Chapter 1308: Demon Clan Royal Court

Yan Xuehen’s face instantly paled. Feeling a pang of guilt, she was afraid Zu An would reveal the truth.

Yu Yanluo’s eyes showed a hint of confusion. She instinctively thought of Zu An’s Primordial Chaos Sutra, recalling how he had used it to heal her wounds.

However, would Abbot Yan approve of that healing method?

Yun Jianyue wasn't overthinking things; her gaze was simply murderous. She had suffered at Yan Xuehen’s hands today, and now realized this guy was the true culprit. The thought of Yan Xuehen seeing her private side made her incredibly uncomfortable.

Rage points from Yun Jianyue +444 +444 +444...

Startled by the string of rage points appearing in the background, Zu An quickly explained, "What I meant was that I sensed the elemental energy emanating from those spirit springs far away in the Great Snow Mountain. That's why I took her there to soak, and it indeed had a miraculous effect."

Yan Xuehen thought to herself, *This guy lies without batting an eyelid. You were frozen stiff like a dead dog back then; I was the one who found those hot springs and led you there.* Of course, she wasn't foolish enough to jump out and correct him at that moment. His explanation perfectly accounted for her recovery.

As expected, upon hearing about the Snow Maiden's pursuit, both women's expressions changed. However, learning that the two had successfully escaped and found a miraculous hot spring immediately gave them a sense of hope in a desperate situation.

"That hot spring sounds amazing! I'd love to try it sometime," Yu Yanluo said, her eyes sparkling.

"Count me in," Yun Jianyue said coolly.

Yan Xuehen felt an inexplicable twinge of guilt. The hot spring was indeed miraculous, but its main effect was to dissolve the Snow Maiden's cold poison. The true healing came from Zu An... If the two women were to visit the site in the future, they would likely immediately grow suspicious.

*Sigh, never mind, I won't think about it. At worst, I'll just avoid being with them later. Even if they have doubts, they won't be able to confirm them with me.*

At this moment, Yun Jianyue sighed with emotion, "No wonder the Great Snow Mountain has been a forbidden zone for life for thousands of years. It turns out such powerful beings reside there."

Yan Xuehen instinctively nodded. "Indeed, and from what I can tell, there's more than just one powerful being in the Great Snow Mountain."

Yun Jianyue unconsciously nodded, but upon realizing it was Yan Xuehen, she immediately snorted and turned her head away.

Zu An quickly intervened to smooth things over. "So, it's best to avoid places like the Great Snow Mountain. We only passed by the periphery and encountered such formidable individuals. If we were to truly venture deep inside, it would be a death trap."

The women all agreed, no longer considering venturing into the Great Snow Mountain to find the hot spring. Yan Xuehen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Next, Zu An recounted his experiences in Yunzhong Commandery. Yun Jianyue couldn't help but snort, "This dog emperor truly doesn't know what's good for him. You worked so hard for him, and he repays you like this! I say, forget about serving this court. Come join our Holy Sect, and I'll make you..." Mid-sentence, she suddenly recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier, and her face flushed. She couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence.

Yan Xuehen, of course, knew why she reacted that way, but Yu Yanluo was completely in the dark, constantly feeling that these people were acting strangely, as if they were hiding something from her.

However, she was more concerned about something else: "A'Zu, Minister Sang was right. You're in too much danger on the demon side. After all, you defeated the Golden Crow Crown Prince. No matter how generous the Demon Emperor is, he won't let you go."

Zu An smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, I have a solution." As he spoke, he pulled out a thin mask. "Since I was gone for the past few days, I can now change my appearance and my name. The demon race will just assume I've returned to the human realm and won't know I'm still here." While the "Thousand Faces" technique offered more freedom, having to use a cute girl's voice changer every time before using it was truly mortifying. The masks he got back in Black Wind Stockade were much more convenient.

Seeing him transform into a different face, the women immediately felt a bit uncomfortable, but they still marveled at the mask's exquisite craftsmanship.

"By the way, what alias do you plan to use?" Yu Yanluo asked curiously.

Zu An blurted out, "I'll go by Yan Zu." This way, even if the three women habitually called out "A'Zu," others wouldn't suspect anything. Furthermore, if demon spies reported back to the human realm in the future, they could pin everything on this "Yan Zu," diverting suspicion from him.

"Yan Zu?" Yu Yanluo's heart swelled with sweetness. "Zu" was naturally from "A'Zu," and "Yan" sounded like "Yan" in her own name! A'Zu was so thoughtful.

Yan Xuehen's cheeks turned slightly red, and her heart pounded. She wondered, *Why would he use my surname for his new name? Is he hinting at something or trying to express something?* *Oh no, it would be terrible if the other two found out.*

Yun Jianyue, however, frowned. *'Yan' is half of Chu Yan's name. This guy incorporated Chu Yan's name. What about our Honglei?*

Zu An had no idea that a casual remark from him would lead to such wild speculation among these women.

For the next period, the journey was a constant switch between Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen bickering and fighting. At first, Yu Yanluo and Zu An tried to mediate, but eventually, they became numb to it and just let them be. Zu An had originally wanted to find an opportunity to talk properly with Yan Xuehen, but Yun Jianyue was constantly with her, inseparable as glue, making it impossible for him to approach. He had no choice but to abandon the idea and instead began studying the Lion's Roar Skill he had plundered from Lion Spirit, as well as the more profound "Elucidation of the Drop of Heavenly Marrow" he had obtained from the Marquis Sui's ancient tomb.

Unconsciously, time passed, and they finally arrived near the Demon King's Court. Gazing at the magnificent city on the horizon, Zu An couldn't help but exclaim, "I thought the Demon King's Court would be a collection of large tents! I never expected it to be a city no less impressive than the capital." Although the details were somewhat cruder, it possessed a unique beauty. It was also remarkably adept at using vibrant colors, perfectly blending grandeur with liveliness.

Yan Xuehen said, "At their peak, the demon race was the master of this world. Although they are in decline now, with their strength and aesthetic sense, they are perfectly capable of rebuilding such a grand city."

Yun Jianyue nodded. "Setting aside racial conflicts, there are indeed many things we can learn from the demon race."

Yu Yanluo was about to say something when her gaze suddenly sharpened. "Those people seem to be coming for us. Everyone, be careful."

A troop of riders galloped closer. Unusually, they were not riding horses, but fierce lions. Soon, the riders halted before them. The lions in their throats rumbled with low growls, while the giant lizards pulling the serpent-tribe carriage flicked their tongues, their vertical pupils gleaming with a dangerous light.

"Where is Queen Medusa?" the three leading knights, who possessed an extraordinary aura and a valiant appearance, demanded in an unfriendly tone.

"Lion Tribe!" the serpent-tribe members noted a common feature among them: a ring of brownish-yellow whiskers, the distinguishing mark of the Lion Tribe. The more golden and dense the whiskers, the stronger the individual usually was. The whiskers of the three at the front were particularly striking.

"What business do you have with our Queen?" Xing Nu asked from outside the carriage.

One of them snorted. "I'm speaking to your Queen. You're not qualified."

Zu An's brow furrowed. "Are all members of the Lion Tribe so arrogant?"

Fearing he might lose his temper, Yu Yanluo quickly said, "I'll go out and see what's happening. Now that we're at the Royal Court, it's better to act discreetly." With that, she opened the carriage door and stepped out. "I am Queen Medusa, whom you seek. Why have you come?"

The leading knights, initially arrogant, were utterly stunned upon seeing Yu Yanluo. Their eyes widened in admiration, then greedily fixated on her face, while their gazes continued to scan her body.

"It is said that Queen Medusa's beauty is unmatched under heaven. Seeing you today, the rumors are indeed true," the leader praised. "I am Shi Min, the third son of the Lion King. This is my fifth brother, Shi Gong, and my seventh brother, Shi Rong. We have no other intention this time but to ask Queen Medusa to hand over the human who bullied our eighth brother."

Inside the carriage, everyone frowned. How did they know it was Zu An who beat up Shi Ling?