Chapter 1185: A Lesson Like Charity

Before Zu'an could answer, Yu Yanluo's expression had already darkened. "He's not a guard," she stated coldly, "he's my man!"

Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen exchanged subtle nods. Despite her delicate appearance, this woman was surprisingly resolute in crucial moments.

Elders Bai and Qing were taken aback. The marriage of their queen was a monumental affair, critical to the safety and future of their race. They had been planning powerful alliances through marriage with friendly tribes, never anticipating that their queen had already pledged herself to someone.

Xiaobai, on the other hand, merely pouted. "He's the chieftain's consort," he thought. "I've known that for ages. What's the big deal?"

Crown Prince Jinwu's face contorted in a dark rage. "You actually chose a human to be your man!" he exclaimed.

Just moments before, he had been admiring her beauty, contemplating how marvelous it would be to claim this stunning Medusa as his own. Now, learning she already had a man, all those fantasies burst like bubbles. The greater his prior elation, the more intense his current fury.

Though Yu Yanluo was divinely beautiful, he harbored an extreme obsession with purity, preferring only virgins. Even the mere thought of her having a beloved, let alone physical intimacy, made him consider her impure. The realization that this human had claimed her first ignited a blazing fury within him.

Crown Prince Jinwu's rage surged, registering +444, +444, +444...

"Whom I choose is my own affair, Crown Prince," Yu Yanluo stated coolly. "You needn't concern yourself." Displeased by his disrespect toward Zu'an, she chose to drop the honorific "Crown Prince" altogether.

Zu'an walked over, gently encircling her waist with his arm. He fixed Crown Prince Jinwu with a cold stare. "We are a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman deeply in love," he retorted. "Who are you, a mere 'bird-man,' to object?" He had already taken note of the Crown Prince's arrogance, particularly the blatant possessiveness in his gaze as he ogled Yu Yanluo's body, and had been simmering with irritation.

All bystanders blanched. Publicly calling Crown Prince Jinwu a "bird-man" was an immense offense; if word reached the Demon Emperor, it would be an unforgivable crime. Elders Bai and Qing, in particular, were seething, silently cursing Zu'an. They even extended their blame to their own queen for rashly arranging this engagement with such an arrogant man. They feared the entire Snake race would be implicated by his actions, inviting catastrophe.

"Bird-man?" Crown Prince Jinwu's face darkened instantly. "You're asking for death!"

Crown Prince Jinwu's rage surged even higher, registering +521, +521, +521...

Zu'an scoffed coldly. "Want a fight? I'm ready anytime." He felt his fists itching for a fight, eager to give the Crown Prince a good thrashing.

Crown Prince Jinwu cast a disdainful glance at him. "A mere ninth-rank," he sneered. "You're not even worthy of my personal attention." While it was difficult for ordinary individuals to discern someone's precise cultivation level, the Jinwu clan possessed the Sun True Eyes, which allowed them to perceive a target's actual strength. His narrow eyes flicked to a subordinate beside him. "For the Medusa Queen's sake, spare his life," he commanded. "Just break his legs and tear out his tongue."

Everyone's expression shifted drastically. The Crown Prince spoke of such cruel acts so casually, as if delivering a great boon. Just then, a golden flash erupted behind him as a gold-armored warrior unsheathed his sword and lunged at Zu'an with lightning speed.

Elders Bai and Qing were profoundly shocked. A mere guard by Crown Prince Jinwu's side possessed ninth-rank cultivation; the imperial family's true power was truly terrifying. They wondered if they themselves, in Zu'an's position, could withstand such a swift sword attack. If their queen hadn't been injured, she could have likely blocked it with her Medusa innate abilities. But now, with her injuries, it seemed this man was certainly doomed.

"Perhaps," they thought, "this is an opportunity to make the queen give up on him and seek a new alliance within the demon tribes." The previous queen's stubborn insistence on allying with a human had nearly led to the annihilation of their entire Snake race. They had no desire to relive such an ordeal.

However, the expected screams and wails never came. Instead, an eerie silence settled. The two quickly pulled their gazes to the scene, and what they saw nearly made their eyes pop out of their sockets. For at that moment, the lightning-fast sword was held firmly between two fingers, utterly unmoving, no matter how hard the gold-armored warrior strained.

Nearby, Xiaoqing secretly tugged at Xiaobai's sleeve. "Sister, sister," she whispered, "this guy is so handsome." Xiaobai nodded in profound agreement. The gold-armored warrior strained with all his might, his face turning crimson like a pig's liver, while Zu'an stood there effortlessly, seemingly as light as a cloud. The contrast made him appear exceptionally handsome.

With a flick of Zu'an's finger, the long sword snapped in half, and the warrior was sent flying backward by a powerful backlash, landing ignominiously at Crown Prince Jinwu's feet.

Yun Jianyue nudged Yan Xuehen with her elbow. "Did you notice?" she whispered. "This guy's strength seems to far exceed the theoretical limits for his rank." Given the recent humiliation of having her backside spanked, Yan Xuehen had initially intended to ignore her. However, hearing Zu'an mentioned, she hesitated before finally replying, "His strength cannot be gauged by conventional ranks. Not only is he invincible among his peers, but he could even hold his own against you or me."

Yun Jianyue gave her a questioning look. "What's with that proud expression on your face?" she teased. "You look as if he's *your* man." Yan Xuehen bristled, about to retort, when a sharp shout suddenly cut through the air.

"Useless!"

It was Crown Prince Jinwu, who, seeing his subordinate in such a sorry state, felt his prestige was diminished and was now reprimanding him. He then lifted his gaze to Zu'an, a dangerous glint flickering in his narrow eyes. "A little stronger than I thought," he remarked, "but nothing more."

An invisible murderous intent pervaded the council hall, making the atmosphere incredibly tense. Crown Prince Jinwu radiated boundless malevolence, causing the distant Snake clan maids and guards to tremble. In contrast to the Crown Prince's overt aggression, Zu'an remained utterly composed, like a gentle breeze sweeping over a mountain or a bright moon reflecting on a vast river.

Yu Yanluo spoke with a cold voice. "Though you are the Crown Prince, this is Snake clan territory. Azu is my man. Your continuous aggression toward him is an attack on our entire Snake clan. Are you seeking to declare war?"

Hearing her call him "her man," Crown Prince Jinwu's eyelids twitched. "Medusa Queen, your words are excessive," he countered. "How can a mere human represent the Snake clan? Furthermore, he just offended me, so it's only right that I teach him a lesson."

As soon as the words left his lips, without waiting for a reply, he extended his large hand. Though he remained stationary, his hands morphed into an enormous Golden Crow's claw. It seemed to transcend space, lunging directly for Zu'an's head, as if to crush him into dust.

"Mercy!" Elders Bai and Qing cried out in alarm. While they held Zu'an in low regard, their queen stood right beside him, and the might of this claw was so immense that even she might not escape harm. Ordinarily, they might have been pleased if something happened to Yu Yanluo. But having just received the Golden Crow Order, their journey to the royal court was fraught with uncertainty. If something were to befall their queen, they would be next in line to face those dangers, so they naturally wished to avoid such a scenario.

The two elders acted in perfect coordination, attempting to block the attack and protect their queen behind them. Naturally, they dared not offend Crown Prince Jinwu, so their movements were purely defensive, without any hint of aggression. However, both were swiftly horrified when their defenses were effortlessly pierced. The Golden Crow's claw, entirely unhindered, had already appeared before Zu'an.

The two elders' faces turned ashen. They had lived for far longer than Crown Prince Jinwu, yet they couldn't believe that even their combined efforts failed to block a single strike from him. As the heir to the next Demon Emperor, Crown Prince Jinwu was rumored to be invincible among the younger generation of countless demon tribes. Witnessing him today, he was even more formidable than the legends suggested. The male consort the queen had chosen was likely doomed this time.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue also wore solemn expressions. "In the human world," Yun Jianyue mused, "who among the younger generation could be his match?"

"Forget the younger generation," Yan Xuehen responded, "even among the older generation, not many would surpass him."