Chapter 94: Three Snow Lotuses, A Chaotic Beginning |
Chapter 94: Three Snow Lotuses, A Chaotic Beginning
As soon as “Luminous Soil” was mentioned, everyone’s gaze, intentionally or not, shifted towards Mu Zhi’an.
Bai Ruoxi, the epitome of delicate beauty, smiled sweetly at him, her eyes filled with affection.
Ye Lingxuan’s gaze also landed on him, a realization dawning on her.
Luminous Soil was used to preserve rare herbs and flowers. And Senior Sister Lan had visited the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce on the same day they had received a shipment of Luminous Soil…
…What a coincidence…
She narrowed her eyes, suspicion flickering in their depths. She looked at Lan Mulian. “You visited the Chamber of Commerce that day as well, Senior Sister. Were you buying something?”
Mu Zhi’an smiled calmly, but inwardly, he was panicking.
That Bai Ruoxi, she’s more cunning than she appears. She had deliberately mentioned Luminous Soil.
She was intelligent. Despite her love-struck nature, she wasn’t naive.
Had Mu Zhi’an truly participated in the exams just for the experience?
Unlikely.
She had suspected something ever since the Ye sisters had joined him.
“Were you buying Luminous Soil as well, Senior Sister?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
“I wasn’t there to buy anything. I was simply meeting someone,” Lan Mulian replied with a faint smile.
She had attended the auction to observe her sister.
But she wouldn’t be seeing Feiying at auctions anymore.
Feiying had joined the sect, having already met with the peak lord of Silvermoon Peak.
Mu Zhi’an remained silent, listening to their conversation, his anxiety growing.
Only after hearing Lan Mulian’s answer did he relax slightly.
Lan Mulian glanced at him, then continued, her voice laced with amusement. “But to answer your question, Junior Sister Ye, I was indeed planning to buy something, but someone gave it to me.”
Ye Qian’s eyes widened with curiosity. “What were you going to buy, Senior Sister?”
She was the sect master’s personal disciple. What could she possibly lack that required a visit to the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce?
“Luminous Soil,” Lan Mulian replied calmly.
“What did you need it for, Senior Sister?” Ye Lingxuan asked, her voice laced with confusion.
Lan Mulian smiled. “To preserve some special flowers.”
The word “flowers” triggered their memories, and Bai Ruoxi and Ye Lingxuan looked at her, their gazes questioning.
“What kind of flowers?” Wei Mengrou asked suddenly, glancing at Mu Zhi’an, her tone a subtle provocation.
He smiled, but he felt a wave of pressure, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
He tried to change the subject. “Let’s go to our accommodations, Senior Sister.”
Lan Mulian’s lips curved into a knowing smile, and she looked at him, her eyes twinkling. “You’re right. Let’s go.”
Why do I feel like she knows everything? He stared at her, his anxiety returning.
She led them through the air, soaring past towering peaks, the mist swirling around them.
They saw disciples sparring in the squares, their movements swift and graceful. She landed on a peak, a grand palace before them, a path paved with golden talismans leading towards it, a sheer cliff behind them, the clouds swirling below.
An ordinary person would be terrified.
She turned to them, smiling. “This is your new home. We can’t fly here. Follow me.”
They followed her along the narrow path, the drop on either side precipitous.
She seemed to sense his thoughts. “Foundation Establishment cultivators can’t fly, but if you fall, you won’t die. Ling Long’s formation will teleport you to safety.”
“Ling Long?” They all looked at her, their curiosity piqued.
Ye Lingxuan raised an eyebrow. “I’ve heard rumors of a spirit dragon living beneath the cliffs, a creature that’s been here since the sect’s founding. Are they true?”
Lan Mulian nodded. “Ling Long rarely leaves the cliffs, but if a disciple encounters it… it’s said they’ll receive its blessing.”
They reached the palace, and two female disciples in black robes approached them, bowing respectfully. “Senior Sister Lan.”
Their gazes, however, lingered on her, admiration flickering in their eyes.
It seems Senior Sister is not only respected, but also popular with both genders. He noticed the disciples’ admiration and understood.
She was the sect master’s personal disciple, and her personality, while aloof, was also kind. It was no wonder she was so admired.
He also admired her.
But he was shy. He wouldn’t dare to hold her hand until their relationship had progressed.
She turned to Mu Zhi’an. “They’ll show you to your rooms. You’re free for the next week. You can explore the sect. Most areas are accessible to disciples.”
“Are you leaving, Senior Sister?” he asked.
She nodded. “I have to report to Master.”
The sect master, the Empress, a Dao Integration cultivator, on par with the Demon Realm Empress. He remembered his encounter with the Empress and straightened his posture, bowing respectfully. “Safe travels, Senior Sister.”
Bai Ruoxi and the others also bowed.
Finally, she’s gone. He watched her depart, his anxiety fading.
He had felt the pressure.
Bai Ruoxi was clearly jealous. That was why she had brought up the snow lotus.
He had to separate them quickly.
“Please follow us,” the two disciples said, smiling.
One of them glanced past Mu Zhi’an, her gaze landing on someone behind them.
“Are you a new disciple as well? I can show you to your accommodations,” she said, smiling.
Mu Zhi’an turned to see a young man standing behind them, his features plain, his breathing ragged, his spiritual energy unstable.
Did Ye Yu actually climb the peak himself? He stared at him, surprised, then sighed inwardly. As expected of the Chosen One. To overcome such a difficult trial.
He had assumed Ye Yu would give up, declaring, “This Two Polarities Sect is beneath me!”
Then he would leave, train for three years, and return for revenge.
But three years, by then, Bai Ruoxi would be completely his.
And perhaps even Ye Lingxuan and Ye Qian would be sharing his bed.
“Go ahead. I’ll catch up later,” he said to Bai Ruoxi and the others.
Bai Ruoxi ignored Ye Yu, her gaze fixed on Mu Zhi’an, her voice a worried whisper. “It’s our first day here. Don’t cause any trouble.”
He’s the one causing trouble… “I’ll be careful. Wait for me in your room,” he replied, his voice a mental message.
Ye Yu watched their interaction, his gaze lingering on the sisters, his anger simmering, but he maintained a calm facade, chuckling coldly. “You’re quite the schemer, Young Master Mu. Be careful. You might be expelled for your lack of strength”
Mu Zhi’an frowned. “Are you saying I cheated?”
“What else would you call it?”
“Reaching the summit with tricks, isn’t that cheating?”
“So Lingxuan and Qian’er cheated as well?” Mu Zhi’an asked.
Ye Yu fell silent, unable to respond.
“Are you saying all thirty of us cheated?” Mu Zhi’an pressed.
After a moment of silence, Ye Yu scoffed. “You might be able to control everything in Tianxuan City, but here… it’s different.”
“Of course it’s different,” Mu Zhi’an replied casually. “You passed the exams with your own strength, Young Master Ye. That’s admirable.”
Ye Yu chuckled, then ignored him.
He had passed the exams. He was free now.
The Two Polarities Sect wasn’t Tianxuan City. The Mu family’s influence didn’t reach here. He would have plenty of opportunities to deal with Mu Zhi’an later.
Mu Zhi’an looked away, his gaze following Bai Ruoxi and the two disciples, then landing on Ye Lingxuan, who was walking at the back, glancing at him occasionally.
Despite the autumn chill, she wore a thin purple dress, her fair skin peeking through the opening at her collar, her back slender and alluring.
He walked towards her, taking her hand.
Ye Yu, about to enter the palace, stopped, staring at them, his anger surging.
Mu Zhi’an glanced at him, then looked away, his gaze seeming to say: It’s admirable that you passed the exams with your own strength, but your cousins are even more admirable.
For a moment, Ye Yu’s spiritual energy threatened to erupt, his blood boiling.
But he suppressed it.
Stay calm… If he attacked here, he would be the one punished.
Don’t fall for his tricks… He forced himself to relax, then entered the palace.
Ye Lingxuan, startled by the sudden contact, her hand held by a man for the first time, bit her lip, her voice a mental whisper. “Please behave yourself, Young Master Mu.”
“If Qian’er sees this, she’ll misunderstand.”
But she didn’t pull her hand away.
He looked at her, admiring her beauty, her delicate lips, her flushed cheeks. “I apologize. I’ll be more careful next time,” he said, smiling.
He was about to release her hand, knowing she was shy and reserved, needing time to adjust…
But then he felt a chill behind him, and he turned, his smile fading, his body stiffening.
Standing in the air behind him, riding upon a cloud, her figure veiled, her eyes cold, a knowing smile on her lips, was Lan Mulian.
She’s back?!
His heart pounded. He was still holding Ye Lingxuan’s hand. He couldn’t release it, but he couldn’t keep holding it either.
The disadvantages of being weaker were clear. He hadn’t even sensed her approach.
She was at the peak of Core Formation. If she wanted to conceal her aura, it was child’s play.
Ye Lingxuan, noticing Lan Mulian’s gaze, her usual calm demeanor gone, her cheeks flushed, quickly pulled her hand away.
Bai Ruoxi also seemed to sense something, stopping and turning to look at them.
“Senior Sister, why are you back? Is something the matter?”
Ye Qian also stopped, looking at Lan Mulian, her expression curious.
Lan Mulian landed gracefully, her gaze sweeping over them, a smile on her lips. “I forgot to mention that new disciples can choose one or two cultivation techniques from the library.”
“And regarding Junior Brother Mu’s pink destiny. I’ll ask Master, but you can also check the library’s archives. Perhaps you’ll find some answers there.”
Despite his panic, Mu Zhi’an maintained his composure, smiling. “Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister.”
She nodded, her eyes twinkling.
She paused, then added casually, “That snow lotus you gave me… it has a lovely fragrance. I’m quite interested. Come visit me at Two Polarities Peak’s back mountain when you have time.”
“And perhaps you could teach me how to cultivate multiple snow lotuses at once.”
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Lin Long: Spirit or Divine Dragon, is used sometimes as a title or name, but her name is different
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