Chapter 675: Breaking Up a Couple

Yun Jianyue's fury reached an astronomical level.

Sensing her resentment, Zu An felt a headache coming on. He quickly said, "We are deeply in love, and what happened was a natural progression of our feelings. How can you call that degradation?"

"A natural progression?" Yun Jianyue sneered. "Then why were you holding Hong Lei's head down so tightly just now?"

Zu An's face flushed. "I wasn't using any force. If Hong Lei hadn't wanted to, how could I have possibly forced her?"

"Alright, alright, I don't want to hear your convoluted explanations." For some reason, Yun Jianyue was extremely agitated. "In any case, you are not to meet Hong Lei again from now on."

"Why!" Zu An immediately sat upright, his tone full of displeasure.

Yun Jianyue said with a stern face, "You should know that Hong Lei's cultivation technique is special; she cannot lose her virginity before her cultivation is complete."

Zu An mumbled, "I know, that's why we were both so understanding and didn't actually do anything."

Yun Jianyue raised an eyebrow, looking as if she was about to explode. But remembering Zu An's help during this time, she held back. "Hmph, and you call that 'not doing anything'? You might have enjoyed it, but what about Hong Lei? You should know that men aren't the only ones with desires; women have them too. If you keep stirring her desires like this, allowing them to accumulate repeatedly without release, she could very well be consumed by passion, leading to a cultivation deviation."

Zu An was speechless.

He couldn't help but retort, "What kind of rubbish cultivation technique is this!"

"Rubbish cultivation technique?" Yun Jianyue's eyes turned somewhat dangerous. "This 'rubbish cultivation technique' is precisely how I achieved Grandmaster status. Crushing you would be as easy as crushing an ant. Do you want to try?"

"No need to try, no need to try." Zu An waved his hand sheepishly. *This old virgin certainly has a temper.*

Only then did Yun Jianyue speak. "Since you claim to be deeply in love with Hong Lei, you should consider her well-being. If you continue like this, she will only suffer from the torment of emotional tribulation. Her cultivation path will be filled with unnecessary inner demons and obstacles, and she might never achieve the perfect realm, and could even die halfway through her journey."

Zu An was startled. "Is it that dangerous?"

"Of course. Do you think I'm trying to scare you?" Yun Jianyue's expression was serious. "Many have cultivated this technique in the Holy Sect's history, but most either lost control midway, causing their cultivation to dissipate entirely, or were tormented by inner demons, leading to their demise. So far, I am the only one who has mastered this technique."

Zu An was instantly flabbergasted. "If it's that dangerous, why are you still making Hong Lei practice it!"

Yun Jianyue huffed unhappily. "I've always been training her as my successor. If she doesn't practice my technique, whose will she practice? Originally, with her discernment and temperament, no man in the world would have caught her eye. Who knew she'd run into a flirt like you!"

Zu An puffed out his chest. "Is it my fault for being handsome, rich, and popular with women?"

Yun Jianyue was speechless.

She felt like slapping him across the face, then stomping on his face and grinding her foot a few times. This guy truly deserved a beating.

Only then did Zu An speak. "Alright, I'm not that kind of lustful person... Hey, hey, hey, what kind of look is that? If you keep looking at me like that, I'm going to get angry. Cough, cough... I also don't want to harm Hong Lei, so from now on, I promise not to let her do those things."

"No, you two cannot meet anymore," Yun Jianyue said resolutely. "Recently, I've noticed her face glowing with a lovesick flush, and her foundation has already begun to destabilize. If she stays with you any longer, she'll be beyond saving. So, I will take her back to the sect and have her cultivate in secluded meditation, free from desires."

Zu An hastily asked, "How long will she have to stay in seclusion?"

"Until I deem it appropriate." Yun Jianyue leaned back leisurely in her chair, feeling a little smug. *Brat, you're still too green to contend with me.*

Zu An was furious. "Isn't that just blatant trickery? No deal!"

*This old virgin is probably just jealous and can't stand to see us in love. If it's up to her to decide when it's 'appropriate,' it'll probably take until the end of time.*

"If you're not convinced, you can fight me. If you win, you can set the rules." Yun Jianyue's bright eyes subtly swept over him.

Zu An's breath caught in his throat. He still knew his place. This woman was a Grandmaster, and her injuries had recovered considerably. Fighting him would be like child's play for her.

So he decisively changed his strategy. "Sister, this is a bit too much. When you were severely injured, I risked my life to find medicine to nourish your soul. Because of that, Cheng Xiong suspected me, and I faced near-death situations multiple times. Later, I also helped you rescue your sect members who were trapped in the Heavenly Prison and facing certain death. After all I've done, it's one thing that you don't thank me, but to burn your bridges like this is truly unkind."

Yun Jianyue sighed softly. "I know, we owe you an enormous favor, so I will find another way to compensate you."

Zu An shook his head. "I don't want any other compensation. I only want Hong Lei."

Yun Jianyue's eyebrows shot up. "Brat, don't push your luck. I've already made the reasoning clear to you. Choose another condition."

Zu An shook his head. "I won't use Hong Lei as a bargaining chip for other things."

Yun Jianyue gave him a deep look. *Though this guy is a philanderer, he's actually quite good to Hong Lei.*

Her expression softened slightly. "The Holy Sect, from top to bottom, will forever remember your kindness, and there will surely be a generous reward in the future."

Zu An waved his hand, clearly not in the mood for such talk. "Did Sun LüZhen and the others escape safely?"

Yun Jianyue nodded. "After they left the palace, Hong Lei arranged for people to meet them and escort them out of the capital. They kept saying they wanted to thank you in person later."

"It's good they made it out successfully," Zu An also breathed a sigh of relief. If anything had happened to Sun LüZhen and the others, he could have easily been exposed. "Oh, by the way, did you catch the person who was secretly following you earlier?"

"I was just about to tell you about that," Yun Jianyue's expression was grave. "I originally wanted to find an opportunity to kill him, but unfortunately, his stealth and escape techniques are truly masterful; I couldn't keep him."

"You couldn't even stop him?" Zu An was surprised.

Yun Jianyue hummed in affirmation. "Let alone now, with my injuries; even at my peak, I might not have been able to stop him completely. His stealth techniques are almost at a transcendent level. I didn't even see his true face."

"Someone like that shouldn't be unknown in the world, should they? Does anyone come to mind who fits the description?" Zu An hastily asked, as having such a formidable individual lurking and observing from the shadows was truly unsettling.

Yun Jianyue shook her head. "The world is vast, and there are countless talented and extraordinary individuals. How could I possibly know them all? Since he's skilled in stealth, he would clearly make an effort to remain unknown, let alone be recognized by outsiders."

Zu An nodded, understanding the logic. It seemed he should find an opportunity to ask the Emperor to investigate. But if it turned out to be Eunuch Wen, that would be troublesome.

As he was deep in thought, Yun Jianyue suddenly let out a soft exclamation, her gaze fixed intently on his chest. "Oh, the circulation of your vital energy seems different from usual. Are you injured?"

These past few days, the two had been together day and night, and as a Grandmaster, she was intimately familiar with his aura.

Zu An gave a wry smile. "This time, to help you, I practically risked my life."

He then briefly explained how the Emperor had placed a restriction on him.

Yun Jianyue's expression subtly changed. Without waiting for his consent, she reached out, directly grasping his pulse point to feel the circulation of vital energy within his body.

Her hand was cool to the touch and extremely comfortable. However, Zu An had no time to concern himself with that now; he was anxiously watching her. Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper, as if he had contracted a terminal illness.

"It can't be that bad, can it? The Emperor said it could still be resolved. Is he lying to me?" Zu An's heart grew uneasy.

Yun Jianyue finally spoke. "Take off your clothes."

"Huh?" Zu An was somewhat stunned.

Yun Jianyue explained, "I'll try to remove this restriction for you. However, during the process, your vital energy will surge, and the heat must dissipate promptly, which is why you need to take off your clothes."

"Oh." Zu An's heart filled with joy. If she could disarm this ticking time bomb on him, he wouldn't have to live in fear every day.

After he took off his clothes, Yun Jianyue said coldly, "And your pants."

Zu An: "???"