Chapter 1143: Escape to Freedom

"Ah!" Yu Yanluo shrieked. As a master herself, her insight was far from ordinary. She racked her brains, but couldn't conceive of any way Zu An could escape his predicament. She wanted to help, but the opponent's Absolute Freezing Domain was too overwhelming, making it difficult for her to move her body.

Her beautiful eyes began to turn crimson. Medusa's Eye was not an unlimited skill; each activation severely drained her energy. Moreover, her bloodline wasn't fully awakened yet, so each use put an even greater strain on her body. She had already used it twice consecutively and could barely stand it; another use now would mean burning her life force. To have any effect on a Grandmaster, a partial activation was pointless. She would have to use her full power, which might completely deplete her life force. But now, she couldn't care less about these consequences; her only thought was to save Zu An.

Yan Xuehen also noticed the stir from Yu Yanluo's side and subtly diverted some of her power as a precaution. Being within the Absolute Freezing Domain already granted her some resistance to Medusa's Gaze. She was confident she could eliminate Zu An first, then handle Yu Yanluo with ample ease.

Just as she was about to strike, she suddenly heard a clear phoenix cry, and then a golden phoenix materialized before her. Startled, she assumed it was some strange skill of his. A shimmering aura surrounded her, capable of deflecting even a Grandmaster's blow. Yet, the golden phoenix seemed intangible, passing straight through her luminous defense and into her body.

Yan Xuehen: "What?"

Utterly stunned, she quickly channeled her energy to investigate, but found absolutely no abnormalities or discomfort within herself. As a Grandmaster, she had absolute control over her physical state, and if no abnormality was detected, then there was no issue. But what was that golden phoenix just now? It couldn't have been an illusion, could it? At that moment, she couldn't dwell on it. She decided to finish off Zu An first, then slowly recover and investigate.

But as her sword hovered a mere 0.001 centimeters from his brow, her gaze suddenly fell upon the wound on his chest. It was a wound she had inflicted earlier with her sword! For some reason, a sudden pang of heartache and regret struck her. She felt that hurting him was more unbearable than being hurt herself.

Fragments of their acquaintance surfaced in her mind. Previously, she had only seen his flaws: how he might jeopardize her disciple's future cultivation, his glib tongue and womanizing ways, his collusion with demons, his practice of dark arts... But now, she suddenly considered that Chu Yan had always seemed unwilling to sever ties with him. This man possessed extraordinary talent; perhaps they could even assist each other on their cultivation paths, and it might not necessarily be a hindrance. While outwardly glib, he was in fact unyielding, refusing to yield to her even when facing death. As for his womanizing ways, what normal man wouldn't be attracted to a woman as breathtakingly beautiful as Yu Yanluo? Furthermore, Yu Yanluo was worldly and experienced, surrounded by many exceptional men, yet she had never shown such affection towards anyone before. Now, she was even willing to sacrifice her life for Zu An, which proved they were genuinely in love, not just superficially drawn to physical beauty. As for colluding with demons, Yu Yanluo had saved him previously, so it was only right for Zu An to protect her now. If he were to abandon her at the first sign of danger, wouldn't that make him heartless and ungrateful? Regarding his practice of dark arts, there had been no reports of Zu An harming righteous individuals over the years. Instead, many evil masters had fallen by his hand.

Did she truly want to kill such a courageous, loyal, and unyielding man?

...

When one's impression of another changes, the same event can be interpreted in entirely different ways. As these thoughts ran through her mind, her sword slowly lowered, her piercing gaze softened, and the killing intent within it gradually dissipated.

Yu Yanluo, watching from the side, quickly ceased her activation of Medusa's Gaze. She couldn't understand why Yan Xuehen would suddenly show mercy. Regardless, it was a positive development. She feared that any movement from her might prompt Yan Xuehen to change her mind, so she held her breath.

Yan Xuehen's expression was equally peculiar at that moment. A hint of bashfulness and vexation flashed across her face as she wondered if he would resent her for her recent actions. He surely would. How could she compare to Yu Yanluo's tenderness and consideration? Her brows furrowed and relaxed in turns, making Zu An, facing her, afraid to even breathe, lest he accidentally provoke her.

"It seems I've passed the test?" Zu An's expression was equally odd. Moments earlier, on the brink of despair, he had suddenly remembered a skill he'd never used. It was the Golden Phoenix ability he had awakened after his breakthrough. According to the Golden Phoenix's skill description, it could make women fall in love with him after activation. However, Zu An had always considered this skill rather useless. He prided himself on being handsome, dashing, and undeniably charming, embodying all desirable traits. He already had numerous female confidantes without needing to resort to such a skill. And each of them was a goddess in the eyes of others.

Furthermore, he disliked this ability. He believed that relationships with women should be based on mutual affection and understanding. What was the difference between relying on this skill and cheating? How was it different from the despicable scoundrels in the martial world who used aphrodisiacs? Thus, this skill had always been put aside, never once used.

But now, cornered and desperate, his survival instinct had led him to grasp at any straw. If he died, Yu Yanluo's fate would undoubtedly be tragic. Moreover, Chu Yan, Manman, Zheng Dan... they were all waiting for his return. He absolutely could not surrender to his fate so easily. However, he had little confidence in using this skill. First, he had never used it before and didn't know its effects. Second, his opponent was a mighty Grandmaster, and it might not work on her. Even if it did work, it might not stop her from killing him... Fortunately, the outcome was positive.

At that moment, Yan Xuehen produced a bottle of healing medicine from her robe. "This is the Ice Heart Creation Pill from White Jade Capital. Take one orally, and crush another to apply to your wound. It should help with your injuries."

Yu Yanluo, whose nerves were tightly strung, nearly had her eyes pop out when she witnessed this. Had she misheard? It was more than just 'helpful'. Years ago, due to her beauty, many masters, eager to impress her, had spoken at length about the Ice Heart Creation Pill of White Jade Capital. It was rumored to revive the dead and regrow bones, hailed as the finest healing panacea under heaven. The ingredients required for its refinement were exceedingly rare, making each pill priceless. Those masters had all lamented their inability to acquire it, claiming it would grant them an extra life. Yet, Yan Xuehen casually handed this highly coveted treasure to Zu An, and even instructed him to use one for external application? If that master knew about this, he would likely curse her for such wanton waste, perhaps even spitting blood from sheer vexation!

One moment, Yan Xuehen was trying to kill Zu An, and the next, she was treating his wounds? Moreover, her tone now, compared to her previous aloofness, seemed to carry a hint of tenderness, even a touch of trepidation, as if she had made a mistake but was too embarrassed to admit it due to her status. Furthermore, she noticed Yan Xuehen deliberately turning her face away, yet secretly glancing at Zu An from time to time. The subtle movement in her eyes showed none of her previous icy coldness; instead, there was a certain... tender affection? The thought immediately startled her. How could that be possible? She instantly dismissed the conjecture, instead surmising that Yan Xuehen was likely considering the relationship between Zu An and her disciple, or perhaps simply valuing talent...

As Yu Yanluo pondered fanciful notions, Zu An swallowed hard, feeling a prickle of unease from being gazed at by such a 'tigress'. The crucial thing was not knowing how long the Golden Phoenix's effect would last, or how profound its influence would be.

"No need, my body can recover on its..." He started to decline, but then noticed her eyebrows arching as if she were about to get angry, which made him quickly change his tune. "Thank you, Master."

After speaking, he reached out and took the porcelain bottle, his fingers brushing against her hand. It felt as cold as a thousand-year-old ice, yet possessed the smooth luster of fine jade. Yan Xuehen recoiled her hand as if shocked, a faint blush creeping up her neck. She felt somewhat strange; after so many years of cultivation, she had never experienced such a sensation before. And why was her heart pounding so violently?

He took an Ice Heart Creation Pill right in front of her, and instantly felt his vital energy surge to life. The internal and external injuries sustained from his recent battle with her visibly began to heal. Zu An was astonished. The pill's effect was nearly comparable to the "Spring Brother Red Potion" he could draw, though slightly slower. However, as his cultivation advanced, those red potions could no longer fully heal him, only treating about half of his injuries. The Ice Heart Creation Pill, however, presented no such issue. Its potent medicinal properties made him feel that it would be effective even for injuries sustained by Masters or Grandmasters. Even Ji Dengtu's Jade Marrow Revitalization Pill was three degrees inferior by comparison.

Zu An seized the opportunity to speak. "Master, I will surely repay your kindness for this medicine one day. We have urgent matters to attend to, so we shall take our leave now." Fearing she might change her mind, he quickly went to support Yu Yanluo, and they vanished into the distant mine shaft.

Seeing the two embracing, a flicker of displeasure crossed Yan Xuehen's brow, accompanied by an urge to pull them apart. The moment this thought surfaced, she was startled, standing rooted to the spot, her face etched with profound confusion. "What is happening to me?"