Inside the teahouse, Mu Zhi’an sat in a well-lit room, a window beside him offering a clear view of the sparring arena below. It was the same room where Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying had sat previously.

“This teahouse truly has an excellent view. It seems Senior Sister definitely saw my little interaction with Ruoxi at the arena,” Mu Zhi’an mused, taking a sip from his teacup as he watched the young cultivators sparring below.

He felt a persistent sense of bad luck. Even locals might not know about this particular room with its exceptional view. How had Senior Sister stumbled upon it?

And considering her personality, after receiving the Luminous Soil, she shouldn’t have had any desire to attend the auction… yet she did.

It was quite strange.

Was it a ‘supporting character’s’ fate to have worse luck than ordinary people?

Mu Zhi’an opened his personal interface. He noticed that the font color for “Supporting Character” had changed again, this time to a light pink, and the frame even had a slight heart shape.

“My guess was right. Every time I weaken Ye Yu’s fate as the Chosen One, my supporting role diminishes,” he thought. “But even if I completely strip away Ye Yu’s protagonist status and his destiny, will my title change to ‘Protagonist’?”

As a supporting character, Mu Zhi’an’s luck was inherently worse than others. Even with decent talent, he was prone to misfortune, as his initial purpose was merely to serve as a stepping stone for the protagonist.

Only when Ye Yu fell would his own fate improve.

Winning over Bai Ruoxi and the Ye sisters were ways to weaken Ye Yu’s protagonist status.

Of course, Mu Zhi’an also had a personal interest in these endeavors.

Combining his mission with personal enjoyment was quite satisfying.

However… even if Ye Yu’s destiny was completely stripped away, would the label of “supporting character” change?

Would the title disappear altogether?

Or would “Heaven” choose a new “Chosen One” as the protagonist?

Mu Zhi’an shook his head. “If that’s the case, wouldn’t I be constantly battling ‘protagonists’?”

But it wouldn’t be so bad. After all, every protagonist had so much to offer.

Perhaps by exploiting their resources, he could eventually reach the Dao Integration realm?

*Knock, knock.*

A gentle knock came from the door, followed by a melodious voice. “Young Master Mu, may we enter?”

It was Ye Lingxuan.

They arrived quite early… Mu Zhi’an thought. “Come in.”

The door opened, and a refreshing fragrance wafted in. Ye Qian entered, her arm linked with Ye Lingxuan’s.

One sister, elegant and refined; the other, innocent and adorable.

In terms of beauty, Ye Lingxuan would undoubtedly become a stunning woman, although her chest was… a slight disappointment. But her charming face and the glimpse of fair skin beneath her short boots easily overshadowed any flaws.

Beauty was enough.

And Mu Zhi’an wasn’t that picky. As long as they caught his eye, it was fine.

Ye Qian was far more developed than her sister. Walking together, one might mistake her for the elder sibling.

She was the naive and innocent type, evident from her lack of resistance when he held her hand yesterday.

After inviting them to sit, Mu Zhi’an poured them tea.

Ye Lingxuan placed a smooth, pale blue Spirit Stone on the table.

“No need for tea, Young Master Mu. We caused you quite a bit of trouble yesterday. Here are the two thousand Spirit Stones I owe you.”

She continued, “Qian’er and I have some matters to attend to, so we’ll be taking our leave.”

With the debt repaid, their connection was severed. Her main purpose in coming here today was to return the money.

Ye Qian looked at her sister, surprised. She hadn’t expected them to leave so soon.

Mu Zhi’an glanced at the Spirit Stone, neither accepting nor rejecting it. “Did Ye Yu repay you after returning yesterday?”

Ye Lingxuan nodded curtly, her expression cold.

Actually, Ye Yu had only returned thirteen hundred Spirit Stones, claiming he didn’t have enough savings.

However, he had promised to repay the remaining seven hundred as soon as he received the payment for his pills from the auction house.

She knew he had more savings. Repaying the full amount wouldn’t be difficult.

He had only returned thirteen hundred to emphasize his identity as an alchemist.

After all, there were only a handful of alchemists in Tianxuan City.

But he didn’t realize that, to her, alchemists weren’t that rare.

“If there’s nothing else, Qian’er and I will be leaving, Young Master Mu.”

She stood up, gently pulling Ye Qian along.

While she didn’t dislike him, it was best to distance themselves.

Qian’er’s behavior yesterday had seemed odd. It was best to limit her interaction with Mu Zhi’an.

He already had Bai Ruoxi. That woman might seem pure and innocent, but their brief encounter yesterday had revealed a darker side.

Qian’er was too naive. Without her protection, she might be taken advantage of.

As the sisters turned to leave, Mu Zhi’an set down his teacup and looked at Ye Qian.

“Are you leaving too, Qian’er?”

Ye Qian hesitated, her steps faltering.

“You’re already here. Why not have a cup of tea? It’s lonely to drink alone.”

She looked at her sister, her voice soft. “Sister, could you go ahead?”

Ye Lingxuan stared at her, speechless.

Then, noticing her sister’s hopeful, almost pleading gaze, she sighed inwardly and sat back down.

“Since Qian’er wants to stay for tea, I’ll stay a little longer.”

Mu Zhi’an smiled, pouring them each a cup of tea. He took a sip, then placed the Spirit Stone in front of Ye Lingxuan.

She looked up at him, her brow furrowed slightly. “What’s the meaning of this, Young Master Mu?”

“I can’t accept this,” he replied.

“You lost two thousand Spirit Stones because of Brother Ye Yu yesterday. You shouldn’t have to bear that loss,” she insisted, trying to sever their connection, to avoid owing him a favor.

He retrieved a small wooden box from his storage ring and opened it, revealing a withered root, about the size of a bowl, its surface charred and blackened.

It was the Dragon Soaring Tendril he had acquired at the auction.

She glanced at it, her voice indifferent. “It’s valuable, but not in your hands.”

She seemed to know about the herb. He asked, feigning ignorance, “Why do you say that?”

“Can’t it be restored with Rebirth Water?”

“The rumors about Rebirth Water are exaggerated. It can’t instantly heal injuries. At most, it can extend one’s lifespan by a hundred years, but only for the first time it’s consumed. That’s all.”

“It’s not enough to simply use Rebirth Water. The Dragon Soaring Tendril needs to be submerged in a pool of Rebirth Water for months to be restored.”

“In your hands, it will wither completely within six months. Even Rebirth Water won’t be able to save it then.”

So it’s called the Dragon Soaring Tendril. And how does she know so much? It sounds like she’s consumed Rebirth Water before.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay