Chapter 98: There’s No Going Back |
Chapter 98: There’s No Going Back
Mu Zhi’an stood on his flying sword, his chest pressed against Wei Mengrou’s back, his arms wrapped tightly around her slender waist.
He could smell the faint, sweet fragrance of her hair.
Girls are so soft and fragrant… he thought to himself.
While most people’s gazes were usually drawn to Bai Ruoxi, Wei Mengrou’s beauty was undeniable. They each had their own charm. Bai Ruoxi’s delicate beauty and gentle demeanor naturally attracted men’s affection.
But a girl like Wei Mengrou, who often looked at him with disdain and disgust, it made him wonder what her expression would be like when she was flustered.
She seemed to sense his gaze, turning to look at him, her eyes narrowed. “If you try anything, I’ll throw you off.”
If you throw me off, I might meet Senior Ling Long… He nodded obediently. “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dare to touch you, Mengrou.”
“You’re a Core Formation cultivator. I’d be asking for death.”
“Ruoxi and I are… compatible. If she was serious, I wouldn’t be able to control her,” he replied.
He had forgotten that she knew him intimately. He couldn’t deceive her.
“We should hurry. The crane is disappearing,” he said, quickly changing the subject.
She looked up, her hands forming seals, and the sword accelerated, catching up to the paper crane, which was fading from view.
She turned to look at him, her hair whipping in the wind, her lips parting slightly. “If you were at Core Formation, you wouldn’t need me for these trivial matters.”
If I were at Core Formation, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy your company… He smiled, but he didn’t respond.
The crane soared through the air, past towering peaks, the scenery breathtaking.
The Two Polarities Sect had numerous peaks, not just the nine main ones. They saw disciples meditating on the mountaintops, their figures silhouetted against the sky.
“I heard the trial on Boundless Sea Peak was incredibly difficult. How did you pass?” Wei Mengrou asked suddenly.
“Each Trial Forest has multiple formations. I managed to comprehend the outermost layer,” he replied, his gaze sweeping over the scenery.
“That formation has a teleportation ability… Using it, I could easily pass the exams.”
She nodded, understanding dawning on her.
So that’s why Gongsun Cheng accused him of cheating.
“Why would the peak lord of Boundless Sea Peak make the exams so difficult?” she murmured, her voice laced with curiosity.
It was strange. Normally, at least ten or so candidates would pass.
But Boundless Sea Peak required Foundation Establishment cultivators to reach the summit with only their spiritual energy… Most wouldn’t even reach the halfway point before their energy was depleted.
Even an eighth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator would struggle.
Mu Zhi’an pondered her question, then chuckled. “If I’m not mistaken, the peak lord’s goal isn’t to let anyone pass. The exams are just a facade.”
“What’s his goal then?” she asked.
“To provoke envy,” he replied, his expression serious.
“He made a plate of dumplings… just to provoke envy.”
Creating a grand spectacle just to provoke envy. It was a common tactic, even in the imperial court.
She frowned, looking at him, but he simply smiled, refusing to elaborate.
He was teasing her.
Fine, keep your secrets… She scoffed, then turned away, focusing on the crane.
After nearly two hours, they flew past several peaks, the crane finally heading towards a specific mountain.
“Which peak is that?” he asked, his brow furrowing.
She studied the peak, then said, “It should be Two Polarities Peak.”
The main peak and a side peak were intertwined, forming a yin-yang symbol when viewed from above.
It was the tenth peak, the peak where the previous sect master had achieved Dao Integration and ascended to immortality.
And the crane was heading towards it.
Even Mu Zhi’an was surprised.
The crane came from Two Polarities Peak?
But wasn’t it said that only the sect master and her disciple resided there?
Were the rumors false?
But if they were true, and only the sect master and her disciple were on that peak… then his pen pal, the one who had been exchanging letters with him while Senior Sister was in Tianxuan City… could it be…?
He looked at Wei Mengrou. “Can we go there?”
She shook her head. “That peak is protected by powerful formations. It’s too dangerous.”
Ordinary cultivators couldn’t approach, but a crane could enter easily? He pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s go back for now.”
He had to revise his plans.
And he needed to calm down.
If his pen pal was truly the sect master…
He felt a wave of pressure he had never experienced before.
He wanted to expand his pond, but the sect master wasn’t a fish… She was a shark. She would devour anyone who entered her territory, perhaps even him…
According to the legends, the Empress had lived for thousands, even tens of thousands of years… The Demon Realm Empress could read minds. The sect master probably could as well.
It would be difficult to manipulate her…
He wasn’t sure about her identity yet, but he would proceed cautiously, maintaining their correspondence for now.
Even investments required a gradual approach. Romance was no different.
…
On their way back, he asked Wei Mengrou to stop at the Pilgrimage Palace, where he plucked a peach blossom. He stepped onto his sword, smiling. “Let’s go.”
“Why did you pick a peach blossom?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
“It’s for you,” he replied, looking at her.
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Scoundrel.”
She knew it wasn’t for her.
He had already appeased Ye Lingxuan and Bai Ruoxi. Lan Mulian was still at Two Polarities Peak. The only one left was obvious…
…
That night, under a sky filled with stars, Ye Qian sat by the window, gazing at the moon, a sigh escaping her lips.
She held a teacup in her hand, her eyes downcast, lost in thought.
While her features were sweet and youthful, her blue robe couldn’t conceal her ample bosom, giving her an allure that belied her age, a blend of innocence and maturity that was captivating.
Knock, knock.
A soft knock came from the door.
She looked up. “Is that you, Sister?”
“It’s me, Qian’er,” Mu Zhi’an’s voice replied.
Her heart skipped a beat, a mixture of joy and annoyance swirling within her.
Joy at his arrival, annoyance at her own weakness… Why was she so happy that he had come to see her, when he hadn’t even given her a snow lotus?
“What is it, Young Master Mu? It’s late,” she said, her voice cold and distant, mimicking her sister’s tone.
“Could you open the door? I want to talk,” he said.
“I’m about to rest. Please come back another time.”
He sighed. “Won’t you even listen to me, Qian’er?”
Silence.
After a moment, he continued, his voice filled with a carefully crafted despair. “I know you were hurt today. But it’s more complicated than you think.”
He paused, then continued, as if talking to himself. “The peach blossoms at the Pilgrimage Palace are in full bloom. I went there earlier.”
“If you like snow lotuses, I’ll go back to the Mu Manor in a few days and bring you one.”
He sighed again, his voice low and mournful. “I’ll leave the flower at your door…”
Footsteps faded into the distance.
She quietly opened the door and saw a pink peach blossom lying on the ground.
Her heart ached, a mix of emotions swirling within her as she picked up the flower.
She didn’t understand her own feelings, but seeing this flower… it filled her with a strange longing.
She held the blossom in her hands, her eyes glistening with tears, her voice a soft whisper. “Brother Mu.”
A shadow fell over her.
She looked up to see Mu Zhi’an standing before her, his handsome face illuminated by the moonlight, his eyes filled with a gentle warmth.
“You finally came out,” he said softly.
She looked away, flustered, and turned to go back inside.
He reached out, taking her wrist.
“Wait, Qian’er.”
She froze, her heart pounding, about to tell him to leave.
“Didn’t you hear her, Mu Zhi’an? This kind of behavior will only make her hate you,” a cold voice said behind them.
Mu Zhi’an turned to see Ye Yu standing there, his expression cold and impassive, his gaze fixed on him.
Other disciples, drawn by the commotion, gathered at the entrance, whispering among themselves.
It was like a scene from a classic story: the villain harassing the innocent girl, the hero arriving to save the day, winning his sister’s affection.
But Mu Zhi’an had always been able to rewrite the script. And now, with the Ye sisters’ affection for him so high…
Ye Yu’s arrival was timely.
He frowned, looking at him. “I just wanted to talk to Qian’er.”
“Leave,” Ye Yu said coldly. “Harassing a female disciple on your first day in the sect? Aren’t you afraid of being expelled?”
Mu Zhi’an’s expression shifted, and Ye Qian felt his grip tighten on her wrist.
But then he released her hand, sighing. “If this is the punishment for my infidelity, I accept it.”
Ye Yu smiled inwardly.
If he reported this to the peak lord, even if Mu Zhi’an wasn’t expelled, he would surely be punished!
And he, having stopped him, would be able to repair his relationship with Ye Qian.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Ye Qian’s soft voice interrupted him. “It was just a personal matter. He wasn’t harassing me.”
She looked at Ye Yu, her voice gentle. “Please leave, Brother Ye Yu.”