NOVPUBAfter leaving Ye Siyu’s residence, Mu Zhi’an didn’t return to his own. He flew towards the Rebirth Pool on his black sword.
According to the Jade Empress, even with the enhancements to his Innate Celestial Vessel, she still needed to bathe in the Rebirth Pool for ten days to rebuild her body.
He had been prepared for this, so he wasn’t bothered.
After all, countless cultivators would kill for the opportunity to serve the woman who had sealed the former Demon Emperor… it was a blessing in disguise.
It’s a shame there’s only one “Chosen One” so far. If the Forbidden Zone also had one, I might be able to… exploit them… He thought, arriving at the Rebirth Pool and waiting for the Jade Empress to finish her bath.
He sat down nearby and began meditating, maintaining an air of indifference, as if he was bored with her.
In reality, he couldn’t see anything anyway, thanks to the blinding holy light and the obscuring mist.
…
As the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the forest, she emerged from the pool, her green dress billowing in the breeze, her long, slender legs faintly visible beneath her skirt.
She’s truly beautiful. We’re destined to be together… He thought, then noticed the thoughtful expression on her face.
“Is something troubling you, Fairy Sister?” he asked, curious.
A being like her… what could possibly bother her?
“I might face a tribulation once my body is rebuilt in ten days,” she replied, her voice calm and melodious.
“And then… some old acquaintances might learn of my survival.”
“You have many enemies, Fairy Sister?” he asked, understanding her meaning.
Her “old acquaintances” included enemies, not just friends.
She shook her head. “Not many. Four, to be precise.”
Only four enemies after reaching Dao Integration…?
She’s truly a master of social interaction.
If it was Ye Yu, he would likely have countless enemies, even after reaching Dao Integration. It would be a true “protagonist” experience.
As for him… apart from those who resented him for his many female companions, he would likely have mostly friends.
And the Jade Empress… the Jade Pool Sacred Land seemed to cultivate a unique technique that made their voices as pleasant as celestial music, making it difficult to dislike them. It was likely the reason she had so few enemies.
Her voice… it wasn’t just alluring in conversation… if she used it in bed…
He quickly shook his head, banishing those thoughts.
“Are you saying those four enemies might come after you if they learn you’re alive and injured?”
She nodded, then added, “I’m not worried about myself, but they might connect you to my survival, considering recent events.”
He frowned, a thoughtful expression on his face.
He had to be careful.
Her enemies, from before she became an empress… they must be Nascent Soul experts by now, if not stronger…
“Do you regret it?” she asked, her eyes meeting his.
He quickly snapped out of his thoughts, shaking his head resolutely. “You sacrificed so much for the Eastern Realm, Fairy Sister. Rebuilding your body is the least I can do. I have no regrets!”
“Tell me the truth,” she said, her lips curving into a smile.
He fell silent, his gaze meeting hers, his eyes filled with a deep, unyielding emotion.
He then looked away, sighing softly.
“With my lowly status, I don’t dare to dream of anything more.”
She chuckled. “Let’s go back.”
“Aren’t you returning to my vessel?”
“There’s no rush. Let’s enjoy the scenery,” she replied with a smile.
…
They strolled through the forest, chatting about their past experiences.
He had little to say about his own, filled with brothels and countless flings, so he mostly listened to her stories.
“By the way, Fairy Sister, do you know anything about the sword formed from the bronze fragments?” he asked, remembering the weapon.
“A sword formed from bronze fragments?” she repeated, her brow furrowed.
She shook her head. “I’ve never heard of it. However, if it’s from the ancient past, it’s likely an ancestral artifact.”
“Perhaps a family from the ancient era was wiped out, but their ancestral artifact survived,” she added.
So Ruoxi’s family might have been a powerful clan in the ancient past, and she might have been their “Chosen One”?
He thought.
“The Forbidden Zone, the Jade Pool Sacred Land, the Wang Family of the Eastern Realm… they all possess ancestral artifacts.”
“So Lingxuan will inherit the Forbidden Zone’s ancestral artifact…” he murmured, lost in thought.
…
They continued chatting, then returned to his residence, finding Ye Lingxuan and Wei Mengrou reading at the pavilion.
She was clad in a light purple dress, her delicate feet swinging idly as she held a book in her hands, her gaze fixed on the pages.
She looked up, noticing them, and a bright smile spread across her face.
However, her smile faded slightly when she saw the Jade Empress.
Is that woman… the Jade Empress…? She set down her book and approached them. “Brother Mu, where did you go? I didn’t see you earlier,” she said, her voice soft.
“I escorted Senior Jade Empress to the Rebirth Pool,” he replied, gently stroking her hair.
“I see…” She studied the Jade Empress, her gaze lingering on her alluring figure, her mature beauty, and her ample bosom.
Though she was a fairy, her figure was undeniably captivating.
“Has your body been rebuilt, Fairy Sister?” she asked.
“I can only maintain this form for a short time each day. I haven’t fully recovered yet,” the Jade Empress replied, shaking her head.
“If you need anything, just let me know, Sister,” Lingxuan said with a smile.
“Thank you,” she replied.
She sensed Lingxuan’s wariness… but she didn’t mind.
She wasn’t going to compete with a child.
She chatted with them for a while longer, then returned to Mu Zhi’an’s vessel.
He noticed Lingxuan’s intense gaze and chuckled. “What are you staring at, Lingxuan?”
“Nothing. I just noticed you were… staring at Fairy Sister,” she replied, her lips pursed slightly.
“I didn’t look at her once,” he insisted.
To prevent a fire in his “pond,” he had exercised extreme self-control, his gaze never straying towards the Jade Empress. He had only glanced at her legs as she was entering his vessel, but that was all.
“Who knows? She’s very beautiful,” she mumbled.
He studied her, amused by her jealousy. He pulled her closer, his arm wrapping around her waist.
She was soft and delicate in his arms, a faint fragrance clinging to her.
“Lingxuan, do you think I have feelings for anyone else?” he whispered in her ear.
She squirmed in his embrace, her heart pounding, trying to escape.
However, her resistance was futile, and she relaxed against him, her body melting into his.
Her earlobe burned as his warm breath tickled her skin. “Who knows what you’re thinking, Brother Mu? Perhaps you said the same thing to Sister Ruoxi,” she murmured.
“I’ve only said this to you, Lingxuan. I swear,” he said, his voice sincere.
“If you ever see me say this to anyone else, you can punish me however you want.”
“What if I see you being intimate with someone else? Can I punish you then?” she asked, looking up at him, her eyes challenging.
He chuckled. “You can punish me however you want.”
She smiled, then added, “If I see you with another woman, I’ll keep you in the Forbidden Zone and use the Desolate Time Lock to seal your spiritual energy.”
He didn’t seem concerned. “Alright,” he said with a smile.
He wouldn’t dare be intimate with anyone else in the Forbidden Zone. He was interested in his aunt-in-law, but only because of her unique physique. As for the other girls… some were beautiful, but Lingxuan was enough.
Quality over quantity!
His reassurances lifted her spirits, and they chatted for a while longer before she left.
However, before departing, she reminded him to inform her if anyone bothered him, and he nodded thoughtfully.
It seemed some of the disciples were still eager to challenge him.
…
To his surprise, in the following days, no one challenged him. Even those who had glared at him before now greeted him politely.
“This is strange. I was prepared to channel my inner protagonist and slap some faces, but no one’s bothering me… where’s this Ye Cian? And Zhou Hao? Why hasn’t anyone come after me?”
“It seems your aunt-in-law spoke to the disciples. She told them you’re… under her protection… I overheard them talking about it earlier,” Wei Mengrou replied, her voice flat.
“So it was Sister Siyu…” he murmured, understanding.
That explained the lack of challenges, despite the lingering hostility he sensed from some.
“She’s so kind to me,” he said, touched.
He had to find a way to repay her kindness.
…
A few days passed, and he visited the Rebirth Pool again.
He sat under a tree, watching the Jade Empress bathe.
He couldn’t actually see anything, thanks to the blinding holy light and the obscuring mist.
“Your body will be fully rebuilt today, Fairy Sister?” he asked.
“If all goes well, yes,” she replied, nodding.
Her green dress billowed in the breeze, revealing glimpses of her slender legs, her long hair framing her beautiful face.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, glancing at him. “I might need your help later.”
“Anything, Fairy Sister. Just tell me what to do,” he said sincerely.
“What do I need to do?”
“I’ll tell you later,” she replied, her gaze returning to the pool.
…
The sun shifted, and the birdsong in the forest faded, an eerie silence settling upon the land.
A vast shadow suddenly engulfed the sky.
Boom!
Leaden clouds gathered, swirling like a whirlpool, a roaring dragon of lightning writhing within its center.
Several secluded experts throughout the Nine Realms opened their eyes, their senses alerted by the powerful tribulation.
“The Body Tempering Tribulation?” he murmured, looking up at the sky.
He knew little about Dao Integration, but he knew it involved two tribulations: the Body Tempering Tribulation and the Primordial Spirit Tribulation.
It seemed the Jade Empress’s Body Tempering Tribulation had arrived!
…
For the first time, the eternally spring-like Forbidden Zone experienced a violent storm, sparking a flurry of excited discussions among the disciples. They rushed towards the Rebirth Pool, curious to see which senior was undergoing their tribulation.
As they approached, the Jade Empress stood in the center of the pool, ripples spreading outwards from her feet.
“Come here, little one,” she said, her gaze fixed on the swirling clouds.
“Come closer…?” he repeated, staring at the tribulation clouds above her.
Two people facing a tribulation together… it would be far more dangerous. She should know that…
“Just come here.”
She stared at him, her green eyes calm and unwavering, though a faint blush colored her cheeks.
Under her intense gaze, he slowly approached her.
