It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists-Chapter 428: Jade Empress: Im on the Fifth Level

With this golden finger, he would eventually achieve great things, even having a harem was a given.

Chosen Ones were drawn to each other. He had sensed the Heavenly Dao’s aura on that young lady from the Lan family today, and she must have sensed his presence as well.

Even if he didn’t seek out Lan Feiying, they would meet eventually.

This was fate.

“No, I can’t leave the Lan family so soon. I can’t miss this opportunity…”

Hearing Huang Weifeng muttering to himself, the Holy Light Qilin said exasperatedly, “The Lan family is a powerful force in the Eastern Continent. That woman isn’t someone you can touch. Go and cultivate. You can have any beauty you want in the future.”

“Senior Qilin is right. That’s why I can’t miss this opportunity during the Lan family’s ancestral worship ceremony, so I can become stronger,” Huang Weifeng replied.

He ignored the Holy Light Qilin’s irritated scolding, blocked the voice from the jade slip, and walked out of the city gates.

Behind him, ripples appeared in the void, and the Void Nightmare opened one of its strange eyes, watching Huang Weifeng leave.

…

“The Soul Locking Bell is reacting within the Lan family’s territory…?”

“Does this mean the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox’s consciousness is hidden here?”

“If that’s the case, it might be within one of the sects here.”

Meanwhile, Mu Zhian’s carriage was heading towards the Lan family’s main hall.

He toyed with the ancient bell in his hand, his mind filled with questions.

Wei Mengrou’s attention was also drawn to the violently shaking bell. Her eyes flickered, and she glanced at Mu Zhian, her lips parting slightly, about to speak.

But Lan Feiying spoke first. “What’s that bell in your hand? Why is it so noisy?”

Mu Zhian gently suppressed the bell’s ringing. He chuckled. “Just a small trinket I found in the Demon Realm. Don’t mind it, Feiying.”

“More importantly, how are things going with… your purpose for this trip?” Mu Zhian asked.

Lan Feiying’s alluring expression turned cold. “There are three main factions within the Lan family. They appear united outwardly, but there are often internal conflicts. They haven’t reached a decision yet.”

The Lan sisters wanted to place their mother’s memorial tablet in the Lan family’s ancestral hall, but such a simple request had been delayed for so long.

If it weren’t for their mother’s last wish, they wouldn’t even wait for the ancestral worship ceremony. They would have already left.

Mu Zhian pondered, about to ask further, when his consciousness sensed a cold woman standing before a holy land below.

The aura was very familiar.

She stood there in a moon-white dress, swaying gently in the wind, her clear eyes looking up at the sky.

Lan Feiying opened the curtains and glanced outside. “It seems Sister has sensed our arrival.”

“Senior Sister’s spiritual sense is very strong. It’s not surprising that she could detect us so quickly. Her aura is much stronger than before.”

Mu Zhian smiled, diverting the two women’s attention, then discreetly moved to the opposite seat.

Attention to detail was crucial.

Although Senior Sister knew about his… flirtatious nature, this would at least prevent her from seeing him being intimate with another girl and getting jealous. This way, she wouldn’t suddenly use the teleportation talisman and send him to the dungeon on Two Polarities Peak.

Mmm, knowing Sect Master Lin’s scheming nature, if Senior Sister teleported him, he might find the Sect Master waiting for him in the dungeon…

As Mu Zhian thought this, the carriage slowly descended towards the Lan family’s main hall.

For some reason, the Green Lotus Ring on his finger was emitting a faint, clear light.

…

Within the Lan family’s main hall, several powerful auras, almost all at the Nascent Soul realm, were gathered.

After the rules of heaven and earth were rewritten, reaching the Nascent Soul realm wasn’t as difficult as before, and even the Soul Transformation realm was no longer an impossible dream.

Among these powerful auras, only one middle-aged man didn’t emit any spiritual energy fluctuations, but he exuded an imposing aura.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Lan Pingzhi, the current Clan Leader of the Lan family and the father of the Lan sisters, was half a step into the Soul Transformation realm.

Many young people were gathered outside the hall.

Most were members of the main Lan family branch, the talented elites of the Eastern Continent.

They looked towards the hall with curiosity, whispering among themselves.

Earlier, the statue in the Lan family’s ancestral grounds had trembled, even alarming two ‘living fossils’ who had been in seclusion for thousands of years. Shortly after, several elders gathered, seemingly discussing something.

Firstly, it was about the unexplained tremors in the ancestral grounds, and secondly, it was about the upcoming ancestral worship ceremony.

Suddenly, a Lan family member rushed in, his expression excited.

“What’s the commotion? Can’t you see the elders are discussing important matters?” Lan Pingzhi frowned.

The other elders remained silent as the clan member continued, “A guest elder from the Jade Pool Holy Land has come to visit and is currently approaching with the two young ladies.”

The Lan family’s Grand Elder raised a white eyebrow. “A guest elder from the Jade Pool Holy Land?”

The elders exchanged puzzled glances.

The ancestral worship ceremony was still some time away. Why had a guest elder from the Jade Pool arrived so early?

“Since it’s a guest elder from the Jade Pool, invite them in,” Lan Pingzhi said immediately.

The clan member nodded, then hesitated, looking at the elders. “What about the two young ladies…?”

Lan Feiying and Lan Mulian hadn’t been getting along with the Lan family, and the elders were displeased with their attitudes. But now, they had personally gone to receive this mysterious guest elder from the Jade Pool, clearly indicating they knew each other. Refusing them entry would be disrespectful to the guest.

“Invite them in as well,” Lan Pingzhi said.

He was more interested in the identity of this Jade Pool guest elder than in the clan members’ petty thoughts.

Ever since Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying returned to the Lan family, they hadn’t interacted with anyone, not even their own father.

Why would these aloof sisters personally welcome a guest elder from the Jade Pool?

Lan Wu, standing beside his father, his eyes flickering, had a premonition.

…

A quarter of an hour later, the elders of the Lan family finally met the mysterious guest elder from the Jade Pool.

The younger clan members outside the hall looked at the young man with curiosity.

What was the identity of this young man in luxurious black robes?

Not only was he incredibly handsome, but even the maid beside him was breathtakingly beautiful, no less stunning than the Lan sisters.

“Mu Zhian?”

Seeing the young man and the two women in red and white beside him, Lan Wu blurted out almost instinctively.

Mu Zhian smiled gently. “Brother-in-law… cough, Brother Lan Wu, long time no see.”

Lan Wu’s expression turned strange, and he almost couldn’t resist hitting Mu Zhian’s handsome face with a chair.

You’re already married, yet you’re still thinking about my two sisters? And you even dared to come to the Lan family?

But he quickly suppressed his impulse.

After all, Mu Zhian was currently a guest elder of the Jade Pool, a distinguished guest from afar.

Lan Pingzhi glanced at Mu Zhian. He had heard of him, but seeing his two daughters standing so close to him, he couldn’t help but be wary.

The Grand Elder smiled. “So it’s the Jade Empress’s husband. No wonder someone so young could become a guest elder of the Jade Pool. You’re truly remarkable, young friend.”

His words sounded like praise, but there was a hint of sarcasm, as if implying that Mu Zhian was a kept man.

Fortunately, Mu Zhian didn’t mind and chuckled. “You flatter me, Elder. It’s just the Jade Empress’s favor. I know my own limits.”

“If Young Master Mu wasn’t capable, the Jade Empress wouldn’t have chosen you,” another elder chuckled.

An elderly man with white hair said with a reminiscent look in his eyes, “Back when I hadn’t even started cultivating, Fairy Yao Meng was already a powerful Empress. Countless cultivators pursued her, enough to stretch from the Eastern Continent to the border of the Demon Realm. The fact that she chose you is a testament to your abilities.”

“Come in and have a seat.” The elder gestured towards the hall.

The other elders looked at him with surprise. This ‘living fossil’ was one of the first elders, having witnessed the Lan family’s golden age. He usually ignored everyone, yet he was so talkative with Mu Zhian.

Mu Zhian entered the hall with the others.

The Grand Elder looked at him, his eyes cloudy. “Do you know these two girls of my Lan family, young friend?”

Mu Zhian smiled and nodded. “Senior Sister Lan has helped me a lot, and Feiying has taken care of me since my days in Tianxuan City, like an older sister.”

Lan Mulian glanced at the boy, a hint of gentleness in her usually cold eyes, despite the veil covering her face.

Although she knew that Mu Zhian couldn’t interfere with their family matters, seeing him stand up for them warmed her heart.

Of course… it would be better if he didn’t have Wei Mengrou’s scent on him.

From the moment he sat beside her, Lan Mulian had smelled a minty fragrance, the same scent emanating from Wei Mengrou.

Clearly, the master and servant had been… intimate during their journey to the Lan family.

The Grand Elder, a knowing look on his face, glanced at Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying and nodded. “No wonder Young Master Mu has come to our Lan family. In that case, we’ll treat you well during your stay.”

He stood up and instructed a servant to take Mu Zhian to a guest room.

“Actually, I have a request,” Mu Zhian suddenly said, looking at the approaching servant.

The Grand Elder looked at Mu Zhian intently.

“It’s about my Senior Sisters.”

The atmosphere in the hall turned slightly quieter.

As expected…

Several elders exchanged knowing glances.

They had guessed Mu Zhian’s intentions when he mentioned his close relationship with Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying.

A melodious voice echoed through the hall. “If Young Master Mu is here for the ‘divine gift’ bestowed by our ancestor after the ancestral worship ceremony, you’re naturally welcome. However, the matter you mentioned is a family affair of our Lan family.”

“It’s not appropriate for an outsider to interfere.”

The speaker was a beautiful woman in a green dress, sitting not far from Lan Wu, her eyebrows raised, her expression casual.

Two elders nodded subtly in agreement.

She was right. Although Mu Zhian was the Jade Empress’s husband and had a high status, this was a Lan family matter. What right did an outsider have to interfere?

“She’s Lan Wan’er, my father’s daughter with another woman,” Lan Feiying whispered to Mu Zhian, her voice low.

Logically and emotionally, it was indeed inappropriate for Mu Zhian to interfere.

The Lan sisters were still members of the Lan family, and this was a family matter. Even the Two Polarities Sect wouldn’t interfere, let alone Mu Zhian.

Mu Zhian calmly took a sip of tea as Lan Wan’er continued, “Young Master Mu, you have a high status. The misunderstanding between my two older sisters and the Lan family is a family affair. It’s not appropriate for you to interfere, is it?”

“Even the Jade Empress wouldn’t approve. Don’t you agree, Young Master Mu?”

Lan Wan’er smiled at Mu Zhian, her eyes filled with arrogance.

As a genius of the clan, one of the people Lan Wan’er looked down on the most were kept men.

Lan Mulian frowned slightly. Targeting her and Feiying was one thing, but involving Mu Zhian was different.

But before she could speak, Mu Zhian, who had been sipping his tea, suddenly smiled.

“I’ve heard about the Lan family’s matters from Senior Sister Lan and Feiying. You’re right, Miss Wan’er. As an outsider, it’s indeed not appropriate for me to mention, let alone interfere in, your family affairs.”

Lan Feiying fell silent.

Lan Mulian’s eyes flickered, and she glanced at him.

She didn’t think Junior Brother would give in so easily.

Lan Wan’er raised an eyebrow, a faint smile appearing on her face.

Several young ladies sitting beside her also chuckled softly.

What right did an outsider have to interfere in their family affairs? Although this Mu Zhian was handsome, he clearly wasn’t very bright.

The Grand Elder’s eyes were filled with satisfaction, but his voice was stern. “You children are becoming bolder and bolder, even daring to be so disrespectful to Young Master Mu. Go back to your rooms and reflect on your actions for half a month!”

“Yes.”

The young ladies and disciples lowered their heads obediently.

This punishment was meaningless. It was just a pretense, actually protecting them.

“Young Master Mu, I apologize. The younger members of my Lan family rarely venture outside and are not very well-mannered. I’ll discipline them properly. Girls are fickle. Wan’er will change her attitude towards you in the future,” the Grand Elder said gently.

Lan Wu frowned slightly. He could see that the Grand Elder was deliberately trying to suppress Mu Zhian, using the younger clan members to achieve this without directly intervening. If Mu Zhian got angry, it would make him look bad.

But this was still too offensive. Mu Zhian was a guest elder of the Jade Pool and the Jade Empress’s Dao Companion. If he complained to the Jade Empress…

Even the powerful Lan family couldn’t afford to offend her.

The Grand Elder looked at a servant. “Take Young Master Mu to a guest room.”

Do they really think I’m a fool…? Mu Zhian looked at the Lan family members in the hall, most of whom remained silent, some even showing goodwill towards him, although not very openly.

As a servant approached, Mu Zhian said calmly, “What the elders and Miss Wan’er said is correct. I agree. As an outsider, it’s indeed not appropriate for me to discuss your family matters.”

The Grand Elder frowned, sensing the underlying meaning in Mu Zhian’s words.

A bad premonition arose in his heart.

Lan Wu’s eyes also flickered, as if realizing something. He looked at Mu Zhian in disbelief.

Mu Zhian paused, then smiled. “But as their Dao Companion, it would be a family matter, wouldn’t it?”

Dao Companion?

He’s claiming to be Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying’s Dao Companion?

Everyone in the hall stared at Mu Zhian with wide eyes.

The younger clan members gasped, staring at Mu Zhian as if he had gone mad.

Lan Wan’er, after a moment of stunned silence, raised an eyebrow. “That’s interesting, Young Master Mu. Everyone in the Nine Provinces knows your Dao Companion is the Jade Empress. How are you now connected to my two older sisters?”

But seeing that her two sisters remained silent, she felt a sense of unease.

Could he be telling the truth…?

Mu Zhian looked around and smiled. “The elders and even the Clan Leader here probably have more than one Dao Companion, right? It’s not strange for me to have two or three, is it?”

Lan Wan’er frowned. “My two sisters are incredibly talented and have high standards. How could they choose a married man as their Dao Companion?”

“Do you think I’m not good enough, Miss Wan’er?” Mu Zhian asked with a smile.

To be fair, Mu Zhian was both handsome and talented, but Lan Wan’er scoffed, about to retort.

However, as she looked up, she met Mu Zhian’s gaze.

A faint pink light flickered in his dark eyes, accompanied by a seductive, sweet spiritual energy.

Thump! Thump!

Lan Wan’er’s heart suddenly raced, her previously disdainful expression replaced by a dazed fascination.

At the same time, the granddaughters of several elders blushed, their eyes flickering nervously as they fidgeted with their hair, suddenly self-conscious.

Even the female disciples outside the hall stared at Mu Zhian, their eyes sparkling.

“What do you think, Miss Wan’er?” Mu Zhian asked softly.

Under the astonished gazes of the elders, the previously arrogant young lady blushed and stammered, “Y-Young Master Mu is… exceptional, of course he’s worthy of my… my two sisters…”

“Then do you think this is a family matter, Miss Wan’er?”

“O-Of course…”

Lan Wan’er’s voice was barely audible as the charm emanating from Mu Zhian made the young ladies blush.

“It seems the Elder was right. Girls are indeed fickle creatures,” Mu Zhian said, looking at the speechless Grand Elder with a bright smile.

Silence fell over the hall.

Lan Mulian blushed, surprised that Mu Zhian would say such shameless things in front of her father, her eartips burning.

But she was also shocked.

With her Sacred Heavenly Body, she could see through the essence of things and naturally sensed the potency of Mu Zhian’s charm.

Not only Lan Wan’er, who had just started cultivating, but even she, a Nascent Soul cultivator, felt her heart stir, wanting to snuggle in his arms.

Lan Feiying also glanced at Mu Zhian, a hint of shyness in her usually seductive eyes.

Although she had been intimate with Mu Zhian along with her sister before, saying that they were both his Dao Companions in front of their clan was still embarrassing.

Isn’t he embarrassed at all saying this?

Silence hung in the air for a long time.

Lan Pingzhi clenched his fists beneath his sleeves, barely restraining himself from exploding.

Lan Mulian and Lan Feiying were his daughters, yet they had been… claimed without his knowledge, and this man had just married the Jade Empress… If they were truly with Mu Zhian, wouldn’t they be bullied by the Jade Empress every day?

Finally, the Grand Elder’s voice broke the silence. “You’re quite capable, Young Master Mu.”

“Such charm techniques are not from the Eastern Continent, are they?”

The other Lan family elders also stared at Mu Zhian, recognizing his use of demonic techniques.

Using demonic techniques from the Demon Realm to bewitch people within the Lan family… Did he not respect them at all?

“This isn’t a technique from the Eastern Continent, but Yao Meng often told me that there’s no distinction between righteous and demonic techniques. As long as they’re used properly, it’s fine,” Mu Zhian said with a casual smile.

These were all high-ranking members of the Eastern Continent. He didn’t know if they had any connections with demon cultivators, but they must have had some contact.

He wasn’t worried that they would be as foolish as Ye Yu and make a fuss about his use of demonic techniques.

They were all smart enough to know that this wouldn’t harm him.

They had tried to use the ‘juniors’ to suppress him, and he had simply retaliated in kind.

But it seemed resolving the issues between the Lan sisters and the Lan family today wasn’t realistic.

He would have to learn more about what had happened between them and the Lan family before he could find a solution…

And the fact that the Soul Locking Bell was reacting within the Lan family’s territory was also concerning…

Mu Zhian looked around the silent hall, about to break the silence.

Suddenly, a flash of green light appeared before his eyes.

Mu Zhian paused, the smile on his face fading slightly.

Then, he felt a familiar warmth enveloping the hall.

He suddenly realized something and looked down at the Green Lotus Ring on his finger.

The ring was emitting a soft, gentle light.

Almost instantly, the elders in the hall, even the two ‘living fossils’ and the Lan Clan Leader, snapped out of their daze and stared at Mu Zhian’s ring.

The next moment, a vast consciousness, like the ocean, descended from the green light.

The illusory figure of a woman in a green dress appeared in the hall, her body bathed in moonlight, only her breathtaking figure and her calm, green eyes visible.

“Jade Empress!”

The elders immediately reacted, standing up and bowing respectfully.

“Greetings, Celestial Maiden.”

The other clan members also bowed, their heads lowered.

Lan Mulian frowned slightly, but she also bowed respectfully in front of the others.

Although the Jade Empress currently had an ethereal, celestial appearance, she knew how… devious this celestial maiden truly was.

Mu Zhian was clearly still in shock, his usual calm smile gone as he blinked, staring blankly at Yao Meng.

How is this possible?!

Isn’t she in the Southern Wilderness?!

Countless thoughts raced through Mu Zhian’s mind.

The moment he saw Yao Meng, he remembered what had happened between him and Shi Zixuan in the Demon Realm.

Fortunately, he was a seasoned harem protagonist and maintained his composure.

But he couldn’t hide the surprise in his eyes.

As if sensing his gaze, Yao Meng glanced over, a playful glint in her usually calm eyes. “Don’t be so surprised. To ensure your safety, I placed a wisp of my consciousness within the Green Lotus Ring I gave you.”

“If you’re in danger and infuse it with spiritual energy, this consciousness will awaken.”

Mu Zhian hesitated. “But I don’t remember infusing the ring with spiritual energy—”

“Other people’s spiritual energy can also awaken me,” Yao Meng reminded him calmly.

Mu Zhian paused, then seemed to realize something. He gently rubbed the Green Lotus Ring with his fingertip, and a smudge of rouge appeared on his thumb.

Incredibly alluring.

Looking at the people with their heads bowed, Yao Meng’s lips curled into a smile. She floated down and landed before Mu Zhian, leaning close to his ear and whispering,

“How was the Demon Empress?”