NOVPUBMu Zhi’an was in a remarkably calm and detached state, his mind empty as he observed the unfamiliar surroundings and the Empress seated upon her throne.
The Demon Realm Empress looked down at him and smiled. “Don’t you have anything to say?”
Mu Zhi’an bowed respectfully. “Since Your Majesty has… brought me to the Demon Realm, you must have your reasons.”
That Huang Manting, not only has she become the Demon Realm Empress’s subordinate, but she even brought my consciousness here… And this temptress—
Mu Zhi’an bit his tongue, interrupting his thoughts and clearing his mind.
The Demon Realm Empress could read minds. If he had any disrespectful thoughts about her, she would know instantly.
He calmed himself and asked respectfully, “Why have you brought me here, Your Majesty?”
The Demon Realm Empress didn’t answer, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before returning to her usual aloof demeanor. “There are some matters I need to investigate, and I require your cooperation,” she said.
She gestured towards her maid.
The maid wore a simple jacket with purple embroidery and a plain white skirt, her attire giving her a pure and intellectual aura.
Although she wasn’t as alluring as the Demon Realm Empress, she was still a beauty among cultivators.
She was the Second Seat of the Demon Realm, the Empress’s personal maid.
She approached Mu Zhi’an and said with a smile, “Please follow me, Young Master Mu.”
As their eyes met, Mu Zhi’an’s heart skipped a beat, a wave of unease washing over him.
The Nascent Soul Realm…
No, even stronger than that!
Even a maid serving the Demon Realm Empress is so powerful…
Mu Zhi’an followed her along the corridor, his mind filled with suspicion.
Although he didn’t know the Empress’s intentions, only a wisp of his consciousness was here. Even if something went wrong, it wouldn’t affect his physical body, only his mental state.
Besides… the Demon Realm Empress had no reason to harm him.
They entered a spacious hall, and the maid formed a hand seal. A massive formation appeared outside, enveloping Mu Zhi’an.
“Relax. I won’t harm you.”
The Demon Realm Empress’s seductive voice echoed in his ears, seemingly sensing his tension. He instinctively turned to look at her, noticing that her gaze seemed different from before, less playful, more… complex.
Then, darkness consumed his consciousness, and an image appeared within the formation above him.
The Demon Realm’s Second Seat looked up at the image and asked, “Your Majesty, you’ve never asked me to use this secret technique on anyone before. What about this young man’s past is so important to you?”
This secret technique could reveal a person’s past, present, and even their innermost desires.
Even she, the Second Seat, couldn’t use it without the Demonic Qi within this hall. This showed how interested the Demon Realm Empress was in Mu Zhi’an.
“I had a dream,” the Demon Realm Empress said, her gaze fixed on Mu Zhi’an’s wisp of consciousness, her seductive voice echoing through the hall. “It was a very vivid dream, and there were some… intriguing things in it.”
Before the Second Seat could speak, she continued, her eyes fixed on the image in the formation, “Begin. You’ll see soon enough.” 𝖓𝔬𝖛𝔭𝔲𝖇.𝔠𝔬𝖒
The Second Seat bowed her head and replied, “Yes, Your Majesty.” She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were tinged with a pink glow.
A faint aura emanated from Mu Zhi’an’s body.
Luck!
Pink luck!
“Luck determines a cultivator’s life, but I’ve never seen pink luck before… As expected of someone who has caught Your Majesty’s attention,” the Second Seat thought to herself.
She carefully observed the pink aura surrounding Mu Zhi’an.
“Among his seven emotions and six desires, the strongest is… lust? It seems this Mu Zhi’an is quite the womanizer,” she murmured.
The Demon Realm Empress remained silent, her gaze fixed on the image appearing within the formation.
A woman in a white palace dress, her aura cold and delicate, her lips slightly pursed, appeared, her gaze fixed on the young man in the image.
This was Mu Zhi’an’s ‘present life’, and the woman was someone he cared about.
“Bai Ruoxi? I remember she’s half-demon, but she joined the Two Polarities Sect,” the Second Seat said, raising an eyebrow. She recognized Bai Ruoxi.
But a single woman couldn’t possibly explain his strong ‘lust’.
As expected, another woman appeared in the image.
She wore a purple dress, a thin ribbon cinched around her slender waist, her smile pure and innocent, her beauty captivating.
“The Forbidden Zone’s Holy Maiden… She’s indeed an exceptional woman. No wonder he’s two-timing,” the Second Seat said, observing the image calmly.
Ye Lingxuan’s beauty, talent, and background were all top-tier. If such a beauty actively pursued someone… no man could resist.
“Ye Qian… She’s the Jade Empress’s disciple, and Ye Lingxuan’s younger sister. I heard men have a weakness for sisters…” The Second Seat looked at the third woman appearing in the image, her expression unchanged.
She was a rational person. Although she disapproved of men’s fickle nature, she could understand.
After all, both the Ye sisters and Bai Ruoxi were irresistible beauties. It was natural for a young man like Mu Zhi’an to be tempted.
Then, another woman appeared, someone the Second Seat also recognized.
“She’s Shang Yanfei’s closed-door disciple and the first among her generation to reach the Nascent Soul Realm. She’ll be a formidable opponent for the Demon Realm in the future,” the Second Seat murmured.
Now she understood Mu Zhi’an. Both Lan Mulian and the alluring Lan Feiying were irresistible to a young man like him. It was no wonder he was so fickle.
However, to have intimate relationships with five beauties… He was quite capable.
The Second Seat nodded inwardly, her expression still calm despite her depleting mental energy.
This secret technique consumed not only Spiritual Energy but also mental strength. The longer it was maintained, the more mental strength it required. She had initially expected Mu Zhi’an’s ‘lust’ to manifest as two or three Dao Companions at most.
But there were five.
As she was about to speak, the Demon Realm Empress suddenly said, “Maintain your Spiritual Energy. It’s not over yet.”
The Second Seat looked up and saw another woman appearing in the image. She was stunned.
It’s not over yet…?
However, with her current mental strength, she could maintain the technique for another half an hour. It wouldn’t be a problem.
She focused, continuing to maintain the secret technique.
The next person to appear was a fairy in a green dress, her aura ethereal, like a celestial maiden from the moon palace, instilling a sense of awe.
Even the Jade Empress of the Jade Pool Holy Land…? It seemed the rumors about their close relationship weren’t unfounded… The Second Seat’s mind raced, her mental strength reaching its limit.
Revealing a Dao Integration expert, even a false one, consumed a tremendous amount of Spiritual Energy and mental strength.
No wonder Your Majesty is so interested in him. Although his cultivation level isn’t high, the women around him are all extraordinary…
As the Second Seat was about to withdraw the technique, another woman appeared after the Jade Empress.
Yan Ruyu, the Pavilion Master of the Book Pavilion…
A sense of unease washed over the Second Seat, and an absurd thought crossed her mind: There can’t be more, right?
Unfortunately, her fears were confirmed.
Fifteen minutes later.
The Second Seat stared blankly at the image, her mind in a daze as more and more women appeared.
After a long time, when no new faces appeared, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
It’s… finally over…
She felt a sense of liberation.
What’s with this guy? He’s been juggling so many women and hasn’t been ‘punished’ yet?
From the images she had seen, several of the beauties’ gazes towards him held a hint of darkness, and the Forbidden Zone Holy Maiden’s Desolate Time Lock had even stirred restlessly.
And he even dared to have designs on the Demon Realm Empress… He’s truly bold.
Remembering that the last woman to appear was the Demon Realm Empress, the Second Seat couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Mu Zhi’an.
The Demon Realm Empress’s charm was legendary. If he harbored any inappropriate thoughts towards her… his fate would be tragic.
And in the images she had seen, he had even imagined himself overpowering the Demon Realm Empress.
No, it wasn’t just his imagination. He truly had such thoughts.
The Second Seat glanced at the Empress beside her, but her expression remained calm, her captivating eyes fixed on Mu Zhi’an, not with anger, but with a hint of nostalgia.
Buzz!
Suddenly, the Second Seat’s mind buzzed, and she almost fainted.
She looked up at the image, which was about to disappear, and vaguely saw an elegant and noble figure.
However, what was strange was that Mu Zhi’an had never imagined being intimate with this woman, so no related scenes had appeared in the image.
There were only two possibilities… He either didn’t know her well and respected or feared her too much to have any inappropriate thoughts.
Or… this woman was someone he had known in his past life, not this one.
Is this the real reason Your Majesty asked me to use this technique…? The Second Seat narrowed her eyes, fighting against the dizziness, and stared at the woman’s back.
The woman’s figure was blurry, as if covered by a mosaic, but even so, she exuded an aura that instilled awe.
Who is she…? The Second Seat struggled to maintain her consciousness, her mental strength almost depleted, trying to see the woman’s face.
At that moment, the woman in the image turned her head slightly.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed in the Second Seat’s mind, and she coughed up blood, clutching her chest as she collapsed to the ground.
Mu Zhi’an had known a powerful being in his past life, and this woman… had been his Dao Companion!
The image in the sky shattered, and the Demon Realm Empress placed a hand on the Second Seat’s shoulder, protecting her consciousness.
The Second Seat gasped for air, her breathing ragged. After a while, she finally recovered and said apologetically, “I’m sorry… I couldn’t let you see her face, Your Majesty.”
Unseeable!
The woman who had appeared at the end had concealed Heavenly Secrets. Her existence was a bug, an anomaly overlooked by the Great Dao!
The Demon Realm Empress’s expression remained calm, but a deep darkness flickered in her captivating eyes as she looked at the spot where the image had vanished.
“There’s no need,” she said softly.
“I already know who she is.”
There was indeed more than one reincarnator.
…
Mu Zhi’an slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling upon a pair of long, smooth legs.
He followed the legs upwards and saw the Demon Realm Empress looking down at him, her seductive eyes captivating, her ample bosom, accentuated by her luxurious dress, drawing his gaze.
“Your constitution is much more useful than I imagined,” she said.
She couldn’t reveal her identity yet. He hadn’t regained his past life’s memories, and even if she told him the truth, he might not believe her.
However, even without his past life’s memories, they could still have a future together.
It was easy for someone like her to captivate a young man.
Of course, this required him to stay in the Demon Realm.
That wasn’t possible now… His physical body was still in the Two Polarities Sect. Only a wisp of his consciousness was here.
However, it wasn’t impossible in the future…
Mu Zhi’an bowed respectfully, unfazed by her praise. “Thank you for your recognition, Your Majesty. I’ll continue to serve you to the best of my abilities!”
The Demon Realm Empress pursed her lips. “There’s no need to be so formal. But I will need your help in the future,” she said calmly.
She took out a bronze mirror and handed it to him.
“This is a communication mirror. I’ll contact you through it in the future.”
So she can contact me directly even when I’m in the Two Polarities Sect, without having to rely on others… She’s treating me like a confidant… Mu Zhi’an thought, his eyes filled with suspicion. He hadn’t done anything special. Why had her attitude changed so drastically?
He accepted the mirror and thanked her.
Although he didn’t know her intentions, her trust in him… was a good thing.
It was a shame he hadn’t had time to cultivate recently. Even a slight improvement in his techniques would increase his chances in the Ascension Ceremony—
Mu Zhi’an suddenly frowned, as if remembering something important.
He looked up at her and asked, “How long have I been in the Demon Realm?”
“Two days,” the Second Seat replied.
Two days…
Mu Zhi’an’s expression changed.
Holy crap, the Ascension Ceremony has already begun?!
The Demon Realm Empress seemed to sense his worry. She narrowed her eyes, and her soft, seductive voice whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry, I’ll send your consciousness back to the Two Polarities Sect.”
…
Southern Bank.
Several plazas were filled with cultivators from all over the Nine Realms, their gazes fixed on the images displayed in the sky.
This Ascension Ceremony had gathered countless talented individuals. It was a rare event, and the elders of the Primordial Clans were naturally eager to witness their disciples’ performance.
Even reaching the top ten would bring honor to their families, let alone winning first place.
Several arenas were scattered throughout the southern bank, and within each, cultivators were engaged in fierce battles.
“Next, Mu Zhi’an.”
As the elder’s emotionless voice rang out, countless eyes turned towards the stage.
Most disciples within the Two Polarities Sect were familiar with the name ‘Mu Zhi’an’.
Not because of his talent, but because his Dao Companion was Bai Ruoxi, the prized disciple of Boundless Sea Peak’s Peak Master, he had two beautiful younger sisters, and even his maid was breathtakingly beautiful.
Most held no ill will towards him, as he was generally amiable. Only a few were jealous of him.
Or rather, they were envious of his smooth-talking skills. They knew his relationship with Bai Ruoxi wasn’t due to his talent or background, but his ability to woo women.
And that was precisely the skill these cultivators, who had dedicated their lives to cultivation, lacked.
The elder looked up and called out again, “Mu Zhi’an.”
Still no response.
A commotion arose among the crowd. Yan Ruyu, sitting with perfect posture before a distant stage, her alluring figure concealed by a loose black robe with embroidered flowers, her beautiful face partly hidden by her hair, her ample bosom and slender waist accentuated by a thin ribbon, frowned slightly.
The Pavilion Master of the Book Pavilion, a mature beauty as alluring as a ripe peach, looked at the young genius on stage, who was waiting for Mu Zhi’an’s arrival, and said softly to her disciple, “Is there still no news about my disciple?”
“I’ve searched the entire sect, Master, but I couldn’t find him… I heard he didn’t return to the Garden of Heavenly Harmony last night either,” the disciple whispered.
Yan Ruyu frowned, her gaze fixed on the stage, lost in thought.
The Vice Peak Master of Hidden Sword Peak chuckled and looked at her. “Don’t worry, Junior Sister Yan. The Book Pavilion’s position is unique. It’s different from the other main peaks. It doesn’t matter if your disciples don’t participate in the Ascension Ceremony. It’s always been like that, hasn’t it? Even if Mu Zhi’an participated, he probably wouldn’t…”
He shook his head, unable to finish his sentence.
Mu Zhi’an was only at the fourth-grade Core Formation Realm, and because of that tribulation in the Martial Realm, his cultivation level had even dropped from the peak of the fourth-grade to the initial stage. With his current strength, he might be able to reach the top hundred, but anything higher… was unlikely.
After all, this Ascension Ceremony had gathered countless geniuses. It was a true golden age, the most competitive one yet.
Yan Ruyu glanced at the Vice Peak Master coldly. “There’s no need for you to concern yourself with my disciple, Senior Brother Wang. I believe he wouldn’t forfeit without a reason.”
The Vice Peak Master chuckled. “It doesn’t matter if he forfeits. This year is different from previous years. Even if he participated, he wouldn’t achieve a good ranking.”
“In fact, all the disciples from my Hidden Sword Peak are at a higher level than Mu Zhi’an, and two of them are in the same group as him. He probably won’t even make it past them.”
Yan Ruyu chuckled. “Your disciples are indeed outstanding, Senior Brother, but are you confident they can defeat my disciple’s Dao Companion?”
The Vice Peak Master of Hidden Sword Peak was speechless.
One of the strongest contenders in this Ascension Ceremony was Bai Ruoxi. Who could be certain of defeating her?
Even Lan Mulian wasn’t sure, especially since she hadn’t refined the Seed of Dao Realization Mu Zhi’an had given her.
Ning Yuan, the Peak Master of Drunken Dream Peak, shook his head and chuckled. “A Dao Companion is a Dao Companion, and Mu Zhi’an is Mu Zhi’an. If he encounters Bai Ruoxi, do you really think she’ll forfeit?”
Many elders nodded in agreement.
Only Ye Siyu, who was representing the Forbidden Zone as an observer, frowned slightly. She sat beside the peak masters and elders from the Nine Realms, her lips curled into a disdainful sneer.
She had originally planned to participate, but since she and Ye Qian were the only ones sent from the Forbidden Zone, it was more appropriate for her to observe while Ye Qian competed.
Besides, she wasn’t interested in the Ascension Ceremony. She was more interested in finding dirt on Mu Zhi’an.
“It seems you have something to say, Miss Ye,” an elder from Yu State suddenly said with a smile, noticing her disdainful expression.
A few other elders also looked at her.
Ye Siyu narrowed her eyes and chuckled. “It’s nothing. I just think you’re underestimating him.”
They weren’t wrong. Based on his apparent strength, Mu Zhi’an was indeed average. However, he had many hidden trump cards… There might be other Chaos Bodies in the world, but only Mu Zhi’an possessed multiple extraordinary constitutions.
The elders from the Nine Realms chuckled softly, not bothering to argue.
They knew Ye Siyu was close to Mu Zhi’an. It was natural for her to defend him.
However, this was a competition. Background and connections didn’t matter here.
The disciple currently on stage was at the peak of the fifth-grade Core Formation Realm. How could a fourth-grade cultivator like Mu Zhi’an possibly win?
Besides, he hadn’t even appeared yet. Perhaps he had forfeited.
Suddenly, Ying Guhuan, who had been meditating silently, opened her eyes and looked up at the sky.
Someone in the crowd noticed something. “He’s coming,” he said.
The whispers died down as they all looked up and saw the young master in a black and gold robe approaching on his sword.
Ying Guhuan observed Mu Zhi’an carefully, her eyes narrowed.
The Demon Realm Empress’s aura…
Only demonic cultivators and those with exceptional sensitivity to Spiritual Energy could sense it. Even Ye Lingxuan, with her Innate Spiritual Body, would need to reach the Nascent Soul Realm to detect it.
Did the Demon Realm Empress take a liking to him… and deliberately leave her aura on him?
Ying Guhuan’s eyes flickered with a knowing glint.
No… it’s not a warning to other demonic cultivators. It’s more like a provocation…
