheng was unusually serious.
Bai Shengyi was taken aback and listened to him earnestly.
"Your elder brother hopes you understand that you are, after all, a member of the Bai family. Since you've decided to be the young head of the Bai family, you must do it well."
Upon clearly understanding Bai Sicheng's words, Bai Shengyi let out a soft laugh. She had been overthinking things.
How highly they valued the Bai family; they wouldn't possibly think too much for her.
"Although what you say makes sense, Big Brother, I don't want to listen," Bai Shengyi revealed her small, pointed canine teeth.
Seeing Bai Sicheng's expression shift slightly, she seemed oblivious and continued, "However, I will cooperate fully today."
She also wanted to know what would happen if, one day, this young head title became the sharpest sword in her hand, and that sword's edge pointed back at the Bai family. How would these people react then?
Ah, just thinking about it made her eager.
Bai Shengyi changed into her ceremonial dress and allowed the maids to do her hair and makeup. After the ordeal, Bai Sicheng led her to the ancestral hall.
Many people were already gathered outside.
"Foundation Establishment stage? She barely qualifies for the position of young head."
An old woman appraised Bai Shengyi from head to toe. Her narrow, thin nose made her seem somewhat sharp-featured. "It's a pity for Murong, that child, with her ambition."
"Oh, right, Sicheng, where is your second sister?" the old woman asked again.
Bai Sicheng was about to introduce Bai Shengyi to her when he saw the situation and had to change his words. "Rongrong isn't feeling well and is resting."
"What happened? I'll go see her," the old woman said with an unfriendly and aggressive tone.
"Second Aunt!" Bai Sicheng quickly called out to stop her. "It's not a serious issue. Let's go after the ceremony."
The entire ceremony required the presence of all Bai family elders. If the Second Aunt left, it would be disrespectful to Shengyi.
"Hmph!" The old woman stopped and snorted. "Then hurry up and begin."
"We'll begin shortly," Bai Sicheng replied patiently.
Bai Shengyi marveled at Bai Sicheng's good temper.
If it were her, she would have probably politely but firmly escorted this Second Aunt out long ago. Yet, Bai Sicheng could still reason with her so amiably, which was truly admirable.
"Bai Shengyi, are you blind? Have you lost your manners? You've been here for a while and haven't even greeted an elder?" The Second Aunt, spotting Bai Shengyi, frowned and spoke.
Bai Sicheng frowned upon hearing this and was about to mediate when Bai Shengyi put a hand behind him to stop him.
"Who are you?" Bai Shengyi lifted her chin.
The Second Aunt said unpleasantly, "I'm your grandmother!"
"My grandmother passed away years ago. You?" Bai Shengyi raised an eyebrow and looked back at the old woman with the same scrutinizing gaze she had been subjected to. "You don't look like her."
Before the other could get angry, Bai Shengyi continued, "Speaking of which, I haven't asked my grandfather yet. Is the position of young head of the Bai family just a title?"
"Of course not. As the young head, only the family head has the right to criticize your shortcomings and guide your growth and learning within the entire Bai family."
Bai Yu walked over from nearby, casting a cold glance at the Second Aunt, and added, "Therefore, the young head need not pay attention to people who are of no consequence."
These pointed words made the Second Aunt's face turn slightly pale. The other onlookers also felt a chill in their hearts. It appeared that not only the Duke of Rong, but Bai Yu himself, stood with Bai Shengyi.
Thus, Bai Shengyi's position as the young head was clearly a foregone conclusion. The Duke of Rong had summoned them not to solicit their opinions, but merely to announce this matter.
Indeed, the Duke of Rong, supported by Bai Sicheng, walked out and declared, "Cough cough. I have gathered everyone here today for the succession ceremony of the fifth-generation young head of my Jingqu Bai family."
"Now, the ceremony begins!"
The Duke of Rong proclaimed, "Open the ancestral hall and pay respects to the ancestors!"
Everyone stood in solemn silence. Two young Foundation Establishment cultivators stepped forward carefully to open the ancestral hall doors. One cultivator retrieved three sticks of incense and handed them to Bai Shengyi.
"Begin with reverence, remember the past; prepare offerings with respect. We inform the immortal spirits and thank the ancestors for their grace. Jingqu Bai family, Bai Shengyi, assumes the role of the fifth-generation young head, offering sacrifices to the spiritual tablets of my ancestors throughout the generations. Bow!"
Bai Shengyi entered the ancestral hall, knelt on the prayer cushion, and bowed with the incense. In the unseen realm, she could feel her karmic ties with the Bai family deepening.
"Present the offerings!"
Eight Foundation Establishment cultivators carried various sacrificial items forward. Among them were the three who had appeared earlier. They placed the offerings one by one before the spiritual tablets of the Bai family ancestors.
Bai Shengyi bowed again. Then, the Duke of Rong, holding an ancient book about five to six inches thick, approached Bai Shengyi. "Your father is no longer here. This pharmacopoeia will be passed down to you by this old man. I hope you will lead the Bai family to greater glory and prosperity, living up to the earnest expectations of your elders."
At this point in the ceremony, Bai Shengyi should have replied, "Your granddaughter will remember," but instead, she said, "Naturally. As the young head, I will make the Bai family even better."
The Duke of Rong's brow twitched.
However, Bai Shengyi's words were impeccable, so he said nothing further and dismissed everyone after the ceremony concluded.
"These people will follow you from now on; they are yours," the Duke of Rong said, gesturing to the eight Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Bai Shengyi raised an eyebrow slightly. Was this a test for her?
"Ayi, these individuals were selected from the Bai family's hereditary servants specifically for the young head," Bai Sicheng quickly explained, seeing Bai Shengyi's reaction and realizing she had misunderstood.
The Duke of Rong had already left. The Second Aunt insisted on seeing Bai Murong, and after Bai Sicheng's explanation, he also went to see Bai Murong.
He was scheduled to depart for the academy the next day, and he wanted to try and ease the relationship between the two sisters before leaving.
In a short while, only the eight cultivators, Bai Shengyi, and Bai Yu remained outside the ancestral hall.
"You all wait in my courtyard for now. I'll chat with you later," Bai Shengyi instructed the eight.
The eight hesitated for a moment before obeying and leaving.
"Their strength is not low. Do you feel confident?" Bai Yu asked.
The tallest among them had already reached the third level of Foundation Establishment. He was unsure of Bai Shengyi's strength, but she could at most be at the second level of Foundation Establishment after such a short time.
After all, the Divine Revelation Continent was still a place where strength was paramount. These eight had already formed a cohesive group. If Bai Shengyi lacked the strength, not only could she not "use" them, but she might even be ostracized.