Chapter 1244: Tang Monk's Flesh

Zu An finally understood why fox spirits were said to be so alluring and captivating – they simply knew too well how to please men. Even in mid-air, where she couldn't keep her balance, she managed to perform astonishing feats using Zu An's body. Had he not experienced it firsthand last night, Zu An would have found it hard to believe a pure maiden was capable of such things. He could only attribute it to the innate talent of the fox spirit race.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed. When Zu An finally came to his senses, he realized they had unknowingly flown a thousand *li* away from the Qingqiu Kingdom. He suddenly thought of a line from Li Bai's poetry from his previous life to describe his feelings: "Monkeys on both banks cry ceaselessly, yet a thousand *li* to Jiangling are covered in a single day."

Tu Shan-yu clung to him like a koala, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her face was flushed, and fine beads of sweat dotted her temples. Clearly, the unstable environment in mid-air had caused her to expend several times more energy than she normally would.

She leaned close to Zu An’s ear, her breath like orchids, and whispered, "Young Master, how do I compare to Queen Medusa...?"

Zu An chuckled, "You really like to compare yourself to others, don't you?"

"Just tell me," Tu Shan-yu's voice was sweet and syrupy. It was undeniable that when a fox spirit acted coy, there were few men in the world who could resist her.

But Zu An was currently in the sky! He reached out and gently lifted Tu Shan-yu's delicate chin. "Your techniques just now were indeed remarkable," he said, "but in my opinion, they fell a little short of last night."

"Why?" Tu Shan-yu looked a bit bewildered. She had been muddled last night, and in retrospect, her performance felt like a complete mess.

Zu An smiled. "Because last night, you were truly moved by emotion. That kind of spontaneous reaction is far more captivating than any practiced technique."

"Oh," Tu Shan-yu seemed to realize something, and her face flushed as she said, "That was really embarrassing last night." Just now she had been trying hard to maintain her composure. After all, she was the ruler of a nation, and she certainly didn't want to appear so undignified a second time.

"I don't think so," Zu An said, picking her up from behind. "You've worked hard enough. Let me take over now."

Before Tu Shan-yu could reply, she suddenly shivered and said shyly, "But what if someone passes by? That would be too mortifying." Though they were high in the sky, there were powerful beings in this world capable of aerial flight. While the chances of encountering someone in the middle of the night were slim, what if someone did happen to pass by...? When she had been more proactive earlier, she could simply bury her face in his chest, making it difficult for anyone to see anything truly compromising. But in their current position…

Zu An rested his chin on her soft shoulder. "Don't worry," he assured her. "If anyone approaches, I'll sense them beforehand." Hearing his reassurance, Tu Shan-yu remained silent, simply blushing and gazing into the distance, afraid of any unforeseen encounters.

An idea sparked in Zu An's mind. He took out his Cosmic Armillary Sash and directly blindfolded her.

"Ah, Young Master?" Tu Shan-yu gasped, startled. With her vision gone, her other senses were magnified several times over, causing a rush of panic.

"Don't be afraid, I'm right here," Zu An whispered into her ear. Noticing a long section of the Cosmic Armillary Sash remained, he had an idea: he wrapped Tu Shan-yu with it, suspending her in mid-air and completely freeing his hands.

"Young Master, you're so naughty," Tu Shan-yu said, her cheeks flushed. The fox spirit tribe possessed extensive knowledge, yet everything Zu An introduced felt exceptionally novel and thrilling to her. She wondered if Queen Medusa had taught him all these things. Yet, she had never heard that Queen Medusa specialized in such matters. She pondered deeply, unaware that while she possessed the inherited wisdom of generations of fox spirits, Zu An also carried the 'teachings of countless experienced individuals' from his past life. In a true comparison, it was uncertain who would outdo whom.

The following morning, Zu An and his companions officially departed from the Qingqiu Royal Palace. However, a palace maid conveyed another message: their Queen was unwell and would not be able to see them off, but wished them all a smooth journey. Along with the message, some valuable gifts from the Qingqiu Kingdom had also been prepared.

Yun Jian-yue expressed some dissatisfaction. "What's with that woman?" she scoffed. "She doesn't look like she has a frail constitution. Why is she unwell every other day?"

Yan Xue-hen furrowed her delicate brows. "Perhaps she was injured fighting that Chiwen yesterday. She seemed unwell even then and truly pushed herself to participate in the battle. It's understandable if her injuries were aggravated."

Zu An, standing nearby, kept his mouth tightly shut. He was likely the only one among them who truly knew the reason for Tu Shan-yu's indisposition. In a sense, it was indeed an injury on top of an injury. By the way, stroking that fluffy tail had been incredibly satisfying; no wonder so many people loved having pets. Tu Shan-yu, for some reason, had been hesitant to reveal that particular side of herself. However, with the help of the Cosmic Armillary Sash, she quickly lost all control, her body submitting entirely. The Cosmic Armillary Sash and the Wind-Fire Wheels were truly effective tools! If Nezha knew he was using these divine weapons for such frivolous activities, he might just revive and thoroughly thrash him. Still, the Wind-Fire Wheels were truly excellent. With them, he felt like he had his own private jet. Though the human realm was far away, the journey would no longer be an obstacle.

As he was lost in thought, Yu Yan-luo remarked, "But why did she suddenly prepare gifts for us? She didn't give us anything when we left yesterday." Hearing her words, Yan Xue-hen and Yun Jian-yue exchanged a knowing look and tacitly kept silent, ignoring her. They both inwardly snorted, thinking, "The woman who snuck a bite!" As a woman herself, Yu Yan-luo immediately sensed the odd tension. She looked at the two women with confusion, wondering if she had somehow offended them.

Seeing this, Zu An quickly interjected, "Perhaps it's to thank us for helping them yesterday."

Yun Jian-yue chuckled, "Then we're simply basking in your reflected glory." Although their status meant they didn't particularly care for gifts, the unique products of the fox tribe were rare for them to encounter, so they appreciated the novelty.

"Still, I find it a bit strange," Yu Yan-luo said, puzzled. "If she were truly grateful, she should at least come out to see us off personally. To simply send gifts now feels a little impolite." She recalled her previous conversations with the Queen of Qingqiu; the Queen had clearly been a very versatile and tactful person.

Zu An immediately broke into a cold sweat. Tu Shan-yu had lost her virginity the day before, and then "battled" with him all night yesterday. It was already a testament to her extraordinary physical constitution that she could even walk, albeit with some difficulty. She was worried that someone with discerning eyes might notice her discomfort and spread rumors, which was why she had preferred a slightly impolite approach. After a moment's thought, he offered an explanation on her behalf: "She might be trying to avoid suspicion."

"Avoid suspicion? What suspicion does she need to avoid?" The three women collectively grew wary.

"Because she informed me about the exposure of my transcendent talent and advised me not to go to the Royal Court," Zu An sighed. This was currently his biggest headache. Going to the Royal Court was too risky, yet he also felt uneasy leaving Yu Yan-luo unprotected.

"What?" Hearing this, everyone's expressions changed drastically. Having spent so much time together, the three women had, for various reasons, also learned about his transcendent talent and understood how much animosity such a gift could attract.

After some questioning, they learned that the information had been exposed after his battle with the Golden Crow Crown Prince. Yan Xue-hen then said with a solemn expression, "Don't go to the Royal Court. It's simply too dangerous."

For once, Yun Jian-yue didn't argue with her. "Exactly," she agreed. "Many people will try to eliminate you before you can fully develop. After all, no one wants another powerful enemy on their cultivation path in the future. Furthermore, some individuals seek your very flesh and blood. It is rumored that the essence blood of a transcendent talent can prolong life and offer immeasurable aid to cultivation."

Zu An's expression became peculiar. In his previous life, even the most unappetizing things could be eaten to the brink of extinction if they were marketed with the allure of enhancing virility. His current situation was far more perilous than that; he had practically become 'Tang Sanzang's flesh,' a prize everyone wanted a piece of.

Yu Yan-luo also chimed in, "Ah Zu, please return to the human realm with Sister Yan and Sister Yun. I don't want you to go to the Royal Court and face certain death." Yan Xue-hen and Yun Jian-yue both nodded in unison, thinking that while this woman might have been "snacking on their forbidden fruit," she at least knew what truly mattered.

Zu An said gravely, "I'll accompany you for a while. After that, I'll adapt to the situation. I suspect this news is only known by a select few, so it might not be as dangerous as we think."

The group continued to debate the matter without resolution, so they decided to temporarily set aside their differing opinions.

After the group departed from Qingqiu City, Yan Xue-hen suddenly uttered a surprised sound. "Ah Zu," she asked, "when did the Queen of Qingqiu inform you?" The other two women seemed to have been reminded as well and immediately cast suspicious glances his way.