Chapter 323: Knife in Hand, Killing the Ancestral Dog

Seeing him emerge, Ji Xiaoxi's eyes curved like crescent moons. "Brother Zu, I'm so glad to see you're alright."

Zu An felt a warmth in his heart. "I heard you've been coming to the classroom every day to see if I'd returned. You must have been so worried."

"Not at all," Ji Xiaoxi said, a faint blush spreading across her slightly chubby cheeks. "I didn't come every day..."

Zu An chuckled. "Xiaoxi, I'll always remember your concern. Oh, right, this is for you." He pulled out an exquisite handkerchief from his pocket. "This is for you. I soiled your handkerchief back in Jackal Valley and promised to get you a new one. But then things kept happening, and I almost forgot. I finally found a chance to buy this one. See if you like it; if not, I'll get you another."

"No need, this one is beautiful." Ji Xiaoxi looked at the delicate handkerchief, clearly smitten. "Oh, it's even embroidered with gold thread. This must have been very expensive, right?"

"Not at all, not at all. Your brother is rich now," Zu An said, patting his chest. "Only a handkerchief like this is worthy of you."

Ji Xiaoxi blushed, saying sweetly, "Thank you, Brother Zu."

"By the way, I have a bottle of medicine here. Could you help me figure out what it's for?" Zu An took out the porcelain bottle he had previously found on Chen Xuan.

Hearing the word "medicine," Ji Xiaoxi's normally shy face instantly became serious. "Okay, let me see."

After opening the bottle, Ji Xiaoxi first generally observed the properties of the liquid inside. Then she brought it close to her nose, gently fanning the opening with her small hand to smell its scent.

"Sweet?" Ji Xiaoxi looked a bit puzzled. "This medicine doesn't look like a poison or a healing potion. Brother Zu, do you mind if I pour a little out to test it?"

"Of course not," Zu An chuckled. Until he understood its properties, the item was useless to him.

With permission granted, Ji Xiaoxi poured a tiny drop from the bottle onto her hand, then extended her pink tongue and gently licked it.

Zu An jumped in surprise. "Hey, be careful, it might be poisonous!"

He didn't mind her testing it, but he hadn't expected her to test it directly with her mouth. What if something went wrong?

Ji Xiaoxi smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, Brother Zu, I know what I'm doing. I've been exposed to all sorts of poisons since I was little, and Father has also given me many spiritual medicines. While my body isn't completely immune to all poisons, most of them would have a hard time harming me."

Only then did Zu An breathe a sigh of relief. While Ji Dengtu was unreliable in many ways, he was certainly devoted to his daughter. Given her upbringing, any poison on Chen Xuan likely wouldn't harm her.

"Did you find out what kind of poison it is?" Zu An asked curiously.

Ji Xiaoxi shook her head, a puzzled expression on her face. "It doesn't seem to have any toxicity. It's kind of like a tonic, but it seems quite different from ordinary tonics... Well, class is about to start, so I'll head back first. I'll tell you once I've thoroughly figured out its properties. You don't mind if I take this with me, do you?"

"Of course not," Zu An laughed. "If I can't trust Xiaoxi, then who in this world can I trust?"

Ji Xiaoxi's face flushed. *Does that mean you don't even trust your own wife?* she thought, but most of her attention was already on exploring the medicine's properties, and she soon became absorbed in it and left.

Zu An returned to the classroom, where Wei Suo greeted him with an expression of adoration. "Boss is truly Boss! You just charmed the alluring Qiu Honglei, and now even the pure, lily-like Ji Xiaoxi is devoted to you. You really conquer all types!"

Zu An's face darkened. "Don't talk nonsense. We're just friends." Having witnessed Ji Dengtu's protective frenzy over his daughter, he certainly didn't want any rumors reaching his ears. If that guy found out he'd "bullied" Ji Xiaoxi, he'd surely come for his skin.

"Boyfriend and girlfriend, right? I get it," Wei Suo said with a knowing, slightly lewd expression.

Zu An didn't want to get tangled in the topic of Ji Xiaoxi with him, so he changed the subject. "By the way, what's so special about the Four Directions Pavilion you just mentioned?"

Wei Suo explained, "The Four Directions Pavilion is owned by the Wang family. Its name, 'Four Directions,' means it welcomes guests from all corners. It's the most luxurious restaurant in Brightmoon City. That alone isn't a big deal, but the top floor of the Four Directions Pavilion is inaccessible even if you have money."

"The Four Directions Pavilion has a rule: only the most outstanding individuals in each field are qualified to go up. For example, you must either be a genius in the cultivation world or a great scholar with vast knowledge..."

"Only by meeting these conditions can you gain access. The Four Directions Pavilion has been open for many years, and probably fewer than 100 people have ever reached the top floor. Therefore, anyone who can ascend to the top floor of the Four Directions Pavilion considers it a great honor. So normally, I wouldn't be qualified to go up; this time, I'm completely benefiting from your influence."

Zu An smiled. "The Wang family certainly has good marketing strategies, but isn't that a bit too much like seeking fame by questionable means? I don't believe they'd dare stop people like Duke Brightmoon or the City Lord if they wanted to go."

Wei Suo replied, "The Wang family isn't foolish either. Their rules already have loopholes built in. People like Duke Brightmoon and City Lord Xie are highly distinguished in the official system; they are also powerful cultivators, so they naturally meet the requirements to go up."

"I see," Zu An said, feeling a bit curious. "Those famous people make sense, but what about other guests who aren't well-known but possess true talent? How do they determine if they're qualified?"

"That's simple. They're tested on the spot. Cultivators demonstrate their cultivation; musicians display their works; and scholars undergo examinations in poetry and literature. I heard there are some famous, timeless couplets left upstairs by great scholars. If you can complete any of them, you naturally get to go up..."

Zu An's expression became odd. "Couplets? That's such an old trick."

"What, Boss, are you perhaps skilled at couplets?" Wei Suo asked with an admiring look.

Zu An replied casually, "Seven of my eight orifices are clear."

Wei Suo gave a thumbs-up. "Awesome! You understand seven-eighths of it! Truly worthy of being the Boss!"

Zu An was speechless. *That means completely clueless, you idiot!* Wei Suo probably only understood things like women's stockings.

As the two chatted, Wei Suo suddenly nudged Zu An, winking and gesturing towards outside.

Zu An looked back and saw Ji Xiaoxi standing outside the window, her face flushed, waving at him. "Isn't class about to start? Why did she come here?"

Zu An noticed that Bai Susu, the teacher for this class, had already entered. However, seeing how anxious Ji Xiaoxi looked, he quickly got up and rushed out. "Old Bai, I need to step out for a bit. You have a good class." Zu An patted Bai Susu's shoulder.

Bai Susu was speechless. *Big brother, you're a student now, alright? Can you please not speak to me like a colleague in class?* However, his temper was always good, and he had some friendly ties with Zu An, so he naturally wouldn't make things difficult. He even chuckled softly as he warned, "Don't bully Xiaoxi, okay?" It was clear that the gentle and adorable Ji Xiaoxi was liked by all the teachers at school.

A wave of jeers rose from the classroom. Zu An chuckled. "Xiaoxi is so cute; it would be a waste not to bully her."

Bai Susu: "..."Wei Suo: "..."The students of Yellow Class: "...""That's too much! I want to hit him so bad!""Face reality, he defeated even Shi Kun; you'd just be asking for it.""Damn it, I'm even angrier!""Knives out, kill that dog Zu!"

Hearing the commotion in the classroom behind him, Zu An wasn't angry at all; in fact, he was delighted. It had been a while, but these classmates were as adorable as ever, constantly providing him with rage points.

However, upon hearing the students' comments, Ji Xiaoxi's face turned even redder. She quickly motioned for him to move away from the window to a place where no one could see them.

"What's wrong, Xiaoxi?" Zu An asked, curious. Her face was unusually flushed.

"Quick, quick, take me to your room!" Ji Xiaoxi was so anxious she was almost in tears.