Chapter 1163: True Investment

Zu An looked at Yun Jianyue, touched. "So, Holy Maiden Sister, you were fighting her because you thought I was dead?"

Yan Xuehen felt a pang of bitterness. In his eyes, she had become the villain. Realizing the strangeness of her mood, she grew even more irritable.

Yun Jianyue cleared her throat. "Don't be overly grateful. You are, after all, Honglei's... good friend, and you've shown kindness to me. How could I stand idly by?" As she spoke, an idea suddenly struck her. "How about this? If you're truly grateful, become my disciple."

Zu An: "???"Yu Yanluo: "???"Another one wants to take him as a disciple? My man has become quite the hot commodity!

Yan Xuehen, standing nearby, grew anxious. "Demoness, have you no shame? I was here first!"

"He hasn't agreed to you yet," Yun Jianyue said, rolling her eyes and addressing Zu An directly. "If you become my disciple, you and Honglei will be fellow disciples, making it easier for you to be together. What's more, throughout the Holy Sect, while Honglei is the Saintess, there are many Saintess candidates to prevent any mishaps to the main Saintess. Each of them is a beauty of unparalleled charm with excellent aptitude. If you fancy any of them, you can take them as your cultivation partners and use them as you please."

Zu An: "..."Yu Yanluo: "???"

Fortunately, Yan Xuehen, standing nearby, couldn't take it anymore. "Yun, have you no shame? Are you looking for a disciple or... or..." She felt too embarrassed to utter the more unsavory words that came to mind.

Yun Jianyue said indifferently, "Given Ah Zu's aptitude, strength, and looks, not to mention his status as my disciple, those Saintess candidates would be more than eager to be his cultivation partners. What's there to be so surprised about?"

Yan Xuehen bristled. "This is truly how the Demonic Sect operates—despicable and shameless!"

Yun Jianyue scoffed. "Our Holy Sect simply faces reality. Compared to you, who clearly wants to take him in but acts as if you're reluctant to part with anything, it's just hypocrisy!"

"You!" Yan Xuehen was at a loss for a retort. She could never offer the same terms. Not only did she lack the inclination, but even if she did, the others in her sect would never agree, as it would undermine the entire philosophy of White Jade City.

She took a deep breath and looked at Zu An. "What exactly are you thinking?" She mused that while he might be a bit of a philanderer, he already had so many beauties by his side. Furthermore, he possessed a certain chivalrous spirit, so Yun Jianyue's seductive offer might not work.

Zu An thought, *Does that even need to be asked? Of course, Holy Maiden Sister's terms are the most sincere.* Just as he was about to reply, he saw her eyes, clear as water and full of anticipation. Zu An immediately changed his words. "Only children make choices. Adults, of course... want it all!"

Yan Xuehen: "..."Yun Jianyue: "..."

Zu An cleared his throat. "Both of you are supreme masters of this age. If I could become a disciple to both of you simultaneously, I'd certainly learn even more formidable skills." As for his master, the Empress, he would simply coax her later. He figured she wouldn't mind having a few more "sisters" help teach him.

Yun Jianyue, infuriated, burst into laughter instead. "You scoundrel, you've got quite the nerve! If anyone else said that, I'd guarantee to slap them to death. But you, you're truly genuine. I like your audacity."

Although Yan Xuehen was a bit displeased, she didn't refuse. Her own offer was far less appealing than Yun Jianyue's, yet he still wanted to take her as a master. Didn't that prove she was one step ahead of Yun Jianyue?

Yu Yanluo, standing by, couldn't watch anymore. "Uh, everyone, shouldn't our top priority be figuring out how to deal with that Death Worm?" These two women, with greed in their eyes, had lost all semblance of grandmasterly demeanor, as if they were fighting over a man.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue immediately realized their lapse in composure, and their expressions grew a bit awkward.

At this point, Zu An said, "Actually, I had a chance to kill it just now, but unfortunately, it detected me in advance..." He then briefly recounted what had just happened.

Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen were simultaneously startled. "What? You encountered that Death Worm again?" Realizing they had said the same thing, the two women glared at each other.

Yan Xuehen quickly asked, "What exactly is that skill of yours that allows you to evade its spiritual detection?"

"Indeed," Yun Jianyue also said, incredulous. "How did I not know you possessed such a powerful technique?" One should know that even at the peak of their powers, neither of them was confident they could conceal themselves from the other's perception at such close range. How had this fellow managed it?

"I just acquired it recently," Zu An said with an embarrassed smile. "In dark environments, I can conceal myself, but it becomes ineffective if there's light or when I attack." Since they would soon be joining forces to confront the terrifying monster, he didn't hide this information. Any misstep could lead to fatalities.

Hearing him reveal his weakness, Yan Xuehen's expression turned complex. From their recent interactions, it was clear that Zu An and Yun Jianyue had known each other for a long time, and their relationship was far from ordinary. Otherwise, Yun Jianyue wouldn't have gone berserk and attacked her upon hearing of his supposed death. Yet, she had been hunting him not long ago, and he was still willing to tell her the flaw in his skill. He truly was a gentleman...

She couldn't help but ask, "Were you planning to use that dark dagger back then?"

Zu An hesitated for a moment, then pulled out the poisoned dagger. "Yes, this thing has something like a curse on it. Any wound it inflicts instantly leads to death."

"There's such a miraculous item in the world?" Yun Jianyue was utterly shocked. "This must be a divine artifact! How do you, a mere youngster, possess so many secrets?"

Yan Xuehen was also greatly moved. Given her and Yun Jianyue's status, they had seen many divine weapons and powerful artifacts, but this was the first time they encountered something like this. Even they felt a flicker of desire. She said in a deep voice, "In the future, don't easily show this item to others. As the saying goes, 'a treasure invites trouble.' It will easily attract the covetous gaze of powerful individuals from all over the world."

Yu Yanluo was about to offer a warning, but hearing Yan Xuehen speak up, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Zu An smiled. "You're not outsiders, and besides, we're all in the same boat now. I can't hide this crucial information from you."

"Not outsiders..." Yan Xuehen's heart skipped a beat, her face became somewhat unnatural, and she dared not look into his eyes again.

"With this, it's indeed possible to eliminate the Death Worm," Yun Jianyue's voice chimed in. "However, at the Grandmaster realm, one is extremely sensitive to external killing intent. The Death Worm's power is no weaker than mine or that Ice Maiden's, and with the added boost of animal instinct, it will be even more sensitive than us. Furthermore, it can always burrow into the ground and move stealthily. So, even if you sneak up to it, the moment you decide to attack, your invisibility will vanish, it will simultaneously sense your killing intent, and it will easily dodge and counter-kill you."

"I have a solution for that," Yan Xuehen said. "I'll teach you a passage from the *Taishang Forgetting Emotions Scripture*. It can help you conceal your killing intent. As long as you strike from a sufficiently close distance, the target shouldn't have time to react."

Yun Jianyue was surprised. "You're even teaching *that* to him?"

Yan Xuehen said lightly, "This concerns the safety of humanity. He's risking his life to save the people; how could I be stingy with a mere cultivation technique? Moreover, he has already agreed to become my disciple, so passing this art to him isn't against our sect rules."

Yun Jianyue sighed. "You, woman, though you're usually a bit rigid, a bit temperamental, and a bit annoying... today, I truly admire you somewhat."

Hearing her string of adjectives, Yan Xuehen's eyelid twitched. "Thank you very much."

Yu Yanluo transmitted her voice via vital energy: "Ah Zu, your fortune has arrived. The *Taishang Forgetting Emotions Scripture* is the supreme scripture of White Jade City. Yan Xuehen relies on this very cultivation method to shake the world." As she spoke, a strong sense of crisis welled up within her. These women were truly going all out to win Ah Zu over!

To her surprise, Zu An looked hesitant. "Uh, I'm a worldly person. What I love most is romance and affection. If I practice this thing of yours, will I become completely emotionless, a detached Taoist? If so, then I won't practice it."

Yun Jianyue laughed, bending over backwards. "Ice Maiden, you've finally met your match!"

Yan Xuehen: "..."

Rage points from Yan Xuehen +574 +574 +574...