Chapter 337: Brother-in-law, You Look Haggard

“As expected of the principal of Brightmoon Academy,” an old voice resonated. “I thought I was careful enough, but I was still discovered.” A gaunt figure slowly emerged from behind a tree.

He was dressed in dark clothing, completely covered from head to toe, with only his eyes visible. It was impossible to deduce his identity from any other physical features.

Jiang Luofu looked at him coldly: “Who exactly are you, and why are you targeting our school’s teachers?”

“I thought the principal was a notable person, but it seems you’re still foolish. You know I won’t answer, yet you ask such questions,” the man in black sighed.

Jiang Luofu nodded: “Indeed, I was being pedantic.”

After speaking, she gently removed the hairpin from her hair. Her neatly coiled bun instantly loosened, and her beautiful hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

The man in black was momentarily stunned. Although he generally disliked women, he had to admit that the woman before him was truly beautiful. Combined with her impressive long legs, her overall aura and temperament surpassed even many of the imperial concubines in the palace.

Noticing his lapse in attention, Jiang Luofu moved. With a light tap of her foot, she darted forward like a bolt of lightning. In the blink of an eye, the jade hairpin in her hand was already aimed at the man in black’s face.

It had been many years since she had fought with full power, but the pressure this person exerted on her was so immense that she dared not hold back in the slightest.

The jade hairpin was barely two inches from the man in black’s brow, but regrettably, it could go no further.

This was because the man in black had lightly pinched the jade hairpin with two fingers, then flicked it.

An incomparably powerful force surged forward.

Jiang Luofu almost lost her grip on the jade hairpin, but her reaction was swift. She immediately released it, then flicked her wrist, causing the hairpin to spin rapidly.

The powerful rotational force overcame the man in black’s grip, and he could no longer hold on, forced to release it.

Jiang Luofu used the momentum to flip over. Her beautiful legs, which usually made Wei Suo drool, now became her most dangerously lethal weapons.

Her long legs moved like dragons emerging from the sea, delivering dozens of kicks to various vital points on the man in black’s body in an instant.

The man in black used both his hands and feet to barely parry the dazzling onslaught.

By the time he thought of counterattacking, Jiang Luofu had already retreated several yards, watching him with a grave expression.

“To possess such cultivation at such a young age is truly astonishing.” The man in black, who seconds before seemed like an elder appreciating a junior, moved.

His movements weren’t fast; at least to the naked eye, he appeared to be walking like an elderly man, yet a blur of an afterimage trailed behind him.

Jiang Luofu knew that his speed was so immense it caused the surrounding light and shadows to distort. Her jade hairpin floated in mid-air before her. With a swipe of her hand over it, the single hairpin transformed into nine, each of a different shape.

Then, with her slender, jade-like fingers, she gently flicked the end of each hairpin.

The hairpins instantly shot towards the man in black like arrows released from a bow.

Each hairpin, due to its distinct properties, generated various colorful lights as it frictioned against the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound, like nine flying swords.

“Quite interesting,” the man in black said, flicking his fingers repeatedly to deflect the hairpins shooting at him from all directions.

Though he appeared at ease, his forward momentum had imperceptibly slowed.

Jiang Luofu, however, felt no joy. As her opponent drew closer, the pressure on her intensified.

“The game is over, long-legged beauty…” The man in black suddenly began to cough violently mid-sentence.

His expression changed. With a slight push off his toes, his body shot skyward, then, as if climbing invisible steps, he disappeared into the night after a few strides.

Jiang Luofu put back the half-drawn bell, gazing at the direction her opponent had vanished. Her expression was grave: “Is he a Rank Nine or a Grandmaster…?”

Both Rank Nine and Grandmaster cultivators could move with the wind, but the former could not maintain it for long periods.

The man just now seemed to have held back, making it difficult for her to ascertain his true cultivation level.

After leaving Brightmoon Academy, the man in black found a secluded spot and coughed violently. He pulled off his mask, took out a handkerchief, and pressed it to his mouth, only stopping after a long moment.

Gazing at the dark red bloodstains on the handkerchief, the man in black muttered to himself, “My time is running out… My time is running out… Xiao Yingzi, where exactly are you hiding…?”

If Zu An had been there, he would have recognized him as the mysterious master of the Wei clan.

He would also have understood why the teachers at the academy had all been bruised and battered recently—it was clear the man was testing each person’s cultivation methods.

And he would have easily guessed that the man was likely targeting him, thereby raising his guard.

Unfortunately, Zu An was oblivious to all of this, and he spent the following days in great joy.

During the day, he and Zheng Dan left their imprint in various quiet and secluded spots around the academy, while at night, he delved into the mysteries of life with Chu Chuyan in the Clear Sound Pavilion.

Chu Chuyan had transformed from her initial shyness and reserve into openly and cooperatively welcoming him later on.

One day after class, Chu Hanzhao suddenly stared at Zu An, looking him up and down, even circling him from time to time.

“What’s wrong? Do I have something on my face?” Zu An asked, bewildered, touching his cheek.

“Brother-in-law, you seem much more haggard lately,” Chu Hanzhao couldn’t help but say.

Zu An was speechless.

It had to be said that both Chu Chuyan and Zheng Dan possessed naturally alluring constitutions. Even Zu An, whose body had been tempered by the Primordial Chaos Scripture, was struggling to keep up with their daily encounters.

“Are your studies too tiring? Being both a student and a teacher must be exhausting. Why don’t you talk to the principal and ask her to reduce your class schedule?” Chu Hanzhao said with concern.

Zu An gave an awkward laugh: “Don’t worry, I know my limits.”

“How about you ask Ji Xiaoxi to prescribe some tonic medicine for you? If she doesn’t listen to you, I’ll go to her myself,” Chu Hanzhao continued.

“I’ll go to Physician Ji’s place myself. Haha, I’ll go right now, you head back first,” Zu An said, finally managing to persuade Chu Hanzhao to go home.

If she had gone to the Ji household with him and discovered the real reason for his haggardness, she would surely have flipped out on the spot.

Of course, he wasn’t going to the Ji household for tonic medicine, but to prepare some healing potions.

His cultivation technique dictated that severe injuries were commonplace for him. Combined with past lessons, he knew how crucial it was to always have enough medicine on hand.

Arriving at the Ji household, the entrance was bustling as usual.

However, Zu An was an old acquaintance there, so he familiarized himself with the route and entered the back courtyard.

To be honest, he wasn’t keen on seeing Ji Dengtu, that old lecher. After all, he had tricked him last time, and then done *that* to Ji Xiaoxi. He figured Ji Dengtu might just skin him alive if they met.

But Ji Xiaoxi had been ignoring him lately, making it impossible for him to buy medicine, so he had no choice but to seek out Ji Dengtu.

As he walked further in, he suddenly ran into Jiang Luofu coming out. She was taken aback: “What are you doing here?”

“I came to buy some medicine.” Zu An wasn’t surprised to see her there, as she was Ji Dengtu’s sister-in-law, after all.

He thought to himself, “If only I had known, I would have walked faster and bumped directly into her arms.”

Jiang Luofu simply acknowledged him with an “Oh” and continued walking out coolly. Halfway, she suddenly turned back: “Oh, right, be careful in the academy these days.”

“Why?” Zu An asked, looking confused. It almost felt like she was giving him a warning or a subtle reprimand.

Could she have found out about him and Zheng Dan?

“A mysterious master has appeared in the academy recently. While his purpose is currently unknown, he certainly doesn’t seem to have good intentions,” Jiang Luofu said, frowning as she recalled the battle that night.

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn’t about Zheng Dan, he was fine.

Seeing that she had delivered her warning, Jiang Luofu left, preoccupied with her thoughts.

Just then, Ji Xiaoxi came out carrying a basket of medicinal herbs. Zu An’s eyes lit up, and he hurried to meet her.

To his surprise, Ji Xiaoxi turned and ran as if she had seen a ghost.

As Zu An was about to give chase, Ji Dengtu suddenly blocked his path, looking displeased: “You rascal, did you bully my Xiaoxi?!”