Chapter 254: Returning the Rebirth Spiritual Energy p1 |
Leaving the Garden of Heavenly Harmony, Mu Zhi’an flew on his sword towards Shaoyue Courtyard. As he approached the courtyard’s main building, he saw a woman stepping out.
She wore a dark gold jacket over a white dress, her long, flowing hair meticulously styled. A golden hairpin adorned her hair, and a beautiful necklace hung around her neck, highlighting her fair skin. She wore black embroidered shoes, her figure tall and alluring.
Her attire was luxurious and elegant, instantly revealing her royal background.
Most women wouldn’t be able to pull off such an extravagant look, but it seemed perfectly natural on her, enhancing her beauty and grace.
Mu Zhi’an recognized her from their previous encounter.
It was Princess Yongning, the Princess Royal of the Great Qian Dynasty.
As expected of someone born into royalty, only the elegant Princess Royal could carry herself with such grace in such attire.
Two maids accompanied her. Although their clothes were simple, Mu Zhi’an could sense their restrained auras. They were likely at the Core Formation Realm, carefully chosen to protect Yongning.
An elder also stood nearby, presumably responsible for secretly guarding the princess.
“Indeed, Princess Yongning. It’s been several months,” Mu Zhi’an replied with a smile.
Princess Yongning observed him for a moment, then smiled brightly. “Your aura seems much stronger than before, Young Master Mu. It seems you’ve reached the Core Formation Realm. Congratulations.”
“I was just lucky to find my Dao,” Mu Zhi’an said modestly, shaking his head.
Reaching the Core Formation Realm required finding one’s ‘Dao’, and the ‘Dao’ Mu Zhi’an had found was to strengthen his physical body.
Although he wasn’t yet strong enough to defeat enemies with his physical strength alone, most cultivators at the same level wouldn’t be able to withstand a single punch from him at close range.
Even Yao Meng couldn’t handle it.
Well… literally.
“Are you here to see Pavilion Master Yan, Princess Yongning?” Mu Zhi’an asked, changing the subject.
Princess Yongning nodded slightly. “The Ascension Ceremony is just a few days away. I have some matters I’d like to discuss with Pavilion Master Yan.”
“What a coincidence. I also have some things to ask her,” Mu Zhi’an said with a smile.
He couldn’t help but admire the elegant princess.
Her beauty was one thing, but she was also intelligent and well-informed. She even knew that he had reached the Core Formation Realm… This meant she had her own sources within the Two Polarities Sect.
Or perhaps, Princess Yongning was also a Core Formation cultivator and possessed a special constitution that allowed her to sense his cultivation level.
“There was quite a commotion at the Jade Pool Holy Land a few days ago. I hope to invite you for tea sometime, Young Master Mu,” Princess Yongning said with a charming smile.
“I’ll definitely make time,” Mu Zhi’an replied, nodding with a smile.
He wasn’t just being polite. He was genuinely interested in the princess. It wouldn’t hurt to get to know her better in the future.
As he thought about this, Mu Zhi’an entered Shaoyue Courtyard.
In the main hall, Yan Ruyu was reading a thin book, her alluring figure concealed by a loose black robe. A cup of steaming tea sat on the table beside her.
Seemingly sensing his presence, she looked up. Mu Zhi’an smiled brightly.
“Pavilion Master Yan, I hope my sudden visit isn’t a disturbance.”
Yan Ruyu chuckled. “Considering the commotion you caused today, I expected you to come see me.”
She poured him a cup of tea, gestured for him to sit down, and asked, “What brings you here today?”
Mu Zhi’an’s smile faded slightly. He wrote the characters he had seen in the Sword Palace and the Forbidden Zone on a piece of paper.
“I was hoping you could tell me which dynasty these characters belong to, Pavilion Master Yan,” he said.
Yan Ruyu glanced at the characters, her eyebrows raising slightly. “What a coincidence.”
“Yongning just visited and asked about the same thing.”
“Princess Yongning also asked about these characters?” Mu Zhi’an asked curiously.
Yan Ruyu shook her head. “She wasn’t asking about these specific characters, but about the Calamity Body constitution.”
Mu Zhi’an’s eyes flickered. “Why would she ask about that?”
“Some ancient texts mention that a cultivator with the Calamity Body constitution would appear before the decline of every dynasty. Princess Yongning came here because of that,” Yan Ruyu explained.
“However, a single person’s luck shouldn’t be able to affect the fate of an entire dynasty. Even if the Great Qian Dynasty were to fall, it would be because the current Emperor is obsessed with cultivation and refuses to relinquish power,” she added, shaking her head with a chuckle.
The Great Qian Dynasty held a high position in the Eastern Realm, but since emperors couldn’t achieve immortality, a new crown prince would inherit the throne every hundred years.
However, the current emperor was obsessed with cultivation and refused to delegate authority. He had spent countless treasures from the national treasury on expensive cultivation resources. In a sense, the Great Qian Dynasty’s decline was largely due to the current emperor’s actions.
The notion of a Calamity Body causing a dynasty’s downfall was likely unfounded.
Yan Ruyu paused, then continued, “But this has nothing to do with Yongning. She doesn’t hold any power in the court. She was just curious and wasn’t targeting your maid.”
Wei Mengrou’s bad luck was unusual. The peak masters who had witnessed it knew this well. Seeing Mu Zhi’an’s silence, Yan Ruyu guessed he was thinking about his maid.
Mu Zhi’an snapped out of his thoughts and nodded slightly. “Do you know which dynasty these two sets of characters belong to, Pavilion Master Yan?”
Yan Ruyu shook her head gently. “I’ve never seen them before.”
Mu Zhi’an felt a pang of disappointment.
It made sense. Cultivators usually didn’t concern themselves with worldly matters. The rise and fall of dynasties had little impact on the Two Polarities Sect. As long as the Great Qian Dynasty didn’t do anything against the heavens, the Two Polarities Sect would maintain its neutrality.
Unwilling to give up, Mu Zhi’an asked, “I’ve heard that a person with the Calamity Body would appear before the fall of every dynasty. Isn’t that a bit too coincidental?”
Yan Ruyu nodded slightly. “It is quite a coincidence, but… I’ve never heard of a single person’s luck affecting an entire dynasty’s fate. Logically, if someone’s bad luck was that severe, the heavens would have struck them down already.”
“The heavens would punish someone for having bad luck?”
Mu Zhi’an was stunned. The heavens were meddling too much, weren’t they? What could someone do if they were born unlucky? And now, they would be punished for being too unlucky?
Yan Ruyu shook her head. “It’s highly unlikely for the heavens to intervene. Throughout the history of the Nine Realms, there have only been a few such cases. Unless, as you said, the person’s bad luck is so severe that it affects an entire dynasty’s fate, then the heavens might take action.”
That shouldn’t be related to Mengrou. If her bad luck was truly that severe, the heavens would have already intervened… Mu Zhi’an felt relieved.
“Do you have any books about the heavens’ punishments, Pavilion Master?” he asked.
“I believe I’ve seen some in the Book Pavilion. If you’re interested, I can retrieve them for you later,” Yan Ruyu said with a smile.
“Thank you, Pavilion Master,” Mu Zhi’an said gratefully.
Yan Ruyu continued, “The rise and fall of the Great Qian Dynasty has nothing to do with us. If you encounter any problems, feel free to discuss them with me. There’s no need to be polite.”
Not only is she knowledgeable, but she also cares deeply for her disciples… Mu Zhi’an looked at the elegant and well-endowed Pavilion Master, feeling a surge of gratitude.
“It seems you’ve broken through your bottleneck, Pavilion Master?” he asked, changing the subject.
A charming smile appeared on Yan Ruyu’s beautiful face. “Thanks to the Jade Empress, I’ve already broken through. There won’t be any problems for a while.”
Mu Zhi’an nodded with relief. “That’s good… If you need any help in the future, I’ll do my best to assist you.”
Yan Ruyu looked at Mu Zhi’an meaningfully, her eyes filled with a mixture of conflicted emotions. She smiled and nodded. “I believe there will be opportunities in the future.”
This disciple respected her so much, yet she had been preoccupied with his Innate Celestial Furnace… Thinking back, she felt ashamed of herself.
Putting those thoughts aside, Yan Ruyu changed the subject. “The Jade Empress’s return is of great significance to our Eastern Realm. You can ask her directly about any questions you have regarding cultivation techniques.”
She paused, then continued, “She’s still within your body, right?”
Mu Zhi’an nodded slightly. “She needs to absorb Spiritual Energy from my Innate Celestial Furnace.”
Hearing this, Yan Ruyu suddenly remembered something. After a moment of hesitation, she observed him carefully and said, “Logically, the Jade Empress shouldn’t be able to reconstruct her Vessel with her depleted Spiritual Energy.”
“Unless… she receives assistance from external Spiritual Energy.”
“Could it be that you and her…”
Her gaze shifted towards Mu Zhi’an meaningfully.
Although she didn’t finish her sentence, her implication was clear: Did you dual cultivate with the Jade Empress?
Mu Zhi’an didn’t hide anything from the Pavilion Master he ‘respected’. “The situation was urgent, so…”
Even though she had been mentally prepared, hearing his confirmation still shocked Yan Ruyu. Surprise and understanding filled her eyes.
It seems it wasn’t just me. Even the Jade Empress…
No wonder the Jade Empress had bestowed opportunities upon the peak masters. There was another reason behind it…
In other words, Yao Meng wanted to keep him all to herself.
Yan Ruyu’s eyes flickered as she looked at Mu Zhi’an meaningfully.
Then, she suddenly asked, “When did you meet the Xuanyin Temple’s Holy Maiden? Her accompanying elder came to see me today, inquiring about your whereabouts.”
Mu Zhi’an’s heart skipped a beat. “Miss Lin is also at the Two Polarities Sect?”
“She arrived yesterday, but the people from the Xuanyin Temple are keeping a low profile, so not many noticed,” Yan Ruyu replied.
Mu Zhi’an nodded slightly. “I understand. I’ll visit her later. She probably wants to thank me for saving her in the Sword Palace.”
As he expected, Lin Keyu was a rather shy young lady. Even if she wanted to give him the Aurora Crystal necklace, she would do it privately. She wouldn’t do it in public. Otherwise, she would have come to the Garden of Heavenly Harmony today.
I wonder when the Holy Maiden from the Jade Pool will come and what kind of accessory she’ll make with the Aurora Crystal… Mu Zhi’an thought to himself.
After a ‘heart-to-heart’ conversation with Yan Ruyu in Shaoyue Courtyard, Mu Zhi’an stood up to leave.
Just as he was about to depart, he seemed to remember something. He took out a red, glowing crystal from his storage ring and handed it to Yan Ruyu.
“I realized I haven’t repaid you for all the help you’ve given me, Pavilion Master Yan. I know this Blood Condensing Stone is far from enough to express my gratitude, but please accept it as a token of my appreciation.”
Yan Ruyu looked at the special Spirit Stone in his hand, surprised. “A Blood Condensing Stone? Where did you get this?”
“A kind person in the Sword Palace gave it to me…” Mu Zhi’an said with a smile. “I found it by chance.”
Yan Ruyu hesitated for a moment, then accepted the Blood Condensing Stone with a smile.
After all, it was a gift from her disciple. Refusing it would hurt his feelings.
Mu Zhi’an bowed and bid farewell to the elegant and knowledgeable woman.
Leaving Shaoyue Courtyard, he looked up at the snowy scenery, his gaze lingering on Two Polarities Peak, a thoughtful expression on his face.
He wouldn’t give Senior Sister any special Spirit Stones this time. However, he still needed to find time to visit her in the next few days and maintain their relationship…
Lan Mulian was an intelligent woman. It wouldn’t be good if he messed things up after giving her a gift.
As Mu Zhi’an thought about this, he was about to return to the Garden of Heavenly Harmony on his sword when he suddenly noticed dark, heavy clouds gathering above the Jade Glass Palace, accompanied by rumbling thunder.
The sky darkened, and many cultivators instinctively looked towards the Jade Glass Palace. Mu Zhi’an’s gaze was also drawn to the tribulation clouds.
Could it be that someone had advanced in their cultivation and triggered a Heavenly Tribulation?
Boom!
Mu Zhi’an’s eyes flickered. He could tell that this Heavenly Tribulation was different from the ones cultivators faced when advancing in their cultivation.