Chapter - 274 - It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

**Title: It Turns Out, They're the Protagonists - Chapter 284** *Author: ccc* In the silver-white world of the snow-covered courtyard, a young man draped in a black and gold robe approached, cradling a black box in his arms. As the duo spotted Mu Zhi'an, he too became aware of their presence. Lifting his gaze, he paused momentarily upon seeing Gong Lian Yue. His eyes flickered to the fabric of her dress, stretched by her ample bosom. A silent thought crossed his mind: smaller than Nai Xi's. This is the Sword Palace Master. Typically, Mu Zhi'an might have stolen a glance at Gong Lian Yue's figure; though not as endowed as Nai Xi, her beauty was equally mesmerizing. Coupled with her contrasting aura to Bai Ruo Xi, she presented a deadly allure to men. But now, his concern was the whereabouts of the paper crane. "If I'm not mistaken, the paper crane flew into this courtyard... but why can't I see it now?" As this thought arose, his gaze suddenly locked onto the letter in Wei Meng Rou's hand. After a short moment of scrutiny, he instinctively looked up, incredulous, murmuring, "Is it really you..." The reborn one is Wei Meng Rou?! Sensing Mu Zhi'an's gaze, Wei Meng Rou furrowed her delicate brows and asked, "What is it?" Mu Zhi'an regained his composure, stepped into the pavilion with the black box, eyes on the letter in Wei Meng Rou's hand, and addressed the maid, "The paper crane flew into your hand?" Wei Meng Rou nodded hesitantly, "Is this paper crane yours...?" Mu Zhi'an shook his head, placing the black box on the table, "The paper crane was stored in this box." "Does the Palace Master know the origin of this black box?" he quickly asked Gong Lian Yue. The Sword Palace had been around for millennia, and Gong Lian Yue, being from the same era as the Prime Witch, might know something about her identity. However, Gong Lian Yue's swift response filled Mu Zhi'an with disappointment. "I've never seen this black box." "Though this object likely belonged to the Prime Witch, it still bears her spiritual aura," she continued. Mu Zhi'an's eyes flickered as he looked at the pure beauty before him, "Does the Palace Master know where the spiritual aura is stored?" Gong Lian Yue slowly shook her head, "Give it up. The box has a special formation. Only someone recognized by her can open it." Suddenly, a thought struck her. She paused, her enchanting eyes narrowing slightly. This black box can only be opened by someone acknowledged by the Prime Witch. Yet the paper crane wasn't in the box moments ago. Which means, someone had already opened the box and released the paper crane. The question remains. Who was it...? Gong Lian Yue silently studied Mu Zhi'an, her bright eyes deep and contemplative. Mu Zhi'an, unaware of her thoughts, focused on Wei Meng Rou, "Meng Rou, do you have any impression of this object?" He pointed to the black box on the table. Wei Meng Rou glanced at it and gently shook her head, "I have no impression." Meng Rou didn't seem to be lying... Mu Zhi'an scrutinized her sharp, graceful features and calm response, puzzled. A paper crane wouldn't randomly fly to Meng Rou, yet she appeared truthful. Furthermore, having spent so much time with him, if Meng Rou was truly the reborn one, how had he not noticed? As Mu Zhi'an mulled over these thoughts, Wei Meng Rou, as if directed by some force, touched the black box. Under Mu Zhi'an's astonished gaze, she gently opened the box. The seemingly ordinary peach blossom inside emanated a mysterious black mist. Mu Zhi'an's gaze froze upon the black mist. Familiar with Southern Wilderness arts, he immediately recognized it as the mist used to obscure the divination arts in Southern Wilderness! Boom! A thunderous boom shook the heavens, as a lightning bolt, like a dragon, descended with unmatched swiftness upon the courtyard! Astonishingly, the dragon-like lightning was completely absorbed by the formation within the courtyard, leaving no sound from outside. Wei Meng Rou, momentarily dazed, reached out to touch the peach blossom. A wisp of azure light silently emerged from Mu Zhi'an, materializing into an ethereal fairy in a blue and white gown, untouched by the mortal realm. "The fairy's awake too?" Mu Zhi'an looked at Yao Meng's ethereal form, convinced there was an undisclosed link between the Prime Witch and Wei Meng Rou. Though able to open the box himself, the contents never resonated with him as they did with Wei Meng Rou. Who knows if this is fortunate... At this moment, a calm voice echoed within the courtyard. "Qingdi?" "Why are you in his body?" Gong Lian Yue, gazing at the ethereal Yao Meng surrounded by clouds, had eyes filled with doubt and a hint of latent danger. Not good... Mu Zhi'an felt a jolt of anxiety, instinctively looking at Yao Meng. As expected, Yao Meng slightly turned, observing Gong Lian Yue's hostility. She smiled subtly, a serene curve on her lips. Her voice, ethereal and harmonious, stirred like soft ripples on a tranquil lake. "I need no reason to be beside my Dao partner." **Chapter 267: Mu Zhi'an: I'm Really Trying Here!** Frost covered the courtyard branches, the steam from the tea unable to warm the icy pavilion below. Once cultivators reached the Spirit Refining realm, the cold no longer bothered them, as inner qi expelled the chill. However, upon hearing Yao Meng speak, cold sweat broke out on Mu Zhi'an's back, experiencing a chill despite the season's frost. Gong Lian Yue narrowed her eyes, examining the Yaochi fairy beside Mu Zhi'an, speaking with an eerie calm, "If I recall, before your Dao merging, many pursuers sought your favor, yet you spurned them all. Now, having merged, you fancy a mere young cultivator?" "Or, perhaps, as the original Yaochi Saintess, you prefer younger ones over your peers?" Mu Zhi'an initially thought Yao Meng was gentle and conflict-averse. Surprisingly, her sharp retort seemed to suggest, "You're quite popular, huh?" Then, effortlessly retrieving her gaze, she spoke softly, "Feelings transcend cultivation realms. Unlike you, I didn't choose him for his innate cauldron but for mutual affection." Her words subtly mocked Gong Lian Yue's impurity of purpose, implying, "You're not attracted to his soul, just his body. Shameless!" Gong Lian Yue raised an elegant brow, the golden sword at her back trembling, fracturing the frost outside into countless shards that drifted like shattered jade flowers into the pavilion. Gong Lian Yue's peach-blossom eyes briefly swept over Yao Meng, saying calmly, "If the sword sheath's memory serves, had he not intervened, you, reduced to mere spiritual consciousness, might not exist now." "You later reformed a body with the aid of the innate cauldron." Her sparkling eyes rested on Yao Meng, an unspoken challenge in their depths. "Is this what you call 'mutual affection'?" The atmosphere in the pavilion thickened to ice, Mu Zhi'an standing rooted, his heart racing. This isn’t good; if they clash, I might end up collateral damage... Mu Zhi'an felt as if a red 'danger' sign appeared above his head, sweat unbidden on his brow. He longed for the simpler squabbles among the fish in his pond... Those fish might bicker, but he could easily pacify each afterward. But these two, with their vast experiences as empresses, were far more challenging to appease, and missteps might land him in hot water. Then, Yao Meng's casual glance at Mu Zhi'an was accompanied by her melodic voice, 'Our feelings don't need an outsider's judgment.'" She tilted her head slightly, looking at Mu Zhi'an, her vermilion lips parting as eyes of azure, akin to gemstones, carried an enigmatic allure. The hint of crimson at the corners of her eyes enhanced her charm. With a captivating smile, she asked, "What do you think, Mu Lang?" Her voice, laced with a unique Dao rhythm, was beguiling, but Mu Zhi'an felt a chill run up his spine. The pressure was now squarely on Mu Zhi'an. Gong Lian Yue's refined face bore an innocent, yet seductive smile. "The esteemed Qing Emperor using the Dao rhythm of Yaochi Sacred Land to entice a young cultivator? If word got out, it would surely be the laughingstock of the Nine Zhou." Yao Meng chuckled softly, "The Yaochi Sacred Land's Dao is meant to calm the mind, not seduce. But it's curious if you've ever discreetly used the allure of the Nine-Tailed Fox on Mu Lang." The allure of the Nine-Tailed Fox...? Mu Zhi'an glanced at Gong Lian Yue. Come to think of it, Ruo Xi had the "Three-Tailed Fox" trait, inherited from Bai Yuan Feng. Yet Gong Lian Yue showed no signs of being a demon cultivator... After some brief contemplation, Mu Zhi'an became clear-headed. Bai Ruo Xi indeed was Bai Yuan Feng's daughter, but she also existed as Gong Lian Yue's sword sheath, a unique being. If she advanced her cultivation, she might one day be the first in Nine Provinces to hold dual souls, demon and human, each reaching Dao merging. Amidst these musings, Gong Lian Yue's gaze fell on Mu Zhi'an. "Mu Lang, do you remember what you promised me?" Her raven-black gown highlighted her porcelain skin, near translucent in beauty. The light sword unfurled behind her, her gaze gentle. Momentarily, Mu Zhi'an saw the image of Bai Ruo Xi. His heart then skipped a beat, realizing the implication of Gong Lian Yue's words. Back at the Sword Palace, amidst a complex situation, he promised Gong Lian Yue he'd disassociate from others... He thought he'd delay matters until after Gong Lian Yue's long slumber, giving the fish in his pond time to mature. Yet now… The black box left by the Prime Witch had awakened her. And Yao Meng awoke, too… But as a true fish pond master, Mu Zhi'an knew he had to maintain his composure, no matter the crisis. He cleared his throat, beginning to negotiate with Gong Lian Yue, "I will handle this matter properly, please trust in my capability, Palace Master." However, Gong Lian Yue wasn't buying it. Her eyes, reminiscent of clear autumn waters, locked onto Mu Zhi'an with a smile, "I could overlook your past with Qingdi, but why not clarify things with her now?" "Our relationship doesn't allow for an outsider's interference, does it?" Mu Zhi'an: "..." He suddenly found himself at an impasse. Just then, a cool, soft hand quietly clasped his right hand, pulling his thoughts back to reality. He instinctively turned to see Yao Meng, in a light blue dress, her figure graceful, holding his hand with slight amusement in her gaze. Though she said nothing, her eyes clearly conveyed her meaning. Those eyes were saying: Choose. "…" After a brief pause, Mu Zhi'an chose to stop overthinking. Though he had anticipated such a scenario eventually, he never imagined it would arrive so swiftly. A black box left by the Prime Witch a millennium ago had awakened two fierce sharks in his pond, pitting them against each other… If it were the likes of Ye Lingxue or Bai Ruo Xi, the smaller fish, Mu Zhi'an might just brazenly embrace both, declaring, 'I want them all.' But now… attempting such a move might bring him to an untimely end. Bracing himself, Mu Zhi'an respectfully gestured toward Gong Lian Yue, "Palace Master, my history with Fairy Yao Meng is complex, not something I can explain briefly. I assure you, I will handle it appropriately." He deliberately added an honorific after Yao Meng's name to hint to Gong Lian Yue that she was merely a mentor he respected. Yet he seems to have underestimated Gong Lian Yue's acuity. She smiled softly, "So, you'll sever ties with Qingdi and focus on cultivating with me alone?" "If that's the case, I'd be quite pleased," Gong Lian Yue laughed gently, turning her gaze to Yao Meng. But in Yao Meng's clear eyes, a shadow of coldness flickered. She then turned to Mu Zhi'an with a playful smile. Mu Zhi'an: "..." In this world, truly merging with Dao is rare. With universal rules changed, few Dao masters engage in serious conflict. Thus, the Nine Provinces remained mostly under the jurisdiction of the return-to-void realm.