330 - It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

**Title: It Turns Out, They Are the Main Characters - Chapter 330** **Author: ccc** Naturally, it is much more intriguing for someone to be eliminated after a fierce match rather than by merely being late. For whatever reason, people are eager to witness the participation of Mu Zhian. Even the disciple from the Sword-Hiding Peak standing on the stage shares this sentiment. The incense stick on the stage slowly burns out. The elder at the front of the high platform raises his eyelids slightly. Boom! In the distance, a figure transforms into a streak of light, hastening its arrival, eventually landing steadily in the arena. "Apologies, I encountered some unexpected delays," Mu Zhian says with a smile, glancing at the incense stick nearby. "But it seems I arrived just in time." The elder nods slightly, glancing at the Sword-Hiding Peak disciple on stage, and says, "Since everyone is here, make your preparations." From afar, Yan Ruyu gazes intently at Mu Zhian, her beautiful eyes showing a sliver of worry despite her calm exterior. While confident in Mu Zhian's abilities, she cannot ignore the fact that the opponent is an elite in the fifth rank of the Spirit Refinement stage, two grades above Mu Zhian. If not for the incident during the martial world evaluation, perhaps the situation would be different. But currently, Mu Zhian has fallen to the initial level of the fourth rank due to the tribulation from earlier... This disparity naturally unsettles people. The head of Drunken Dream Peak, Ning Yuan, noticing Yan Ruyu's concern, smiles and reassures her, "Junior Sister, you can be at ease. This Ascension Conference has attracted attention from all over the Nine Provinces. We should stand united. Even if Mu Zhian is eliminated, our disciples from Drunken Dream Peak are also here." Yan Ruyu replies with a faint smile, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother, but I believe in my disciple." After her response, she turns her attention back to Mu Zhian, ignoring Ning Yuan. Ning Yuan opens his mouth, as though wanting to say more, but seeing Yan Ruyu's indifferent expression, he decides against it. Nearby, Yu Xuanji, the head of the Celestial Machine Peak, covers her mouth, chuckling, "Senior Brother Ning may be of the sixth rank in the Void Return, but he seems to lack Mu Zhian's disciple's success in courting a female cultivator." Among the heads, Yan Ruyu is the youngest. Her charm and intellectual aura attract admiration not only from the heads but even from disciples. She is known for rarely socializing closely with others, except with her elder sister from Dao Peak, Yu Ziyan, with whom she once shared a close bond until they parted ways due to certain misunderstandings. As the two individuals on the platform prepare to engage, one of the heads suddenly asks with a smile, "Who do you think will emerge victorious in this Ascension Conference?" "Naturally, it will be a disciple from my Canghai Peak," Yi Hao asserts confidently. He has unwavering faith in Bai Ruoxi's talent and skills. Despite the fierce competition, he is certain she will triumph. Yu Ziyan giggles, "My two disciples are not far behind Bai Ruoxi in terms of talent. If they meet, who could tell who would win?" "In terms of cultivation amongst peers, aside from that girl Lan Mulian, there likely isn't anyone surpassing my disciple Wei Mengrou," the head of the Transformation Treasure Peak boasts proudly. At this, a vivid contrast forms among the nine heads: one side is joyful while the other remains silent. During the quest for these exceptionally talented inner disciples, those now silent did not participate, opting instead for other promising candidates. Their reasoning was that the contest seemed too beneath their stature. Plainly put, they didn't want to compete so fiercely; recruiting an inner disciple shouldn't come at such a high price. Who could have predicted that this Ascension Conference would catch the attention of all Nine Provinces? The essence of head discipleship lies in fame, and one straightforward means to achieve prominence is for your disciple to gain widespread renown. Making it to the top ten in this Ascension Conference ensures fame. Just imagine—everyone would recall who taught a top ten Ascension Conference prodigy... it's a proud thought. Yet now... Those heads who missed out on securing these prodigious disciples can only rue their missed opportunity. This should have been the perfect chance for their main peaks to shine. But in their quest for 'high standards,' they now watch helplessly as other main peaks steal the spotlight. Fortunately, they still have a backup... Heads and elder members from Sword-Hiding Peak and other main peaks occasionally glance at the distant platform where Mu Zhian stands. Even if their disciples get eliminated before the top hundred, it is still better than the fate awaiting Yan Ruyu's pupil. After all, most of their disciples hover around the fifth rank of Spirit Refinement, while Mu Zhian has barely made it to the fourth. And as luck would have it, he's facing off with a fifth-rank elite right from the start. "Mu Zhian seems on the verge of losing to Yuan Ping," remarks the deputy head of Sword-Hiding Peak. Everyone's eyes turn toward the platform where Mu Zhian stands, his spiritual energy frazzled, panting for breath. Before him, nearly thirty swords encircle him, directed by Yuan Ping's hand gestures, relentlessly assaulting Mu Zhian. "It seems his spiritual energy hasn't fully recovered from his journey," observes Yu Ziyan, her brow furrowed. "Given how critical the Ascension Conference is, he's already at a disadvantage against Yuan Ping, and then he arrived late," notes Ning Yuan with a shake of his head. "Yuan Ping is our Sword-Hiding Peak disciple; losing to him isn't shameful," Xiao Lin laughs heartily, glancing at Yuan Ping on the high platform with satisfaction. Then, turning to Yan Ruyu with a grin, he adds, "I thought back then when Junior Sister decisively chose Mu Zhian as her inner disciple, she must have seen his potential. Though now, it seems maybe she just found him pleasing to the eye." Seeing Mu Zhian's current performance, Xiao Lin's schadenfreude is understandable. With a chuckle, Yu Ziyan comments to Yan Ruyu, "If Junior Sister regrets it now, perhaps she might consider sending him to Dao Peak as an inner disciple." Yan Ruyu, unfazed, watches the dueling platform, ignoring them. At this moment, Yuan Ping stands with hands clasped behind his back, his nine swords encircling him. He looks at Mu Zhian, still gasping for air amidst the swords, and remarks with a smile, "Miss Bai may be remarkably gifted, but her choice in partners seems lacking." He had heard of Mu Zhian before, though not for his talent, but because the esteemed Bai Ruoxi of Canghai Peak had chosen him as her partner. Though not one to openly confront Mu Zhian over this, Yuan Ping could not fully accept it. In his view, Mu Zhian’s capabilities fell short of being worthy of Bai Ruoxi's beauty. Mu Zhian surveys the swords, then turns nonchalantly to Yuan Ping with a smile. "Love and talent are unrelated, my friend. Perhaps there are some misconceptions about relationships." With a hint of mockery, Yuan Ping retorts, "Brother Mu is of the fourth rank, while Miss Bai is likely above the seventh. As she ascends to the Void Return stage and experiences more, she'll realize—" "She'll realize how great a partner her Mu Lang truly is?" Mu Zhian interrupts with a grin. Slightly irritated by the interruption, Yuan Ping warns, "She’ll see this world teems with exceptional cultivators, offering numerous options." "As they say, don't discard your wife of humble origins... wait, did I just cast myself as the female lead?" Mu Zhian chuckles to himself, continuing, "Anyway," he smiles at the Sword-Hiding Peak disciple, "I don’t feel so outmatched." "In this moment, it's my call," Yuan Ping chuckles slightly. With a gesture, nearly thirty swords fly toward Mu Zhian! Whatever Mu Zhian’s talent, being knocked out of the Ascension Conference in the first round would leave a lasting impression on the sect and cultivators across the Nine Provinces. As the swords descend upon him, Mu Zhian murmurs, "You..." So verbose... Yuan Ping’s eyes chill as he draws his sword and lunges for Mu Zhian just as the swords close in. Mu Zhian steps forward. In that instant, the world turns grey. Swords halt midair, Yuan Ping’s leap freezes, and even the wind stands still. After receiving a portion of the original witch’s power, Wei Mengrou inadvertently shared some of it with Mu Zhian! Two seconds pass, and time resumes. Yuan Ping, realizing too late, finds Mu Zhian before him, who then throws a powerful punch! **Fanfiction Network** **Fanfiction Home > Original story > So, They Were the Main Characters All Along - Chapter 330** **Author: ccc** The force of the punch surged forth, and the simplicity of it reverberated through Yuan Ping's body, causing pain to shoot through his organs. He was propelled out of the arena like a cannonball. An elder, observing from midair, blinked slightly at the scene and then calmly declared, "Mu Zhian wins!" Silence enveloped the audience as the realization settled in. Even the elders were left stunned for a considerable time. Within those fleeting two seconds, what exactly Mu Zhian had done remained a mystery, even to the experienced elders. The heads who had been critiquing earlier now looked on with a mix of shock and curiosity. What exactly did Mu Zhian use—a secret art or something else? Even the heads couldn't decipher it... Just then, Yu Ziyan noticed something and instinctively glanced behind her. Not far behind them, a celestial figure in a blue dress hovered in midair. Her jade-like feet bare, she had an ethereal quality, her clear and bright green eyes fixed on Mu Zhian, an expression of serene calm on her face. Yu Ziyan's movement caught the attention of the other heads. Upon turning to look, they felt a jolt in their hearts. The Azure Emperor...? What was she doing here...? The relationship between Mu Zhian and the Azure Emperor wasn't known to all the heads and elders. Only a few female heads who previously discovered Mu Zhian's innate potential were privy to the secret. But they had never shared this information with anyone else. Yan Ruyu, feeling a sense of relief, gazed at the young man on stage. A faint smile formed on her lips as she glanced at Xiao Lin, saying, "Senior Brother Xiao, did you ever wonder why I chose him as an inner disciple, even if he was supposedly just at the fourth level of the Refinement rank?" Xiao Lin frowned slightly, murmuring, "Not just the Library Pavilion... He's also the disciple of the Azure Emperor?" Yan Ruyu's eyes gleamed with a meaningful smile but she didn't respond directly. Xiao Lin furrowed his brows, refocusing on Mu Zhian on stage. He composed himself and cast a sidelong glance at the blue-dressed celestial behind him. In that brief glance, he caught sight of a gentle smile on her lips as she looked at Mu Zhian, her green eyes reflecting a hint of softness... and some hidden emotions deep within. Rumors had circulated that Mu Zhian once saved the Azure Emperor's life; her taking him as a disciple wasn't entirely surprising... Xiao Lin considered. If true, it would explain why Yan Ruyu had earlier accepted Mu Zhian as an inner disciple; she had later gained celestial fortunes from the Azure Emperor due to this connection. As Xiao Lin mused over these thoughts, Yan Ruyu's meaningful look flashed back in his mind. He frowned again, as if struck by a revelation, and then a blue flash seemed to zip across his mind. He turned once more to look at Mu Zhian, just in time to catch him and the Azure Emperor exchanging glances. Logically, none of the other heads dared to hold such a gaze with the Azure Emperor, so why should a Refinement stage cultivator dare such impudence...? Xiao Lin's eyes flickered as he glanced towards Yan Ruyu nearby, a preposterous thought forming in his mind. ...Cultivation partner? **Chapter 303: Did You Expect This, You Little Wretch? I'm Back Too! 4K** The sparring began less than an incense stick's time ago, with Mu Zhian's move lasting just a few seconds. What transpired in those nearly two seconds puzzled even the heads watching. Yet, aside from this mystery, something else held everyone's attention. Since the beginning, the Azure Emperor had been watching from behind them... Even though her gaze was not upon them, it instilled a peculiar feeling among those present. And once the elder proclaimed Mu Zhian's victory, Yao Meng quietly departed. The presence of a cultivator in the Dao Integration realm here could incite chaos and exert immense psychological pressure on other competitors. After all, not everyone is like Mu Zhian, unabashed in facing an empress of the Dao Integration realm. Mu Zhian bowed slightly to the elder on the stage, stepped down from the arena, and then looked towards the distant high platform, paying a respectful nod to Yan Ruyu. Smiling, Yan Ruyu inclined her head in response, though her eyes held an apologetic look. Her initial reason for choosing Mu Zhian as an inner disciple had been less than pure. Seeing his demeanor now stirred a sense of guilt within her. Watching Mu Zhian's retreating figure, Yan Ruyu reflected deeply. Meanwhile, Yu Ziyan's eyes glimmered with insight and she whispered, "The spiritual energy of the heavens and earth seems to be intensifying...?" Yan Ruyu looked up at the sky, eyes glinting with intertwined colors. After a pause, she softly replied, "The rules of the world are being rewritten... perhaps a new Void Return realm can emerge." If so, Mu Zhian's future value might soar far beyond present estimations... Given that the celestial fortune granted by the Azure Emperor had already propelled several heads past their bottlenecks, achieving the peak of Void Return seemed inevitable with continued cultivation. But due to heavenly constraints, the peak of Void Return marked the limit of cultivation. Now, with worldly rules changing, a new Dao Comprehension realm could someday exist... Under these new constraints, no more than thirty individuals from the Nine Provinces will be able to enter the Dao Comprehension realm. The quickest way to achieve this... "Mu Zhian's spiritual energy has become much more potent than before. Perhaps his innate potential has been aided by some fortuitous encounter," Yu Ziyan softly suggested. Yan Ruyu, her expression serene, simply watched Mu Zhian depart, her slender fingers lightly touching her lips, deep in thought. ... After leaving the platform, Mu Zhian casually surveyed his surroundings. In the air, as though gazing into a reflecting pool, images of various zones appeared, showing familiar figures. His attention first landed on Bai Ruoxi. Watching the sword light flash behind her elegant gown and swiftly concluding the battle, he felt an added admiration. "Ruoxi's strength has significantly grown... ending a match so swiftly against someone of the same rank." Perhaps due to Gong Lianyue's influence, she'd adopted a majestic aura that evoked an unapproachable coolness. As he mused, a pink mist suddenly crossed his vision, emanating directly from Bai Ruoxi! Narrowing his eyes, Mu Zhian focused on Bai Ruoxi again, witnessing her clad gracefully in a white palace dress that hugged her form, with a golden sword aura radiating majestic power. --- **End of Chapter** **Recommended Reading:** - Martial Arts: Infinite Blood Points Boost, Rule the Jianghu - I, a Quasi Immortal Emperor, Awaken After Millennia and Join a Chat Group - One Piece: Summoning the Thunder God, Defeat Kaido in One Strike - Three-Body: I'm a Bug, the Zerg's Insect! - Comprehensive Anime: The Infinite Conquest - Naruto: I, Naruto, Aim to Outshine Everyone Here - Wuxia: The Dao Rewards Diligence, Flee from Xu Wuxiong - Pokémon: Starting in Pallet Town - Naruto: Reviving the Uchiha, Beginning with Marriage - Zombie: Marrying Aunts to Become the Dao Ancestor, Yue Qiluo Begs for Mercy **Copyright © 2022 Fanfiction Network All Rights Reserved.**