Chapter 1284: An Exception for Him

Something stirred within Zu An. He quickly asked, “When will the meeting be held tomorrow?”

“It should be after the morning court finishes, I reckon. First, they’ll have a routine conversation about the nation’s military affairs, and their final topic will be you,” Sang Hong said with a deep sigh. No matter how resourceful he was, he was still at his wits’ end.

Zu An calculated some things, then said, “Respected uncle, please help me stall for some time. I might be able to rush back.”

Sang Hong was shocked. He replied, “It would take at least a few months to return to Cloudcenter Commandery if you were fast, and otherwise, it might even take half a year. How could you possibly return that easily?”

He had learned from their previous call that there was a shortcut tunnel in the Cloudcenter mines. But after the earthquake, the entire mine had already collapsed. Cloudcenter’s government had been focused on cleaning up the mines the entire time. It was only because the Yu clan had evacuated everyone ahead of time that there weren’t too many casualties.

However, the situation in the mines wasn't too optimistic. It would take a few years at least to restore the mines to their normal state, or even a few decades. He knew better than anyone that it was already impossible to use the formations in the depths of the mines to cross over to the fiend race territories.

Zu An said seriously, “Don’t worry, I have a way.”

Sang Hong wanted to say something else, but his expression suddenly changed. He said, “That old fox Xu Yu is here. I can’t let him know about our conversation, so that’s all for now.” His face disappeared from the recording mirror’s reflection; he had clearly ended the call on his side.

When she saw Zu An put the mirror away, Yu Yanluo could no longer hold on. She grabbed Zu An like an octopus, her entire body shaking continuously.

What had happened just then really was too shocking for her! Fear, shame, and other such emotions had welled up, making her countless times more sensitive than usual.

Zu An sucked in air between his teeth. He had to admit that the Medusa’s body was simply incredible. When she was aroused, she could soften even the hardest of well-tempered steel.

…

The two embraced each other. Only after a while did Yu Yanluo calm down. However, she couldn’t hold in her embarrassment, protesting, “It’s all your fault. I almost passed out from fright just now.”

Zu An looked at her with a smile. He gently wiped the sweat on her forehead, thinking to himself that the recording mirror had actually managed to mimic the function of a cellphone.

Yu Yanluo felt more and more annoyed when she saw his mischievous expression. She bit down on him to vent out a bit of her resentment. Then, she asked worriedly, “What are you going to do about Cloudcenter Commandery’s situation? If there’s really nothing you can do, you can just stay with the Snake race for now. You can be the Snake race’s king, and I’ll assist you.”

Zu An gave her cheek a kiss when he sensed her concern. He replied, “It might have been impossible to deal with before, as the distance between this place and Cloudcenter Commandery was too far. I now have the Wind Fire Wheels, though, so it’s not completely impossible for me to fly back.”

Yu Yanluo said with a hint of envy, “That Lady Shang really is good to you. She gave you all of her own nephew’s treasures.”

Zu An chuckled in embarrassment and didn’t comment.

However, Yu Yanluo wasn’t a normal person, so she quickly suppressed those thoughts. She got up to get dressed while urging Zu An, “Hurry and get up. Even if you have the Wind Fire Wheels, you might not be able to get there in time within a single day. You have to seize every moment.”

At any other time, Zu An would definitely enjoy the beautiful sight of her dressing herself. However, the situation was indeed pressing, so he didn’t dare to show any carelessness. The two of them quickly put on their clothes.

Yu Yanluo said, “You should pass on a message to Sect Masters Yun and Yan. If you suddenly leave, I won’t be able to explain things to them.” At the same time, she thought to herself that it felt more and more as if they were only staying because of him.

Zu An figured that made sense as well. He went with her to seek out the two of them.

Yun Jianyue said unhappily, “I’ve finally reached a crucial point in my recovery, but now you’ve disturbed me. If you don’t have a proper explanation, I might just smash your head in.”

Yu Yanluo was speechless. This woman really was a fierce one… Still, compared to her ferocious reputation and how she dealt with others, this was still comparatively gentler.

Yan Xuehen gave Yu Yanluo a look, asking, “Hm? Why is your face so red?”

Yu Yanluo’s heart pounded crazily. She was scared that they might notice something and quickly explained, “I just learned that something major was happening over at Cloudcenter Commandery, so I was a bit nervous and worried.”

Even though Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue were knowledgeable, they were complete amateurs in romance. Even though Yun Jianyue was proficient in charm techniques, that was only on paper. Sure enough, she was easily fooled.

“Did something happen in Cloudcenter Commandery?” Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue asked, realizing that this wasn’t a small matter from how serious the other two’s expressions were.

Zu An gave them a rough summary of the situation. The two of them quickly understood how grave the matter was.

“Tomorrow, you’ll be interrogated in the court through a recording mirror?” Yun Jianyue harrumphed. “You’ve worked your ass off in Cloudcenter Commandery, and yet that shitty emperor is just going to abandon you after getting what he wanted. Who cares about a stupid court like that anymore? Just come over to our Devil Sect, I’ll make you a saint who rules over tens of thousands of people.”

Before Zu An had a chance to reply, Yan Xuehen scolded Yun Jianyue, “Do you wish for the whole world to be in chaos? He managed to gain his cultivation at such a young age, and he has excellent connections in the Eastern Palace. These are outstanding prospects. Why are you telling him to become a scoundrel like you?”

If anyone else dared to call Yun Jianyue a scoundrel, she would have properly taught that person what it meant to be the Devil Sect Master. However, this matter was related to Zu An’s future, so she knew that unless he had no way out, joining the Holy Sect was indeed not the best choice. She replied, “Hmph, then what do you think we should do?”

Yan Xuehen frowned. This situation was quite troublesome, but her thoughts moved quickly. She asked, “Can your Wind Fire Wheels take you back to Cloudcenter Commandery?”

Zu An was startled. He nodded and said, “Indeed, that was my plan. That’s why I came here to say goodbye to the two of you. I might be gone for a few days.”

Yan Xuehen thought for a bit, then said, “This place is too far from Cloudcenter Commandery. You should move soon, or else you might not make it in time.”

“Okay,” Zu An replied. He knew that as well. He only had a bit more than a day, so rushing back in time wouldn’t be easy at all.

He cupped his hands and was about to leave when Yu Yanluo called out to him. “Wait!” She then bowed toward Yan Xuehen and asked, “Big Sister Yan, may I be so bold as to ask a favor?”

Yan Xuehen quickly said, “You are being too polite. Just tell me if there is something. I will try my utmost as long as I can do it.”

Based on their interactions as of late, it was clear that even though they weren’t actually sisters, they were at least friends. They also appreciated each other’s company. Of course, Yan Xuehen had tried to kill Yu Yanluo before, so she still had a guilty conscience. She had long since been thinking about how to make things up to her.

Yu Yanluo thus said, “I want to ask big sister to accompany Ah Zu back.”

Zu An was bewildered.

“What?” the other women exclaimed, also surprised. They could never have expected her to suddenly make such a request.

Yu Yanluo explained, “There are too many suspicions surrounding Ah Zu in Cloudcenter Commandery, and he did save me. Furthermore, he ruined King Qi’s great plan, which had already been in the works for many years. King Qi’s men definitely won’t let him go.

“Even if he returns to Cloudcenter Commandery tomorrow, it definitely won’t go smoothly. Whether it’s Xu Yu or King Qi, those old foxes won’t leave the matter at that. They have more than enough methods to frame Ah Zu. In that kind of situation, Ah Zu will just be making this great trip only to walk into a trap.

“If Big Sister Yan accompanies him, though, it should be different. Your status has always been extraordinary, and you’re also one of the leaders of the righteous faction. If you can act as a guarantor for him, naturally, no one will believe Xu Yu and King Qi’s lies.”

Yan Xuehen hesitated before saying, “But he did save you and come to the fiend race territory. Don’t tell me you want me to lie…”

She cultivated the Unshakable Daoist Manual, and her status was special. She always paid close attention to her words and actions, and had never spoken a lie. That was part of why she had such an acclaimed reputation.

Yun Jianyue raised her brows and remarked, “What, don’t tell me you’re not willing to help out?”

Yan Xuehen gave Zu An a look. Speaking a single lie for him wasn’t completely out of the question. However, she said,“That is not my intention. The main problem is that I am seriously injured right now and cannot fly. I fear that I cannot go with him.”

Yu Yanluo opened her mouth, but she was too embarrassed to speak up. It was instead Yun Jianyue who said frankly, “What’s so hard about that? Those Wind Fire Wheels seem sturdy enough. Just have Ah Zu carry you back. It’s not as if he hasn’t carried you before.”