Chapter 623: Blood Moon Appears, Hell Opens

Seeing him look like he wanted to ask but was too embarrassed, Zu An secretly smiled. After the initial flurry of emotions, he had gradually come to his senses.

Why Zhu Xie Chixin had come to find him – his claim of "just passing by" could be ignored – he clearly had an agenda. His hesitant manner just now, combined with the strange look he gave Zu An as he left, clearly linked to that matter.

So he took the initiative to speak, "The Emperor is extremely enraged by the number of assassins who infiltrated the palace this time. He also finds it very strange how they managed to seize such a perfect opportunity, entering the palace precisely when His Majesty was absent."

Zhu Xie Chixin's heart stirred, and he followed Zu An's lead, "This matter is indeed a bit strange. Logically, only a select few know when the Emperor is not in the palace."

Zu An sighed, "So the Emperor has ordered me to investigate who leaked the information."

Although Zhu Xie Chixin had vaguely guessed the truth, his expression still subtly changed upon hearing this. The Emperor had bypassed him and directly assigned his subordinate to investigate, clearly indicating he suspected even Zhu Xie Chixin.

Although he knew his master was naturally suspicious, when that suspicion fell upon himself, he still felt a sense of disappointment.

"I am also one of the suspects. Aren't you afraid I'm the real culprit by telling me all this?" Zhu Xie Chixin observed his new subordinate with interest. During their journey to the capital, he had admired Zu An's composure, unfazed even when facing collapse. A series of subsequent events made him appreciate Zu An even more, so when the Emperor proposed granting him a Golden Token identity as an exception, Zhu Xie Chixin had no objections.

Zu An forced a smile, "Across the land, when it comes to unwavering loyalty to the Emperor, no one surpasses the Grand Commander. Furthermore, having received your care during our journey to the capital, I am quite familiar with your character. How could you possibly collude with assassins?"

Hiding behind the curtain, Yun Jianyue rolled her eyes. "This guy is such a sycophant," she thought. "It sounds sickening."

Although he knew Zu An was likely flattering him, Zhu Xie Chixin was still extremely pleased, "I truly have a clear conscience. I am immensely grateful to have your trust, Brother Zu."

At the same time, he secretly sighed with emotion: even Zu An, whom he hadn't known for long, trusted him, yet the Emperor, whom he had served for so long, had grown suspicious.

Zu An couldn't help but chuckle. Indeed, flattery always worked. Before, he was merely 'Eleven,' but now he was being called 'Brother Zu.'

He absolutely had to cling to this powerful patron. His recent words were indeed flattery, but they also came from the heart.

The Emperor clearly intended for them to keep each other in check, but Zu An was no foolhardy loyalist. Why should he pledge loyalty to someone who would casually order his death?

Everyone forming cliques... *ahem*, couldn't they all just get along and be happy? After all, the most important thing in life was to be happy.

Therefore, he didn't hesitate to reveal the task assigned by the Emperor to Zhu Xie Chixin. It didn't matter whether the other party was the one who leaked the secret; the key was to draw them closer.

Speaking of which, if Zhu Xie Chixin was indeed colluding with the Demonic Sect, then they were practically on the same side.

Of course, he wouldn't dare say these things to the other individuals. He had no relationship with them and wasn't familiar with their characters; speaking too candidly with superficial acquaintances could easily backfire.

He lightly coughed, "You're too kind, Brother. Actually, I wanted to ask your advice on how to approach this case; you're the expert in this area."

Behind the curtain, Yun Jianyue's expression was strange. "This guy is truly lazy," she thought. "He's already calling him 'Brother' so quickly. He's probably the only person in the world who dares to call Zhu Xie Chixin his brother."

She wondered if Hong Lei had been tricked by his impudence, thicker than a city wall.

Zhu Xie Chixin's fingers tapped lightly on the table, clearly deep in thought. Upon hearing Zu An, he replied, "Since the Emperor specifically assigned you to investigate, he clearly doesn't want me to interfere. My operating style is too obvious; if you were to follow it, it would be detrimental and easily reveal clues to the Emperor. So go ahead and investigate boldly. Tell me if you need any help in the future."

Noticing that Zhu Xie Chixin no longer used the term "brother," Zu An knew it must have been a momentary lapse. Building a stronger relationship would be a long process. It seemed he would have to find an opportunity to invite him to a brothel to listen to music. As the saying goes, the three strongest bonds in life are formed by sharing a classroom, fighting side-by-side, and...

However, this guy's face was so pale and he seemed so effeminate. What if he had issues in *that* area? Zu An's gesture might backfire and hit a raw nerve instead.

Various thoughts flashed through his mind, but his words didn't falter: "Big Brother truly has foresight. Thankfully, you pointed that out, or I would have made a mistake without even realizing it."

Zhu Xie Chixin sighed, "You're overstating it. We are fellow comrades and should naturally help each other. Now, it's not just you with a headache; I'm also at my wit's end. The Emperor has ordered me to find the whereabouts of that female assassin, but unfortunately, there's no trace of her. It's as if she vanished into thin air."

Too many things had happened today, leaving him feeling down. Otherwise, with his usual disposition, he wouldn't have spoken so much with Zu An.

Zu An's heart stirred, "Earlier, you mentioned that long-haired female assassin was Yun Jianyue, the Demonic Sect Leader?"

"That's right," Zhu Xie Chixin nodded. "I've considered myself a hero all these years, believing no one in the capital, apart from the Emperor, was worth my attention. I never expected to be defeated by a woman."

Zu An comforted him, "Brother, you don't need to be disheartened. She's the Demonic Sect Leader, and she might have lived decades longer than you. It's not unfair to lose to an old woman."

Inside the curtain, Yun Jianyue's eyebrows shot up, and her expression became somewhat strange.

Rage value from Yun Jianyue +333!

This guy was truly despicable. Even with her cultivation of composure, she couldn't help but be provoked.

Zhu Xie Chixin, however, looked at him blankly, "An old woman? Although few know the true age of the Demonic Sect Leader, she's definitely not older than me. How could she be an old woman? If she were truly from my parents' generation, I wouldn't be so disheartened by my defeat."

Yun Jianyue's lips curved slightly upward. "This guy's words are pleasant to hear," she thought. "Unintentional flattery is the most satisfying."

Hearing that she wasn't an old woman, Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, good," he thought. But he didn't miss this excellent opportunity to gather more information. "By the way, you said she was gravely injured this time. Will her lover come to avenge her? Brother, don't let your guard down while you're trying to capture her during this period."

"Lover?" Inside the curtain, Yun Jianyue's hands felt a little itchy. She thought that once she recovered, she absolutely had to give this guy a good beating.

A hint of a smile also appeared on Zhu Xie Chixin's stern face, "How could such a ferocious woman have a lover? What man in this world would dare to marry her?"

Yun Jianyue's chest rose and fell rapidly, her swollen bosom trembling slightly. If her "Clear Mirror, Not a Stand" cultivation hadn't been truly perfected, Zhu Xie Chixin would probably have noticed her agitation.

Just a moment ago, she thought this guy spoke nicely, but unexpectedly, he was the same type as Zu An.

Zu An suppressed the urge to look back at the curtain, "If Yun Jianyue heard you talking about her like that behind her back, she might just twist your head off."

Zhu Xie Chixin scoffed, "Although I am indeed slightly weaker than her, it wouldn't be easy for her to defeat me, let alone now that she's been wounded by the Emperor. What if she did hear?"

On the bed, Yun Jianyue's face was expressionless. She wasn't an impulsive or brainless person; although angry, she wouldn't rush out to fight to the death in her current state.

Hmph, I'll remember this debt first.

Zu An suppressed his laughter, "Is she really that fierce? When I saw her in the Eastern Palace before, she seemed quite serene. Even with her face covered, I could tell she was a great beauty, and her figure seemed quite good too."

Zhu Xie Chixin frowned, "You can say that in private, but never mention it outside. Whether it reaches the ears of the court or the Demonic Sect, you won't have a good outcome."

Then he rose and went to the window, looking out at the western sky, "You might be too young to know how terrifying Yun Jianyue is. Back then, when the various factions of the court besieged the Demonic Sect, the previous Demonic Sect Leader was killed by the Emperor. The sect instantly became leaderless, with numerous factions inside. Various envoys, elders, and dharma kings refused to submit to each other, battling fiercely for the position of Sect Leader, causing rivers of blood."

"At this time, Yun Jianyue, who was then still the Saintess, emerged. With lightning-fast methods, she suppressed the other factions and purged a large number of those who refused to submit to her. The court was delighted by this, assuming that after so many masters had been eliminated in their internal strife, the sect would be vulnerable. However, Yun Jianyue proactively attacked, utterly annihilating the court's rebellion-suppressing army. That battle was a bloodbath, causing the very heavens to change color. Countless masters dispatched by the court died at her hands, establishing her formidable reputation as an unparalleled demoness."

"Perhaps you only caught a fleeting glimpse and thought she was a fairy-like Yun Jianyue, but the elders who experienced that battle all muttered one phrase upon their return: 'When the Blood Moon appears, Hell opens.'"

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. So that woman was truly this terrifying?

And he had hugged her, constantly teased her, and even felt the shape of her breasts. Wouldn't that mean he was absolutely doomed?