It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists
Chapter 522: Marry Me, Mu Zhian? Mu Zhian and the Demon Realm, A Marriage Alliance?

That night, Luo Tan leaned against the soft bed, gently combing the young man’s hair.

“After reaching the peak of Nascent Soul, both your cauldron and your vitality are much stronger than before.” Luo Tan’s voice was laced with laziness, her eyes studying him playfully. “By the way, the first time you perform the Spiritual Energy exchange ritual with an Innate Celestial Furnace, you’ll receive a large amount of Spiritual Energy. It will still be effective afterward, just not as dramatic.”

“In other words, we can continue to complement each other.”

Mu Zhian came back to his senses and said with a smile, “It feels too unreal. How could the Heavenly Dao allow two Innate Celestial Furnaces to exploit such a bug?”

Luo Tan smiled, “No one in the Nine Provinces ever thought I would dual cultivate with anyone. Even the Heavenly Dao couldn’t predict the future, let alone guess who I would choose, right?”

Mu Zhian fell silent.

She was right. Not even the Heavenly Dao, even he hadn’t expected Luo Tan to take the initiative and propose this.

It wasn’t that Mu Zhian hadn’t considered this ‘mutual Spiritual Energy boost’ before, but even if there were other Innate Celestial Furnaces in the Nine Provinces, none could compare to Luo Tan.

After all, she was the only Dao Integration Realm Innate Celestial Furnace. A lower-level Innate Celestial Furnace wouldn’t have such a potent effect.

And someone like Luo Tan, if she wasn’t willing, no one could force her to do anything.

“Huh? Do you have another little lover in the Forbidden Zone?”

Just then, Luo Tan seemed to sense something and turned her head, looking towards the hall entrance with a puzzled expression.

Mu Zhian was also stunned.

I have so many lovers, which one are you talking about…?

“Young Master Mu, are you alright?”

A voice came from outside the bedchamber, and Mu Zhian realized the newcomer’s identity.

“Lin Keyu. She’s the daughter of Xuanyin Temple’s Lord and came to the Forbidden Zone alone to complete a mission for Xuanyin Temple,” Mu Zhian explained via voice transmission.

Then, he looked up and said, “Miss Lin, why are you here so late?”

Luo Tan looked at the young man with amusement, noticing he seemed to be about to get out of bed, but she casually placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

Do all you Dao Integration Realm experts have such strange XP…? Might as well call it the Dao of Kinks instead.

Mu Zhian naturally knew what Luo Tan was thinking, nothing more than the thrill of the forbidden.

He was speechless and lightly pinched Luo Tan’s soft waist.

“Mmm~”

The Empress of Yu State subconsciously covered her mouth, almost letting out a sound, and glared at the young man.

She wanted to tease him, but ended up being teased instead.

Even she didn’t want too many people to find out about her relationship with Mu Zhian so soon.

Firstly, it would ruin the thrill of a secret affair. Secondly… she was the Empress of Yu State after all. If word got out that she was secretly involved with the Jade Empress’s Dao Companion, it wouldn’t look good.

“The Forbidden Zone Holy Maiden sent someone to inform you that you’re fine, but I was still worried, so I came to check. But it seems Young Master Mu is indeed alright now,” Lin Keyu’s voice was soft and slightly frail.

“Thank you for your concern, Miss Lin. I’m indeed fine now. The Forbidden Army didn’t give you a hard time, did they?”

“They know my identity, so they settled me in a guest room… I was thinking of finding a way to rescue Young Master Mu, but it seems that Holy Maiden has a good relationship with you,” Lin Keyu said.

Her tone held a hint of disappointment, making one’s heart ache for her.

Mu Zhian’s heart also softened upon hearing this, and he was about to speak.

Just then, Luo Tan suddenly let out a surprised “Eh” and said softly, “The Xuanyin Body?”

“Your Majesty has also heard of the Xuanyin Body?” Mu Zhian asked via voice transmission.

Luo Tan hummed softly in agreement, “Alchemy emphasizes yin and yang and the five elements. Fire represents yang, and usually, high-level heavenly materials and earthly treasures are difficult to refine, requiring spiritual fire… But this also poses a problem, which is that the temperature of spiritual fire is difficult to control. Sometimes, the ingredients are completely incinerated during the refining process.”

“So usually, one needs to manually control the temperature of the spiritual fire. A good cauldron is crucial for alchemy, but controlling the heat is also of utmost importance… The Xuanyin Body is innately the most yin constitution in this world. Someone with this constitution can naturally control the temperature of spiritual fire.”

“She’s a very suitable seedling for alchemy,” Luo Tan’s tone held a hint of admiration.

Mu Zhian understood the implication in Luo Tan’s words, pondered for a moment, and said, “Then how about considering taking her as your disciple?”

The Pill Emperor rolled her eyes at the young man, her charm overflowing, “Do you think my Yu State is some kind of shelter? You want to shove everyone here, first your clan elder, and now your little lover.”

She paused, then continued, “But if she’s willing, I’m willing to make an exception and take her as my disciple, letting her stay in the Yu State imperial palace for a while.”

“So Your Majesty’s heart is also moved by talent?” Mu Zhian couldn’t help but smile.

Luo Tan’s fingertip lazily caressed the young man’s face, her eyes filled with affection, “I do appreciate talent, but more importantly, it’s because you’re the one asking.”

She lifted the blanket, a white light enveloping her delicate body. The next moment, the magnificent and elegant white dress covered her sexy figure, her long hair cascading down, slightly messy in a lazy way.

As expected of a rich milf, even her dress is made of some special, high-grade silk, no wonder she always has a faint fragrance… Perhaps it’s also because of this dress.

Mu Zhian sighed inwardly: Sister, I don’t want to work hard anymore.

“Young Master Mu, since you’re fine, I’ll be going back now.”

Just then, the young girl’s slightly disappointed voice came from outside the door, followed by the sound of retreating footsteps.

Mu Zhian glanced at Luo Tan, and seeing her playful eyes, he called out towards the door, “Wait a moment, I have something to discuss with you.”

…

After a while, Mu Zhian left the bedchamber and soon caught up with the frail young girl who was about to leave.

“Is there anything else, Young Master Mu?”

The young girl turned around, her voice soft and fragile, without a hint of the arrogance of a young lady from a noble family.

Her smooth hair cascaded down naturally, her clear eyes, like the sky, gazing at him.

The young girl’s appearance brought to mind a delicately crafted doll, small and fragile.

If it were in modern times, she would be a high school student, but her petite figure gave off the impression of a frail middle schooler.

This was the inconvenience brought by the Xuanyin Body to the young girl named Lin Keyu. Although she possessed one of the strongest constitutions in the world, even after embarking on the path of cultivation, she was still prone to fevers and colds like an ordinary person, and this frailty always accompanied her.

Mu Zhian smiled gently, “Let me escort you back. You’re not well, it’s not convenient for you to go back alone.”

The moonlight shone on the young girl’s slightly pale and beautiful face, the silver glow adding to her fragility.

Lin Keyu looked at Mu Zhian in surprise, then lowered her head slightly and hummed softly in agreement.

The two strolled beneath the peach blossom trees, the moonlight hazy. They unknowingly arrived near the guest quarters.

Just then, Mu Zhian suddenly said, “Miss Lin, your constitution has always been like this since childhood, has your father ever mentioned any way to improve it?”

Lin Keyu gently shook her head, “Father once said that Reincarnation Water can help one’s constitution evolve, perhaps even the Xuanyin Body… But there are also some risks.”

“Because whether the evolved Xuanyin Body will evolve in a good direction or become worse… is uncertain.”

After all, the Xuanyin Body was different from other constitutions. Its negative effects were too obvious. If it evolved again… would it become even weaker, or would it evolve in a good direction?

No one knew for sure.

“Yao Meng and the Empress of Yu State are old acquaintances. Miss Lin, are you interested in visiting Yu State? With the Pill Emperor’s vast knowledge, perhaps she can help you resolve the troubles of the Xuanyin Body,” Mu Zhian suddenly said.

Lin Keyu silently glanced at him and gently shook her head, “I’ll pass… Asking the Jade Empress for help because of my problems feels a bit embarrassing.”

Mu Zhian smiled, “It’s not really a big deal, just a word to Yao Meng.”

Hearing this, Lin Keyu couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “Young Master Mu, how long are you going to keep this up?”

“I know that your wedding with the Jade Empress in the Holy King City was just a ruse,” she continued.

“The Jade Empress’s Transcendence was bound to attract attention. Only by using that wedding to divert attention could she have a chance to successfully transcend.”

“So Young Master Mu only sacrificed your innocence for the Jade Empress’s Heavenly Tribulation, right? My father also guessed as much.”

She seems to have guessed correctly, but not completely… Mu Zhian was silent for a moment, then said, “The Pill Emperor is familiar with countless pills. Perhaps she can refine a pill to suppress your Xuanyin Body’s energy, and she also admires you, believing you’re a rare talent.”

“If I go to Yu State, can I still see Young Master Mu?” Lin Keyu asked.

Being able to learn alchemy from the Pill Emperor was tempting, but whether she could still see Mu Zhian in Yu State was her main concern.

Mu Zhian nodded, “Actually, I’ve also been learning alchemy from the Pill Emperor recently, so I’ll naturally be going to Yu State.”

A faint smile appeared on the young girl’s face, and she said softly, “Alright, then I’ll go.”

“But will the Pill Emperor really agree? Will she be very strict?” she asked with a hint of worry in her voice, lowering her head slightly.

“Young Master Mu, I’m scared.”

Mu Zhian couldn’t help but reach out and gently stroke the young girl’s head, saying softly, “The Pill Emperor cherishes talent, so she won’t mistreat you.”

Lin Keyu couldn’t help but close her eyes slightly. Just as she imagined, the young man’s hand was warm, carrying an inexplicably reassuring magic.

She looked up, peeking at Mu Zhian’s expression, then took a small step closer and gently leaned her forehead against his chest.

Mu Zhian was stunned for a moment, then naturally embraced the girl, looking down at her frail, pale face.

Her slightly pale lips, her soft and delicate body, and her small, cool hands, among the girls Mu Zhian knew, Lin Keyu was probably the most frail and petite.

Mu Zhian wrapped his arm around the frail beauty’s slender waist, and the young girl let him hold her, pressing her forehead against his chest.

As if comforted by his embrace, the unease in the young girl’s heart gradually subsided.

But as she casually looked up at the young man’s handsome face, a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.