Chapter 1179: The Battlefield of Asura

Just then, Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo walked over.

Seeing them, Yan Xuehen quickly turned her face away. Zu An also tacitly withdrew his hand and simultaneously removed the sound barrier around them.

"How is it? What's the effect?" Yun Jianyue asked.

"It's alright," Yan Xuehen replied somewhat unnaturally. Far more than just "alright," she certainly didn't want to experience that situation again.

"What do you mean 'alright'?" Yun Jianyue frowned, looking at Yan Xuehen's flushed cheeks. She wondered how this "Ice Stone Woman" could have such a delicate side, but she attributed it to the healing process's heat and didn't think much further. "Ah Zu, what was the actual effect?"

Zu An replied, "The toxins in her body have been separated from her meridians and organs, and her internal injuries have been treated. A few more sessions should be enough to completely eradicate them."

"A few more?" Yan Xuehen gasped, her face turning so red it looked like blood might seep through.

"What's wrong with you?" Yun Jianyue asked suspiciously. "He spent so much energy healing you, and you're still unwilling?"

"I... I just..." Yan Xuehen's face was beet red; she couldn't explain the true reason to Yun Jianyue.

Yu Yanluo, standing nearby, looked thoughtful. She had personally experienced how it felt to be healed by Zu An, so she wondered if Yan Xuehen had also...

However, they had been standing nearby, and hadn't heard any unusual sounds.

Zu An cleared his throat slightly. "Actually, Sect Master Yan can rest for a while first. Once she recovers a bit more, she can use her own cultivation to heal, so she might not necessarily need me anymore."

Hearing him say this, Yan Xuehen breathed a sigh of relief, her gaze towards him filled with gratitude.

Yu Yanluo's attention was on her lover. Suddenly, she exclaimed, "Ah Zu, what happened to your hand?"

Yan Xuehen's expression instantly became unnatural; there seemed to be a faint lipstick mark still on his hand.

Zu An withdrew his hand and chuckled. "It's nothing. Sect Master Yan was deeply poisoned just now, so I let out some blood to help her detoxify."

Yu Yanluo couldn't bring herself to blame Yan Xuehen. Instead, with a pained heart, she cleaned and bandaged her lover's wound. She paused slightly when she saw the faint lipstick mark, but ultimately said nothing.

Zu An said, "It's really nothing. My recovery ability is very good; the wound has practically healed already."

Yun Jianyue exclaimed in surprise, "Your blood can detoxify? Don't let anyone else find out, or who knows how many old monsters will want to use your blood for alchemy."

Zu An replied, "Don't worry, we're all family here; it won't spread outside."

"Family..." Hearing that term, the three women present had varied expressions.

Yun Jianyue patted Yan Xuehen's shoulder. "Since you now have his bloodline within you, you truly count as one of us."

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Yan Xuehen glared at her arch-rival, both embarrassed and angry. "Having his bloodline" sounded as if she were pregnant with his child.

"You drank his blood, so doesn't that mean his bloodline is in you? I didn't say anything wrong." Yun Jianyue scoffed disdainfully, then looked at Zu An with a strange expression. "Brat, you're really going all out. You're not actually trying to woo this Ice Stone Woman, are you?"

Yan Xuehen wished she could find a hole to crawl into. How could this "Demoness" be so unrestrained with her words, showing no trace of a senior master's demeanor?

Zu An gave an awkward laugh. "Sister Sect Master, you're joking. She's Chuyan's master, so naturally, I'd do my best to save her. Even if you were injured, I wouldn't stand by and do nothing."

Yun Jianyue's expression softened slightly. "At least you know what to say, kid."

She had only teased casually. Having been rivals with Yan Xuehen for so many years, she knew the "Ice Stone Woman" too well, understanding that she wasn't the type to get involved with men. She hadn't expected her casual jibe to actually hit upon the truth.

Yan Xuehen, however, turned pale, and her expression suddenly became crestfallen. "Is it only because I'm Chuyan's master?"

*Sigh*, what was she even thinking? He was Chuyan's husband.

Despite constantly admonishing herself, she couldn't hide the bitterness in her heart.

Realizing this, she was stunned. Had she truly fallen in love with her disciple's man?

Just then, hearing Yun Jianyue still chattering by her ear, she felt annoyed and blurted out, "If you're so jealous, why don't you let Zu An treat you too?"

Yun Jianyue immediately jumped. "Me, jealous of you? Besides, what's there to be jealous about in something like this?"

Yan Xuehen said, "You're seriously injured, so of course you need treatment."

She thought that she shouldn't suffer alone. If Yun Jianyue also experienced that shameful feeling, they would be even, and Yun Jianyue wouldn't have the nerve to mock her again.

"Never mind. Although my injuries are severe, my cultivation can still circulate on its own, and my self-healing speed isn't slow. There's no need to trouble Ah Zu," Yun Jianyue said, shaking her head after seeing the fine sweat on Zu An's forehead.

After speaking, Yan Xuehen also felt some regret. She knew how arduous the healing process was; Zu An had expended a great deal of energy and vital essence. His body might not be able to endure another session.

Moreover, for some reason, she didn't want Yun Jianyue to experience that feeling either. It was a secret belonging only to her and Zu An.

Zu An also knew that although Yun Jianyue's injuries were severe, they hadn't damaged her fundamental essence and weren't life-threatening, so he didn't insist.

If he were to let her experience that shameful feeling in this situation, it would undoubtedly lead to a chaotic scene.

At this point, Yu Yanluo said, "I just searched the vicinity and found a path leading to the Snake Tribe. The mine entrance is completely sealed now, so why don't you come with me to the Snake Tribe and detour back to the human world from there?"

Yan Xuehen frowned slightly. In the past, she would have flatly refused, perhaps even calling for a fight upon hearing "Snake Tribe." However, she had recently faced life and death with Yu Yanluo and had even been saved by her, so it would be rude to refuse now.

Yun Jianyue, on the other hand, readily agreed. "I've always wanted to see the demon race; this is a good opportunity."

Zu An naturally had no objections, so the group's destination was decided.

The group then set off, but immediately encountered a problem.

Although Yan Xuehen was mostly detoxified, she was still extremely weak and couldn't walk at all.

Both Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo were injured; moving on their own was already their limit, so they couldn't carry anyone else.

Ultimately, this task fell to Zu An.

In the past, Yan Xuehen would have probably refused outright. But now, after a glance at Zu An, she gave a barely perceptible nod. "Thank you for your trouble."

"Don't be so formal," Zu An smiled, then stepped forward to carry her.

Yan Xuehen's face flushed slightly, and she quickly said, "How about a piggyback instead?"

Being carried in his arms in a princess carry was far too intimate. With Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo watching, she simply couldn't bring herself to allow it.

Zu An paused for a moment but didn't refuse. He squatted in front of her, patting his back to signal her to climb on.

Yan Xuehen hesitated for a moment, then gently leaned onto his back.

As Zu An supported her thighs and felt the warmth from his palms, her entire body instantly tensed.

Fortunately, his hands didn't move around, which allowed her to relax slightly.

Next, Yu Yanluo led the way, Zu An carried Yan Xuehen on his back, and Yun Jianyue walked beside them.

Initially, due to shyness, Yan Xuehen didn't want her chest pressed tightly against his back, so she secretly propped herself up with her hands on his back, trying to keep her body as far from his as possible.

Zu An naturally noticed her unusual behavior and, suppressing a laugh, said nothing.

Just then, a crisp slap echoed through the tunnel.

Yan Xuehen, both embarrassed and angry, turned her head to glare at Yun Jianyue. "Demoness, what are you doing?!"

"Nothing much, just wanted to smack you," Yun Jianyue admitted frankly. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time."

After saying that, she slapped Yan Xuehen's backside again, remarking smugly, "Feels quite nice, actually."

Yan Xuehen nearly fainted from anger, but in her current state, she couldn't resist. She fumed, "Demoness, when I recovered faster than you earlier, I promised not to take advantage of you. How can you be so ungrateful?"

She had taken the Ice Heart Creation Pill, which had a much better effect than the Jade Marrow Revival Pill Yun Jianyue had taken.

Yun Jianyue naturally remembered this. She chuckled and said, "You promised not to bully me, but I never promised not to bully you."

Yan Xuehen trembled with rage. "As expected of a demoness from the Demonic Cult!"

Zu An couldn't help but interject, "Sister Sect Master, she's weak right now, don't bully her anymore."

Yun Jianyue's face darkened. "Oh, so you have a new favorite and you forget the old one? Who knew you first? Which of us has been better to you?"

Anger points from Yun Jianyue +654, +654, +654...

She and Yan Xuehen had been rivals for so many years. Their cultivation, intelligence, and even appearance were quite similar, yet Yan Xuehen was always honored as a distinguished guest wherever she went. While Yun Jianyue wasn't exactly reviled, she could feel people's fear and distance towards her.

It didn't matter what others did; she didn't care. But now, Zu An had only known that "Ice Stone Woman" for a short time, yet he was acting this way. How could she not be heartbroken?