It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Chapter 317:

The Forbidden Zone’s Master stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the figure at the end of the immortal path.

A hazy white mist swirled around the man, and faint runes flickered behind him, his aura imposing.

An ordinary person would be filled with awe.

However, the Forbidden Zone’s Master was knowledgeable about the Heavenly Court, and the more he looked at the figure, the more he felt something was amiss.

Others couldn’t see through the mist, but he could.

And now, the figure at the end of the immortal path, his back turned towards the world, slowly overlapped with a certain young man whose consciousness wasn’t in his body.

“Father, what are you looking at?” Ye Lingxuan asked.

She also looked up at the immortal path, shrouded in white mist.

And at the young man standing at its end.

Unlike most female cultivators, who were filled with awe and reverence, Ye Lingxuan’s expression was calm and indifferent.

For her, whether she entered the Heavenly Court or not didn’t matter. Once she reached the Dao Integration Realm, she would achieve immortality, even without ascending.

However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something familiar about the man in black.

“Do you know him, Father?” she asked, her beautiful eyes filled with curiosity.

The Forbidden Zone’s Master finally snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his daughter with a complex expression.

Dao Integration experts could forcefully absorb the Heavenly Court’s Spiritual Energy if they wished, but it wouldn’t be beneficial. Even if he ascended the immortal path now, it would be meaningless.

But it was different for his daughter.

Others might not be able to see through the mist and discern the true identity of the young man, but he could.

“How is your Dragon Tendon Grass cultivation progressing?” he asked.

Ye Lingxuan was stunned for a moment. “About 50%,” she replied.

The Dragon Tendon Grass was a gift from Mu Zhi’an. It originated from the primordial chaos, and refining it would grant a cultivator a trace of chaotic energy.

However, this ancient herb had already withered. If it weren’t for Ye Lingxuan’s unique constitution, which was similar to Rebirth Water, the Dragon Tendon Grass would have completely decayed.

The Forbidden Zone’s Master waved his hand, and the image displayed by the Desolate Time Lock disappeared.

Then, he said, “Rebirth Water can nurture the withered Dragon Tendon Grass. The longer you use it to nurture the herb, the more chaotic energy you’ll obtain, which will greatly benefit your future cultivation.”

“If you can find even denser Spiritual Energy to nurture it, you might even obtain a complete strand of chaotic energy.”

During the primordial chaos, a flame had been born in the Nine Realms. It didn’t burn the world but nurtured it with chaotic energy. Plants and animals evolved because of it, but most eventually perished.

And the Dragon Tendon Grass was one of the few herbs that survived.

Ye Lingxuan nodded slightly. “I know what I’m doing, Father. Don’t worry.”

“Even if I can’t obtain a complete strand of chaotic energy, a partial one is enough.”

“The Heavenly Court’s Spiritual Energy is unique. If you can use it to nurture the Dragon Tendon Grass, it might bloom perfectly,” the Forbidden Zone’s Master said with a sigh.

Ye Lingxuan wasn’t concerned. “I know, Father. Is there anything else?” she asked with a smile.

The Forbidden Zone’s Master raised an eyebrow. “Can’t I just chat with you?”

Ye Lingxuan smiled sweetly. “I also want to win the Ascension Ceremony, Father. If there’s nothing else, I want to go back and cultivate…”

Brother Mu is with Senior Sister Lan now, and she was even touching him…

I’m a bit worried…

The Forbidden Zone’s Master could see through his daughter’s thoughts, but he simply waved his hand and sighed. “Alright, you can go.”

Although he didn’t like the ‘pig’ who had ‘stolen’ his ‘cabbage’, setting aside Mu Zhi’an’s fickle nature, he was… perfect in other aspects…

At least, based on his expectations, even a genius like Ye Lingxuan shouldn’t have been able to comprehend Dao Rhyme so early.

And that was thanks to Mu Zhi’an’s support.

Besides… his true abilities were far more than just his Innate Celestial Furnace.

The Forbidden Zone’s Master watched his daughter leave, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

If this Mu Zhi’an was more devoted, he would be the perfect Dao Companion… Unfortunately, just like him in his youth, he was too much of a womanizer.

He shook his head inwardly and sighed.

He hadn’t considered that even now, he also had more than one Dao Companion…

…

Mu Zhi’an, naturally, was unaware of the events unfolding in the outside world. He was immersed in his cultivation, absorbing the Heavenly Court’s Spiritual Energy.

After almost two hours, he opened his eyes.

He opened his personal interface and saw a new box at the end of his title list.

The characters within were slightly blurry, but he could still recognize them.

“Master of the Heavenly Court…”

Mu Zhi’an stared at the title, lost in thought.

It wasn’t fully activated yet. The characters were still blurry.

“I seem to understand the structure of the Heavenly Court. It must be because I absorbed its Spiritual Energy…” he murmured, then turned to the silver-haired loli beside him.

“Yuanluo, have you been secretly watching over me, even protecting me?”

“The Heavenly Dao doesn’t specifically observe any individual, but I have been protecting you,” Yuanluo replied.

She paused, then continued, “But with my current strength, I can’t observe you from the outside world. The Heavenly Dao of the Nine Realms would sense my presence.”

“There are two Heavenly Daos…?” Mu Zhi’an seemed to realize something. “You’re the new Heavenly Dao, and the one in the Nine Realms is the old Heavenly Dao?”

Yuanluo nodded, then walked over to him, a sweet smile on her face.

“You’re very knowledgeable, big brother.”

“But you’re not entirely correct.” She narrowed her eyes and chuckled. “Have you ever wondered why I’m protecting you, big brother?”

Mu Zhi’an didn’t answer, his gaze fixed on the Heavenly Dao loli.

“I need you to merge with me when you reach the Dao Integration Realm,” Yuanluo revealed.

Mu Zhi’an was stunned.

He knew that upon reaching the Dao Integration Realm, a cultivator had three choices: the Heavenly Dao, the Earthly Dao, and the Human Dao. They would merge with one of these Dao, becoming an unparalleled expert.

“Why?” Mu Zhi’an asked.

“After you merge with me, I can replace the Heavenly Dao of the Nine Realms and become the new Heavenly Dao,” Yuanluo explained, smiling sweetly.

“It’s not a bad deal, is it? Merging with a beautiful girl… isn’t that what you like the most?”

Mu Zhi’an wanted to retort that she was a loli, not a beautiful girl, but remembering her other, more mature form, he remained silent.

“What about that Ye Yu?” he suddenly asked.

“He’s the Child of Destiny chosen by the old Heavenly Dao, the… protagonist,” Yuanluo replied.

“What if I kill him?”

Yuanluo shook her head. “You can’t kill him. As long as the old Heavenly Dao lives, Ye Yu won’t die, no matter what happens.”

“Unless you continuously weaken his luck, your so-called protagonist won’t perish. The old Heavenly Dao can’t directly interfere in worldly matters. It can only subtly influence others.”

So Ye Yu really is the protagonist… Mu Zhi’an’s eyes held a thoughtful glint.

No wonder he was still alive and kicking after being suppressed so many times, even seemingly obtaining Heavenly Dao Energy. It was all thanks to the old Heavenly Dao’s guidance.

Unfortunately, the old Heavenly Dao chose a loser.

“So the old Heavenly Dao chose Ye Yu, and I’m your choice?” Mu Zhi’an asked, looking up at her.

Yuanluo tilted her head slightly, a sweet smile on her face.

A strand of silver hair fell over her shoulder, adding to her allure.

“I’m not the one who chose you,” she said softly.

…

Outside Two Polarities Peak, silence reigned.

Yao Meng looked up at the young man at the end of the immortal path, lost in thought.

“Senior Jade Empress, I’ve heard that after achieving Dao Integration, one can ascend to the Immortal Realm. With your current cultivation, reaching the Heavenly Court shouldn’t be difficult. But why…?”

An elder from a Primordial Clan bowed respectfully and asked.

Yao Meng shook her head gently. “The time isn’t right for ascending the immortal path. We can’t force it.”

She stood there, her green and white dress fluttering in the wind, her figure ethereal and beautiful, like a celestial maiden.

Even faced with the opportunity to achieve immortality, her expression remained calm.

The cultivators on the ground stared at the immortal path with fervent gazes. If it were an elder, not the Jade Empress, who had said those words, some of the younger cultivators might have already rushed towards the immortal path.

But even the Jade Empress hadn’t ascended… This spoke volumes.

“The Jade Empress is truly extraordinary. Since even she has said so, this immortal path isn’t something we can ascend now,” an elder sighed, his voice filled with regret.

“Perhaps there will be another opportunity in the future. We’re only at the Core Formation Realm now, but once we reach the Nascent Soul Realm, we’ll have a chance to ascend to the Heavenly Court!”

“Indeed! Right now, the Ascension Ceremony is more important. With the three Imperial-Grade Medicinal Herbs, reaching the Nascent Soul Realm won’t be difficult!”

The younger generation’s fighting spirit was ignited. Unlike the elders, whose lifespans were nearing their end, they still had plenty of time. They could wait for the next appearance of the immortal path!

“Junior Sister Bai, with your current cultivation speed, you’ll definitely have a place in the next immortal ascension. Don’t be discouraged,” An Lingyue said gently, noticing Bai Ruoxi’s dazed expression.

Bai Ruoxi snapped out of her thoughts and smiled. “Thank you, Senior Sister. I’ll cultivate diligently and live up to your and Master’s expectations.”

The eldest disciple of Boundless Sea Peak seemed to think she was disappointed, but in reality, Bai Ruoxi simply felt a strange sense of familiarity towards the blurry figure at the end of the immortal path…

An Lingyue’s gaze shifted to the ethereal figure in the green dress and sighed. “The Jade Empress is truly a role model. I hope I can follow in her footsteps someday.”

Bai Ruoxi murmured in agreement.

Yao Meng was a Dao Integration Empress and possessed the Innate Dao Body. She was the ideal Dao Companion in the eyes of many cultivators.

However… few knew the true Yao Meng.

As Bai Ruoxi’s cultivation level increased, the memories of the conflict between Yao Meng and Gong Lianyue in the Garden of Heavenly Harmony gradually surfaced.

She now had an answer regarding the relationship between the Jade Empress and Mu Lang.

But even if it was the Jade Empress… she wouldn’t let her take Mu Lang away.

…

Two Polarities Peak.

Ye Lingxuan arrived at the peak, the Desolate Time Lock trembling slightly behind her, its lock guiding her towards a certain courtyard.

Meanwhile, as Mu Zhi’an continued his cultivation in the Heavenly Court, Lan Mulian, who was waiting in the courtyard, started to feel uneasy.

Logically, he shouldn’t be able to stay in the Heavenly Court for so long, but it had been almost two hours.

And his consciousness wasn’t damaged, which meant he must have obtained some kind of opportunity…

Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered as she looked at Mu Zhi’an’s peaceful face, his eyes closed in meditation.

After a moment of silence, she raised her hand, her cool fingers gently tracing his cheek.

Then, she sighed softly and withdrew her hand.

As she lowered her gaze, she didn’t notice that Mu Zhi’an had already awakened from his meditation.

He opened his eyes slightly and glanced at the beautiful woman in the white dress, her ample bosom resting on the table.

A beauty whose feet cannot be seen is a true beauty… That might not always be true, but Lan Mulian’s figure and appearance were undeniably stunning, her aura pure and untainted.

He had just woken up and felt her cool fingers brush against his cheek. He had resisted the urge to open his eyes.

He was both surprised and pleased.

Surprised that Senior Sister had actually touched him… and pleased that Senior Sister had actually touched him.

Although he knew she was secretly a bit of a flirt, he hadn’t expected her to make a move while he was asleep…

If the other disciples saw this, he would probably receive countless challenges the next day.

Lan Mulian’s popularity within the sect was unimaginable. Even though there were other beauties like Bai Ruoxi, she was still the object of admiration for many disciples.

And Mu Zhi’an was one of them.

However, unlike the others, who only admired her from afar, he had acted on his feelings long ago.

He didn’t open his eyes immediately. He wanted to see if she would do anything else while he ‘slept’.

Although Lan Mulian was powerful, she couldn’t use her Sacred Heavenly Body all the time. As long as she didn’t scan him with her Spiritual Sense, she wouldn’t realize he was awake.

Suddenly, he heard her sigh softly.

Lan Mulian looked at his sleeping face, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

Her feelings for him were complicated. She had initially treated him as a stranger she could confide in, but then, he became her junior brother.

And he had even confessed his feelings for her…

Honestly, she had experienced countless confessions and wasn’t easily moved.

Even when she learned that he had given Snow Lotuses to several other girls, she hadn’t been truly angry, just slightly displeased.

It wasn’t until that day, when he had traveled all the way to Tianxuan City to buy her Sweet Osmanthus Cakes, even giving her the Seed of Dao Realization he hadn’t refined himself… that she began to examine her own heart.

And when Master had mentioned the additional reward for the winner of the Ascension Ceremony, she realized her true feelings for Mu Zhi’an.

However, it was difficult for her to express her emotions.

After all, in the eyes of the other disciples, she was the cold and aloof Snow Lotus Fairy, a genius, even the strongest among the younger generation in the Nine Realms.

She was the only one in her generation to have reached the Nascent Soul Realm at such a young age.

And she had always maintained this image.

Maintaining her aloof demeanor while watching him being intimate with other women… It was agonizing.

But she had pretended for so long that she didn’t know how to express her true feelings.

Only at times like this, when he was asleep, could she reveal her true thoughts.

Including… looking at him like this…

“If only time could stop here…”

She gently placed her hand on his, and as her soft, melodious voice echoed through the hall, Mu Zhi’an’s heart stirred. He knew this was his chance.

Senior Sister does have feelings for me. My efforts weren’t in vain… He was overjoyed and was about to open his eyes when—

A cold, clear voice suddenly rang out.

“Senior Sister, isn’t it inappropriate to be touching a meditating disciple like this? What if someone sees you?”

Lan Mulian slowly looked up and saw Ye Lingxuan standing at the entrance, her purple dress fluttering in the wind, her expression emotionless.