It turns out, they were the main characters.

"Gongsun Xiong will be severely damaged, but the task of annexing part of the Gongsun family's assets will be handed over to the Mu family... and we need to help them."

Before Bai's father could speak, Bai Yuanfeng continued, "Mu Zhian's kindness to the Bai family cannot be discussed in the same way as Ruoxi's."

The Bai family is the Bai family, and Bai Ruoxi is Bai Ruoxi.

If Bai Ruoxi were to be tied to the Bai family, that would be fine, and Mu Zhian probably wouldn't say anything. But that would ultimately change the relationship between his daughter and Mu Zhian.

Therefore, let's just let the Tongmai Pill be "given" to the Mu family in this way.

Just like what Mu Zhian said to Bai Ruoxi at the beginning.

If the Bai family offers benefits that will tempt the Mu family, the Mu family can save the Bai family.

The benefits obtained from the Gongsun family are those that can entice Mu Zhian, or rather, those that can tempt the Mu family.

Now, the Bai family has fulfilled its promise.

However... not only did the Tongmai Pill bring huge profits, but Bai Ruoxi's heart was also stolen away.

Chapter 56 Mu Zhian: Ninth Rank of Qi Refining? Directly Suppressed!

After ordering his servants to tidy up Bai Ruoxi's room, Mu Zhian personally led Bai Ruoxi towards the guest room.

Bai Ruoxi, wearing cloud-embroidered short boots and a flowing white dress, followed gracefully behind him.

She slightly raised her eyelids, looked at the boy leading the way, and said softly, "I stayed at the Mu family's house before, so there's no need for you to bring me here. You can go about your business."

Mu Zhian immediately shook his head firmly and said, "No, since we've come to the Mu family, we're guests. If I don't treat them well, my parents will scold me for not being hospitable."

Bai Ruoxi looked at Mu Zhian with some hesitation.

She always felt that Mu Zhian had some ulterior motives, but she couldn't bear to tell him to leave directly, for fear of hurting his feelings.

In the end, she could only suppress the words she wanted to say and silently followed behind him.

Before long, Mu Zhian led Bai Ruoxi to a quiet room in the backyard. He pushed open the door, turned around and smiled, "This is your room from now on. You can use the Heavenly Dao Qi to purify your spiritual energy here without worrying about being discovered."

Bai Ruoxi nodded reservedly, went into the house, poured Mu Zhian a cup of tea, and then suddenly said with worry, "I wonder how my mother and the others are doing."

She really doesn't feel safe in other people's homes... Mu Zhian comforted her softly: "Don't worry, I've already written to your father. If they didn't agree, they would have sent someone to pick you up already, wouldn't they?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Ruoxi's furrowed brows relaxed considerably, and she softly hummed in agreement.

Then, recalling everything that had happened that day, she suddenly asked, "What should we do about Gongsun Cheng?"

Right now, the Bai family is on the rise again, and Bai Ruoxi is still a little worried that Gongsun Cheng's matter might affect her family.

Sometimes, no matter how strong you are, you will hesitate because of many things. If it weren't for Mu Zhian, Bai Ruoxi probably wouldn't have seriously injured Gongsun Cheng no matter what.

Mu Zhian toyed with the teacup in his hand, looked up at the worry on the beauty's face, and smiled, "Since you're worried about the Bai family, why did you fight them back then?"

Bai Ruoxi hesitated for a long time, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.

Only after a long while did the girl's voice, which she tried to keep low, drift through the room: "You were behind me at the time."

If she hadn't intervened then, the person who would have been injured would have been Mu Zhian behind her.

We must avoid such a thing from happening at all costs.

If it were a matter of regret for severely injuring Gongsun Cheng, she certainly wouldn't have such thoughts.

But the other party is the Gongsun family's number one genius. He has lost face so badly today. If the Gongsun family retaliates... Bai Ruoxi couldn't help but have such worries.

Mu Zhian gently placed the teacup on the table and smiled, "Don't worry, Gongsun Cheng won't affect the overall situation. To the Gongsun family, he's just a talented genius, nothing more."

Yes... just a genius.

No matter how talented or intelligent Gongsun Cheng is, he cannot affect the overall situation.

The Gongsun family is currently struggling to take care of itself, so how could they possibly have the mind to seek revenge on others?

Gongsun Xiong probably wishes the Mu and Bai families would forget his existence so he could recover from his injuries and make a comeback.

Despite saying that, Bai Ruoxi still had a hint of worry in her eyes.

It's only natural that Mu Zhian isn't worried. Even if Gongsun Xiong were at his peak, let alone now that he's severely injured, he wouldn't dare to openly retaliate against the Mu family, the biggest power in Tianxuan City.

But the Bai family is different.

Because Lan Mulian was in Tianxuan City, Bai Yuanfeng was wary of exposing his identity as a demon cultivator, so he naturally dared not make a move.

On the surface, the Bai family has a pitifully small number of cultivators at the Refinement Realm.

If the Gongsun family uses this as an excuse to cause trouble...

Looking at the worry in Bai Ruoxi's eyes, Mu Zhian suddenly asked, "Ruoxi, what do you think would happen if someone caught up with you one day and then became intimate with you in the street?"

Bai Ruoxi's thoughts returned to reality. Upon hearing this, she hesitated for a moment before softly saying, "Everyone will know, right...?"

The fact that the most beautiful woman in Tianxuan City has found a Daoist partner is a huge shock to many people.

It may not spread throughout the entire city, but it will at least soon spread among the young monks.

When Bai Ruoxi said this, she seemed to realize something, and paused slightly. Her eyes, as clear as autumn water, were fixed on Mu Zhian. She said, "What you did outside just now... was it for the Gongsun family to see?"

Yes, but not entirely.

Mu Zhian said seriously, "There are other reasons, guess again."

Bai Ruoxi remained silent for a long time. After a moment of silence, she gently shook her head: "I can't guess."

Mu Zhian took out a bronze mirror and placed it in front of Bai Ruoxi.

The mirror reflected a woman's stunningly beautiful face, dressed in a white dress embroidered with plum blossoms. The dress barely concealed her ample breasts, and two strands of hair fell from her forehead, draping over her full bosom. She exuded a cool and aloof air, like a delicate young lady who rarely ventured out of the house.

"Did you guess it?" Mu Zhian asked.

A hint of doubt flashed in Bai Ruoxi's eyes at first, but then she suddenly noticed the intense gaze of the boy in the opposite seat, and immediately lowered her eyes, whispering, "...I don't know."

Mu Zhian meant that he couldn't resist saying Bai Ruoxi was "beautiful".

Bai Ruoxi naturally didn't have the heart to say such things aloud.

Mu Zhian took the opportunity to grasp the beauty's small hand resting on the table and said, "The Qi of Heaven can only be purified by purifying the spiritual energy around oneself. If you want to meditate, you must be by your side. Can I stay in the room to meditate tonight?"

Bai Ruoxi was slightly taken aback and subconsciously looked up at Mu Zhian twice.

His gaze was sincere, revealing not a trace of falsehood, and he earnestly said, "I only meditate and cultivate; I will absolutely not do anything bad."

"Besides, you're at the ninth level of Qi Refining. If I really did something bad, how could I possibly defeat you?"

That's true. There's probably a difference of three or four Gongsun Chengs between the ninth and third ranks of Qi Refining. Bai Ruoxi's bronze sword can be used more than three times in a row, which is her current limit. And each of her sword strikes is something that no enemy of the same rank can withstand.

Therefore, there is at least a difference of three Gongsun Chengs between the ninth rank of Qi Refining and the third rank of Qi Refining.

Bai Ruoxi was silent for a moment, and in the silence, she sighed softly: "If I act recklessly... I can't guarantee that I won't accidentally draw the bronze sword."

His words seemed to carry a threat, yet also sounded somewhat powerless.

Mu Zhian nodded in agreement.

He sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed, while Bai Ruoxi slightly bent her knees and removed the two snow-white short socks from her jade feet.

Then, sitting cross-legged at the head of the bed, he took out the Qi of Heaven and purified the mixed spiritual energy in the vicinity, transforming it into spiritual energy that could be absorbed into his body.

Not long after, she suddenly felt a slight commotion beside her. When she slowly opened her eyes, she saw Mu Zhian sitting cross-legged beside her.

She hesitated for a moment, but did not speak up to stop her.

After all, the floor is cold at night, which is understandable.

But after a moment, she felt a light breath on her face. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that handsome face staring straight at her.

A flicker of panic crossed Bai Ruoxi's eyes, and her voice trembled slightly as she whispered, "What's wrong now...?"

“Simply absorbing spiritual energy seems a bit too slow. I am a natural furnace, so perhaps we can try a different method…” Mu Zhian gazed at the beautiful woman’s lovely face and said softly.

Bai Ruoxi seemed to understand his meaning, and lowered her eyes slightly, unsure whether she was refusing or accepting.

Mu Zhian placed his hands on her shoulders and said softly, "If you don't like it, just push me away."

As he spoke, he gently pressed Bai Ruoxi down onto the bed behind him.

Bai Ruoxi's eyelashes trembled slightly as she half-opened her eyes to peek at Mu Zhi'an.

After hesitating for a moment, she gently hooked her arms around Mu Zhian's neck.

Mu Zhian couldn't resist lowering his head and gently touching the girl's lips. Then he leaned close to Bai Ruoxi's ear and said in a teasing tone, "If everyone knew that a ninth-grade Qi Refining cultivator was suppressed by a mere third-grade Qi Refining cultivator, I wonder what everyone would think?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Ruoxi felt a strange surge of emotion. She instinctively gripped the hem of her skirt, pressed her back against the bed, and turned her face away slightly to avoid looking at him.

She still fell for it.

Because a ninth-grade Qi Refining cultivator... seems to be no match for this third-grade Qi Refining cultivator.

Chapter 57 Ye Lingxuan's Visit

In the still of the night.

The Gongsun family.

Gongsun Xiong slowly opened his eyes, feeling the pain emanating from his internal organs. Clutching his chest, he turned his head with difficulty to the side and asked, "What's the situation outside?"

He is currently seriously injured and unable to get out of bed, so he can only obtain information from the outside world through his trusted confidants.

If he could, Gongsun Xiong would love to give himself an invisibility effect so that everyone would temporarily forget his existence.

Outside, the Mu and Bai families are eyeing the position covetously, and there's also the Morning Dawn Merchant Guild, which is secretly trying to gain benefits. Inside, there are clansmen eyeing the position of clan leader.

Gongsun Xiong is currently in the eye of the storm.

"Reporting to Master, since the Bai family patriarch returned to the Bai residence, everything has been managed in an orderly manner. In the past two days, the Bai residence has been secretly reclaiming its territory."

Gongsun Xiong nodded slightly.

Although he was somewhat unwilling, he was still seriously injured and could only turn a blind eye to this matter.

"The sect assessment is in a few days. How are Cheng'er's preparations going?" Gongsun Xiong asked.

The subordinate hesitated for a moment, then looked cautiously at Gongsun Xiong and said, "The Fourth Young Master got into a fight on the martial arts stage today and is now seriously injured..."

Gongsun Xiong's eyes suddenly sharpened as he stared at the servant and said, "Who in this Tianxuan City doesn't know my Gongsun family? Which cultivator at the Refining Spirit Realm would dare to lay a hand on Cheng'er?"

Gongsun Cheng's strength is among the top in the younger generation, so Gongsun Xiong's conventional thinking led him to believe that it must have been some cultivator at the Refining Spirit Realm who had harmed his child.