Chapter - 267 - It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

### Late at Night Bai Ruoxi slowly opened her eyes, emerging from her meditative cultivation state. Her practice session hadn't actually ended, but she had been slightly distracted by the sound of a guzheng coming from Mu Zhi'an's room. Moreover, she expected Mu Lang to have returned by now... Bai Ruoxi got out of bed, slipping into her elegantly embroidered shoes and left her room, coming to a stop in front of a nearby room where a faint candlelight glowed within. After a moment's hesitation, she raised her hand to push the door open. "Is there something you need, Miss Bai?" Yao Meng's voice unexpectedly emerged from the room. Bai Ruoxi paused in her movement and replied, "I heard the guzheng just now, so I came to check... Is Esteemed Senior Qingdi inside?" "He had some questions about the Bahuang Dream Diagram technique today and sought my guidance. It might take some time," Yao Meng gently touched her lips with her fingertips, looking down at the young man on the floor with a beautiful curve in her smile, "You should come by tomorrow~" ### The Following Morning On a wide, soft bed, Mu Zhi'an slowly opened his eyes and let out a listless yawn. Turning slightly to the side, he noticed that last night's beauty had vanished from his embrace. With his spiritual sense, Mu Zhi'an quickly detected her presence within his innate furnace. It seems that the fairy sister is rather heartless, leaving without even a farewell once she was satisfied... Mu Zhi'an mocked inwardly. He got out of bed, lazily stretched, and dressed before leaving the room. The white light from last night had completely disappeared as if it never existed, and outside, a thick blanket of snow covered the ground with large snowflakes still falling from the sky. "Planning to see her today?" A clear and melodic voice suddenly sounded beside him, and even without turning back, Mu Zhi'an knew it was his proud maid speaking. "Yes, I prefer not to let things drag on; it's better to handle it early," Mu Zhi'an replied with a smile. "Aren't you worried she'll refuse to see you?" Wei Mengruo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why would she refuse? Regina wants to use me to achieve her aims, and I wish to use her to accomplish mine... Our interests align," Mu Zhi'an paused, adding, "But before that, I'll need to borrow something from you." "What is it?" Wei Mengruo asked. Mu Zhi'an gestured toward the bronze fragment hanging from her chest. Feeling the maid's increasingly disdainful stare, Mu Zhi'an ceased with his teasing and smiled, "I need the bronze fragment." "The bronze fragment you wear might be causing the black mist, a secret technique from the Southern Wilderness that can obscure one's aura and shield fate." "Perhaps, today, I can find answers from Regina." ### The Innate Dao Body, Mu Zhi'an! Located on the northern shore of the Taiyi Sect were numerous pocket realms, all situated within the Guiyi Hall. The delegation from the Southern Wilderness stayed within this grand hall. Arriving before the Guiyi Hall, Mu Zhi'an approached the tower where Regina resided. Just as he was about to enter, an elder in a gray robe silently stepped in front of him. Gulban, one of the elders from the Southern Wilderness's sacred hall, accompanied the group to protect the saintess and the associated holy son. Status-wise, Saint Son Niger's rank wasn't lower than Regina's; however, her constitution and the power backing her exceeded his, which explained the hierarchical behavior witnessed the other day. "Young friend Mu, do you need something?" The elder cheerfully glanced at Mu Zhi'an, his tone sounding friendly. Though Gulban harbored doubts about the possibility of Mu Zhi'an helping Regina achieve complete evolution of her soul-reading body, even the slightest possibility warranted serious attention. "I have some matters to discuss with Miss Regina. Please inform her on my behalf," Mu Zhi'an said, clasping his hands respectfully. "The young miss has guests today; I'll first take you to the side hall to wait," Gulban replied, his keen eyes briefly scanning the maid in a yellow dress beside Mu Zhi'an. Despite his attempt to conceal his aura, Gulban, being a cultivator of the Return to Void realm, clearly discerned Wei Mengruo's cultivation level. Rumor had it that Mu Zhi'an's maid possessed extraordinary talent. Today's observation confirmed it—she indeed posed a significant hurdle for the Immortal Ascension Conference. Following Gulban into the secluded pavilion, Mu Zhi'an took a seat in the side hall to wait for Regina to finish her affairs. "I won't disturb you, Young Master Mu. Miss will come to see you shortly," Gulban stated simply before leaving the side hall. Mu Zhi'an lounged comfortably, his gaze wandering idly around the room as his thoughts began to drift. Silently standing beside Mu Zhi'an, Wei Mengruo wore a yellow dress adorned with faint purple patterns. Her stunning beauty was undeniable, yet she maintained such a low profile that Mu Zhi'an once wondered if her ability to 'remain hidden' also diminished her presence, causing others to subconsciously overlook her. "Do you really think she'll share the Secret Art of the Southern Wilderness with you?" Wei Mengruo inquired softly. Mu Zhi'an shook his head. "I'm hopeful but not certain. Still, it's better than doing nothing." "Shall we sit and rest before she arrives?" he suggested. However, Wei Mengruo simply shook her head, replying coolly, "I can stand." "Is Miss Mengruo worried about being embarrassed sitting with me...?" Mu Zhi'an teased, observing the maid who peered back with disdain. "You expended so much effort yesterday; it's best you rest and speak less," Wei Mengruo scolded, though her scornful gaze somehow felt rather endearing. Mu Zhi'an withdrew his gaze, ceasing his teasing, and drew a finely crafted light blue necklace from his coat. The Aurora Necklace, a gift from Lin Keyu some time ago, purportedly could conceal one's aura and destiny to some extent and provided a 'calming' effect. However, against an immensely alluring individual, its efficacy would diminish, as he had experienced with the tantalizing demon empress... "Sister Mengruo, come here for a moment," Mu Zhi'an called, examining the necklace in hand. Hesitant, Mengruo appraised Mu Zhi'an, "What for?" "Just come over; you don't fear I might eat you, I hope?" Mu Zhi'an jested. Mengruo hesitated slightly but eventually complied, standing before Mu Zhi'an. Rising to his feet, Mu Zhi'an stepped forward and, reaching past Mengruo, slipped the necklace around her graceful neck. "This is...?" she questioned, glancing up at Mu Zhi'an. With her shorter stature and him being so near, the scene felt somewhat intimate. Yet, Mengruo's eyes remained clear and cool, revealing no embarrassment. Mu Zhi'an chuckled, "It suits you well." "Isn't this a gift someone else gave you?" she asked with a slight frown. Recognizing his expression, understanding dawned on her, "To block fate...?" From Ziyan's speculation yesterday, it seemed Wei Mengruo's misfortune stemmed from being an 'anomaly' that defied natural order, prompting punishment from the heavens. Thus, masking one's destiny stood as the most direct solution to such misfortune. The bronze fragment on her chest and the recently donned Aurora Necklace shared similar capabilities. Closing her eyes briefly, Mengruo checked within herself, then sighed, "The second necklace has no effect." "Looks like we'll have to find another way," Mu Zhi'an concluded under his breath. Mengruo removed the Aurora Necklace, about to return it to him, but she paused, catching a sound emanating from it—a sweet, melodious female voice. It was Lin Keyu's voice, embedded within the Aurora Necklace. Noticing Mengruo's hand hovering mid-air, her gaze turning intrigued, Mu Zhi'an questioned, "What's wrong?" Regaining her composure, Mengruo shook her head subtly, replying softly, "Nothing~" Returning the necklace to him, she mused that Mu Zhi'an's master might remain unaware of this, perhaps leaving it as a romantic gesture left unspoken, hoping Lin Keyu desired him to discover her message himself. Without the second necklace affecting Wei Mengruo, Mu Zhi'an wore it once more, feeling the active aura and again marveling at Lin Keyu's generosity. At that moment, Mu Zhi'an felt the call from the spirit within the purple lightning ring on his finger. Absentmindedly, he touched the ring, musing internally, "Necklaces are powerful, but you're impressive too. Just remember, when my sister Ling Xuan uses the Wilderness Hour's Chains against me again, remember that I'm your true master. Don't betray me at a crucial moment..." The Purple Lightning Sacred Ring can block a lethal attack once, provided the practitioner is not vastly superior. This spirit ring could provide significant help during the upcoming Immortal Ascension Conference. Leaning back in his chair, Mu Zhi'an opened his personal interface, curious to see if his recent closeness with Ye Lingxuan had earned him any new titles or accolades. Scanning through his status and finding no new titles, his eyes rested on his existing title, "Innate Dao Body," and he contemplated it further. He had already experienced the benefits of this constitution multiple times with Fairy Yao Meng before. Last night, he indulged once more in her enchanting form, although this time, they partook in a bit more teasing foreplay. Despite the fairy's alluring physique, what captivated Mu Zhi'an most was her exquisite, jewel-like dainty feet. Just remembering them made him wistful. It's not that I have peculiar preferences; it's merely that the fairy is too irresistible. Moreover, her innate Dao body enhances my Bahuang Dream Diagram by contributing spiritual energy… Everyone has their preferences, but they all hinge upon the other party being a beauty. Mu Zhi'an justified himself while inspecting the description that followed his constitution: Born with an unparalleled Dao body, dual cultivation with such a being grants one a high-tier cultivation method, able to evolve further. Previously preoccupied with other matters, he hadn’t the chance to fully explore this constitution, yet even now, upon seeing this title, Mu Zhi'an felt a swirl of complex emotions. By all rights, such a constitution seemed more fitting for a Holy Saintess of the Jade Pool than for him, a man. How ironic was that? However, considering he was destined to be a female protagonist in this life, having an innate Dao body didn't seem too far-fetched. While dwelling on such thoughts, a maid dressed in a long gown entered the side hall. Noticing both individuals present, she bowed slightly and said, "Young Master Mu, Miss Wei, the Saintess requests your presence." So Regina's conversation has concluded... Mu Zhi'an stood and lazily stretched before following the maid out of the side hall. --- "Miss Regina, I hope you'll consider my proposal. If we team up with you and the Saintess, we might not clinch the top spot at the Immortal Ascension Conference, but we can certainly secure our places." In the grand hall, a young man clad in a scholar's robe smiled amiably, reiterating his proposal. "There are at least a thousand people hoping to join the Immortal Ascension Conference. Still, not more than a hundred will actually make it to the final rounds in the Taiyi Sect. Being cultivators from outside Dongzhou, we'll likely face exclusion." Across from him, Regina sat in a lavish, crimson dress, considering the visitor's proposition. The Ocean of Worlds separates Dongzhou from the demon realm, populated with countless islands, some home to ancient cultivators who have survived through the ages. In the past, numerous large-scale conflicts erupted between human and beast cultivators, yet the Ocean of Worlds remained calm throughout. Its mystique limits cultivators' powers, and it's home to forces formidable enough to incite fear. The individuals now communicating with the Southern Wilderness Saintess hailed from the top echelons of this ocean's powerful factions—a saintess and saint themselves. "I'll think about your proposal and provide an answer within a couple of days," Regina replied. Set to commence in the martial realm of Dongzhou, the beginning stages of the Immortal Ascension Conference involve rigorous challenges. Out of thousands of cultivators, only a hundred typically advance to qualify. Working with these two prodigies from the Ocean of Worlds seems beneficial with no downsides. However, if given a choice, Regina preferred partnering with Mu Zhi'an… Though not particularly high in cultivation, Mu Zhi'an harbored many secrets and concealed strengths. Moreover, dangerous situations often intensify emotions between individuals. Ideally, when he finds himself in danger, Regina could step in to save him... Imagining this, Regina playfully tapped her lips with her finger, a sly smile tugging at her mouth. Indeed, the upcoming Immortal Ascension Conference promises excitement... Provided she crosses paths with Mu Zhi'an in the martial realm, of course. The martial realm is vast, and once inside, a formation randomly transports individuals to various zones, granting protection against a single lethal wound.