It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists
Chapter 589: Mu Zhian, Treasure of the Nine Provinces

If Miss Heavenly Dao was the judge of the current world, deciding what was fair and just, then it was only natural for her, as the judge, not to attack the contestants randomly.

But what if someone else attacked her first?

A judge couldn’t strike a player, but what if a player attacked the judge?

Amused by this thought, Mu Zhian couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Master?” Miss Heavenly Dao called out, a puzzled look in her eyes.

Mu Zhian snapped out of his thoughts, shook his head, and said with a smile, “It’s nothing. Let’s go back first. Princess Yongning has kindly invited us, and I can’t keep refusing. We’ll stay at her palace for the next few days.”

Miss Heavenly Dao silently glanced at Mu Zhian, her beautiful yet emotionless eyes seemingly holding a deeper meaning.

…

Yongning’s palace, located at the southern end of the imperial palace, was a quiet and elegant place.

Only a few trusted servants were present. As Yongning said, she preferred fewer servants to avoid gossip and unnecessary rumors.

Actually, after some thought, Mu Zhian realized that Yongning had probably been interested in the throne for a long time, hence keeping a low profile and biding her time, never revealing her ambitions. Otherwise, the Crown Prince wouldn’t have felt threatened and sent her to the Forbidden Zone.

Yongning summoned a maid and instructed her to lead Mu Zhian and Miss Heavenly Dao to their quarters, then said with a smile, “Young Master Mu, if you need anything these next few days, please don’t hesitate to ask the servants… or you can come find me directly.”

Mu Zhian smiled and nodded, “I shouldn’t need anything for now… But you, Your Highness, might be quite busy soon.”

Yongning didn’t understand the meaning of his words and just looked at him with a puzzled expression. But with other maids present, she suppressed her curiosity. After watching Mu Zhian leave the hall, led by the maid, she returned to her own room.

Meanwhile, after the maid left, Mu Zhian took out several sheets of paper from his storage ring, sat down at the table, and began writing carefully.

After a while, he folded the finished letters and handed them to Miss Heavenly Dao beside him.

“Could you deliver these three letters for me?” Mu Zhian asked.

“I used to ask Sister Mengrou, but she’s still at the Two Polarities Sect, it’s not convenient to ask her again.”

Miss Heavenly Dao silently glanced at the three letters on the table, addressed to the ‘Sword Palace’, the ‘Forbidden Zone’, and the ‘Jade Pool Holy Land’.

“What is Master planning to do?” she asked softly.

“You should know that those great powers can’t interfere in the affairs of mortal dynasties, otherwise, they will suffer the backlash of the rules of heaven and earth,” Miss Heavenly Dao added.

“Don’t worry, I know my limits. I’m just planning to spread some rumors,” Mu Zhian paused, then continued with a smile, “It’s not time for you to change dynasties yet, you should be free… Or are you unwilling?”

Miss Heavenly Dao glanced at Mu Zhian.

Although she was indeed free… what Master was planning was clearly the opposite of her mission.

She had descended upon the Nine Provinces to oversee a dynastic change, while Mu Zhian was clearly trying to prolong the current dynasty’s reign.

However, despite this, Miss Heavenly Dao still took the letters.

To the current Miss Heavenly Dao, changing dynasties was just a task, but Master’s orders were life.

…

In the next two days, just as Mu Zhian predicted, Yongning’s palace welcomed its first guest.

Yao Yue, the current Holy Maiden of the Jade Pool Holy Land.

“Why would Fairy Yao Yue come to the palace looking for me…?” Yongning’s eyes flickered, then she quickly reacted and gestured for the maid to invite Yao Yue in.

Yongning looked up and saw the ethereal fairy in a light, white gauze dress, her beauty surpassing even the snow.

Compared to the Jade Empress, Yao Yue seemed less mature and more girlish.

“The Jade Pool Holy Land, at someone’s request, has decided to support Your Highness,” Yao Yue said with a smile.

Someone… Yongning immediately thought of the young man currently resting in her palace.

Then, Yao Yue continued in a gentle and calm tone, “But please don’t misunderstand, Your Highness. The Jade Pool Holy Land’s support isn’t solely because of Young Master Mu.”

“News of the Great Qian Dynasty’s impending doom has spread throughout the Eastern Continent. Many are eyeing its national fortune… Once the Great Qian Dynasty falls, there will be unnecessary conflict in the Eastern Continent. Therefore, both I and the Jade Pool Holy Land hope the Great Qian Dynasty’s reign can continue.”

“For this, the Great Qian needs a wise ruler.”

Yongning was silent for a long time, then nodded gently, “Thank you, Fairy. But is this really alright… A powerful faction directly interfering, won’t that incur the backlash of the rules of heaven and earth?”

“There’s no need for Your Highness to worry about that. We already have a solution.”

After saying this with a smile, Yao Yue chatted with Yongning for a bit longer, then stood up and excused herself.

Yongning gazed in the direction where Yao Yue left, a slight frown on her face.

For some reason, she felt something was off.

Logically, if they sincerely supported her claim to the throne, they should be helping her secretly… Yet Fairy Yao Yue came to the palace openly to discuss this matter.

It was as if the Jade Pool Holy Land wanted everyone to know about their support.

Just then, a maid hurriedly entered the hall, her face filled with surprise and barely concealed excitement, “Your Highness, envoys from the Sword Palace and the Forbidden Zone are requesting an audience outside.”

Yongning’s expression finally changed slightly.

If the Jade Pool Holy Land’s appearance was simply because the Jade Empress was supporting her husband, then the Forbidden Zone and the Sword Palace also getting involved was a completely different matter…

At least, these three top powers combined could change the entire landscape of the Nine Provinces.

But entering the game so openly, weren’t the Jade Pool Holy Land and the other ancient factions afraid of being targeted by other powers in the Nine Provinces…?

After all, these three weren’t the only top powers.

Yongning gently shook her head, dispelling her thoughts, and said softly, “Let them in.”

No matter what, she had Young Master Mu… She just needed to do her part.

…

Three days passed unknowingly.

Every day in Yongning’s palace, besides playing Go with the Princess, Mu Zhian diligently “replenished” Miss Heavenly Dao, his days quite leisurely, as if unaware that the other Forbidden Lands were currently eyeing the Great Qian Dynasty.

While Mu Zhian was enjoying his leisurely days, somewhere else, someone’s face was incredibly grim.

Ning Quan, the current Crown Prince, was the fifth son of the Great Qian Emperor, his cultivation only at Qi Condensation Realm.

It wasn’t because he didn’t work hard in his cultivation since childhood, but simply because his foundation was weak, innately unsuitable for the path of cultivation.

Compared to Ning Quan, his siblings all had stronger foundations.

But Ning Quan had one major advantage over the others… His mother was the current Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty.

The First Prince died prematurely, the Second Prince’s mother was of low status, and the Third Prince was imprisoned. The only one who could compete with the Crown Prince was the Fourth Prince, Ning Zuo.

Ning Zuo was good at disguising himself and had several Nascent Soul Realm Terrestrial Immortals backing him. Plus, he was the Crown Prince’s older brother, so the old emperor originally intended to make Ning Zuo the Crown Prince.

However, the Empress somehow managed to change the old emperor’s mind, and the Fifth Prince, Ning Quan, became the Crown Prince instead.

With the support of many officials in the court, Ning Quan had always held the upper hand against the Fourth Prince. Even the Empress thought her son would become the emperor after the old emperor’s death.

However… who would have thought that the always successful Crown Prince would stumble because of Princess Yongning?

And that single incident completely shattered his advantage in the court, even shaking his father’s faith in him as the Crown Prince.

Sending Yongning and the others to the Forbidden Zone was Ning Quan’s method of suppressing the Second and Fourth Princes, a plan devised by the Empress, who had already pulled some strings and bribed a commander in the Forbidden Zone.

Once Yongning and the others entered the Forbidden Zone, they wouldn’t be able to leave for years.

And things did develop as he planned.

Yongning, the Second Prince, and even the Fourth Prince’s supporters were all imprisoned by the Forbidden Zone.

However… this foolproof plan encountered a major obstacle.

“…Mu Zhian.”

Ning Quan softly uttered the name, his eyes filled with uncontainable anger and a deep sense of helplessness.

Ning Quan never imagined that his foolproof plan would be ruined by a single person.

The Forbidden Zone, that isolated place, should have been the perfect place to eliminate Yongning and the others.

However, the Forbidden Zone’s imperial daughter seemed to have taken a liking to Mu Zhian, to the point that with just a word from him, she released everyone… She even sent people to the Great Qian Dynasty to demand an explanation.

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, with a mother who could influence the old emperor, and the support of most court officials… Victory should have been his.

However, in the past two days, rumors spread that the Jade Pool Holy Land, the Forbidden Zone, and even the Sword Palace were all supporting Princess Yongning.

They even sent envoys to meet with Yongning privately.

Three major ancient factions supporting Yongning to become the Empress of the Great Qian…

This is fcked!*

Ning Quan felt his world crumbling.

“Your Highness seems troubled?”

Just then, within the quiet Eastern Palace, a shadow seemed to distort slightly.

Then, a thin man quietly appeared before Ning Quan.

He had a restrained aura, looking like an ordinary person, but his eyes seemed to have seen through the world, cold and weary, staring quietly at Ning Quan.

“Who are you?!”

Ning Quan’s heart skipped a beat. He subconsciously shouted, “Guards!”

However, the guards who usually responded instantly didn’t seem to hear his call, the entire palace deathly silent.

“There’s no need to call, Your Highness. I’ve set up a formation around your palace, isolating it from the outside world. You won’t see anyone even if you run outside,” the man said calmly.

“There’s no need to be nervous. If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn’t even have the chance to speak.”

Ning Quan felt his heart racing, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He tried to calm himself and asked, “Why would someone of your stature come looking for a nobody like me?”

The man smiled elegantly, “Allow me to introduce myself. I am the master of the Eternal Forbidden Land, you can call me the Eternal Lord. I’m here to help you.”

“Help me…?”

“Yes, help you.”

The Eternal Lord smiled, “If it weren’t for Mu Zhian, you would be the Crown Prince now. However, because of his appearance, everything has changed… He’s now planning to support Princess Yongning’s ascension, so the three major ancient factions of the Eastern Continent are secretly supporting her. You’ve heard about this, haven’t you?”

His tone was unhurried and calm, every word and every action exuding composure and indifference.

Ning Quan gradually calmed down, still somewhat disbelieving, “What benefit do you gain from helping me?”

The Eternal Lord said with a faint smile, “It’s not always benefits and profits that drive people’s actions. Seeing that Innate Celestial Furnace succeed in everything he does makes me uncomfortable, so I don’t want him to succeed in putting Yongning on the throne, that’s all.”

So, he’s Mu Zhian’s enemy…?

Ning Quan, as if grasping at his last straw, stared at the Eternal Lord, “What do I need to do to turn the tables?”

“Princess Yongning has Mu Zhian’s backing, so the Sword Palace, the Forbidden Zone, and even the Jade Pool Holy Land are all on her side. In terms of influence, you can’t compare to her.”

The Eternal Lord smiled, “But we great powers can’t interfere in mortal affairs. Your father has been focused on cultivation all these years, neglecting government affairs. Your mother must have already planted many spies and paved the way for you in secret, right? And within the court, you have an advantage that none of your siblings have.”

Under Ning Quan’s intense gaze, the Eternal Lord slowly uttered two words:

“Military power.”

…

Mu Zhian lay with his head in Miss Heavenly Dao’s lap, enjoying her soft thighs as a pillow, and said languidly, “Going back and forth between the Sword Palace, the Forbidden Zone, and even the Jade Pool Holy Land these past few days, you must be tired.”

The cold and beautiful Miss Heavenly Dao shifted slightly, “I’m not programmed for fatigue, Master.”

She continued, “However, almost all the Forbidden Lands have gathered in the Great Qian Dynasty now. Three Forbidden Zone Lords entered the imperial palace today. As Master predicted, they’re looking for certain princes and princesses to cooperate with.”

Mu Zhian nodded slightly, not surprised by this.

To obtain the Great Qian Dynasty’s national fortune, the Forbidden Lands had to use these imperial family members. Mu Zhian had already anticipated this a few days ago.

“Master, what are your plans next?” Miss Heavenly Dao asked softly.

“Do you know what a date is?”

Mu Zhian toyed with Miss Heavenly Dao’s soft hair and suddenly asked with a smile.

Miss Heavenly Dao closed her eyes slightly, searched her internal database, then slowly opened her eyes, “A date is when a couple goes out together at an agreed-upon time, to have fun and eat. It’s a happy occasion. Who are you planning to go on a date with, Master?”

“What do you think?”

Mu Zhian looked at Miss Heavenly Dao with a smile.

…

Isis sat quietly in a quiet room. Two cushions, a table, and nothing else.

The maid who accompanied her on this trip quietly entered the room and bowed respectfully, “Master.”

“The Fourth Prince must have agreed, right?”

Isis asked softly, her eyes still closed.

“Yes… He was very excited to learn that you’re willing to help him become the Emperor of the Great Qian, even saying he’ll follow your lead in the future,” the maid replied respectfully.

“Men are all liars and deceivers, just like Mu Zhian, and the Fourth Prince. All men are the same.”

Isis stretched lazily, accentuating her sexy and voluptuous curves, and said casually, “Keep an eye on the other Forbidden Lands, make sure they don’t steal the national fortune. I’ll also be paying attention to the Great Qian Dynasty’s movements during this time.”

“Yes. And also, Master, there’s one more thing…”

The maid hesitated, glancing at Isis.

“Speak frankly,” Isis said faintly.

“I seemed to have seen Mu Zhian on my way back from the palace just now…” the maid said in a low voice.

Isis’s eyes snapped open, staring intently at the maid, “He’s also in the Great Qian Dynasty…?”

She asked again, “Where is he now?!”