It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists
Chapter 507: Yao Meng: Crap, I Messed Up

For the next two days, Mu Zhian meditated and cultivated in Cloud Province, waiting for the Princess to deal with the aftermath of the Forbidden Land of Life incident.

And occasionally, while Mu Zhian was meditating and cultivating in his guest room, the Princess would protect him.

The attendant tasked with secretly observing the Princess’s movements saw this and couldn’t help but feel worried.

He felt that His Majesty the Great Peng Emperor’s wife had been getting too close to Mu Zhian these past two days.

Although he didn’t believe the Princess would betray the Great Peng Emperor, she had indeed been getting very close to Mu Zhian these past two days; this was an undeniable fact.

Just in case, the attendant quietly left Mu Zhian’s courtyard that day and went to report this to the Great Peng Emperor.

“You’re saying my beloved consort has been getting very close to Mu Zhian these past two days?”

The Great Peng Emperor raised an eyebrow, his voice stern, “Do you know the consequences of driving a wedge between my consort and me?”

“This subordinate wouldn’t dare! This subordinate wouldn’t dare! But these past two days, this subordinate truly saw the Princess frequently leaving her courtyard to see Mu Zhian. Although I didn’t personally witness anything between them… the Princess has never cared about another man this much before.”

The attendant hurriedly knelt on the ground, his voice filled with fear.

A thoughtful look flashed through the Great Peng Emperor’s eyes, then he shook his head and chuckled, “You’re saying my beloved consort would take a liking to a little cultivator who’s only been cultivating for twenty years? And even be intimate with him?”

He had given Mu Zhian a hard time before purely because he didn’t want any other men near his beloved consort.

But since Mu Zhian was the Jade Empress’s Dao Companion, it didn’t really matter.

After all, with that unparalleled fairy of the Nine Provinces as his Dao Companion, even Mu Zhian wouldn’t be bold enough to set his sights on his wife.

Besides, even if Mu Zhian had such thoughts, he also had to consider whether the Princess would agree.

Before knowing about the relationship between the Princess and the Great Peng Emperor, many had pursued this Princess in Cloud Province, including cultivators from prominent families, but without exception, not a single one could even get close to her.

This was normal. After all, the Princess was the Daughter of the Great Dao, with her own pride, not just anyone could approach her.

Saying she cared about Mu Zhian… The Great Peng Emperor wouldn’t believe it, not even if he were beaten to death.

The Great Peng Emperor waved his hand dismissively, “Alright, you may leave.”

He stood up and instructed, “Have the Imperial Kitchen prepare some snacks and invite my consort and Mu Zhian to the Imperial Garden to enjoy them together.”

…

On a leisurely afternoon, maids carried trays of food towards the pavilion in the Imperial Garden.

In his guest room, after circulating his Spiritual Energy for three cycles, Mu Zhian heard a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Mu Zhian said.

The door opened, and the attendant bowed respectfully, “Young Master Mu, His Majesty the Great Peng Emperor invites you to the garden to enjoy some afternoon delicacies.”

The Great Peng Emperor is inviting me?

Mu Zhian was somewhat surprised. After all, the Great Peng Emperor had some friction with him not long ago… yet he was willing to lower himself and invite him now?

However, during his chats with the Princess in her room these past two days, Mu Zhian learned about the Great Peng Emperor’s actions in Cloud Province and naturally understood that this invitation was purely for Yao Meng’s sake.

After all, no one would want to offend a Transcendence Realm Human Emperor.

At least, not openly.

“Understood, you may leave,” Mu Zhian nodded slightly.

After the attendant left, Mu Zhian looked up at the courtyard scenery outside the window and quickly collected his thoughts.

He stood up, straightened his robes before the bronze mirror, and left the room.

After walking along a quiet path for a while, he saw a garden appearing in the distance.

“Young Friend Mu, why are you here too?”

Just as he entered the garden, he heard a woman’s crisp, pleasant, and gentle voice.

Mu Zhian looked over and saw the Princess sitting in the pavilion.

Her posture was demure, her hair casually framing her beautiful and charming face, making her look like a plump and sexy peony.

The Great Peng Emperor sat not far from the Princess, accompanied by his attendants. Seeing Mu Zhian, a smile appeared on his face, “Young Friend Mu, you’re truly punctual. I hope I didn’t disturb your rest.”

His tone carried the cordiality of a superior towards a subordinate.

Clearly, even now, in the Great Peng Emperor’s eyes, Mu Zhian was still a ‘subordinate’.

However, Mu Zhian didn’t mind and feigned surprise, “So it’s Your Majesty and Your Highness enjoying delicacies today? If I had known, I wouldn’t have intruded.”

The Princess tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled brightly, “Young Friend Mu needn’t worry. After all, you’ll be returning to Yu State soon. Consider this Cloud Province’s last afternoon tea for you.”

This smile, filled with charm, was quite alluring.

Plus, she was wearing a magnificent dress today, her eyes carrying a gentle, motherly aura.

That unintentional charm made Mu Zhian’s heart race.

The moment their gazes met, the Princess seemed to sense Mu Zhian’s thoughts, lightly licked her rosy lips, and glanced at him seductively.

Hiss… This woman is a total vixen.

Mu Zhian immediately looked away, assuming a reserved demeanor.

Although he had realized how alluring this Princess was after their intimate interactions these past two days, he still didn’t expect her to be so bold, daring to flirt with him in front of the Great Peng Emperor.

However, clearly, Mu Zhian, this best actor, performed quite well. At least the Great Peng Emperor didn’t overthink it. He instructed the servants to withdraw, then had Mu Zhian sit opposite him.

The Princess sat diagonally across from Mu Zhian, holding a teacup, sipping quietly.

Just then, the Great Peng Emperor put down his chopsticks and said with a smile, “A few days ago, my beloved consort said she was sending people to search for the Cloud Smoke Willow, because the Jade Empress needed this heavenly material and earthly treasure… At that time, I was still wondering who needed such a special treasure.”

“Now it seems, the Jade Empress finding this Cloud Smoke Willow is actually for Young Friend Mu, right?”

As he spoke, he looked at Mu Zhian intentionally or unintentionally, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

The Princess’s delicate brows couldn’t help but raise. She knew the Great Peng Emperor wouldn’t invite Mu Zhian for no reason. So it was for this?

Mu Zhian was currently a little cultivator who had just entered Nascent Soul Realm. No one would suspect him of being the one who needed the Cloud Smoke Willow.

But her bringing Mu Zhian to Cloud Province this time… This itself was suspicious.

Mu Zhian calmly put down his teacup, smiled gently, and said, “Actually, the Cloud Smoke Willow isn’t for me. Yao Meng has other uses for it.”

“Oh?”

The Great Peng Emperor seemed interested, “If I remember correctly, the Cloud Smoke Willow can only be used to refine the Nine Cauldrons Nascent Soul Pill. And in this world, the only one the Jade Empress would help is probably Young Friend Mu, right?”

“If it’s not for Young Friend Mu, then what does the Jade Empress want the Cloud Smoke Willow for?”

Mu Zhian said calmly, “His Majesty the Great Peng Emperor must have investigated me these past few days, right?”

The Great Peng Emperor’s smile faltered, and a slightly awkward look appeared on his face.

He had indeed secretly sent people to investigate Mu Zhian these past few days and roughly knew about some of the things that happened to Mu Zhian in Tianxuan City and the Two Polarities Sect.

“Actually, my first Dao Companion wasn’t the Jade Empress. Because of this, she always felt guilty towards my first Dao Companion… And now, my first Dao Companion is at the peak of Nascent Soul Realm and needs the Cloud Smoke Willow to refine the Nine Cauldrons Nascent Soul Pill, so…”

Mu Zhian feigned a helpless expression, his words partly true and partly false, making the Great Peng Emperor look thoughtful.

He knew who Mu Zhian was talking about, the former most beautiful woman in Tianxuan City, who seemed to have some connection to the Sword Palace Master.

If the Jade Empress was preparing the Cloud Smoke Willow for her past ‘rival’ out of guilt, then it made sense.

The Great Peng Emperor secretly sighed with relief, “I see, I see.”

If it was for Mu Zhian to reach Soul Transformation Realm… this Cloud Smoke Willow was truly something he couldn’t easily part with.

After all, the Cloud Smoke Willow could only be preserved for seven days, and Mu Zhian had just recently entered Nascent Soul Realm.

In other words, Mu Zhian would have to reach the peak of Nascent Soul Realm within seven days… to be able to use the Nine Cauldrons Nascent Soul Pill.

This was quite terrifying… even making the Great Peng Emperor somewhat apprehensive.

Mu Zhian had been cultivating for less than twenty years. If he could reach Soul Transformation Realm… he would be a formidable enemy in the future.

To ease the atmosphere, the Great Peng Emperor quickly invited Mu Zhian to enjoy the delicacies of the Cloud Province imperial palace.

The Princess, sitting beside him, slowly peeled a large spirit shrimp from the World Sea, her delicate jade feet in small embroidered shoes beneath her long dress, casually glancing at the Great Peng Emperor.

Then, she casually removed one of her embroidered shoes and looked up at Mu Zhian with gentle eyes.

“When does my beloved consort plan to have Young Friend Mu return to Yu State?” the Great Peng Emperor suddenly asked.

The Princess said gently, “Tomorrow.”

“In that case, I’ll have someone prepare a griffin to send Young Friend Mu back to Yu State tomorrow,” the Great Peng Emperor said.

“That’s not appropriate.”

The Princess gently shook her head: “Young Master Mu is someone entrusted to me by the Pill Emperor. It’s more appropriate for me to personally send him back.”

The Great Peng Emperor frowned, not speaking.

The Princess gently tapped Mu Zhian’s foot with her toes, her expression calm, and said in a gentle and elegant voice, “He’s an esteemed guest of Yu State, and also the Jade Empress’s Dao Companion. If he returns alone and something happens along the way, Cloud Province might be in trouble.”

“If I send him back, it won’t even take half a day, and I can also use this opportunity to sound out Luo Tan’s plans for refining the Immortal Medicine,” the Princess proposed something that greatly interested the Great Peng Emperor.

Hearing this, a look of surprise and delight appeared on the Great Peng Emperor’s face, and he laughed heartily, “Good, in that case, I’ll trouble my beloved consort to personally send Young Friend Mu back to Yu State by tearing open a spatial rift tomorrow.”

His beloved consort had never cared about him before, yet now she was willing to go to Yu State for him, to sound out Luo Tan…

Thinking of this, the Great Peng Emperor was in high spirits. Then, his gaze fell on Mu Zhian, who was sitting on the ground, “Young Friend Mu, why do you seem distracted? Is there something on your mind?”

“Nothing, I’m just touched that an ordinary little cultivator like me could receive such hospitality from Your Majesty and Your Highness,” Mu Zhian shook his head and smiled.

Hearing this, the Great Peng Emperor picked up his teacup and said, “I had a slight misunderstanding with Young Friend Mu earlier. I know you have some reservations. Today, I’ll use tea in place of wine, and I hope the misunderstanding between us can be resolved.”

“This Mu never dared to have any reservations towards Your Majesty. After all, you were concerned about Your Highness at the time. It’s natural for you to misunderstand,” Mu Zhian raised his teacup, clinked it against the Great Peng Emperor’s, and took the opportunity to gently squeeze the Princess’s foot, saying softly, “However, I always believed this misunderstanding could be resolved eventually, and now my wish has come true.”

“Your Highness, I’d also like to toast you,” Mu Zhian raised his teacup again.

The Princess glanced at Mu Zhian seductively, withdrew her foot, and revealed a dignified and gentle smile: “Alright~”

…

That night.

“Your Highness, aren’t you worried about being discovered today?”

After finishing his meditation and cultivation, Mu Zhian saw the beauty sitting beside him with her legs crossed at some unknown time and couldn’t help asking with concern.

“As fellow Dao Integration Realm experts, he can’t sense my movements. Besides…”

The Princess paused and said softly, “You enjoyed yourself today too, didn’t you?”

Mu Zhian was momentarily speechless.

He had to admit, although he had been worried about being discovered today, he also felt a unique thrill.

“It’s a pity you have to return to Yu State tomorrow… Our affair can’t be known by a third person, not even Luo Tan.”

The Princess’s eyes dimmed slightly as she wrapped her arm around Mu Zhian, leaning her voluptuous body against him.

“If you miss me in the future, you can come see me anytime. I’ll be there for you, no matter when,” Mu Zhian embraced the beauty’s soft and slender waist and said gently.

The Princess didn’t speak, smelling the young man’s warm scent. She was beginning to understand why Luo Tan was so infatuated with this young man.

The Innate Celestial Furnace was one reason, and another was that being with Mu Zhian could break the monotony and boredom of her long life as a great power.

As a Dao Integration Realm expert, she naturally had many pursuers, but at this realm, she could no longer tell whether they were sincere or had ulterior motives.

And… a cultivator of much lower realm than her, even if he was sincere, what could she do?

The Princess looked down on their talent, strength, and background.

Reaching Dao Integration meant it was almost impossible to have a Dao Companion. This was practically an immutable law.

But Mu Zhian’s appearance broke this law.

Although his realm wasn’t high, his talent and even his constitution were enough to make up for it.

And… his delicate and handsome appearance easily aroused the affection and protective instincts of older women.

When one had a natural affinity for someone of the opposite sex, their sweet nothings could easily nourish a woman’s parched heart.

The Princess slightly raised her head, gazing at Mu Zhian’s gentle and refined, handsome face, his high nose bridge, and his kind eyes. She couldn’t help but tighten her arms around his neck and whisper, “Before you go back, keep Sister company a while longer~”

As she spoke, her beautiful and flawless face was about to approach Mu Zhian’s, but then, as if sensing something, the Princess’s gaze fell on the Green Lotus Ring on Mu Zhian’s finger.

The Green Lotus Ring looked ordinary, but a faint Spiritual Energy was flowing within… If one wasn’t paying attention, they might subconsciously overlook it.

“If I remember correctly, this Green Lotus Ring was given to you by the Jade Empress, right?” The Princess suddenly asked softly.

Mu Zhian didn’t overthink it and nodded, “Yao Meng was worried I would get hurt, so she gave me the Green Lotus Ring.”

“…Why do you suddenly ask?”

I see… No wonder she was so at ease leaving her Dao Companion in Yu State, even letting him come to Cloud Province.

The Princess narrowed her beautiful eyes, a coldness appearing in her usually gentle gaze.

At first, she was puzzled, thinking the Jade Empress trusted her character so much, believing that even if she knew about Mu Zhian’s Innate Celestial Furnace, she wouldn’t make a move on him…

But now it seemed the Jade Empress had already made arrangements in secret.

Perhaps she was even eavesdropping, or even spying on them right now.

As for why the Jade Empress hadn’t appeared yet, there was only one explanation…

What she and Mu Zhian were doing hadn’t reached the Jade Empress’s limit yet.

Perhaps that black-bellied fairy was watching her being made a fool of somewhere…

“What’s wrong?” Mu Zhian noticed something was off with the Princess’s expression and asked with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”

The Princess hummed softly, “I had some issues with my cultivation these past two days, and my Spiritual Energy is severely depleted, so I’m probably a bit tired.”

She placed a hand on Mu Zhian’s face and said softly, “The Great Peng Emperor just returned to the palace to handle government affairs, he won’t be coming to see me anytime soon…”

Mu Zhian’s heart suddenly raced, seemingly understanding the implication in her words, and he stared at her intently.

The Princess wrapped her arm around Mu Zhian’s, bit her lip lightly, and looked up at him with gentle and helpless eyes, “Can you help me?”

You like to spy, want to embarrass me later, right?

Then I’ll let you have your fill.

…

Jade Pool Holy Land.

A fairy in a green dress sat in her bedchamber, looking at the woman in the bronze mirror who was being intimate with Mu Zhian behind the Great Peng Emperor’s back, and her occasionally tender glances. She fell silent.

Undoubtedly, the Princess was doing this for her benefit.

She had anticipated that the Princess might get close to Mu Zhian, so she deliberately used the Shadow Stone, planning to use it later if the Princess argued with her.

But now…

Looking at the scene in the bronze mirror, the calm smile on Yao Meng’s face faded slightly. At this moment, only one thought surfaced in her mind:

“I think I messed up…”