Chapter 572: Beyond Comprehension

Zu An was about to tell her there was no need to take such a risk, as he intended to confront the emperor directly and resolve the matter once and for all.

However, he suddenly realized how strange this night had been. First, he hadn't entered the palace directly but stayed outside for an extra night, and then assassins had easily ambushed him. If not for his rapid progress in cultivation, he would likely be dead by now.

He didn't know who was behind all this. What if Zhu Xie Chixin was also involved? If these assassins failed to kill him, they might send even stronger experts, or even Zhu Xie Chixin himself might intervene, which would be troublesome. Therefore, it was better to leave and avoid trouble for now.

He nodded, "Alright, let's leave here first."

A hint of joy appeared on Qiao Xueying's face. She took his hand, ready to leave through the window.

"Wait..." Zu An hastily went back and picked up Chu Youzhao.

"Why are you taking him?" Qiao Xueying was slightly displeased by the sudden presence of a third wheel. "Now that the assassins have failed, the guards will soon enter. Given his status, no one would dare harm him."

Zu An shook his head. "Everything today has been a bit strange. It wouldn't be good if something unexpected happened to him if he stayed here."

If it were anyone else, Qiao Xueying naturally wouldn't care if they lived or died, but considering he was a member of the Chu family, she didn't refuse further.

As Zu An picked up Chu Youzhao, his hand accidentally brushed against something soft and yielding. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly changed his posture.

He didn't know what the girl was wearing; nothing seemed unusual to the naked eye, but only by touching could one feel the strangeness.

His gaze flickered to the bodies on the ground. He quickly composed himself and, with a wave of his hand, sent four flames flying onto the corpses. He didn't want anyone to infer what had just happened from these bodies, whether it was Qiao Xueying's sneak attack on the Kameda ninja or the wounds he left on the other three. If seen by someone observant, their secret could easily be deduced.

The four flames quickly spread without a sound. In a matter of breaths, the four bodies were incinerated, leaving no trace.

Seeing this, Qiao Xueying was somewhat surprised. "Did you awaken fire elemental abilities? Your flames seem different from other fire practitioners; they appear somewhat special."

"They're naturally different. This should be considered a nine-tailed fox's demonic flame." He was borrowing Daji's flame ability, which was certainly no ordinary power.

Before, he had envied Pei Mianman's dark flames for their ability to destroy bodies without a trace. He hadn't expected his own flames to be just as effective now.

The two whispered to each other as they slipped out of the courtyard under the cover of night.

Zu An specifically observed and noticed many guards battling with black-clad figures. Some of these black-clad figures were far stronger than the four who had tried to kill him.

Presumably, their goal was to tie down the main guard force, so they could only send those few Sixth-Rank cultivators to deal with him.

By this time, the black-clad figures were fighting and retreating, likely believing their companions inside had succeeded and there was no need to stay and fight to the death.

The two continued to move stealthily through the shadows. Soldiers had already begun patrolling the streets, clearly having detected something amiss in the city.

Qiao Xueying was very familiar with the capital, leading him through a labyrinth of streets, always skillfully avoiding the soldiers' patrols. Finally, they arrived at a secluded and quiet small courtyard.

Qiao Xueying opened the door and led him inside. "This is one of my secret hideouts. We'll stay here and lie low for a while. Once the commotion outside dies down, I'll take you to meet my kin."

"Okay." Zu An looked around. Although the interior was simply arranged, it appeared quite elegant, filled with various flowers and plants, giving it a vibrant feel. Elves, indeed, were naturally close to nature.

Qiao Xueying helped place Chu Youzhao on a nearby chair. She clearly wouldn't allow any other man to lie on her bed, not even the Chu family's heir.

Zu An guessed her subtle thoughts and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh, by the way, do you know people from the Fox Clan?" Qiao Xueying asked, a little confused. It hadn't been convenient to ask on the road, but now they finally had some free time. "Wait, no, the Fox Clan's abilities are bloodline talents; they can't be passed on to you."

"The reasons are a bit complicated," Zu An didn't know how to explain. "In short, I can borrow a nine-tailed fox's flame ability."

Qiao Xueying looked surprised and delighted. "I was a bit worried about the trouble we might face once I send you to the demon races, but if you can borrow the power of a nine-tailed fox, things will be much easier. You should know that even within the Fox Clan, there hasn't been a true nine-tailed fox for many years. You'll definitely be treated as a distinguished guest, perhaps even becoming a 'Saint Son' or something. Although the Fox Clan isn't a particularly powerful race among the demon races, they have a special status and considerable influence. Protecting one person should be effortless for them."

Zu An was stunned. "You plan to send me to the demon races?"

"What else?" Qiao Xueying replied. "You're currently wanted by the Great Zhou Emperor; you probably won't have a place to stand within the Great Zhou territory. But no matter how powerful the Great Zhou Emperor is, he can't control our demon race's territory. So, you can go there and hide for a few years, then return after the Great Zhou Emperor dies."

In this world, "demon races" is a broad concept, and the Elven race is also considered one of them, which is why she used the word "our."

Zu An chuckled wryly. "I'm wanted by the Great Zhou Emperor primarily because of the longevity method from the 'Phoenix Nirvana Scripture.' Won't the people there covet my cultivation method after I go to the demon races?"

Qiao Xueying paused, clearly not having realized this point before. She hesitated, saying, "The lifespan of the demon races is generally longer than that of humans, so they don't have such an urgent need for longevity methods..."

Zu An shook his head, gently stroking her delicate, beautiful braids. "Xue'er, thank you for thinking of these plans for me. However, I still intend to enter the palace tomorrow and confront the Emperor directly to resolve this issue."

Qiao Xueying immediately grew anxious. "The Great Zhou Emperor is widely acknowledged as the strongest person in the world. Although your strength has increased significantly, you're still nowhere near his match!"

Zu An smiled. "Silly girl, I'm not going there to fight him. Don't worry, I have a plan. If it still fails, then I'll escape to the demon races as you arranged."

Qiao Xueying's face was filled with worry. "But I'm afraid by then, you might not even have a chance to escape."

Zu An pulled her delicate body into his arms. "Trust me, it'll be fine."

Qiao Xueying hugged him back tightly, as if afraid that if she lessened her grip even slightly, she would lose him forever.

As the saying goes, "long absence makes the heart grow fonder." The two embraced, and their body temperatures quickly rose.

Qiao Xueying's body became increasingly pliant, while Zu An's body grew more rigid.

Without a word, everything unfolded naturally as they kissed passionately.

After a moment, Qiao Xueying hastily covered her disheveled clothes, glanced back at Chu Youzhao not far away, her small face flushed scarlet. "No... not here."

Zu An chuckled wryly, intending to say it didn't matter, as Chu Youzhao was a woman anyway and also unconscious.

However, seeing her pleading eyes, he didn't want to waste words explaining and simply carried her to the nearby bed.

Qiao Xueying, with a gentle flick of her fingertips, extended some thin vines that pulled down the bed curtains on both sides.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but Chu Youzhao felt she had a strange dream. The entire dream was pink, incredibly embarrassing. She actually dreamed of sleeping with a man, and that man was passionately "galloping" on her, while she herself was making all sorts of shameful sounds.

Unfortunately, she couldn't see the man's face clearly. She tried hard to open her eyes wide, and finally, she saw the face—it was her brother-in-law?

She woke up with a start, frightened.

"So it was just a dream."

She let out a long sigh of relief, then subconsciously wiggled her legs. How could she have such a shameful dream, and with that lecherous scoundrel?

Wait, why were those shameful sounds from her dream still audible?

She instinctively turned her head to look, and her eyes immediately widened. Even through the gauze curtains, she could still make out the figures inside.

What were they doing? Riding horses?

Chu Youzhao looked bewildered, not yet having fully come to her senses, when a tree vine suddenly whipped out and knocked her unconscious again.