It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Two days later.

Mu Zhian and Lin Ling rode in a carriage back towards the Lan family. Looking out the window, he could see the landscape of the Eastern Continent below.

A rich medicinal fragrance drifted through the air, and unknown celestial cranes soared alongside the carriage.

Lin Ling leaned against the window, her bright red eyes fixed on the cranes outside, seemingly lost in thought.

Mu Zhian glanced at her.

She didn’t seem to realize anything was amiss, but from his angle, he saw a different scene.

Her white dress, embroidered with cloud patterns, clung to her figure, her bottom pressed against the soft cushion, her silver hair cascading down, and the reflection of the celestial cranes shimmering in her red eyes. She looked like an innocent young girl.

Well… she was indeed innocent.

Although her lifespan was probably similar to the Jade Empress’s, her mentality was still that of a young girl.

Lin Ling’s immense, innate luck attracted all living beings.

That was why these cranes were following them.

But they didn’t know that the woman in the carriage wasn’t admiring them, but contemplating whether to roast them…

“She possesses such immense power, yet she’s as innocent as a little girl,” Mu Zhian looked at the silver-haired beauty leaning against the window and sighed inwardly.

But perhaps it was precisely because of her pure heart that her cultivation was so unimpeded, allowing her to reach the Dao Integration realm so quickly.

“Aaa?”

She sensed his gaze, turned to look at him, and made a puzzled sound.

“It’s nothing. Continue enjoying the scenery. Don’t mind me,” Mu Zhian waved his hand dismissively.

Lin Ling thought for a moment, then held up her notebook: There are so many delicious ingredients outside, more than in the sect.

You’re including those cranes as ingredients, aren’t you…? Mu Zhian looked at her beautiful face, met her gaze, and after a moment of silence, asked, “You can speak, but you rarely do because of your word spirit ability. Does that make you sad?”

Lin Ling shook her head: I’m used to it.

“My very existence is a blessing. She always tells me not to feel sorry for myself.”

“If I hadn’t persevered, you wouldn’t have been able to take me to the outside world, would you?”

Mu Zhian tilted his head. She was right. If Lin Ling hadn’t been suppressing the karmic fire in her pocket dimension, he wouldn’t have met her, let alone taken her out.

But he wondered if he could have endured like her, suppressing the karmic fire day and night, never seeing the light of day, for so long.

“You’re amazing, Sister Lin Ling,” Mu Zhian sighed after a long moment. “If it were me, I would have gone crazy.”

Spending countless years in that gloomy pocket dimension, suppressing the karmic fire, not even knowing what the Eastern Continent looked like… What was the point of being a Dao Integration expert then? She had power but couldn’t use it freely.

Lin Ling’s expression remained calm, and she shook her head gently: Compared to her, I’m nothing.

“Her?”

Mu Zhian’s thoughts stirred, seemingly guessing who she meant. “Sect Master Lin? What happened to her?”

Lin Ling seemed to realize something, covered her mouth, blinked her eyes, and shook her head gently.

Mu Zhian smiled. “It’s fine if you can’t tell me. Don’t force yourself.”

“I’m sorry, but I promised her not to tell anyone about her,” Lin Ling wrote in her notebook, looking at Mu Zhian apologetically.

A spring breeze blew through the carriage, ruffling her clothes and revealing her round shoulders, her skin as white and smooth as jade, her ample bosom straining against the fabric.

Mu Zhian pondered for a moment, then chuckled. “Sister Lin Ling, has anyone ever told you that a verbal apology isn’t enough?”

Lin Ling made a puzzled “Aaa” sound.

“Then what should I do?”

“You have to call me Mu Lang,” Mu Zhian teased her seriously.

Seeing her hesitation, he took her hand and pulled her closer. “We’re Dao Companions now. It’s normal for Dao Companions to address each other like this.”

Seeing that the silver-haired beauty still refused to yield, Mu Zhian released her hand.

“If you don’t call me that, I’ll ignore you.”

Lin Ling paused, then tugged on his sleeve gently. “Aaa.”

Mu Zhian remained silent, looking out the window, mentally counting down.

When he reached ‘3,’ he finally heard a soft, clear voice beside him: “…Mu Lang.”

Seeing his pleased expression, Lin Ling held up her notebook: Does that address make you happy?

She could sense his joy.

Mu Zhian nodded slightly, smiling. “If I’m feeling down, hearing you call me that will cheer me up.”

“Aaa.”

Lin Ling’s beautiful face was filled with a thoughtful expression.

Then, Mu Zhian asked casually, “You’ve been out with me for days. Isn’t the Sect Master worried?”

“She knows I’ll be fine.”

Mu Zhian was initially surprised, then he quickly understood.

Lin Ling was favored by the Great Dao. Anyone could encounter misfortune, but not her.

Even those with immense luck couldn’t easily die, let alone the Spiritual Dragon, a symbol of luck itself.

“So, the only way you could be in danger is… the karmic fire?”

Mu Zhian mused. “But I can suppress it, so there’s no need to worry.”

Of course, that was only if he continued to help her until the karmic fire accumulated over millennia was completely extinguished.

“But you said your karmic fire is acting up because you transferred the Sect Master’s misfortune to yourself… Why did you do that?”

“Did the Sect Master’s misfortune suddenly worsen, forcing you to act?”

Mu Zhian noticed Lin Ling’s silence and smiled, stroking her hair. “I understand. I won’t ask about her.”

Lin Ling’s brows relaxed, and she embraced Mu Zhian’s head, burying his face in her bosom.

Did our roles reverse…? Mu Zhian couldn’t help but think.

But he quickly relaxed in her warm embrace, closing his eyes and enjoying the innocent affection.

After a while, Mu Zhian’s hand traced her back, his arm around her waist, and he suddenly asked, “Speaking of which, can your word spirit ability even change a person’s… physical state?”

“There are limits,” Lin Ling shook her head.

“When I kissed you before, I felt your spiritual energy flowing into my Innate Celestial Furnace… If it wasn’t through a kiss, but through other methods, would it also work?” Mu Zhian asked, looking at Lin Ling’s ample bosom.

For example, using her word spirit ability to temporarily change Lin Ling’s… physical state…

“Aaa?” Lin Ling’s red eyes were filled with confusion.

“Nothing. Don’t worry about it,” Mu Zhian quickly shook his head, smiling, and took out a bag of pastries.

The warm aroma filled the air, and Lin Ling’s eyes lit up.

“Here, I prepared this for you this morning,” Mu Zhian said with a smile.

“Aaa?”

“It’s fine. I’m not hungry.”

Mu Zhian looked at the silver-haired beauty eating the pastries. “It’s a pity this world doesn’t have coconut milk. It would be even more delicious with that.”

Lin Ling’s ahoge perked up like a radar. “Aaa (What’s that?)”

Mu Zhian glanced at the meat bun in her hand, then at her ample bosom, leaned close to her ear, and whispered something.

Lin Ling’s red eyes widened in surprise, and a blush crept onto her face as she glared at him playfully, holding up her notebook: Bad boy!

Mu Zhian fed her the rest of the meat bun, smiling. “Let’s conduct a small experiment later. As long as it doesn’t involve causality, your word spirit ability shouldn’t trigger the karmic fire, right?”

“Don’t you want to try, Sister Lin Ling? It will be even more enjoyable than before.”

Lin Ling looked at him, her eyes watery, then after a long moment, she nodded shyly, her face flushed.

…

Outside the Lan family’s estate.

After traveling for a day and a night, Mu Zhian’s carriage finally arrived.

Lin Ling rested her chin on her hand, dangling her feet and looking at the scenery outside, seemingly having forgotten Mu Zhian’s earlier request, completely immersed in the outside world.

When the carriage stopped before the Lan family’s main hall, Mu Zhian got out first.

“I thought Junior Brother had already returned to the sect,” a cold, elegant voice came from behind him.

Lan Mulian.

Mu Zhian turned around and saw the alluring woman in the red dress and his cold Senior Sister standing not far from the entrance.

His Innate Spiritual Body also sensed the presence of the woman in the yellow dress standing in a corner.

“Sorry, Sister Lin Ling came to the Lan family a few days ago, so I took her to Tianxuan City for a while,” Mu Zhian said with a smile.

A good actor could easily conceal their emotions.

Clearly, Mu Zhian was a good actor.

“Senior Lin Ling?”

Lan Feiying’s eyes flickered with suspicion. “What did you take her to Tianxuan City for?”

Although Lan Mulian didn’t speak, she also stared at him.

“Sister Lin Ling was suffering from karmic fire and was planning to return to her pocket dimension for a thousand years to suppress it. I was worried I wouldn’t see her again, so I took her to Tianxuan City to enjoy the local delicacies, so she wouldn’t have any regrets.”

Lan Mulian understood the underlying meaning of his words. “So, Senior Lin Ling is feeling better now?”

“Perhaps because of the delicious food, her karmic fire has temporarily subsided,” Mu Zhian said.

Lan Mulian pondered.

Lan Feiying made an “Oh” sound, seemingly understanding.

Wei Mengrou looked at her Young Master with suspicion.

Mu Zhian’s expression remained unchanged. He smiled. “Has anything happened at the Lan family these past few days?”

Lan Mulian’s expression softened slightly. “They’ve arranged for Mother’s memorial tablet to be placed in the Lan family’s ancestral hall. After the ancestral worship ceremony, she will be officially recognized as the deceased wife of the Clan Leader.”

“This should fulfill her last wish.”

Lan Mulian seemed lost in thought.

After a moment, she glanced at the carriage. “Is Senior Lin Ling inside?”

Lan Feiying and Wei Mengrou also looked towards the carriage.

Mu Zhian nodded discreetly. “She doesn’t want to return to the sect yet, so she came with us.”

Lan Mulian looked at Mu Zhian. “You didn’t… do anything disrespectful to Senior Lin Ling, did you?”

Mu Zhian smiled helplessly. “What do you take me for, Senior Sister? I wouldn’t dare to disrespect Sister Lin Ling. If I angered her, she could erase me from existence with a single word.”

Seeing that none of them were suspicious, Mu Zhian breathed a sigh of relief.

It was fortunate that he had gone to Tianxuan City with Lin Ling and not another girl. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain.

Lin Ling, although pure and innocent, could sense malicious intent.

If Mu Zhian had any impure thoughts about her, she would know.

And she would naturally be wary of him.

Because of this, no one would suspect anything about their relationship.

“By the way, there’s news about Huang Weifeng,” Lan Feiying suddenly said. “The consciousness within him is probably the Holy Light Qilin, the mount of Dao Initial Celestial Venerable. And it’s said that the Holy Light Qilin only serves one master in its lifetime.”

This was information the Lan family had obtained through a secret investigation. Because of Mu Zhian, the elders hadn’t hidden it from the Lan sisters, hoping they would warn him.

If anything happened to him at the Lan family, the Jade Empress’s wrath would be unbearable.

“Holy Light Qilin…” Mu Zhian murmured, as if trying to recall if he had seen this name in any ancient texts.

“The First Elder of our Lan family told me yesterday that there were rumors in the Eastern Continent that Dao Initial Celestial Venerable disappeared mysteriously thousands of years ago, and the Holy Light Qilin, having lost its master, also disappeared shortly after,” Lan Mulian said.

“But logically, its lifespan should be much longer. It shouldn’t have died so soon.”

Mu Zhian’s eyes flickered, then he looked at Lan Mulian. “Senior Sister, are you suspecting that the mysterious expert who rescued Huang Weifeng was Dao Initial Celestial Venerable?”

Lan Mulian nodded slightly, then clarified that it was just a suspicion, but she still hoped Mu Zhian would be careful.

After all, they were in the open, while the other party was in the shadows. They didn’t know the intentions of the expert backing Huang Weifeng.

Being targeted by a Dao Integration expert would be troublesome.

Mu Zhian nodded slightly. “I’ll be careful.”

He looked at the sky. “It seems it’s about to rain. I’ll go and get Sister Lin Ling.”

After Lin Ling got out of the carriage, she immediately noticed Mu Zhian’s troubled expression and held up her notebook: I’ll protect you.

Clearly, she had heard their conversation.

Mu Zhian smiled warmly. “Thank you.”

Lin Ling shook her head gently and stroked Mu Zhian’s hair.

“What’s wrong with Senior Lin Ling?” Lan Mulian asked.

“Nothing. She’s just comforting me,” Mu Zhian chuckled.

Lan Mulian pondered. “Senior Lin Ling has always been kind to you, and now she’s even more considerate… How strange.”

Mu Zhian, worried they might become suspicious, coughed lightly. “Let’s go back first.”

Along the way, Mu Zhian repeatedly changed the subject, avoiding any mention of Lin Ling. They soon arrived at the sisters’ residence.

Lin Ling followed them, happily munching on the snacks Mu Zhian had prepared.

Mu Zhian looked at the silver-haired beauty. “Senior Sister, I’ll take her to her room and come back to see you later.”

Lan Mulian raised an eyebrow. “Senior Lin Ling seems even more attached to Junior Brother after their trip to Tianxuan City.”

Mu Zhian’s heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm expression. “It’s probably because I’ve been giving her a lot of snacks.”

Lan Feiying looked at Mu Zhian meaningfully. “If snacks could win over Senior Lin Ling, the other sect disciples would have done it long ago.”

Lan Mulian continued, “I heard from Master that the Spiritual Dragon’s karmic fire can’t be easily suppressed. Why did it subside after your trip to Tianxuan City…?”

Wei Mengrou frowned, staring at her Young Master silently.

Mu Zhian smiled. “Perhaps it’s because of my natural… charm.”

But his smile was strained.

Lin Ling glanced at the three women and said, “You’re not allowed to bully him.”

Almost instantly, their hostility towards Mu Zhian vanished.

Lan Mulian was surprised inwardly. “Word spirit ability!”

This word spirit ability was truly mysterious. Just a few words could alter a person’s emotions?

What would happen if she used it on Junior Brother?

But there was something more important…

Lan Mulian looked at the innocent silver-haired beauty. “Why are you so kind to him, Senior Lin Ling?”

“He’s helped me a lot these past few days,” Lin Ling wrote in her notebook, standing protectively before Mu Zhian, like a mother hen guarding her chicks.

“Helped you a lot…?”

Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered, then a warm smile appeared on her face. “Could it be… related to the karmic fire?”

…