It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

The next morning, Mu Zhi’an finished his meditation and opened his eyes.

A soft knock echoed from behind the door.

Bai Ruoxi’s here already? “Come in,” he called out.

The door opened, and a young woman, dressed in the attire of a Mu family servant, entered the room. She had an elegant air about her, but he didn’t recognize her.

He studied her, his brow furrowing.

If the Mu family had such a beautiful servant, he would have remembered her.

“When did you arrive at the manor?” he asked, confused.

“I don’t recall meeting you before… but you seem familiar”

“That sounds like a pickup line,” a familiar voice said from behind him.

“She’s the young mistress you rescued from the Chen Manor. Don’t you remember?”

Mu Zhi’an blinked, taking another look at the servant.

She was quite beautiful, with a pleasant figure. He vaguely recalled rescuing a young mistress from the Chen Manor a few days ago.

“Miss Wei has been very kind to me. I wanted to thank you sooner, Young Master Mu, but she said you were busy,” the servant said, bowing respectfully. Her voice was soft and gentle.

“Thank you for saving me.”

“Are you settling in alright?” Mu Zhi’an asked with a smile.

She nodded. “It was a little difficult at first, but I’m getting used to it.”

She had been a pampered young mistress, accustomed to a life of luxury. Adjusting to life as a servant was a challenge.

Life was unpredictable. One moment you could be a wealthy heir, and the next… you could lose everything.

As the black-robed man had said, the empire was rotting from within. The emperor was a weak and incompetent ruler, obsessed with women and pleasure. The officials were corrupt, lining their pockets while the people suffered.

The Gongsun family weren’t officials, but as a cultivation family, they had connections within the court. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to raid homes so frequently.

However, Mu Zhi’an knew little about the intricacies of court politics. He didn’t know why the Chen Manor had been raided. Perhaps the Chen family patriarch had been embezzling funds, or perhaps they had offended someone powerful.

The latter seemed more likely.

Simply embezzling funds wouldn’t usually lead to a raid. They must have crossed someone influential, becoming the target of a political scheme.

That was why the young mistress had almost met a tragic end.

“If you have any problems, speak to the steward,” Mu Zhi’an said.

Normally, the women of a raided household would be sent to pleasure houses, but for the Mu family, it was a simple matter to intervene.

Even if the authorities knew, they would turn a blind eye.

The young mistress thanked him again, and he smiled in response.

Court politics were unpredictable. One moment the Chen family was in disgrace, and the next… perhaps a powerful ally would emerge, restoring their fortunes.

Although… it was rare for a raided family to recover.

But he was simply doing what he felt was right, satisfying a small part of his conscience. That was enough, wasn’t it?

He’d never claimed to be a good person, but he didn’t want to be a bad one either.

He watched as the young mistress left, then turned to Wei Mengrou. “What brings you here so early, Mengrou?”

“Are you here to help me get dressed?”

She rolled her eyes.

“The Bai family’s young mistress is here. She’s waiting for you in the back garden.”

“Oh… I asked someone to invite her this morning. I didn’t expect her to arrive so early.” He yawned, stretching.

“Go ahead. I’ll join you after I change.”

After Wei Mengrou left, he got dressed and combed his hair, checking his reflection in the mirror.

He was meeting a beautiful woman, after all. He had to maintain his appearance.

He left his room and made his way to the back garden.

The morning sun was warm, the leaves rustling softly in the gentle breeze. Bai Ruoxi sat beneath a pavilion, dressed in a simple white dress, her long black hair cascading down her back, a book in her hand.

He didn’t see Wei Mengrou. She was either hiding in the shadows or hadn’t arrived yet.

He suppressed his aura, approaching silently.

Bai Ruoxi seemed oblivious to his presence, her gaze fixed on her book. But as he neared, her voice, soft yet clear, echoed through the garden.

“Why are you concealing your aura, Young Master Mu? Are you planning to do something… untoward?”

He froze, staring at her in disbelief.

Her senses were that sharp? They were both at Foundation Establishment.

She turned to face him, a playful smile on her lips. “If this were yesterday, I wouldn’t have noticed you. But when I woke up this morning, I discovered I had reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment.”

“That aura… it’s quite effective,” he said, his voice tinged with envy.

She nodded, unable to hide her delight.

“The aura is indeed powerful, but I believe my breakthrough was influenced by your visit yesterday.”

“My visit?” he echoed, confused.

He had gone to the Bai Manor to investigate her mother and to spend some time with her. He hadn’t done anything else…

She blushed, her voice soft, a hint of shyness in her tone. “You’re an Inborn Celestial Vessel.”

It took him a moment to understand her meaning.

So… even a kiss could trigger the effects of his unique physique?

He looked at her, his gaze lingering on her alluring curves.

But… he didn’t see any ears or tails…

Was she truly the child of a three-tailed fox and a human? He felt a pang of disappointment.

She noticed his gaze, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink. “Why are you staring at my… my…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say the word.

He was acting strange today, staring at her head and… her rear… Had their intimacy yesterday sparked a desire for something more?

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry,” he said, recovering, forcing a smile. “I was just wondering if you had… fox ears and a tail.”

Fox ears and a tail?

She blinked, recalling her mother’s demonstration of her demonic form yesterday. Her eyes widened. “You… you know?”

“It’s not surprising, is it? You were going to tell me yesterday,” he replied with a chuckle.

She fell silent.

“Honestly… I’m glad you told me,” he said suddenly.

Her willingness to confide in him meant she trusted him. And that trust was a precious gift.

“What are you going to do?” she asked, looking up at him, her eyes searching his face.

“Will you tell… Senior Sister Lan?”

He shook his head. “She’s busy with the entrance exams. Let’s not burden her with this.”

She sighed inwardly, relieved.

She had been anxious all morning, sensing that he might already know the truth.

His words were a balm to her worried heart.

He gently took her hand, his gaze fixed on her face. “Ruoxi… can I ask you something?”

She blushed, her eyes downcast, her long lashes fluttering nervously. “What is it?”

“Do you have fox ears and a tail?” he asked seriously.

She stared at him, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“Is that important?”

“Very important,” he insisted.

Whether she was a fox girl… it was a matter of utmost importance.

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

She hesitated, then added softly, “But sometimes my head feels itchy… I wonder if that’s related to what you said”

“Interesting”

He sat down beside her, leaning in close, his eyes studying her face.

Her robe did little to conceal her ample bosom, a hint of creamy white flesh peeking out.

He couldn’t help but steal a glance, making her blush even deeper, her gaze fixed on the floor. She didn’t even notice when her book slipped from her grasp.

Compared to her initial coldness, her guarded demeanor, she was now more vulnerable, more receptive to his touch. She didn’t resist his closeness, her heart pounding with a mixture of shyness and anticipation.

“I don’t see any fox ears” he murmured, their faces inches apart.

Never having experienced such intimacy before, she blushed furiously, turning her head away, her lips pressed together.

A strand of hair fell across her cheek, accentuating her delicate features.

He leaned in closer, kissing her neck, making her shiver. “Are you done inspecting me? You won’t find any fox ears, no matter how hard you look—”

“Not yet. Just a little longer” he insisted, refusing to give up.

“I told you, I don’t—” She gasped as his lips captured hers, her back pressing against a stone pillar, her body melting against his.

…

After a while, Mu Zhi’an sat back, sighing contentedly.

They say a beautiful woman is a feast for the eyes. He had always thought it was a figure of speech, but now…

The ancients were wise indeed.

Bai Ruoxi glared at him, wiping her lipstick from his lips with a handkerchief.

He had seemed so proper and respectful when they first met, but after their kiss yesterday, he had become bolder, more… forward.

They were in the back garden! What if a servant saw them?

He pretended not to notice her annoyance, clearing his throat. “Let’s go to the sparring arena. The city’s young cultivators should be gathering there for practice matches. The entrance exams are approaching.”

“We might even see some familiar faces.”

She looked at him, then nodded silently.

He was right. With the exams approaching, the young talents of Tianxuan City would be eager to test their skills. It would be a good opportunity to observe the competition, to clear her head.

…

Rising Phoenix Inn.

This luxurious inn was located near the heart of Tianxuan City, a short distance from a tea house said to be over a hundred years old, its tables always filled with patrons.

Lan Mulian, dressed in a moon-white robe, sat in a quiet and elegant tea room, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. She glanced out the window, her gaze drawn to the sparring arena across the street.

A handsome young man was engaged in a fierce practice match with another cultivator.

She couldn’t hear their conversation, but judging by their aggressive attacks, they must have had a grudge.

Feiying, the chief auctioneer of the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce, sat across from her, her long legs crossed, her red cheongsam accentuating her alluring curves. She stared at Lan Mulian, her eyes filled with a playful warmth.

“This tea house has the best location in Tianxuan City. And it’s close to the arena. You can observe the young talents, Sister. It might be helpful for the entrance exams,” Feiying said softly.

Lan Mulian nodded.

They were in a private room, away from prying eyes, so she had removed her veil.

She was strikingly beautiful, but her most captivating feature was her eyes, cold and sharp as shards of ice.

The sisters… one an ice queen, the other a seductive temptress.

If one looked closely, one would notice their resemblance, despite their contrasting auras.

But their most intriguing aspect was their relationship.

It was a connection that held a deeper meaning, a hidden significance.

“That’s Ye Yu, the Ye family’s genius. He suffered a setback a few years ago, his cultivation plummeting, but he’s recovered remarkably quickly. He’s reached the peak of Qi Condensation in less than six months,” Feiying explained.

“Peak Qi Condensation in a few months, and almost at Foundation Establishment…” Lan Mulian murmured, her eyes thoughtful.

Such talent was indeed rare.

“However, a few days ago, he was soundly defeated in a duel at the Dragon Head Forest,” Feiying added, hoping to pique her sister’s curiosity.

But Lan Mulian seemed uninterested. She watched as Ye Yu emerged victorious from his practice match, her gaze distant, lost in thought.

Feiying leaned forward, her ample bosom pressing against the table.

She glanced at the arena, then her gaze fell upon Mu Zhi’an, who had just arrived.

“What’s he doing here?” she wondered aloud.

Lan Mulian followed her gaze, her eyes lingering on him for a moment. A flicker of interest appeared in her usually cold eyes. She turned to her sister.

“Do you know him?” she asked, her voice cool and clear.