It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists
Chapter 577: Mu Zhian, the Tea Master

The Second Ark had only three levels. Each cabin was quite spacious, adorned with red lanterns that cast an eerie glow in the quiet night.

At this moment, Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying were studying ancient scriptures in a cabin on the second level.

The older sister wore an elegant moon-white dress, while the younger sister wore a form-fitting, fiery red cheongsam that accentuated her sexy and alluring curves.

“Did something happen when you saw that guy earlier? Why are you so unhappy now?” Lan Feiying asked with a smile, her gaze lingering on her sister’s cool and composed face.

According to what her sister said earlier, Lan Mulian had run into Mu Zhian when she left the cabin to ask their ancestor some questions about the scriptures.

Then, after chatting with Junior Brother for a while, she returned…

Although it sounded like nothing out of the ordinary, Senior Sister had been in quite a good mood when she left, yet now… she was clearly upset.

The only person who could ruffle Lan Mulian’s usually calm composure was that Mu Zhian.

“It’s nothing, Junior Brother just asked me some questions before entering the cabin,” Lan Mulian said faintly.

Although she said that, her pouting, almost childishly sulky expression clearly indicated something had happened.

Lan Feiying couldn’t help but smile knowingly, but she didn’t press further, instead changing the subject, “So, he’s also studying the ancient scriptures in some cabin now?”

“Yes… He wants to investigate the downfall of past dynasties,” Lan Mulian nodded slightly.

Lan Feiying glanced at the thin bamboo slip in her sister’s hand, the characters for ‘dynasty’ faintly visible, and smiled knowingly.

“What? Do you have something to say?” Lan Mulian, uncomfortable under her sister’s knowing gaze, frowned slightly.

“Nothing~ I’m just thinking, there are many great powers’ remnant souls on this ancient ship. I wonder if he’ll accidentally offend one of them… It would be troublesome if he couldn’t leave the ship,” Lan Feiying said with a smile.

Lan Mulian glanced at her sister and said faintly, “You’re trying to make me worry, so I’ll go find him and make sure he’s not in danger, right?”

Although she hadn’t spent much time with Lan Feiying, Lan Mulian could roughly guess what her charming and seductive younger sister was thinking.

“Don’t worry, with Ancestor around, he’ll be fine,” she added.

Lan Feiying asked in surprise, “Ancestor has already awakened?”

Lan Shihuai’s condition was special, so she often remained hidden on the ancient ship in a ‘dormant’ state. Even the two sisters couldn’t always see their beautiful ancestor.

But according to her sister, Lan Shihuai was actually looking after Mu Zhian?

Lan Mulian nodded gently, “Yes, Ancestor told me earlier not to worry about him. She made an agreement with someone and will take care of him.”

Oh~

No wonder Sister is so at ease with him, so Ancestor is with him…

Just as Lan Feiying thought of this, she frowned slightly, closed the bamboo slip in her hand, and said, “If I remember correctly, after reaching Soul Transformation, his Innate Celestial Furnace should be at Transcendence Realm, right?”

“The shielding technique the Spirit Dragon cast on him is gone, so the Forbidden Lands should be eyeing him now…”

Lan Mulian nodded gently, “Regardless, he’s safe on this ship.”

Lan Feiying wasn’t reassured and said softly, “Most women can’t resist the temptation of the Innate Celestial Furnace.”

“Sister, do you think Ancestor will…”

Lan Feiying trailed off.

She knew it wasn’t right to think ill of their ancestor, but she couldn’t help but entertain this absurd thought.

Ancestor awakening, even specifically welcoming Mu Zhian, was it really just out of an elder’s concern for a junior?

Lan Mulian silently glanced at her sister and said, “If Ancestor really had such thoughts, she would have made a move long ago, Junior Brother and I have been to this ancient ship more than once.”

“You and he have been to this ancient ship before, Sister?” Lan Feiying asked curiously.

Lan Mulian nodded, “Yes, back then, we were boating on the Lan Clan’s lake, and we stumbled upon this ancient ship…”

As she spoke, a blush crept onto her face in the dim light.

Thinking about it, Ancestor had always been on this ship, and she, unknowingly, had been… with Junior Brother on the ship…

Ancestor must have seen everything.

“Sister…?” Lan Feiying called out tentatively, her gaze lingering on her sister’s cool and composed face, a knowing look in her eyes.

“It’s nothing, I just remembered something,” Lan Mulian said, flustered, her voice slightly unnatural.

I didn’t expect to see Sister like this one day… Lan Feiying looked at her sister with amusement, but didn’t press further, instead changing the subject, “Sister, should we tell Ancestor about us and that guy?”

Lan Feiying was naturally referring to their relationship with Mu Zhian.

Ancestor, like the Lan Clan elders, didn’t really approve of Mu Zhian.

More precisely, she didn’t approve of both sisters being with him.

According to Ancestor before, if Mu Zhian was only with one of them, she would be happy.

Because Mu Zhian’s talent was worthy of either of them.

But kissing the older sister and not letting go of the younger sister… Lan Shihuai had expressed her displeasure about this before.

Lan Mulian crossed her legs, her white boots dangling beneath her skirt, put down the bamboo slip, and said calmly, “Do you think Ancestor doesn’t know?”

Judging from Lan Shihuai’s behavior earlier, their ancestor already knew about their relationship with Mu Zhian.

Lan Feiying narrowed her eyes and suddenly said, “Ancestor knows, but hasn’t openly objected, does that mean she’s turning a blind eye?”

“Then the only one who objects to us now is Father…” Lan Feiying corrected herself, “Only Lan Pingzhi and the other Lan Clan elders, right?”

Hearing this, Lan Mulian couldn’t help but snort coldly, “What they think has nothing to do with us.”

Perhaps those Lan Clan elders had good intentions when they refused to let their mother enter the Lan Clan, but no matter what, the days they and their mother suffered in that small, broken house were an undeniable fact.

And Lan Pingzhi did abandon his wife and children under pressure from those elders, returning to the Lan Clan alone.

Even after he became the Lan Clan Leader and wanted to bring the two sisters back, it was probably just to ease his conscience.

Seeing her sister’s silence, Lan Mulian suddenly asked softly, “Do you want to return to the Lan Clan?”

Lan Feiying pouted and said faintly, “Those old geezers haven’t apologized, I won’t go back.”

Hearing this, Lan Mulian couldn’t help but smile sarcastically.

Having those stubborn old fogies of the Lan Clan apologize was practically impossible.

In the eyes of those lofty Ancient Family elders, they probably didn’t even think they did anything wrong.

Just then, Lan Feiying suddenly said faintly, “Sister, what do you think Father’s reaction would be if we told him we both like Mu Zhian…?”

Lan Mulian said calmly, “He’s just my Junior Brother.”

Then, she added, “It’s not like he doesn’t know, but if you tell him directly, he probably still won’t be happy about it.”

They’ve already slept together, yet she’s still being stubborn… Lan Feiying smiled without speaking.

If the world ended one day, she would probably still be saying: He’s just my Junior Brother.

After the two sisters studied the ancient scriptures for a while, Lan Feiying put down the bamboo slip and stood up.

“Are you going out?” Lan Mulian didn’t look up.

Those ancient scriptures were obscure and difficult to understand. The two sisters would occasionally ask their ancestor for guidance when they encountered something they couldn’t comprehend.

And Lan Shihuai was very patient, always teaching them meticulously.

“Mmm… I haven’t seen that guy for a while, I’ll go check on him. Are you staying here to read, Sister?” Lan Feiying asked.

Lan Mulian hummed in agreement, “You go ahead, I won’t disturb you two.”

She had just gotten upset with Junior Brother, if she went to see him with Feiying now… wouldn’t that be losing face?

The always reserved and cool Senior Sister had her pride and decisively refused.

“Then I’ll go first, Sister~”

After saying that, Lan Feiying put down the bamboo slip and left the cabin with sexy strides.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit cabin…

Lan Shihuai gently held the back of Mu Zhian’s head, letting his face bury itself in her bosom.

A chilling air filled the cabin, emanating from Lan Shihuai’s past cultivation techniques.

According to her, the more intense her emotions, the more this cold air would emanate from her uncontrollably, even freezing the surrounding structures.

Just as Mu Zhian was about to act like a simp, Lan Shihuai gently placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him away slightly, whispering, “Someone’s coming.”

Is it Senior Sister and the others…?

Mu Zhian’s heart tensed.

On this ancient ship, besides Lan Shihuai, who was secretly being intimate with him, there were only Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying.

“Who is it?” Mu Zhian asked in a low voice.

“Feiying,” Lan Shihuai said softly, “That child is more… adaptable than Lian’er.”

Mu Zhian could see that. Senior Sister was the type of genius who preferred to seclude herself and cultivate, rarely socializing.

And Lan Feiying’s personality was the complete opposite of Lan Mulian’s.

“However, both Lian’er and Feiying seem to have something on their minds.”

Lan Shihuai continued, “I remember when I first met them, their attitudes towards me were quite cold. Although they were polite, I could sense they were keeping their distance.”

Logically, any descendant of the Lan Clan should be excited to meet her… However, Lan Shihuai vaguely remembered that the two sisters weren’t particularly excited when they learned she was their ancestor, just maintaining the proper etiquette.

Hearing this, Mu Zhian seemed to realize something.

Looking at the cold and beautiful woman before him, he suddenly sighed softly.

“What’s wrong? Why the sigh?” Lan Shihuai asked, puzzled.

Mu Zhian hesitated, then said softly, “This junior was just thinking, Senior Sister and Feiying were hurt in the Lan Clan in the past. They finally started trusting you, if they find out about us today… even if they understand I’m helping you heal, they’ll probably still be sad.”

“Do you regret it?” Lan Shihuai raised a delicate eyebrow.

Mu Zhian shook his head, “How could I possibly regret it? I was just thinking, instead of keeping it a secret, perhaps we should gradually reveal our relationship to them later.”

“That’s fine too.”

Lan Shihuai thought for a moment and nodded gently.

Then, she remembered something Mu Zhian said earlier, “You just mentioned they were hurt in the Lan Clan, what happened?”

She had never heard Lian’er and Feiying mention their past.

“Actually, this junior only knows a little about this matter,” Mu Zhian looked towards the cabin door, a hint of reminiscence in his eyes. “The former Lan Clan Leader abandoned them under pressure from the clan elders, and then Senior Sister and Sister Feiying’s mother died from an illness. You said they didn’t trust you at first, I think it might be because of the trauma they experienced in the Lan Clan… After all, even now, none of the Lan Clan elders have apologized to them.”

Mu Zhian’s tone was filled with indignation, “Sometimes, thinking about these things makes me angry. Having multiple wives and concubines isn’t uncommon in the Nine Provinces, why did the Lan Clan have to abandon his wife? If it were me, no matter who pressured me, I would never abandon my Dao Companion. If this matter were to spread, it would damage the Lan Clan’s reputation.”

Realizing he had said too much, he hurriedly said, “S-sorry, Senior, I didn’t mean to speak ill of the Lan Clan…”

He looked flustered and helpless, like an innocent boy next door.

Lan Shihuai looked at him quietly, “You spoke the truth, not ill of them.”

Her two beloved descendants, their positions in the Lan Clan still uncertain… Just how did those descendants manage the Lan Clan after she left?

A hint of anger appeared in Lan Shihuai’s usually calm eyes.

Mu Zhian lowered his head slightly and whispered, “This is ultimately an internal matter of the Lan Clan, it’s not appropriate for this junior, an outsider, to comment.”

Outsider?

Lan Shihuai looked at the young man intimately holding her slender waist, his shy and bashful expression, and couldn’t help but smile, her eyes softening.

“To me, you’re no longer an outsider.”

“You’re Feiying and Lian’er’s Dao Companion, so you’re also part of the Lan Clan.”

These words came from the Lan Clan ancestor herself.

She had acknowledged Mu Zhian’s position in the Lan Clan.

Mu Zhian said, touched, “Senior is so kind.”

Then, he quickly remembered something and added hurriedly, “By the way, Senior, I believe those Lan Clan elders had their reasons for doing what they did.”

“They’re all good people. Although they gave me a hard time before, it was out of protectiveness for their descendants, not wanting Senior Sister and Sister Feiying to get involved with me… Please don’t be angry, it wouldn’t be good for your Dao Heart.”

Protective?

Lan Shihuai sneered inwardly.

Protective enough to ‘expel’ those two talented girls from the Lan Clan, to the point that they still haven’t officially returned?

Lan Shihuai gently caressed Mu Zhian’s handsome face and said faintly, “You’re good in every way, except you’re too kind.”

Their so-called reasons were nothing more than internal power struggles within the clan.

This child, Mu Zhian, was too kind to understand these things.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t.

“It seems I’ve been here for too long, some people have already forgotten me,” Lan Shihuai suddenly said softly, a deep look in her eyes.

“Is Senior planning to leave the Second Ark?” Mu Zhian looked up and asked.

“Mmm… I’ll go out for a change of scenery,” Lan Shihuai said faintly.

“And also use this opportunity to clean up some… unclean things within the clan.”

Just as Mu Zhian was about to say something, Lan Shihuai placed a fingertip against his lips.

“Shh.”

Knock, knock.

Just then, a knock came from outside the cabin.

“Ancestor, may I come in?”

It was Lan Feiying’s voice.