Chapter 1138: Collision Encounter

“A’Zu?” Yu Yanluo called out several times, but there was no response. She grew anxious, her voice tinged with panic and a hint of a sob.

Unable to wait any longer, she summoned the Thousand Mile Mountains and Rivers Map to hover above her head. Her eyes glowed red, and her hair began to swirl, clearly indicating she had activated her most powerful form.

Just as she was about to enter, a figure emerged. “Don’t come in, don’t come in.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Yu Yanluo quickly closed her eyes. When she reopened them, they had returned to their normal color. “Are…are you alright?”

As she spoke, she grabbed his arm to examine him, noticing several torn areas on his clothes. “Are you injured?”

“I’m fine,” Zu An said with a smile, deliberately showing her the torn sleeve. “The skin underneath is still soft.”

Yu Yanluo wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes and lightly punched him. “At a time like this, you still have the nerve to joke.”

Zu An also sobered, his expression turning serious. “This black mist is indeed strange. It can block spiritual perception and is somewhat corrosive. However, cultivators of the sixth rank and above can use elemental protective membranes to ward off its effects. Of course, the protection isn't infinite; the mist can also corrode the elemental membrane, and those with shallower cultivation definitely won't last long.”

“Even with your cultivation, you only lasted this long?” Yu Yanluo was startled, looking at his torn clothes.

“Of course I lasted,” Zu An replied. “I just deliberately retracted my elemental protective membrane to test the mist’s damage.”

Yu Yanluo bit her lip. “You’re so careless with your body. What if something goes wrong?”

“Don’t worry,” Zu An reassured her. “My cultivation method is special, and my body has been exceptionally tempered. It’s tougher than a dragon’s; this black mist can’t harm me.”

“Xingnu and the others probably aren’t so lucky,” Yu Yanluo said, looking at the black mist. “Many of our clansmen haven’t reached the sixth rank, so they probably can’t get through this mist.”

Zu An shook his head. “Reaching the sixth rank wouldn’t help. I just scouted ahead; the tunnel entrance up there is blocked by a collapse, and it’s quite a long blockage. Xingnu and the others shouldn’t be able to pass either.”

“Could the collapse have happened after they passed through?” Yu Yanluo asked.

“No,” Zu An replied, describing what he had just seen in the tunnel. “The collapse marks don’t look fresh; they appear to be several days old. There were also scattered tools, even shoes and hats, left behind by the workers, clearly indicating they fled in a hurry. According to the notice we saw at the supply camp, all of this happened days ago, while Xingnu and the others only arrived earlier today.”

“Then it seems they changed direction and took another tunnel, trying to bypass this collapse,” Yu Yanluo mused. The mine tunnels below were a maze of paths, so there definitely had to be other ways through, but she wasn’t sure which one.

“Let’s search nearby and see if we can find any traces they left behind. Xingnu is smart; he probably anticipated us following and would leave us information.” Zu An said as he walked back, soon reaching an open crossroads. His gaze fell upon something. “Huh, is this it?”

He pointed to a strange mark at the entrance of another mine tunnel, which looked like a small coiled snake flicking its tongue.

Yu Yanluo walked over and took a look. “Yes, this is indeed a special mark of our clan.”

Zu An complained, “Isn’t this too obvious? Anyone can tell it’s your snake clan’s mark. Others will just follow it.”

Yu Yanluo pursed her lips and shook her head. “Only those within our clan can understand this mark. Leaving it at this entrance doesn’t mean they took this tunnel. In fact, the number of coils the small snake makes, and the direction of its head and tail, indicate a secret code... Mm, they went this way.”

With that, she pointed to another mine tunnel leading southeast.

Zu An sighed, reflecting that one should never underestimate the heroes of the world, while also feeling touched by her willingness to share the Snake Clan’s secrets with him without reservation.

As the two walked toward the tunnel Xingnu and his group had taken, Yu Yanluo looked back at the black mist in the previous tunnel. “By the way, does this black mist block sound?”

“Block sound?” Zu An was taken aback. “No, it doesn’t.”

“Then why didn’t you answer me when I was calling you just now?” Yu Yanluo asked, looking at him with suspicion.

Zu An reached out a finger and gently wiped away the lingering tears at the corner of her eye. “I just wanted to see if you’d cry for me.”

Yu Yanluo: “???”

“You scoundrel!” She was so angry that she grabbed his hand and bit down hard.

Zu An pleaded for mercy repeatedly as the two playfully wrestled.

A woman might not remember the person who made her laugh, but she would never forget the one who made her cry.

After leaving several bite marks on Zu An, Yu Yanluo finally calmed down. Just as she was about to release him, a cold voice drifted from nearby:

“I wondered who had the great ability to save Yu Yanluo. So it was you.”

Yu Yanluo’s heart tensed, and she quickly turned to look.

Zu An, meanwhile, felt the hairs on his body stand on end. The voice was all too familiar—it could only be Yan Xuehen.

Truly worthy of being a Grandmaster; she had come so close without him even noticing.

“Ah, it’s Sister Immortal,” Zu An chuckled, trying to be friendly.

“Sister Immortal?” Yan Xuehen questioned the title.

Zu An explained, “Every time I’ve seen you before, the common people secretly referred to you as an immortal. In my opinion, this title is perfectly fitting; only this word can describe your ethereal and transcendent nature.”

As he flattered her, he secretly pondered a way to escape. The other party clearly meant trouble, and if a conflict truly broke out, with her Grandmaster cultivation, his side would have little chance of victory.

Yan Xuehen: “...”

“Hmph, if I recall correctly, last time you seemed to have called me something, didn’t you?” Yan Xuehen sneered. For some reason, when others praised her like this, she usually dismissed it, but coming from him, it felt somewhat agreeable.

Of course, she wasn’t foolish; she wouldn’t be easily swayed by a few flattering words.

“That’s impossible. Sister is so ethereal and transcendent, what scoundrel would dare to insult you?” Zu An said earnestly.

Yan Xuehen was expressionless. “Do you dare to say that in front of that woman Yun Jianyue?”

Zu An’s breath caught. He thought, *I accidentally cursed the Sect Master Sister too.*

Yan Xuehen snorted coldly. “Is it with this glib tongue that you’ve deceived this Medusa next to you?”

Yu Yanluo said, displeased, “I ask Sect Master Yan to respect herself.”

Yan Xuehen ignored her, looking directly at Zu An. “This Master said back then that you were not a suitable match for Chuyan, and today’s encounter proves it. As an official of the court, you are greedy for beauty, secretly rescuing a wanted criminal of the court, and colluding with the demon race. Once this crime is established, where in the world will you have a place to stand? How could Chuyan have fallen for a lustful person like you?”

Zu An also dropped his playful demeanor. “Sect Master Yan, I always thought that as a Grandmaster, your insight would be extraordinary. I didn’t expect to find you just like ordinary people today.”

“Are you lecturing me?” Yan Xuehen’s eyes turned icy.

“I’m merely reasoning with Sect Master,” Zu An replied. “Among humans, there are good people and there are scoundrels. Similarly, among the demon race, there are good and bad. Yu Yanluo has lived in Cloud City for so many years; has she ever committed a single act of harming humans? On the contrary, she has helped countless poor people.”

“Sect Master, instead of using your sword to eliminate those unscrupulous powerful figures who prey on the common people, you choose to confront someone who is benevolent. What kind of cultivation is this?”

Denying Yu Yanluo’s identity in front of Yan Xuehen was pointless, so he had to approach the argument from a different angle.

Yan Xuehen’s brows furrowed, and she snapped, “What does a young brat like you know? You didn’t experience the war between humans and demons; naturally, you don’t know the treachery of the demon race. Our White Jade Capital takes safeguarding humanity as its duty. How could a few words from you corrupt our dao heart?”

“Alright then, if it’s about safeguarding humanity,” Zu An said, casually pointing at Yu Yanluo. “Her father is human, and she has half-human blood. Why don’t you protect her?”

“She grew up in the human world, receiving human education. Look at her now, from head to toe—does she resemble a human or a demon more?”

Yan Xuehen frowned. “You’ve cultivated to such a degree, yet you’re still so fixated on appearances? The demon race often inherits power through bloodline. Once her bloodline awakens one day, her demonic nature will naturally dominate her body.”

Zu An replied, “It’s true that the demon race relies on bloodline for power, but humans also rely on the transmission of knowledge. Yu Yanluo has received human inheritance and education for so many years; could it really be inferior to demonic bloodline? If that were truly the case, how could the demon race have been defeated by humans back then?”

“Sophistry!” A flicker of displeasure crossed Yan Xuehen’s face. “You’re saying all this just because you covet her beauty. If she weren’t so pretty, would you have taken such a great risk to save her?”

Even Yu Yanluo looked at Zu An curiously, wanting to see how he would answer.