Several Celestial Realms were located within the Two Polarities Sect’s northern bank, all situated within the Hall of Unity.

The Southern Wilderness delegation was currently residing in this hall.

Mu Zhi’an arrived at the Hall of Unity and found the building where Regina was staying. As he was about to enter, an elder in a gray robe silently blocked his path.

It was Gulban, one of the elders of the Southern Wilderness’s Holy Temple and the one responsible for protecting the Holy Maiden and the Holy Son.

In terms of status, Nigati, the Holy Son, was equal to Regina. However, her constitution and background were far superior, hence their hierarchical relationship.

“Young friend Mu, what brings you here?” the elder asked with a smile, his tone seemingly friendly.

Although he doubted Regina’s claim that Mu Zhi’an could help her perfect her Soul Reading constitution, even the slightest possibility made him cautious.

“I have some matters to discuss with Miss Regina. Could you please inform her?” Mu Zhi’an said, cupping his fists respectfully.

“Miss Regina has a guest today. Please wait in the side hall for a moment, young friend,” Gulban said, subtly glancing at the maid in a yellow dress beside Mu Zhi’an.

Although she was concealing her aura, he was a Nascent Soul cultivator and could easily discern her cultivation level.

Rumors had spread about the extraordinary talent of Mu Zhi’an’s maid. Seeing her today, he realized the rumors were true… She would be a formidable obstacle in the Ascension Ceremony.

Mu Zhi’an followed Gulban into the quiet building and sat down in the side hall, waiting for Regina.

“I’ll leave you to rest, Young Master Mu. I’ll inform Miss Regina shortly,” Gulban said, then left the side hall.

Mu Zhi’an made himself comfortable, his gaze casually sweeping across the room, his thoughts wandering.

Wei Mengrou stood silently beside him, dressed in a beautiful yellow dress with light purple embroidery.

Despite her stunning beauty, her presence was always faint. Mu Zhi’an had once wondered if her ‘concealment’ ability also weakened her presence, making people subconsciously forget about her.

“Do you really think she’ll tell you about the Southern Wilderness’s secret techniques?” Wei Mengrou asked softly.

Mu Zhi’an shook his head. “I’m confident, but that doesn’t mean I’ll succeed. But it’s better than doing nothing.”

“Let’s sit down and rest while we wait for her.”

However, Wei Mengrou simply shook her head. “I’ll stand.”

“Are you too shy to sit with me, Mengrou…?” Mu Zhi’an asked, observing her with a thoughtful expression.

Wei Mengrou glared at him disdainfully. “You were busy all night. You should rest and save your energy.”

Such a disdainful look wouldn’t be appropriate coming from other beauties, but on Wei Mengrou, it was incredibly alluring.

Mu Zhi’an withdrew his gaze, deciding not to tease her further. He took out a delicate light blue necklace from his pocket.

It was the Aurora Necklace Lin Keyu had given him. It could conceal his aura and Heavenly Secrets to a certain extent and also had a ‘calming’ effect.

However, it might not be as effective against those with powerful charm.

Like that seductive and alluring Demon Realm Empress…

“Mengrou, come here for a moment,” Mu Zhi’an said, looking at the necklace in his hand.

Wei Mengrou hesitated, looking at him curiously. “What is it?”

“Just come here. I won’t eat you,” Mu Zhi’an said.

After a moment of hesitation, she walked over to him.

Mu Zhi’an stood up, took off the necklace, and placed it around her neck.

“This is…?” She looked up at him.

As he put the necklace on her, their faces were inches apart.

However, Wei Mengrou’s eyes remained clear and cold, devoid of any shyness.

Mu Zhi’an smiled. “It looks good on you.”

“Isn’t this a gift from someone else?” Wei Mengrou asked, frowning slightly.

Then, looking at the smile on Mu Zhi’an’s face, she seemed to understand something. “Concealing Heavenly Secrets…?” she murmured.

Based on Yu Ziyan’s theory from last night, Wei Mengrou’s bad luck was likely because the rules of heaven and earth didn’t allow for her ‘anomalous’ existence, resulting in a punishment from the heavens.

And concealing Heavenly Secrets was the most direct and effective way to counter this misfortune.

Both the bronze fragment on her chest and the Aurora Necklace Mu Zhi’an had just given her possessed this ability.

Wei Mengrou closed her eyes, scanning her body with her Spiritual Sense. Then, she shook her head. “The second necklace doesn’t have any effect.”

“It seems we’ll have to find another method,” Mu Zhi’an murmured.

Wei Mengrou took off the Aurora Necklace, about to return it to him.

Suddenly, she heard a voice coming from the necklace.

It was a clear and melodious female voice.

—Lin Keyu’s voice, embedded within the Aurora Necklace.

Seeing her frozen, holding the necklace in her hand, her gaze filled with a strange expression, Mu Zhi’an asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Wei Mengrou quickly recovered and looked at him meaningfully, shaking her head gently. “It’s nothing~”

She handed the necklace back to him.

It seems my young master is still unaware…

It was a gift from a girl. Perhaps Lin Keyu wanted him to discover the message himself.

She wouldn’t spoil the surprise… She would remain a bystander.

Since the second necklace had no effect on Wei Mengrou, Mu Zhi’an put the Aurora Necklace back on, feeling the active energy within it. He couldn’t help but admire Lin Keyu’s generosity.

Then, he felt a call from the Artifact Spirit within the Purple Lightning Ring on his finger. He gently touched the ring. “You’re amazing, both of you. But if Lingxuan ever tries to bind me with the Desolate Time Lock again, remember who your master is. Don’t betray me at a crucial moment…”

The Purple Lightning Ring could block a fatal attack, as long as the difference in cultivation levels wasn’t too great. It would be a valuable asset in the upcoming Ascension Ceremony.

Mu Zhi’an leaned back in his chair and opened his personal interface, wanting to see if any new titles had been added after his relationship with Ye Lingxuan deepened.

After scanning the list and confirming that there were no new titles, his gaze fell upon the ‘Innate Dao Body’ title, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.

He had already experienced this constitution several times with Yao Meng.

Last night, he had enjoyed the pleasures of her body, but not before indulging in some… roleplaying.

Although her figure was alluring, what truly captivated him were her beautiful jade-like feet.

Even now, the memory still made his heart race.

It’s not that I have a strange fetish. It’s just that the Empress is too tempting, and her Innate Dao Body can also provide Spiritual Energy for my Eight Chaos Dream Scroll…

Everyone has their preferences, but those preferences are based on the foundation of beauty.

As Mu Zhi’an justified his actions to himself, he looked at the description behind the title: An incredibly rare Dao Body. Dual cultivating with the possessor grants the partner a first-grade cultivation technique that can evolve.

He had been too busy with other matters to pay attention to this constitution before, but even now, seeing this title filled him with mixed emotions.

This constitution should belong to the Jade Pool Holy Maiden, yet I, a man, possess it. What kind of absurdity is this?

But then again, he was the ‘Chosen Female Lead’. It wasn’t surprising that he possessed the Innate Dao Body.

As he pondered, a maid in a long dress entered the side hall. Seeing the two of them, she bowed slightly and said, “Young Master Mu, Miss Wei, the Holy Maiden requests your presence.”

It seems Regina’s meeting is over… Mu Zhi’an stood up, stretched lazily, and followed the maid out of the side hall.

…

“Miss Regina, I hope you’ll consider my proposal. If we join forces, we can at least guarantee our spots in the final round of the Ascension Ceremony, even if we don’t win first place.”

Within the hall, a young man in Confucian robes spoke with a gentle smile, repeating his suggestion. “There are at least a thousand participants in the Ascension Ceremony this time, but less than a hundred will make it to the final round held within the Two Polarities Sect. We’re both outsiders and might face discrimination.”

Regina, dressed in a luxurious and alluring red dress, sat opposite him, seemingly pondering his proposal.

The World Sea separated the Eastern Realm from the Demon Realm. Countless islands dotted its vast expanse, some inhabited by cultivators descended from ancient lineages.

In the past, there had been countless wars between cultivators and demonic cultivators. The World Sea, caught in the middle, had always remained peaceful. This was partly due to the mysterious nature of the sea, which suppressed cultivators’ powers.

And partly because of the formidable forces residing within the World Sea.

The people who had come to speak with the Southern Wilderness’s Holy Maiden were the Holy Maiden and Holy Son of a top faction from the World Sea.

“I’ll consider your proposal and give you an answer in the next two days,” Regina said.

The initial stage of the Ascension Ceremony would be held in the Eastern Realm’s Martial Realm. There would be a challenging trial, and out of a thousand cultivators, typically only a hundred would qualify for the main event.

Of course, having more people didn’t necessarily increase the chances of success. Sometimes, lone cultivators could pass the Martial Realm’s trial faster and qualify for the Ascension Ceremony.

However, these two were geniuses from the World Sea. Cooperating with them would certainly be beneficial.

But if possible, she preferred to cooperate with Mu Zhi’an…

His cultivation level wasn’t particularly high, but he possessed many secrets and trump cards. Moreover, experiencing danger together could accelerate the development of their relationship.

It would be ideal if she could save him when he was in danger…

A mischievous smile curved Regina’s lips as she imagined the scene.

This Ascension Ceremony was becoming quite exciting…

However, she needed to encounter Mu Zhi’an in the Martial Realm first.

The Martial Realm was vast. Upon entering, participants would be randomly transported to different areas by formations. The formations would protect them from a single fatal injury.

But after that, they would be disqualified from the Ascension Ceremony and expelled from the Martial Realm.

After seeing the two visitors off, Regina rested her chin on her hand, her fingers playing with her hair, her toes fiddling with her embroidered shoes, as she waited for Mu Zhi’an’s arrival.

…

Meanwhile, after leaving the hall, the two visitors from the World Sea noticed two unfamiliar figures not far ahead.

The young man had a handsome, jade-like face and wore a black and gold robe, exuding the aura of a noble young master. The maid beside him, despite concealing her aura, possessed breathtaking beauty.

Mu Zhi’an nodded at them with a smile and, with Wei Mengrou, entered the hall.

The Holy Maiden from the World Sea, dressed in a light blue dress, her aura pure and untainted, glanced at them, curiosity in her eyes.

“It seems they’re master and servant? But it’s rare for a master’s cultivation level to be so much lower than his maid’s,” the Holy Son from the World Sea said, looking at Wei Mengrou’s retreating figure, a hint of unease in his eyes.

Even he, with his pride, couldn’t help but feel a sense of apprehension towards the maid in the yellow dress. He sensed that she was incredibly powerful and wasn’t confident he could defeat her.

“The man beside her is strange,” the woman in the blue dress said, her voice calm and melodious.

“If I’m not mistaken, I saw him a few days ago in the Qingyang Hall. His name seems to be Mu Zhi’an,” the young man said thoughtfully. “Should we investigate him?”

The woman in the blue dress shook her head. “Don’t forget why we’re here in the Eastern Realm. Finding the Primordial Witch is our priority. Don’t create unnecessary trouble over a woman.”

The young man chuckled. “I was just curious. A mere fourth-grade Core Formation cultivator… If we really want to deal with him, we can do it after the Ascension Ceremony begins.”

“However, we should be wary of the maid beside him,” he added.

The Primordial Witch was the true master of the World Sea. Their clan’s Grand Elder’s divination had revealed that she might still be alive, simply experiencing some problems, and that she was currently in the Eastern Realm.

The three Imperial-Grade Medicinal Herbs offered in the Ascension Ceremony were tempting, but their true goal was to find the Primordial Witch, who might be slumbering somewhere in the Eastern Realm.

If they could awaken her, even if they lost the Ascension Ceremony, this trip would be worthwhile.

Besides, they didn’t believe they would lose.

…

Inside the hall.

Mu Zhi’an entered and saw the Southern Wilderness’s Holy Maiden, her attire alluring, yet her aura pure and innocent. She wore a stunning red dress adorned with white patterns, a captivating blend of purity and seduction.

After instructing a maid to serve tea, Regina glanced at the maid in a yellow dress standing by the door and smiled. “Have you come to fulfill our agreement early, Young Master Mu?”

Despite her words, Regina knew the truth.

Mu Zhi’an must have another reason for coming.

After all, if he truly intended to fulfill their agreement now, he wouldn’t have brought his maid.

It seems she’s eager to perfect her Soul Reading constitution… Mu Zhi’an chuckled. “It’s related to that.”

Regina crossed her legs, her dangling foot pausing as she looked at him, a playful smile on her lips. Her voice was soft and melodious. “Then why bring your maid?”

“Could it be…”

She glanced at the maid standing by the door.

Mu Zhi’an shook his head and chuckled. “I came to see you today because I have something to ask, Miss Regina.”

Regina’s hopeful expression faded, and she looked at him calmly. “Please speak freely, Young Master Mu.”

Her voice was suddenly much colder.

I knew it wasn’t that simple. There’s no way he would initiate the agreement before the Ascension Ceremony.

“Last night’s celestial phenomenon revealed the luck of all cultivators within the sect. I’ve heard that there’s a secret technique in the Southern Wilderness that can conceal Heavenly Secrets and one’s aura. I was hoping to learn more about it from you, Miss Regina.”

As Mu Zhi’an spoke, a look of surprise appeared on Regina’s beautiful face. “You seem to know a lot, Young Master Mu.”

“Someone from your Southern Wilderness tried to harm me before. How could I not know?” Mu Zhi’an chuckled.

“He acted on his own. I was unaware of his actions,” Regina said softly. “If you’re upset, Young Master Mu, I can compensate you with Spirit Stones.”

She lowered her gaze, the thin fabric of her dress revealing glimpses of her fair thighs. She sighed softly. “However, the technique you mentioned is a closely guarded secret in the Southern Wilderness. I don’t have any information about it.”

“But there are always exceptions.”

Before Mu Zhi’an could speak, Regina looked up, a charming smile on her beautiful face. “If you’re willing to come to the Southern Wilderness with me, Young Master Mu, I can, on behalf of the Southern Wilderness’s Divine Temple, share the secret technique with you.”

“And I can also provide you with any cultivation resources you need in the future.”

Mu Zhi’an raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “It seems you hold a high position in the Southern Wilderness, Miss Regina.”

“But I’m afraid I can’t go with you.”

“Then there’s nothing more to discuss. Please don’t make things difficult for me, Young Master Mu,” Regina said coldly.

“Don’t be so quick to judge, Miss Regina.”

Mu Zhi’an reached out and placed his hand on her leg, his hand covering hers.

“I can’t go to the Southern Wilderness with you, but I do have something that might interest you.”

Regina’s eyes flickered as she looked at him. “Go on, Young Master Mu.”

“The Innate Dao Body.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay