Chapter -281 - It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

**Web Novel: "It Turned Out, They Were the Main Characters"** **Chapter 291** *Author: ccc* "The climate within the Martial Realm differs from that of the outside world. Even cultivators can feel the cold, so remember not to underestimate your surroundings," the elder kindly advised. He then raised his hand, casting a spell, directing it toward the Martial Realm. In an instant, a bone-chilling gust carrying snowflakes swept through, causing many cultivators to shudder involuntarily. It was evident that the weather in the Martial Realm wasn't naturally occurring. In such an environment, failing to envelop oneself in spiritual energy could potentially impact one's physical condition. "Hold your breath and close your eyes," the elder's voice suddenly resounded in their ears. Upon hearing this, everyone shut their eyes slightly. Before closing his eyes, Ye Yu glanced unintentionally at Mu Zhian, not far off, and couldn't help but smirk inwardly. In the past, someone protected you within the sect, but in the Martial Realm, everyone appears in random areas. Let's see who can protect you now! As everyone closed their eyes, a massive formation inexplicably appeared on the ground. It emitted a captivating, faint white glow and almost instantaneously, transported everyone inside. *Whoosh!* In the next moment, as Mu Zhian opened his eyes, he felt a tremendous cold front rushing toward him. The rumors were true; the extreme winter of the Martial Realm wasn't natural, causing even cultivators to feel the cold. Mu Zhian channeled his spiritual energy, covering himself as he raised his head to gaze upon the white, snowy landscape. Vaguely, he glimpsed a faint white light flickering by—those were other cultivators entering the Martial Realm through the formation. Before others recognize my identity, I should conceal my aura… With this thought, Mu Zhian clasped his hands together. Southern Wilderness Secret Art! A black mist silently enveloped him, hiding Mu Zhian within its shroud. Yet, Mu Zhian did not realize that this black mist was much denser than usual, deep and mysterious. As the black mist cloaked him, Mu Zhian suddenly heard a haunting, melodious voice echoing like a ghost in his ear. It was akin to a siren's song, filled with allure. Mu Zhian's steps momentarily halted as he intended to leave, instinctively scanning his surroundings, a dense feeling of unease rising within him. Aside from the sound of wind and snow, a gentle and melodious female voice echoed in his ear. Despite having a natural spiritual constitution, he couldn't locate the source of the voice. It seemed to come from all directions, utterly elusive! Could the Martial Realm be haunted…? Mu Zhian felt a creeping sense of dread while surveying the surroundings. Everywhere was blanketed in a whiteness; crystalline snowflakes danced like delicate butterflies in the air. A warm breeze suddenly blew by, and in a trance, Mu Zhian found himself witnessing the snowflakes transforming into pink petals. That wasn’t merely an illusion—it was real! In the blink of an eye, the area around Mu Zhian transitioned from winter to spring! "What is going on…?" He remained cautious, vigilant of the environment around him. Suddenly, he heard the gentle rustling of tree branches not far behind. Mu Zhian quickly turned around. At the edge of his vision was a narrow path. The sides of this path were lined with peach blossom trees, blooming quietly as if by magic. And at the end of the path… Mu Zhian's gaze fixed on a black-robed woman who had appeared at the path's end. The black robe clung tightly to her body, outlining luscious curves that exuded a seductive allure. Because of the hood, Mu Zhian couldn’t clearly see her face but glimpsed a strand of silver hair. "And who might you be…?" Mu Zhian asked instinctively. His attention was entirely captured by this abruptly appearing woman, so much so that he failed to notice the eerie silence that enveloped his surroundings. This was perplexing. With numerous cultivators entering the Martial Realm, it was impossible for such a large area to be devoid of people. Yet in his vicinity, there wasn’t a soul or even the faintest sound. The woman in the black robe lifted her head slightly, her pale, ruby-red lips parting in a gentle, sweet smile. "I told you, I would come to take you back." --- **Chapter 273: The Reborn, The Original Witch!** **Sacred Land of Yaochi.** Mist surrounded the sacred grounds. In a dress of green with white embroidery, Yao Meng's gaze wandered the perimeter of the Sacred Land of Yaochi. "Sister Fairy, after returning to Yaochi this time, will you leave again?" A pure-looking girl near Yao Meng looked up at her with undeniable admiration in her eyes. Yao Xin, who once opposed the Yaochi Saintess, primarily due to the factional rifts within Yaochi she'd observed as a child, held little affection for Yao Yue, the Fairy. But with the return of the Green Emperor, the concept of factions would dissolve. Everyone, including Yao Xin, would naturally have no objections, given that the Green Emperor would reclaim authority. "Yao Xin, mind your manners," a nearby elder lightly scolded. Turning to the green-robed fairy, the elder bowed, "Apologies, Yao Xin has been spoiled by Yaochi and lacks decorum, but she means no disrespect to the Green Emperor." Yao Meng glanced at Yao Xin, smiling gently, "Call me whatever you prefer; it doesn’t matter." In truth, "Sister Fairy" sounded much more pleasant than "Green Emperor," especially since Mu Zhian addressed her that way. This rare female emperor of the Eastern Continent collected her thoughts and continued, "I’m here to attend to some internal matters. In a few days, I will return to the Liangyi Sect to observe the ascension conference." Several accompanying elders exchanged glances. Summoning courage, one of them spoke, "Green Emperor, if you need resources to consolidate your spiritual energy, we could arrange for preparations in advance. While it might not fully restore your Crucible, it could at least return much of it, making the trip to Liangyi Sect unnecessary…" The Sacred Land of Yaochi was one of the top forces in the Eastern Continent. They didn’t know the current state of Yao Meng’s Crucible, but if resources were required to replenish its spiritual energy, they could offer numerous rare treasures. Yao Meng gently shook her head, casting a meaningful look at everyone, "Gathering spiritual energy is one aspect, but there are more pressing matters I need to address." Though Yao Meng’s Crucible had been consolidated and her physical form long restored, for a cultivator at the Integration Realm, her Crucible was still immense. If she wished, Yao Meng could transform much of the Eastern Continent’s chaotic spiritual energy into pure energy for her Crucible. However, this would thin the region's energy for an extended period, significantly impeding the training speed of most cultivators. Currently, Yao Meng wasn’t overly driven by the pursuit of personal power. Moreover, absorbing energy prematurely would leave fewer excuses. Otherwise, what would she say in the future: I’m fully restored but still want to reside in your innate Crucible… Saying such a thing would surely lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. He might even think she was a woman burdened with unmet desires. Reflecting on this, Yao Meng shook her head with a chuckle, casually asking, "How’s the Heavenly Phoenix Fruit?" "Afterward, the Heavenly Phoenix Tree bore three fruit. I planned to reward two of them to two top talents of Yaochi, while keeping the third in reserve," responded the matriarch of Yaochi respectfully. The Heavenly Phoenix Fruit could save a life in critical moments, even allowing the deceased to resurrect instantly. It also provided great benefits for future cultivation, especially for young talents on training missions. Yao Meng pondered briefly, "I’ll need one for something significant." Yao Xin's eyes brightened, "Is it for Mu Zhian?" Yao Meng nodded with a smile. The barrier of returning to reality was a challenge for many, and the Heavenly Phoenix Fruit, if not directly facilitating Mu Zhian’s advancement, could at least increase his chances significantly. Importantly, it could also save his life if he were gravely injured. "Mu Xiaoyou has greatly aided our Sacred Land of Yaochi. It’s only fitting," nodded the matriarch of Yaochi, readily agreeing. "By my reckoning, Yao Yue and Mu Zhian should have entered the Martial Realm by now. I wonder how they're faring," Yao Xin mused. **Chapter 291:** Her age was too young for this year's Ascension Conference, leaving her unable to participate. "Yao Yue possesses remarkable talent; the trials of the Martial Realm are no challenge for her," Yao Meng said, tilting her head slightly toward the direction of the Martial Realm. "As for him... he's even less of a concern." Mu Zhian, aside from his personal prowess, knew quite a few people within his sect. Unless he was extremely unfortunate and ended up in the same area with those who had poor relations with him, passing the trials of the Martial Realm to qualify for the Ascension Conference shouldn’t pose much difficulty. ...At least, that should be the case. Sensing something was amiss, what started as a casual glance from Yao Meng turned grave as her azure eyes seemed to pierce through to the Martial Realm's distant territory. Within the extreme winter landscape of the Martial Realm, faintly discernible was an ominous black mist… This mist resembled the secret arts from the Southern Wilderness, capable of veiling one’s fate from the heavens. "Green Emperor, is something the matter?" a daring elder asked. Yao Meng did not respond immediately. After a brief gaze, the typically gentle and serene fairy revealed a hint of coldness in her eyes, her presence radiating a faint but terrifying aura. "His aura has vanished." --- The Martial Realm was divided into nine zones, labeled from Area One to Area Nine. Once everyone drew lots and confirmed their zones, they flooded into the Martial Realm. Some cultivators, previously having had disputes, immediately clashed upon entering the realm. Meanwhile, others, more sensible, refrained from immediate conflict, opting to withdraw and seek a more opportune moment to gain points. After all, each area within the Martial Realm was vast enough to easily find a hiding spot. *Boom!* In Area Four, Nijati was enveloped in a bizarre black mist. He punched a fellow cultivator in the chest, causing the latter to spit blood and stagger back several steps. Before the cultivator could rise, Nijati stepped on his chest, grinning broadly, "Hand over your points." --- Glancing at the additional point on his token, Nijati smirked coldly. The cultivators of the Eastern Continent didn’t seem much different from those of the Southern Wilderness—truly a waste of such fertile land. Next, I should find Miss to regroup. And see which area that Mu Zhian is hiding in. Recalling the humiliation he suffered at the hands of Mu Zhian, this holy son of the Southern Wilderness felt a towering rage, his fists clenching tightly. "Hopefully, you don’t run into me too soon, or this trial will lose its fun." Rather than encountering Mu Zhian right away, Nijati preferred waiting until Mu Zhian was on the brink of collecting all points and passing the Martial Realm’s trial, only to crush his hopes after a hard struggle. The despairing look brought about this way would be the perfect balm for his wounded pride! --- **Area One** Behind Bai Ruoxi, a golden blade of light slowly emerged. She performed a hand seal, causing the blade to split into three. The ominous aura emitted by the blades made nearby cultivators step aside in apprehension. Seeing this, it was clear that she was not one to be trifled with—a gifted prodigy. No one wished to confront her so soon. Right now, collecting enough points to pass the trial and qualify for the Ascension Conference was the most important task. As for Bai Ruoxi… facing her could wait until after passing the trials. Bai Ruoxi surveyed her surroundings, and after confirming there was no hostile intent toward her, decided to ride her sword away to find a suitable resting spot. "Ruoxi sister...?" A soft, pleasing voice suddenly called from behind, prompting Bai Ruoxi to turn instinctively. A svelte, elegant young girl in a purple gown stood not far ahead, her bright and enchanting eyes fixed on Bai Ruoxi. "Is that you, Lingxuan?" Bai Ruoxi responded instinctively. It was indeed Ye Lingxuan, who coincidentally found herself in the same zone as Bai Ruoxi. "What a stroke of luck that we ended up together," Bai Ruoxi said kindly, watching Ye Lingxuan approach. Ye Lingxuan looked around before speaking, "It seems Brother Mu isn’t in our zone." "The assignments were random but given his abilities, except for a select few, he should be able to handle anyone at his level," Bai Ruoxi replied confidently.