Act ****: The Final Curtain

Just as Senna said, once news catches the attention of the vast star network populace and the people controlling its direction vanish, events will gallop forward like wild horses, only stopping when exhaustion sets in. After all, netizens never shy away from gossip, the bigger the better.

The anti-counterfeiting expert’s livestream spread even faster due to the upheaval. Jorde did not wait for Senna; at the live broadcast, he admitted that he was responsible for the Wanmu Realm’s actions regarding the Sang Hongye incident. The White Jade Lingxiao Flower had been a birthday gift from the Saintess of a Hundred Flowers for his two-hundredth year; many could testify to this. He also confessed that he had recently shown, even hinted at, his dislike for Sang Hongye to his subordinates, but it went no further. He had not orchestrated the online campaign that smeared Sang Hongye, nor the surge of negative posts—Senna was the mastermind.

Jorde’s reason: he despised Senna and did not want him to rise again. When he discovered Senna’s attempt to replicate the classic case of the Heavenly Sound Saint’s self-blackening and redemption by manipulating Sang Hongye’s situation, he deliberately fueled the fire, hoping to make Sang Hongye’s reputation irredeemably blackened. Unfortunately for him, Sang Hongye was too young, her time at the temple too brief, and she had yet to accumulate the kind of blemish that made others unwilling to even mention her. Now, whether the malicious gossip online would leave her with inner demons remained to be seen.

Some deeds, once done, can never remain secret. Who knows how many hidden experts lurk among the netizens? The former chief Saintess’s exclusive PR team had covertly intervened in the Sang Hongye incident and was exposed. Senna, responsible for the event, took a portion of the blame meant for Jorde.

Jorde was scolded, but Senna’s reputation fared no better—both were considered morally compromised.

However, everything changed when the anti-counterfeiting expert played a backup of the image orb that Jorde had previously destroyed. Senna gained a tide of sympathy.

It was a segment recorded by an AI security device during standby, back when it was no longer in use. The footage showed the Saintess of a Hundred Flowers, Jorde, and Senior Priest Senna.

The three quarreled. Senna accused the Saintess of betrayal; she declared she needed a stronger lover and that Senna, stuck at the early Xuan rank for decades, was not worth waiting for. The last concert of the Sky Saint had been sabotaged by her, not Senna, solely to frame him, who was in charge of security.

In this footage, not only was the Saintess’s immaculate image utterly destroyed, but, more crucially, she claimed during her confrontation with Senna: she was pregnant, and the child belonged to the Sky Saint.

Their conversation exposed the Saintess’s true origin: not life, as publicly claimed, but fertility. When she was still titled Saintess, she had traveled with the Sky Saint to the Inner Circle. The Sky Saint was wounded during a challenge, and she preserved a drop of his blood. Once she became a seat-holding Saintess, she began cultivating the child with this blood, which now grew within her.

To the uninformed onlookers, all they knew was that the Sky Saint’s last concert was sabotaged. The Saint himself resolved it perfectly with his great power, but had to retreat into seclusion immediately after and has yet to emerge. Though Senna’s guilt was never officially declared, public opinion blamed him entirely, nearly leading to his expulsion from the temple. He was forced to seek refuge under Bishop Anthony. The Saintess, meanwhile, took on the title of the Sky Saint’s fiancée, expanded her faith territory, and emerged as the greatest victor.

A super schemer!

A battle goddess who would trample her own character to climb higher!

So disgusting—I used to think she was pure and immaculate and even liked her!

Same here, I don’t believe a word Jorde says; he’s obviously her discarded pawn. I sympathize with Senna.

No one is more innocent than Sang Hongye.

I don’t want to see Sang Hongye’s name, but I still wish her well.

Same—not keen to see her name, but I wish her luck.

…

Everyone’s missing the point! Fertility as her origin! It’s fertility! I’ve been married five hundred years and still have no children; even if the Saintess is black-hearted, I’d like to beg her for help!

I’ve been married eight hundred years, still nothing—let the brother above try first, and if it works, I’ll follow.

I’ve been single for three thousand years, but I’m not desperate enough to beg. I suggest the Saintess resign and join the breeding center.

Senna watched as the topic was deftly diverted. He also noted that the Saints and Saintesses, who had previously avoided commenting, were now speaking out on Starlight. Though their themes were all about supporting Sang Hongye, some subtly exonerated the Saintess of a Hundred Flowers. He frowned deeply, sighed, shut off his terminal, and turned to his PR team: “The Sky Saint has emerged from seclusion. He’s protecting the Saintess. Proceed with Plan B—submit the petition to the Children’s Protection Organization.”

“Even with the Sky Saint, with the dirt we have, we can force her out of the saintly profession, maybe even have her tried and imprisoned.”

Senna shook his head: “With her fertility origin, imprisonment is impossible. At best, she’ll be sent to a breeding center. Even if she’s no longer a Saintess, she can live another way—perhaps even more freely, without taboos. Better to leave her some fig leaf, so she retains a little shame.”

“The Sky Saint must be blind to want a woman like her.”

Senna stood: “Enough, decision made. Though we didn’t achieve the best result, our original goal is met. We’ve burned bridges with the Saintess of a Hundred Flowers. From now on, endless eyes will watch her and Her Highness. She won’t dare target Her Highness again, at least not before she’s chosen as a Saintess. As for Her Highness herself, though wronged, she’s now famous across the stars and has gained real benefits. It may not seem obvious yet, but once she becomes a Saintess intern, she won’t have to worry about lacking a loyal base because of her low-civilization origins.”

The Sang Hongye incident drew intense attention. The Children’s Protection Organization was fully prepared. Upon receiving the petition, they issued warnings to everyone named.

Those who had insulted Sang Hongye online had already braced themselves as events unfolded. Though some resisted or refused to acknowledge fault, most were willing to reconcile.

Thus, Starlight was swept by a wave of apologies. One by one, those who had hurled insults at Sang Hongye woke up, confessed their past actions were due to madness, apologized, and vowed before the God of Promises to support the future Saintess Sang Hongye unwaveringly for three thousand years.

Though not a lifetime, three thousand years matched the maximum lifespan of a Saintess’s career, signifying a pledge to be a devoted believer throughout Sang Hongye’s tenure.

“Sorry—I used you for publicity without your permission.” For the first and only time, Senna bowed to Sang Sang, the single-knee knight’s salute of loyalty to his master. One hand on his heart, he looked up at her: “I know it’s unreasonable, but I hope for your forgiveness.”

Sang Sang rose, circled out from behind her desk, subtly sidestepped, closed the folding fan she had just made, and gently tapped Senna’s left shoulder: “I accept your apology. Get up—such a serious, unsmiling uncle is unsettling.”

“As you command, Your Highness.” Senna rose, a smile spreading across his face. Though the curve of his lips was much the same as before, there was something subtly different about it.

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