The Love Hall was just like its name. It was beautifully decorated with crimson silk banners hung from the rafters like waterfalls. There were flower plots at every corner, and red lanterns were hung in the center of the room.
Ling Yue exclaimed as he stared around, admiring every carving in the shape of love and every drawing of red dragons around the hall. "So beautiful," he muttered.
"Right," Bai Lu nodded in agreement.
Two attendants wearing red robes with golden love patterns came forward and pointed toward some rows of chairs at the center of the hall, where most of the omegas were already seated.
"This way."
Bai Lu and Ling Yue exchanged looks and held hands as they walked toward their seats.
Once seated, Ling Yue's eyes wandered, searching desperately for him. Instead, he saw the Twelve Council members sitting on the left and right sides of the hall. The phoenix members were on the right and the dragon members were on the left.
They did not wear masks this time, and Ling Yue was astonished to see that the council members did not look as he had imagined.
According to how the author-nim had described them, he had expected old, wrinkly men and women with grey hair, but most looked only a few years older than him.
There was not a single older man or woman.
Oh, author-nim, Ling Yue thought as he looked around until his eyes landed on the dais opposite them.
It was empty.
That should have been Xuan Han's seat, but he was nowhere to be seen.
At first, Ling Yue was glad he would not have to see Xuan Han's annoying silver eyes, but seconds passed into minutes, and there was still no sign of him.
Ling Yue could not count how many times he had shifted uncomfortably in his seat or how many times he had looked back at the entrance, stared at the sides of the hall, anywhere the emperor could appear from.
After a moment, his shoulders loosened, and when he shifted again, he wondered why he wanted Xuan Han to be there.
I should be happy, but why do I miss the drama?
If Xuan Han were there, Ling Yue knew he would have gotten on his nerves repeatedly.
The thought slid like a knife to the ribs, and he felt his absence.
Bai Lu suddenly nudged him on the shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Are you alright? You look like you are plotting arson."
Ling Yue shifted on his chair, turned to him, and then looked back at the dais.
"Oh. The emperor," Bai Lu muttered as his gaze followed Ling Yue's. "It is forbidden for the emperor to participate in the selection. The Twelve Council takes control of it, and at the end, based on the omegas' merits and performance, the emperor chooses the one he wants as his concubine."
Ling Yue's mouth formed an oh, and he relaxed back into his seat. That was why Xuan Han was not here. "Maybe I will behave without him here," he muttered.
"That is good," Bai Lu said as he patted him on the back.
Soon, one of the Twelve Council members from the Phoenix side stepped forward. In his hand was a Phoenix hand fan, which he used to cover his face as he walked to the center.
Ling Yue grinned as he watched him walk to the center like a runway model. The man would have gotten thousands of brand deals if this were his world.
He was tall, at least six feet one or taller, and his steps were so gracefully carried that one would think he had been walking runways for years.
Just who was this man?
"Welcome, omegas," the man's soft yet deep voice echoed through the hall as he slowly lowered the fan, revealing beautiful golden eyes.
"I was right," Ling Yue whispered to himself.
Yet another hot man in this story.
"I am Wei Jin of the Wei Clan, a phoenix member of the council, and I will be in charge of this selection," he announced.
Ling Yue's eyes widened as realization dawned.
Wei Jin? The same Wei Jin who had fought side by side with Feng Lan. Wei Jin, who was known for his mighty lightning bolts. Wei Jin, who was Wei Lang's cousin.
So many things changed in the sequel because Wei Jin had dark hair in the original story and now it was Auburn.
Oh, author-nim, what have you done to your story?
"To claim the title of Imperial Consort, you are required to pass the Five Sacred Trials, and only the top three will stand before the emperor at the end, with only one of you being chosen," he announced as he walked around.
"These trials will be Horoscope Reading, where your stars will be tested with the emperor's, Talent Exhibition to see if you can carry the burden of His Majesty when he needs you, and Pheromone Harmony. If your pheromones and His Majesty's are incompatible, you cannot become a consort." Wei Jin paused as he returned to the center and began fanning himself again.
"There will also be a Fertility Divination to determine if you can carry the emperor's heir."
At the mention of fertility, Ling Yue's hand instinctively went to his stomach.
If he were selected as a concubine, he could end up pregnant.
That thought sent a rush of déjà vu through him. He would become the first in his bloodline to get pregnant as a male.
After years of reading so many omegaverse novels, he knew he could get pregnant only if he were chosen.
"You seem happy, omega, grinning like a fool. Is there a reason for that?" Wei Jin's voice sounded suddenly before Ling Yue, who had been deep in his thoughts about pregnancy. "Speak when you are being addressed, omega," he commanded.
Ling Yue batted his lashes at him and pointed at himself. "Me?"
Wei Jin's eyes widened slightly when Ling Yue spoke, but he said nothing and continued talking as if nothing had happened.
"He does not like me," Ling Yue muttered.
One of the omegas in front of him scoffed and whispered, "Nobody likes you, Ling Yue. You should have realized that by now."
Ling Yue raised the corner of his lips and lifted his fist as if he was about to hit the omega, but he stopped when he felt Wei Jin's amber gaze on him.
Well great. Xuan Han must have sent him to watch me like a hawk. It is not like I look like Feng Lan, by the way.
"The Thread of Fates determines the final trial, and only those bound to the emperor will be chosen as the top three," Wei Jin continued. Then he gestured to the omegas. "Since this morning is for introductions, please step out when your name is called."
An Eunuch dressed in brown robes stepped forward, and the drums echoed through the hall as he began calling names. "Wei Lang of the Wei Clan."
Wei Lang stood and walked to the center, bowing to the council members.
"Xu Mingyue of the Xu Clan."
Another omega did the same.
The name-calling continued but Ling Yue wasn't interested. There were instances where he had yawned.
"Ling Chen of the Su Clan."
Ling Yue's eyes shot up as his half-brother walked forward.
Ling Chen fell to his knees and bowed his head, unlike the others who had remained standing.
"Show off," Ling Yue muttered.
"Bai Lu of the Bai Clan."
"My turn," Bai said excitedly as he bowed forward.
There was a pause for a moment, and Ling Yue knew it was his turn.
He rubbed his clammy hands together and inhaled deeply. This brought back memories of his college interview and how he had almost messed it up.
He could do this. He had survived worse.
"Ling Yue of the Su Clan."
"That is me," Ling Yue shouted excitedly and clapped his hands, but all he received were disdainful looks, especially from the Twelve Council.
That did not faze him as he stepped forward and bowed.
"He should not be here. What is the emperor thinking?" one council member whispered.
"That omega is trouble. He tried to seduce the alphas with his pheromones last time," another said.
"I really hope he does not survive any of the trials. It would be a shame to have someone like him as Imperial Consort."
They hate me, Ling Yue thought, and he exhaled slowly.
His heart began racing as he looked around him. He usually did not let others get to him, but the looks, disdain, and silent anger on their faces made him almost wish he had not come.
But then he remembered who he was. He was Kai Hamilton, the absolute diva who ran stan twitter.
"Try not to faint from my pheromones next time, oldies," he spoke out as he straightened and winked at Bai Lu.
Bai Lu rolled his eyes and palmed his forehead.
The council began murmuring again, probably reacting to Ling Yue's words.
Then Wei Jin's voice rang out. "That is enough. The emperor chose this omega to be here for a reason. If you object, you are going against the rules of heaven."
The hall fell silent, and Ling Yue was shocked to realize they feared Xuan Han more than he had thought.
Then the announcer spoke again. "There are supposed to be twelve omegas summoned, but we count only eleven and…"
The doors to the hall burst open.
All heads turned, including Ling Yue's.
A figure in pale blue robes glided in and stopped beside Ling Yue. His Blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail, and a sweet daisy scent drifted from him. Though his physique was clearly that of an alpha, the scent confirmed he was an omega.
"Han Junhui of the Han Clan," he said warmly as he arrived, his voice so soothing that it made the hairs on Ling Yue's arms stand.
Then he looked at Ling Yue.
Warm honey-brown eyes stared back at him, and they were the most beautiful eyes Ling Yue had ever seen, well, aside from Xuan Han's silver eyes.
And the new boy smiled at him.