Chapter 258: The Ring or Your Finger, Mu Lang? |
“So Lingxuan awakened an Artifact Spirit and triggered a Heavenly Tribulation to create this ring with an Artifact Spirit?”
Ye Siyu blinked, leaning closer to Mu Zhi’an, examining the ring in his hand. She glanced at the identical ring on Ye Lingxuan’s finger, narrowed her eyes, and chuckled. “So this was the gift she prepared for him…”
“Are you two getting engaged?” she asked ‘curiously’.
Ye Lingxuan blushed, glaring at the mischievous girl. “Brother Mu gave me a Holy Lightning Rock, so I had it made into jewelry,” she said helplessly.
“You’re so kind to Lingxuan, Young Master Mu. If I’m not mistaken, a Holy Lightning Rock is worth at least 100,000 Spirit Stones, and it’s incredibly rare,” Bai Ruoxi said softly.
“Wearing such a valuable ring might attract unwanted attention.”
Mu Zhi’an noticed that Bai Ruoxi’s usually clear eyes had darkened, but her gaze remained gentle.
Her words seemed to imply: Do you want the ring or your finger?
Ye Qian lowered her head. She was usually a well-behaved girl, but she felt a pang of jealousy.
He looked at Bai Ruoxi and sighed. “You were receiving the inheritance in the Sword Palace at the time, Ruoxi, so you probably don’t know what happened to Mengrou and me.”
Lan Mulian’s expression remained unchanged. “What does that have to do with the ring in your hand?”
Mu Zhi’an smiled wryly. “The Sword Palace is filled with complex Celestial Realms. Mengrou and I were trapped in one and couldn’t escape. Fortunately, thanks to Lingxuan, we were able to find the sealed Sword Palace Master and escape.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Even Ye Lingxuan was confused.
Wei Mengrou glanced at Mu Zhi’an.
In the past, she would have exposed his lies. However, tonight, for some reason, she remained silent.
“Lingxuan, you possess the Innate Spiritual Body, right?” Mu Zhi’an asked, even though he already knew the answer.
Ye Lingxuan nodded slightly.
“Actually, after visiting the Forbidden Zone with you, I obtained a similar constitution from the Rebirth Pool. Although it’s not as powerful as a true Innate Spiritual Body, it helped me find the exit of the Sword Palace’s Celestial Realm and discover the treasures within.”
Is this reason sufficient? I gave Lingxuan the Holy Lightning Rock because her Innate Spiritual Body indirectly helped me… Can you put away your ‘locks’ now?
Mu Zhi’an thought this explanation was enough, but Lan Mulian clearly didn’t believe him. “It’s none of my business who you give gifts to, Young Master Mu, but I am interested in the Innate Spiritual Body,” she said calmly.
So Senior Sister can also be tsundere… Mu Zhi’an observed the cold and beautiful Lan Mulian, then said suddenly, “Senior Sister, you possess the Sacred Heavenly Body, and judging from your Spiritual Energy, you’re almost at the peak of the first-grade Nascent Soul Realm, right?”
Only a few people knew Lan Mulian’s current cultivation level, and she hadn’t told Mu Zhi’an about it. As he spoke, a flicker of surprise appeared in her usually cold eyes.
“Mengrou is at the eighth-grade Core Formation Realm, and Qian’er is at the fourth-grade…” Mu Zhi’an listed everyone’s cultivation level and progress.
The tense atmosphere eased slightly after Mu Zhi’an’s explanation.
Then, the women, including Ye Siyu, looked at him with strange expressions.
The Innate Spiritual Body was an extraordinary constitution. Ye Lingxuan’s rapid cultivation progress and strength were due to this constitution.
And Mu Zhi’an had obtained the same constitution after a trip to the Forbidden Zone?
Even if it was a weaker version, it would still be incredibly useful in both combat and everyday life.
“If it weren’t for this Innate Spiritual Body, I wouldn’t have been able to escape the Sword Palace. Therefore, I’m truly grateful to you, Lingxuan.”
Mu Zhi’an looked at Ye Lingxuan with a sincere expression, his gaze filled with affection, implying that the Holy Lightning Rock wasn’t just a token of gratitude, but something more.
Ye Lingxuan’s eyes flickered as she met his gaze, then she shyly lowered her eyes.
Seeing that everyone was silent, Mu Zhi’an seized the opportunity and transmitted his voice to Lan Mulian, “If you want a Holy Lightning Rock, Senior Sister, I can give you one.”
Lan Mulian glanced at him coldly and replied through voice transmission, “I’m not interested in the Holy Lightning Rock, Young Master Mu. You should save it for someone who needs it.”
Mu Zhi’an sighed and transmitted his voice again, “I know you’re unhappy with me tonight, Senior Sister. However, I believe there’s no need to be so formal between us. You’ve taken care of me so much in the past, and I’ve always wanted to repay your kindness.”
Lan Mulian observed him with a smile and replied through voice transmission, “If that’s the case, why didn’t you come to Two Polarities Peak after returning from the Sword Palace? Why tonight?”
Mu Zhi’an transmitted his voice, “After the snow lotus incident, you misunderstood me, Senior Sister. I was worried that if you found out I had given special Spirit Stones to others…”
He trailed off, his expression troubled.
“Do you think I would be jealous?” Lan Mulian chuckled through voice transmission. “You seem quite confident in your charm, Young Master Mu.”
I’m looking at you being jealous right now… Mu Zhi’an replied, “Giving gifts isn’t necessarily about romantic love. I just wanted to make that clear to you, Senior Sister.”
In a way, tonight’s trouble wasn’t entirely a bad thing. He could use this opportunity to lay the groundwork for the future.
Mu Zhi’an’s message was clear: Don’t misunderstand if you see me wearing bracelets, rings, and necklaces from other girls. These gifts aren’t necessarily tokens of romantic love. It just means I have a good relationship with them…
Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered as she replied through voice transmission, “You’re giving me gifts simply out of gratitude, Young Master Mu?”
Mu Zhi’an looked at her and said softly, “You understand, Senior Sister.”
Lan Mulian glanced at him, then calmly looked away.
“The Ascension Ceremony is approaching. We should focus on that.”
She paused, then continued, “It’s fine to relax and have fun occasionally, but don’t neglect your cultivation.”
This is an indirect agreement… Mu Zhi’an was overjoyed. He looked at her and transmitted his voice, “Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister. I’ll cultivate diligently from now on.”
Then, he sent similar messages to Bai Ruoxi, Ye Qian, and the others, explaining about giving special Spirit Stones to other women.
This way, he could wear the accessories they made for him without any problems.
After these private conversations, the tense atmosphere gradually eased.
Seizing the opportunity, Mu Zhi’an said, “There’s been a lot going on tonight, and this phenomenon doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. Let’s go back and cultivate. We can wait for it to disappear.”
“Besides, it’s not a good time for Mengrou to be out and about,” he added.
He was genuinely concerned about Wei Mengrou.
Although her bad luck was currently manifested as a visible aura, who knew if the ‘moon’ in the sky would affect her?
Moreover, Wei Mengrou was sensitive to other people’s gazes. She was the only one among these beauties with a black aura, making her stand out.
If outsiders saw her, it would inevitably lead to gossip.
Ye Siyu frowned slightly, looking at Mu Zhi’an suspiciously.
Although she didn’t know what he had said, the previously tense atmosphere had clearly eased after his private conversations.
This guy is much more capable than I imagined… Ye Siyu thought, observing him with her beautiful eyes.
Mu Zhi’an pretended to be oblivious and transmitted his voice to Ye Lingxuan, “You’ve worked hard tonight, Lingxuan. Go back and rest well. Don’t overexert yourself.”
Ye Lingxuan murmured in response. Having just been intimate with him, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him directly, afraid of revealing their secret.
Mu Zhi’an transmitted his voice again, “Siyu seems to have a strong prejudice against me. I want to find an opportunity to talk to her and get to know her better. Can you arrange something, Lingxuan?”
Judging from her behavior tonight, his aunt would be a huge problem in the future. He needed to find a way to appease her, perhaps by flattering her, to prevent her from reporting to his future mother-in-law…
Ye Lingxuan snapped out of her thoughts, glanced at him, and replied through voice transmission, “Mm… I’ll create an opportunity for you.”
She could tell that Ye Siyu had a strong opinion about Mu Zhi’an, but that was only because she didn’t understand his good qualities.
Just like she had initially disliked him for being a spoiled playboy, but after getting to know him better, she realized he wasn’t that bad.
The crisis had been averted, and Mu Zhi’an finally relaxed. After watching Ye Lingxuan and the others leave, he turned to go back.
Suddenly, he felt a familiar gaze upon him. He paused and turned around.
Not far from the Garden of Heavenly Harmony, he saw a figure in a bright red dress. Her long, golden hair cascaded down her back, and her skirt revealed her long, shapely legs. A black leg ring adorned her right thigh, creating a slight indentation in her smooth, jade-like skin.
She smiled charmingly, her hands behind her back, her gaze fixed on Mu Zhi’an.
It was Regina.
Besides Lan Mulian, others had also sensed that the celestial phenomenon originated from the Jade Glass Palace, and Regina, with her Soul Reading constitution, was one of them.
However, while most cultivators were captivated by the ‘moon’ in the sky, Regina’s attention was immediately drawn to Mu Zhi’an.
After all, they still had a deal to complete.
“You’re quite popular with women, Young Master Mu. I didn’t know you were also acquainted with Senior Sister Lan,” Regina said with a chuckle, her voice reaching Mu Zhi’an through voice transmission.
“Shouldn’t you be meditating at this hour, Miss Regina? Why are you at the Jade Glass Palace?” Mu Zhi’an replied through voice transmission.
“There was such a commotion at the Jade Glass Palace tonight. Anyone who sensed the source of the phenomenon would naturally come and take a look,” Regina said with a smile. “Do you know who triggered it, Young Master Mu?”
She looked at him with her innocent and vulnerable eyes, her long, golden hair framing her face, evoking a sense of pity.
“I don’t know. I’m also curious,” Mu Zhi’an replied with a calm smile.
Regina narrowed her eyes, observing him subtly.
When she sensed the phenomenon tonight, her first thought was of Mu Zhi’an.
Among all the talented individuals, his constitution was the most unique.
After all, everyone else’s constitution was for combat, while his was… for other purposes.
“Never mind if you don’t know, Young Master Mu. The Ascension Ceremony is approaching, and we might not have much time to chat after that. Why don’t you come and have some tea with me in the next few days?” Regina invited him, her beautiful eyes filled with affection.
Mu Zhi’an pondered for a moment, then nodded.
This was the Two Polarities Sect. Even people from the Southern Wilderness had to behave. What harm could come from visiting her residence?
She couldn’t possibly eat him, right?
“Then I won’t disturb you any longer, Young Master Mu. Your Dao Companion might get angry if she knows we’re chatting,” Regina said, her voice melodious.
“I don’t mind, but won’t your subordinate beat me up if he finds out about our close relationship?” Mu Zhi’an replied, using the same playful tone.
He had learned the art of ‘tea talk’ from Bai Ruoxi, who, despite her lack of scheming and malicious intent, was surprisingly adept at it.
Regina chuckled. “Are you trying to sow discord, Young Master Mu? Nigati is just someone who came with me. His actions have nothing to do with me.”
She glanced at the faint pink glow surrounding Mu Zhi’an’s body.
His luck was truly interesting…
Besides his luck, his Spiritual Energy seemed to have decreased as well.
This was both bad news and good news for her.
The bad news was that Mu Zhi’an had likely helped someone comprehend a Dao Rhyme, triggering the celestial phenomenon and prompting the Two Polarities Sect to activate their grand formation and conceal Heavenly Secrets.
After all, the laws of heaven and earth didn’t allow for ‘Dao Comprehension’.
If tonight’s events were truly related to Mu Zhi’an, then the girl who had comprehended the Dao Rhyme would be her most formidable opponent in the Ascension Ceremony.
The good news was that she would also benefit from the Innate Celestial Furnace’s enhancement.
Ideally, it would happen before the Ascension Ceremony.
That way, she would have a better chance of winning.
However, this required one thing.
She had to make this man submit to her before the Ascension Ceremony.
Countless men in the Southern Wilderness had pursued her. She knew how to manipulate hearts.
“Just you wait.”
Regina smiled, turned around, and walked away.