It turns out, they were the main characters.

Lan Mulian, the only disciple of the Liangyi Sect Master, is not actually well known to most people.

In the past, she had helped many disciples in the sect. Because of the contrast between her usual aloof demeanor and her helping others, many disciples were flattered and always regarded her as an object of respect.

Despite her exceptional talent and dislike of interacting with outsiders, Lan Mulian holds a very special position within the sect.

At this moment, as Lan Mulian stepped onto the stage, countless eyes below the stage turned to look at her.

In mid-air, an ice realm was silently unfolding, presenting the scene within it.

Mu Zhian leisurely arrived at the arena and then entered the cave.

For Mu Zhian, his goal from the very beginning was not to win the championship.

Among the people he most hoped would win the Ascension Tournament, one was Wei Mengrou, and the other was Lan Mulian.

The former was his maid, and the latter... was a reserved and aloof senior sister who, even after winning the final victory, would not make any outrageous demands on him.

Although I don't have much ambition for first place, today's competition with Lan Mulian is a good opportunity to see just how big the gap is between me and my senior sister.

Although Mu Zhian had seen many people in the sect who had reached the Void Returning Realm, Lan Mulian was the first among her peers to do so.

We should at least fight and verify Senior Sister's strength before deciding whether to surrender, otherwise it would be too boring.

"Aren't you planning to give up?"

As Mu Zhian was pondering this, Lan Mulian's clear and melodious voice suddenly rang out from within the cave.

These are not spoken words, but rather a sound transmission achieved through a special secret technique, making them inaudible to others.

"I need to verify my senior sister's strength before making a decision. I don't think she would want me to back down without a fight, would she?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Zhian raised an eyebrow slightly. While waiting for the competition to officially begin, he smiled and transmitted his voice to Lan Mulian, gazing at the senior sister in front of him.

Her moon-white dress fluttered in mid-air, her smooth hair cascading down, her graceful figure tall and slender, though not clearly visible, giving an impression of flawlessness.

Although it wasn't the first time they had seen Lan Mulian, the woman's charm was undeniable. From the moment she entered, even the female cultivators of the sect were gazing at her with sparkling eyes.

"What did he just say to you?" Lan Mulian asked again.

She knew that Lan Wu had called out to Mu Zhi'an before he left, but she didn't know what that person had talked about with his junior brother.

“Uncle…” Mu Zhian coughed lightly, “Brother Lan Wu hopes that you and Sister Fei Ying can return to the Lan family.”

It's quite a coincidence, isn't it? Could it be that Senior Sister is also the protagonist of destiny?

She lost her mother at a young age and was not taken back to the Lan family until she was almost grown up. Not long after that, she was taken in as a disciple by the sect leader and has never been defeated.

Is this some kind of invincible protagonist?

"Do you think I should go back?" Lan Mulian suddenly asked.

Before the competition began, she wanted to hear what her junior brother was thinking.

"That naturally depends on Senior Sister herself; my opinion is not a valid reference."

Mu Zhian replied naturally, "If it were me, I would probably persist until I get what I want before returning to the Lan family."

His time together made him realize just how amazing Lan Mulian's talent truly was.

Putting aside everything else, the fact that he also possesses the Heavenly Fate Sacred Body, yet struggles to unleash its power to see through the origins of all things, is enough to demonstrate just how high Lan Mulian's talent truly is.

Even with this constitution, one still needs sufficient talent and comprehension to see through the origin of all things and analyze them.

Upon hearing this, Lan Mulian nodded silently.

When she asked Mu Zhian, she could roughly guess how her junior brother would answer her.

"I will not go back until the elders of the Lan family acknowledge her. Even if I return to the Lan family in the future, I will not stay there indefinitely."

“Fei Ying and I share the same thoughts, but the paths we took in the past were different.”

Below the high platform, many young talents watched the two standing facing each other in the icy realm, and a few whispers gradually arose. Although the competition had not yet begun, the two were just staring at each other without saying a word, which inevitably made people wonder.

“Sister Fei Ying and Senior Sister are both independent and self-reliant women. You sisters are quite similar in this respect,” Mu Zhian said with a smile.

He paused slightly before continuing, "If you don't want to go back, then don't go back for now. Anyway, Senior Sister is doing just fine in the Liangyi Sect."

"Do you want me to go back?" Lan Mulian's eyes flickered slightly as she asked a question that seemed similar to the one she had just asked.

Mu Zhian paused for a moment, then said, "If it's a personal matter, I would naturally hope that Senior Sister can stay in the sect. After all, if Senior Sister returns to the Lan family, I will also be lonely."

lonely?

How could you possibly feel lonely? You're surrounded by so many girls every day, how could you possibly be lonely?

Lan Mulian couldn't help but sneer after hearing Mu Zhian's words.

"Given my junior brother's popularity within the sect, he probably won't feel lonely."

If she was only slightly upset because of Lan Wu's matter before, Lan Mulian's expression turned cold as she recalled everything that had happened to Mu Zhian during this period, as well as Qingdi's domineering remarks.

Mu Zhian shook his head gently and smiled helplessly, "If I really wasn't lonely, I wouldn't have written to my senior sister every day and night, expressing my longing in those letters."

"Actually, I had thought about giving it another shot in today's Ascension Tournament to see if I could win another match. But after learning that my opponent was my senior sister, I felt relieved."

The Heavenly Lock behind Mu Zhian silently coiled around his body, slowly swaying like a dragon.

"After all, many of the things I did in the past were not my own choice, but I really let my senior sister down... Fighting with her this time can be considered as putting my mind at ease."

As soon as he finished speaking, the spiritual energy within his body began to stir.

Does that mean I can take this opportunity to teach him a lesson?

Lan Mulian raised an eyebrow slightly, and her somewhat depressed mood gradually improved.

Although she had long known that Mu Zhian's feelings for her were not simply the respect a junior brother had for his senior sister, the sincere look in his eyes and the gentle words in her ear stirred a ripple in her usually calm heart.

"A competition is a competition; personal feelings should not be mixed in."

However, Lan Mulian quickly calmed down as she looked at Mu Zhian's gentle smile.

"Does my junior brother hope that I will win in the end?" she suddenly asked.

Mu Zhian nodded slightly and smiled, "Of course."

"Among the participants in this competition, the one I most hope will win this Ascension Tournament is my senior sister."

He spoke these words with utmost sincerity, for they truly came from a heartfelt expectation.

"Why?" Lan Mulian narrowed her eyes.

Mu Zhian was silent for a moment, then said helplessly, "Senior Sister should know what the sect leader added as an extra reward at the end of the Ascension Ceremony, right?"

"You think that if it were me, even if I won first place, I wouldn't do anything to you?"

Lan Mulian was a woman of great wisdom, and she immediately understood the hidden meaning in Mu Zhian's words.

Looking at the aloof senior sister in the eyes of this sect disciple, Mu Zhian smiled and said, "If senior sister really intends to do something, I have no objection."

There's actually an unbreakable barrier in their relationship; as long as he doesn't take the initiative to break through it, this barrier will remain unbroken.

This reflects Mu Zhian's confidence, and also his understanding of Lan Mulian.

Given her aloof personality, even if she wins first place in the Ascension Tournament, there's no way she could do anything.

"Besides, who knows, Senior Sister might even lose this competition?" Mu Zhian continued.

Lan Mulian gazed at Mu Zhian with her clear, beautiful eyes, and couldn't help but narrow them.

"Junior brother is good in every way, except that he is too confident."

Just then, an old man's voice slowly rang out from outside the cave.

"The competition will begin after one incense stick has burned."

Time passed silently, and Mu Zhian remained silent, adjusting the flow of his spiritual energy.

Lan Mulian closed her eyes slightly, seemingly adjusting the flow of her own spiritual energy as well.

Outside the grotto, countless eyes were fixed on this scene, eager to see how Lan Mulian, who was hailed as the number one among her peers in this golden age, would defeat Mu Zhian.

Finally, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn passed silently.

The moment the competition officially began, the Heavenly Lock behind Mu Zhian burst forth with unprecedented starlight, its runes flashing as it unleashed the Heavenly Lock towards Lan Mulian.

Lone Star Sword!

Boom boom boom...

A faint rumble of thunder could be heard from within the cave.

The light of the runes enveloped Lan Mulian. Mu Zhian was not invincible in the Refining God Realm, but he could fight Bai Ruoxi. Although he had not refined the Heavenly Lock, he was still a force to be reckoned with.

Although the difference in their cultivation levels was enormous, Lan Mulian could not afford to ignore this attack.

Countless eyes were fixed on the battle within the cave. Everyone knew that Lan Mulian would win this battle, and they were just waiting for Mu Zhian's defeat, hoping that he could force Lan Mulian to reveal her trump card.

Inside the cave, dazzling light flashed, and blazing flames, like a fire dragon, devoured Lan Mulian.

That overwhelming spiritual energy seemed to be about to devour Lan Mulian whole!

However, at that moment, the spiritual energy within the cave seemed to stagnate.

Mu Zhian's Heavenly Lock stopped in front of Lan Mulian, unable to move an inch.

The next moment, the ice crystals sparkled, and spiritual energy burst forth.

Lan Mulian's hair flew wildly, and it seemed as if fragments of ice crystals were scattered from her body, carrying specks of icy blue light.

Mu Zhian was startled and tried to move his feet, but found that his proud physical body was completely immobile.

Lan Mulian stood in mid-air like an empress in an ice palace, her expression calm and serene.

Even Xiao Hua, a powerful cultivator in his previous life, couldn't help but pause slightly upon seeing this scene.

Despite his experience from both lifetimes, he couldn't figure out what Lan Mulian was doing at that moment.

After a long pause, he chuckled softly again.

"As expected."

Lan Mulian's strength exceeded his expectations, but Mu Zhian's defeat was within his expectations.

Many young cultivators, regardless of gender, couldn't help but have a gleam in their eyes at this moment.

After reaching the Void Return Realm, the Heavenly Fate Saint Body can open the Heavenly Fate Domain. The origin of most of the area centered on her can be seen through. The spiritual energy within the cave is stripped away, the opponent's techniques are ineffective, the spiritual energy is ineffective, and even the control of the body is in Lan Mulian's hands.

It can be said that Lan Mulian is invincible among her peers in this space at this moment!