Chapter 269: Come On, Let’s Go Inside! |
Compared to the ‘little fish’ in his pond, those who had evolved into ‘sea dragons’ like Yao Meng and Gong Lianyue were much more difficult to handle.
They were experienced and had seen much more of the world. They could easily see through his lies.
And as Dao Integration cultivators, they possessed methods to block voice transmissions and even eavesdrop on them.
Therefore, Mu Zhi’an wouldn’t dare to whisper sweet nothings to them individually while they were both present.
Imagine whispering sweet nothings to one of them, only to realize the other Empress was listening in… The thought alone was terrifying.
If he tried to use voice transmission now, it might turn from a ‘private conversation’ into a group chat.
However, although they were experienced, it didn’t mean they were experienced in matters of the heart. At least, among the beauties he knew, none of them had ever been in a relationship before, which gave him some leeway.
“The Primordial Witch’s will has left the peach blossom. Although we don’t know who she was looking for, she won’t reappear anytime soon,” Gong Lianyue said, her gaze fixed on Mu Zhi’an.
Mu Zhi’an’s eyes flickered, and he looked up at the Sword Palace Master, her aura alluring and mysterious in her black dress. “Are you saying the Primordial Witch might still be alive, Master?”
So the former master of the World Sea might still be alive…?
And since the Holy Son and the Holy Maiden from the World Sea had come to the Eastern Realm, and according to them… the Primordial Witch was likely here?
Mu Zhi’an’s eyes held a thoughtful glint.
Gong Lianyue’s tone softened as she looked at him with a hint of tenderness in her eyes. “More importantly, Mu Lang, do you remember what you promised me?”
Mu Zhi’an’s heart skipped a beat as he was brought back to reality.
“You promised me that after returning to the sect, you would distance yourself from those… troublesome women,” Gong Lianyue said, her gaze shifting to Yao Meng, the tenderness in her eyes replaced by coldness.
“If you’re too kindhearted to hurt their feelings, I can do it for you. I can clean up those unnecessary relationships so you won’t be bothered by them in the future.”
“For example, this Yao Meng, who claims to be your Dao Companion.”
Her words were clearly directed at Yao Meng. However, the Jade Empress, who had lived for countless years, remained unfazed. Her aura was ethereal, a gentle smile curving her lips. “Our relationship is none of your concern.”
“If it were Lady Bai, it would be understandable. After all, she is Mu Lang’s Dao Companion. But you’re just an outsider who recently approached him,” Yao Meng said calmly.
Gong Lianyue narrowed her eyes and chuckled. “So you admit you’ve wronged my scabbard?”
“It’s not unusual for a cultivator to have multiple Dao Companions. Besides, he was the one who pursued me first,” Yao Meng said, glancing at Mu Zhi’an, her gaze lingering on his handsome face for a moment.
“And I’ve already compensated Lady Bai.”
The Heaven-Mending Pill and the Seed of Dao Realization were both Yao Meng’s compensation for Bai Ruoxi.
After all, she had slept with her Dao Companion. Although it was consensual, she still felt a bit guilty towards Bai Ruoxi… Of course, she was mostly excited.
Then, Yao Meng’s tone changed, and she chuckled. “However, Lady Bai is Lady Bai, and you are you. Although you’re the same person, you’re two different consciousnesses.”
“You’re not qualified to make decisions for her.”
Gong Lianyue narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying…?”
“If you don’t understand, I can put it simply.”
Yao Meng smiled. “Simply put…”
“You’re not worthy.”
The atmosphere in the pavilion instantly froze.
The winter wind and snow couldn’t chill Mu Zhi’an, but he felt a bone-chilling coldness emanating from the two women.
Gong Lianyue scoffed. “You think I’m not qualified, Fairy Yao Meng? Fine, let him decide if I’m worthy of making decisions for him.”
Yao Meng smiled confidently, her beautiful green eyes fixed on Mu Zhi’an.
Can’t you just let me be a background character?! Mu Zhi’an’s inner voice screamed, his heart pounding.
He looked ahead and said, “Seniors, I’m a free man, so…”
Yao Meng said softly, “That’s not what you said when you were with me.”
“You said your heart and body belonged to me.”
Her gaze was still gentle, but a hint of danger lurked within.
“Those words sound familiar. How many other women have you said that to?” Gong Lianyue sneered, glaring at Mu Zhi’an.
She wondered if she should take him back to the Sword Palace after the Ascension Ceremony.
The Sword Palace had abundant resources, and with her guidance, his cultivation would progress smoothly. It would also prevent him from having unnecessary contact with other women.
Mu Zhi’an’s heart pounded as he felt their gazes upon him.
No matter how cunning Mu Zhi’an was, he couldn’t use any tricks against the most powerful beings in the world.
As they argued, Wei Mengrou sat silently in a chair nearby, sipping tea as she watched her young master struggle to handle his relationships.
Despite being a low-key maid, Wei Mengrou was undeniably a beauty. Her alluring figure, accentuated by her yellow dress, and her cold and beautiful face exuded an aura of aloofness.
She watched Mu Zhi’an silently, her hands cupping the warm teacup. Seeing his desperate gaze, a playful smile curved her lips.
The maid simply wanted to enjoy the show as a bystander.
However, the memory of their kiss earlier, his face so close to hers, and her own impulsive action, flashed through her mind.
Meeting his gaze again, she quickly looked away, her eyes fixed on the teacup in her hand.
Her beautiful face was reflected in the tea. As a gust of wind blew past, ripples appeared on the surface, and the reflection changed, revealing a stranger.
The woman wore a black robe, her hood concealing most of her face. Her pale and sickly complexion made her appear even more fragile and delicate.
As if sensing her gaze, the woman looked up, her gentle eyes meeting hers from beneath the hood.
Wei Mengrou’s hand trembled, and she instinctively released the teacup.
Crash!
The teacup shattered on the floor, tea splattering everywhere. The shards flew towards a pillar in the pavilion.
Mu Zhi’an instinctively looked at Wei Mengrou and saw the usually proud and elegant maid staring at the spilled tea, her eyes filled with confusion.
“What’s wrong, Mengrou?” he asked with concern.
Wei Mengrou snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head slowly. “It’s nothing… I’m just a little tired. I need to rest.”
She gathered the shards of the teacup, buried them in the ground, and left the pavilion.
Mu Zhi’an looked in the direction she had gone, his eyes thoughtful.
Then, he glanced at the beautiful woman in the black dress beside him. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to gamble!
He took a deep breath and transmitted his voice, “Master, I’ll give you an answer about what you said earlier, but I have other matters to attend to right now, so I need to leave…”
Gong Lianyue looked at him with a smile. “Why whisper it to me? Why not say it out loud?”
If I say it out loud, Yao Meng will eat me alive tonight… Mu Zhi’an transmitted his voice, “The fairy has shown me kindness in the past, and you’ve also helped Ruoxi and me greatly, Master. If possible, I hope you two can coexist peacefully.”
“As long as you keep her away from you, there won’t be any problems,” Gong Lianyue replied calmly.
Mu Zhi’an smiled wryly. “You know my relationship with the fairy is complicated, Master. It’s not something I can resolve so easily…”
“I’ll give you another month. If you’re still entangled with her when I wake up next time, I’ll make the decision for you. I’ll sever your ties with her and take you back to the Sword Palace to cultivate with me,” Gong Lianyue said.
Her consciousness couldn’t remain in control of Bai Ruoxi’s body for too long before the scabbard reached the Nascent Soul Realm and comprehended a trace of Dao Rhyme. Otherwise, she would have dealt with this Jade Empress today.
Mu Zhi’an breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to send a voice transmission to Yao Meng, but he saw her looking at him with a playful smile, a cold glint in her eyes, as if saying: You’re quite bold, whispering behind my back?
Then, her cold and melodious voice reached his ears.
“Wait for me in your room tonight.”
Yao Meng glanced at him, her gaze both aloof and alluring.
“I have some things I want to discuss with you.”
…
Wei Mengrou sat on the cushion in her room, her eyes closed, her breathing slow and steady as she prepared to meditate.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, she said coldly, “Why are you here? Aren’t you afraid of being caught and punished?”
She opened her eyes and looked towards the window.
Mu Zhi’an climbed in through the window. Under her cold gaze, he chuckled. “I told Yao Meng and the others that I wanted to check on you.”
Wei Mengrou raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery curving her lips. “They agreed?”
It was surprising that they hadn’t locked him up…
Mu Zhi’an’s smile faltered.
This maid really knew how to rub salt in his wounds.
“I took a risk and sent them separate voice transmissions, promising to explain everything later,” Mu Zhi’an said, sighing.
The main reason was that Gong Lianyue had been awakened by the Primordial Witch’s aura, but her consciousness couldn’t control Bai Ruoxi’s body for too long yet.
If Bai Ruoxi comprehended a trace of Dao Rhyme and reached the Nascent Soul Realm, Gong Lianyue wouldn’t have this limitation.
If that happened, today’s incident wouldn’t have ended so easily.
Even now, he had to expend a lot of effort to appease them, and he even had to ‘comfort’ the Empress tonight…
“So what do you need?” Wei Mengrou asked, looking at him.
“I felt like you were unwell, so I came to check on you,” Mu Zhi’an replied with a smile.
Under her gaze, he sat down on the cushion.
“Did you feel anything when you were possessed by the Primordial Witch’s will, Mengrou?” he asked.
Wei Mengrou hesitated for a moment, then shook her head gently. “I don’t remember anything. I just have a vague impression… It felt like a dream.”
She couldn’t help but recall the mysterious figure she had seen in the tea earlier, her hands instinctively clasping together.
She glanced at Mu Zhi’an and, after a moment of hesitation, whispered, “I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble.”
In a way, she was partly responsible for his ‘torture’ by the two Empresses today.
After all, Gong Lianyue had been awakened by the Primordial Witch’s aura, and it was Wei Mengrou who had awakened the Primordial Witch’s will.
“If a kiss counts as trouble, please be sure to do it again, and with more force,” Mu Zhi’an said solemnly.
Wei Mengrou glared at him.
She looked at the young man on the cushion, his eyes filled with concern. After a moment of hesitation, she looked away.
“That’s not like you—”
She paused, her gaze falling upon his hand, which was now holding hers. She looked at him silently.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Just comforting you,” Mu Zhi’an replied.
Wei Mengrou snorted and glanced at the door. “Jade Empress, what are you doing here?” she suddenly asked.
“Mengrou, although we’re master and servant, I’ve always considered you a sister. It’s inappropriate for us to be like this,” Mu Zhi’an said, withdrawing his hand.
He glanced at the doorway.
“…?”
It was empty. There was no one there.
Wei Mengrou glared at him disdainfully. “If you’re just comforting me, why are you worried about being discovered?”
Mu Zhi’an sighed. “Mengrou, we should have more trust between us.”
“I trust you enough. And I’m going to meditate now,” Wei Mengrou said.
Mu Zhi’an nodded slightly. “I won’t disturb you, Mengrou.”
She closed her eyes, but after a moment, she felt his gaze upon her. She opened her eyes and pointed at the door.
Mu Zhi’an looked at the open door and realized something. “You want me to close the door, Mengrou?”
“But it’s almost night. It’s inappropriate for us to be alone in a room…”
“Get lost.”
…
That night.
Mu Zhi’an returned to his room with the mysterious black box. After putting it away in his storage ring, he prepared to meditate.
He was currently at the peak of the fourth-grade Core Formation Realm, only a step away from breaking through to the fifth-grade.
However, he wasn’t planning to break through just yet. After his ‘death’, his body had been strengthened by two eighth-grade pills, and with the Dao he had chosen in the Core Formation Realm, his physique was now far superior to that of his peers.
During the Martial Realm trial, he might encounter those who disliked him or treacherous individuals who might try to ambush him. The Heavenly Tribulation for breaking through from the fourth-grade to the fifth-grade could be a powerful trump card.
After all, no one wanted to risk being severely injured during a tribulation and miss out on the Ascension Ceremony.
But Mu Zhi’an was different. He was full of energy, and his physique was strong. It wasn’t impossible for him to use the Heavenly Tribulation to his advantage in the Martial Realm.
It would be even easier if he encountered Ye Lingxuan and the others.
After taking off his outer robe, Mu Zhi’an was about to meditate on his bed when he suddenly noticed a slender figure behind the curtain. His heart skipped a beat as he walked over and pulled it aside.
Yao Meng was sitting on the bed, her legs tucked beneath her, her alluring figure outlined by her thin green dress. Her delicate feet were covered in soft white socks, and her long, flowing hair cascaded down her back, a few strands resting on her fair thighs.
She looked up at him with a faint smile. “You’re back?”
Why do I feel like something’s wrong? This doesn’t seem like she wants to have a ‘chat’ with me… Mu Zhi’an swallowed nervously and nodded. “I’m back.”
Then, his gaze fell upon the green vines emerging from her sleeve.
This isn’t a ‘chat’. This is an interrogation! Mu Zhi’an reacted quickly and turned to leave.
However, a green lotus bloomed before him.
In that instant, his Vessel was completely sealed.
The vines silently wrapped around him, binding his hands and feet, then gently dragged him onto the bed. The curtains fluttered, concealing everything within.
Yao Meng smiled faintly, her slender fingers tracing his neck, her hand cupping his face. Her beautiful green eyes looked down at him.
“I told you, I have some things I want to discuss with you tonight.”