Chapter 612: Double-faced Beauty

The Crown Princess gazed at Zu'an's retreating back, her eyes involuntarily falling into a daze.

She had always been the one protecting the Crown Prince, but she was also a woman, and deep down, she yearned for the protection of a strong man. Unfortunately, her current status meant she could only suppress this desire in her heart, never daring to reveal it.

It wasn't until this moment, with him shielding her from behind as he faced the formidable assassin alone, that she felt this.

She now understood that the assassin was a Grandmaster, one even Grand Marshal Shi Miao, also a Grandmaster, couldn't defeat. How could this Golden Envoy possibly stand a chance?

Yet, he remained, resolute and unwavering, guarding her, facing mortal danger alone.

The Crown Princess once read a line in a romance novel that claimed women could not refuse a man willing to sacrifice his life for them. At the time, she had scoffed, dismissing it as a baseless fantasy of the author. But now, having experienced it herself, she suddenly found herself deeply empathetic.

She didn't know what compelled him to protect her like this – whether it was duty, a mission, or something else. She couldn't discern it, nor did she want to. All she knew was that she would never forget the man's imposing figure in that moment.

Just then, a sinister voice came from behind: "What rats dare to cause trouble in the imperial palace!"

She saw a dark red figure fly out. The sickly pale skin, accustomed to perpetual darkness, and the cold, gloomy phoenix eyes, all unmistakably revealed the newcomer's identity – Zhuxie Chixin!

At his arrival, the Crown Princess breathed a sigh of relief; the man protecting her wouldn't have to die.

Zu'an also let out a breath of relief. "Big brother, you finally arrived. Otherwise, I'd have started wondering whose territory this imperial palace truly is."

He had only just heard Zhuxie Chixin rapidly approaching, which was why he deliberately put on a heroic, self-sacrificing expression, shouting slogans to the heavens.

After all that, they wouldn't give him a promotion and raise?

Of course, he hadn't anticipated that his unintentional actions would lead to another outcome.

Zhuxie Chixin moved incredibly fast, clashing palms with the long-haired woman in an instant. Both were shaken, the long-haired woman was sent flying backward, and Zhuxie Chixin's body swayed.

"Oh?" Zhuxie Chixin looked at his opponent in surprise. Her cultivation seemed to be beyond that of an ordinary Grandmaster.

However, he felt no concern. He knew that the reason he, leading the Embroidered Uniform Guard, instilled dread in all civil and military officials, was not merely due to the Emperor's favor, but ultimately his own personal strength.

He was already a peak Grandmaster, and recently, he had experienced an enlightenment, subtly stepping into the threshold of a Great Grandmaster.

Throughout the entire court, besides the Emperor and King Qi, few would dare claim a sure victory against him.

"It is truly admirable that you possess such high cultivation at such a young age," Zhuxie Chixin sighed, as if genuinely filled with regret. "You had a bright future ahead, but regrettably, you chose to assassinate here in the imperial palace, thus seeking death."

The long-haired woman chuckled softly. "I've heard that Grand Commander Zhuxie strikes fear into the hearts of court officials, and seeing you today, your imposing presence is indeed impressive. However, aren't you a bit too arrogant? Do you really believe you're guaranteed to win against me?"

Zhuxie Chixin's face remained impassive. "Further words are useless."

With that, his body transformed into a streak of lightning, appearing even faster than Zu'an's instantaneous movement.

As he moved, his entire being ignited with crimson flames, making him appear like a phoenix.

Zu'an secretly clicked his tongue in amazement. Every time he had seen Zhuxie Chixin, he felt a chilling coldness, leading him to believe Zhuxie was ice-attributed. He never expected him to be fire-attributed!

And his combat appearance, it was as if he had cultivated the Phoenix Nirvana Scripture – a perfect image of a phoenix reincarnation.

Thinking of this, he felt a twinge of envy. Although his genuine "Phoenix Nirvana Scripture" had many mystical aspects, its combat effects certainly weren't as visually impressive.

Just then, the Crown Princess's gentle voice came from behind him: "My lord, are you injured?"

Zu'an was taken aback. Every time he had seen the Crown Princess before, she had an aloof demeanor, her tone stern, even somewhat fierce. When had she ever spoken to someone so gently?

He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture. "Thank you for your concern, Crown Princess. They are just minor injuries, nothing to worry about."

In truth, he hadn't suffered any injuries at all. But how could he demonstrate his contribution without deliberately saying so?

The Crown Princess's red lips parted slightly as she gazed at the tall figure before her. *This* was a real man, she thought, bleeding without shedding tears, unlike the Crown Prince, who would whine for half a day if he accidentally bumped into a table corner.

Zu'an grew increasingly puzzled. Why was the Crown Princess staring at him blankly, saying nothing?

He cleared his throat lightly and quickly asked, "Crown Princess, are you injured anywhere?"

The Crown Princess's face flushed slightly. She shook her head and said, "It's nothing serious."

She did indeed have some injuries, but how could she explain them to a man?

At this moment, the Crown Prince quickly cried out, "I'm injured! I'm injured! Look at this huge bump on my head from hitting the pillar; it's all swollen!"

The Crown Princess: "..."

Indeed, comparing people truly drove one to despair. Look at that man, then look at her own husband.

She truly felt an exhaustion of the heart.

Zu'an also smiled slightly. "Your Royal Highness, there's no need to worry. It's just a minor scrape. We'll have the imperial physician prescribe some medicine to apply later, and you'll be fine."

"But it really hurts!" the Crown Prince pouted, looking wronged, then turned to the Crown Princess. "Whenever I used to bump myself, Mother would blow on it for me. Linglong, could you blow on it for me? Maybe it'll heal faster."

The Crown Princess was almost bristling with anger. *Are you treating me as your wife or your mother in your heart?*

With a cold face, she snorted, "Blow on it yourself."

"Oh." The Crown Prince, having long been under her "tyrannical" influence, was somewhat afraid of her deep down. He dared not speak further, only pouting his lower lip and blowing upwards continuously with a wronged expression.

Zu'an: "..."

It truly was his misconception just now; the Crown Princess was indeed fierce.

Just then, the Crown Princess came to his side, her voice once again gentle. "My lord, what is your name? I don't recall seeing you before."

The Golden Envoys of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had always been mysterious, rarely showing their faces completely. But as the Crown Princess, she had met a few of them. Although they all wore masks, she clearly sensed that the man before her was different from the others she had encountered.

Zu'an lifted his waist token, showing her the number on it. "I am Eleven."

Golden Envoys of the Embroidered Uniform Guard did not use their true names; they were all identified by numerical designations, so there was nothing to hide.

Moreover, he intended to claim credit and rewards later, so it was only natural for the Crown Princess to know who had saved her and the Crown Prince.

Now it was the Crown Princess's turn to be surprised. "Eleven? Aren't there only ten Golden Envoys?"

"Oh, I was just recently promoted," Zu'an replied, feeling a bit down. As far as he knew, each Golden Envoy of the Embroidered Uniform Guard commanded several Silver Envoys, and beneath them, countless Bronze Envoys were at their disposal. Yet, he alone was a solitary commander, with no subordinates.

Of course, he also guessed the Emperor's intentions: giving him this Golden Envoy title was merely for his convenience in carrying out tasks and to more easily complete the mission of undermining King Qi, not to truly grant him authority.

"Just promoted?" The Crown Princess blinked. "My lord is truly young and accomplished."

"You flatter me, Crown Princess," Zu'an replied. He was accustomed to her usual aloof demeanor and found her gentle tone now quite unusual.

Hearing his reply, the Crown Princess revealed a faint smile. She had deliberately spoken that way to test him. For some reason, she subconsciously hoped this envoy wasn't an old man or middle-aged.

Zu'an stared blankly. The Crown Princess was already beautiful, but her usual stern expression somewhat diminished her charm. Now, with a smile, she was truly radiant and captivating.

"Linglong, your smile is truly beautiful. I rarely see you smile," the Crown Prince, who had stopped blowing on his bump, said, staring at her with wide eyes. Although he was foolish, people naturally gravitated towards beauty.

The Crown Princess glared at him crossly. *Why don't I smile? Don't you have any idea?*

Just then, Qiu Honglei, standing nearby, lunged forward with her sword. She was quite displeased. *Was this Crown Princess from a brothel? Flirting with a man the moment she felt a little safe? And with her own husband right there!*

Seeing this, the other assassins also charged forward, intending to "capture the king by first capturing his subordinates." As long as they dealt with the Crown Prince, any losses from this operation would be worth it.

"Brother Shen!"

"Hmm!"

As Shen Changqing walked, he encountered acquaintances, exchanging greetings or nods with them.

But no matter who it was.

Everyone's face was devoid of extra expression, as if they were indifferent to everything.

Regarding this, Shen Changqing had grown accustomed.

This was the Demon Suppression Division, an organization dedicated to maintaining the stability of the Great Qin Empire. Its primary duty was to slay demons and evil spirits, though it also had other secondary activities.

One could say.

Every person in the Demon Suppression Division had much blood on their hands.

When one became accustomed to life and death, they naturally grew indifferent to many things.

When he first arrived in this world, Shen Changqing was somewhat unaccustomed, but he gradually grew used to it over time.

The Demon Suppression Division was vast.

Those who could remain in the Demon Suppression Division were formidable experts or individuals with the potential to become experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter category.

The Demon Suppression Division was divided into two professions: Suppressors and Exorcists.

Anyone entering the Demon Suppression Division began as a low-level Exorcist.

Then, they would advance step by step, eventually aspiring to become a Suppressor.

Shen Changqing's previous self was an apprentice Exorcist in the Demon Suppression Division, the lowest rank among Exorcists.

Possessing the memories of his past self.

He was very familiar with the environment of the Demon Suppression Division.

It didn't take long before Shen Changqing stopped in front of a pavilion.

Unlike other grim places in the Demon Suppression Division, this pavilion stood out like a lone crane among chickens, presenting a unique tranquility amidst the blood-soaked atmosphere of the division.

At this moment, the pavilion's main gate was open, with people occasionally entering and exiting.

Shen Changqing hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside.

Upon entering the pavilion.

The atmosphere abruptly changed.

A scent of ink, mixed with a faint smell of blood, wafted over him, causing his brows to instinctively furrow, though they quickly relaxed.

The scent of blood on everyone in the Demon Suppression Division was almost impossible to wash off.