Everything before him flashed by like a fleeting dream: the worried expressions of Ye Lingxuan and the others, Gu Bo Xing’s surprised and suspicious gaze, and… the onlookers.

Some of the onlookers were filled with sympathy, while others watched with amusement or even schadenfreude.

Time seemed to freeze.

The snowflakes hung motionless in the air, the wind stilled, and the world turned a pale gray.

If this was a game, and losing Wei Mengrou to the Great Qian Dynasty meant losing the game, then Mu Zhi’an had indeed lost in the first round.

He was in the Martial Realm, with no information. He didn’t know that Wei Mengrou’s Calamity Body would be exposed after she refined the Heavenly Dao Energy.

Similarly, no one expected the Great Qian Dynasty’s Imperial Advisor to be so decisive, choosing to take Wei Mengrou away in the Martial Realm.

It was all due to a lack of information.

But life offered second chances… at least, for Mu Zhi’an.

The Primordial Witch’s power could rewrite time, even reset everything.

As Mu Zhi’an opened his eyes, the world shattered like a mirror, then quickly reassembled.

He vaguely saw a silver-haired beauty with a mysterious smile. She wore a black robe, her alluring eyes gazing at him from beneath her hood.

Her lips moved slightly, as if whispering something.

Then, she slowly opened her arms, as if embracing him.

“Brother Mu…”

“Brother Mu!”

Ye Qian’s clear and melodious voice brought him back to reality.

He turned his head slightly and saw her beautiful face filled with concern.

“Are you alright, Brother Mu?” Ye Qian asked, her hand gently gripping his arm, her eyes filled with worry.

Mu Zhi’an looked around. The cultivators on the distant mountain peak were observing them secretly. The Great Qian Dynasty’s Imperial Advisor was nowhere to be seen, and the Heavenly Dao Energy Wei Mengrou had obtained was rubbing against him affectionately, like a cat seeking its owner’s attention.

It really reset… Mu Zhi’an quickly recovered and chuckled, patting Ye Qian’s head. “I’m fine. I was just thinking about something.”

Ye Qian blushed as he gently stroked her head.

It would be fine if they were alone, but doing this in front of so many people was embarrassing.

Ye Lingxuan smiled, watching the scene, her sister’s pure and innocent face flushed with a faint blush. She looked up at Mu Zhi’an.

He was as usual, his face adorned with a gentle smile as he looked at Ye Qian, a hidden emotion in his eyes.

“What were you thinking about, Brother Mu?” Ye Lingxuan asked.

Bai Ruoxi also sensed that something was amiss and asked, “Is something bothering you, Mu Lang?”

Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying also looked at him.

Their observation skills are too good. If I ever go on a date with any of them, I’ll be caught red-handed… Mu Zhi’an thought, amused.

He withdrew his hand and shook his head. “It’s nothing. I just suddenly feel like I’m still too weak.”

Ye Lingxuan shook her head and chuckled. “What are you talking about, Brother Mu? With your current cultivation level, you’ll definitely have a place in the Ascension Ceremony. Don’t be so humble.”

“Yeah, your cultivation progress is already very fast, Brother Mu. At least, you’re much stronger than most geniuses,” Ye Qian added, nodding.

“I know. I’m quite talented,” Mu Zhi’an agreed, nodding.

They fell silent for a moment.

Mu Zhi’an shook his head again. “But compared to those old monsters, I still have a long way to go.”

The Nascent Soul Realm was a significant hurdle. After reaching that level, advancing even a single grade was incredibly difficult. Although Mu Zhi’an was talented, compared to those old monsters who had cultivated for thousands of years, the gap was still significant.

“Those Nascent Soul cultivators have all cultivated for decades, even centuries. You’re already at the Core Formation Realm at such a young age. You’ve surpassed over 90% of cultivators,” Lan Mulian said calmly, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Why is he suddenly feeling inadequate? He just suppressed a dozen cultivators at the same level and even eliminated several strong contenders in the Ascension Ceremony.

Mu Zhi’an smiled and nodded. “You’re right, Senior Sister. I was just thinking out loud.”

“But I do want to improve my strength.”

He looked at his maid.

“Mengrou, if I said I wanted your Heavenly Dao Energy, would you lend it to me?” he asked.

Ye Lingxuan, Ye Qian, and even Lan Mulian looked at him in surprise.

Lan Feiying narrowed her eyes. “Did something happen?”

This woman was too sharp. She sensed something was wrong just from his words.

“I’m just interested in this Heavenly Dao Energy.” Mu Zhi’an raised his hand, and the black orb flew into his palm.

He looked at Wei Mengrou and smiled. “It seems to like me quite a bit. I should be able to refine it.”

Wei Mengrou frowned slightly. “You already have a Heavenly Dao Energy. If you absorb another one, your body might not be able to handle it.”

Normally, a cultivator’s Vessel could only accommodate one Heavenly Dao Energy. No one knew what would happen if Mu Zhi’an forcefully tried to refine a second one.

Mu Zhi’an shook his head and chuckled. “Sister Lin Ling said she would give me her Heavenly Dao Energy after the Ascension Ceremony. My Vessel is different from others.”

“You should know that,” he said, smiling at Wei Mengrou.

She opened her mouth, as if wanting to say something, but then she fell silent, her gaze fixed on him.

After a while, Wei Mengrou said, “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Mu Zhi’an replied with a smile.

He glanced at the others, then opened his personal interface.

[Witch’s Body: Born as a protagonist of destiny, granted the ability to reset life every ten years – saving the current progress and reloading. Current uses: 2]

He still had two chances to reset.

So the number of uses also resets when I reload…?

Isn’t this a bug?

He didn’t notice that his maid was silently staring at him as he looked at his personal interface.

He clicked ‘Save’ again, then turned to the others and smiled. “I’ll need your protection while I refine this.”

There was no doubt that Wei Mengrou’s Heavenly Dao Energy was unusual. Her Calamity Body had been exposed after she refined it.

In other words, as long as she wasn’t the one refining it, her Calamity Body wouldn’t be exposed.

At least, not in the Martial Realm… Mu Zhi’an thought.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Then, he sat down on his flying sword and tried to absorb the Heavenly Dao Energy into his Innate Celestial Furnace.

However, he had underestimated the difficulty of refining it.

Although it had been affectionate towards him earlier, the black Heavenly Dao Energy resisted his attempts to refine it, refusing to be absorbed.

Mu Zhi’an persisted, his eyes closed as he guided his Spiritual Energy, trying to ‘force’ it into his Furnace.

Meanwhile, Lan Feiying, who was guarding him, glanced at Wei Mengrou and said softly, “Don’t you mind, Miss Wei? This is Heavenly Dao Energy.”

Wei Mengrou glanced at Mu Zhi’an, then shook her head gently.

“I’m not interested in Heavenly Dao Energy. He can have it if he wants. Besides…” She paused, as if wanting to say something.

“Besides?”

Wei Mengrou shook her head. “It’s nothing… Forget it.”

Besides, Master probably doesn’t really want the Heavenly Dao Energy.

That personal interface he opened earlier, and the description of the Witch’s Body… were quite intriguing…

Time passed silently.

After about fifteen minutes, Ye Qian suddenly pointed at the sky. “Sister Mengrou, look!” she exclaimed.

Wei Mengrou looked up, her eyes widening.

Dark, leaden clouds had gathered above them, lightning flashing within.

Boom!

A bolt of lightning illuminated Wei Mengrou’s beautiful face.

And from within the clouds, a black pillar of light descended, targeting Wei Mengrou!

“What’s that…?” Ye Lingxuan frowned, looking at the ominous black light.

Bai Ruoxi also stared at the pillar of light, then she gasped. “The Calamity Body…?”

Lan Mulian, as if sensing something, looked up at the distance, beyond the black light.

A golden Dharma Form silently appeared.

It was Gu Bo Xing.

…

Mu Zhi’an slowly opened his eyes and let out a sigh of relief.

This black Heavenly Dao Energy was much more difficult to refine than he had imagined. It had been affectionate towards him earlier, but now it was resisting his attempts to absorb it.

Even now, he had only managed to suppress it within his Furnace.

It would take some time to fully refine it.

“Young Master Mu…” A soft and hesitant voice came from beside him.

Mu Zhi’an turned his head slightly and saw Tang Sufei, the Holy Maiden from the World Sea. She looked at him with a worried expression.

He realized that the others who had been guarding him were gone.

“What happened?” he asked.

Then, seeing the craters and scorched earth around them, he seemed to understand something. A faint smile appeared on his face.

“Gu Bo Xing was here?”

Tang Sufei looked at him in surprise, then nodded. “He wanted to take Miss Wei to the Great Qian Dynasty. Miss Lan cast a formation to conceal your aura, then went to stop him.”

“But with the power of a dynasty’s faith, and his suspected peak Nascent Soul cultivation level, it’s probably impossible to stop him…”

Seeing Mu Zhi’an’s silence, she quickly said, “I’ll explain the situation to the elders in the World Sea and ask them to demand Miss Wei’s return.”

However, Mu Zhi’an remained silent, his head lowered, his eyes thoughtful.

It seems I have to refine the Heavenly Dao Energy before Gu Bo Xing arrives and trigger the ‘Heavenly Punishment’ myself, before Mengrou…

It wasn’t Wei Mengrou refining the Heavenly Dao Energy that attracted Gu Bo Xing, but her impending breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm. Her increasing strength had alerted the heavens, and that was why he had come!

The Heavenly Dao Energy was a trigger for exposing the Calamity Body!

“Young Master Mu—”

Before Tang Sufei could finish speaking, Mu Zhi’an silently clicked the ‘Reload’ option.

He had underestimated the difficulty of refining the Heavenly Dao Energy. Although it was drawn to him, it refused to be absorbed.

If he could refine this ominous Heavenly Dao Energy sooner, perhaps he could attract Gu Bo Xing’s attention before Wei Mengrou’s Calamity Body was exposed.

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay