It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Chapter 71: Activate Speed Spell: Enemy Controller!

Upon returning to the Mu Manor, Mu Zhi’an stepped out of the carriage and extended his hand to help Wei Mengrou down. She simply glared at him and alighted gracefully on her own.

He didn’t mind, his gaze lingering on her alluring figure. “Thank you for your help, Mengrou. You truly saved the day.”

She had gone above and beyond her duty, which was to protect his life, not to rescue him from social disasters.

She looked at him with disdain, her voice cold. “Don’t expect me to do that again.”

She paused, then added, “They were all glaring at me.”

Even a Core Formation cultivator like her couldn’t withstand such scrutiny.

Fortunately, she was known for her loyalty and professionalism. They might have doubted his explanation, but they believed her.

“Don’t worry. If they dare to harm you, I’ll protect you,” he said with a smile.

She rolled her eyes.

“You’ll be locked up in a dungeon before you can even lift a finger.”

He chuckled. “It won’t come to that. Ruoxi and Senior Sister wouldn’t do such a thing. And the Ye sisters… even less so.”

Honestly, if she hadn’t intervened, he would have had to rely on the foolish Ye Yu to rescue him. But that would have been a last resort.

“Are you going out again?” she asked, noticing that he wasn’t heading inside.

“Cultivating at the Bai Manor will expose Ruoxi’s demonic aura. If she doesn’t return in fifteen minutes, I’ll go get her,” he replied.

She said coldly, “If she locks you up, don’t expect me to rescue you.”

“Don’t worry. I know her well.”

He reached for her hand, but she dodged it, her eyes filled with disdain. “Don’t touch me.”

If only she would say those words one day, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with tears. He shook his head, banishing those thoughts, then smiled. “You go inside, Mengrou. I’ll be back soon.”

This crisis… it wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

It had planted a seed of doubt in their minds. They were now aware of his true nature. In other words, if a similar situation arose in the future, it wouldn’t be so unpredictable.

He had to find some way to console himself.

He sighed, then stepped into the carriage. After waiting for fifteen minutes, confirming that Bai Ruoxi hadn’t returned, he instructed the coachman to head towards the Bai Manor.

…

Dusk settled over the city, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple.

Bai Ruoxi sat alone in her room, gazing out the window at the quiet courtyard, her expression a mixture of sadness and resentment. Her white dress accentuated her delicate figure, making her seem even more fragile, even more desirable.

She sighed softly, her voice filled with melancholy.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so lenient with him.”

She had believed that her charm, her devotion, would be enough to satisfy him. But he had not only met with Huang Manting, but also dallied with the Ye sisters.

And even the examiner… she seemed to be involved with him as well.

“I’m still only at Foundation Establishment. Once I reach Core Formation, I’ll be strong enough to rival Senior Sister.”

“And if I reach Nascent Soul… hmph…”

She imagined herself, a powerful cultivator, suppressing the other women, claiming him for herself. Her mood improved slightly.

She was confident in her talent. She was unrivaled among her peers. If she focused on her cultivation, reaching Nascent Soul wasn’t impossible.

She was about to close the window when she sensed something, her gaze fixed on a figure lurking in the shadows. Her voice was cold and clear.

“What brings you to the Bai Manor, Young Master Mu?”

Despite her aloof tone, her eyes sparkled with a hint of joy.

It was Mu Zhi’an, standing outside her window.

He looked up at her, smiling. “It’s not safe for you to cultivate here, Ruoxi. Come back with me.”

She knew he was right. Cultivating at the Bai Manor would expose Bai Yuanfeng’s demonic aura.

But her expression remained cold, as if she had reverted back to their first encounter. “Please leave, Young Master Mu. I’m not cultivating today. It doesn’t matter if I stay here.”

She closed the window, ignoring him.

He sighed. “Ruoxi, there’s been a misunderstanding. I wanted to explain everything today, but since you won’t see me, I’ll come back another time.”

He sighed again, then turned to leave.

But as he took a step, he noticed her door opening slightly.

It had been closed before.

There’s still hope. He smiled, then quietly entered the room.

…

Night fell, stars twinkling in the dark sky.

In a room at the Bai Manor, Mu Zhi’an yawned, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion.

While cultivators could stay awake for extended periods, they still required sleep, at least until they reached Core Formation.

And he had two furnaces within him, one for his own cultivation, the other for… sharing.

He stumbled towards the table, poured himself a cup of water, and drank it greedily.

Bai Ruoxi, wrapped in a plain robe, lay on the bed, her long legs exposed, a black ribbon tied around her ankle.

According to her, her father had acquired it from a secret realm. It was said to offer protection.

Sensing his gaze, she bit her lip, her eyes downcast, her aloofness tinged with shyness and regret.

She had been so angry when she returned to the manor, even more so when she saw him.

But when he sighed and turned to leave, her heart had softened. She had even let him in.

She clutched her robe, covering her alluring figure, and approached him.

He poured her a cup of water. “Have some water. You should rehydrate after cultivating.”

They had reconciled, and she was no longer angry.

She nodded, taking the cup from him, her other hand clutching her robe. She took a sip, then sighed, her voice filled with worry.

“Mu Lang, are you upset that I confronted you in front of those women… that I called you “that”?”

“Senior Sister and the Ye sisters are probably angry with you. And what if Senior Sister remembers this during the entrance exams?”

“She’s so scary”

He covered her hand with his, his gaze meeting hers. “It was just a misunderstanding. I’ll talk to Senior Sister in a few days. She’ll understand.”

“As for Ye Lingxuan and Ye Qian. I told you, I only see them as sisters.”

Her eyes softened, filled with remorse.

She looked up at him, about to apologize, when he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s over.”

In the dim light, her lips parted slightly, her long lashes fluttering, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

He caressed her cheek, his voice soft. “Come back to the Mu Manor with me later, Ruoxi.”

She blushed, nodding shyly.

Her lingering resentment vanished.

“But why later?” she asked, sensing something in his tone.

“It’s nice to enjoy a change of scenery,” he replied.

Seeing her confusion, he leaned in, whispering in her ear.

She blushed even deeper, glaring at him playfully, then nodded again.

He smiled, then blew out the candle, joining her in bed.

…

The next morning, he woke feeling refreshed, his gaze meeting hers.

They smiled at each other, a silent understanding passing between them.

“I’ll wait for you outside,” he whispered, then left the room.

Moments later, she emerged, dressed in a white dress, her makeup light and elegant.

She walked towards him, her smile radiant, and linked her arm with his. “Let’s go, Mu Lang.”

She had come to a decision.

It didn’t matter if he was interested in other women.

Of the Ye sisters, Ye Lingxuan was more beautiful, but her chest was lacking. Ye Qian was more developed, but her beauty paled in comparison to her sister’s. Although her innocence and sweetness… it was quite alluring.

As for Senior Sister.

After last night’s activities, she could sense that she was nearing the peak of Foundation Establishment.

At this rate, she would reach Core Formation before the entrance exams.

And then, even if she couldn’t defeat Senior Sister, she could still claim him for herself and keep him by her side always.

He had thought she was a naive little rabbit, but she was evolving, both physically and mentally, into a formidable opponent.

He escorted her back to the Mu Manor, then, after a leisurely stroll through the courtyard, accompanied her to her room.

He went to his study, retrieved a paper crane, and wrote a letter to Lan Mulian.

Some things weren’t appropriate to discuss at the auction house, with so many people present.

But in private… he could say anything.

He then took out another piece of paper and wrote an invitation, handing it to a spy.

“Deliver this to the Ye Manor. Make sure it reaches Ye Lingxuan,” he instructed.

The spy bowed, then left the study.

He wasn’t worried about them ignoring his invitation. They had left in a hurry, their minds filled with confusion and perhaps a desire for an explanation.

And even if that wasn’t the case, Ye Lingxuan, with her strong sense of justice, would want to repay him those two thousand Spirit Stones.

It’s all thanks to Ye Yu. He glanced out the window, a smirk on his lips.

If not for Ye Yu’s request, he wouldn’t have this opportunity to spend time with Ye Lingxuan.

…

At the Ye Manor, Ye Lingxuan sat in a pavilion, staring at a letter, lost in thought.

It was from Mu Zhi’an.

Honestly, she didn’t dislike him. Even after hearing about his relationship with Bai Ruoxi, she had simply been surprised that Tianxuan City’s most beautiful woman had fallen for him.

She wasn’t truly angry.

After all, he had kept his promise, even rejecting Bai Ruoxi and Lan Mulian to meet with them.

“Should I accept?”

She looked at Ye Qian, who was sitting beside her, silent and withdrawn. “Qian’er, Young Master Mu has invited us to a teahouse near the sparring arena. Do you want to go?”

Ye Qian looked up at her, her voice a soft murmur. “What about you, Sister?”

Ye Lingxuan frowned. “I need to repay him those two thousand Spirit Stones. So, I have to go.”

Ye Qian glanced at her, her voice barely a whisper. “You could just send a servant with the money.”

Ye Lingxuan shook her head. “I want to thank him personally.”

“If you don’t want to go, you can stay here. I’ll be back soon,” she added.

Ye Qian’s expression was a mixture of hesitation and something else. She remembered the warmth of his hand, and her heart skipped a beat. She clutched her dress, then spoke, her voice firm.

“I’ll go with you.”

After this… I’ll never see him again.

She made a silent vow.

They agreed, then, after putting away the letter, left the manor.

“Strange, why are they leaving so early?”

Ye Yu, watching them from a distance, his brow furrowed with suspicion, followed them discreetly.