Chapter 1318: Upwards No Way, Downwards No Door

This oppressive spiritual force could only belong to the legendary Demon Emperor.

Zu An secretly felt fortunate that the divine sense had first scanned the small animals he controlled with his jade cong; otherwise, if it had scanned him directly, he would have had nowhere to run.

At this moment, the Demon Emperor evidently realized the abnormality of the small animals. A cold snort echoed in Zu An's mind, and the animals instantly exploded into clouds of blood mist.

Zu An cried out in pain, instinctively covering his head with one hand.

"A'Zu, what's wrong?" Qiao Xueying was startled and asked anxiously.

"Nothing," Zu An shook his head vigorously, dispelling the discomfort in his mind. He was fortunate that he had controlled those small animals through his jade cong, not with his own spiritual essence. Otherwise, this shock would have damaged his soul, if not turned him into an idiot, potentially leaving him unable to recover for the rest of his life.

However, he had no time to be relieved, as he felt that terrifying divine thought rapidly sweeping around. Once locked onto, he would be finished.

But how could his speed ever match that of an Earth Immortal's divine sense?

Fortunately, he saw a large ornamental lake nearby, so he immediately picked up Qiao Xueying and jumped in.

He activated the power of the Blue Drake, forming a transparent bubble around them. Then, holding Qiao Xueying, he quickly sank to the bottom and burrowed into the mud.

Thankfully, the water bubble isolated them, preventing them from being soiled by the mud.

Zu An used the Blue Drake to merge their aura with the surrounding water environment, while simultaneously circulating the *Treatise of Supreme Detachment* and the *Clear Mirror Not a Stand* techniques to conceal their presence.

Qiao Xueying, being incredibly clever, immediately followed suit and also concealed her aura.

Zu An was somewhat surprised; if he hadn't been looking directly at her, he wouldn't have even sensed another person's presence. Xue'er's concealment technique was truly amazing.

He suddenly recalled that Xue'er had joined Brightmoon Academy and was even selected as one of its top ten beauties. Yet, people only vaguely remembered her existence, unable to recall her name or even her appearance.

Connecting this with Kong Qing's recent mention that Princess Xue had removed the facial seal upon her return to the demon race, he couldn't help but marvel at Xue'er's unique concealment art.

Almost the instant they had hidden at the bottom of the lake, a cold divine sense swept over the spot they had just occupied, then across the surface of the lake, not even sparing the water itself.

However, the Blue Drake truly was miraculous, allowing them to completely merge with the water. Combined with the *Treatise of Supreme Detachment*, *Clear Mirror Not a Stand*, and other excellent concealment techniques, the Demon Emperor's divine sense, though sweeping broadly, failed to detect them.

Only after sensing the divine sense depart did Zu An breathe a sigh of relief, finally noticing that he was pressed against a soft, fragrant body.

Whether it was saving her or fleeing, everything had happened in a flash, leaving no time to properly observe the other person.

Now, he had the chance to examine her closely: her skin was whiter than snow, her eyebrows were curved, and her mouth was small, giving her an overall delicate and graceful appearance.

Her eyes were bright and clear, incredibly lively. Whether it was due to poisoning or something else, her glances were enchanting and alluring, as if a single look conveyed tender affection.

"What's wrong, don't you recognize me?" Seeing him stare intently, Qiao Xueying's eyes and brows were filled with amusement.

"I heard someone say there was a facial seal on Princess Xue, which was removed after she returned to the demon race. I was worried my dear Xue'er would disappear forever, but it seems the change isn't as great as I imagined." Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. Upon closer inspection, the girl before him didn't differ much from the previous Xue'er in terms of facial details, yet she gave off a completely different impression.

The previous Xue'er was charming and delightful, perhaps having spent too long as an undercover maid or similar role. She exuded more of a modest, gentle beauty, serving as a beautiful backdrop that highlighted the grace of other women, rather than drawing attention to herself.

Now, however, she was dazzling. No matter who she stood with, she wouldn't lose a single bit of her allure. Otherwise, she wouldn't have become the highly popular Princess Xue among the younger generation of the demon race, nor would she have captivated the Golden Crow Prince, who was accustomed to beauty.

"So, was I more beautiful before, or now?" Qiao Xueying pressed.

Zu An replied, "Whether before or now, you are still you, my beloved Xue'er in my heart."

Only a virgin would answer such a loaded question incorrectly.

"Smooth talker," Qiao Xueying smiled, clearly pleased, but relentlessly pressed on, "Then which one do you prefer?"

Zu An's head spun. Was there no end to these questions?

So he went on the offensive: "I'd have to try to know."

With that, he leaned in and kissed her directly. Qiao Xueying let out a soft moan, her body going limp.

After a moment, their lips parted. Qiao Xueying's face was flushed with shyness and anticipation.

Zu An pursed his lips. "Hmm, your mouth is still just as 'poisonous.' I love this feeling, haha."

"Oh, you're annoying, always picking on me as soon as we meet," Qiao Xueying playfully chided. Compared to her usual clear, pleasant voice, there was now a hint of playful sweetness.

"I was just thinking about when we first met," Zu An began, "we both fell into a pond then too. You were already a sixth-rank cultivator back then, yet I almost drowned you in the pool. Honestly, were you deliberately using that as an excuse to get close to me and take advantage?" Since Golden Crow Guards were searching everywhere outside, Zu An wasn't in a hurry to leave the lake; it was safer to stay there for a while longer.

"Who was taking advantage of whom back then!" Recalling that situation, Qiao Xueying couldn't help but bite hard into his shoulder.

"Hiss~" Zu An gasped.

However, his expression quickly turned strange. Qiao Xueying had only bitten him forcefully at first; afterward, her tongue lightly licked his wound, and she looked at him with eyes that spoke volumes, seemingly extending a silent invitation.

What man in the world could resist being looked at like that by such a beautiful, gentle girl?

Zu An's heart fluttered too, his body stiffening considerably. But he immediately realized something was wrong: her body was too hot, her skin had an unnatural flush, and she was far more proactive and passionate than usual.

He had seen similar situations many times before and instantly reacted: "Are you poisoned?"

Qiao Xueying hummed in affirmation, a hint of shame and indignation flashing across her face. "The Golden Crow Prince put a vile drug in the candles."

Zu An reached out to check her pulse, his expression darkening. "That bird-man, I went too easy on him just now!"

Qiao Xueying quickly pressed his hand. "Don't be rash. He's the Demon Prince, after all, and this is the Demon Royal Court. No one can stand against the Demon Emperor except the Human Emperor Zhao Hao. I don't want to be a femme fatale who gets you into danger."

"Don't worry, I'm not a reckless person. I always plan before I act," Zu An reassured her.

"That's true," Qiao Xueying thought. Ever since she met him in Brightmoon City, many people stronger than him had offended him, but none of them had come out well, while he continued to live freely and comfortably.

Zu An was about to figure out how to detoxify Xue'er when his expression suddenly changed; he sensed a team of Golden Crow Guards approaching the lake.

These imperial guards were clearly very experienced. Soon, a leader said, "A few good swimmers, go search the lake. Don't miss a single corner. This time, we have a death order from above: find the assassin, even if you have to dig three feet deep!"

"Yes!" The Golden Crow Guards acknowledged the order. It was clear that with the Prince so heavily injured and the Demon Emperor enraged, no one dared to slack off.

Immediately after, several splashing sounds indicated that many Golden Crow Guards had already entered the lake to search.

Zu An's heart pounded. While hiding at the bottom of the lake might evade the Demon Emperor's broad divine sense search, it wouldn't escape the close-range scrutiny of these experienced Golden Crow Guards.

Sure enough, Golden Crow Guards soon approached. Instead of passively waiting, Zu An suddenly acted, subduing the nearby guards, then soared upwards with Qiao Xueying in his arms.

Cries of alarm erupted from the surrounding Golden Crow Guards, and many rushed towards them.

Zu An dared not linger in battle. If he got entangled, even without the Demon Emperor intervening, the Grandmaster and other palace experts alone would be enough to bring about his demise.

He desperately fled with Qiao Xueying, shaking off wave after wave of pursuers. However, this was the imperial palace, with three-dimensional and dynamic defenses; other Golden Crow Guards continuously discovered their tracks.

Several times they were intercepted. Zu An didn't even dare to dodge, opting for a 'wound for wound' strategy, severely injuring many Golden Crow Guard experts, though he himself also sustained injuries.

At first, Qiao Xueying could assist him, but later the drug in her system took effect, and she could only barely hold on with her remaining consciousness, completely unable to help.

Just then, Zu An felt another cold divine sense sweeping towards them—the Demon Emperor's oppressive power!

"This is the end for me!" Even with Zu An's resolute will, he felt a surge of despair.

Just then, a graceful figure appeared nearby. Zu An was considering whether to seize her as a hostage when the person coldly glanced at them both and said, "Follow me!"