Category: It turns out, they are the protagonists

Chapter 487: The Innate Celestial Furnace and the Innate Celestial Furnace p2

Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

“If I guessed correctly, his disappearance is probably related to the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow that sealed the Primordial Witch.”

The moment Yao Meng entered the courtyard, her vast spiritual sense instantly enveloped the entire area, but she didn’t find any trace of Mu Zhian.

Any cultivator who had set foot in the Garden of Heavenly Harmony would leave behind some trace detectable by her spiritual sense.

But now, she couldn’t find any trace of Mu Zhian in the entire Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

Everything related to him in his room had vanished, not even a wisp of Spiritual Energy remained.

“Why is the Heavenly Dao so wary of him?” Gong Lianyue asked softly.

“Setting aside his other secrets for now, just the Heavenly Court seats that can bestow Transcendence upon others… this power alone is enough to make the Heavenly Dao wary.”

Yao Meng silently scanned the empty courtyard: “The Heavenly Dao is the aggregate consciousness of all living beings. Anyone who might threaten the stability of the Nine Provinces will be eliminated by it from the shadows.”

Dao Integration Realm experts were still bound by the rules of heaven and earth, but Transcendence Realm experts had completely escaped them.

And if Mu Zhian was willing, he could even create nine Transcendence Realm experts.

How could the Heavenly Dao not be wary?

“But his destiny is clearly shielded, how did the Heavenly Dao discover him?” Gong Lianyue voiced the doubt in her heart.

It was precisely because Mu Zhian’s destiny was shielded that the Heavenly Dao hadn’t realized his true identity in the past.

But this time, the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow precisely locked onto Mu Zhian, why?

Yao Meng gently shook her head.

She didn’t know the reason and wasn’t in the mood to think about it now.

After all, her little man was gone after she just stepped out for a bit.

“I’ll use Time Regression to try and rewind time to a day ago.”

Yao Meng looked around the courtyard: “Although I’m not very confident, with your help, we can definitely save him before he’s attacked.”

Gong Lianyue nodded silently.

Then, she frowned slightly, staring into Yao Meng’s eyes: “What if we can’t save him even after rewinding time?”

She had the answer in her heart, but wanted to hear the Jade Empress’s response.

Yao Meng looked back, her green eyes filled with breathtaking charm, a captivating smile blooming on her face: “If he’s gone, what use do I have for this world?”

Drip…

Drip…

Raindrops froze in mid-air, then, as if rewinding strangely, the rainwater returned to the sky from the ground.

Time began to regress.

…

Rain poured down outside the courtyard.

At some unknown time, a soft white light faintly appeared in their vision. Gong Lianyue reacted almost immediately, summoning the Bronze Sword. The sword, seemingly containing myriad Sword Intents, clashed against the soft white light.

The moment Yao Meng raised her hand, a gentle Spiritual Energy enveloped Mu Zhian, pulling him out of the courtyard.

“Yao Meng? Didn’t you go find Qian’er—”

Just as Mu Zhian turned and saw Yao Meng, about to speak, the woman suddenly hugged him tightly, as if wanting to confirm his existence.

This warm and soft touch made Mu Zhian momentarily dazed and confused.

What’s going on…?

Weng!

Just as he thought of this, a sharp buzzing sound suddenly came from beside his ear. Mu Zhian abruptly looked up and saw the Bronze Sword in mid-air intercepting the white light.

“The Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow?”

Mu Zhian looked at the white light, his pupils contracting. A scene of himself enveloped by the Origin Arrow’s light suddenly flashed through his mind.

What was that scene just now… Why could I see my own future?

Just as this thought flashed through Mu Zhian’s mind, a green lotus beside him shot towards the sky, enveloping the Origin Arrow, which was already suppressed by the Bronze Sword.

The next moment, the World-Purifying Green Lotus completely sealed the arrow containing a wisp of the Heavenly Dao’s will.

Gong Lianyue slowly floated down from mid-air. Before Mu Zhian could speak, she pulled him into her embrace.

Not as big as Ruoxi’s, but definitely very soft… Mu Zhian noticed their unusual expressions and asked, “What’s wrong with you two?”

Yao Meng, unusually, didn’t separate Gong Lianyue and Mu Zhian, but just silently glanced at him and said, “Let’s go to Dexin Garden first and talk slowly.”

…

Hearing what had happened earlier, a look of understanding finally appeared on Mu Zhian’s face.

No wonder Yao Meng and Ruoxi looked like that just now. It turned out he had actually ‘disappeared’ for a moment.

Ye Lingxuan tightly held Mu Zhian’s arm. The proud young lady was usually reserved and didn’t like showing her ‘dependent’ side in front of her sister. However, from the moment Mu Zhian stepped into Dexin Garden, she clung to his arm and refused to let go.

Ye Qian also clung tightly to Mu Zhian’s other arm. Although she had only forgotten him for a moment, she was still scared.

She was afraid that one day, she would completely forget Mu Zhian’s existence again, just like today.

“Mu Lang, what are you thinking?”

Bai Ruoxi looked at the young man sitting in the hall, holding a teacup, seemingly lost in thought, and asked in a soft voice.

Mu Zhian frowned in thought: “I’m just wondering, why did that wisp of power overflowing from the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow after its seal loosened target me first, instead of sealing the Primordial Witch?”

Hearing this, a thoughtful look also appeared in their eyes.

Indeed, the Primordial Witch’s strength was a mystery, but for the Heavenly Dao to damage its own origin to seal her, it was undoubtedly an extremely dangerous existence.

So the question was… Why didn’t the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow choose to seal the Primordial Witch with all its might after its seal loosened, but attacked Mu Zhian instead?

In this silence, after an unknown amount of time, Mu Zhian looked at the rain outside and slightly collected his thoughts.

No matter how he deduced, without enough information, there wouldn’t be a conclusion. Instead of thinking about this, it was better to find some time to interrogate Gu Buxing and investigate whether there was someone behind him.

Just then, Mu Zhian suddenly noticed Yao Meng staring intently at him. Her usually calm eyes now held a complex look.

“What’s wrong? Why do you keep staring at me?” Mu Zhian asked.

“The thought of personally sending my beloved to another woman… This feeling is truly strange,” Yao Meng said faintly.

Mu Zhian was stunned. Ye Lingxuan, Ye Qian, and even Bai Ruoxi subconsciously looked at Yao Meng.

After a brief silence, Mu Zhian broke the awkward silence: “What do you mean…?”

“Luo Tan has taken an interest in you, wanting to use the Spiritual Energy from the Innate Celestial Furnace to attempt Transcendence.”

Yao Meng placed the invitation sent by Luo Tan on the table.

“Similarly, you also need her Innate Celestial Furnace for your Dao Comprehension.”

Chapter 487: The Innate Celestial Furnace and the Innate Celestial Furnace p1

Half an hour ago.

Rain fell outside the courtyard, splashing against the ground, a sheet of white.

Mu Zhian opened the bamboo slip, reading the records within amidst the sound of rain, a contemplative look in his eyes.

Undoubtedly, the records in this bamboo slip described the Primordial Witch.

There were currently two Primordial Witch spiritual senses within Sister Mengrou, and the one in the depths of the Southern Wilderness was the last one… And judging by the description in these records, that Primordial Witch spiritual sense was probably far more powerful than the other two.

But the question was, who wrote these records? How did they know the Primordial Witch was sealed in that place?

And how did Gu Buxing find this bamboo slip?

Perhaps I should find some time to go to the Jade Pool Holy Land and see if I can get any useful information from Gu Buxing…

Thinking of this, Mu Zhian stood up, intending to go to Dexin Garden next door.

Yao Meng and Qian’er were both there now, and he was also a bit curious about what they had been talking about.

Just as Mu Zhian stood up, he vaguely saw a faint white light flash past his eyes.

The white light was incredibly soft, sacred, and captivating, but the moment he saw it, Mu Zhian felt a chill.

Just this wisp of white light seemed capable of annihilating the illusion of stars!

Mu Zhian narrowed his eyes, staring at the object within the white light.

It was an arrow, very small, only the size of a fingernail.

But as it descended, the Spiritual Energy in the entire space seemed to be instantly stripped away, the space distorting, forming a vortex of air currents.

“The Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow!”

Mu Zhian’s expression changed, finally realizing the origin of this thing.

The Origin Arrow that sealed the Primordial Witch’s last spiritual sense!

However, the aura of this Origin Arrow was far less terrifying than the one sealing the Primordial Witch.

Probably not even one percent of it.

Whoosh!

The arrow shot out rapidly. It didn’t pierce Mu Zhian’s body, but stopped before him.

A soft, pale white light shone down on Mu Zhian. Within the light, a woman, seemingly formed from countless lights, descended from the sky, gently caressing his face.

Like a creator goddess, all-encompassing.

Mu Zhian tried to move, but found that, let alone his body, even a single finger was difficult to move.

“Who are you?” he asked with difficulty.

She didn’t speak, just gazed at Mu Zhian tenderly, then gently pulled him into her embrace.

At this moment, the falling rain froze, the entire world seemingly solidifying.

Then, the soft halo gradually enveloped Mu Zhian’s body completely.

Mu Zhian felt a strong drowsiness and a sense of peace. He knew that this seemingly harmless method was often the most deadly, but he still gradually let down his guard, wanting only to fall asleep in this warm embrace.

Until finally, he slowly closed his eyes.

The soft white light dispersed, and the courtyard was empty, only the sound of rain remaining. Time passed silently amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

…

“Why did Master suddenly want to take me to see that Brother Mu…? Who is he?”

In the courtyard of Dexin Garden, Ye Qian stopped, a confused look on her face, and looked at her master with puzzled eyes.

Yao Meng suddenly heard a voice from behind: “Where is Senior Jade Empress planning to take Qian’er?”

Yao Meng turned and saw Ye Lingxuan had walked out of the house at some point.

“I was planning to take Qian’er to see your Brother Mu, but she seems…”

Before Yao Meng could finish speaking, she saw Ye Lingxuan freeze, her eyes widening slightly, as if recalling something important. She quickened her pace and rushed out of Dexin Garden.

“What’s wrong?” Yao Meng immediately called out to her.

Ye Lingxuan stopped at the entrance of the courtyard, looking blankly at the empty Jade Glass Palace, and murmured softly, “I… I want to see someone… But I forgot who that person is… He seems to be very important to me.”

As she spoke, she slowly squatted down, hugging her knees, and rested her forehead against them listlessly.

It was the first time Yao Meng had seen this proud and talented young girl show such an expression, lost and helpless like an abandoned child.

She looked at the Reincarnated Empress, who was always by Ye Lingxuan’s side: “Don’t you remember either?”

The Reincarnated Empress silently gazed at Ye Lingxuan and gently shook her head: “I know all her memories, and what she doesn’t know, I naturally don’t know either.”

Yao Meng was silent.

Some cultivators who practiced the ‘Qi Refining’ Dao could indeed shield destiny to a certain extent, even making their presence undetectable.

But even the Reincarnated Empress couldn’t remember… The only one who could achieve this was—

—The Heavenly Dao.

Dao Integration Realm experts were still bound by the rules of heaven and earth, so they were still restricted by the heavenly rules. After the heavenly rules shielded Mu Zhian, naturally no one would remember him.

But the Transcendence Realm was an exception.

“It seems something really happened to him?”

Just then, Yao Meng suddenly sensed an incredibly familiar aura. Her spiritual sense instantly locked onto the other party, and she looked at the woman who spoke.

That iconic black and white interwoven palace dress, and the bright plum blossoms embroidered on the fabric… undoubtedly, it was Gong Lianyue!

“Why are you here?” Yao Meng asked.

Gong Lianyue looked at Ye Lingxuan, whose expression was filled with struggle as she was held by the Reincarnated Empress, and the dazed and uncertain Ye Qian, and said with an expressionless face, “Even Dao Integration Realm memories are slightly affected. If Ruoxi hadn’t told me about the abnormality here, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.”

“Transcendence Realm experts aren’t affected by the heavenly rules, so your and my memories haven’t changed, but other people’s memories have more or less been altered, right?”

Yao Meng was calmer than expected. Looking at Ye Lingxuan and Ye Qian, she suddenly asked faintly, “Do you really not remember anything about Mu Zhian?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know who the Mu Zhian you’re talking about is. Is he important to me?” Ye Lingxuan gently shook her head, her expression struggling.

Yao Meng quietly gazed at the two, then suddenly said, “Have you ever thought, if Mu Zhian never existed in this world, then who did you give your first kiss, and even your first time, to?”

These words were like a thunderclap in their minds.

Ye Lingxuan was first embarrassed and ashamed, because in her worldview, such an absurd thing as serving the same husband with Qian’er was impossible.

But before she could speak, she suddenly realized that her first essence had already been lost long ago.

Ye Qian was also stunned.

Then, the young girl’s originally dazed and struggling eyes gradually lit up with an unprecedented light.

Yes…

She had felt like a piece of her heart was missing, an inexplicable sense of loss, because she had forgotten someone very important, and… she wasn’t sure if that person truly existed.

But if that person didn’t truly exist, then her first kiss, and even her body… who were they given to?

Ye Lingxuan seemed to recall something important and took out a snow lotus symbolizing purity from her storage ring. She couldn’t remember who or what she had forgotten, but for some reason, seeing this snow lotus made her feel nostalgic, and also a sense of inexplicable resentment.

Why resentment? Was she resenting someone?

But if that was the case, why couldn’t she hate that person…?

Ye Lingxuan slowly held the snow lotus in her arms, as if feeling its warmth.

Yao Meng’s eyes flickered, seemingly not understanding the meaning of Ye Lingxuan’s action.

“Mu Lang gave us a snow lotus when he was in Tianxuan City. And this one is probably the one he gave Lingxuan when he first met her,” Bai Ruoxi’s gentle voice echoed through the courtyard.

“That’s so like him,” Yao Meng said softly.

“Aren’t you worried about his safety?” Gong Lianyue asked.

“The Two Polarities Sect’s formations are still active, and he hasn’t used the Lord of the Heavenly Court’s power, he’ll be fine.”

Yao Meng said faintly, “Besides, he’s the man I’ve set my sights on. I don’t believe he would truly vanish from this world without a trace.”

…

As the two Human Emperors left, within Dexin Garden, the Reincarnated Empress gently embraced Ye Qian and Ye Lingxuan, as if comforting them.

“Do you think I’ll also have someone I like?” Ye Lingxuan suddenly asked softly in the white-robed woman’s warm embrace.

The Reincarnated Empress silently gazed at the young girl in her arms and said softly, “I don’t really believe it.”

Ye Lingxuan seemed polite to everyone, a very courteous young lady, but her pride was probably unmatched, because from the past until now, no one of her age had surpassed her in talent.

“But the Jade Empress just said—”

Before Ye Lingxuan could finish speaking, the Reincarnated Empress suddenly released her and gently pointed at her chest: “But your heart won’t lie to you.”

“Are you sad now?” she asked again.

Ye Lingxuan was silent for a long time, then hummed softly in agreement.

She couldn’t remember the ‘Mu Zhian’ the Jade Empress mentioned, but every time she saw this snow lotus, a sharp pain stabbed through her heart, as if pricked by a needle.

After a long while, as if making up her mind, she looked up at the Reincarnated Empress: “After returning to the Forbidden Zone this time, I want to complete the final merging with you.”

After merging with the Reincarnated Empress, she would no longer be Ye Lingxuan, but the Forbidden Zone Empress with the complete memories of her nine past lives.

According to the Reincarnated Empress, she had never had a Dao Companion in her past nine lives, but in this life, she had confirmed a romantic relationship with someone, even together with Qian’er…

“You used to reject the memories of your past lives, why are you willing now…?”

“Accepting the memories also means knowing the Daos I walked in my past nine lives… Just you telling me isn’t enough. Only by knowing all of this will I be qualified to attempt Transcendence.”

Ye Lingxuan slowly raised her head, an unprecedented determination in her magnificent, amethyst-like eyes.

…

 

Chapter 486: In This World, There Was Never a Mu Zhian p2

“Fellow Daoists, what are you waiting for? Now is the time to stop the Jade Empress!”

Gu Buxing shouted towards the sky, his voice amplified by the power of the faith of all beings, spreading in all directions.

Almost the moment his voice fell, the space under the sky twisted like a black hole.

Then, a woman in a white dress slowly walked out from that space.

Her iconic platinum blonde hair rested lightly on her alluring shoulders, a brilliant light enveloping her from behind. An immense Dao Body appeared, seemingly containing spatial laws.

“The Space God, Xue Yi!”

Many were stunned. They didn’t expect a ‘sacrificial prayer’ to attract the current ruler of the Southern Wilderness.

“As expected of the Space God, your arrival is indeed much faster than other great powers.”

A faint smile appeared on Gu Buxing’s face, “Then I’ll trouble Lord Xue Yi to hold back the Jade Empress first—”

Before he could finish speaking, he noticed Xue Yi’s gaze was fixed on a certain direction, an unusual light rippling in her beautiful eyes.

Gu Buxing was stunned. He followed her gaze, his pupils contracting slightly.

It was a young man in magnificent black robes, standing in mid-air at some unknown time, a maid in a yellow dress standing coldly beside him.

Mu Zhian!

“Senior Xue Yi, why did you even bother coming? I thought you wouldn’t come at all.”

Under Gu Buxing’s stunned and disbelieving gaze, Mu Zhian revealed a gentle smile and greeted her.

“You… you two…”

This scene stunned Gu Buxing. After realizing something, his blood surged, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

At this moment, Gu Buxing, proficient in destiny calculation, felt the anger of betrayal.

The Space God broke her promise, not even caring about the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune?!

How was this possible…?

Even a Dao Integration Realm expert couldn’t possibly disregard the national fortune.

The anger in Gu Buxing’s eyes gradually turned into calmness. Fortunately, he knew the Jade Empress’s strength, so he had made preparations this time and hadn’t only contacted the Southern Wilderness.

“Fellow Daoists, if not now, then when?!” Gu Buxing roared towards the sky.

There was no response.

Yao Meng’s brows relaxed, and she said faintly, “It seems the great powers you secretly contacted aren’t very reliable.”

She originally wanted to use this opportunity to fight against these people and see which province the great powers who secretly attacked her in the Jade Pool Ancestral Land were from. However, it seemed the other party was cautious enough that even ‘national fortune’ couldn’t lure them out.

Or perhaps, even if a Transcendence Realm expert deliberately concealed their aura, they were still intimidating.

Yao Meng’s gaze casually swept over the surroundings, and she said softly, “The Buddha from the Western Regions, the Princess from Cloud Province, and the Underworld Lord from the Northern Frontier? What brings you all to the Eastern Continent?”

“The Jade Empress seems quite confident in her current strength, truly acting like a lofty being.”

A cold snort came from Cloud Province. Judging by the voice, it seemed to be a woman, her tone cold, presumably the ‘Princess’ Yao Meng mentioned.

“Amitabha, Benefactor Yao, this poor monk only came to stop someone from trying to refine the national fortune and harm the Eastern Continent.”

In mid-air, at some unknown time, Buddha’s light shone, a sacred light enveloping the entire land, almost making many kneel and convert to Buddhism.

Just then, Yao Meng suddenly raised her fingertip. A green lotus, surrounded by immortal Qi, floated in mid-air!

Almost at that instant, the Buddha’s light receded. The entire space seemed to be under the control of the World-Purifying Green Lotus, chaos rising and falling, as if it could purify all things in the world into nothingness.

The Buddha’s expression finally changed.

And in the void, the ‘Princess’ and the Underworld Lord also looked at this scene with apprehension. Although they knew the Transcendence Realm’s strength was heaven-defying, the Jade Empress’s casual attack seemed to contain the laws of heaven and earth, which was truly astonishing.

“Do you all have anything else to do?” Yao Meng asked faintly.

In the void, the terrifying aura fluctuations quietly subsided. Mu Zhian looked over and saw the three supreme existences from different provinces.

The Underworld Lord from the Northern Frontier was an incredibly tall man, seemingly emitting an aura of death.

And a golden light shone behind the Buddha’s head, making it difficult to see his form.

As for the Princess… he could only see the graceful curves of a woman in light gauze from behind, but couldn’t see her face.

“Could this be the wife of the Cloud Province Lord…? Tsk tsk, just looking at her back, I know she must be extremely beautiful…”

Just as Mu Zhian admired her inwardly, the woman in mid-air suddenly glanced back, a faint smile in her clear, green eyes, as if seeing through everything.

“Mu Zhian, it’s you again… It’s you again!”

Just then, Gu Buxing suddenly let out a hysterical roar. He had realized that the reason the great powers he secretly contacted retreated was probably largely due to Mu Zhian.

The Space God seemed to be asking Mu Zhian for something, and the Pill Emperor of Yu State didn’t even appear… As for the Demon Realm, they didn’t even reply.

Recalling the Demon Empress’s attitude towards Mu Zhian in the past, Gu Buxing finally understood.

He had been deducing destiny and scheming everything within the Great Qian Dynasty… But he didn’t expect that one day he would lose to an ant whose realm was far below his.

However… no matter what benefits he promised the Space God and the others, he needed to be alive to fulfill those promises!

A fierce glint appeared in Gu Buxing’s eyes. He suddenly roared, and the Spiritual Energy within his originally sealed cauldron surged, along with the national fortune and the faith of all beings, pouring into the Seven-Colored Altar.

He was using the Soul Summoning Technique!

Such a desperate gamble, once the Soul Summoning Technique failed, whether he survived or not, he would face the Jade Empress’s wrath, and even the entire Eastern Continent’s.

But he couldn’t care less now. Only by taking this gamble could he find a chance to turn the tables.

Gu Buxing prostrated himself on the ground like a devout believer, chanting obscure incantations.

Weng!

The immense national fortune surged towards the Seven-Colored Altar!

Boom!

Almost at that instant, the entire Seven-Colored Altar exploded, and a dazzling beam of light shot into the sky!

The entire Eastern Continent trembled, a deafening sound echoing.

“I was right… I was right! My deduction was correct, you truly exist, you haven’t fallen!”

Gu Buxing stumbled towards the dazzling beam of light. He realized that the records in the bamboo slip were correct. That ‘quasi-immortal’ was truly still alive, and just as he deduced, she was slumbering in the depths of the Southern Wilderness!

Mu Zhian quietly gazed in the direction of the Southern Wilderness.

He was waiting for the woman sealed by the Heavenly Dao in the depths of the Southern Wilderness to descend.

At this moment, the black mist within the entire Southern Wilderness trembled violently.

The Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow, even Yao Meng couldn’t break its seal.

But the Heavenly Dao originated from all living beings, and the national fortune and the faith of all beings were symbols of all living beings. Perhaps, they could really break the seal of the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow… Mu Zhian held a sliver of hope in his heart.

Within the secret realm where the Primordial Witch slumbered, the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow, which had been silent, suddenly emitted a dazzling light as the immense faith of all beings descended. It seemed to awaken, struggling to leave the Primordial Witch’s body.

It was hard to imagine that this arrow, forged from the Heavenly Dao’s origin, had weathered the passage of time, yet still contained such terrifying power.

However, just then, the Primordial Witch, who had been in slumber, her eyelashes trembling slightly, slowly opened her eyes.

She lowered her eyelids slightly, looked at the arrow emitting a milky white halo, and said softly, “Be quiet.”

As soon as her voice fell, the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow’s struggles gradually subsided.

Until finally, it completely dimmed.

Only a wisp of the Heavenly Dao’s brilliance drifted out from the secret realm…

…

“No more movement…?”

Mu Zhian looked at the gradually subsiding commotion, his brows furrowing slightly: “That’s it?”

Imperial Advisor Gu isn’t very capable… I thought he could really break the seal of the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow, but it seems relying on him isn’t realistic after all.

Mu Zhian looked up at the ashen-faced Gu Buxing and said, “Imperial Advisor Gu, do you have anything else to say?”

Gu Buxing looked somewhat dazed, murmuring, “How is this possible… According to my destiny calculation, she should have descended, why…”

He seemed to be in disbelief, as if struck by a blow.

And at this time, two elders from the Jade Pool Holy Land quietly descended. Under Yao Meng’s signal, they activated a technique and took Gu Buxing away from the summit.

“I thought he could really use this opportunity to release the last Primordial Witch spiritual sense in the depths of the Southern Wilderness,” Mu Zhian sighed with some regret.

Yao Meng quietly gazed in the direction where Gu Buxing was taken away, not speaking.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Zhian turned and asked, noticing Yao Meng seemed to be pondering something.

“I’m thinking, Gu Buxing’s cauldron was sealed by me, why did he suddenly have the thought of making a desperate gamble? Also, how could he deduce where the Primordial Witch was sealed?”

Yao Meng turned to look at Mu Zhian: “And where did that bamboo slip he read come from?”

Hearing this, Mu Zhian also fell into deep thought.

Indeed, the records about the Primordial Witch in the bamboo slip were true, but where did Gu Buxing find this bamboo slip?

Why did he go to ‘Jixian Pavilion’ to borrow this bamboo slip for no reason?

Mu Zhian’s eyes flickered.

Perhaps… someone secretly told Gu Buxing?

“Let’s go back first, there are too many people here.”

Just then, Yao Meng’s soft and pleasant voice sounded, pulling Mu Zhian back to reality from his thoughts.

Mu Zhian came back to his senses and suddenly realized that many cultivators had gathered at the foot of the mountain at some unknown time, seemingly attracted by Gu Buxing’s sacrificial ritual today.

Mu Zhian even saw the eldest princess of the Great Qian Dynasty among the crowd.

Towards this princess who provided the information, Mu Zhian naturally had a very good attitude, nodding to her discreetly, then leaving Heart Refining Mountain with Yao Meng.

Having been at the Jade Pool Holy Land for a while, and not seeing her disciple for a long time, after learning that her disciple Ye Qian had just returned to the sect, Yao Meng first went to Dexin Garden not far away to see her disciple.

After that, she could also bring Qian’er to the Garden of Heavenly Harmony to find him…

After watching Yao Meng leave, Mu Zhian took out the bamboo slip, carefully reading it, pondering whether there was someone behind Gu Buxing, manipulating him to refine the national fortune today.

Drip…

Drip…

The sound of rain quietly started, raindrops pattering against the emerald green leaves, falling onto the floor. The ground outside the courtyard quickly became a sheet of white.

Then, at some unknown time, the splashing water droplets froze.

…

“Master, why are you here?!”

In Dexin Garden, Ye Qian, having just finished meditating, immediately saw the fairy in the green dress not far ahead, her eyes lighting up, and immediately went to greet her.

The little fish in Mu Zhian’s fishpond had all been suppressed by the Jade Empress to some extent, except for Ye Qian…

Partly because she was the Jade Empress’s disciple, and partly… mainly because Ye Qian’s XP was a bit strange, impossible to suppress.

“I haven’t visited you for a long time. I just heard him say you were here, so I came to see you.”

Yao Meng smiled charmingly, gently stroking her disciple’s smooth hair: “Where is your sister?”

“The Forbidden Zone will be selecting candidates for the Forbidden Zone Lord soon, Sister has been in secluded cultivation recently,” Ye Qian said.

Yao Meng let out a meaningful “Oh”: “That’s just perfect, I’ll take you to your Brother Mu.”

“You’ve been cultivating all this time, you probably haven’t seen him much, right?”

She slightly bent her knees, gently caressed Ye Qian’s pure and charming face with her slender hand, and said with a smile, “Let me teach you some interesting things besides cultivation while we’re at it~”

Ye Qian first nodded blankly, then looked at the woman holding her hand, about to leave Dexin Garden, and suddenly said, “Right, Master.”

Yao Meng casually looked back, saw her disciple’s dazed expression, and couldn’t help asking, “Hmm? What’s wrong?”

Ye Qian tilted her head slightly, then, under Yao Meng’s gradually freezing gaze, asked softly, “Brother Mu… who is that?”

Chapter 486: In This World, There Was Never a Mu Zhian p1

For Mu Zhian, although Gu Buxing wasn’t a treasure-hunting mouse, he had, in a sense, replaced its role.

Last time, Gu Buxing, despite being severely injured, still summoned the Primordial Witch’s spiritual sense…

And this time… he seemed to be planning something big again.

“If it weren’t for the secret letter sent by Princess Yongning, I probably wouldn’t have imagined someone would set their sights on the Primordial Witch in the depths of the Southern Wilderness.”

Mu Zhian sighed inwardly.

The black mist of the Southern Wilderness was difficult to approach. Even he could only bypass it with the ‘black box’ and directly enter its depths.

And the Primordial Witch’s true body in the depths of the Southern Wilderness was sealed by the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow. Even Mu Zhian couldn’t rescue her now.

Let alone rescuing her, even approaching her made Mu Zhian feel like he would be purified by the Origin Arrow at any moment.

If Gu Buxing could really use some technique to summon the Primordial Witch… that would be perfect.

Having harvested leeks like Ye Yu and Xiao Hua before, Mu Zhian naturally knew how to maximize the benefits from such rare leeks before harvesting them.

The only thing Mu Zhian was concerned about now was whether Gu Buxing could ignore the seal of the Heavenly Dao’s Origin Arrow and summon the Primordial Witch from the depths of the Southern Wilderness.

If he could really do it, the value of this treasure-hunting mouse would be truly immeasurable…

…

North of the Great Qian Dynasty was a mountain called Heart Refining Mountain.

Gu Buxing had sent people to build a Seven-Colored Altar on Heart Refining Mountain some time ago.

He claimed it was to pray for the nation, hoping for good weather and harvests in the Great Qian Dynasty, but he secretly had other plans.

And seven days later, at dawn, a grand celebration was held throughout the Great Qian Dynasty.

About ten days ago, Gu Buxing had already spread the news, saying he would go to Heart Refining Mountain to pray for the nation, hoping for good weather and harvests in the coming year.

Most commoners didn’t know the Imperial Advisor’s true nature and naturally praised him greatly.

However, they clearly didn’t know that the so-called prayer was fake, and using prayer as an excuse to refine the national fortune was the true purpose.

“Are everything prepared?”

Gu Buxing slowly opened his eyes and asked the Daoist boy beside him calmly.

“The Seven-Colored Altar has been set up on the summit of Heart Refining Mountain. Great powers from the Southern Wilderness, Western Regions, and other places have secretly set up formations on Heart Refining Mountain, waiting for Master’s good news about refining the national fortune,” the Daoist boy said.

“Very good.”

A satisfied smile appeared on Gu Buxing’s face, feeling the pent-up anger from the past few days dissipate.

He had been incredibly frustrated recently. His cauldron was sealed, the emperor’s trust in him wasn’t as strong as before, as the influential Imperial Advisor of the Great Qian Dynasty, had he ever imagined such humiliation?

He hadn’t even offended the Jade Empress, just wanted to take away the maid beside Mu Zhian!

That maid was a Calamity Body, which would affect the dynasty’s destiny. He wanted to confirm what the problem was.

And all of this was because of that little cultivator called Mu Zhian.

Even to the current him, Mu Zhian was just an ant. Even if Mu Zhian cultivated for another ten years, he might not be able to reach his current achievements.

Yet this ant actually had the Jade Empress backing him.

Even the Primordial Witch he summoned in the past seemed to have an ambiguous relationship with Mu Zhian.

A mere little cultivator at Core Formation Realm, why was he born at the peak of life?

Besides sweet-talking women, what else could he do?

Gu Buxing, usually calm and collected, couldn’t help but feel unbalanced, even angry, whenever he thought of Mu Zhian.

Most cultivators cultivated for longevity, and also to have a place in this dog-eat-dog world of the Nine Provinces.

And Mu Zhian was born with all of this. Mu Zhian’s strength wasn’t strong, but the women behind him could give him everything he wanted.

Although some cultivators in the Nine Provinces seemed to disdain eating soft rice, acting as if cultivators should be self-reliant, if there was an obedient Empress willing to be their wife, they would probably cling to her jade legs and never let go.

Gu Buxing was naturally the same.

Because of this, he felt especially unbalanced.

Moreover, his cauldron being sealed was also because of Mu Zhian.

Everything originated from Mu Zhian, so naturally it should end with Mu Zhian.

Refining the national fortune would definitely be noticed by the Jade Empress. Whether the several great powers of the Nine Provinces would be willing to help with all their might was still unknown… But at least, the formations they set up earlier could hold for a while.

And this time was enough for him to awaken that true ‘Immortal’.

“Mu Zhian, you brought this upon yourself, don’t blame me…”

Gu Buxing’s face turned cold.

Whether he could use the national fortune to break the seal of the World-Purifying Green Lotus was still unknown, and Mu Zhian had the Jade Empress’s protection, making revenge impossible.

So the only method he could think of was the Soul Summoning Technique!

He obtained this secret technique from the Primordial Witch’s inheritance in the World Sea. Using this technique would reduce the cauldron’s Spiritual Energy by twenty percent each time, and it would never recover.

This time, everyone, including the Great Qian Emperor, probably thought that Gu Buxing was merely trying to refine the national fortune and break the seal of the Jade Empress’s World-Purifying Green Lotus, hence resorting to such measures.

But who would have thought that, from the very beginning, his true purpose wasn’t for himself.

If he could rescue the quasi-immortal slumbering in the depths of the Southern Wilderness… Mu Zhian had great powers backing him, and so could he!

Although he might have to sacrifice more than just twenty percent of his Spiritual Energy this time, Gu Buxing didn’t care about this now.

His cauldron was already sealed. If this continued, his blood and Qi would decline. After he couldn’t even use the Soul Summoning Technique, he would truly be at his wit’s end.

Only by taking advantage of the current situation, while he could still use the faith of all beings to cast the technique, awaken that quasi-immortal, and break the seal on her, could he have a sliver of hope.

“With all the Spiritual Energy in my cauldron and the faith of all beings, borrowing the power of heaven and earth, awakening, even breaking the seal on her, shouldn’t be difficult…”

That afternoon, Gu Buxing set off for Heart Refining Mountain. Along the way, he attracted the attention of countless commoners and cultivators residing in the city, all discussing amongst themselves.

The masses were ignorant, but there were also smart people among them who knew that the Jade Empress sealed Gu Buxing’s cauldron when she settled the score with the dynasty earlier. This also led to many speculations.

After all, the Jade Pool Holy Land held a significant position in the Eastern Continent, and the Jade Empress had protected the Eastern Continent in the past, suppressing the First Generation Demon Emperor. That fairy was a symbol of holiness in the hearts of countless people in the Eastern Continent. They naturally believed the Jade Empress wouldn’t blame the Imperial Advisor without reason.

Presumably, this Imperial Advisor must have done something to be punished by the Jade Empress.

At this moment, Gu Buxing stood on the summit, his hands behind his back, looking up at the Seven-Colored Altar ahead, and said with slight satisfaction, “You’ve done well.”

“From now on, no one is allowed to enter without my orders.”

After he finished speaking, he had everyone on Heart Refining Mountain leave the summit. Then, following the Western Regions’ Buddhist technique he knew, he placed several precious medicinal herbs around the Seven-Colored Altar in precise locations.

Then, he sat cross-legged before the altar, chanting complex Buddhist scriptures.

These materials were very precious, but even more precious was the faith of all beings that Gu Buxing began drawing from his body.

This was a secret technique he learned by chance from a high monk in the Western Regions in the past. The cultivation methods of the Western Regions were very special. Some enlightened high monks were only at Nascent Soul Realm, but their combat power could rival those at Soul Transformation Realm, and the reason was the strengthening from this ‘faith of all beings’.

As long as the people in a certain region believed in a certain high monk, that high monk could gather the faith of all beings and strengthen themselves.

The more believers there were, the greater the faith.

According to Gu Buxing’s estimation, if he gathered the faith of all beings in the entire Western Regions, his combat power could at least double or triple.

Rumble…

The sky gradually darkened, and dark clouds in the distance slowly moved towards Heart Refining Mountain.

Soon, several bizarre runes appeared on the altar, and the faith of all beings on the summit of Heart Refining Mountain became incredibly dense.

If a cultivator rashly entered at this time, they would probably explode and die.

Because such vast faith couldn’t be directly absorbed, it even completely dispelled the surrounding Spiritual Energy.

Next, was to infuse the immense national fortune into the altar.

Cold sweat began to appear on Gu Buxing’s forehead. His cauldron was currently sealed. He was completely relying on the faith of all beings to cast this secret technique and refine the national fortune.

This method had huge side effects, and he had to conceal this technique as much as possible to avoid being discovered too early.

“As expected, this refining technique is still too difficult for the current me… But I have no other choice.”

Gu Buxing gritted his teeth, raised his hand, pierced his chest, and slowly took out a sphere emitting a purple light.

This sphere began to slowly expand, filling the entire world.

One-third of the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune!

Gu Buxing let out a sigh of relief, then slowly extended his hand, about to begin refining.

However, just then, he suddenly saw a green light flash past his eyes.

Immediately afterward, a green lotus bloomed silently in mid-air, emitting vast Spiritual Energy fluctuations, as if the sky itself was pressing down, causing the Spiritual Energy in the entire space to violently surge.

Gu Buxing’s expression changed slightly: “The Jade Empress!”

In mid-air, at some unknown time, a woman in a green gauze skirt walked towards him step by step, stepping on the void. Every step seemed to be accompanied by the humming of the Great Dao, like a Nine Heavens Goddess descending to the mortal realm.

She looked down at the man on the summit, her red lips parting slightly:

“Gu Buxing, I spared your life before, considering your past contributions in protecting the Great Qian Dynasty and nurturing its national fortune. However, it seems you’re still restless. The Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune is related to the Eastern Continent’s destiny, it can’t be used for your own selfish gain.”

This immortal voice, like heavenly music, slowly echoed throughout the Great Qian Dynasty, like a stone causing a thousand ripples, making countless people’s expressions change.

The soldiers on Heart Refining Mountain were even more shocked. The moment they looked up, a deep sense of awe filled their eyes.

The Jade Empress!

In the darkness, the eyes of the great powers who were secretly watching this scene trembled slightly.

They had underestimated the difference between Transcendence Realm and Dao Integration Realm. When the Jade Empress killed a Buddha from the Western Regions last time, several great powers, including those from Cloud Province, thought that it was because the Jade Empress used some secret technique, and that Buddha didn’t have the strengthening of the faith of all beings, hence achieving that shocking one-hit kill.

But seeing the aura emanating from the Jade Empress as she descended now, they finally realized how huge the difference between Transcendence and Dao Integration was.

An ‘Dao Integration Realm expert’ unrestricted by the rules of heaven and earth was actually this terrifying.

“Why did the Jade Empress come to Heart Refining Mountain?”

On the mountain, the Great Qian soldiers watched this scene and couldn’t help asking in low voices.

“What did the Jade Empress mean just now…? The Imperial Advisor seeking personal gain?”

Soon, some people reacted and couldn’t help discussing the Jade Empress’s words in hushed tones.

At this moment, not only on Heart Refining Mountain, but throughout the entire Great Qian Dynasty, whispers spread.

All cultivators trembled with fear. Although that immortal voice was pleasant and captivating, every word she spoke contained Dao Rhyme, resonating with them, making their souls tremble.

“Jade Empress, you’ve come after all.”

Although Gu Buxing was shocked, it wasn’t unexpected. He remained seated cross-legged, because he had already reached the crucial moment of refining the national fortune and couldn’t stop midway.

“You’re much calmer than I imagined. You must have prepared some trump cards in advance.”

Yao Meng smiled faintly, her green eyes as clear as glass, her voice always soft and gentle. But in Gu Buxing’s ears, he clearly heard the killing intent in her words!

The Jade Empress held back last time because the national fortune was bound to him, and killing him would damage the national fortune, making it not worth it. But now that he had taken out the national fortune and infused it into the Seven-Colored Altar to refine it… The Jade Empress probably wouldn’t hold back this time.

However, not only was Gu Buxing not afraid, but a playful smile even appeared on his face.

“I bet you can’t kill me.”

After refining the national fortune, he could fulfill his promises to Cloud Province, the Southern Wilderness, the Western Regions, and other places, giving them part of the national fortune.

And during this time, he would also secretly awaken the quasi-immortal slumbering in the depths of the Southern Wilderness.

He had deduced destiny before and knew the location where the quasi-immortal was sealed.

Once he awakened her, he would naturally have a sliver of hope.

 

Chapter 485: Wei Mengrou: Planting Seeds for Later p2

“According to the bamboo slip, in the early days of antiquity, there was a suspected quasi-immortal existence. Her strength was so powerful that it made even the Heavenly Dao tremble, to the point that the Heavenly Dao almost broke the rules of heaven and earth to perish together with the quasi-immortal.”

“However, the quasi-immortal, taking pity on all beings, didn’t want her fight with the Heavenly Dao to cause devastation to the Nine Provinces, so she used the entire Nine Provinces as a formation, sealing her true body somewhere within the Nine Provinces, thus falling into a deep slumber.”

After temporarily bidding farewell to Yan Ruyu, Mu Zhian sat in the courtyard of the Garden of Heavenly Harmony, reading the bamboo slip, but couldn’t help feeling it was somewhat absurd.

“Sister Mengrou, do you think the records on this are credible?” Mu Zhian collected his thoughts, threw the bamboo slip on the table, and looked at Wei Mengrou beside him.

Wei Mengrou gently shook her head: “I don’t believe it.”

She paused: “But I think Gu Buxing wouldn’t build an altar for no reason. It’s better to be careful.”

The Seven-Colored Altar was usually used for sacrificial rituals in the Nine Provinces, and some heretic cultivators also used it to summon ‘lost souls’.

Gu Buxing had used special techniques to summon a wisp of the Primordial Witch’s spiritual sense before.

“That’s true… But there’s one more thing I’m curious about.”

Mu Zhian looked at the bamboo slip on the table and said softly, “Who exactly wrote these records? This bamboo slip is made of Epoch Bamboo, it won’t decay even after ten thousand years… Judging from this, the person who wrote these records must have lived at least tens of thousands of years ago.”

“Why did this bamboo slip end up in the Great Qian Dynasty?”

“The Great Qian Dynasty was built upon the ruins of countless dynasties. This bamboo slip has been preserved in the libraries of those dynasties since the past. Because it’s not easily damaged, preserving it isn’t difficult,” Wei Mengrou said faintly.

How does Sister Mengrou know so much…? Mu Zhian glanced at Wei Mengrou. Noticing the silver light flowing in her beautiful eyes, he understood: “The Lustful Witch told you?”

Wei Mengrou hummed softly in agreement.

The Lustful Witch had just returned to her cauldron two days ago, and after returning, she merged with another Primordial Witch spiritual sense. The Primordial Witch’s current strength was unfathomable, even unbound by the rules of heaven and earth.

“So, the records in this bamboo slip are likely true?”

Mu Zhian pondered, looking at the bamboo slip.

“What’s wrong? Did you think of something?”

As expected of the maid who always followed Mu Zhian, Wei Mengrou saw his silence and knew what he was thinking, immediately asking.

“Sister Mengrou, do you feel the records on this are somewhat similar to some things we’ve heard before?” Mu Zhian suddenly asked softly.

A quasi-immortal from the early days of antiquity, a forbidden being who shook the Nine Provinces, feared by the Heavenly Dao… then sealed herself.

Just the term ‘quasi-immortal’ alone was enough to make this information seem absurd.

Mu Zhian’s first reaction upon seeing the bamboo slip was also disbelief.

But after recalling some of his past experiences, Mu Zhian thought of a possibility.

Wei Mengrou’s eyes flickered, and she looked up at Mu Zhian: “You mean… the other ‘me’ sealed in the depths of the Southern Wilderness?”

Mu Zhian nodded slightly.

He still remembered the shocking scene he saw in the black box’s grotto-heaven.

The Heavenly Dao transformed its origin into an arrow, piercing the Primordial Witch’s chest, suppressing her in the depths of the Southern Wilderness, causing the Southern Wilderness to be shrouded in black mist year-round, all life withering wherever the black mist passed.

Was Gu Buxing building the altar for her?

Just as Mu Zhian was thinking, a fluctuation suddenly came from the formation outside the Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

“It’s Lingxuan and the others. Sister Mengrou, go and welcome them in.”

Mu Zhian sensed the newcomers, his brows raising slightly. He turned to look at Wei Mengrou.

“They probably just returned to the sect, right? Their hearts are truly set on you.”

Wei Mengrou glanced at the young master disdainfully, turned, and gracefully left the courtyard.

After a while, two young girls appeared in his vision. One wore a classic and exquisite purple dress, her face lightly made up, exuding a youthful and innocent charm.

Ye Qian wore a light blue dress, her beautiful eyes looking at Mu Zhian expectantly, holding a small food box in her hand.

“This is the snack Sister and I made for Brother Mu before coming. Brother Mu can enjoy it after tiring yourself from cultivation.”

She came to Mu Zhian’s side, her face slightly red, and placed the spiritual pastries made with medicinal herbs on the table.

Nascent Soul Realm cultivators had already reached the inedia(not needing to eat) stage, so food was optional.

But occasionally indulging in snacks to relax was quite nice.

Just like a certain natural foodie dragon, even after reaching Dao Integration Realm, she still craved snacks every day.

“Although Young Master can enjoy many snacks every day, thank you both for your kindness,” the black-bellied maid said with a bright, ice-breaking smile, her voice cool.

During this time, Ye Lingxuan wasn’t at the sect, and Lan Feiying was still in secluded cultivation in the ancestral land, so they didn’t know how ‘unscrupulous’ the young master had been.

Although she didn’t care who the young master was intimate with, she still wanted to remind these two sisters: This guy is a playboy, don’t forget.

Ye Lingxuan was quite a clever girl. Hearing this, she immediately looked at Mu Zhian suspiciously: “Brother Mu is always at the sect, where did you get snacks to eat?”

Mu Zhian coughed lightly: “Lin Ling… Senior Spirit Dragon occasionally brings me some snacks when she returns from foraging.”

Ye Lingxuan pursed her lips and glanced at the young man: “Senior Spirit Dragon is very kind to Brother Mu, but she wouldn’t give you all her snacks, would she?”

Mu Zhian was silent for a moment: “Mmm… Senior Sister Lan also occasionally brings me some pastries.”

“It’s not just bringing pastries, is it? Senior Sister Lan has always had feelings for Brother Mu…” Ye Qian looked at Mu Zhian with sparkling eyes.

“She probably did other things after bringing pastries…”

Why is Sister Qian’er so good at imagining things…? Mu Zhian said helplessly, “By the way, where’s Senior Ye? I don’t see her. Didn’t she come back with you?”

“After Mother learned we were at the Ye Clan, she sent someone to Tianxuan City to invite Ancestor to the Forbidden Zone as a guest. Considering we’ll also be going to the Forbidden Zone later, she went ahead to see some old acquaintances.”

As Ye Lingxuan spoke, a hint of helplessness appeared in her eyes.

After the Forbidden Zone separated from the Ye Clan, seeing the Ye Clan decline but not intervening, although Ye Qingxin didn’t express any dissatisfaction with the Forbidden Zone, her going to the Forbidden Zone this time might cause some trouble.

“He changed the subject again…” Wei Mengrou silently watched this scene and couldn’t help but give Mu Zhian a sideways glance.

The young master wasn’t good at anything else, but his methods of diverting attention were becoming increasingly skillful.

However, Ye Lingxuan currently didn’t know that during the time the young master was away from the sect, not only was his relationship with the Spirit Dragon unclear, but even his relationship with the Sect Master was ambiguous…

This Forbidden Zone imperial daughter usually looked like an elegant young lady, but she actually had quite a bit of possessiveness…

Once she became the Forbidden Zone Empress in the future, if she found out that her beloved Brother Mu had been secretly multi-tasking and raising several great white sharks without her knowing… by then, Ye Lingxuan might not be the obedient girl who nestled in Mu Zhian’s arms and called him ‘Brother Mu’ sweetly anymore.

After all, besides the Two Polarities Sect, the Forbidden Zone had the deepest foundation.

If they really wanted to take someone away quietly, it wouldn’t be difficult.

However, she was too lazy to remind the young master. Anyway, no matter where he was, she could find him.

Ye Lingxuan naturally didn’t know what Wei Mengrou was thinking. Hearing Mu Zhian praising the deliciousness of the pastries, and sensing his burning gaze, she felt somewhat shy, completely forgetting what happened just now.

“Qian’er and I still need to go to Dao Peak and inform Master, so we won’t disturb Brother Mu any longer.”

After saying that, Ye Lingxuan put down the food box and left, holding her sister’s hand.

“Sister Mengrou, it seems I’m one step closer to my dream of eating soft rice.”

Mu Zhian looked at the two young girls’ beautiful figures and sighed inwardly: “Sister Lingxuan’s chest seems to have developed quite a bit.”

“This is your dream, eat it.”

Wei Mengrou opened the food box. The fragrance of the spiritual pastries wafted through the air, faint rays of light appearing before their eyes. If mortals ate such pastries, their lifespans could be extended by at least ten years. It was easy to imagine that the ingredients were prepared by Ye Lingxuan, this little rich woman.

“Sister Lingxuan and Sister Qian’er’s cooking skills seem quite good. Sister Mengrou, why don’t you ask them for advice sometime and make some for me next time?”

Mu Zhian picked up a pastry from the food box, took a bite, and couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Wei Mengrou glanced at him: “If you like it so much, just have them make it for you every day.”

“Oh… Maybe you can eat it every day after you go to the Forbidden Zone next time.”

Wei Mengrou paused, then added, “In the basement.”

Mu Zhian looked at Wei Mengrou unexpectedly and couldn’t help but smile, “Sister Mengrou, are you jealous? No matter what, you’re the only maid by my side, this won’t change.”

I’m not jealous, I’m just stating a possibility… Wei Mengrou said silently in her heart.

Too many things had happened while Mu Zhian was away from the sect. If Ye Lingxuan learned about them one by one, it might be fine.

But if these things were all combined and then detonated at once…

For example, telling the reincarnation of the Reincarnated Empress: Your Brother Mu slept with the Spirit Dragon, the Daughter of the Great Dao.

Ye Lingxuan would probably be shocked, but not to the point of being unable to bear it.

Then, while she was at it, adding: Not only that, your Brother Mu also suppressed your respected and admired Sect Master Sister.

By the way, your sister buff is also gone, because he also suppressed your Senior Sister Lan and Sister Feiying.

When he went to the Demon Realm before, he was also taken by the Demon Empress.

Mmm… If I wanted to, I could make the young master die right now.

Wei Mengrou looked at the young master, who seemed to be enjoying the pastries, and couldn’t help but purse her lips, suppressing the sneer that almost escaped.

“Sister Mengrou, please help me deliver some pastries to Two Polarities Peak later.”

Just as Mu Zhian finished speaking, he looked at Wei Mengrou in surprise, “What’s wrong? Why are you smiling so strangely?”

He felt that the maid was plotting something.

“You’re the one smiling strangely.”

Wei Mengrou glanced at the young master indifferently, “If Gu Buxing building the altar really is to summon her… are you planning to stop him?”

“Not yet.”

Mu Zhian handed the food box to Wei Mengrou and couldn’t help but smile, “Let’s play with him for a while.”

Chapter 485: Wei Mengrou: Planting Seeds for Later p1

Great Qian Dynasty.

Within the grand and imposing imperial palace, a rather ornate Daoist temple had been built, containing several alchemy furnaces and countless medicinal herbs.

Over the years, Imperial Advisor Gu Buxing, under the pretext of the emperor’s cultivation, had secretly amassed quite a hoard of medicinal ingredients.

This matter had caused much discussion among the court officials, as a large portion of the official silver meant for disaster relief and the spirit stones for cultivators were used by Gu Buxing for alchemy.

However, the current emperor, wholeheartedly devoted to cultivation, dismissed the objections of his court, turning a deaf ear to their dissenting voices. Every half month, he would send someone to deliver heavenly materials and earthly treasures gathered from across the Eastern Continent.

The old emperor was advanced in age, unable to step into the world of cultivation, and could only hope to extend his lifespan through alchemy.

Within the Daoist temple, a middle-aged man in Daoist robes sat cross-legged before a table, quietly reading the bamboo slips in his hand.

He looked like an ordinary person… or rather, he was indeed an ordinary person now.

A single grain of sand falling from the upper echelons of the cultivation world was a boulder to the lower-level cultivators below. The Jade Empress’s World-Purifying Green Lotus had sealed his cauldron, so Gu Buxing was currently no different from an ordinary person.

However—

Even so, he was still strengthened by the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune and the faith of the people, ultimately not comparable to an ordinary person.

Imperial Advisor Gu Buxing.

This Imperial Advisor’s life, if not legendary, was at least far more extraordinary than most. He was orphaned at a young age, then adopted by a mysterious expert. As a child, Gu Buxing relied solely on brute force, completely ignorant of astrology.

Growing up, Gu Buxing was also a crude martial artist, sharing the same master as the current First Seat of Heavenly Secrets Peak.

His fellow disciples all thought he was an oddity. Their master was a master of destiny calculation, yet among the disciples he taught, there was actually someone who didn’t even understand astrology.

To embark on the path of Dao Integration as soon as possible, after his master’s passing, Gu Buxing parted ways with his fellow disciples. He reached Nascent Soul at the age of thirty, then came to the World Sea by chance.

There, he obtained a sliver of inheritance left by the Primordial Witch. From then on, Gu Buxing transformed from a martial artist, comprehending the art of destiny calculation.

Then, he chose the shortcut of becoming an ‘Imperial Advisor’.

For Gu Buxing, his pursuit from the very beginning was only one thing: Dao Integration. The identity of Great Qian Imperial Advisor was merely a tool to accelerate this process.

After all, cultivation required a large amount of resources. Joining an Ancient Family and being at their mercy was far less comfortable than being the Imperial Advisor.

And he had been to the Western Regions before and knew how to use the ‘faith of all beings’ to strengthen himself.

“Report—”

A black-clad spy quickly walked into the Daoist temple, knelt down on both knees, and presented several sealed letters.

Gu Buxing took the letters, opened them one by one, and scanned them.

The first letter was about the Jade Pool Holy Land. That holy land seemed to have discovered the movements within the Great Qian Dynasty and had secretly sent people to monitor the situation in advance.

The second letter was the reply from the Southern Wilderness. As expected, the Space God accepted this generous proposal.

The third letter came from Cloud Province. The Jade Empress’s dominance was suffocating. If there was a chance to weaken the Eastern Continent’s luck, Cloud Province was happy to help.

The fourth and fifth letters came from the Western Regions and the Northern Frontier, their contents self-evident.

“Imperial Advisor is truly brilliant. The Jade Empress is too domineering. I thought the Sword Palace Master, after transcending, would contend with her, but I didn’t expect their relationship to be quite good… Other powers won’t be happy to see this.”

Opposite Gu Buxing, the old emperor, having just finished his breathing exercises, opened his eyes and spoke slowly.

“Transcendence and ascension, not only are they a threat and pressure to us, but also to other powers… If they have a chance to benefit from the situation, they naturally won’t let it go.”

Gu Buxing smiled: “However, they think they’re using us, but they don’t know… we’re actually using them.”

“Are you sure?” Although the old emperor was wholeheartedly devoted to cultivation, he wasn’t foolish. He knew that with Gu Buxing’s strength, finding a chance of survival in this struggle between several parties was extremely difficult.

“To be honest, I’m not sure about refining the national fortune.”

Gu Buxing gently stroked the bamboo slips on the table, then placed them before the old emperor.

“But using this opportunity to force the Jade Empress to remove the World-Purifying Green Lotus within my body, I have quite a bit of confidence in that.”

The old emperor narrowed his eyes slightly and slowly opened the bamboo slips on the table.

The Grand Eunuch beside him glanced at them, then immediately lowered his head respectfully.

…

The sun gradually shifted westward, painting the entire royal city in shades of orange and red.

Princess Yongning, dressed in a magnificent long dress, walked through the royal city. Her jade feet were delicate within her exquisite embroidered shoes, and her golden hair ornament swayed gently with her elegant steps.

She looked up at the plaque on the grand hall before her, three large chinese characters written on it “集贤阁”: Jixian Pavilion (Pavilion of Assembled Worthies).

Two guards were stationed at the entrance, guarding the library. Seeing the arrival of the eldest princess, they immediately straightened up and greeted her, “Princess Yongning, why are you here? Are there any books you want to read recently?”

The books in the Great Qian Dynasty included many ancient texts not found elsewhere. Many of these ancient texts were left behind after the fall of other dynasties.

Yongning had been interested in books since she was young. She was well-read, and in her spare time, she also read many ancient texts left behind. Because of this, she had a good relationship with the Pavilion Master of the Book Pavilion.

Princess Yongning shook her head with a smile: “Just taking a stroll, nothing to worry about.”

She then entered the Pavilion of Assembled Worthies, followed by her maid, her gaze casually sweeping over the antique bookshelves. Then, she casually asked, “Has anyone borrowed any books here recently?”

One of the guards behind her thought for a moment and said, “Consort Lin borrowed a book on female virtues a few days ago. Besides that, the two princes also borrowed a few books of poetry.”

“The Crown Prince also came before, but what he borrowed was…”

Before the guard could finish speaking, his companion nudged him with an elbow. He suddenly realized and quickly lowered his head: “This lowly one deserves death… This lowly one deserves death!”

“There are no outsiders here, you don’t need to be so formal. I won’t tell anyone about today’s matters.”

Princess Yongning said faintly, “Besides the Crown Prince, no one else has come?”

The current emperor had pills refined by Imperial Advisor Gu Buxing, so his lifespan far exceeded that of ordinary people. Although the Crown Prince was the heir apparent, the old emperor hadn’t shown any intention of abdicating. Being the Crown Prince or not made no difference.

Over time, the Crown Prince gradually became obsessed with beautiful women. The two guards just mentioned the Crown Prince borrowing books, which were probably related to that.

The two guards looked touched. Within the imperial palace, the servants preferred Princess Yongning. Many competed to serve in Yongning Palace, and the reason was that the eldest princess was approachable.

“And… the Imperial Advisor also came once.”

With Princess Yongning’s words, the two guards no longer hid anything and spoke again.

Princess Yongning became somewhat interested: “The Imperial Advisor rarely borrows books from the Pavilion of Assembled Worthies. What did he borrow?”

“I heard it was a bamboo slip passed down from long ago, recording some major events that shook the Nine Provinces in the past,” the guard said.

Sensing the interest in the eldest princess’s eyes, the guard asked tentatively, “If Your Highness is interested, this lowly one can bring it to you now? A copy of that bamboo slip happens to be in the Pavilion of Assembled Worthies.”

“Yes,” Princess Yongning smiled.

After a while, the guard presented the bamboo slip to Yongning.

Princess Yongning gestured to the maid beside her, who took out two pouches of spirit stones and placed them in the guards’ hands.

“Don’t tell anyone about today’s matters, just pretend I wasn’t here, understand?”

The two guards’ faces lit up with joy, and they hurriedly agreed.

Yongning turned and left the Pavilion of Assembled Worthies with the bamboo slip, then softly instructed the maid beside her, “Send someone to deliver this bamboo slip to the Two Polarities Sect tonight. Make sure it reaches Pavilion Master Yan within three days.”

“Besides that, have her relay a message to Mu Zhian.”

Princess Yongning said faintly, “Gu Buxing is building a Seven-Colored Altar.”

The maid looked at the eldest princess in shock. Even as the princess’s confidante, she couldn’t understand what her master was thinking at this moment.

The Imperial Advisor wanted to perform the ritual of refining the nation within the Great Qian Dynasty, converting the national fortune and the faith of all beings into his own power. This would undoubtedly damage the destiny of the Eastern Continent… Once discovered, the Great Qian Dynasty would face a catastrophic disaster.

The Ancient Families hadn’t touched this dynasty in the past, partly because there were powerful cultivators guarding the dynasty, strengthened by the national fortune, and partly because harming the Great Qian Dynasty would affect the entire Eastern Continent’s destiny.

Once the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune was damaged, the luck of the Eastern Continent cultivators would be more or less affected.

Under these circumstances, Gu Buxing still wanted to refine the national fortune for his own use… If he succeeded, he would be free from all restraints, and the cultivators wouldn’t be able to do anything to him.

But if this matter was exposed in advance… it would bring about a catastrophic disaster.

“Princess—”

Yongning gently shook her head and said softly, “Do as I say.”

…

Three days later.

Mu Zhian arrived at the Book Pavilion as invited and met the Pavilion Master in an elegant courtyard behind it. She wore a plain, sleeveless ruqun(traditional Chinese dress), her appearance and attire giving off an intellectual and refined air.

If it were in modern times, Mu Zhian felt that with a pair of black-rimmed glasses and a stack of lesson plans, Yan Ruyu would be the perfect teacher.

After Yan Ruyu invited Mu Zhian to take a seat, he looked at this nominal ‘Master’ of his within the sect a few more times and said with a smile, “Pavilion Master’s complexion looks much better than before. It seems your cultivation has improved again?”

After pouring Mu Zhian a cup of tea, Yan Ruyu smiled and said, “The rules of heaven and earth are different now than before. In the past, the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth didn’t allow the existence of Soul Transformation Realm cultivators, so the cultivation speed was much slower, but now it’s completely different.”

Mu Zhian nodded. He couldn’t see through Yan Ruyu’s current realm at all. If she was at Nascent Soul Realm, with his Innate Spiritual Body, he could roughly judge her strength.

“I’m looking for you today because of a bamboo slip sent by Princess Yongning, and a message she asked me to relay to you.”

Yan Ruyu said concisely, “She asked me to tell you that Gu Buxing is building a Seven-Colored Altar.”

Mu Zhian took the bamboo slip, flipped through it, and asked doubtfully, “Seven-Colored Altar?”

His curiosity was piqued.

If he guessed correctly, since Gu Buxing had secretly contacted the Southern Wilderness and other places for help, he definitely wasn’t planning to sit still and wait for death. He would definitely find a way to fight for this last chance.

However, the Seven-Colored Altar was usually used for sacrificial rituals. What was Gu Buxing doing building an altar at this juncture?

Could it be that Gu Buxing held a grudge against him, and because he didn’t know how things would end, he planned to use a curse technique, trading his life for Mu Zhian’s?

This possibility wasn’t out of the question.

However, after his Dream Manipulation technique was easily dispelled last time, Gu Buxing should know this trick wouldn’t work.

That being the case, what could be related to the Seven-Colored Altar was probably connected to this jade slip sent by Princess Yongning.

…

 

Chapter 484: Luo Tan: The Fish is Plump and Ready to Eat

The next morning.

Mu Zhian opened his eyes and yawned lazily.

Sunlight streamed in through the window. The fairy who was in his arms last night had already vanished, her whereabouts unknown.

Getting out of bed, Mu Zhian happened to see Yao Meng sitting at the table.

She held a letter in her hand and looked at Mu Zhian with a slight smile: “You’re really popular.”

Mu Zhian saw a cauldron imprint in the bottom right corner of the letter.

It was the Myriad Transformations Qi Cauldron of Yu State.

Sent by Luo Tan…? Mu Zhian maintained a calm expression and asked, “Who sent the letter?”

“The Pill Emperor of Yu State. She heard you’ve advanced to Nascent Soul Realm, so she wants to invite you to Yu State as a guest for a while, and even specially sent this invitation,” Yao Meng said with a faint smile, “Planning to go?”

“Do you want me to go?” Mu Zhian countered.

“The Pill Emperor possesses the Innate Celestial Furnace, and so do you… She sent an invitation after you reached Nascent Soul Realm, what she wants is self-evident.”

Yao Meng raised a delicate eyebrow, placed the letter in her ample bosom, and said with a half-smile, “Many people have set their sights on the Pill Emperor in the past, but no one has ever won her favor… Very few people know she possesses the Innate Celestial Furnace constitution.”

“Her helping you refine pills to achieve the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox body before was probably because she also took a liking to your Innate Celestial Furnace, right?”

Mu Zhian was momentarily speechless.

That’s why having women around you who were too smart wasn’t always a good thing… Although their intelligence could help you in most situations, their intelligence was also maxed out when it came to catching someone cheating.

“Actually, you don’t need to deny it. If I wanted to punish you for this, I wouldn’t be telling you so openly.”

Yao Meng crossed her arms, her long, beautiful legs faintly visible beneath her green gauze skirt. She lowered her eyelids slightly, “You are indeed my husband, but I’m not going to tie you to my side.”

“Besides…”

She paused slightly, looking at Mu Zhian tenderly, “Dual cultivating with the Pill Emperor is actually very beneficial to you. It’s nothing for me to suffer a little grievance.”

Luo Tan thought she didn’t know anything, perhaps still indulging in the pleasure of having a secret affair with the Jade Empress’s husband, even thinking about licking this delicious ‘cake’ clean after Mu Zhian went to Yu State…

But Yao Meng knew everything, yet she pretended not to.

After all, not only did Luo Tan need the Innate Celestial Furnace, but Mu Zhian also needed the Innate Celestial Furnace… Because the amount of Spiritual Energy obtained from dual cultivation with a Dao Integration Realm Innate Celestial Furnace was simply too vast. If Mu Zhian dual cultivated with Luo Tan a few times and obtained the Pill Emperor’s ‘spiritual essence’, he could at least advance a major realm.

Yao Meng never disliked Mu Zhian dual cultivating with other women; what she truly disliked was things getting out of her control.

For example, after Mu Zhian dual cultivated with the Pill Emperor a few times, he would become Pill Emperor Sister’s shape and never return… That was something she couldn’t accept.

However, as things stood now, she was confident that even if Mu Zhian dual cultivated with the Pill Emperor several times, he would still be Jade Empress Sister’s shape.

Perhaps, over time, the Pill Emperor would develop feelings for Mu Zhian… That would be even better.

After all, an Empress of a province was worth cuckolding.

You think she’s on the first level, but she’s actually on the fifth.

Yao Meng’s beautiful eyes gazed tenderly, but her gaze dimmed slightly, “Sometimes I wonder if I’m too gentle with you.”

“…Sorry,” Mu Zhian rarely felt so apologetic.

“If you don’t want to go, I’ll explain it to her,” he walked to Yao Meng’s side and held her soft, small hand.

A faint smile couldn’t help but appear at the corner of the fairy’s lips, her eyes moist like water. She gently pulled the young man into her embrace, the soft and warm touch making his heart ripple.

She gently stroked Mu Zhian’s hair and said softly, “It’s fine… Who made me your Dao Companion~?”

Mu Zhian felt the wonderful sensation of her face against his and hummed softly.

He couldn’t help sighing inwardly, “Jade Empress Sister has finally started using her tea art (tea art – manipulative tactics often used in romantic situations)…”

After a while, he suddenly recalled something and asked, “How are things at the Jade Pool Holy Land? If nothing unexpected happens, after Gu Buxing contacts the ‘allies’ in the Nine Provinces, he should start refining the national fortune, right?”

“I’ll go to the Jade Pool Holy Land today and have the elders make preparations,” Yao Meng said faintly.

Mu Zhian nodded slightly and said with a smile, “Then let’s wait for our Imperial Advisor Gu to put on a good show.”

…

After Yao Meng left, Mu Zhian left the Garden of Heavenly Harmony and went to Two Polarities Peak to see Senior Sister Lan.

As soon as he arrived at the main hall, he saw Lin Ling sitting bored in the hall, swinging her feet, holding a meat bun in her hand.

“Aaa?”

Sensing Mu Zhian’s arrival, her eyes instantly lit up.

Then, after hesitating for a moment, she broke the meat bun in half and handed him the larger portion.

Mu Zhian generously accepted it, pretending to eat.

Lin Ling’s red starry eyes stared at him expectantly, a struggle in her eyes.

“Just kidding, I’m not hungry, you eat it,” Mu Zhian smiled and handed the meat bun back to her.

Lin Ling immediately took the meat bun happily and took a small bite. Mu Zhian casually glanced around the empty hall, then lowered his voice, “Lin Ling, did you see Senior Sister when you came?”

“Aaa.” Lin Ling nodded obediently.

“Did you tell her about me and the Sect Master…?” Mu Zhian lowered his voice even more, leaning close to Lin Ling’s ear and whispering.

His slightly hot breath brushed against her earlobe, and a shy blush quickly appeared on Lin Ling’s face. She gently shook her head and wrote in her small notebook: “She said she would handle this matter and asked me to keep it a secret.”

So Sect Master Sister already talked to Lin Ling, as expected, she’s reliable… Mu Zhian felt relieved, “Where is Senior Sister now?”

“In the side hall, reading.”

Looking at the words written in Lin Ling’s small notebook, Mu Zhian couldn’t help but be slightly stunned: “Senior Sister started reading after coming back?”

He thought she would be meditating and cultivating or something. After all, she usually spent most of her time cultivating.

Walking into the side hall, Mu Zhian saw Senior Sister, her temperament cool and elegant, as graceful as a flower, sitting with her legs crossed. Her moon-white dress outlined her delicate and shapely figure. She wore knee-high white boots, seemingly symbolizing purity, and was concentrating on the book in her hand.

Only when she sensed someone entering did she turn her head and discreetly place the book under the table.

What book is she so engrossed in? If it were before, Senior Sister should have sensed me the moment I arrived at the hall… Mu Zhian glanced at the book under the table suspiciously.

“Junior Brother, this busy man actually has time to come to Two Polarities Peak today?” Lan Mulian said with a faint smile, her tone calm.

Mu Zhian retracted his gaze and said with a smile, “I happened to have some insights during cultivation yesterday, so I entered secluded cultivation. I didn’t expect Senior Sister to come back last night.”

“If I had known, I would have waited for Senior Sister’s arrival, even if it meant giving up on my insights.”

Lan Mulian responded with an “oh”, tapping the armrest with her delicate jade finger, and looking at Junior Brother with a half-smile: “Or were you busy being intimate with some woman and had no time to see me?”

That’s why it’s not good for women to be too smart… Mu Zhian sighed inwardly, his expression unchanged, “How could that be? If I were really intimate with some woman, I would have been flustered when talking to Senior Sister last night.”

Lan Mulian snorted, glancing at the young man, “That’s not necessarily true. Your mental fortitude is far beyond my imagination.”

Then, she paused, her tone lowering slightly, “Have you heard about Master?”

Mu Zhian’s eyes flickered: “Are you referring to the Sect Master’s Karmic Fire?”

Lan Mulian nodded silently: “She’s been afflicted by misfortune backlash several times in the past, each time more severe than the last. This time, it seems even she can’t suppress it. If she really can’t control it in the future…”

Mu Zhian comforted her, “The Sect Master can deduce destiny and foresee the future. She naturally knows how to deal with it, Senior Sister, you don’t need to worry too much.”

“Besides, when you went to see her, she should have looked like she had recovered, right?”

Lan Mulian was a clever woman. Hearing this, a thoughtful look appeared in her eyes.

Indeed, although she heard about Master suffering from misfortune backlash when she arrived, she didn’t see any signs of Karmic Fire on Master yesterday, as if it had never appeared.

Perhaps, just as Junior Brother said, Master had already suppressed the Karmic Fire herself.

As expected of a beauty, even when thinking, she has a different kind of charm… Mu Zhian looked at his beautiful and refined Senior Sister, and her shapely, long legs beneath her white dress, and couldn’t help admiring her inwardly.

Then, he caught sight of the book placed under the table.

“This is…?”

Mu Zhian took the book from under the table and glanced at the cover.

“Wait—”

Lan Mulian snapped out of her thoughts and hurriedly reached out, wanting to snatch the book from his hand, but she was too late.

“Domineering Sect Master Falls in Love with Me…?”

Mu Zhian hesitated, looking at the blushing face of the beauty before him, then flipped open the book and found a bookmark inside.

And the content on the bookmark was precisely the scene after the ups and downs of the male and female protagonists’ story, where the Sect Master confirmed her feelings for the disciple and wanted to be intimate with him, but was rejected by the disciple due to their difference in status.

The story continued with the domineering Sect Master suppressing the disciple.

This… why is there a bookmark here?

“…” Mu Zhian looked at Lan Mulian in astonishment.

He could practically see the faint blush appearing on Lan Mulian’s snow-white, delicate face. Her long, slender legs beneath her white dress pressed together slightly, and she looked away uncomfortably, trying to maintain her composure:

“Just reading it to pass the time. Didn’t you also say you wanted to lend me a book before? I was also curious about the content, I didn’t expect…”

She glanced at Mu Zhian, “It actually has that kind of content.”

“Speaking of which, Junior Brother, you had this in mind from the start when you had me read this, right?” Lan Mulian suddenly turned the tables, counterattacking Mu Zhian.

“I haven’t read the content, I just happened to hear about this book before, saying it’s very suitable for women to read, so I recommended it to Senior Sister,” Mu Zhian explained.

“Who?” Lan Mulian pressed relentlessly.

Mu Zhian: “Sister Mengrou.”

Anyway, Sister Mengrou wasn’t here, so he could only wrong her for now.

Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered, and she murmured softly, “I didn’t expect Miss Wei to be interested in this kind of book.”

This kind of boring story, she felt it was a waste of time at first glance, but she couldn’t help but want to read it… and even accidentally became engrossed.

“Compared to that, Senior Sister, why did you put a bookmark there? Do you also like that kind of domineering Sect Master, the feeling of stepping on a man?” Mu Zhian closed the book, placed it on the table, and asked with a smile.

An unnatural look flashed across Lan Mulian’s pretty face, but she feigned composure and said faintly, “I just happened to leave the bookmark there and didn’t move it.”

“Compared to that, you’ve become much bolder, haven’t you? You only dared to secretly stare at my legs before, and now you’re openly looking?”

She glanced at the young man beside her, her heart pounding rapidly, but her tone remained cold.

“Senior Sister was just Senior Sister before, so I only held respect for you,” Mu Zhian held one of Lan Mulian’s slightly cool, soft hands and said with a smile, “But now, our relationship isn’t ordinary anymore.”

Lan Mulian glanced sideways: “You’ve been secretly gulping while staring at my legs since before, is this what Junior Brother calls respect?”

“If I didn’t crave Senior Sister before, wouldn’t that be denying your charm?!” Mu Zhian said righteously.

“Would Senior Sister then ask me: Do I have no charm at all, so you have no interest in me and don’t even look at me?”

Lan Mulian was momentarily speechless, only giving Mu Zhian a sideways glance.

“As for now, our relationship is already so intimate, isn’t it okay to touch and such? I even think we can try some new things…”

Mu Zhian leaned close to Lan Mulian’s ear and whispered something.

Her body instantly stiffened, her face flushed with a drunken blush, and a disdainful look appeared in her eyes: “Pervert.”

“I’m just trying to satisfy Senior Sister’s preferences… That scene in the storybook just now, doesn’t Senior Sister want to try it?” Mu Zhian’s expression was natural, even enjoying the hint of shyness and disdain in Senior Sister’s eyes.

The cool beauty tapped the floor with her white boots, then glanced at the young man she had missed for so long, and said faintly, “I heard from Senior Spirit Dragon this morning that the Imperial Advisor of the Great Qian Dynasty is planning to make a move on the national fortune. Are you planning to go to the Great Qian City?”

“Not yet, let them prepare for a while longer,” Mu Zhian said with a faint smile, “Yao Meng spared Gu Buxing last time because she considered the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune and didn’t want to cause widespread suffering. But if Gu Buxing plans to refine the nation and use the national fortune for himself,”

“Then before that, he has to first break the binding with the national fortune.”

“That way… there will be no reason to spare him again.”

“You really care about Miss Wei,” Lan Mulian said faintly, feeling a little jealous.

She knew that Gu Buxing tried to take Wei Mengrou, the ‘Calamity Body’, back to the Great Qian Dynasty in the Martial World before. Even after failing, he still hadn’t given up.

Knowing Mu Zhian held a grudge against Gu Buxing, she also knew it was because of what happened last time.

Mu Zhian lowered his eyelids slightly and said faintly, “He should be glad he didn’t hurt Sister Mengrou those two times.”

It was true that Gu Buxing was bound to the national fortune. If he was willing to live his life peacefully, it would be fine. But if he was restless and wanted to struggle…

A cold smile appeared on Mu Zhian’s face for the first time.

Just then, he suddenly noticed the brief silence in the side hall, immediately realizing something, and added, “Of course, if it were Senior Sister, I would also care about you—”

As soon as his voice fell, Mu Zhian gasped, Lan Mulian having stepped on his foot with her white boot.

Looking at Lan Mulian’s condescending, expressionless demeanor like an empress, he couldn’t help but smile. He reached out, removed Lan Mulian’s snow-white jade boots, and while massaging the soles of her feet, he said, “Senior Sister, don’t suddenly step on other people’s feet like that next time. Of course, if you agree to my suggestion just now, I wouldn’t mind you stepping…”

“Beg me,” Lan Mulian raised her snow-white chin, looking down at him.

“Please, Senior Sister,” Mu Zhian pleaded sincerely.

“…”

Lan Mulian was rendered speechless by Mu Zhian’s shamelessness for a while. Feeling the young man’s gentle massage, a faint blush quickly appeared on her cool and beautiful face. Then, under his expectant gaze, the disdain in her eyes gradually turned into an inexplicable pleasure.

“Next time, when I’m in a good mood, we can try,” she said softly.

Although I’ve long known Senior Sister has a bit of a domineering CEO vibe, I didn’t expect her to actually awaken it… Sensing the pleasure in Lan Mulian’s eyes, Mu Zhian couldn’t help sighing inwardly.

At the same time, he took a sip of tea, enjoying this leisurely moment.

Chapter 483: Who Do You Like More, Me or Your Sect Master Sister?

“Senior Sister finished her seclusion…?”

“But even if she finished her seclusion, there’s no reason for her to come looking for me this late at night, right? Logically, shouldn’t she report to Sect Master Sister after returning?”

Mu Zhian sat on the edge of the bed, no longer the relaxed figure he was with a beauty in his arms just moments ago, cold sweat dripping down his back.

He wasn’t surprised that Lan Mulian might return to the sect sometime, even tonight wouldn’t be unexpected.

However, the only thing he didn’t anticipate was that Senior Sister would come to the Garden of Heavenly Harmony looking for him before going to Two Polarities Peak…

After a brief moment of panic, Mu Zhian quickly calmed down.

He subtly signaled the Primordial Witch with his eyes, hoping she would understand.

However, the Primordial Witch didn’t seem to get the hint at all, instead tightening her arms around Mu Zhian’s waist, leaning against him, and looking at him with a smile.

This woman… wasn’t the stick education she received just now enough?

And Sect Master Sister, is she asleep? Why isn’t she stopping her?!

A little voice screamed in Mu Zhian’s mind, but he maintained a calm expression. Hearing the approaching footsteps, he said calmly, “Senior Sister, why are you here at the Garden of Heavenly Harmony so late… Is there something urgent?”

The footsteps outside stopped. Lan Mulian stood at the door, pausing her hand that was about to knock, and said, “I originally wanted to go to Two Polarities Peak and report to Master first, but thinking that she always likes to bathe alone at night, she probably hasn’t left yet, so I decided to drop by and see you before going back.”

Hearing this, Mu Zhian inwardly sighed with relief.

Although Senior Sister was still outside, and could see the scene inside the moment she opened the door, at least she didn’t know in advance about Sect Master Sister’s Karmic Fire and needing his help… This was a small blessing in disguise.

“Are you resting?” Lan Mulian’s cool voice came.

Logically, Junior Brother was the type with good time management skills. Cultivators could go without sleep after reaching Nascent Soul Realm, let alone him, who was already at Nascent Soul Realm.

But his tone sounded a bit sleepy…

Mu Zhian said in a tired voice, “I had a discussion with Senior Spirit Dragon today and gained some insights, so I’ve been meditating and cultivating, which made me a bit mentally exhausted.”

A hint of doubt appeared in Lan Mulian’s clear, autumn-water-like eyes, but she had something to do tonight and didn’t think much of it, saying faintly, “Then I’ll go back to Two Polarities Peak first.”

Mu Zhian immediately said, “I’ll visit Senior Sister tomorrow.”

Lan Mulian responded with a reserved “Mmm”. After a while, the sound of her footsteps gradually faded away.

Mu Zhian sighed with relief, then noticed the playful look in the beauty’s eyes and lightly slapped her thigh.

“Are you getting angry from embarrassment, Mu Lang~? But haven’t you considered what would happen if I called your Senior Sister back now?”

The Primordial Witch asked with a smile.

Mu Zhian scoffed, wrapped his arm around her slender shoulders, and said, “Do you think I’m really afraid of being discovered by Senior Sister? Even if she really knew about this, she wouldn’t say anything. After all, it’s all for the Sect Master’s sake.”

“That’s what you say, but you’re still dual cultivating with her master without her knowing.”

The Primordial Witch raised her eyes and said lazily, “And even if you don’t mind, it doesn’t mean Shang Yanfei doesn’t mind either.”

Mu Zhian sighed softly, “Whose fault do you think this is?”

If it weren’t for the Primordial Witch’s spiritual sense entering Shang Yanfei’s body, how could this have happened?

“Heh~”

A playful smile appeared at the corner of the Primordial Witch’s mouth, and she said with a faint smile, “You don’t really think she completely lost control of the Karmic Fire just because of my influence, do you?”

“That woman seems very proper on the surface, but she’s actually a closet pervert.”

It seemed like Shang Yanfei couldn’t suppress the Karmic Fire, but only she herself knew the actual situation.

She did influence Shang Yanfei’s mind, but not to the point where she couldn’t endure it and had to actively seek out Mu Zhian.

Mu Zhian became somewhat interested and asked, “Sect Master Sister is a closet pervert…? Be more specific.”

“Specific?”

“Like, is Sect Master Sister the type who would wear Nirvana Silk fishnet stockings and deerskin boots in her own sect, then change into a Yu State specialty short skirt, or prepare a Soul Sealing Lock and wrap herself up as a gift or something—”

The Primordial Witch looked at him in astonishment.

Mu Zhian pondered for a moment, then continued, “But come to think of it, it seems to make sense. There were quite a few ‘interrogation’ tools in the basement of Two Polarities Peak before. Perhaps Sect Master Sister really is a closet pervert as you said.”

Although he said that, Mu Zhian always respected the various hobbies of the women around him. Of course, if possible, he still hoped they wouldn’t use those dangerous hobbies on him.

The Primordial Witch said faintly, “Based on my understanding, she did prepare quite a few tools in her basement, like the unspeakable sphere, the unspeakable blindfold, and so on… Why don’t you guess what those things are for?”

Mu Zhian pondered for a while: “I know she prepared many strange tools in her basement, but she shouldn’t know how to use them…”

“Who told you that?” the Primordial Witch asked.

Mu Zhian shook his head: “No one told me. She’s always been on Two Polarities Peak and never left. This is basic deduction.”

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of the Primordial Witch’s mouth: “Who do you think wrote that book?”

Mu Zhian was stunned: “What book?”

“The one—”

The Primordial Witch suddenly let out a soft cry. Then, in an instant, the silver light in Shang Yanfei’s eyes gradually faded, returning to her usual calm demeanor.

Mu Zhian knew his Sect Master Sister was back.

Sensing the young man’s gaze, Shang Yanfei said calmly, “I have to go back.”

Lan Mulian had just returned and was probably heading towards Two Polarities Peak now. She could still make it in time.

“You’ve recovered…?” Mu Zhian asked tentatively.

She nodded reservedly: “The Primordial Witch’s emotions have been satisfied. I’ll handle her matters afterward, you don’t need to worry.”

Mu Zhian was stunned: “You mean I can’t help Sect Master anymore?”

Do you even know whether you want to help or to do it? Shang Yanfei glanced at the young man, her eyes condescending and disdainful.

Mmm… That’s the look, perfect.

Mu Zhian couldn’t help but narrow his eyes in satisfaction and sighed, “Actually, I feel a bit closer to Sect Master now.”

Although the past Shang Yanfei was extremely beautiful, she always gave off an unapproachable feeling. Although she gave Mu Zhian this feeling again after the Karmic Fire subsided, at least he now realized one thing: the Sect Master was also a woman who could be suppressed.

After confirming this, he felt less pressure when talking to Shang Yanfei.

He could suppress this woman once, so naturally he could suppress her a second time.

“It would be great if I could always maintain this distance with Sect Master Sister,” Mu Zhian gazed at her and said sincerely.

Shang Yanfei sat up, lazily stretching her waist, the thick blanket slipping down, revealing her delicate body in a thin white inner garment.

Her slightly messy hair framed her stunning face. She toyed with a strand of hair, a captivating smile blooming on her beautiful face: “Satisfied with just maintaining this distance?”

Her moist voice echoed softly through the room, her seductive eyes gazing tenderly: “Or do you actually want not just this distance, but closer, even a negative distance?”

Mu Zhian’s heart rippled, feeling his previously desireless state stirring again.

Then, he coughed lightly and said demurely, “Actually, these are all minor matters. The important thing is that Sect Master has helped this disciple a lot in the past, so this disciple also wants to repay Sect Master as much as possible.”

Sensing Shang Yanfei’s playful gaze that seemed to see through everything, Mu Zhian added, “Of course, if I can get closer to you through this opportunity, I think anyone would be excited… I’m no exception.”

Shang Yanfei lightly touched her lips with her delicate fingertip, tilting her head slightly to look at him: “Do you also want me to wear a short skirt and leg rings to increase your attack speed?”

She paused, then continued, “And tie twintails, right?”

Mu Zhian was stunned, a buzzing sound echoing through his mind, filled with shock.

How does this woman know everything?!

And every word she said just happened to hit his XP, what was going on…

Was it a coincidence?

Or… could she also read minds, like the Demon Empress?

“Actually, twintails or not aren’t important. As long as I can be with Sect Master Sister, this disciple is content and doesn’t ask for much,” Mu Zhian shook his head and said sincerely.

Although it would be even better if she had the attire and accessories he mentioned above.

“It would be even better with twintails, right?” Shang Yanfei asked with a smile in her eyes.

Mu Zhian: “…”

Under Mu Zhian’s incredulous gaze, she got out of bed. In the hazy black mist, she had already put on her magnificent robe again.

As if in that instant, she transformed back into the graceful and charming beauty, her back view alone sparking endless imagination.

“Mulian should be arriving at Two Polarities Peak soon, I’ll go back first.”

“Is Sect Master planning to tell Senior Sister?” Mu Zhian looked at the formation activated beneath the woman’s feet and suddenly hesitated.

A complex expression, rarely seen, appeared on Shang Yanfei’s devastatingly beautiful and seductive face, and she said faintly, “I’ll find a chance to let her know… but it will take some time.”

…

After watching Shang Yanfei’s figure vanish from sight, it took Mu Zhian a while to come back to his senses as if from a trance.

He still felt a sense of unreality, as if he had just had a dream.

The Primordial Witch, after descending, didn’t return to Wei Mengrou’s body, but entered Shang Yanfei’s body instead… And the Sect Master also explained that she wasn’t the Primordial Witch.

But the Sect Master clearly knew the Primordial Witch…

What exactly was the agreement between them in the past, that made the Primordial Witch seek out the Sect Master after awakening?

“Spacing out? Or are you still reminiscing about the afterglow of dual cultivation?”

Just as Mu Zhian’s mind was filled with thoughts, he suddenly heard a captivating chuckle beside his ear, an immortal voice lingering.

He looked up, and under the dim candlelight, a porcelain-like, devastatingly beautiful face appeared in his vision.

A green dress enveloped her graceful curves, outlining her shapely figure.

Her skin was fair and translucent, sparkling faintly. Her beautiful curves cast a seductive shadow under the candlelight.

Gazing into those captivating green eyes, Mu Zhian snapped out of his reverie and said, “Yao Meng, you…”

He wanted to talk to her about the Sect Master, but just then, Yao Meng handed him a letter.

“This is…?”

Yao Meng said with a faint smile, “A letter from Xue Yi.”

Xue Yi?

The Space God returning to the Southern Wilderness and rebuilding her divine body was something more or less known by the cultivators of the Nine Provinces… Could someone have already found her, seeking some kind of cooperation?

Mu Zhian opened the letter and scanned the contents: “Gu Buxing actually set his sights on the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune?”

“It seems you were too merciful to him last time.”

Yao Meng gently shook her head: “If it weren’t for his past efforts in managing the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune, and his being bound to the national fortune, it wouldn’t have been just sealing his cauldron.”

“What do you plan to do?” she asked again.

Mu Zhian pondered for a moment and said casually, “Fishing requires patience. Back when I was in Tianxuan City, Old Ren often told me that many cultivators who went out of the city to fish prepared a large amount of bait, because fishing not only requires patience, but also luck, and enough bait… preferably bait that’s tempting enough.”

Yao Meng nodded thoughtfully: “Then let’s not alert the snake for now and see how many people he can rope in.”

“Jade Empress Sister truly understands me.”

Mu Zhian smiled, sat down on the edge of the bed, looked at the fairy before him, and his eyes lit up with admiration.

If Sect Master Sister was a mysterious and seductive witch, then this Jade Empress was more like an ethereal fairy. Although she wasn’t wearing any makeup today, she possessed a beauty different from usual. The curve of her face met at her chin, outlining a holy face.

Her lips were rosy and plump. Although she looked like a fairy, in Mu Zhian’s eyes, she was like a naturally seductive vixen.

“I naturally understand you.”

Yao Meng said sarcastically, “You like any beautiful woman, not even fearing a dangerous woman like Shang Yanfei.”

Oh boy, so she was waiting for me here…

Mu Zhian’s heart trembled, sensing danger. He feigned composure and said, “The situation was urgent at the time, and I rarely saw Lin Ling so worried and anxious, so I hurriedly returned to the sect…”

“And, didn’t you also tacitly approve of that matter at the time…?”

Yao Meng didn’t deny it and said with a smile, “I did approve of your dual cultivation with her, but what about the other girls around you? For example… if your Senior Sister, who’s currently at Two Polarities Peak, were to find out…”

Mu Zhian’s expression changed.

He maintained his composure and tried to change the subject: “Ahem… What exactly did you and the Sect Master talk about before?”

Yao Meng knew he was changing the subject, but didn’t expose him, just said faintly, “She told me the Primordial Witch’s secret.”

“If you dual cultivate with the women around you, you can obtain an additional constitution, right?”

The Sect Master really knows about my personal interface…

Mu Zhian hesitated, “Aren’t you curious about my ‘system’?”

Yao Meng chuckled softly, “Transmigrators in the Nine Provinces have been common since the past, and people with systems aren’t unheard of either. Where do you think the Primordial Witch’s ‘personal interface’ came from?”

Mu Zhian was stunned.

He suddenly realized an important thing he had subconsciously ignored before.

…His personal interface was indeed given by the Primordial Witch, but where did the Primordial Witch’s personal interface come from?

The answer seemed obvious.

The Primordial Witch was very likely also a transmigrator!

Maybe we’re even from the same hometown…? Mu Zhian complained inwardly.

“So that’s why you agreed to what happened between her and me…” Mu Zhian murmured as if suddenly realizing something.

“And I also owed her a huge favor in the past. No matter what, since she’s in trouble this time, I can’t stand idly by,” Yao Meng said.

Mu Zhian nodded silently.

“Strictly speaking, my entering the Pilgrimage Palace back then was also guided by her from behind the scenes. Otherwise, I might not have been able to find you, let alone rescue you from the Pilgrimage Palace.”

Yao Meng glanced at him and said faintly, “The huge favor I’m talking about isn’t her saving me.”

Mu Zhian hesitated, “Then what is it? Did she also help you in the past, did she show you kindness?”

Yao Meng gazed at him and said softly, “She let me meet you.”

Mu Zhian was stunned.

Yao Meng tied her cascading hair into twintails with a thin ribbon and said meaningfully, “Have you finished asking your questions?”

Mu Zhian came back to his senses and nodded gently, then glanced at Yao Meng’s twintails with some interest.

Compared to her usual ethereal and fairy-like appearance, she now seemed to have a more playful and down-to-earth charm.

“I also have a question for you… If you can answer truthfully, I can give you a reward, and I won’t let a third person know about what happened between you and Sect Master Shang,” Yao Meng rested her cheek on her hand, a bright smile on her face.

“You wouldn’t want your Senior Sister to find out about your intimacy with Sect Master Shang, would you?”

Mu Zhian maintained his composure and remained silent.

Yao Meng gently placed her hands on Mu Zhian’s shoulders, her forehead lightly touching his. A captivating smile bloomed on her devastatingly beautiful face, her alluring red lips almost touching his, and she whispered softly:

“Who do you like more, me or your Sect Master Sister?”

For a moment, Mu Zhian felt his previously desireless state of mind instantly shatter.

Gazing at the fairy’s face so close at hand, it was as if endless charm was evaporating his reason.

Yao Meng’s green eyes were filled with breathtaking allure. She reached out and quietly held his hand, the cool touch of her slender fingers spreading through his palm.

“I know you’re wondering what the reward I mentioned is, right?”

She tilted her head slightly, slowly caressing the young man’s face: “What do you think you would order your maid to do if she were me, not Miss Wei?”

Yao Meng said with a holy smile, her voice crisp and sweet: “I’m different from Miss Wei, so no matter what request you make, I will obey.”

“But before that, you have to answer my question first.”

The woman’s gentle voice was like a pair of soft hands gently caressing Mu Zhian’s face, making his heart itch, seemingly accompanied by his gradually quickening heartbeat.

It had to be said, this woman truly understood him too well…

Sensing Yao Meng’s playful gaze, even though Mu Zhian knew she was deliberately teasing him, he couldn’t help but tighten his grip on her soft small hand.

Before this woman could tease him again, Mu Zhian lowered his head and captured Yao Meng’s alluring red lips.

Instead of answering who he liked more, it was better to show it with actions.

Running away was shameful, but effective!

Chapter 482: Senior Sister Lan Visits p2

In the quiet night, besides the occasional passing sect disciples and the rustling of leaves in the wind, the surroundings were silent.

Yao Meng stood on a mountain peak outside the sect, her green dress fluttering in the wind, and said calmly, “Space God, this is the Two Polarities Sect. What are you doing here?”

“According to our previous agreement, I promised to maintain a hostile stance towards the Eastern Continent on the surface.”

Xue Yi walked as if stepping out of the void with sexy steps, her platinum blonde hair setting off her icy, delicate face. She raised her hand and gently tossed out a letter.

Yao Meng opened the letter, scanned it, then narrowed her eyes: “Giving you one-third of the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune as a reward afterward… Such a generous deal, you’re not planning to accept it?”

“If I planned to accept Gu Buxing’s deal, I wouldn’t have given this letter to Young Master Mu.”

Xue Yi revealed an elegant smile: “Even a Dao Integration Realm expert wouldn’t disregard a nation’s fortune, especially for the Southern Wilderness.”

“However, I always keep my promises. Since I promised Young Master Mu, I naturally won’t go back on my word.”

“Won’t go back on your word?”

Yao Meng scoffed, a captivating smile blooming on her beautiful and refined face: “If it weren’t for the immense temptation of the Innate Celestial Furnace, would the dignified Space God keep her promise so faithfully, even giving up a nation’s fortune and the opportunity to weaken the Eastern Continent’s luck?”

Xue Yi smiled and shook her head: “The Jade Empress misunderstands. I have no deep hatred with the Eastern Continent. Even without the Innate Celestial Furnace, I don’t intend to become enemies with you, with the Eastern Continent.”

Yao Meng narrowed her beautiful eyes: “You’re not being completely honest, are you?”

Xue Yi toyed with a strand of platinum blonde hair on her shoulder. Her pristine white dress was holy and magnificent, and she wore crystal high heels.

Although not revealing much, she was inexplicably alluring.

“People always say the Jade Pool fairies never participate in fights and are otherworldly. Seeing you today has truly opened my eyes,” Xue Yi’s tone carried a hint of playfulness.

Yao Meng smiled without speaking, gazing quietly.

“Alright, I wasn’t being completely honest just now.”

Xue Yi pondered for a moment, looked at Yao Meng, and said frankly, “Young Master Mu tastes wonderful, so compared to the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune, I would rather savor that wonderful Spiritual Energy again.”

She thought Yao Meng would be angered upon hearing this, but unexpectedly, this beautiful and refined fairy looked at her calmly with a smile.

Xue Yi asked in surprise, “I thought you would be angry. It seems the fairy’s Dao Heart isn’t so easily broken.”

Yao Meng chuckled softly, “If you want to savor his taste again, you can go find him now.”

Xue Yi snorted, “Who doesn’t know the Two Polarities Sect’s formations are complex? If I rashly set foot there, this wisp of spiritual sense might be completely annihilated.”

“Are you talking about Sect Master Shang? She has no time for you right now,” Yao Meng said faintly.

Xue Yi’s eyes flickered, sensing a huge amount of information from these words.

She had heard about Shang Yanfei since she was born from the Southern Wilderness black mist and had always been wary of the Empress of the Two Polarities Sect in the Eastern Continent.

Although the deaths of the Three Pillar Gods of the Southern Wilderness seemingly had nothing to do with Shang Yanfei, thinking carefully, when the Three Pillar Gods, the Western Regions, and a certain mysterious great power from the Nine Provinces attacked the great powers of the Eastern Continent in the past, Shang Yanfei never appeared… This was quite suspicious.

And most importantly… the reason she was trapped in the Abyss palace for ten thousand years was largely due to the ingenious formations trapping her, and in the entire Nine Provinces, the only one who could set up such formations was Shang Yanfei.

Although the master of the Abyss palace logically had no connection to Shang Yanfei, after that incident, Xue Yi became wary of this Sect Master who played with the world.

Now, the Jade Empress said Shang Yanfei had no time for her… Did that mean the Empress was currently doing something important, even unable to spare a moment?

What exactly was it that could keep the Sect Master so busy…?

“Want to know what she’s doing?” Yao Meng’s heavenly voice, in Xue Yi’s ears at this moment, was as seductive as a demon’s whisper.

She couldn’t help but look over, narrowing her beautiful eyes: “You’re willing to tell me?”

“It’s not a secret, it doesn’t matter if I tell you… But you need to exchange a medicinal herb from the Southern Wilderness for it.”

Exchanging a medicinal herb for one of Shang Yanfei’s secrets, this deal seemed very worthwhile… Xue Yi stared intently at Yao Meng, “As long as it’s not Emperor Medicine, anything is fine.”

Yao Meng nodded with a smile: “Naturally.”

She paused and transmitted her voice to Xue Yi, saying something.

Instantly, Xue Yi’s smile froze completely, as if she had turned into a statue, her soul seemingly greatly shocked, her rosy and plump lips parting slightly several times, yet she couldn’t utter a word.

That woman, being… by Young Master Mu in the Garden of Heavenly Harmony…?

How is that possible? Anyone might take a liking to the Innate Celestial Furnace, but she definitely wouldn’t…

At this moment, countless thoughts flashed through Xue Yi’s mind. And as the two were talking, a faint icy-blue light seemed to rapidly approach the sect in the distance, heading towards the Garden of Heavenly Harmony, stepping on the void.

Yao Meng casually looked up.

Lan Mulian.

Is her inheritance complete…? Yao Meng gazed for a moment, a playful glint quickly appearing in her eyes.

Looking at the woman’s still stunned expression, she smiled and said, “Don’t forget your promise, Space God.”

After finishing speaking, she turned and gracefully walked towards the Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

“Where are you going?” Unable to contain her curiosity, Xue Yi called out to her.

“I’m a bit curious what kind of expression that mysterious older sister would show when being suppressed,” Yao Meng said faintly.

Xue Yi looked at the fairy’s slender back and said faintly, “Your own Dao Companion is being intimate with another woman… yet you don’t care at all, and even calmly go find him…?”

Xue Yi substituted herself into the situation. If it were her, she probably wouldn’t be able to accept her Dao Companion being intimate with another woman.

Did the Jade Empress really have such tolerance?

“Sending one’s own Dao Companion away is indeed a bit complicated… However, it’s not the first time he’s been intimate with another woman. Even if he’s intimate with another woman now, so what?”

“Not to mention they’re not Dao Companions. Even if they were, or even if he had a lover from a past life, it doesn’t matter.”

A playful smile appeared at the corner of Yao Meng’s mouth.

“Anyway, in this life, his wife will only be me.”

…

【Achievement unlocked: The Primordial Witch’s Affection (Possessing the save/load ability to pause the entire world and rewind time)】

Mu Zhian looked at the ‘title’ that popped up on his personal interface and fell into a brief contemplation.

The woman beside him occasionally let out sweet and soft moans, her breathing slightly ragged, seemingly without her usual calmness.

This was only natural, because the current consciousness wasn’t Shang Yanfei’s, but the previously arrogant Primordial Witch’s.

She was careless, not expecting Shang Yanfei to be so ruthless, directly giving up her body and even sealing her own cauldron.

Without Spiritual Energy to repair her body, she was naturally exhausted now… Of course, she was also greatly satisfied.

Mu Zhian didn’t know that their spiritual senses had quietly switched. He was currently looking at the title on his personal interface, pondering.

Did this ‘Primordial Witch’s Affection’ refer to the Sect Master, or the witch’s spiritual sense within the Sect Master’s body?

Based on past experience, the titles that appeared on his personal interface were all from women who had feelings for him.

It was the case for Wei Mengrou, Bai Ruoxi, Ye Lingxuan, and the others.

But if this achievement was given by the Primordial Witch, wouldn’t that mean Sect Master Sister didn’t have any feelings for him…?

After all, there weren’t any ‘achievements’ related to the Sect Master on his personal interface.

Or perhaps, Sect Master Sister’s achievement was more special, and he hadn’t found the right way to activate it?

Mu Zhian fell into a brief contemplation.

“Mu Lang, what have you been staring at on that interface for? Did you discover something?”

Just then, ‘Shang Yanfei’s’ pleasant voice came from beside him.

Mu Zhian had one arm around Sect Master Sister’s slender waist, smelling the fragrance of her hair, while his other hand tapped lightly on the personal interface.

Hearing her call, Mu Zhian came back to his senses. He was about to brush it off, but then he suddenly reacted, subconsciously turning his head, looking at the beauty in his arms with astonishment.

“What did you just call me…?”

“I said, what have you been staring at on the personal interface for? I’m so tired, and you’re not even comforting me,” she wrapped her arms around Mu Zhian’s arm, leaning against him and acting spoiled.

Mu Zhian finally noticed something was wrong.

Sect Master Sister wasn’t someone who acted spoiled…

Mu Zhian noticed the affection in the beauty’s eyes and her sweet smile, immediately having a guess.

“Primordial Witch?” Mu Zhian embraced the beauty’s smooth and delicate body, “Were you the one controlling the body just now?”

“That woman sealed her own cauldron and even gave me her body… Although I was worried you would go too far at first, she is Shang Yanfei after all, you were still quite considerate of her, very gentle,” the Primordial Witch said with a coquettish smile.

Mu Zhian was stunned, then suddenly understood, “Oh.”

No wonder he heard Sect Master Sister’s voice suddenly become so seductive, even much more proactive, it turned out she had switched accounts.

“Then where is she now?”

“Who knows? With her eccentric personality, she might be watching us talk right now.”

Just as the Primordial Witch was about to say something more,

Mu Zhian suddenly felt a fluctuation in the Garden of Heavenly Harmony’s formation.

Someone had entered the Garden of Heavenly Harmony…

Just as this thought flashed through Mu Zhian’s mind, his Innate Spiritual Body sensed a familiar cool aura.

…Senior Sister Lan?

Mu Zhian reacted, looked down at the beauty in his arms, and his expression changed slightly.

I’m screwed!

Chapter 482: Senior Sister Lan Visits p1

Mu Zhian lit the candle in the room. The warm light dispelled the darkness, fully revealing Shang Yanfei’s appearance.

Her raven-black magnificent robe outlined her sexy curves, a captivating charm different from her usual demeanor.

A silver light flowed within her usually imposing pale golden eyes.

A pair of delicate jade feet peeked out from beneath her black skirt, her calves perfectly shaped. The loose robe concealed her buttocks, but because she was sitting at the table, it still outlined an alluring curve.

The sash tightly cinched her slender waist, and above it, her full and perky bosom was perfect, her figure graceful and curvy.

“It seems the Sect Master isn’t herself right now. Her appearing here and seeking me out must be ‘unconscious’ behavior,” Mu Zhian observed for a few moments, seeing the somewhat ‘lost’ look in Shang Yanfei’s eyes, and thought inwardly.

Although he didn’t see any signs of Karmic Fire burning on her body, her beautiful eyes held a gentleness that didn’t match her usual imposing aura.

Her gaze was fixed on him, as if suppressing her emotions, demurely maintaining her composure and the dignity of a Sect Master.

Her long, curling hair cascaded down like a waterfall, a strand falling across her face, adding a touch of lazy beauty to her usual mysterious older sister demeanor.

“Sect Master Sister, how are you feeling? Is there anything I can help with?”

Mu Zhian collected his thoughts, walked to her side, and asked in a low voice.

Shang Yanfei looked at him with hazy eyes, as if murmuring in a dream, “Go… go get Lin Ling.”

Lin Ling? Does she mean using Words Manifest Reality to suppress the Karmic Fire?

“If Lin Ling could suppress the Karmic Fire, why didn’t you ask her for help before?” Mu Zhian felt something wasn’t right.

“She can suppress the Karmic Fire for me tonight. After that, I’ll find a way to make that spiritual sense leave my body…”

Hearing Sect Master Sister’s soft murmur, Mu Zhian finally understood.

Most of her mental energy was currently being used to suppress the Karmic Fire, so her body was probably half-occupied by the Primordial Witch.

No wonder Sect Master Sister’s temperament seemed somewhat similar to the Primordial Witch now…

But logically, since Sect Master Sister could suppress the Karmic Fire and talk to him, he could just go find Lin Ling himself. Why ask him to do it?

Mmm… Every step she takes must have a deeper meaning. Think about why she’s doing this…

Mu Zhian pondered for a moment, then, looking at the peerlessly beautiful Empress, and her somewhat stiff body, he was suddenly stunned.

Then, he looked at Shang Yanfei with a strange expression.

He suddenly understood.

Shang Yanfei could still talk to him normally, meaning she hadn’t completely lost her mind. It was just that this Sect Master was too reserved. Even if she needed to suppress the Karmic Fire, she didn’t want to take the initiative.

Her rejecting Mu Zhian in Loving Plum Garden before was due to her reserved nature, and also because she didn’t want the Jade Empress to watch them.

And her appearing in his room and seeking his help was just a pretense. Her true purpose was to change from the ‘active’ side to the ‘passive’ side.

In other words, as long as Mu Zhian took the initiative now, it would be fine.

I wonder what she would think if I really turned around and went to find Lin Ling for help…

This interesting thought suddenly arose in Mu Zhian’s mind.

Of course, it was just a thought. He wouldn’t do such a beastly thing. He threw these messy thoughts to the back of his mind, reached out, and gently embraced Shang Yanfei’s slender waist.

Just like Ye Lingxuan and the others, in Mu Zhian’s heart, Shang Yanfei had always been someone he respected deeply.

Although she wasn’t his master, Mu Zhian had never dared to have too many thoughts about the Sect Master.

Of course, not daring didn’t mean he didn’t have any.

Sometimes, when visiting her at Two Polarities Peak, Mu Zhian would inevitably have some thoughts.

For example, what would it feel like to cultivate with such a mysterious older sister…?

If it were before, Mu Zhian might not have been able to answer.

But now, he had a very clear understanding.

If he had to describe the feeling, it would be just two words: pleasurable.

Just as he had imagined countless times, when Mu Zhian embraced her slender waist from behind, even the peerlessly beautiful Sect Master couldn’t help but blush slightly.

Enjoying the feeling of the beauty in his arms, Mu Zhian bent down and lifted Shang Yanfei horizontally. Her soft and delicate body leaned completely against him.

No matter whether Sect Master Sister is at Dao Integration Realm or Transcendence Realm, when holding her, she still has the weight of a normal woman… Mu Zhian sighed inwardly.

Shang Yanfei was different from the other women Mu Zhian knew. She was the only ‘great white shark’ of unknown strength in his fishpond. When he first met her, he thought she should be at Dao Integration Realm.

But judging from his later interactions with her, and the various events that happened, her strength didn’t seem to be at Dao Integration Realm, somewhat of a mystery.

Mu Zhian turned and blew out the candles, leaving only one lit.

Under the candlelight, he could vaguely see the beauty’s devastatingly beautiful face. A silver light seemed to flow within her beautiful eyes, carrying an inexplicable charm.

Mu Zhian gently placed her on the bed. Just as he was about to approach, Shang Yanfei reached out and gently pressed his shoulder. She seemed somewhat uncomfortable, or perhaps shy, and said softly, “Wait a moment…”

Mu Zhian silently gazed at her devastatingly beautiful face and whispered, “Sect Master Sister, do you hate me?”

Shang Yanfei responded with silence.

Mu Zhian lowered his head and looked into her eyes tenderly.

He could somewhat understand Shang Yanfei’s thoughts.

If it weren’t for the witch’s spiritual sense entering the Sect Master’s body and disrupting her original plan, she probably wouldn’t be in the Garden of Heavenly Harmony now, let alone needing his help to suppress the Karmic Fire.

Although he wasn’t sure what Shang Yanfei wanted, at least, the appearance of the Primordial Witch this time should have been unexpected.

Facing Mu Zhian’s question, after an unknown amount of time in silence, the woman’s voice echoed softly through the room: “I don’t hate you.”

Her beautiful eyes flickered with a moist light, and she said softly, “Do you just like teasing people this much?”

Seeing her rare look of embarrassment and annoyance, Mu Zhian couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

Looking down at the beauty in his arms, Mu Zhian gazed tenderly and said softly, “What are Sect Master Sister’s feelings towards me? Do you like me?”

“Mmm…”

Before she could answer, Mu Zhian slowly lowered his head and captured the Sect Master’s red lips.

A hint of surprise flickered in Shang Yanfei’s beautiful eyes. Mu Zhian had always been obedient before her, but she didn’t expect him to be so bold.

But gradually, Shang Yanfei’s eyes softened, and she wrapped her arms around Mu Zhian’s neck, responding to his kiss.

…

After an unknown amount of time, Shang Yanfei’s gaze gradually returned to normal. In the darkness, she took a light breath, exhaling slowly, calming her emotions.

However, for some reason, a faint blush appeared on her face. Then, she said calmly and faintly in her heart, “Are you satisfied now?”

“Why are you so angry? My Mu Lang possesses the Innate Celestial Furnace. Obtaining Heavenly Court Spiritual Energy early is a good thing for you, isn’t it nice to experience it early?”

The Primordial Witch’s soft and seductive voice came from within her body, seemingly satisfied.

“Couldn’t you also be satisfied by choosing his maid? Why use me to satisfy yourself?”

Shang Yanfei’s tone had returned to its usual calmness, but sensing the young man holding her tightly from behind, and his warm breath against her, her eyes couldn’t help softening.

“How can that be the same?”

The Primordial Witch seemed to be sitting in the void, revealing a charming smile: “You are the Sect Master of the Two Polarities Sect, the lofty Empress in the eyes of the world. And that child has always cared about you, always wanting to know your true identity.”

“Think about it, in the past, he always respected you, although he had some thoughts, he didn’t dare reveal them. But now, you need his help… This will give him an immense sense of pleasure and accomplishment.”

Shang Yanfei closed her eyes slightly. The next moment, her spiritual sense also entered her body, gazing at the black-dressed woman sitting in the void, a kind smile appearing on her face: “So you’ve set your sights on me? Are you so sure what he’s thinking in his heart?”

The witch chuckled softly, “I’m not just the embodiment of the Primordial Witch’s love and desire, I can also see who others truly love in their hearts.”

“Actually, I’m also helping you. You’ve been lonely for so long, haven’t you ever thought about finding him? Just like the Jade Empress…”

Shang Yanfei looked at her indifferently: “Seven emotions and six desires are human nature, and I’m no exception, but I wouldn’t go to such lengths to seek pleasure like you.”

“Oh?”

The witch suddenly smiled: “If that’s the case, then why were you—”

Her voice suddenly stopped, because she saw a formation appearing beneath her feet.

“It’s useless. If I don’t want to leave, you can’t force me out of your body,” the witch said confidently.

Shang Yanfei tilted her head slightly, looking at her playfully, her eyes condescending, and said softly, “Who said I want to force you to leave?”

“Not only will I not force you to leave, I’ll even repay you properly.”

Sensing the depth hidden in Shang Yanfei’s pale golden eyes, the witch’s eyes flickered, “What do you want to do…?”

She had a bad feeling.

“Don’t you like this body of mine? Tonight, I’ll temporarily give you control of this body.”

“However, I will seal my own cauldron, making you an ordinary person without Spiritual Energy tonight.”

“By the way, there will be another misfortune backlash in the latter half of the night.”

The charming smile on the Primordial Witch’s face instantly vanished.

She knew Shang Yanfei’s misfortune backlash wasn’t completely over yet. The Karmic Fire caused by the misfortune would inevitably heighten her emotions, and sealing her cauldron meant there would be no Spiritual Energy support.

Although no cultivator could refuse Heavenly Court Spiritual Energy, the amount a person could withstand was limited.

Even if she was the Primordial Witch, with her cauldron sealed, it would be difficult to withstand such vast Heavenly Court Spiritual Energy.

“W-wait… I was wrong, don’t do this, I—”

The Primordial Witch’s voice abruptly stopped. When she opened her eyes, she felt misfortune silently surging.

…