Chapter 384: I’m Just Passing By

Wei Dan became somewhat exasperated, his voice turning sharp. "Xiao Yingzi," he said, "are you deliberately challenging my patience? Are you perhaps seeking death?"

"Seeking death?" Old Man Mi smiled sadly. "If one could live, who would want to die?"

Zu An felt a little disheartened. Despite his long-standing concern that Old Man Mi harbored ill intentions towards him, having known him for so long, Zu An couldn't help but feel a touch of sadness seeing him in such a plight.

Just then, a clamor came from afar. The commotion had alerted the Chu family, and a group of people were hurrying over to investigate.

Zu An even considered asking the Chu family for help, but after a moment's thought, he decided against it.

Hong Zhong, the strongest remaining member of the Chu family, had previously been instantly killed by Old Man Mi, and Wei Dan was even more powerful.

Qin Wanru was only a sixth-rank practitioner and couldn't fight. Although the remaining family members were considered elites, the enormous difference in their power levels meant facing Wei Dan would be like sheep entering a tiger's den.

If Chu Zhongtian had been home, it might have been slightly better, but he was only an eighth-rank practitioner, and his presence would likely not be enough.

Only if the Chu family's Red-Robed Army were also present might they stand a chance in a fight.

After arriving in this world, Zu An had always been puzzled by how individual cultivators could be so powerful, yet states and armies still existed.

Later, he found the answer in his academy classes: while individual soldiers in this world's armies might not possess the same high cultivation levels as many advanced practitioners, armies could utilize a special formation. This formation allowed them to distribute a powerful practitioner's attack among every soldier, enabling them to withstand it, and simultaneously combine the attacks of all soldiers to confront an enemy.

In this way, high-level practitioners were still no match for a well-formed army.

Therefore, a certain balance was maintained between the state's organizational structure and individual martial prowess.

As Zu An was feeling regretful, Wei Dan spoke up. "Hmph, I'm too lazy to waste words with you now. The Chu family members are already heading this way. I'll capture you first, then we'll talk."

Old Man Mi laughed heartily. "It's not that easy!"

With that, his figure flashed, and he appeared at Zu An's hiding place. In Zu An's astonished gaze, he grabbed him and flew into the night.

Clearly, he had long been aware that Zu An was hiding there.

Zu An wanted to resist, but the power gap between them was too vast. The moment the other party gripped his shoulder, he instantly lost all strength.

Zu An looked utterly bewildered. "I was just passing by!"

"Shut up!" Old Man Mi snorted coldly, then flew directly away with him.

Wei Dan exclaimed in surprise. Someone was hiding here? Why hadn't he noticed just now?

But he didn't have time to think much; he quickly chased after them. "Where do you think you're going!"

The Chu family members arrived just in time to see Zu An being taken away, and a group of them began to shout:

"Hey, that seems to be the old gardener from the estate."

"Who's the other old man?"

"I don't know who that is, but I think I saw the young master-in-law being taken away by them!"

The group talked excitedly, all clamoring to go rescue him.

Cheng Shoubing stepped forward and declared, "Nonsense! Our young master-in-law's divine power is peerless. How could he possibly be easily captured by two old men? Clearly, he's playing along with their scheme, pretending to be captured so he can round them all up in one fell swoop."

"Brother Cheng makes a good point," the group said, nodding in agreement. After all, the young master-in-law had previously killed Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng. Now, in their minds, he was synonymous with unfathomable power, and it was indeed unlikely he would be so clumsily captured by two old men.

Hearing the words "Brother Cheng," Cheng Shoubing beamed with pride. He had been at the estate for so many years; when had he ever been treated with such respect?

All of this was thanks to the young master-in-law, so from now on, he must cling tightly to his coattails.

Just now, someone actually slandered the young master-in-law by claiming he was captured. Such rumors must be stopped immediately, lest they tarnish his glorious image!

At this moment, the guard Zhou Lujun pulled Cheng Shoubing aside with a grim face. "Are you sure the young master-in-law is playing along with their scheme?" he asked. "Those two old men are at least ninth-rank practitioners."

"Ninth-rank?" Cheng Shoubing was startled. "Are they even more powerful than the master?"

"Of course!" Feng Daniu, standing nearby, asked in surprise. "It's common knowledge that ninth-rank practitioners can fly. Those two old men just flew off with the young master-in-law, don't you even know that basic fact?"

"Of course I know that," Cheng Shoubing said stubbornly, though his heart felt hollow. He kept praying to all the gods and Buddhas in the sky, "Young master-in-law, please come back safely, or my good days in the Chu family will be over."

At this moment, Zu An was being held by Old Man Mi and flying through the air, watching the houses on the ground shrink to the size of matchboxes. He couldn't help but gulp. "If you want to fight, just fight," he said, "why grab me!"

The moment he opened his mouth, a rush of cold wind poured directly into it, making his words indistinct.

Old Man Mi snorted coldly. "You are also involved in this matter, so it's naturally hard for you to remain uninvolved."

"What does that have to do with me?" Zu An said, then suddenly realized he also knew the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra, which meant it did indeed concern him. "Well, then you'd better hold on tight. If I fall, it's over."

"Don't worry," Old Man Mi said with a forced smile, "falling will at most cripple you. You won't die, and perhaps it might even increase your cultivation."

Zu An was speechless.

He knew Old Man Mi was referring to the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra, which increases power through enduring beatings, but he certainly didn't want to increase his power that way.

At this moment, Wei Dan's voice came from behind them. "Xiao Yingzi," he asked, "how did you even sense this kid just now? Even I didn't perceive his presence."

Old Man Mi chuckled. "I have my ways."

Zu An was startled. He had thought the vast difference in their cultivation levels had caused his "Bright Mirror, Not a Stand" skill to fail, but Wei Dan's words indicated that wasn't the reason.

What then had allowed him to be discovered?

"Even if you don't say it, I can guess," Wei Dan said with a sigh. "You probably placed a spiritual mark on him. I didn't expect you to value this kid so much. Did you perhaps even teach him the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra?"

Old Man Mi hadn't answered yet, but Zu An's heart skipped a beat upon hearing it.

Unbeknownst to him, even this slight change in his heartbeat had already been heard by Wei Dan. "Just as I thought," Wei Dan said. "If I had known this earlier, why go through so much trouble? I should have just forced the answer out of him directly."

Old Man Mi snorted. "It's too late to regret now."

"It's not too late," Wei Dan said, a smile appearing on his face. "Once I catch you, I'll interrogate both of you. I was worried your mouth would be hard to pry open, but this kid shouldn't be difficult."

Treated as if he weren't even there from beginning to end, Zu An looked annoyed. "Are you two done playing? Can't you talk after we've landed? Is it really fun to be up here, drinking the northwest wind?"

His cultivation was far inferior to theirs, and at such a high altitude, the cold wind made him shiver, even making his 'little brother' shrink.

"So, little friend, you're scared," Wei Dan said with a faint smile. "It's natural for ordinary people to be a bit scared the first time they fly so high. It's inevitable; you don't need to feel ashamed."

Zu An was speechless.

"You think this small height can scare me?" Zu An said discontentedly. "I used to fly tens of thousands of meters high all the time. Did I go around boasting about it?"

"Ten thousand meters!"

As soon as these words were spoken, both Old Man Mi and Wei Dan were startled.

But they immediately reacted. Old Man Mi was so angry he almost threw him out. "You brat," he snapped, "your bragging isn't very clever."

Rage points from Mi Lianying +666!

Wei Dan strongly agreed. "Xiao Yingzi," he said, "how did you find such an unreliable fellow to be your successor?"

Rage points from Wei Dan +666!

"What a joke!" Wei Dan continued. "The higher you fly, the fiercer the gale-force winds become. Even the world's foremost emperor might not be able to reach that height, let alone a mere greenhorn like you."

Zu An pouted. "Ignorance is ignorance," he retorted. "A summer insect cannot speak of ice."

He was indeed not lying; when he used to take planes, which flight wasn't above ten thousand meters?

Seeing that Zu An was truly immersed in his act, Wei Dan couldn't be bothered with him and returned his attention to Old Man Mi. "Xiao Yingzi," he asked, "there's one thing I'm curious about: Why haven't you used the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra yet?"