NOVPUBThe mysterious black mist silently enveloped the entire area. The golden formation shattered under the giant hand’s impact, scattering countless golden fragments.
A soft, seductive voice echoed through the air, bringing a faint smile to Mu Zhi’an’s face.
As he had predicted, as long as he refined the Heavenly Dao Energy, he would be the winner.
Although he didn’t know how these powerful beings were secretly observing him, he didn’t need to understand. He just needed to know… he was a pawn on a chessboard.
But he was an important pawn, and those watching from the shadows wouldn’t allow him to be harmed.
However, her timely intervention meant she had been watching him all along…?
This thought made Mu Zhi’an uncomfortable.
Who would be so bored as to secretly observe him, even appearing in person the moment he was in danger?
After a moment of thought, Mu Zhi’an looked up at the black mist in the sky.
A faint silhouette was visible within the mist.
However, he couldn’t see her face, only glimpses of her fair skin through the swirling darkness.
Those feet… It’s definitely not Lin Ling. And it can’t be the Sect Master either. Is it Yao Meng…? Or did Gong Lianyue wake up from her slumber?
Mu Zhi’an quickly dismissed this possibility. He had seen Bai Ruoxi on the ground nearby.
Then, it must be Yao Meng… But she wouldn’t usually emit such an aura…
As he pondered, he suddenly remembered the words spoken by the woman in the black mist.
She sounded very familiar with the Demon Realm.
An absurd thought crossed his mind as he looked up at the alluring figure in the mist. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
…The Demon Realm Empress?
A deathly silence fell over the area. No one had expected a mere Core Formation cultivator to attract the attention of both the Imperial Advisor and another powerful being.
And it seemed the woman in the black mist was determined to protect Mu Zhi’an…
Gu Bo Xing’s eyes flickered as he stared at her, his heart filled with a strange sense of dread, as if he were being watched by a giant python. “It’s you… It’s you! How could you be in the Eastern Realm?!” he exclaimed.
The woman in the black mist smiled seductively, her lips parting slightly. “Why can’t I be in the Eastern Realm? I was just taking a stroll and happened to witness this interesting scene.”
“The Imperial Advisor of the Great Qian Dynasty attacking a young Core Formation cultivator, and during the Martial Realm trial no less… Could it be that you’re prepared to go to war with the Two Polarities Sect, Imperial Advisor Gu?”
Her lips, a delicate shade of purple, were moist and alluring, and her captivating eyes stared at Gu Bo Xing. Although she was beautiful and seductive, the stronger the cultivator, the more they feared her.
Especially since she was the Demon Realm Empress… The Demon Realm had been in chaos under the Primordial Demon Emperor, but this Empress had single-handedly suppressed the rebellion. One could only imagine the darkness she had experienced.
Those who were captivated by her beauty might end up with their bones picked clean.
However, Mu Zhi’an couldn’t help but want to cheer: Long live the Demon Realm Empress!
He had expected someone to come to his rescue, but he never imagined it would be the Demon Realm Empress.
What had he done to deserve her attention? Besides having the Innate Celestial Furnace and providing the Demon Realm with some information, he didn’t seem to be of any value to her.
Wait… No!
Mu Zhi’an suddenly realized something, and his smile faltered.
The Demon Realm Empress saving me, and with so many people watching… Doesn’t this expose my identity as a double agent?!
“Are you going to release him, or do you want to test the limits of the Great Qian Dynasty’s faith?” the Demon Realm Empress’s soft and seductive voice echoed in Gu Bo Xing’s ears, making his expression darken.
Even a fragment of a Dao Integration expert’s will was beyond the capabilities of a peak Nascent Soul cultivator.
Even with the power of faith, he could only barely hold her back…
And their battle would inevitably attract the attention of the Two Polarities Sect… Rumors had spread that Ling Long was fond of Mu Zhi’an, and there was also the threat from the Jade Pool Holy Land.
But he had finally found the Calamity Body. Letting her go now would be a waste…
Gu Bo Xing gritted his teeth and looked up at the Demon Realm Empress, transmitting his voice, “Your Majesty, this is a matter of the Eastern Realm, and it concerns the Calamity Body. If this causes conflict between the Eastern Realm and the Demon Realm…”
The woman in the black mist tilted her head slightly and chuckled. “Is the Great Qian Dynasty… that powerful?”
Gu Bo Xing said coldly, “The Great Qian Dynasty and the Eastern Realm are one.”
He was clearly trying to use the Dao Integration experts of the Eastern Realm to deter her.
However, the Demon Realm Empress laughed as if she had heard a joke. She looked at him from within the black mist. “Go tell them you’re planning to take him away. See if they’ll still support you.”
“And the Calamity Body you’re looking for… isn’t him.”
She glanced at Mu Zhi’an, his body enveloped in a black aura, and at Wei Mengrou, her lips curving into a slight smile.
“Is it worth it, just for a maid?”
“Or is it… for her?”
The Demon Realm Empress raised her finger and beckoned, and Mu Zhi’an was pulled towards her uncontrollably.
Gu Bo Xing gritted his teeth and cast another formation.
However, a crisp snap echoed from within the black mist, and the formation vanished instantly.
Gu Bo Xing’s eyes narrowed. He raised his hands and drew a line in the air, creating a massive crack that seemed to suck her in.
The Demon Realm Empress simply snapped her fingers again, and the crack disappeared.
No matter what techniques Gu Bo Xing used, she effortlessly neutralized them with a snap of her fingers. In the end, he could only watch helplessly as the Calamity Body was taken away.
As he floated within the black mist, Mu Zhi’an finally saw her face.
She wore a short black dress that revealed her long, shapely legs. Her hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes were adorned with a touch of red.
He had seen this face before…
Countless times.
This wasn’t the Demon Realm Empress’s true form, but the appearance she took when possessing someone.
…Huang Manting!
No wonder he had felt a sense of familiarity and apprehension towards her, no wonder he couldn’t help but be drawn to her… It all made sense now.
She was the Demon Realm Empress!
“It’s you… You’re also in the Martial Realm?” Mu Zhi’an asked in surprise.
The Demon Realm Empress gently caressed his face, her breath warm and sweet against his skin.
“If I hadn’t come, you would have been taken to the Great Qian Dynasty.”
Then, she glanced at the golden Dharma Form in the distance. “But for a peak Nascent Soul cultivator to be fooled by a young Core Formation cultivator… You’ve truly improved.”
Fooled…? Gu Bo Xing’s eyes flickered, and he said coldly, “What do you mean?”
The Demon Realm Empress chuckled. “He’s only managed to suppress the Heavenly Dao Energy within his body. Its true owner… isn’t him.”
Gu Bo Xing froze, then looked at Mu Zhi’an with suspicion in his eyes.
Heavenly Dao Energy…?
Suddenly, his eyes widened as if realizing something. He formed a hand seal and seemed to be performing a divination.
After about fifteen minutes, he abruptly opened his eyes and stared at Wei Mengrou. “It’s you…”
Wei Mengrou was the Calamity Body. Mu Zhi’an had simply forcefully refined her Heavenly Dao Energy, creating a false image of the Calamity Body!
Gu Bo Xing’s eyes flickered, and he instantly charged towards Wei Mengrou!
Mu Zhi’an’s expression changed.
He had worked so hard to suppress the Heavenly Dao Energy, and now the Demon Realm Empress had exposed him?!
He was about to move, but she placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head gently. She looked at Wei Mengrou with amusement in her eyes.
“Let’s watch and see what happens,” she said softly.
Mu Zhi’an followed her gaze and saw Gu Bo Xing’s giant hand reaching towards Wei Mengrou.
Wei Mengrou looked up, her eyes meeting Mu Zhi’an’s.
Although she couldn’t see who was within the black mist, it was clear they were there to protect Mu Zhi’an.
This put her mind at ease.
Looking at the approaching giant hand, she closed her eyes.
Then, just as her eyelids were about to close completely, she saw the woman in the black mist.
Huang Manting!
Suddenly, a soft and melodious voice echoed in her ears, “You’ll be separated from him for at least ten years. Since you won’t be able to see him for a while, why not let him come to the Demon Realm with me?”
“I’ll take good care of him for you.”
Normally, she would ignore such a provocative statement, but she knew that if she went to the Great Qian Dynasty with Gu Bo Xing, she wouldn’t be able to see Mu Zhi’an for a long time.
She didn’t care about herself, but she had promised his parents to take care of him…
Wei Mengrou’s thoughts were interrupted.
She saw Huang Manting’s hand on Mu Zhi’an’s face, gently caressing his cheek. Then, the woman in the black dress leaned in and kissed him, her lips soft and moist.
Time seemed to stand still.
Wei Mengrou stared at them, her eyes filled with confusion.
Then, she felt a sharp pain in her heart.
Suddenly, she found herself standing amidst a kaleidoscope of lights, a voice whispering in her ears. She couldn’t understand the words, but the world around her began to blur.
Then, she saw countless scenes she had no memory of… all taking place in the Martial Realm. Mu Zhi’an asking her for the Heavenly Dao Energy, and her giving it to him.
Then… the scene changed, and Mu Zhi’an was asking her for the Heavenly Dao Energy again…
This repeated for nearly twenty times.
After a moment of shock, she looked up at the young man in the black mist.
It was a brief glance, but it felt like an eternity.
She had been waiting for him for ten thousand years.
At this moment, the Primordial Witch’s consciousness silently took control.
Boom!
A black pillar of light, far more powerful than the one Mu Zhi’an had triggered earlier, descended from the sky, connecting heaven and earth.
Wei Mengrou’s eyes shone like brilliant stars.
As Gu Bo Xing’s massive hand approached, she remained calm, walking past him as if taking a leisurely stroll, stepping on invisible stairs as she entered the black mist and took Mu Zhi’an’s hand, pulling him towards her.
Tick-tock…
Time seemed to resume its flow. Gu Bo Xing’s eyes were wide with fear, the Demon Realm Empress observed them with amusement, and the other cultivators stared in shock.
Mu Zhi’an instinctively touched his lips, the warmth of the Demon Realm Empress’s kiss still lingering, even a hint of moisture…
It wasn’t an illusion. She had truly kissed him…
But why am I next to Mengrou now…?
He looked at Wei Mengrou, and as he met her star-like eyes, a thought crossed his mind: The Primordial Witch?!
On a distant mountain peak, Tang Sufei gasped, her gaze fixed on Wei Mengrou.
It’s her! She’s the Primordial Witch!
As if sensing his gaze, Wei Mengrou turned to look at him, her usually cold eyes now filled with a complex mix of emotions.
“Thank you for your hard work,” she said, her voice clear and melodious. Mu Zhi’an was confused.
“Hard work…?”
“It must have been difficult suppressing my Heavenly Dao Energy within your body,” Wei Mengrou said softly.
As if realizing his disbelief, she raised her right hand, her finger pointing towards Gu Bo Xing’s golden Dharma Form.
Boom!
The Dharma Form shattered, and a massive crater appeared in the ground.
Then, she cupped Mu Zhi’an’s face in her hands, a faint smile curving her lips as she leaned in and whispered in his ear,
“You’ll take responsibility for this, right?”
