Chapter 1134: Stealing Heaven and Swapping Earth

Evidently, Jiang Luofu, exercising caution, did not use a direct name. The "drunkard" naturally referred to Xiao Yao, who was known for carrying a wine gourd and being perpetually tipsy. The description couldn't have been more fitting.

"Over the past few days, I found an opportunity to enter the prison and placed a small device inside. It should be helpful to you..."

Immediately, a chess piece dropped from the glow. Zu An reached out and took it, realizing it was very similar to the "Stand-in for a Peach" he had previously received from Hei Baizi.

"This is a new invention by Fifth Senior Brother, called 'Stealing the Heavens and Swapping the Sun.' It consists of two pieces that form a pair. By using one piece as a coordinate, a person holding the other piece can cast a spell and instantly appear next to the paired piece, provided they are within a reasonable distance."

Zu An was astonished, thinking how the academy always managed to invent such peculiar yet highly practical devices.

With 'Stealing the Heavens and Swapping the Sun,' he could directly enter the prison, bypassing the need to force his way in from outside. Crucially, a direct assault from the outside would give the defenders more time to react. Both Xiao Yao and Xu Yu might rush back if alerted, which would create significant trouble.

Alternatively, he could set the coordinate point outside and silently infiltrate the prison to rescue the person without a trace. Unfortunately, Xu Yu's meticulous planning had created an impenetrable defense system around Yu Yanluo, making silent infiltration utterly impossible.

After much consideration, he realized that only a disguise would allow him to enter without a fight. However, if an investigation followed, his 'Thousand Faces' skill would be exposed, drawing suspicion back to Jian Yanyou. The potential chain reactions and their consequences were simply too great. Therefore, it would be better to sneak in, rescue Yu Yanluo, and then break out together using both their strengths.

He sighed, wishing he had more than one set of these 'Stealing the Heavens and Swapping the Sun' pieces; it would alleviate so many worries. He understood, of course, that such items were incredibly precious. Possessing even one set was rare; having multiple sets was pure fantasy.

After silently committing Jiang Luofu's instructions to memory, he put on a human-skin mask and departed. Since he couldn't reveal his 'Thousand Faces' ability, the masks he had acquired from Chen Xuan earlier proved useful once more.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the mansion where Yu Yanluo was held, he observed the patrolling soldiers from a distance. He had to admit that despite Xu Yu's treachery, the man was undeniably talented; the defensive arrangements were truly flawless.

He found a secluded spot, took out the white piece, activated it according to Jiang Luofu's instructions, and then crushed it firmly in his hand. Immediately, the light around him rippled and distorted, and within a few seconds, his figure vanished from the spot.

Meanwhile, in the innermost courtyard, several guards were chatting:

"I finally caught a glimpse of Lady Yu today; she's truly beautiful," one said.

"Tsk, don't be so dramatic. I've seen her several times. Last time, she even smiled at me."

"Do you really think such a beautiful woman could be a demon?"

"Hard to say. Demons are masters of deception; perhaps her beautiful appearance is just a disguise."

"No way, is her face fake?"

"Who knows? But looking like that, even if I knew it was fake, I'd still go for it."

"You're dreaming, kid."

The men in the room burst into vulgar laughter. The more they talked, the more agitated they became, and their gazes drifted towards the inner courtyard. They longed to enter and steal a few more glances at her. Even if they did nothing else, they felt that merely admiring her beauty would extend their lives by several years. Unfortunately, an Embroidered Uniform Envoy had placed a seal inside. This had been jointly agreed upon by Sang Hong and Xu Yu, both for mutual checks and balances and to ensure Yu Yanluo's safety.

As the guards sighed in disappointment, they failed to notice a black chess piece on the crossbeam of a table in the corner of the room begin to crumble into dust. Immediately afterward, the air nearby shimmered with ripples, and a figure materialized out of thin air in the room.

Only masters from the Prefect's manor were assigned to guard this place. They instantly sensed the anomaly, swiftly reaching for their weapons. Another guard extended a hand to strike the nearby alarm bell. They weren't foolish enough to engage in a reckless fight. Their priority was to alert the rest of the manor, thereby fulfilling their duty.

It had to be said that Xu Yu's measures were remarkably effective. Had anyone else broken in, even if they could overcome these highly cultivated guards, they wouldn't have had enough time to prevent them from raising the alarm. Unfortunately for them, Zu An had been studying the defensive layout for the past two days. Given his status, acquiring such details was not difficult. The moment he appeared in the room, he immediately charged towards the bell.

His divine soul was now fully formed, allowing him complete control over the movements of the guards. He even anticipated their every move. The guards' vision blurred, and their target vanished. The guard reaching for the bell found his hammer unable to move even an inch. He looked up in horror, realizing the mysterious figure had appeared directly in front of him. He instinctively counterattacked with his other hand, but a strange surge of vital energy burst from the assailant's grip on his pulse point. His vision went black, and he collapsed, unconscious.

The other guards moved to assist, but found their eyes couldn't track the intruder's speed. One by one, their vision darkened, and they successively fell to the ground. Zu An supported them, gently lowering each one to the ground to prevent any sound that might alert those outside.

Without delay, he proceeded directly to the inner courtyard. Since Yu Yanluo was, after all, a woman, and a very beautiful one at that, no additional guards were stationed in this small courtyard. Instead, two maids were assigned to attend to her. The two maids were ordinary individuals, residing in the adjacent side rooms, and were easily subdued by Zu An.

Having completed this, he then approached the innermost room. The door and windows bore seals placed by an Embroidered Uniform Envoy, most likely Xiao Jianren's work. These seals were incredibly difficult for outsiders to break. Furthermore, any forceful attempt to remove them would trigger an alarm, ensuring the rest of the manor would be alerted instantly.

Xu Yu had, of course, considered the potential issue of Zu An. However, he believed that while the Embroidered Uniform Envoys were part of the Imperial Envoy delegation, their unique status meant they were absolutely loyal to the Emperor and would never conspire with Zu An in such a matter. His reasoning was sound. Xiao Jianren and the other Embroidered Uniform Envoys were loyal only to the Emperor; they wouldn't compromise their principles for Zu An, nor would they bend to the will of Imperial Commissioner Sang Hong.

Yet, no matter how vivid Xu Yu's imagination, he could never have conceived of Zu An's other identity: one of the world's very few Golden Embroidered Uniform Envoys. The seals placed by Silver-rank Embroidered Uniform Envoy Xiao Jianren offered no defense whatsoever against a higher-ranked Golden-rank Embroidered Uniform Envoy!

Zu An took out his golden Embroidered Uniform token and placed it directly on the seal. Like a lock yielding, the seal instantly opened.

"Who's there?" A low cry came from inside the room. Trapped as she was, Yu Yanluo's vigilance was at its peak. Though her cultivation was sealed, her instincts as a master allowed her to immediately sense the anomaly.

"It's me," Zu An replied, closing the door behind him and immediately removing his mask.

"Ah Zu!" Yu Yanluo, who had been in a wary defensive stance, immediately dropped her hands. A mix of surprise and joy washed over her as she rushed forward. "You... how did you get in?"

"This isn't the time for explanations. Quickly, take off your clothes," Zu An said briskly.

Yu Yanluo's smile instantly froze.

At that moment, Zu An produced a set of clothes. "Put these on," he instructed.

Only then did Yu Yanluo clearly see that it was a guard's uniform, seemingly identical to those worn by the men outside. She then realized she had misunderstood him. Her face flushed, and she quickly asked, trying to mask her embarrassment, "What exactly is going on? If you rescue me, you'll have no place in this Great Zhou Dynasty either."

Hearing the concern in her voice, Zu An's heart warmed. She was indeed thinking of him, even at this critical moment, fearful of implicating him. "Don't worry, I've made all the arrangements. If everything goes smoothly, we won't be exposed." Seeing her about to ask more, Zu An chuckled, "If you keep asking questions and waste time, things might not go as smoothly."

"Alright!" Yu Yanluo was no ordinary woman. Without further delay, she took the guard uniform from his hand and began unbuttoning her own clothes.