It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Chapter 223: Are You Kidding Me?

The emergence of the Forbidden Zone’s powerful beings and the suppression of the two Primordial Clans sent shockwaves throughout the Eastern Realm. Soon after, the Two Polarities Sect also joined the fray.

It was clear that a major reckoning was about to take place, purging the Eastern Realm of its ‘parasites’. The entire region was in turmoil. Primordial Clans sought out talismans imbued with the Qi Observation Technique to examine their own members for any signs of collusion with Demonic Cultivators. Fierce battles erupted within these clans over the next two days.

However, even amidst this chaos, the old monsters in seclusion remained hidden.

They knew this was just the beginning.

The deity from the Southern Wilderness and the Primordial Demon Emperor, the true masterminds behind the incident, were still lurking in the shadows.

It was even possible that more creatures from the Southern Wilderness were still hiding within the Eastern Realm!

The offspring of the Southern Wilderness deity were infamous throughout the Nine Realms.

They were known as the ‘Unseeable,’ creatures that could not be looked upon directly.

Because anyone who saw them would be confronted with their deepest fears.

Over the past two days, people in Sacred King City had witnessed the Jade Empress carrying a young man as she traveled throughout the Jade Pool, even visiting the ancestral land.

This news shocked many cultivators in the city.

Mu Zhi’an had visited Sacred King City several times, so many people recognized him.

However, the fact that the Jade Empress personally carried him back to the Jade Pool was truly astonishing.

Contrary to expectations, Ye Lingxuan, who should have been grieving, was unusually calm. She hadn’t left the Jade Pool for two days, and the ‘puppet,’ or rather the Reincarnated Empress, had disappeared.

Ye Lingxuan sat alone in the courtyard, her back radiating a sense of loneliness.

Now at the Core Formation Realm, she could stay awake for days without any problems, but sitting alone in the courtyard for two days straight still worried those around her.

Early one morning, Wei Mengrou, whose injuries had somewhat healed, visited the Jade Pool courtyard. Seeing Ye Lingxuan sitting on a chair, seemingly lost in thought, her heart ached.

“Even at the Core Formation Realm, you should still take care of yourself.”

Ye Lingxuan didn’t look up. She shook her head and smiled faintly. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“Is there something you need, Sister Mengrou?” she asked.

“The Jade Empress said she’s going to temporarily freeze his body today. Maybe there’s a way to revive him later,” Wei Mengrou said.

Ye Lingxuan was stunned, her eyes shimmering with tears.

She lowered her gaze and murmured, “Mm.”

Wei Mengrou looked at the girl in the purple dress, wanting to say something more.

But Ye Lingxuan lifted her head and said, “Sister Mengrou, don’t worry too much about me. I’m fine, as I said.”

“The Violet Rainbow Sect and the Profound Sky Sect were just pawns. I know what the best course of action is until we catch the true culprits.”

Wei Mengrou remained silent for a moment, then sat down beside Ye Lingxuan.

“Is your inheritance complete?” she asked.

She knew Ye Lingxuan didn’t want to talk about Mu Zhi’an anymore, so she decided to change the subject.

Ye Lingxuan shook her head gently. “Not yet, but I can continue receiving it after we return to the sect.”

The Forbidden Zone’s inheritance resided within the ‘puppet’ Ye Lingxuan had created. As long as the puppet was with her, she could resume the inheritance at any time.

Wei Mengrou nodded slightly. “You’re already at the fifth-grade Core Formation Realm. Once the inheritance is complete, you should be at least at the sixth-grade, or even higher?”

“Mm.” Ye Lingxuan nodded gently, her expression calm.

From a Foundation Establishment cultivator to the fifth-grade Core Formation Realm in less than half a month – such a cultivation speed was beyond the reach of even the most talented individuals.

Ye Lingxuan was beginning to show her true potential, and in the future, she would leave her peers far behind.

Mu Zhi’an’s previous guess was right. If he hadn’t captured Ye Lingxuan’s heart while she was young, it would be almost impossible to do so in the future.

Because Ye Lingxuan’s character and talent were far superior to those of her generation.

After chatting for a while, Wei Mengrou’s gaze fell upon the snow lotus in Ye Lingxuan’s hand.

She recognized it.

Because she also had the same snow lotus.

However, the one in Ye Lingxuan’s hand had withered.

“Brother Mu gave this to me before. It’s a shame I accidentally let it wither while I was receiving the inheritance,” Ye Lingxuan explained, noticing Wei Mengrou’s gaze.

Wei Mengrou hesitated for a moment, then took out a flowerpot from her storage ring.

The pot contained Luminous Soil, and within it bloomed a vibrant snow lotus.

She handed the snow lotus to Ye Lingxuan.

Ye Lingxuan immediately shook her head and smiled. “No need. Although it’s a bit of a pity, if I really want a snow lotus, I can just pick another one from the Mu family. Brother Mu wouldn’t mind—”

Her voice suddenly choked, and her heart ached as if pierced by a needle, a wave of sorrow overwhelming her.

She took a shallow breath and exhaled slowly.

Just as she was about to force a smile, Wei Mengrou gently pulled her head into her embrace, stroking her smooth hair.

“There’s no one else here, so it’s okay,” she whispered in Ye Lingxuan’s ear.

“I told you I’m fine…” Ye Lingxuan whispered again.

However, for some reason, under Wei Mengrou’s comfort, the composure the Forbidden Zone’s Holy Maiden had always maintained seemed to crumble. Wei Mengrou soon felt her clothes becoming damp with tears.

After a long time, Ye Lingxuan wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, her eyes red-rimmed. “Sister Mengrou, aren’t you sad?”

Wei Mengrou smiled gently. “Of course I am.”

“But I don’t know why; I just can’t cry.”

She pointed to her chest and whispered, “It feels empty here.”

…

Evening. The sun began to set.

The Jade Empress opened her eyes on the throne, a hint of fatigue in them.

“Senior Jade Empress, are you alright…?” an elder below couldn’t help but ask with concern.

“I’m fine,” the Jade Empress shook her head slowly.

She felt weak, partly because she hadn’t absorbed any Spiritual Energy for the past two days, and partly because she had been suppressing the arrival of her Primordial Spirit Tribulation.

Some people in the Jade Pool speculated that she had pushed herself too hard to accelerate her Vessel condensation process, causing backlash.

But in reality, it had nothing to do with backlash…

The Jade Empress leaned back on the throne, quietly waiting for nightfall.

She was a patient person. Until the big fish took the bait, she could wait motionlessly.

…

Night fell, but Sacred King City remained bustling. The recent events at the Jade Pool Sacred Land were the hottest topic among cultivators.

The Forbidden Zone’s investigation of Sacred King City had ended, and the Thunder God and the Kun Peng seemed to have departed, but most people hadn’t left the city.

The outside world was in chaos. Primordial Clans were investigating their own members, and those who had just undergone scrutiny didn’t want to return to their families and add to the turmoil.

Moreover, many had a feeling that this incident wasn’t over yet…

The Jade Pool had been attacked by two Primordial Clans wielding ancestral artifacts.

The question was, why did these two clans attack the Jade Pool Sacred Land?

Naturally, they were seeking some benefit… And this benefit was likely connected to a more powerful force.

This matter wouldn’t just disappear.

Of course, some people were afraid of being implicated and chose to leave Sacred King City under the cover of night.

At midnight, a shadowy figure blended into the crowd, silently following them out of the city, a sneer in its heart.

To be safe, it hadn’t escaped on the night the Jade Empress left the Jade Pool. Instead, it had waited until everyone let their guard down before making its move.

Although it was a shame that the Jade Empress had successfully condensed her Vessel, escaping from a Dao Integration Realm Empress was already fortunate enough. It couldn’t ask for more.

Moreover, that young cultivator was close to the Empress and seemed to be an enhanced version of an Innate Celestial Furnace. If he were allowed to grow, he might help create more Empresses in the future.

Getting rid of him was also eliminating a potential threat.

At this moment, a flash of emerald green light caught the creature’s eye. It froze and looked up instinctively.

A green lotus bloomed silently in the sky, illuminating the entire night with its emerald glow!

Then, a giant hand descended from the sky, pinning the creature to the ground. Vines surged forth, binding it tightly.

The creature looked up in terror and shrieked, “Jade Empress?! Didn’t you leave? Why are you still here?!”

The Jade Empress’s figure silently appeared before everyone.

She was like a celestial maiden, unattainable, her beautiful face calm and serene.

“I won’t go anywhere until the true culprit is caught.”

The Jade Empress had announced her departure and even deliberately created the illusion of leaving with Mu Zhi’an.

But no one had expected that she would conceal her aura and return to the Jade Pool with him.

She had been suppressing her tribulation and waiting for this moment!

This creature was the offspring of the evil deity from the Southern Wilderness, hiding within Sacred King City. It was an Earthly Immortal who had comprehended a trace of Dao and one of the true culprits behind the attack on the Jade Pool!

The vines tightened, and the creature felt its Spiritual Energy rapidly draining. It panicked and whispered something.

Boom… Boom… Boom…

Thunder roared in the sky.

It was said that the deity of the Southern Wilderness was quite peculiar. As long as its true followers called upon its name, it would descend.

Deep within the Southern Wilderness, a mysterious creature with eight eyes slowly opened its eyes.

Its projection appeared in the sky above Sacred King City in an instant. It looked down at the earth and spoke slowly, “Jade Empress, release it.”

“You should know that every cultivator who seeks to reach the Dao Integration Realm will face obstacles. This is the Heavenly Dao’s test. As for the death of your Dao Companion, it wasn’t my intention.”

Its voice boomed like thunder, echoing throughout the Eastern Realm, causing many strange creatures in the Southern Wilderness to cheer the deity’s name.

“Save him, or I will personally visit the Southern Wilderness in a few days,” the Jade Empress said calmly.

Legend had it that deep within the Southern Wilderness, there existed a special Imperial-Grade Medicinal Herb that could even capture fragments of a deceased person’s soul and guide them back to their body.

Combined with Rebirth Water, the Heavenly Phoenix Fruit, and other ingredients, a Soul Returning Pill could be refined, giving Mu Zhi’an a chance to recover.

The creature looked at the ice-encased young man within the Jade Pool Sacred Land and said slowly, “Your Dao Companion’s consciousness has vanished. He cannot be saved. Give up.”

At the same time, deep within the Southern Wilderness, another Unseeable silently opened its eyes.

“Are you planning to declare war on the Southern Wilderness for a mere young cultivator, Shang Yanfei?”

It wanted Shang Yanfei to intervene and persuade the Jade Empress to back down.

At that very moment, a golden light illuminated the night, accompanied by a voice that could calm even the most restless heart.

“Amitabha.”

Golden Buddha light instantly bathed the earth.

The Buddha from the Western Regions!

Old monsters in the Eastern Realm recognized the origin of this divine statue, their hearts pounding.

The power of faith in the Western Regions was quite mysterious. In the past, cultivators who ventured there were inexplicably enlightened and never left, making many wary of the region.

“Benefactor Shang, it’s best to persuade the Jade Empress to release the creature,” the Buddha said slowly, choosing to side with the Southern Wilderness. Its benevolent gaze fell upon the Sect Master of the Two Polarities Sect in the distance.

This was a form of pressure. Logically, the Two Polarities Sect wouldn’t intervene for a mere young cultivator.

***

Two Polarities Peak.

In an elegant pavilion, Shang Yanfei sipped her tea and looked at the silver-haired beauty before her, smiling. “It’s up to you to decide how to play this.”

Lin Ling looked at the Go board and said calmly, “The Go board is the Southern Wilderness.”

Thunder rumbled in the sky, the Great Dao stirred by Lin Ling’s words.

Shang Yanfei cooperated and raised her hand, gently tapping the Go board.

The board vibrated slightly.

Almost instantly, the entire Southern Wilderness trembled violently!

Several powerful beings in the Southern Wilderness awakened, startled by the terrifying aura.

“The Go board is also the Western Regions,” Lin Ling continued.

“Shang Yanfei, how dare you—!”

Powerful beings in the Western Regions were alerted, filled with shock and anger. They were sensitive to danger, and even though Shang Yanfei hadn’t made a move yet, they could already sense something was amiss.

Shang Yanfei smiled brightly. “Guess whether I dare or not.”

She slammed her hand down on the Go board.