Chapter 360: On the Verge of Exposure

At this moment, Zu An clearly saw a group of people emerging from another alley. They were led by an old man with silver hair, who, despite his age, appeared vibrant, showing no trace of decrepitude. His eyes were like those of a wolf searching for prey, seeming to penetrate a person's true nature with a single glance.

The old man's gaze was deeply unsettling; this was likely the seventh-rank expert Qin Wanru had mentioned.

"How do you know they're with them?" Zu An asked, puzzled. They were dressed in normal clothes, not the dark, cloaked attire of the earlier figures.

There was no obvious sign they were connected.

Qin Wanru leaned closer and whispered, "Look closely at the patterns on their sleeves; they're identical to those on the black-clad figures earlier."

Zu An focused his gaze and indeed saw faint, cloud-like, peculiar markings on their sleeves.

And recalling the black-clad figures from earlier, they too seemed to bear similar insignia.

Had Qin Wanru not pointed it out, he would never have noticed.

He couldn't help but feel impressed; although she usually had a fiery temper and seemed rather simple-minded, he hadn't expected her to be so meticulous.

Suddenly, it dawned on him: the combined traits of Chu Yan and Xiao Zhao perfectly matched Qin Wanru.

Poor Xiao Zhao, she seemed to have inherited all of Qin Wanru's flaws. *Sigh*, it looked like he'd have to give her more affection in the future.

"Can you beat him?" Zu An quickly reined in his thoughts, refocusing on the immediate crisis.

Qin Wanru's face flushed slightly. She shook her head subtly and murmured, "No, I can't."

"That... *ahem*, that woman just now, she was a rank lower than you, yet she could fight you to a standstill," Zu An couldn't help but remark. "And you're only one rank below this old man."

Qin Wanru was speechless.

Rage points from Qin Wanru: +250!

Could he just speak properly for once?!

Did he not realize that the higher one's cultivation level, the exponentially more difficult it became to advance even a single minor rank?

Yet the fact that the woman earlier, despite her lower cultivation, had almost defeated her left her no room to argue.

This only made her angrier.

Rage points from Qin Wanru: +337!

Zu An couldn't help but glance at her. If she couldn't win, she couldn't win. Why was she getting so upset?

Just then, the old man, leading a dozen or so followers, walked closer and called out, "Stop!"

Qin Wanru's body stiffened. She was about to act but Zu An held her back; it was clear they were no match, and fighting now would be incredibly unwise.

"What's the matter?" Zu An asked, feigning impatience.

The old man suddenly spoke, "What are you two doing out here in the middle of the night?"

Zu An's mind raced, and he blurted out, "I brought my wife out for a walk. What's wrong with that?"

Beside him, Qin Wanru was enraged; how dare this scoundrel take advantage of her!

Rage points from Qin Wanru: +777!

Just then, Zu An gently patted her hand, signaling her to remain calm.

Qin Wanru hesitated. These people were indeed mysterious, and the old man's cultivation was profound. If they fought, both of them would likely perish here.

They even dared to ambush and kill River Defense Camp soldiers in the street, so even if she revealed her identity, she would likely not escape.

Furthermore, she was a woman, and a beautiful one at that; she might suffer even more humiliating indignities. Rather than risk that, it was better to follow Zu An's lead and see if they could bluff their way through.

"A walk?" the old man asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice. "In pitch darkness?"

"You wouldn't understand, old sir," Zu An chuckled. "It's called setting the mood."

Qin Wanru was speechless.

The old man glanced around casually and asked, "Since you two were out walking nearby, did you happen to see or hear anything?"

"Oh, it was terrible," Zu An said, feigning concern. "It sounds like there's a fight going on over there, making quite a commotion. We heard the noise and quickly steered clear, and now we're heading back. Old sir, you should be careful too. Don't go that way, lest you run into ruffians."

Qin Wanru couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration. While usually annoying, his acting skills were truly impressive; he now perfectly resembled a warm-hearted young man who respected elders and cherished the young.

"Oh, ruffians, you say? Do you know who they are?" the old man asked, slowly pulling his hands from his pockets. His long fingernails looked incredibly sharp, capable of piercing flesh with a single jab.

Zu An continued talking as if oblivious to the murderous intent. "No idea. Who would be brave enough to go look in this darkness? I suggest you all leave soon too, or it won't be good if those ruffians spot you."

"Then I must ask you, young man, to report this to the authorities later," the old man chuckled. "Have them investigate those ruffians."

Sensing the murderous aura emanating from the old man, Qin Wanru immediately tensed. At such close range, if a seventh-rank expert were to strike suddenly, she would struggle to protect herself, let alone Zu An.

As if sensing her tension, the old man glanced at her with suspicion.

Zu An quickly stepped in front of her and chuckled awkwardly, "Old sir, my wife is a bit shy and gets nervous seeing so many people."

The old man chuckled. "Your wife certainly has a fine figure, young man. But you two don't quite look like a couple; you seem rather distant with each other."

Zu An quickly wrapped his arm around Qin Wanru's waist; her waist, in contrast to a young girl's, was fuller and softer. "My wife is quite shy, haha. Oh, old sir, we really can't talk any longer, or it'll be over if those ruffians discover us!"

His arm around her waist, Qin Wanru was both shocked and enraged, her face instantly flushing crimson. To an outsider, however, she simply looked like a shy, young wife.

Rage points from Qin Wanru: +813!

"Wife, don't be impulsive, please, don't be impulsive! Think of this as saving the Chu family, saving your father!" Zu An quickly transmitted his voice through spiritual energy, careful not to be detected by the old man. He subtly used Qin Wanru's body to shield his mouth.

Qin Wanru's chest rose and fell sharply, but after taking a few deep breaths, she ultimately remained silent.

"You're a lucky young man," the old man remarked, casting a glance at Qin Wanru's voluptuous figure. Though her face was ordinary, her physique was top-tier, her eyes were exceptionally lively, and her entire demeanor exuded an alluring charm.

If he were ten years younger, even with the urgency of today's events, he would capture this woman and toy with her for three days and three nights, ideally with her husband tied nearby to watch.

Alas, he was old now, willing but unable.

"Haha, thank you for the compliment, old sir," Zu An said, still embracing Qin Wanru as they walked towards a nearby alley. "I think I'm quite fortunate too."

Just as they were about to turn the corner, a woman's voice suddenly echoed from the distance: "Elder!"

Qin Wanru's entire body stiffened, for she recognized the voice as that of the woman she had fought earlier.

(Author's Note): I haven't had a chance to thank this month's supporters yet. Many thanks to San Cai Mi Lin, Tian Chao Ye Men, Bai Lu Shi 123 Bai Du, Liang Si Qin, Qing Li Xian Zi Jiang Xue Li, Gu Du De Wo Hai Mei Yu Jian Ni, He Shang Duan Geng Wo Hui Zhao Shang Men De, Lan Xiong Er, deng20010801, and many more readers whose names I can't list individually.And to the reader with the ID "If the Monk Stops Updating I'll Come Looking"—your ID sends a shiver down my spine...