It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

An hour later.

Lin Ling lay sleepily by the edge of the hot spring, her legs curled up, her jade-like skin flushed from the warm water, her back smooth and white.

Her hair, which had been tied up, now spread across the surface of the water, reaching her shoulders. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were alluring.

Mu Zhian picked up the ribbon that had fallen into the water, walked over to her, gently massaged her silver hair, and said softly, “Look at you, your face is all red from soaking in the hot spring for so long. You should go back and rest.”

“Aaa,” Lin Ling shook her head, distrustful of Mu Zhian, the culprit behind her flushed face.

A Dao Integration expert’s body was tempered by heavenly tribulations, and Lin Ling, in a sense, was also a demon cultivator.

And a demon cultivator’s constitution was far stronger than a human’s. How could her face be flushed from soaking in a hot spring?

They both knew the real reason.

Mu Zhian was deflecting.

Lin Ling glanced at him and picked up her notebook: You’re thinking bad things.

The problem is, I’ve already done most of the things I want to do… Mu Zhian said helplessly, “I told you, I’m just trying to help you.”

“The karmic fire has mostly subsided today. I can suppress the rest after I meditate. Maybe tomorrow,” Lin Ling said, her face flushed, hiding behind her notebook as she peeked at him shyly.

Mu Zhian smiled wryly. “Do you distrust me that much, Sister Lin Ling?”

Lin Ling paused, then shook her head gently.

“You’re my true friend, like her, so I trust you. But I still need some time.”

Mu Zhian gathered her scattered silver hair and tied it up, putting his arm around her shoulders. “We’re Dao Companions, not just friends.”

Lin Ling shook her head gently, holding up her notebook: We’re friends. You already have a Dao Companion.

“They all like you very much, so you can’t be my Dao Companion.”

“Being with me will only cause trouble for you and make them unhappy.”

“I just want everyone to be happy.”

Mu Zhian was silent for a moment, then sighed. “You don’t have to always think about me. You should also think about yourself, even if it means being… ruthless.”

Someone so naive couldn’t survive in the cultivation world. Fortunately, she had Shang Yanfei’s protection.

He couldn’t imagine how much trouble Sister Lin Ling would encounter if she ventured out alone.

“Ruthless?” Lin Ling wrote in her notebook.

“Being ruthless means you don’t have to always consider others. You should also think about yourself,” Mu Zhian gently stroked Lin Ling’s silver hair. “If I leave with someone else today and won’t see you again for years, what would you do?”

“As long as you’re happy,” she wrote.

“What about you?” Mu Zhian asked.

Lin Ling looked confused.

“If I don’t see you for a long time, won’t you be lonely? And what about your karmic fire?”

“Don’t wrong yourself. You’ve suffered enough. You should enjoy yourself,” Mu Zhian said.

Lin Ling’s eyes flickered with thought, and she nodded slightly, making an “Aaa” sound.

Mu Zhian said, “Let’s go back. We’ve been here for a long time. The Mu Estate servants will become suspicious.”

He got dressed and was about to leave the hot spring.

A small hand suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

She held up her notebook: Can we… continue what we were doing earlier?

Mu Zhian shook his head gently. “No.”

Lin Ling looked at him, confused. She didn’t understand why he was suddenly rejecting her after being so gentle just now.

“That’s something only Dao Companions do. So, you have to use a more… appropriate term of address,” Mu Zhian said.

Lin Ling understood, frowning slightly and glancing at him, then holding up her notebook: Bad boy.

Mu Zhian looked at her, smiling without saying a word.

“Mu… Mu Lang…”

Her voice was as clear and melodious as a silver bell in the summer breeze, like a siren’s song.

She tugged on his sleeve, her brows furrowed, biting her lip as she looked up at him.

Unlike the usually innocent, gluttonous Lin Ling, she now seemed more… human… Mu Zhian was puzzled, then he quickly understood.

She was being influenced by the karmic fire. This wasn’t entirely her.

However, even with her seductive gaze and address, Mu Zhian still shook his head, smiling. “Not enough.”

“You have to kiss me—”

Before he could finish, Lin Ling seemed to lose her patience and let go of his sleeve.

“Mu Zhian will be completely enamored with me today,” she whispered.

“?”

Mu Zhian’s smile froze as he looked at the silver-haired beauty, her red eyes slightly dimmed, and a thought crossed his mind.

Oh no, I messed up.

…

Yin hour (3:00 AM – 5:00 AM).

“S-Sister Lin Ling, I was wrong…”

Mu Zhian’s weak voice came from behind the thin gauze curtains, the candlelight flickering.

Lin Ling tilted her head, looking at him, then said encouragingly, “You can do it.”

“No, I really need to rest—”

Mu Zhian’s voice trailed off.

Something miraculous happened.

Although the depleted Heavenly Court spiritual energy within his Innate Celestial Furnace hadn’t recovered, his exhausted body was instantly rejuvenated.

No, it wasn’t rejuvenation, but the forced restoration of his body by the word spirit ability, like a grip strength meter resetting after reaching its limit.

And Mu Zhian’s previous lethargy was replaced by a surge of energy, his gaze fixed on the silver-haired beauty in his arms.

…

The next morning.

Mu Zhian opened his eyes, got out of bed, and stretched languidly in the morning sunlight.

As expected of a Fox Clan constitution, his recovery speed was incredible.

He had fully recovered in less than two hours.

The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox body was truly amazing.

The luxurious bed was a mess. It had experienced a rather… unusual night, and if it were kept as a sacred relic, it might even be able to summon the legendary Spiritual Dragon.

The blankets were neatly folded and placed aside. Lin Ling had already woken up and left the room. Mu Zhian got dressed and looked at himself in the mirror.

Mmm… Perfect!

Recalling the events of last night, a warm smile appeared on Mu Zhian’s face.

Unlike any other girl he knew, Lin Ling had been… innocent when it came to matters between men and women. He had almost felt bad for taking advantage of her.

…But Lin Ling under the influence of the karmic fire was someone you didn’t want to provoke.

A cornered rabbit would bite, let alone the Spiritual Dragon.

Lin Ling’s karmic fire hadn’t been fully suppressed, and Mu Zhian had repeatedly teased her, only to be taught a lesson by her word spirit ability.

“The karmic fire is quite interesting,” Mu Zhian chuckled.

Remembering Lin Ling under the influence of the karmic fire, he felt a stir of excitement.

Lin Ling under the influence of karmic fire was a completely different person.

Usually, she was an innocent, gluttonous girl, but under the karmic fire’s influence, she became a seductive vixen.

She transformed from a shy, reserved girl into a demanding seductress, seeking only pleasure.

In short, the usual Lin Ling was good, and the karmic fire-influenced Lin Ling was also good. Both were incredibly beautiful.

And most importantly… She had white hair!

White hair and red eyes!

And she had an ample bosom and long, shapely legs!

These advantages were enough to overshadow any flaws.

Sister Lin Ling is perfect. Why didn’t I notice before…? Oh, right, she has incredible perception. She can sense any impure thoughts I have. There’s no way to…win her over.

It’s not difficult to win over a glutton, but it’s difficult to win over a glutton who can read your mind.

“Unfortunately, one night wasn’t enough to completely suppress her karmic fire. It will take some time,” Mu Zhian sighed softly.

The karmic fire had accumulated over many years and couldn’t be eliminated overnight. But at least for now, it was temporarily suppressed.

But she would still need his help in the future.

…

“Miss Lin, are you satisfied with the breakfast prepared by the servants?”

Old Man Ren asked with a gentle smile.

The more he looked at this girl, the more he liked her. She was indeed suitable to be Young Master’s Dao Companion.

Unlike any other girl he knew, she was clearly pure and innocent.

And she seemed a bit naive and delicate, willing to rely on Young Master, which wouldn’t make Young Master feel inferior.

Bai Ruoxi and that talented girl from before were both incredibly talented.

Young Master might feel inferior being with such girls.

Lin Ling glanced at him and nodded, taking out her notebook: “It’s delicious. Thank you.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Old Man Ren chuckled.

After a while, Lin Ling took another bite of a pastry and looked towards the dining hall entrance.

Mu Zhian stood there, smiling. “You’re up early, Sister Lin Ling.”

Lin Ling glanced at Mu Zhian, then quickly looked away, her silver ahoge swaying as she stuffed a meat bun into her mouth and took a sip of tea, her expression unchanged.

But a charming blush colored her cheeks.

Last night, she had been the one to take the initiative, and she had even used her word spirit ability in a… strange way.

If Shang Yanfei found out, she would definitely tease her.

Old Man Ren, noticing their interaction, but not commenting on it, said in a fatherly tone, “You also sleep until noon in the sect, Young Master?”

“I’m not criticizing you, but being so lazy will only make you fall behind other disciples in your cultivation.”

Mu Zhian shrugged. “I’m already at the peak of Core Formation.”

Old Man Ren glanced at Mu Zhian and scoffed.

Normally, it took several months to advance a single rank, even without encountering bottlenecks.

Young Master reaching the peak of Core Formation in such a short time?

Had he really caught up on all the cultivation he had neglected before?

Mu Zhian channeled his spiritual energy and gently pushed towards Old Man Ren.

The old man reacted quickly, striking back with his palm.

Then, he suddenly looked up, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at Mu Zhian. “H-How did you do it?!”

“Just normal cultivation. I cultivated, and then I reached the peak of Core Formation. I thought everyone was like this,” Mu Zhian feigned surprise.

“That’s not ‘normal.’ Your cultivation speed is even faster than that talented girl who came looking for you a while ago,” Old Man Ren said, staring at Mu Zhian in disbelief.

“Aaa?” Lin Ling looked up at him, puzzled.

Mu Zhian, understanding what she meant, chuckled. “It’s one of my ex-girlfriends from Tianxuan City. We’ve already broken up, so don’t worry about it.”

Old Man Ren glared at Mu Zhian. “You still remember her?”

“If you hadn’t reminded me, I probably would have forgotten,” Mu Zhian chuckled.

Back in Tianxuan City, he had pursued many girls, relying on his looks.

And he had also pursued a girl who happened to be passing through Tianxuan City.

Old Man Ren sighed. “Three years ago, Young Master, you told her that you would go and marry her after dealing with the Gongsun family. But you’ve probably forgotten about that.”

“And now, after three years, she came looking for you herself, and I had to clean up your mess.”

“I had hundreds, if not dozens, of girls back then. How could I remember all of them?” Mu Zhian said helplessly, shaking his head.

These were all the troubles he had caused before awakening his memories. Now, he was paying for his past sins.

Lin Ling, seemingly not interested in their conversation, continued eating her breakfast.

Mu Zhian watched as the silver-haired beauty devoured a meat bun. “So, she came to the Mu family, wanting me to fulfill my promise?”

Old Man Ren glared at Mu Zhian. “In your dreams! After so long without contact, you think she still has feelings for you?”

“She came to break off the engagement, saying she no longer owes you anything!”

Mu Zhian was stunned.

Then, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

“That’s good… That’s good…”

There were already too many ‘fish’ in his pond. Any more, and he wouldn’t be able to handle them.

Old Man Ren was also speechless. Seeing this silver-haired beauty and remembering Bai Ruoxi, he knew Young Master must have caused quite a bit of trouble during his time at the sect. He glared at Mu Zhian.

“By the way, Old Man Ren, if I remember correctly, you’re a Mystic-grade alchemist, right?” Mu Zhian suddenly asked.

Old Man Ren glared at him. “Why are you asking?”

“Do you want to go to Yu State for further training?” Mu Zhian asked.

He knew the old man’s only hobby was alchemy.

Old Man Ren was stunned, then waved his hand dismissively. “No need. I’m already old. It’s not convenient for me to travel. I’m fine staying at the Mu family.”

This was the truth, but he was also considering Mu Zhian.

The offer to go to Yu State… was tempting.

But Yu State was too far from the Eastern Continent, and their alchemists were numerous and united. They wouldn’t accept an old man like him for training.

“I’m serious. Aren’t you interested in alchemy, Old Man Ren?” Mu Zhian asked. He wanted Old Man Ren to comprehend the Dao of Alchemy and live for another thousand years.

Old Man Ren had watched him grow up and was like family to him.

“In Yu State, your alchemy skills can improve further, and there are also many formulas not found in the Eastern Continent,” Mu Zhian explained the benefits of going to Yu State.

Old Man Ren hesitated slightly. “Are you sure, Young Master? If I have to beg them, it’s not worth it.”

“I know someone there. She’ll agree. Don’t worry,” Mu Zhian smiled.

His agreement with Luo Tan was that after he reached the Nascent Soul realm, they would dual cultivate.

And now, he was just a step away from Nascent Soul.

Of course, he had to wait until after the ancestral worship ceremony… Mu Zhian looked towards the Lan family.

“Aaaa?”

A melodious voice pulled Mu Zhian back to reality.

He turned around and saw Lin Ling, having finished her meal, resting her chin on her hand and looking at him with puzzled red eyes. She held up her notebook: Do you want to go back?

“The ancestral worship ceremony is still a few days away. We can leave tomorrow.”

Mu Zhian shook his head, smiling. “I’m thinking about something else.”

Lin Ling tilted her head. “Aaa?”

Mu Zhian took her hand and led her out of the dining hall, then leaned close to her ear and whispered,

“I want to be a Dragon Rider.”

…

A day passed.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, the air slightly chilly in early spring.

The occasional bark of a dog echoed through the quiet, peaceful village.

It was an ordinary village in every way.

The only difference was that all the young people had moved away, leaving only the elderly.

They all had some kind of physical ailment, either crippled, blind, or missing a limb.

They lived on wild vegetables and the supplies sent by the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce.

Their lives were simple, but peaceful.

Tonight, however, this peace was shattered by the arrival of an old man.

Hum!

The space vibrated, a white light flickered, and an old man emerged.

He limped, dragging his crippled leg, and appeared in the village.

He held an unconscious young man in his arms.

It was Huang Weifeng.

“What happened to this child?”

An old woman with one eye, leaning on a cane, hobbled over from the village.

The old man sighed. “He was too impulsive. He went to the Lan family and offended the Jade Empress’s husband.”

The old woman’s cloudy eyes dimmed, and after a moment of silence, she sighed. “Send him away quickly. We can’t have our peace disturbed again.”

The old man nodded slightly. “I’ll send him away in two days.”

He looked at the supplies piled up outside the village. “Did Manting come by recently?”

The old woman shook her head. “She had a competition at her sect and was busy cultivating. She sent a message saying she’ll visit us in a few days.”

The old man’s eyes softened, and he nodded. “That child is kind-hearted.”

When the village had been impoverished, the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce had provided aid, and Huang Manting had often sent people to visit the elderly and disabled.

“Yes, she’s much kinder than Weifeng,” the old woman said pointedly, hobbling back to the village.

The old man watched her leave, his eyes deep, then said softly, “Jin Huang.”

A golden light flickered within Huang Weifeng’s body, revealing the form of a Holy Light Qilin.

It looked at the old man with excitement. “Celestial Venerable, you’re finally willing to see me?!”

Then, under the old man’s gaze, it fell silent.

“I’m just an ordinary old man now, not the Dao Initial Celestial Venerable you speak of.”

The old man said softly, “Tell me everything that happened when this child went to the Lan family.”