Mu Zhi’an’s heart skipped a beat as he met the green-clad fairy’s gaze.

She’s looking at us…?

It made sense. She was likely the master of this Dongtian, and Qian’er had said she was the one who had summoned her. It wasn’t surprising that she could sense their presence from afar.

And she’s beautiful…

He turned to Ye Qian. “Let’s go,” he said.

He led her towards the pavilion.

As they approached, they noticed something strange. The fairy, who should have been inside the pavilion, was nowhere to be seen.

Is she playing hide-and-seek with us…? He thought, ascending the stairs and entering the pavilion. He reached the spot where she had been playing the guqin, but she was gone.

“She’s in there,” Ye Qian said, pointing towards a room within the pavilion.

She walked over and opened the third door, revealing not another room, but an ancient hall.

In the center of the hall was a pond, and in the middle of the pond bloomed a verdant lotus. The fairy, her back to them, stood gracefully on the lotus, her figure ethereal and beautiful.

Despite her beauty, Mu Zhi’an maintained a respectful demeanor. “Were you the one who summoned us to this Dongtian, Senior?” he asked.

She turned to face them, her long hair cascading down her back, her eyes fixed on Ye Qian.

“You’ve finally arrived,” she said, her voice soft and melodic, the same voice he had heard outside the Pilgrimage Palace.

“May I ask who you are, Senior…?” he asked, studying her curiously.

She glanced at him, a faint smile playing on her lips. “You may call me the Jade Empress.”

The Jade Empress?

I’ve never heard of her… He searched his memories, but the name was unfamiliar.

“Thank you for the opportunity you bestowed upon me, Senior,” he said, bowing respectfully.

He hadn’t forgotten her kindness. Her gift had played a significant role in his swift breakthrough to the Core Formation Realm.

As for her motive… it was likely related to Ye Qian.

After all, she had summoned Qian’er for a reason.

The Jade Empress smiled, her gaze returning to Ye Qian. “Come closer, little one,” she said gently.

Qian’er hesitated, glancing at Mu Zhi’an before approaching the pond.

As she drew closer, she finally saw the fairy’s face.

She was breathtaking. Her green dress, cinched at the waist with a delicate sash, accentuated her slender figure. Her skin was flawless, almost translucent, her emerald eyes both captivating and serene. She exuded an aura of ethereal beauty that discouraged any impure thoughts.

“You’re so beautiful, Senior…” Qian’er said, her voice filled with genuine admiration.

“Thank you,” the Jade Empress replied, her lips curving into a gentle smile.

No woman could resist a compliment, especially from her chosen successor.

“Senior, your body seems…” Mu Zhi’an began, noticing something amiss.

Though his Innate Spiritual Body wasn’t as sensitive as Ye Lingxuan’s, he could sense that the Jade Empress’s form was faint and ethereal, as if she were about to fade away.

“My physical body has withered away. Only a sliver of my consciousness remains,” she explained, her smile tinged with sadness.

Even Mu Zhi’an, a seasoned LSP who had encountered countless beauties, was captivated by her ethereal charm.

Her delicate lips, her elegant nose, her long, dark eyelashes, the faint blush on her cheeks… she was a blend of ethereal beauty and alluring charm.

He had met women as beautiful as her, but he had never encountered such a captivating aura.

It’s a shame she’s only a wisp of consciousness… He thought, his gaze lingering on her.

“I’ve heard that Nascent Soul cultivators can create a sliver of consciousness that can rebuild their physical body if it survives. Is there a way for you to recover, Senior?” Ye Qian asked, her voice filled with concern.

“I would have tried it already if it were possible. However, my situation is unique. If I could receive a surge of spiritual energy, I might be able to reconstruct my body,” the Jade Empress explained, shaking her head.

“But I don’t even have a cultivation vessel. How can I rebuild myself?”

She raised her hand, revealing a verdant seed in her palm.

“Consume this, and you will inherit my legacy. Perhaps you, child, can restore the name of the Jade Empress to its former glory.”

Qian’er looked up at her, confused. “Why did you choose me, Senior…?”

“We are connected by fate, child. And our personalities are compatible,” the Jade Empress replied with a smile.

She then turned her gaze towards a distant point.

“She likely allowed you to enter because she knew this would happen.”

She…? Mu Zhi’an followed her gaze.

It was directed towards Two Polarities Peak.

Could it be that Shang Yanfei orchestrated our arrival here…?

He had interacted with the Sect Master before, and he had found her to be unfathomable, both in terms of her… assets and her personality. He still couldn’t figure her out.

If she had anticipated their arrival at the Pilgrimage Palace, did that mean she possessed a divination ability similar to the Peak of Celestial Secrets?

He watched as Ye Qian accepted the seed and consumed it, his mind racing.

The Jade Empress turned her attention to him.

“Little one, as a reward for bringing this child to me, I offer you these six Seeds of Dao Realization,” she said, extending her hand.

Six emerald seeds, resembling pills, floated towards him.

He caught them instinctively.

“Each seed contains a sliver of the Great Dao. Consume one, and it will aid you greatly when you reach the Soul Transformation Realm. If consumed before then, it will help you overcome a bottleneck in your cultivation,” she explained calmly.

“Thank you, Fairy Sister!” he said, bowing respectfully.

He understood the value of these seeds.

She was likely aware of her impending demise and wanted to leave behind her legacy.

“You may consume one now. Your little girlfriend will need to remain here for three hours. I will personally oversee her progress.”

He thanked her again, then noticed her translucent form, sighing inwardly.

What a shame such a beauty has to fade away…

He couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret as his gaze lingered on her ample bosom. He was about to sit down and consume a seed when a chilling voice echoed in his mind.

“Little one, come here…”

The voice was faint, but in the silence of the hall, it was as if a ghost was whispering in his ear. He shuddered, goosebumps erupting on his skin.

His suspicions were correct. The Pilgrimage Palace housed an evil being!

And it was here, within this hall!

“Come here…”

The Jade Empress opened her eyes, her voice sharp. “Silence.”

The voice faded away.

Then, another voice, cold and menacing, echoed through the hall. “Jade Empress, you spent a thousand years draining me, leaving me a withered husk. And what have you gained? No one will remember you. No one will sing your praises. You will simply fade away, alone and forgotten!”

The voice dissipated, but the Jade Empress’s expression remained unchanged.

“What was that…?” Mu Zhi’an asked cautiously.

“A demon sealed here a thousand years ago. Pay it no mind. It will cease to exist within a century,” she replied calmly.

“Even without me, it cannot break free.”

So the entity within this hall is truly a powerful antagonist… And the Jade Empress sealed it here?

He stared at her, his respect growing.

He couldn’t imagine sacrificing himself to seal a demon and protect the world.

But he admired those who did.

Even if he couldn’t do it himself, he could at least offer his respect.

“Consume the Seed of Dao Realization. Ignore the demon’s ramblings,” she said, her gaze fixed on Ye Qian, who was meditating. “I will protect you both.”

He nodded, pushing aside his thoughts and retrieving a plain-looking seed.

No one would guess its true nature by its appearance.

If the other cultivators knew, they would fight tooth and nail for it.

And he had six!

He swallowed the seed and closed his eyes, focusing on absorbing its energy.

It took him nearly half an hour to fully refine the seed.

He could sense the sliver of spiritual energy it had produced circulating within his body.

“Absorb it into your vessel,” the Jade Empress instructed.

He focused, guiding the wisp of energy towards his cultivation vessel.

The energy, like a plume of smoke, hovered before his vessel, then, before he could react, it shot towards his other vessel and vanished.

…

What the…?!

Even his usually calm demeanor crumbled.

He had painstakingly refined the seed, and his other vessel had stolen it?!

And he couldn’t control his other vessel.

He had gained absolutely nothing from the seed.

Well, not exactly… The next time he cultivated with Bai Ruoxi, the energy from the seed would likely transfer to her.

As the energy from the Seed of Dao Realization entered his other vessel, a surge of spiritual energy, infused with the aura of the Heavenly Dao, erupted from within him.

The Jade Empress opened her eyes, her lips parting slightly. A look of shock, a rare sight on her usually serene face, flashed across her features.

“…An Innate Celestial Vessel?”

Her shock quickly gave way to understanding.

So this is why the Sect Master sent him here… ?

To prolong her existence through such a method…

She closed her eyes, her expression returning to its usual aloofness.

Mu Zhi’an sighed inwardly, watching Ye Qian, who was still receiving the inheritance. He closed his eyes and focused on his cultivation, patiently waiting for her to finish.

He was surprisingly calm. He had actually considered the possibility of the seed’s energy ending up in his other vessel.

After all, his role seemed to be that of a “divine support.”

But it was still frustrating.

He calmed his mind and focused on his meditation.

After an unknown amount of time, he felt a gaze on him.

He opened his eyes.

He was met with Ye Qian’s emerald gaze.

Her usually calm eyes held a hint of warmth.

He frowned, then realized. “You’re not Qian’er, are you…?”

“She’s too kind. She asked me to experience the outside world before I fade away, so she lent me her consciousness,” the “Ye Qian” replied with a smile.

“I haven’t left this place in a long time. It would be nice to experience the world again. At least I’ll have no regrets.”

She turned to him. “Would you accompany me, young friend?”

For a proud being like her, this was a rare invitation.

He bowed immediately. “It would be my honor, Senior.”

She smiled, but her gaze held a strange complexity.

As they left the hall, they found a group of disciples who had returned empty-handed from the other caves.

He spotted An Lingyue, the eldest Senior Sister of Boundless Sea Peak, among them.

Song Ziyang, standing beside her, glared at him, his eyes filled with envy. He couldn’t help but resent the man who had won Bai Ruoxi’s heart, despite his seemingly average abilities.

And it wasn’t just Bai Ruoxi.

He was close to three inner disciples!

And Ye Qian should know about her sister’s relationship with Mu Zhi’an. Why was she still so affectionate towards him…?

What kind of charm did this man possess to capture the hearts of both sisters?

His gaze shifted to Ye Qian, then he froze.

Something about her… her aura, her demeanor… it was different from before they had entered the Dongtian.

He narrowed his eyes, transmitting his voice to his sister, who was standing nearby. “Ziyi, I need you to do something for me…”

If this wasn’t truly Ye Qian, did that mean she had been possessed by something, perhaps a demon?

And did Mu Zhi’an know?

Song Ziyang wasn’t the only one watching Mu Zhi’an.

Ye Yu, who had returned empty-handed from the sixth cave, was also observing him.

He knew that Mu Zhi’an wasn’t one to give up easily, yet he was leaving the Dongtian so soon… Did that mean he had already found something?

“Master, what’s wrong?” he asked, sensing the old man’s surprise.

“Your sister… she seems to be possessed,” the old man’s voice replied.

Ye Yu’s eyes widened as he stared at the girl beside Mu Zhi’an.

She looked the same.

However, now that Master had pointed it out, he could sense something was amiss.

That aura… it wasn’t Qian’er’s!

Which cave did Mu Zhi’an enter?

What happened inside?

His mind raced as he watched them depart.

…

High above, in the elegant pavilion, the Peak Masters, who had been waiting, also noticed their departure.

In addition to the three Peak Masters and the Master of the Book Pavilion, Ning Yuan, the Peak Master of Drunken Dream Peak, was also present. He had come to ensure his disciples’ safety.

He frowned as he saw Mu Zhi’an, his gaze sharp and calculating.

He had heard about Mu Zhi’an from his disciple, Ye Yu, and his impression wasn’t favorable.

After all, stealing another man’s wife and deceiving his sisters were despicable acts.

What did Senior Ling Long see in him?

“Ye Qian’s spiritual energy has changed. It seems she’s received some sort of opportunity within the Dongtian,” Yan Ruyu remarked, noticing the subtle shift in the girl’s aura.

“Congratulations, Junior Sister Yu. It seems Dao Peak has gained another prodigy,” Yu Xuanji said with a smile, turning to Yu Ziyan.

However, Yu Ziyan remained silent, her gaze fixed on Ye Qian, her voice laced with uncertainty. “Why do I feel like something’s… wrong with her…?”

Ying Guhuan watched them intently, her eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, as if struck by a realization, her expression shifted, and she dropped her teacup, shattering it on the floor.

She stood up abruptly.

“…The Jade Empress?!”

The other Peak Masters’ expressions also changed upon hearing that name.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay