Chapter - 259 - It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

After using some of her mental energy to awaken the artifact spirit today, she knew she could fully recover by the next day through meditation. So, in truth, she wasn't lying. "Perfect, I can stand guard for you!" Mu Zhian eagerly volunteered. Ye Lingxue hesitated for a brief moment and couldn't help but glance at Mu Zhian twice. Ultimately, under his earnest gaze, Ye Lingxue softly uttered an "Mm." As Ye Lingxue nestled into her bed, Mu Zhian indeed stayed true to his word. Instead of doing anything untoward, he sat calmly beside her, meditating in practice. Seeing this, Ye Lingxue felt reassured and gradually slipped into a meditative state. After some undetermined time, Mu Zhian silently opened his eyes and murmured to himself, "It's cold. I should take a hot bath." Having said that, he turned to glance at Ye Lingxue, seemingly deep in meditation in her bed, before getting up to head behind the screen, where a wooden bath still steaming with hot water awaited him. The bathwater was scattered with fragrant petals, suggesting that Ye Lingxue had used it not long ago. Mu Zhian deftly shed his clothes and soaked in the bath for a while, later stepping out to towel himself dry. Emerging from behind the screen, he noticed the Reincarnated Empress, who had been silently in the room, vanish without a trace. It seems Lingxue was right; the Reincarnated Empress isn't devoid of feelings. At least the scene made her embarrassed... Mu Zhian speculated inwardly. With such musings, Mu Zhian naturally slipped under the quilt, wrapping an arm snugly around Ye Lingxue's slender waist through her thin white inner garment. In the chill of winter's night, nothing could warm his heart more than the comfort of Lingxue's embrace. Ye Lingxue furrowed her brows slightly, yet even in her meditative state, she could sense Mu Zhian's warm and familiar presence enveloping her, the cautious touch of his hands initially tentative before growing increasingly emboldened. She pursed her lips slightly, eventually blinking her eyes open in a haze. **Chapter 255: Ye Lingxue, the Perfect Innate Spirit Body! 4K** Outside, snowflakes gently drifted down, candlelight flickering calm and serene, as time quietly slipped by. Despite Mu Zhian's unexpected advance, Ye Lingxue felt no anger, only a flurry of nervousness and shyness. Unlike her sister Ye Qian, a pure-hearted girl, Ye Lingxue had inklings of what might happen when Mu Zhian proposed staying over. In the past, Ye Lingxue might have summoned the Lock of the Timeworn Era to bind up Mu Zhian and toss him out. Yet now, perhaps due to awakening from a meditative haze, or because she had never been so intimately close to Mu Zhian, Ye Lingxue instinctively clutched her inner garment fabric. In her confusion, she turned her head slightly. Upon clearly seeing the boy's face, her eyes filled with a mix of shyness and a hue of annoyance, she softly reprimanded, "Why did you come in, Brother Mu? You promised to just stand guard." Mu Zhian pressed his chest against Ye Lingxue's back, arms wrapped tightly around her slender waist, whispering into her ear, "It's snowing outside. In weather this cold, could you really bear seeing me meditate on the floor?" "Then... you could have meditated on the bed, just don't do this..." Ye Lingxue's fair face tinged with a wine-red blush as she shyly writhed in Mu Zhian's arms, trying to escape his embrace. However, such a symbolic gesture was naturally futile. Mu Zhian not only held firm but drew Ye Lingxue closer, his affection unabated. "It's cold. Two sleeping together is warmer," Mu Zhian stated earnestly. "How can a cultivator feel cold..." Ye Lingxue shot Mu Zhian a reproachful look, yet flustered, her eyes quickly darted away, unable to meet his passionate gaze. Seizing the moment, Mu Zhian attempted a bolder move, but just then, Ye Lingxue seemed to come to her senses, instinctively catching his hand, looking at him with a moisture-laden, complex gaze. Mu Zhian endeavored once more, but Ye Lingxue's grip remained firm, not allowing him further movement. Gazing tenderly at the beauty in his arms, Mu Zhian made no further attempts. His gaze softened, shifting from passionate to slightly regretful, despaired. With a deep sigh, he released his grip on her waist, acknowledging, "Perhaps tonight I was too hasty." Ye Lingxue gazed at him, somewhat bewildered, the allure of her peach blossom eyes filled with confusion. Mu Zhian swept the sheets aside and sat up, lowering his head, "With the Ascension Conference nearing, East Continent's chance of victory is uncertain. I trust the Sect Master has plans." "As for being so close to you at this crucial time, you'd think I'm here solely to transfer the Ninth Life Spirit Qi for the conference, wouldn't you?" Mu Zhian turned slightly, observing Ye Lingxue sitting beside him, smiling warmly, "Honestly, when you invited me tonight, I did entertain certain thoughts. But those aren't related to the Ninth Life's Spirit Qi or even the Ascension Conference." He gently caressed Ye Lingxue's silky hair, confiding, "I've been captivated simply because Lingxue is irresistibly charming." Ye Lingxue instinctively clutched her collar, misty-eyed, whispering, "Brother Mu..." True to Mu Zhian's thoughts, Ye Lingxue found no aversion towards intimate gestures, nor towards their closeness tonight. Yet obstructing his advances was rooted in her own sense of shame, compounded by Mu Zhian's earlier words regarding the Ninth Life Spirit Qi. Unlike Yao Meng, Ye Lingxue yearned for some ceremonial gesture. Their closeness after forging a bond was agreeable. However, should such moments intertwine with purposeful ambitions like the Ninth Life Spirit Qi or the Ascension Conference, that troubled her. Her wish was for their relationship to remain pure, untainted by ulterior motives like the Ninth Life Spirit Qi. "Was it something the Reincarnated Empress just mentioned that made Lingxue think I'd do this tonight?" Mu Zhian asked suddenly. Ye Lingxue lowered her head into silent acknowledgment. It was at this moment that Mu Zhian took her delicate hand, guiding it to rest against his chest, gazing down upon her ethereal beauty, softly saying, "Such an alluring girl as Lingxue shouldn't doubt herself." "Can't you feel something from my heartbeat?" Feeling the rhythm beneath her palm, alongside Mu Zhian's warm tones beside her ear, the knots tangled in Ye Lingxue's heart began to unravel, a warmth naturally flowing through her being. Mu Zhian gently pulled her into the safety of his embrace, leaning close to her ear, murmuring, "If you don't wish our bond to be sullied by ulterior motives, I can pass the Ninth Life Spirit Qi another time." Blushing deeper, Ye Lingxue softly replied, "But wouldn't that mean I'll have to next time with Brother Mu..." "You don't prefer it?" Mu Zhian gazed intently at Ye Lingxue's lovely face. Under his devoted gaze and sweet words, her delicate hands sensing his heartbeat and enveloped in his warmth, the final reservations within Ye Lingxue seemed to dissolve as she shyly turned her face away. The candlelight flickered gently, illuminating her dignified, bashful beauty. Mu Zhian tenderly caressed her face, lifting her delicate chin, and as he beheld her growingly exquisite beauty, he lowered his head to claim her supple, rose-hued lips. Ye Lingxue shut her eyes gently, her petite hands seemingly lost, long lashes casting shadows that quivered lightly with time's passage. Gradually drawing closer, her arms entwined around Mu Zhian's neck, her breath quickening, her face flushed even more. It wasn't until some indefinite time had passed that Mu Zhian released her lips, leaving Ye Lingxue to catch her breath, appearing more enchanting than her usual ethereal elegance. Mu Zhian placed a hand on Ye Lingxue's shoulder, guiding her back against the bed. He pushed the bothersome quilt aside, and with her drowsy violet eyes gazing at him, he slowly lowered his head to claim her tender lips, gradually descending. As time lingered on, Mu Zhian, once diligent in pleasing Ye Lingxue, suddenly halted, peering down at her in deep thought. Ye Lingxue, supported by her hands against his chest, noticed his stillness, and under the spell of emotion, helplessly inquired, "Brother Mu...?" Her feet playfully intertwined, and her moist eyes gazed intently at Mu Zhian, seemingly wanting to voice her thoughts but too shy to do so. "Shall we continue?" she eventually asked, adopting a more bashful approach, her eyes filled with embarrassment. "I'm contemplating how to transfer the Ninth Life Spirit Qi to you," Mu Zhian remarked, observing the blush on Ye Lingxue's face, feeling as though he stood at a crossroads without clear direction. Ye Lingxue was speechless. His words, though breaking the mood, left her momentarily bewildered. Previously, the Reincarnated Empress had placed the Ninth Life Spirit Qi within Mu Zhian, indicating that within a natural cauldron, it could be further enhanced. When eventually transferred to Ye Lingxue, her inheritance would be complete. But how to impart that spirit qi was unclear. Mu Zhian couldn't consciously control the Ninth Life Spirit Qi, leaving him uncertain about transferring it to Ye Lingxue. "Maybe... we should try a few more times?" Mu Zhian proposed after pondering for a moment. "Uh...?" Ye Lingxue softly queried, not comprehending. However, noticing the intense gaze Mu Zhian leveled at her, she quickly grasped his intention and shook her head, replying firmly, "No way—" Before she could finish, her voice caught briefly, Ye Lingxue's brows knitted together as her face took on a rosy hue. Her small hands clung tightly around Mu Zhian's neck, her head tilting slightly upward, toes tracing upward along the bedstead. ... Time slipped away silently. At that moment, their innate cauldrons were operating at full force, merging into a singular whole. Within Mu Zhian's natural cauldron, a vibrant golden spirit qi silently seeped into Ye Lingxue's cauldron. The Ninth Life Spirit Qi of the Reincarnated Empress! Different from the previously inherited eight life spirit qis, this one seemed to have evolved within the natural cauldron, now carrying a faint trace of Dao Rhythm. It was the Enlightenment Seed, along with the Dao Rhythm formed from the Rebirth Pill taken that day. Inside Ye Lingxue's cauldron, the Ninth Life Spirit Qi stood as a conductor; the previous spirit qis lined in a pyramid fashion, with the most potent, the Ninth, at the peak. As Ye Lingxue's brows gradually relaxed, an unprecedented sensation of lightness and comfort enveloped her, leaving her unsure if it stemmed from the nine life spirit qi's enhancement or simply the warmth Mu Zhian provided... In this moment, myriad past images flashed through Ye Lingxue's mind. She witnessed herself across nine lifetimes, each iteration standing alone in ancient desolation, striving to resonate with various Daos. This was the Path of Rebirth. Ye Lingxue slowly opened her eyes, momentarily dazed as the scenes vanished, leaving only Mu Zhian's handsome face and the tenderness in his eyes. She closed her eyes again, fully immersing herself in the warmth Mu Zhian brought her, along with the empowerment from the nine life spirit qis within her cauldron. Moreover, the recently refined imperial-grade herbs quietly integrated into Ye Lingxue's rebirth cauldron. "The spirit qi within the cauldron has significantly strengthened, enhancing my physical constitution tremendously. And that strand of Dao Rhythm... By rules of heaven and earth, comprehending Dao Rhythm is forbidden. Yet, its presence within me suggests Brother Mu's innate cauldron shielded me from destiny, granting such enhancement..." "Between the Divine Refinement and Return to Void realm lies a crucial threshold. Given many current contestants are high-grade Divine Refinement cultivators, if I could comprehend that Dao Rhythm, winning the Ascension Conference could be within reach..." Eyes closed, Ye Lingxue endeavored to fully refine the Dao Rhythm, striving to grasp an understanding perhaps unreachable by even Return to Void cultivators. "The so-called Unification with the Dao refers to merging with one of the heaven, earth, or human paths. This Dao Rhythm isn’t one of those; it requires my personal choice." "My path aligns more with the heavenly Dao, though unification in the future would mean subjugation to the heavenly Dao..." "The heavenly path is blocked." As Ye Lingxue contemplated this, a faint realization dawned upon her, the spirit qi circulating through her body as Mu Zhian's spirit qi continually flowed into her cauldron. What once seemed a dead end felt like a ray of sunlight piercing the darkness. Mu Zhian's innate heavenly qi revealed a fourth path! Yet, at its end, it remained the heavenly Dao. Ye Lingxue's fingers slowly lifted. Ultimately, she chose the heavenly Dao. But this heavenly Dao wasn’t the present one within the heavens and earth. Simultaneously, Mu Zhian sensed a qi from within Ye Lingxue flowing into their unified cauldron. This singular stream brought Mu Zhian unprecedented comfort, breathing life into the cauldron as if it had awakened, operating vigorously. Ye Lingxue’s nine life spirit qi brought this feedback. In an instant, that qi filled Mu Zhian’s cauldron to capacity, nearly breaking through to the peak of the Divine Refinement fourth grade! A mere step from ascending beyond the fourth grade! All this time, he had only given, never anticipating experiencing such a reversal... Mu Zhian gazed at Ye Lingxue, her cheeks flushed, eyes tightly shut, silently marveling. At that moment, Ye Lingxue murmured softly, slowly opening her eyes, and gazed at Mu Zhian with boundless affection. Boom! The snow-covered night erupted with a thunderous roar within the silent Erhe Sect. Under the night sky, pale halos silently brightened like stars, the once silent night suddenly as bright as day, hinting that an uncontainable existence within the heavens finally revealed itself. In a secluded garden, Regina, with her exotic allure, glanced up at the sky as bright as day, her eyes flickering, softly musing, "Someone has realized a Dao Rhythm...?" In a realm where comprehending Dao Rhythm was forbidden, someone had broken through, even sparking a phenomenon...? Inexplicably, Regina thought of a certain individual. ... Liangyi Peak. Shang Yanfei tapped a finger against the table, looking towards the Crystal Hall's location, a faint smile gracing her lips. "Incredible..." Her voice carried genuine admiration, though it remained unknown towards whom it was directed. "Who is Master referring to?" Lan Muli, a white chess piece delicately pinched between fingers, peered towards the black-clad beauty opposite her. "It's nothing, pay it no mind." Shang Yanfei casually remarked, "Inform the peak leaders to activate the sect's grand array." "Someone is growing restless."