It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Chapter 309: You Shouldn’t Have Come

Enforcement Hall.

Several peak masters were gathered in the main hall, the Enforcement Hall Master presiding over the meeting, offering them tea.

Xiao Lin, the Peak Master of Hidden Sword Peak, took a sip of tea and looked at the stern-faced Enforcement Hall Master, Bai Xinghe. “Senior Brother Bai, according to the information you provided earlier, there’s nothing unusual about this Mu Zhi’an… So he became acquainted with the Jade Empress later, through some fortunate encounter?” he asked, frowning.

After the first day of the Ascension Ceremony, Xiao Lin and the other peak masters had come to the Enforcement Hall. Information about every disciple within the sect could be found here.

They wouldn’t normally be interested in an ordinary disciple, but the Jade Empress had come to watch the Ascension Ceremony yesterday, for no apparent reason, and she had specifically watched Mu Zhi’an’s match… This was intriguing.

And today, news had arrived from the Great Qian Dynasty that the Jade Empress had visited last night, seemingly negotiating with the Imperial Advisor… Undoubtedly, it was also because of Mu Zhi’an.

These two incidents combined made them suspicious.

After all, it was unusual for a Dao Integration expert to be so concerned about a young cultivator.

“A while ago, Yi Hao, Yu Ziyan, Yan Ruyu, and a few other peak masters all broke through their bottlenecks, some of which had lasted for years, even a decade. And this happened right after the Jade Empress’s tribulation… It’s hard to believe there’s no connection,” Ning Yuan said slowly.

The Vice Peak Master of Hidden Sword Peak glanced at Yi Hao, who was leisurely sipping tea, seemingly oblivious to their conversation. “Junior Brother Yi, don’t you have anything to say?”

Yi Hao’s cultivation level had been lower than his, but after seemingly receiving a blessing and breaking through his bottleneck that day, his strength had increased significantly, and he hadn’t encountered any new bottlenecks since… Even the most composed peak masters couldn’t help but feel envious.

If this continued, Yi Hao and the others would soon surpass them.

Yi Hao smiled as he poured himself another cup of tea. “Please don’t make things difficult for me, Senior Brothers. I can’t reveal anything about the Jade Empress. If she finds out, she’ll kill me.”

Bai Xinghe, the Enforcement Hall Master, chuckled. “We don’t intend to make things difficult for you, Junior Brother. I just have one question.”

“Is that inner disciple of Yan Ruyu’s closely related to the Jade Empress? Is he someone she values?” Bai Xinghe asked, his gaze fixed on Yi Hao.

Among the peak masters, Yi Hao was the youngest, yet his cultivation level had increased significantly. The reason was the blessing he had received from the Jade Empress during her Dao Integration tribulation.

Initially, the peak masters who hadn’t received a blessing had thought it was just luck. But now, it seemed… it was clearly favoritism.

Mu Zhi’an and Bai Ruoxi, an inner disciple of Boundless Sea Peak, were Dao Companions, and the Jade Empress seemed to have received help from Mu Zhi’an, which was why she favored him.

This explained why Yan Ruyu and the others had all received blessings from the Jade Empress.

Under their gazes, Yi Hao set down his teacup and sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, Senior Brothers, but the Jade Empress dislikes being disturbed. Therefore, the other peak masters and I have been trying to keep this a secret…”

His words enraged the other peak masters.

“Shameless bastard!”

“Hmph!”

“I’ve never seen such a shameless person!”

They were seething with envy, wanting to tear Yi Hao apart.

A Dao Integration expert’s blessing was a matter of fate, a rare and precious opportunity. Yet, he had kept it to himself.

He had benefited greatly, while they were still stuck at their bottlenecks.

“This is also a form of fate and opportunity,” Yi Hao said humbly, bowing towards his senior brothers.

The peak masters finally understood why Yi Hao and the others had been so attentive to the Garden of Heavenly Harmony recently, frequently delivering pills and resources.

They had initially assumed it was because the residents of the Garden of Heavenly Harmony were all inner disciples.

But now, it seemed… they had been targeting Mu Zhi’an because of his connection to the Jade Empress.

“No wonder Junior Sister Yan chose Mu Zhi’an as her inner disciple. She must have foreseen this,” an elder said with a sigh.

Yi Hao’s eyes flickered with confusion.

Mu Zhi’an hadn’t even met the Jade Empress when he was recruited. How could she have chosen him because of her?

Perhaps it was because of Ling Long… Or perhaps Mu Zhi’an had other secrets?

“Silence! What are you doing? It’s the Ascension Ceremony! Disciples might come to report on the matches. Compose yourselves and don’t make a fool of yourselves in front of them,” Bai Xinghe said calmly.

Bai Xinghe was highly respected among the peak masters, so they quieted down, despite their anger.

Then, he looked at Yi Hao and asked gently, “My Vice Hall Master told me that Ling Long once came to the Enforcement Hall with Mu Zhi’an… Could it be that he also received a blessing from Ling Long?”

Yi Hao hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.

The Vice Peak Master of Metamorphic Jewel Peak scoffed. “Ling Long lives in the Garden of Heavenly Harmony. How could he not have received her blessing?”

His words shocked the peak masters, and their gazes towards Yi Hao turned even colder.

The Peak Masters of Dao Peak, Heavenly Secrets Peak, and the Book Pavilion weren’t present, so Yi Hao, the one who had benefited the most, became their target.

They felt as if they had missed out on a fortune.

However, Bai Xinghe’s expression remained calm. He looked at Yi Hao and smiled. “Junior Brother, it seems you’ve reached the sixth-grade Nascent Soul Realm. Come to the Ascension Stage tomorrow and spar with me.”

Yi Hao’s face fell.

Ling Long had eaten almost 80% of the Eight Treasures Cranes he had painstakingly raised on Boundless Sea Peak, and now he was being targeted by his fellow peak masters. He felt incredibly wronged.

Well… besides the injustice, there was also a sense of… exhilaration.

His Eight Treasures Cranes hadn’t been eaten in vain. After all, Ling Long had given him a boost to his luck in return, which was greatly beneficial for his cultivation.

A few Eight Treasures Cranes… it wasn’t a big loss.

“It’s been a while since I left the Enforcement Hall. I’m not very familiar with the disciples’ current situation.”

Bai Xinghe paused, then smiled. “Why don’t we take a stroll and visit that disciple of yours, Mu Zhi’an…? What do you think, Senior Brothers?”

They all nodded in agreement, their envy apparent.

Some of them had been stuck at their bottlenecks for over a decade. They wouldn’t miss this opportunity to obtain a blessing.

Yi Hao shook his head helplessly.

The Jade Empress had given them blessings because of Mu Zhi’an, but such favors were limited. She wouldn’t give them more just because of him.

After all, a Dao Integration tribulation only occurred once, and the blessings it bestowed were limited. It was too late to curry favor with Mu Zhi’an now.

Even he couldn’t convince the Jade Empress to give them more blessings. It would be disrespectful.

Of course, Yi Hao wouldn’t ruin their plans, so he followed the other peak masters, leaving the hall and heading towards the Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

…

Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

After circulating his Spiritual Energy for several cycles, Mu Zhi’an slowly opened his eyes.

The Heavenly Phoenix Manual allowed one to burn their Vessel and instantly replenish their Spiritual Energy. In battle, it was like having a second life.

However, after an entire night of effort, he realized… he wasn’t making any progress.

“This technique is meant for demonic cultivators. It’s too difficult for a human cultivator like me…”

Mu Zhi’an looked at the Primordial Demon Emperor’s storage ring and sighed inwardly.

Logically, cultivation techniques shouldn’t be restricted to humans or demons. Most were universal.

And he had even refined a Heavenly Phoenix Fruit, which should have lowered the barrier to entry… Yet, he still couldn’t grasp the basics.

This first-grade technique was much more difficult than he had imagined.

I should have asked the Demon Realm Empress last night. Perhaps she could have given me some advice… Mu Zhi’an thought to himself.

He had seen her a bit too often recently. It was best to keep a low profile for now and provide her with some useful information before seeking her out again…

Mu Zhi’an got out of bed, combed his hair, changed his clothes, and left the room.

It was already morning. Gu Bo Xing’s intrusion last night hadn’t left any traces. An ordinary cultivator wouldn’t be able to tell that a battle had taken place within the Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

A thick layer of snow covered the courtyard. As Mu Zhi’an walked through the garden, he suddenly sensed a powerful aura emanating from a nearby room.

This pressure… It could only be Yao Meng or Ling Long… He followed the aura.

…

Meanwhile.

Both Dao Integration experts had experienced glorious eras in their past lives. There could only be one Dao Integration cultivator at a time, and they had both surpassed countless geniuses of their respective eras, merging with the Great Dao.

Now, faced with the Primordial Witch’s declaration of ownership, Yao Meng remained calm, her eyes smiling, but her voice cold.

“I don’t know if you were truly his Dao Companion in the past, but in this life, I met him first. And he confessed his feelings for me.”

The Primordial Witch scoffed. “He didn’t know your true identity back then. He was deceived by your appearance. If he knew he had fallen for a woman who had lived for tens of thousands of years, he would have run away.”

If Mu Zhi’an were present, he would probably be thinking, Aren’t older women the best?

They had merged with the Dao, possessed profound knowledge, and were breathtakingly beautiful. They were practically flawless.

Who wouldn’t like a powerful and influential older woman who showered you with high-grade treasures…?

Their biggest flaw was their pride and possessiveness. If it weren’t for his careful maneuvering, Mu Zhi’an would have already been locked up.

However, there were exceptions…

Yao Meng was one of them.

Her beautiful eyes remained calm, her figure shrouded in a hazy mist. “Whether you like him or not has nothing to do with me. I’m not interested in arguing about who came first,” she said softly.

“In fact, if you were truly his Dao Companion in the past, it would only make things more… enjoyable for me.”

The Primordial Witch’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

The seemingly flawless fairy tilted her head slightly, a playful smile in her green eyes. “Stealing your Dao Companion… It’s quite pleasurable,” she said softly.

She paused, then continued, “Your Dao Companion was… very good last night.”

The air thickened.

The Primordial Witch’s gentle gaze turned cold.

…

Thirty minutes earlier.

A misty fog hung in the air as snowflakes danced gently. Mu Zhi’an stood in the courtyard, stretching lazily.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to cultivate peacefully,” he said, looking at the snow-covered garden, a genuine sense of relief washing over him.

He had been working tirelessly for the Eastern Realm’s prosperity. Although his Innate Celestial Furnace recovered quickly, it was still nice to relax once in a while.

He walked along the path towards Wei Mengrou’s room.

She had always kept her distance from him, but after her confession, their relationship had rapidly progressed. Perhaps he could tease her a bit now…

Mu Zhi’an’s thoughts wandered as he reached the end of the path.

He looked up and saw an ethereal figure in a green dress standing by a window, her white skin glowing faintly, her aura pure and untainted, like a fairy shrouded in mist.

Yao Meng…?

What is she doing outside Mengrou’s window?

Mu Zhi’an’s eyes were filled with confusion. He was about to greet her when he suddenly noticed another figure by the window.

Wei Mengrou!

She wore a black robe, her skin pale, her appearance fragile and delicate.

No, it’s not Mengrou, it’s the Primordial Witch… Has she awakened?

This seemingly frail woman… was the former master of the World Sea!

Then, he heard Yao Meng’s words.

“Your Dao Companion was… very good last night.”

“…”

Mu Zhi’an pondered for a moment, then realization dawned upon him. He suppressed his shock and silently turned around.

Although he knew running away was cowardly and pointless… he would have to face this eventually.

Suddenly, he heard a commotion outside the courtyard. He calmed himself down and walked towards the entrance, seeing several unfamiliar cultivators.

He quickly recognized Bai Ruoxi’s master among them. “Peak Master Yi… what brings you here?” he asked, puzzled.

“We were a bit concerned about your performance and your technique yesterday, so we came to check on you,” Yi Hao replied with a smile.

Mu Zhi’an grunted noncommittally, glancing at the other peak masters.

He knew they hadn’t come because of his performance.

After all, he was a disciple of the Book Pavilion. What use were they to him? To guide his cultivation?

Of course, he wouldn’t say that out loud. They were all high-ranking members of the sect. He wouldn’t offend them.

After exchanging pleasantries, Bai Xinghe, the Enforcement Hall Master, got straight to the point. “I heard the Jade Empress is cultivating here. Her Spiritual Energy hasn’t fully recovered yet, so we brought some pills. Is she…?” he asked with a smile.

As expected… Mu Zhi’an wasn’t surprised. “You’ve come at a bad time, Peak Masters… Fairy—”

He paused, then corrected himself. “The Jade Empress is currently busy. I’m afraid you won’t be able to see her…”

“It’s fine. We can wait in the courtyard. We’ll just leave the pills and go,” another peak master said with a smile.

Since they had said that, Mu Zhi’an could only lead them into the Garden of Heavenly Harmony.

As they passed by a small building, they noticed the fairy in the green dress standing by the window. They exchanged knowing glances.

So the Jade Empress is indeed here…

Suddenly, Bai Xinghe’s gaze fixed on another woman by the window.

Who is that? Why is her aura so mysterious…?

Mu Zhi’an glanced at them, then at the ethereal figure in the green dress, and lowered his voice. “Peak Masters, please follow me.”

He was about to lead them into the main hall when Yao Meng, seemingly sensing his presence, turned her head slightly, a faint smile appearing in her beautiful green eyes. “Mu Lang, you’re back so soon?”

Mu Zhi’an’s heart sank.

The peak masters froze, then, realizing what was happening, their eyelids twitched.

They finally understood that Mu Zhi’an’s earlier words hadn’t been a polite refusal, but…

They really had come at a bad time.