Chapter 1190: A Lesson Like Charity

Before Zu'an could reply, Yu Yanluo's expression had already darkened. She said coldly, "He is not a guard; he is my man!"

Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen exchanged subtle nods. This woman, delicate and gentle in appearance, was quite firm when it mattered.

The two elders, White and Green, were greatly astonished. The marriage of their clan's monarch was a significant matter, concerning the safety and future of their race. They had originally planned to form a strong alliance through marriage with other friendly clans, never expecting that she had already secretly chosen a life partner.

Little White, on the other hand, merely pouted, thinking, "He's the clan leader's paramour; I already knew that. What's there to be surprised about?"

The Golden Crow Prince's face was livid. "You chose a human to be your man!"

A second ago, he had been admiring her beauty, contemplating how wonderful it would feel to take this stunning Medusa into his chambers.

But upon learning she already had a man, all those thoughts dissolved into nothing.

The greater his prior joy, the greater his current fury!

Although Yu Yanluo was stunningly beautiful, he had always possessed an extreme aversion to impurity, preferring only the untouched. The mere existence of a lover, let alone physical intimacy, would make him consider her impure.

The thought that this man had stolen the prize before him filled him with rage.

Rage points from the Golden Crow Prince: 444,444,444...

Yu Yanluo calmly stated, "Who I choose is my own business. You needn't concern yourself."

Displeased with his rudeness towards Zu'an, she didn't even address him as 'Prince' anymore.

Zu'an walked over, gently wrapped an arm around her waist, and looked coldly at the Golden Crow Prince. "We are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman deeply in love. Who are you, a mere 'birdman,' to object?"

He had just noticed the man's arrogance, especially the blatant possessiveness in his gaze as he ogled Yu Yanluo, which had long irritated him.

Everyone present collectively blanched. Calling the Golden Crow Prince a "birdman" openly was an enormous offense; if it reached the Demon Emperor's ears, it would be an unforgivable crime.

The two elders, White and Green, were particularly resentful of Zu'an, and even blamed their clan leader for impulsively agreeing to this union and choosing such an arrogant man.

They feared the entire Serpent Clan would be implicated, inviting disaster.

"Birdman?" The Golden Crow Prince's face instantly darkened. "You're asking for death!"

Rage points from the Golden Crow Prince: 521,521,521...

Zu'an scoffed, "Want to fight? I'm ready anytime."

He felt his fists itching for a good brawl, eager to give the other man a beating.

The Golden Crow Prince glanced at him disdainfully. "A mere ninth-grade cultivator. You're not worthy of my personal attention."

Most people struggled to accurately discern another's cultivation level, but the Golden Crow Clan possessed the True Sun Eye, which allowed them to perceive a target's true cultivation.

His narrow eyes darted to one of his subordinates. "Out of respect for the Medusa Queen, spare his life. Just break his legs and tear out his tongue."

Everyone's expression changed dramatically. The man spoke of such cruel acts so casually, as if granting a great favor.

Just then, a golden flash appeared behind him as a gold-armored warrior drew his sword and lunged at Zu'an with lightning speed.

A storm raged in the hearts of Elders White and Green. A mere guard beside the Golden Crow Prince actually possessed ninth-grade cultivation—the imperial clan's power was truly terrifying.

They inwardly admitted that even they might not have been able to block such a swift sword strike if they were in Zu'an's place.

If their clan leader hadn't been injured, she could probably have handled it with her Medusa innate abilities.

But with her current injuries, it seemed this man's fate was sealed.

"Well, so be it," they thought. "This is an opportunity to make the clan leader give up on him and find another suitable marriage alliance within the demon race."

The previous clan leader had stubbornly insisted on allying with humans, which nearly led to the annihilation of the entire Serpent Clan.

They certainly didn't want to experience such a catastrophe again.

However, the expected cries of pain and agony did not come. Instead, a strange silence descended.

The two elders hastily collected their thoughts and looked towards the scene. What they saw nearly made their eyes pop out.

For there, the lightning-fast sword was caught between two fingers, unmoving no matter how hard the gold-armored warrior struggled.

Nearby, Little Qing quietly tugged at Little White's clothes. "Sister, sister, this guy is so handsome."

Little White nodded in profound agreement. The gold-armored warrior was exerting himself with all his might, his face was beet red and strained, while Zu'an stood there with effortless composure. The contrast made him appear exceptionally dashing.

With a flick of Zu'an's finger, the opponent's long sword snapped into two. The warrior himself was sent flying backward by a massive recoil, landing ignominiously at the Golden Crow Prince's feet.

Yun Jianyue nudged Yan Xuehen with her elbow. "Have you noticed? This guy's strength seems to far exceed the theoretical limits of his cultivation grade."

Because of the humiliation of having her backside spanked just moments before, Yan Xuehen had initially intended to ignore her. However, hearing her speak of Zu'an, she hesitated before answering, "His strength cannot be measured by common cultivation grades. Not only is he invincible among his peers, but he could even hold his own against us."

Yun Jianyue looked at her with a puzzled expression. "What's with that proud look on your face? You sound as if he's your man."

Yan Xuehen was furious and about to retort when a sharp shout suddenly rang out:

"Useless!"

It was the Golden Crow Prince, scolding his subordinate, whose pathetic state caused him to lose face. He then looked up at Zu'an, a dangerous glint flashing in his narrow eyes. "A little stronger than I imagined, but nothing more."

An invisible killing intent permeated the council hall, and the atmosphere was extremely tense. The Golden Crow Prince exuded boundless malevolence, causing the distant Serpent Clan maids and guards to tremble.

Compared to his overt aggression, Zu'an remained perfectly calm, like a gentle breeze sweeping over a mountain or a bright moon shining upon a great river.

Yu Yanluo said coldly, "Though you are a Prince, this is Serpent Clan territory. Ah Zu is my man, and by constantly targeting him, you are targeting our Serpent Clan. Are you trying to declare war on us?"

Hearing her refer to him as her man, the Golden Crow Prince's eyelid twitched. "Medusa Queen, your words are too much. How can a mere human represent the Serpent Clan? Furthermore, he just offended this Prince, so it's only right that this Prince teaches him a lesson."

No sooner had he finished speaking than, without waiting for a reply, he extended a massive hand.

Though he remained motionless, his hands transformed into a colossal Golden Crow's sharp claw. It seemed to transcend space and time, striking directly at Zu'an's head, as if to crush him into dust.

"Mercy!" Elders White and Green exclaimed in alarm. They might have looked down on Zu'an, but with their clan leader standing beside him, the immense power of that claw attack meant even she might not escape unscathed.

Normally, they would have been pleased if something happened to Yu Yanluo.

However, they had just received the Golden Crow Decree, and their journey to the royal court was fraught with unknown dangers. If something happened to their clan leader, they would be next in line, so they naturally didn't want to see this situation unfold.

With a tacit understanding, the two elders moved to block the attack, attempting to protect the clan leader behind them.

Of course, they dared not offend the Golden Crow Prince, so their moves were purely defensive, showing no intent to attack.

However, the two were soon horrified to find their defenses effortlessly pierced. The Golden Crow's claw met no resistance whatsoever and had already appeared before Zu'an.

Their faces instantly turned ashen. They had lived far longer than the Golden Crow Prince, yet they couldn't even withstand a single attack from him, even when working together.

As the heir to the Demon Emperor, the Golden Crow Prince was rumored to be unrivaled among the young generation of countless demon tribes. Seeing him today, he proved even more formidable than the legends suggested.

The paramour the Queen had chosen was likely doomed this time.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue also wore solemn expressions. "In the human world, who among the younger generation could be his match?"

"Not just the younger generation; even among the older generation, there wouldn't be many who could surpass him."