Chapter 680: Careful Calculation

This was the second time Yun Jianyue had said this to Zu'an. The man was constantly testing her patience.

Strangely, anyone else acting like this would have been dead countless times over, yet she could never bring herself to kill him.

Zu'an quickly offered a placating smile, "I meant 'if', haha, 'if'. If you, Sect Leader Sister, don't have such plans, then naturally there's no need to mention it."

Yun Jianyue yawned, her red lips appearing exceptionally moist and alluring. "Anything else? If not, get out!"

She had spent the entire night battling the Karma Fire and was now quite exhausted. Although she didn't mind chatting with such a handsome and robust young man in her current state, rationality prevailed. In her present appearance, it was truly inconvenient to spend more time with him.

"One last question!" Zu'an quickly said. "Who exactly is the mole you planted in the palace? You can tell me now, can't you? That way, we can look out for each other in the future. Otherwise, it would be bad if we accidentally clashed, like 'the flood washing away the Dragon King's temple'."

Yun Jianyue still shook her head. "You'll know when the time is right."

Zu'an frowned. "You still don't trust me?"

Yun Jianyue explained, "It's not a matter of trust. That person's identity is special, and I promised them I wouldn't tell a third party. I hope you understand. As for your concerns, they won't happen. That person won't clash with you; they might even secretly help you."

"So secretive?" Seeing that she clearly had no intention of telling him the truth, Zu'an sighed. "I hope it's as you say."

He stopped dwelling on it and instead asked, "Where is Honglei? I want to say goodbye to her."

Yun Jianyue hummed languidly. "Wait a bit. You'll see her after dawn."

*What a joke. It wasn't fully bright yet. What if they couldn't control themselves during their farewell?*

Zu'an was speechless.

*Who was she protecting against? Was he really that kind of person?*

Soon, Zu'an was shooed out of the room by Yun Jianyue. He had no choice but to return alone and sleep with his head buried. However, throughout the night, his mind was filled with the alluring image of Yun Jianyue in her revealing state. Several times, he nearly gave in to temptation, but he ultimately restrained himself. Having experienced Qiu Honglei's soft hands, he felt a bit disgusted with his own.

After all, he had been exhausted all night, and despite his tumultuous thoughts, he gradually drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning, Pu Duandiao and Jiao Sigun simultaneously emerged from their rooms and exchanged smiles.

"How was last night?" Jiao Sigun, looking refreshed, raised his eyebrows and whispered.

"Of course, it was a battle of three hundred rounds; that young woman kept begging for mercy," Pu Duandiao said, puffing out his chest, yet subtly rubbing his lower back. "So sore. Am I a bit too weak lately?"

"Is that so?" Jiao Sigun looked skeptical.

Pu Duandiao coughed nervously. In truth, he was the one begging for mercy last night, but how could he admit such a thing? He quickly changed the subject to dispel his embarrassment: "How about you last night?"

Jiao Sigun replied, "Oh, I asked the girl how they usually charge."

"Oh?" Pu Duandiao was a bit curious. He usually didn't get to experience women of that caliber and wasn't clear about the prices.

Jiao Sigun said, "That young woman told me it's 20 taels of silver for one session on the floor, and 100 taels for one session on the bed. Guess which one I chose?"

"The bed?" Pu Duandiao tentatively asked. Since Zu'an was paying, naturally, one would choose the most comfortable option.

Jiao Sigun shook his head. "The floor, of course."

Pu Duandiao was dumbfounded.

Jiao Sigun stated matter-of-factly, "Although Master Zu is paying, we still need to find ways to save him money, right? For the same cost, I could have five sessions on the floor instead of one on the bed. Isn't that more cost-effective?"

Pu Duandiao was left speechless, first by the other man's peculiar logic, and second by his stamina.

"Five times... five times..."

The phrase kept replaying in his mind, filling him with both envy and admiration.

"You two don't need to wait," a young maid quickly informed them. "Young Master Zu needs to rest here a bit longer."

"What time is it already? Still resting? Big Brother Zu must be too weak," Pu Duandiao crowed gleefully, finally finding some confidence.

Jiao Sigun immediately corrected him, "With so many courtesans accompanying him last night, not just 5 times, but probably 15 times. Master Zu truly lives up to his reputation; I'm utterly impressed."

"Fifteen times..." Pu Duandiao's smile instantly froze.

Jiao Sigun said, "Master Zu worked hard all night; he deserves more sleep. Let's go first and not disturb him."

"Oh," Pu Duandiao mechanically shuffled his feet, thinking that he'd recuperate thoroughly this time and make them see him in a new light on their next visit.

After the two men left, the Pleasure Quarter fell silent once more.

It was unknown how much time had passed when Yun Jianyue was startled awake by a banging on the door. "Master! Master!"

Yun Jianyue abruptly sat up in bed, instinctively touching her legs. Her pretty face was flushed scarlet. "How could I have dreamt of him? Bah! I shouldn't have treated that scoundrel."

The knocking outside grew more urgent, almost like someone was banging on the door.

Yun Jianyue threw on her clothes, covering her exquisitely beautiful body, before reaching out to open the door's enchantment. "What's with all this fuss? Where's your composure as a Saintess?"

Qiu Honglei walked in with a displeased expression. "Master, why are we leaving in such a hurry?"

"There's a change within the sect, so we need to return early," Yun Jianyue replied coldly. She thought it best to bring the person back first and explain later, to avoid any drama here.

As she spoke, she unconsciously twisted her waist, feeling uncomfortably sluggish.

Hearing of the change in the sect, Qiu Honglei's expression shifted slightly. She wasn't one to be unreasonable, so she no longer refused to return. "I only have one request: I want to see Ah Zu before we leave."

For some reason, hearing this made Yun Jianyue feel irritated. She snorted, "Spending all day indulging in men will only hinder your cultivation."

Qiu Honglei retorted, "That's because you, Master, don't know the beauty of love between men and women..."

Seeing her master's eyebrows raise, she quickly corrected herself. "Ahem, ahem. A person of your caliber, Master, holds no man in the world in her eyes. Your disciple hasn't reached that level yet. I will dedicate myself to cultivation once we return."

Only then did Yun Jianyue's brows relax. "Hmph, have Leng Shuangyue accompany you, lest you do something that tarnishes our reputation again."

Qiu Honglei's face flushed. *We're known as the Demonic Cult by the world, what reputation do we have to tarnish?*

However, she dared not voice these thoughts and quickly ran out. As she reached the door, she suddenly looked back at Yun Jianyue. "Master, are you alright?"

"What could be wrong with me?" Yun Jianyue snorted, somewhat unnaturally pulling the blanket to cover her legs, thinking that she'd need another bath soon.

Doubt flickered in Qiu Honglei's eyes. She felt her master was behaving strangely today. Ordinarily, her master was as cool and detached as the moon in the sky, exuding a natural sense of aloofness. Yet today, she seemed to carry a worldly allure, and her seductive charm was enough to make even another woman's heart stir...

She quickly shook her head.

*I must be overthinking it. How could someone like Master have a problem?*

She hurried to Zu'an's room. The maid, Leng Shuangyue, was guarding the door, watching them. "This is the Sect Leader's order, Saintess. Please don't make it difficult for me."

"So annoying," Qiu Honglei waved her hand and entered the room helplessly.

Meanwhile, at a luxurious inn in the capital, located on the mandatory route from the Pleasure Quarter to the Imperial Palace.

A young nobleman stood by a slightly open window on the second floor, surveying the street outside. He frowned, "Why is it taking so long? Why isn't Zu'an here yet? Those two guards from the Eastern Palace passed by ages ago."

A subordinate beside him replied, "We've sent people to check. Apparently, Zu'an ordered over a dozen courtesans last night and is now catching up on sleep."

"Hmph, he certainly is a playboy," the nobleman sneered, "What a pity this will likely be his last indulgence."