Chapter 1258: Bronze Gate

The demon clan members never expected Shi Qian to be so ruthless as to devise such a method of escape, and they scrambled to retreat as far away as possible.

The others, being further away, were relatively safe and had enough time to retreat.

However, Qiao Heng and Princess Soren, who had been standing closer out of concern for Zu An, were caught off guard by Shi Qian's attack and had no time to dodge. They could only brace themselves, pulling out their protective artifacts and attempting to withstand the attack head-on. But it was said that the Blood Explosion Art could even corrode elemental energy, and they weren't sure if their defenses would hold.

Even a single drop of this substance would spread rapidly. If it landed on their limbs, a minor touch could require gouging out the affected flesh, while a severe one might mean losing a hand or foot. But what if it landed on their face or head?

Zu An reacted quickly, instantly appearing beside Yu Yanluo and the other women. However, Yu Yanluo had already assessed the situation; with a flick of her sleeve, the swirling blood vanished instantly. She simultaneously handed a blank scroll to Zu An, instructing, "Go save them!" Although she didn't understand Zu An's relationship with the elf, she had seen him save Qiao Heng before. Clearly, he had his reasons, and she naturally couldn't stand by and do nothing.

Seeing this, Yan Xuehen was momentarily dazed. This woman was not only exquisitely beautiful, but her thoughtfulness was also beyond anything Yan Xuehen could match. No wonder all men in the world were captivated by her.

Wait, why am I concerned with this? I don't need to compete with her for anything.

Yes, that's right!

Zu An had no time to marvel at Yu Yanluo's wisdom and kindness. He immediately summoned Da Feng and teleported beside Qiao Heng. Grabbing Qiao Heng's clothes at the shoulder, he flung him aside. His immense strength sent Qiao Heng a hundred zhang away, instantly removing him from the range of the Blood Explosion Art.

Since Qiao Heng was in front and Princess Soren was behind, and the Lion Clan experts' bodies had already exploded, there was no time to throw her. Princess Soren hadn't expected him to save her. Since he could defeat Lion Spirit, she assumed he'd also have a way to deal with the Blood Explosion Art.

A hint of shyness flickered in her eyes amidst her surprise. What if he embraced her in a moment? How should she react? Romantic novels often depicted such scenes: the male protagonist would typically spin around with the heroine in his arms, exchanging passionate glances. If she appeared too cooperative, would others mistake her for being too casual? That would damage the reputation of their demon race. But if she resisted, it might discourage his desire to help.

As she pondered how to react, she suddenly saw Zu An raise his foot. The next moment, a sharp pain shot through her rear, and she was sent flying sideways like a cannonball.

Princess Soren: "???"

She was kicked away by this guy?

Yu Yanluo and Yan Xuehen, watching from a distance, were dumbfounded. Wasn't this guy a little too ungentlemanly?

Yun Jianyue, however, nodded in satisfaction: "Little Anzi is good; he upholds male virtue and isn't swayed by those seductive hussies out there."

A blush crept onto Yan Xuehen's icy skin as she recalled how Zu An had saved her, which had been much gentler. It seemed she was still different in his heart.

Yu Yanluo, on the other hand, mused that Zu An had indeed been very virtuous throughout their journey. In a place like Qingqiu Kingdom, full of fox spirits, and with the Qingqiu Queen being so beautiful, he hadn't even initiated conversation with them. Now, saving Princess Soren in this manner, he must have been trying to avoid suspicion and considering her. She guiltily glanced at Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen beside her, wondering if she should secretly find an opportunity to tell Zu Lang that he didn't need to be so cautious, lest others think she was a jealous woman.

After Zu An had kicked Princess Soren away, he unfurled the disposable blank scroll Yu Yanluo had given him. Having been with her for so long, he naturally knew how to use her items. The vast expanse of blood mist, along with the force of the explosion, was completely absorbed into the world within the painting. The originally pure white paper was completely stained crimson, and the entire scroll trembled violently, as if blood might seep through at any moment.

Zu An hastily threw it far away. Immediately afterward, the scroll could no longer hold and burst apart. However, the power of the Blood Explosion Art was greatly diminished. A cloud of blood mist rose, causing the surrounding flowers, plants, and trees to wither, and then the bloody color gradually dissipated.

By this time, Qiao Heng had recovered. He walked over and cupped his hands in a salute to Zu An: "Thank you, elder brother, for saving me. Have we met before?" He had now saved him twice in total. There must be a reason.

"It's nothing. You just seemed pleasant, so I saved you because I felt like it." Zu An didn't want to reveal his relationship with Qiao Xueying, mainly because he wasn't sure about the current relations with the elf tribe, fearing it might cause trouble for her. He decided to find an opportunity to privately inquire with Qiao Heng later.

Hearing his words, Qiao Heng's smile froze, and the other demon clan members also looked strange. Elven males were known to be handsome and delicate, and many powerful nobles liked to keep them as pets. No wonder this guy had used his hands to throw Qiao Heng aside when he saved him, but used his foot to kick Princess Soren.

Qiao Heng, however, quickly understood. The man's eyes were clear, clearly indicating no such sordid intentions. Moreover, the women accompanying him were all stunning beauties, so he clearly wasn't someone with such preferences.

The Dark Elf Duan Tiande also understood this. He felt a pang of fear. This guy was so mysterious and his cultivation was unfathomable. What if he decided to help Qiao Heng deal with him? He would be in trouble. However, the Dark Elves were skilled at concealment; he could escape as long as there was a shadow. So, after a moment of hesitation, he ultimately couldn't resist the allure of the treasure here, and decided to stay for now.

At this moment, Princess Soren also got up from the ground, secretly rubbing her sore bottom without revealing it, then addressed Zu An with a straight face: "Thank you for saving me, young master. May I know your esteemed name? From now on, you are a friend of the demon race." Although she said this, her heart surged with indignation. Never in her life had she been so discomfited, kicked in the rear in front of so many people and falling so awkwardly.

Rage points from Soren +233 +233 +233...

Zu An chuckled softly: "It was nothing; don't mention it."

The others were taken aback. They hadn't expected Zu An not to reveal his identity. After all, Princess Soren was a renowned beauty of the demon race and held a noble status; usually, others like Prince Silver Shark would eagerly try to curry favor with her. Today she actively sought to make acquaintance with a man, yet he politely refused her? Was this guy even a man?

But seeing Yu Yanluo and the other two women on the other side, the group fell silent. "This guy is a true role model for us!" they thought. He didn't even need to flatter; these stunning beauties would voluntarily cling to him.

Seeing the goddess he was currying favor with get rejected, Prince Silver Shark was quite displeased. However, he didn't step forward to intervene. Having just witnessed the man's power, he knew his place and wouldn't want to be humiliated and lose even more face. Only Princess Changning was secretly delighted. Princess Soren usually acted so arrogant, clearly looking down on her. But today, wasn't she just rejected by a man? She would have to secretly spread news of this incident later and see what she had to be so proud of.

Princess Soren was clearly surprised by his answer. But after a brief moment of astonishment, she recovered: "Young master is indeed a refined person; I fell into a common misconception."

Zu An was a little surprised. This woman was rather interesting.

Just then, a gasp suddenly came from nearby: "W-what is that!"

Everyone turned to look. The previously large mountain, which had collapsed significantly due to the battle between Zu An and Western Lion, now revealed a bronze gate. The two gate panels were extremely tall, at least dozens of meters high. This made the entire gate appear somewhat narrow.

"This is the gate to an ancient tomb!" The eyes of the group glowed with fervent excitement. After all their arduous efforts, they were finally about to reach their destination.