Chapter 1533: 突入恶徒

Soaring rapidly through the sky on his Fiery Wind Wheels, Zu An watched the white clouds drift by, a myriad of emotions swirling within him. The Fiery Wind Wheels possessed almost no offensive power, but their utility was incredibly powerful. They were like having a personal aircraft at one's disposal.

While Grandmasters and those above could fly, it was difficult for anyone below the Earth Immortal realm to maintain continuous flight. This world was far larger than Earth in his previous life, making it impossible for an ordinary Grandmaster to fly across vast distances quickly. Only Earth Immortals could, to a certain extent, ignore the limitations of distance in such a vast space. Therefore, possessing the Fiery Wind Wheels significantly enhanced one's mobility.

Zu An pondered the several tasks awaiting him back in the capital. He had been away for too long without sending any word, and his friends must be terribly worried.

Oh, and he also needed to relay a message for the Peacock Bright King. He recalled his visit to the Peacock King's Residence a few days prior. The royal court's stability would continue to require the Peacock Bright King's assistance. Given his connections through Kong Nanwu and Kong Qing, the Peacock Bright King was naturally a valuable ally to cultivate.

Upon arriving at the Peacock King's Residence, he found the Peacock Bright King was not home. Kong Qing, Paper Bride, and several other old acquaintances came out to warmly greet him. It was quite nostalgic to think that they had been fighting fiercely in Cloudcounty just recently, and now they were friends. Paper Bride, in particular, exuded an eerie aura when using her skills, yet her true appearance was remarkably beautiful. If he hadn't been so busy these past few days, Zu An might have explored her paper puppet techniques further, as they truly possessed unique qualities.

After they chatted for a while, the Peacock Bright King received news and hurried back. Often, small details like this revealed one's attitude towards another. Clearly, the Peacock Bright King extended the highest courtesy, and Zu An naturally reciprocated. They had a very pleasant conversation. The Peacock Bright King realized that what he gained from Zu An surpassed even what he had obtained from the former Demon Emperor, making him view Zu An with increasing favor.

Later, upon learning that Zu An would be leaving for a period, the Peacock Bright King immediately vowed to do his utmost to assist the young Demon Empress and the young Emperor. He also entrusted Zu An to inform his daughter, Kong Nanwu, who was still in the human realm, not to rush back to the demon race. After all, she still bore the title of former Crown Princess, and even though they hadn't married, many in the demon race knew about the engagement. If she returned to the demon race at this time, it was uncertain that ill-intentioned individuals wouldn't incite her to mourn the deceased Crown Prince and remain chaste, which would put the Peacock King's Residence in a very passive position.

Therefore, he wanted Kong Nanwu to stay in the human realm for a while longer. Once the rumors died down, the Peacock Bright King would then find another suitable marriage for her. He also asked Zu An to look after Kong Nanwu while he was in the human realm. Although his daughter was always resourceful and her cultivation wasn't low, human masters were abundant, and she would be in danger if her identity were to be exposed. Zu An's performance that night had earned the Peacock Bright King's complete respect; he now regarded Zu An as an equal. Asking him to look after a junior was certainly within Zu An's capabilities.

Zu An readily agreed. Besides other considerations, given the friendship forged when Kong Nanwu had gifted him a feather, he could never allow anything to happen to her. Furthermore, the Peacock Bright King was indeed a clever man. Entrusting Zu An with Kong Nanwu's care was, firstly, a genuine concern that his daughter might face problems if she returned, and secondly, it was akin to a transaction, meant to reassure Zu An regarding the royal court's situation. However, what Zu An never expected was that he had still underestimated the Peacock Bright King; there was a third, deeper intention that he would only discover later.

Besides these matters, the most urgent concern now was Sang Hong. These past few days, Zu An had repeatedly tried to contact him using his communication mirror, but unfortunately, there had been no reply. If nothing unforeseen had happened, it meant something unexpected *had* happened to Sang Hong. Putting aside his connections with Zheng Dan and Sang Qian, Sang Hong had become a companion who was both a teacher and a friend to Zu An during this period. Therefore, upon suspecting that something had happened to him, Zu An was willing to temporarily forgo the comforts of the royal court and the potential wealth of a regent, and hurried back to the human realm.

Heading south, Zu An had no mind to observe the demon race's mountains and terrain along the way; he only wished to make haste. According to intelligence gathered from various sources, Sang Hong's delegation should have been nearing the capital, so even if something had gone wrong, it wouldn't have been too far away.

After several days of flying day and night, he finally returned to human territory. He distinctly felt the climate warm significantly along the way. He realized with a sigh that it was no wonder the demon race was so fierce and tough; born in a harsh, cold land, they were destined to survive in severe conditions, forcing them to become fiercer and stronger.

He continued flying for a few more days, finally reaching an area not far from the capital. He investigated the delegation's necessary route along the way and eventually arrived at Silkworm City.

After some investigation, his expression turned grim. The common folk were all discussing what had happened that night, saying a huge fire had suddenly erupted at the post station in the middle of the night. Some claimed everyone in the delegation had been burned to death inside, while others spoke of survivors. Some even vividly recounted how local officials, whose treasonous acts had been exposed by the delegation, had simply gone all the way and murdered the imperial envoy.

The information from the common folk was too chaotic. After getting a general idea, Zu An went directly to the local government. Naturally, he didn't go in his own identity, but rather in the name of an Embroidered Envoy, a title that carried greater deterrent power for local officials. He learned that a group of Embroidered Envoys had already arrived several days earlier to investigate, taking all evidence and involved personnel to the capital. Furthermore, the official responsible for the post station had also perished in the fire that night. The Silkworm City magistrate had committed suicide while in custody; it was unclear whether he had taken his own life out of guilt or had been silenced under someone's orders.

The only useful information was that numerous charred bodies had been found in the fire. Upon comparison, most were identified as post station staff and delegation members, but Sang Hong's body was not among them. Zu An breathed a sigh of relief. Although the current situation suggested a grim outlook for Sang Hong, there was still hope as long as his death remained unconfirmed. Realizing there was nothing more he could uncover there, he decided to return to the capital first.

He sped all the way, and by the time he reached the vicinity of the capital, it was already dawn. He found a place outside the city gates to land. The capital housed countless powerful experts and was protected by various defensive formations of the city's garrison. Directly flying into the city would provoke a counter-attack from the grand city defense formation. Therefore, no matter how powerful, no one dared to openly fly directly into the capital.

Gazing at the magnificent city walls in the distance, even the outskirts were bustling with activity. There was an endless stream of people entering the city to sell vegetables, and merchant caravans carrying bulk goods. Observing this scene, Zu An felt as though a lifetime had passed. It was a stark contrast to the desolate landscapes of the demon race, truly like two different worlds. The human realm truly was better; no wonder Yu Yanluo still longed for it.

Concerned that his current identity might be noticed by someone with ulterior motives, Zu An casually disguised himself with an unremarkable face before entering the city.

Meanwhile, at the Sang Residence in the capital, a squad of constables violently kicked open the door. Then, a group of fierce individuals began searching everywhere, turning the entire residence into utter chaos.

"What are you doing?" Two graceful figures emerged, supporting each other. One was a delicate and beautiful young woman, whose only apparent flaw was a slightly thick waist. The other was a charming and graceful young married woman. Complementing each other perfectly, they truly resembled a pair of twin lotuses, each possessing her own unique allure. The eyes of the constable leading the intruders lit up at the sight.