340 - It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Chapter 340: So, They Are the Real Protagonists Author: ccc Seeing her so frequently over the past few days might be too much; I should give it some time before visiting her again. Besides, I need to provide some useful information before seeking her out... Such thoughts flickered through Mu Zhian's mind as he got out of bed. After tidying up his hair in front of a bronze mirror and changing into his robe, he pushed the door open and left. Unbeknownst to him, it was already morning. Gu Boxin's infiltration into Tianhe Courtyard last night had left no trace whatsoever. An ordinary cultivator would have no clue that a fierce battle had taken place in the depths of the courtyard. The courtyard, laden with thick layers of snow, mirrored the chilling tranquility of winter. As Mu Zhian strolled through the courtyard, he suddenly sensed a terrifying spiritual aura stealthily emanating from one of the rooms. This kind of oppressive force could only be created by figures like Yao Meng and the Spirit Dragon, couldn't it...? Curiosity piqued, Mu Zhian followed the direction from which the formidable spiritual aura was emanating. ... Meanwhile, elsewhere. The two celestial beings, both with illustrious pasts, dominated their respective eras, each being the sole respected figure of their time. Their ability to suppress contemporaneous geniuses and merge with the Dao speaks volumes about their extraordinary personas. In this moment, faced with the territorial claim of the Primordial Witch, Yao Meng remained as serene as ever. Her eyes smiled, yet her voice carried no warmth: "I don't know if you were his Dao companion in the past, but I met him earlier in this life, and he has confessed to me before." The Primordial Witch sneered coldly at this assertion: "He was simply unaware of your true identity, deceived by your facade. If he knew you were a woman who has existed for millennia, he would have surely stayed far away." If Mu Zhian were here, he might not have resisted a mental quip: "Isn't a mature elder sister the epitome of perfection?" With their integration with the Dao, boasting profound depths and meritorious power coupled with their stunning beauty, they could be said to be virtually flawless. Who wouldn't like a strong, well-connected elder sister who occasionally gifts high-grade medicinal ingredients as presents? The primary issue, however, might be that most powerhouses possess extremely haughty dispositions with strong possessive tendencies. Had it not been for Mu Zhian's masterful handling, he might've found himself in solitary confinement by now. However, there are exceptions among these possessively inclined individuals... Yao Meng, for instance, is one such exception. Her eyes remained languid, the mystical mist surrounding her adding an ethereal veil; she spoke with lips red as rubies, "Whether you like him is none of my concern. I have no intention of competing with you over who came first." "On the contrary, if you were indeed his Dao companion in a past life, it would be something pleasing to me." The Primordial Witch's eyes revealed a hint of doubt, "What do you mean by that?" The seemingly perfect celestial in the eyes of the world tilted her head slightly. Her jade-green eyes shimmered with a faint hint of amusement as she softly remarked, "Watching your Dao companion gradually become mine is rather delightful." After a brief pause, Yao Meng spoke again with a teasing smile: "Your Dao companion performed splendidly last night." The air thickened into a tangible silence. The Primordial Witch's formerly gentle gaze turned cruelly cold. ... A quarter of an hour earlier. Amid the swirling morning mist and falling snow, Mu Zhian stood in the courtyard, leisurely stretching. "It's been a while since I had such a soothing experience cultivating," he reflected genuinely as he gazed at the snow-clad courtyard. For quite some time, Mu Zhian had been working tirelessly for the strength of Eastern Continent. Though his natural resilience allowed for quick recovery, he cherished the moments of relaxation. He followed the path towards Wei Mengrou's domicile. Previously, Wei Mengrou maintained a certain distance, but after she confessed her feelings, their relationship intensified. By now, surely he could tease Mengrou a little...? Lost in his thoughts, Mu Zhian found himself at the end of the pathway. Lifting his head, he spotted a spotless figure in a blue dress standing by a small house's window. Her blue and white gown with its ethereal elegance seemed to sanctify her presence. Yao Meng...? What is she doing by Mengrou's window? Curiosity furrowed Mu Zhian's brows. He moved forward to greet her, but his gaze was caught by another figure at the window. Wei Mengrou! She wore a black robe, her skin alabaster, appearing frail and pitiable. No, it's not Mengrou. It's the Primordial Witch... has she awakened from her slumber? The seemingly delicate woman was once the master of the world sea: the Primordial Witch! Then, he overheard Yao Meng's remark. "Your Dao companion performed splendidly last night." "......" Mu Zhian pondered, then realized, suppressing his quickening heart rate as he discreetly turned away. Although Mu Zhian knew well that avoidance was futile and pointless... eventually, he'd have to return to resolve it. Soon, he was distracted by commotion from outside the courtyard, calming his nerves as he approached its entrance. There, he spotted a group of vaguely familiar cultivators. Mu Zhian recognized Bai Ruoxi's master among them and asked puzzledly, "Principal Yi... why are you here?" "Several principals were intrigued by your performance yesterday and your cultivation technique, so we thought to pay you a visit," Yi Hao replied with a smile. Mu Zhian nodded mechanically, surreptitiously watching the principals. Of course, he knew they couldn't have come for his performance. After all, he belonged to the library pavilion as a disciple now. What use could they have for him, training his cultivation? Naturally, he didn't vocalize his skepticism. After all, offending high-ranking members of the sect would be unwise for him. After some polite exchanges, the head of the Discipline Hall laughed as he got to the point, "I heard that the esteemed Empress is in seclusion here. Given that her spiritual power seems not fully restored, I brought some elixirs, but I wonder if I could..." As expected... Mu Zhian wasn't surprised, but diplomatically replied, "Dear principals, you've come at an inopportune time... Sister Immortal—" He paused to correct himself, "The esteemed Empress is currently occupied with other matters; she may not be able to receive you..." "No matter, we can take a look around this abode, perhaps leave the elixirs behind," suggested another principal nearby with a smile. With the conversation turned in this direction, Mu Zhian relented, guiding the principals with their amiable faces into the dwelling. As they passed by a small house, they soon spotted Yao Meng, standing by the window, causing them to exchange glances of understanding. The Empress indeed resides here... Suddenly, Bai Xinghe's gaze tightened upon the second woman standing at the window. Who is this woman, and why does she exude such a mysterious aura... Mu Zhian surveyed the group silently, also glancing at the distant delicate figure in blue, then lowered his voice, "Esteemed principals, please follow me." With that said, he prepared to enter the main hall. Meanwhile, Yao Meng seemed to have also noticed Mu Zhian's presence. She glanced sidelong at him and, with a shimmering green gaze, offered a subtle smile: "Mu Lang, back so soon?" Mu Zhian's scalp tingled. The principals froze momentarily, and processing the current situation, their brows twitched vigorously. Only now did they realize that Mu Zhian's earlier words weren't evasions but... Their timing really couldn't have been worse. Chapter 310: The Layered Battle Between Yao Meng and the Primordial Witch Prior to this incident, some principals had entertained outrageous speculations. For instance, could the Empress's concern for Mu Zhian stem from more than his past life-saving deed...? However, these thoughts seemed too absurd, so they were unwilling to explore them further. But now... speculation was superfluous. As her melodious voice echoed in their minds, the seemingly calm principals erupted internally. Even the most skilled artist couldn't capture the shock and awe coloring their faces now. Upon hearing "Mu Lang," the principals' faces transitioned from initial stupefaction to incredulous astonishment, before they quietly inhaled, exhaled, maintaining their previous facade of calmness. Externally steady, internally flustered. Even they realized that their timing truly wasn't ideal... The Empress's "Mu Lang" wasn't said for others' benefit; it was directed at another woman within the room. Inside the room, a silver-haired woman appeared equally unfamiliar to them. At the very least, they had no recollection of her. All in all, it seemed like Mu Zhian was right—they had come at an unfortunate time... Initially, they thought Mu Zhian was politely declining their visit, but they hadn’t anticipated that this disciple was genuinely considering their best interests. At that moment, time seemed to come to a standstill. Yi Hao calmed himself slightly and relayed a sound transmission to Mu Zhian with a wry smile, "Mu Xiaoyou... you've certainly kept this well-hidden." Mu Zhian replied through sound transmission, "If I had explained this to the heads beforehand, would you have believed me?" Yi Hao nodded subtly, acknowledging the truth in those words. Had anyone told them earlier that the Empress had a Dao companion, and it was a mere Refining God realm disciple within their sect, they would certainly have dismissed it as a disrespectful joke about the Empress. But now... Hearing that Mu Zhian and the Empress were companions from anyone else, they wouldn’t have believed it. Yet, hearing it directly from the Empress herself... made it undeniable, even if they didn't want to accept it. The question remained, didn’t Mu Zhian already have a Dao companion? As countless questions buzzed through the heads' minds, Mu Zhian cleared his thoughts and looked up at Yao Meng with a breezy smile, "A few of the heads were unaware that Sister Immortal resided here, and upon learning so today, they wanted to meet you." Pausing briefly, Mu Zhian continued, "I’ll first escort the heads to the hall for some rest." Surely, this is a proper excuse? Now that there are guests, let's put our disputes aside for a moment. I'll entertain the heads first, and return to sort this out when tempers have cooled... Mu Zhian mused inwardly. "Please, come with me," Mu Zhian warmly invited the group to take their seats. Yet, Yi Hao remained still, smiling as he said, "Speaking of which, our Canghai Sect has some important matters to tend to today. Our visit to Tianhe Courtyard was primarily to express our gratitude for the immortal fate the Empress bestowed upon us the other day." Mu Zhian's heart skipped a beat. Had he gone inside with Yi Hao, he wouldn't be the only one caught in the maelstrom. Yet... These old foxes weren't naïve enough to fall into his ploy... Yi Hao retrieved a beautifully crafted small wooden box from his spatial ring, saying, "Here are three six-grade Yuan Supplement Pills, significant for advancing cultivators' progress." He also took out an exquisite jade bottle, smiling, "This seven-grade elixir can restore some spiritual energy. It may not be significant for the Empress, but it expresses my humble gratitude." Observing this, the others exchanged peculiar glances with Yi Hao from Canghai Peak. Yi Hao’s initial preparation wasn’t for the Yuan Supplement Pills—he must have adjusted it upon realizing Mu Zhian's relationship with the Empress. Though the resources to craft Yuan Supplement Pills were rather scarce, for someone of the Empress’s caliber in the Dao Integration realm, these pills were redundant... but not for Mu Zhian. While the Empress wouldn’t benefit, Mu Zhian undoubtedly could. The ingredients for these pills require time to amass, even for the powerful in the Dao Integration realm. At this moment, a rare smile appeared on Bai Xinghe’s usually stern face. "The last time Mu Xiaoyou visited the Discipline Hall, I was in seclusion. Seeing you this time, I must say, considering your performance yesterday, you're certainly remarkable. Please, accept these two six-grade pills if you don't mind," he said, taking out a jade bottle from his ring, followed by a specially crafted small casket. "I heard the Empress’s spiritual energy hasn't fully recovered yet, so I prepared two Heavenly Dragon Vines. They can be refined into elixirs or consumed directly with excellent effects." Immediately, all eyes went to the small casket in Bai Xinghe's hands, gazing at this seemingly upright master with newfound curiosity. Bai Xinghe acquired the Heavenly Dragon Vines during training outside before becoming the head of the Discipline Hall, from the cave of an ancient fallen power. Despite numerous high-ranking individuals in the sect having coveted these vines, Bai Xinghe had resolutely refused them all. Normally, cultivators have to rely on themselves when transcending tribulations—the Heavenly Dragon Vines provide no shortcuts, though they can safeguard a cultivator's core body. Should they fail the tribulation, these vines prevent a drop in their cultivation level. Had Mu Zhian possessed them during his adventures in the Martial World, he wouldn't have faced any drawbacks, even in failure. The head of the Discipline Hall sure made a lavish gesture, going all out. Subsequently, the other three heads followed suit, presenting further pills or materials from their spatial rings as Yao Meng looked at Mu Zhian. The heads quickly noted the significance of this glance, understanding the unspoken meaning. Yao Meng's subtle cue pointed to Mu Zhian's decision; if he shook his head, neither elixirs nor materials would be accepted by the Empress. "Decide for yourself, don't worry about me," Mu Zhian transmitted to Yao Meng. Though these offerings were practically unavailable elsewhere, they held little use for someone of the Dao Integration level. The heads were well aware and gifted only those that Mu Zhian could utilize. If he refined and absorbed all these materials, he could advance two grades in a short period. Given their rarity, these were treasures the heads wouldn't part with casually, if not for the Empress. With a soft smile, Yao Meng's voice resonated like a nightingale, "In that case, I thank you all for your kindness. On a suitable day, I shall personally visit to express my gratitude." Upon hearing this, Bai Xinghe and others finally relaxed, sharing a glance before making respectful gestures. **Next Chapter** **Previous Chapter** [Previous Chapter: None Understand Villainry Better Than I] [Next Chapter: Crossover: Superhero From the Start] Recommended Reading! - Martial Arts: Infinite Qi Points, Unmatched in the World - I, Quasi-Immortal Emperor, Join the Chat Group After a Million-Year Slumber - Sailing: Summoning Thor, Split Second to Defeat Kaido - Three Bodies: I'm a Bug, The Bug of the Zerg! - Crossover: The Infinite Conquest - Konoha: I, Naruto, Will Outshine Everyone Today - Martial Arts: Heaven's Reward for Diligence, Hunted by Xu Weixiong - Pokémon: Starting from Pallet Town - Konoha: Revive the Uchiha, Begin with a Consort - Zombie: Consort Becomes Ancestor, Yue Qiluo Begs for Mercy **Copyright©2022 Fan-fic Novels All Rights Reserved.**