“Are you referring to… the Sect Master?” Wei Mengrou asked, noticing the direction of his gaze.

“As expected of my personal maid. You understand me so well,” he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes. “It was a simple deduction.”

She then remembered something important. “Did you visit Old Man Ren when you were in Tianxuan City?”

Old Man Ren had been kind to both of them back in Tianxuan City, even during Mu Zhi’an’s wild and reckless days. Even then, Mu Zhi’an had respected the old man.

“I gave him some pills and chatted with him for a while,” he replied, nodding.

She nodded, satisfied, and didn’t press further.

…

He bid farewell to Wei Mengrou and flew to Two Polarities Peak, summoning his Senior Sister with a paper crane message.

Soon, a figure clad in a white dress, her feet resting on a cloud, appeared.

“Senior Sister,” he called out.

Lan Mulian nodded curtly, glancing at him. “Master is waiting for you at the pavilion.”

“She knows I’m coming…?” he asked, surprised, but not entirely unexpected.

After all, she was a “shark,” and she had been scheming since his arrival at the sect. It wasn’t surprising that she had anticipated his move.

He arrived at the pavilion and found the Sect Master waiting for him in an elegant room.

She was one of the few Dao Integration experts in the world, and he still couldn’t figure her out.

She was as he remembered: casual, elegant, and mysterious. If not for her… distracting features… he would be filled with awe in her presence.

Fortunately, his “love” for her outweighed his “awe,” preventing him from acting foolishly.

“Have a seat. There’s no need to be so formal,” she said, her smile as alluring as ever, her aura mysterious.

“You knew I was coming?” he asked, taking a seat across from her.

“The Jade Empress recently entered your other vessel. It’s not surprising that you would seek me out,” she replied with a chuckle.

She knows everything. She probably even orchestrated my entry into the Dongtian… “The Jade Empress needs Rebirth Water and the Heavenly Phoenix Fruit,” he said, getting straight to the point.

“The Heavenly Phoenix Fruit is at the Jade Pool Sacred Land. Now that they know she’s alive, they’ll come to you, even if you don’t go to them,” she said.

“But what about the Rebirth Water? How do you plan to obtain it?” she asked, her gaze fixed on him.

He pondered for a moment. “People only care about their own interests when they’re not facing a common enemy. But once a threat emerges, they seek allies, knowing that a strong alliance minimizes their losses.”

“Senior Jade Empress said that the demon’s strength has greatly diminished. Even if she were to fade away, he would still perish within a century.”

“So… you want to exploit his remaining value before he dies?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“But I’m worried that the Demon Realm might try to rescue him…” he said, studying her reaction.

She took a sip of her tea, her lips glistening.

“A thousand years ago, the Demon Realm was a barren wasteland, the Northern Realm consumed by war. The Demon Emperor didn’t intervene because his Dao was related to life and death.”

“Once he mastered his technique, he set his sights on the Eastern Realm and led his forces to invade. That’s when he encountered the Jade Empress.”

“You know what happened next. She used the Pure World Azure Lotus to seal him. Shortly after, his adopted daughter inherited the throne and quelled the war within a few years.”

“So you’re saying the Demon Realm Empress won’t try to rescue him, even though he’s her father?” he asked, surprised.

“The Demon Emperor adopted nine sons and nine daughters. Only the strongest survivor could inherit his throne,” she explained.

So he was raising them like gu(poisonous insect or worm)… He understood.

Come to think of it, did that snake woman truly not know where he was?

The tremors at the Pilgrimage Palace had occurred multiple times. Ying Guhuan had likely informed the Demon Realm Empress long ago.

Had she remained silent because she wasn’t sure if he was sealed within the Two Polarities Sect, or… did she simply not care?

The answer was clear.

“The Jade Empress sacrificed herself for the Eastern Realm. The master of the Forbidden Zone isn’t unreasonable. If you explain the situation, he’ll help you.”

She paused, a playful smile gracing her lips. “However, he only has one daughter, and he dotes on her.”

“He might be more concerned about his daughter’s love life than the Rebirth Water.”

Though she didn’t elaborate, he understood her meaning.

She was warning him: be prepared to face his future father-in-law’s wrath.

“Thank you for your guidance, Sect Master,” he said, bowing respectfully.

He chatted with her for a while longer, then, as he was about to leave, he said, “By the way, Sect Master, regarding our stroll through the Pilgrimage Palace…”

“There will be an opportunity… eventually,” she replied with a smile, her gaze meeting his.

That sounded like a “maybe later”… He bowed again and took his leave.

He had simply been testing the waters. He wasn’t ready to lure this “shark” into his “pond” just yet.

…

He left the pavilion and found Lan Mulian sitting in the courtyard, a table laden with delicious food before her.

“Senior Sister, enjoying a late-night snack?” he asked, approaching her with a smile.

She glanced at him, her voice flat. “I didn’t order this.”

Though she had instructed the disciples to prepare the food, she had no intention of eating it. Nascent Soul cultivators didn’t need to eat, and she had little interest in most foods.

“If it wasn’t you, could it be… the Sect Master?” he asked, surprised.

She wasn’t known for her love of food…

She shook her head. “It wasn’t Master.”

Then who…?

Ling Long…?

It was possible. She had been at the sect for a long time. She must know the Sect Master.

Come to think of it, the Sect Master seemed to be involved in all his encounters with Ling Long.

He was exploiting Ye Yu, the “fat sheep,” while the Sect Master was exploiting him… no, not exploiting. She was providing him with “sheep” to exploit.

Lan Mulian, sensing his thoughts, hesitated, then spoke, her usually aloof expression softened by a rare hint of gratitude. “Thank you for the gift today.”

This is a first. She’s actually thanking me…

He stared at her, amused. “You’ve helped me a lot, Senior Sister. I wanted to do something for you.”

She quickly changed the subject, seemingly embarrassed by his gratitude. “The Holy Maiden of the Jade Pool visited you today, didn’t she?”

He nodded. “Fairy Yao Yue asked me a few questions… but I haven’t seen her since.”

“She returned to the Jade Pool Sacred Land this evening,” she replied.

She left so soon… It seems the matter of the Jade Empress is truly important to her, and to the Jade Pool Sacred Land.

He understood.

“What did she want?” she asked, her eyes meeting his, though her expression remained impassive.

He decided not to hide it. “You’re aware of the incident at the Pilgrimage Palace, right, Senior Sister?”

“Of course,” she replied, nodding.

“Actually, the Dongtian there was created by Senior Jade Empress. She’s currently injured and residing within my body,” he revealed.

“Senior Jade Empress is within you?” she asked, staring at him, her voice laced with surprise.

He nodded. “My Innate Celestial Vessel seems to be able to nourish her consciousness, so she’s recuperating within my other vessel.”

Her eyes flickered. “She wouldn’t be injured without reason. And there was clearly a seal within the Pilgrimage Palace. She must have been injured while dealing with it.”

She pondered the information, her mind racing.

After a moment, realization dawned, and she chuckled softly, quickly regaining her composure. “The Jade Pool Sacred Land is an ancient and powerful force. If the Holy Maiden asks for your help and offers compensation, don’t hesitate to accept.”

Judging by their interaction earlier, they were close, but Senior Sister is still on my side… He nodded, pleased.

They chatted for a while longer, then she said, “There will be a minor competition between disciples at the Azure Yang Hall on the Southern Shore in three days. You can attend if you’re interested.”

“A competition?” he asked, confused. “Isn’t the Southern Shore the Enforcement Hall’s territory? Why would there be a competition?”

“It’s a friendly spar between the disciples, a chance to assess each other’s strength, especially the newly arrived talents,” she explained.

“Will you be participating, Senior Sister?”

She shook her head. “There will be two arenas, one for Foundation Establishment disciples and one for Core Formation disciples.”

That makes sense… He understood.

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, she was practically an elder. Her participation would make it unfair for the others.

“We’re only a few years apart, yet you’ve already reached the Nascent Soul Realm, while I’m still at the Core Formation Realm. The gap is vast,” he sighed dramatically.

“Reaching the Core Formation Realm at your age is rare. Don’t belittle yourself,” she said gently.

“I know.” He nodded.

His talent was likely superior to ninety-nine percent of his peers. However, he was surrounded by those who belonged to the remaining one percent, making him feel inadequate.

Besides… he didn’t care about his talent.

His role wasn’t to be a prodigy, but to “support” prodigies.

And he had received praise from his Senior Sister tonight. Not bad… He stared at her, her beauty hidden behind her veil, then asked, “By the way, Senior Sister, what is your physique?”

She remained silent.

“Sacred Heavenly Body?” he asked.

Her eyes flickered, and she looked up at him.

“When did you discover it?”

“I simply observed you, Senior Sister,” he replied with a smile.

She glanced at him, her voice flat. “I’m sure you’ve observed Lady Bai far more closely.”

“You’re the only one in my heart, Senior Sister,” he insisted.

She scoffed, clearly not believing him.

But if he hadn’t been observing me closely, how did he know about my physique?

Did Master tell him?

Impossible… she wouldn’t reveal such a thing.

He stared at her, her beauty as captivating as a celestial being. “We’re alone, Senior Sister. Why don’t you remove your veil?”

“Why should I?” she replied coldly.

“I want to see,” he said, his gaze meeting hers.

“I’m not interested,” she said, rejecting his request.

Silence fell upon them for a moment, then he pointed behind her. “Look, Senior Sister! What’s that?”

As she turned, he swiftly removed her veil, his eyes widening as he admired her breathtaking beauty. “You’re truly beautiful,” he said with a smile.

Realizing she had been tricked, she glared at him, her voice sharp. “Get out.”

“Alright!” he said, satisfied, and turned to leave.

She watched him depart, silence returning to the pavilion.

After a long moment, she stood up and walked outside.

She looked up at the moon, closing her eyes, enjoying the cool night air.

“Mu Zhi’an…” she murmured, his name escaping her lips unbidden.

A faint blush appeared on her usually aloof face.

…

Boundless Sea Peak, Back Mountain.

Ying Guhuan, reclining on her throne, her beauty as captivating as ever, looked up at the man standing before her.

“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me unless it was important?” she asked, her voice soft and alluring.

“News from Her Majesty,” the man replied respectfully, presenting a letter.

Her expression turned serious at the mention of “Her Majesty.” She accepted the letter and unfolded it.

After reading it, a strange expression crossed her face.

“What are Her Majesty’s instructions…?” the man asked tentatively.

“This letter isn’t for me,” she replied.

“Not for you…? Then who is it for?”

She ignored his question, her gaze lingering on him. “You may leave.”

He bowed and departed.

She studied the letter, a thoughtful expression on her face. She summoned a disciple. “Bring Mu Zhi’an to me.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay