It turns out, they were the main characters.

As a result, Mu Zhian had only been at the inn for less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and he had already bought it...?

Mu Zhian gave a mysterious smile and said, "I have my own way."

Mu Zhian was able to buy osmanthus cake directly simply because he was Mu Zhian, and the Mu family was behind him... Even if the osmanthus cake was all pre-ordered, the inn would still find a way to prepare another one for Mu Zhian.

But others don't receive this special treatment.

Ye Qian hesitated for a moment, then politely declined, saying, "I'm sorry, I can't accept your things."

"Miss Qian'er, this osmanthus cake is nothing special. I just wanted to invite you and Miss Lingxuan to enjoy it. There's no need to make a fuss about it," Mu Zhi'an said with a smile.

Seeing that Ye Qian still had a hint of hesitation on her face, Mu Zhian asked, "Did someone say something to you?"

Logically, the Qi-refining pill from yesterday should have been enough to make Ye Qian lower her guard against him, but her hesitation today suggests that something must have happened after they went back.

Ye Qian hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Sister Lingxuan and Brother Ye Yu both told me not to get close to you."

Ye Yu was one thing, but I didn't expect Ye Lingxuan to specifically remind her sister after returning... Mu Zhian sighed, "Qian'er, do I look like a bad person?"

Ye Qian raised her head slightly, peering at the boy in front of her, and at the kind and gentle smile on his face, like that of a friendly older brother next door.

"Not like..."

"Isn't that enough? I do have some conflicts with your brother Ye Yu, but that has nothing to do with you," Mu Zhian said with a smile.

Ye Qian's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. Holding the small wooden box containing osmanthus cakes in her hands, she nodded shyly and softly hummed in agreement.

In the sunlight, a faint smile appeared on that pure and lovely face.

While mature and alluring women are great, this kind of delicate girl who can cry for a long time after being punched seems pretty good too... Mu Zhian thought to himself.

"Sister Qian'er, you can come to my residence next time you have time. I'll treat you to our osmanthus cake."

The young girl looked up at him, and when Mu Zhi'an looked over, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes blinked shyly, as if covered with a layer of mist. She lowered her eyelids and nodded like a chick pecking its head, her vigilance having already relaxed.

“It’s hot, I’ll have the driver take you home,” Mu Zhian continued.

Ye Qian opened her mouth slightly, looked at Mu Zhi'an in surprise, and quickly said, "No need, otherwise Brother Mu will have to walk back by himself."

"Just think of it as a walk, I'm fine here," Mu Zhian said with a smile.

The pretty fifteen-year-old girl lowered her eyes slightly, hiding the shyness and joy in them, and said in a clear and sweet voice, "Then I'll trouble you."

The feeling of being taken care of so meticulously made her very happy.

……

Ye Mansion.

Ye Yu slowly opened his eyes, feeling the chaotic spiritual energy filling his body, and the cauldron within his body was beginning to take shape.

The bottleneck at the peak of the Essence Refining stage!

If we can refine the Qi Refining Pill today, we'll probably be able to break through to the Essence Refining Realm within two days!

Ye Yu was quite satisfied with this result.

Unexpectedly, after losing the Qi of Heaven, he gained even stronger cultivation talent than before.

Although this path is arduous, it's worth it as long as it leads to greater strength.

On the day of the sect's assessment, I will defeat Mu Zhi'an fair and square, putting an end to my worries, and then I can begin my own adventures outside.

Thinking of this, Ye Yu felt much better. After opening the door, he felt that the scenery, which used to be unchanging, had become incredibly beautiful.

The clan members were sparring in the courtyard. Ye Yu's gaze swept around and quickly landed on the pavilion not far away. In the pavilion, a girl wearing a light purple dress sat on a stone chair, revealing a small section of her snow-white calves, seemingly resting.

Ye Lingxuan.

Lingxuan's looks are probably just as good as Bai Ruoxi's...

Thinking about it carefully, it seemed like it had been a long time since he had chatted with her after he lost all his talent... Thinking of this, Ye Yu was about to step forward and take the initiative to say hello.

At this moment, his gaze suddenly fell on the snow lotus in Ye Lingxuan's hand.

Ye Yu's body stiffened slightly, his gaze fixed on the snow lotus.

In Tianxuan City, the only place where snow lotus is artificially cultivated is the Mu Mansion. Although Yangfeng Inn also cultivates snow lotus, it is ultimately just a shell without a soul.

Yesterday, I heard from my clansmen that Ye Lingxuan went to the Mu family mansion, and this snow lotus... was probably obtained from there.

A hint of coldness flashed in Ye Yu's eyes as he turned and left the courtyard.

Just as they arrived at the courtyard gate, they saw a carriage parked in front of the Ye residence.

"The Mu family's carriage...?" Ye Yu stared at the carriage, and the pure-looking girl who gracefully stepped out of it as the curtain was lifted.

Ye Qian slightly raised her head, holding a box of osmanthus cakes. When she looked up and saw Ye Yu's pale face, she hesitated for a moment, then forced a smile and said, "Brother Ye Yu, would you like some osmanthus cakes?"

"no need."

Ye Yu answered coldly, staring intently at the carriage from the Mu residence, and said in a deep voice, "You just went to the Mu residence?"

The tone didn't sound like a brother's concern for his sister; it sounded more like an interrogation.

Ye Qian clearly noticed Ye Yu's unusual behavior and couldn't help but glance at her cousin a few more times before gently shaking her head: "I happened to run into Brother Mu when I went to Chaohai Inn to buy osmanthus cake. He had the driver take me back."

"Stay away from him in the future. That person definitely has no good intentions," Ye Yu said calmly.

Ye Qian lowered her head, her originally cheerful mood suddenly becoming much heavier.

"Oh."

She lowered her head and silently carried the osmanthus cake into the Ye residence.

Recalling Ye Yu's cold demeanor when she saw him at the door, Ye Qian felt incredibly wronged as she held the box of osmanthus cakes in her arms.

He was in a good mood, but as soon as he arrived at his cousin's house, he was given a lecture. Anyone would be upset in that situation.

Ye Qian walked into the courtyard of the Ye residence in her deerskin boots. Only when she saw the beautiful girl in the purple dress in front of the pavilion did her eyes gradually regain some of their luster.

She took small steps forward and called out, "Sister Lingxuan."

She wanted to share everything that happened that day with her older sister.

Chapter 62 Oh no, am I going to crash and burn?

In the afternoon, Gongsun Cheng stood in a room, staring at his father lying on the head of the bed, his face looking extremely gloomy.

Just moments before, he was called into his room by his seriously injured father, who gave him a severe scolding, essentially telling him that he shouldn't have attacked Mu Zhi'an under the fighting platform.

At first, Gongsun Cheng was naturally unconvinced. Although he had planned to take action against Mu Zhian, it eventually came to nothing.

Being verbally abused over such a trivial matter naturally made Gongsun Cheng extremely dissatisfied.

However, not long after, news came from his subordinates that the Gongsun family's three market towns were undergoing a handover process and would be transferred to the Mu family.

The reason given for this was that Mu Zhian needed to pay compensation because he was mentally traumatized.

"Father, do you really believe that Mu Zhian was mentally frightened?" Gongsun Cheng felt a bellyful of anger with nowhere to vent it, staring intently at his father, his eyes full of resentment.

Gongsun Xiong's expression was equally unpleasant. Looking at his fourth son, who was more trouble than he was worth, he coldly said, "Do you really think your father is senile at his age? Just because Mu Zhi'an was frightened, you gave up three market towns?"

He naturally knew that this had nothing to do with the fourth brother. In the end, even without Gongsun Cheng's matter, Mu Zhian would have found other ways to take the opportunity to make trouble.

"Then why—" Gongsun Cheng hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.

Gongsun Xiong sighed heavily: "Mu Zhian went to the Morning Light Chamber of Commerce during the day today."

This is why he ultimately agreed to give the three markets to the Mu family.

“But didn’t my subordinate just report that Master Huang isn’t at the Morning Light Chamber of Commerce today? Mu Zhi’an might just be using this as an excuse to bully others,” Gongsun Cheng said.

"Whether Mu Zhian and Master Huang are close or not is no longer important. What is important is that the girl from the Huang family also met with Mu Zhian," Gongsun Xiong said coldly.

"You should know Huang's personality too."

Gongsun Cheng was speechless.

He did know a little about Huang Manting's personality.

The eldest daughter of the Huang family is called a "femme fatale," and it's not just because she has a rebellious personality.

She is a woman with extreme sadistic tendencies, and what she hates most are people like Mu Zhian who are obsessed with beauty.

Whether it's Mr. Huang or Huang Manting meeting with Mu Zhian, it's a very dangerous sign.

Mu Zhian and Bai Ruoxi are getting very close, and today he seemed to be having an ambiguous relationship with the Huang family's girl... Regardless of whether he's just using someone else's influence, the Gongsun family cannot take any risks under the current dire circumstances.

...The three market towns were given away, and that's that.

Whether it's those fools from the Gongsun family who covet the position of clan leader, or that fool Mu Zhian... they probably don't understand the true value of the Meridian Opening Pill.

Once you step into the Void Returning Realm, not only will taking over the Mu family be a piece of cake, but taking over other neighboring cities will also be an easy task.

The reason why those in the Returning to Emptiness Realm are called "Land Immortals" is no exaggeration.

However... he must be patient until his injuries are fully healed.

Once the injuries have healed and the patient has taken the Meridian-Clearing Pill, that will be the time for the Gongsun family to truly launch a counterattack.

……

That evening.

Dawn Chamber of Commerce.

Huang Manting leaned lazily against the tea chair, her slender, jade-like hands playing with the teacup in her hand, a captivating and charming smile on her face.

"It seems that although Bai Ruoxi is very capable, her judgment is a bit poor."

Recalling how Mu Zhian had acted like an innocent young virgin in front of her, Huang Manting felt a surge of pleasure.

She was already looking forward to the day when Bai Ruoxi walked into the hall of the Morning Light Chamber of Commerce and saw Mu Zhian kneeling beside her, licking her feet, and what his reaction would be.

So what if she's invincible among her peers? The man she finds is nothing more than her dog, wagging his tail and begging to become her servant at her feet.

Just then, a servant's voice came from outside: "Miss—"

Huang Manting slightly raised her eyelids and said calmly, "Speak quickly, what is it?"

"There was some commotion in the Gongsun family's territory just now. It seems that the three Gongsun family's markets are being transferred to the Mu family's name."

Huang Manting paused slightly as she toyed with the teacup in her hand. After a moment, her perfectly curved, snow-white toes casually lifted her embroidered shoe, and she glanced at the servant, her smile remaining indifferent.

"Gongsun Xiong is injured, and given his thirst for power, he naturally won't relinquish it... But even so, the Gongsun family shouldn't agree to transfer three entire market towns to the Mu family. Are you sure the information is accurate?"