It turns out, they were the main characters.

At this moment, Yan Ruyu suddenly smiled and said, "I have some things to discuss with my disciple these past two days. If you are not in a hurry, you can postpone your matters for a while."

Upon hearing this, Yu Ziyan and the others unconsciously raised their eyebrows.

Here it comes... This woman is finally going to make her move.

This is what they are most worried about.

Mu Zhian was a disciple of the library, so it was impossible for him to refuse Yan Ruyu.

It was perfectly legitimate for Yan Ruyu to send Mu Zhian to Shaole Garden.

After all, she was the one responsible for teaching Mu Zhi'an...

As for how she would teach Mu Zhi'an after she arrived... all three female leaders present knew exactly what to do.

However, even knowing this, there was still no way to stop it.

Everyone knows that Mu Zhian is a natural furnace, but if this is brought to the forefront, the nature of the matter is completely different.

Sensing the sudden silence, Yan Ruyu couldn't help but squint her eyes with pleasure.

When she chose Mu Zhian, she had already imagined this scenario... Although she was reluctant to ask for the invitation out of politeness, since someone had already extended the invitation, she felt there was no need to be polite.

After cultivating these bok choy for so long, it's almost time to 'harvest' them.

"I wonder what Pavilion Master Yan intends to discuss with young friend Mu?" Ying Guhuan suddenly asked, her eyes alluring as she gazed at Yan Ruyu.

Yan Ruyu narrowed her eyes and said with a faint smile, "We can talk about anything, such as the path he took after reaching the Refining God Realm, formations, and even the troubles he faced in his realm... as well as the matter of that Senior Azure Emperor just now."

When the leaders heard the last sentence, their eyes flickered slightly, clearly showing that they had been intrigued.

After all, they had just witnessed Mu Zhian walking with the Azure Emperor in the peach blossom forest not long ago, but the Azure Emperor had disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Did it reside within Ye Qian's body, or did it return to its own grotto-heaven? Since it concerns a Dao Integration Realm empress, it naturally evokes some concern.

Most importantly, the Azure Emperor's condition at the time was clearly not quite right. If she had returned to her own cave, it would have been fine, but if she were inside Ye Qian's body and happened to find out in the future that Mu Zhi'an was a natural furnace... then that would have been troublesome.

After all, if the Azure Emperor wanted to use Mu Zhian's innate furnace to make up for his lost spiritual energy, could they really stop him?

Obviously it is unrealistic.

Meanwhile, after hearing the invitation, Mu Zhian pondered for a moment and then made up his mind—to accept Yan Ruyu's invitation.

He really didn't have anything to do tomorrow, so accepting Pavilion Master Yan's invitation wouldn't be a problem.

He had originally planned to consult the chief disciples about some issues concerning his formations and cultivation techniques.

Thinking of this, Mu Zhian was about to speak.

Just then, a clear and melodious voice suddenly drifted from beside me: "If you just want to ask about me, you can ask now."

The voice, as beautiful as heavenly music, suddenly rang out, causing Mu Zhian to swallow back the words he wanted to say, and also plunging the Pilgrimage Hall into a deathly silence.

Ning Yuan, who was about to leave, abruptly stopped and slowly turned his head to look.

When he saw the graceful figure of the fairy in the green dress standing next to Mu Zhian, his eyes widened slightly, and his heart skipped a beat.

When Yan Ruyu and the others saw this fairy in a green dress whose body was shrouded in moonlight, their hearts sank.

It seems my worst fears have come true...

Chapter 169 Giving Gifts: The Meaning Matters (8K)

The gazes of the several chief disciples toward the fairy in the green dress all held a subtle undertone.

When they met the Azure Emperor in the Sky Pavilion not long ago, they had a vague sense of unease.

After all, most female cultivators would be tempted by the spiritual energy of a natural furnace, and even the Holy Maiden of Yaochi would probably be no exception.

However, since the other party was an empress at the Dao Integration Realm, the group still harbored a sliver of hope... for example, that the other party didn't care about the innate furnace, or that she hadn't discovered Mu Zhi'an's secret.

However, when the Azure Emperor appeared beside Mu Zhi'an at this moment, it was basically time to draw a conclusion: the Azure Emperor already knew Mu Zhi'an's secret.

After all, the Azure Emperor is now just a wisp of spirit, while she was previously inside Mu Zhi'an's body... It would be strange if she hadn't noticed Mu Zhi'an's secret.

If the Azure Emperor is also interested in the innate furnace, and wants to live in Mu Zhian's body indefinitely... that would be very troublesome.

Yan Ruyu and the others were all somewhat heavy-hearted, but they still respectfully raised their hands and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Senior Azure Emperor!"

The sun hung gently in the sky, and the beautiful fairy calmly gazed at the group of people before her, her alluring red lips slightly pursed, outlining a faint smile.

She wore a light, pale blue dress embroidered with beautiful patterns, which made her look stunning.

The slightly loose cuffs, fluttering gently in the wind, added a touch of ethereal beauty to the overall design.

Although it wasn't the first time I'd seen such a beautiful woman in ancient costume, I still thought this outfit was absolutely stunning... Mu Zhian thought to himself.

"You all seem to have a good relationship with a disciple. It seems there's something special about him that has attracted you all?" The fairy in the green dress spoke softly, her voice incredibly beautiful.

As she said this, a meaningful look appeared in her clear, autumn-water-like eyes.

"There seems to have been quite a commotion in front of the Holy Temple today. We came here because of this to protect our disciples' safety," Ning Yuan, being the most straightforward, replied respectfully.

And in the way she glanced at Mu Zhian, there was an unusual hint of envy in her eyes.

No wonder he's a disciple recognized by the Spirit Dragon... His luck is just too good; he actually managed to gain the favor of the Azure Emperor.

The fairy in the green skirt naturally didn't believe this explanation.

With a smile in her eyes, she gazed at the chief disciples and said in a clear and melodious voice, "Cultivating immortality is going against the will of Heaven. There are no shortcuts on this path. Remember not to forget your original intention in order to cultivate immortality. Only by taking one step at a time can you walk your own path."

These words were a veiled reminder to the group not to covet a natural furnace or vessel, but to cultivate themselves, for that was the right path.

Clearly, having overheard their conversation and their somewhat excessive enthusiasm for Mu Zhi'an while inside his body, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi now knew their purpose.

"If you really want to take a shortcut to get there, that's fine, but you need to know when to stop to avoid encountering an even more massive lightning tribulation when you undergo tribulation in the future," she reminded again.

It is certainly feasible to break through the bottleneck simply by relying on the innate furnace, but if you want to use the innate furnace to quickly advance from the Void Returning Realm to the Enlightenment Realm... that is not very realistic.

Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyu and the others clasped their hands in agreement, but secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that although the Azure Emperor knew their purpose, he did not object.

What I just said was a reminder to them that they can take shortcuts, but they can't keep taking shortcuts, or they'll go astray.

"What is Senior Qingdi's current condition?" Ning Yuan hesitated for a moment before mustering his courage to ask.

"She needs to recuperate for a while," the fairy in the green dress said with a calm smile, without directly revealing the truth.

Because of the appearance of the Azure Emperor, the chief disciples could not continue to invite Mu Zhi'an. They only chatted with Mu Zhi'an briefly, extended an olive branch, and then left. Afterwards, each of them sent an elder to the front of the Pilgrimage Hall to ensure the safety of these disciples.

Are you a little disappointed that I stopped them?

Just as Mu Zhian was about to leave, he suddenly heard the voice of the fairy in the green dress echoing in his heart.

"To be honest, I've been in a bit of a dilemma about this matter, but since they are the most important people in the family, I couldn't refuse. This time, I'm very grateful to Fairy Sister for speaking up for me," Mu Zhi'an replied sincerely.

Deep down, he sighed with a hint of regret.

I was all prepared to contribute to the sect's strength every day, and maybe even get to hug the legs of a few of the sect leaders, when a great white shark appeared in the fishpond... No, it's not a great white shark anymore, it's a mosasaur, the extinct ruler of the ocean!

Despite the regret, Mu Zhian quickly composed himself and asked:

"Is it alright for my sister to remain conscious when her spiritual consciousness is so fragile right now?"

"I was keeping you conscious just now to ensure your safety. I will be asleep for a while afterward. If there is any danger, you can wake me up," the fairy in the green dress said.

"If you're going to sleep, then I'm relieved..." Mu Zhian breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Although she was a very beautiful fairy, he had no interest in being watched by the fairy in the green dress while he was being intimate with Bai Ruoxi or the Ye sisters.

As Mu Zhian pondered this, he walked towards a certain direction in the Pilgrimage Temple Square.

"Speaking of which, the senior previously said that Qian'er and you are quite similar, which is why she was chosen as the successor. So how exactly are you similar?" Mu Zhi'an asked with a hint of confusion.

"The compatibility is a strange thing. I only deduced that she is the most suitable successor. As for exactly where the similarities lie... I'm not quite sure," the fairy in the green dress replied calmly.

Then, she transformed into a wisp of flame and floated lightly into another of Mu Zhi'an's cauldrons.

Previously, to ensure Mu Zhi'an's safety, she had not entered Mu Zhi'an's other cauldron, but had been secretly guarding him.

Only now that it is confirmed that he has passed away safely do I plan to sleep for a while.

Upon entering the innate furnace and feeling the rich and unique spiritual energy, the fairy in the green dress couldn't help but open her eyes in surprise.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a natural furnace... The spiritual energy within can nurture her spiritual consciousness!

and……

The fairy in the green dress quickly sensed something and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Have you received the inheritance of the spirit dragon's fortune?"

"Thanks to Senior Linglong's kindness, she did indeed grant me a share of destiny." Mu Zhian's voice came to the fairy in the green dress.

The fairy in the green dress seemed to realize something, gazing at the innate furnace, and murmured in slight surprise, "There's even the Qi of Heaven... It's actually inside the innate furnace?"

This is getting interesting...

The fairy in the green dress pursed her red lips, but a glint of light quietly appeared in her eyes.

……

Mu Zhian left the peach blossom grove and spent nearly a quarter of an hour finding Bai Ruoxi and Wei Mengrou sitting in front of the stone chair.

Because the grotto-heaven had just appeared not long ago, most of the disciples had already entered it, so the area outside the Pilgrimage Hall was rather deserted at the moment.

Pink peach blossoms are planted on both sides, and when a breeze blows, the peach blossoms sway gently in the wind.

Two stunningly beautiful women sat on a stone bench, seemingly talking in hushed tones, and appeared to have a very good relationship.

Mu Zhian couldn't help but glance at Bai Ruoxi. Bai Ruoxi was wearing a white palace dress embroidered with snow lotuses. Her face was delicate, and her moist eyes were paired with thick eyelashes. She had the inner fragility of a young lady, but her outward temperament was aloof and cold.

Her clothes couldn't hide her proudly full breasts, giving her an aloof and unapproachable air to outsiders. However, Mu Zhian knew that this beautiful woman was actually a kind girl who only knew how to cherish Mu Lang.

The maid standing beside her was just as beautiful as Bai Ruoxi, but compared to the gentle Bai Ruoxi, the maid had a more aloof and sharp demeanor.

Perhaps this sharp aura would deter most people from getting close, but Mu Zhian was actually looking forward to seeing how the maid would behave when she fell in love in the future.

As if sensing someone's "malice," Wei Mengrou raised her head and glanced at Mu Zhian in the distance, her gaze as cold as ever, before softly reminding Bai Ruoxi:

"He's back."

While speaking, he couldn't help but glance at Mu Zhian a few more times.

It has to be said that after reaching the Refining Spirit Realm, Mu Zhian's entire demeanor seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.

If Mu Zhian in the past still had some of the frivolity of a young master and an unhealthy pale complexion, then he no longer had those shortcomings. He now looked like a gentle and refined scholar, and came from a very good family, so he also had the temperament that a noble young master should have.