Chapter 1561: Death Information

On the mountainside, Xie Daoyun was complaining to Zu An about her younger brother's philandering. Pointing to the exotic fruits on the table, she said, "Look, all these foods were given by the female students from the academy. Not just these, but also his clothes and other belongings – all gifts from those women."

Zu An chuckled, "What's wrong with that? It's better to receive gifts than to receive none at all."

These fruits were quite valuable; those female students were certainly generous.

"Exactly! It just proves how charming I am," Xie Xiu said, puffing out his chest, emboldened by the support.

"Do you think they're being nice to you for no reason? They're after you," Xie Daoyun retorted, exasperated by his lack of awareness.

Xie Xiu mumbled, "Who's after whom is debatable, and either way, I'm not losing anything."

Enraged, Xie Daoyun reached out and pinched his ear. "Our Xie family has always upheld strict household rules and never taken advantage of anyone. How did we raise someone like you?"

"I treat every relationship seriously, and it's always mutual. How is that taking advantage of anyone?" Xie Xiu retorted indignantly, as if his integrity in love had been insulted.

"Then why do you abandon them?" This was what bothered Xie Daoyun the most.

"I'm quite particular about love. If I no longer feel it, I don't drag things out or deceive them. What's wrong with that?" Xie Xiu asked innocently.

Zu An could tell he wasn't being disingenuous; that was genuinely how he thought. Still, his approach was a bit questionable. He wanted to say something but then remembered his own track record as a scoundrel and realized he had no moral high ground.

"Not dragging things out? You just get bored easily!" As a woman, Xie Daoyun was particularly sensitive to this, and she was furious, wanting to lecture her brother again.

It took some effort for Zu An to calm the bickering siblings. Xie Daoyun looked a little embarrassed. "I apologize for letting you see this, Brother Zu."

"There's nothing to apologize for," Zu An chuckled. "If anything, it reminds me of various things in Brightmoon City, giving me a unique sense of familiarity like home."

Xie Xiu's spirits lifted immediately upon hearing this. Indeed, men understood men best.

After chatting for a while, Xie Xiu became curious about what had happened in the demon race territories. "Brother Zu, I heard you performed great deeds among the demons. Can you tell us what it's like over there? Do they really eat people?"

Xie Daoyun was also full of curiosity. All their knowledge of the demon race came from books; they had never actually visited.

Zu An couldn't help but smile. "They're not that terrifying..."

He then described the various customs and ways of life among the demon race, much to the siblings' amazement.

"Oh, by the way, I specifically brought a gift for you this time; it should suit you well," Zu An said, taking out the Wondrous Wood Demonic Sand from his Glazed Pearl. He had obtained it through stone gambling in the Jade Garden of the Demon Imperial Court.

"Wondrous Wood Demonic Sand?" Before Zu An could introduce it, Xie Daoyun recognized the item, trembling with excitement. "This can be used to draw the legendary forbidden spell runes and arrays! Even my teacher only used it once and no longer possesses it. We've been searching for it for years without success."

While valuable to other cultivators, its specific utility wasn't as significant for them.

However, for those who specialized in talismans, Wondrous Wood Demonic Sand was practically a divine item. Xie Daoyun could hardly believe it was real.

"Brother Zu, this item is too precious; I can't accept it," Xie Daoyun said, quickly coming to her senses after her initial excitement and waving her hands.

Zu An, however, took her hand and offered the Wondrous Wood Demonic Sand to her again. "If it weren't for the protective talisman you gave me back then, I might not be alive now. Compared to saving a life, what is a mere Wondrous Wood Demonic Sand?"

When he took her hand, Xie Daoyun instinctively flinched but didn't pull back. It felt awkward to struggle, and her usually composed face visibly flushed. "My protective talisman wasn't actually that miraculous... Still, thank you, Brother Zu."

Seeing her accept it, Zu An finally let go, satisfied.

Xie Daoyun pursed her lips, her expression momentarily complex, a mix of joy and perhaps a hint of sorrow.

Just then, Xie Xiu's sarcastic voice suddenly broke the silence. "Who was it just now saying that people give gifts because they're after someone's body?"

"You pest!" Xie Daoyun instantly flushed with embarrassment and chased after him to hit him.

Xie Xiu dodged, smiling, and extended a hand towards Zu An. "Brother Zu, where's my gift?"

Zu An glanced at the mountain of gifts piled nearby and said with a grin, "You already have so many women vying to give you presents, so I won't bother."

Xie Xiu immediately cried out, "Brother Zu, you're abandoning your friend for beauty!"

Without a word, Zu An stealthily extended his leg and tripped him. Xie Xiu lost his balance, fell to the ground, and was caught by Xie Daoyun, who then proceeded to give him a good scolding.

The entire room was instantly filled with a joyful atmosphere.

"What's everyone so happy about?" A curious voice chimed in just then. It was Chu Chuyan, who had returned.

Xie Daoyun, who had been punishing her brother, immediately stopped and reverted to her demure, ladylike demeanor. "Just a bit of sibling banter, Miss Chu. Please excuse us."

Xie Xiu couldn't help but exclaim, "Miss Chu, what do you eat to grow up so beautiful? You're becoming more ethereal by the day."

Xie Daoyun shot her brother a fierce glare. "Don't talk nonsense."

She knew her brother's philandering nature and feared he might set his sights on Chu Chuyan.

Xie Xiu merely pouted. He was quite clear-headed. While women like Chu Chuyan were beautiful, they were too exceptionally outstanding. If he dared to play his usual game of breaking up with someone when feelings faded, he wouldn't even know what hit him. He wouldn't touch women of that caliber, saving himself countless troubles in this lifetime.

Everyone else envied Zu An's stunningly beautiful confidantes, but only Xie Xiu felt sympathy for him. He thought Zu An played too little; such high standards meant Zu An was destined to have far fewer confidantes than himself.

Zu An felt a strange pang, wondering why Xie Xiu's gaze seemed filled with pity for him.

However, he didn't have time to dwell on it, his attention quickly returning to Chu Chuyan. "Are you finished with your business?"

Chu Chuyan hummed in affirmation.

Zu An stood up. "I also have something to discuss with the Libationer. Wait here for me for a moment."

Chu Chuyan was taken aback. "But the Libationer has already left."

"Huh?" Zu An was dumbfounded.

Chu Chuyan explained, "I handed him the items from our sect. After he looked at them, he soared into the sky and disappeared."

Zu An immediately felt frustrated. The Libationer was as elusive as a dragon, appearing and disappearing unpredictably; he had no idea when he would be able to find him again.

Just then, Chu Chuyan added, "Oh, I've been thinking that Zheng Dan has exceptional talent, but her family background limits her opportunities for growth. So, I just asked the Libationer for a favor. I originally wanted him to take Zheng Dan as his disciple, but he said he's no longer accepting new students. However, after hearing about Zheng Dan's past, he decided to have her apprentice under his head disciple."

She paused and looked at Xie Daoyun. "Zheng Dan will become your fellow disciple, Miss Xie, so I hope you will look out for her."

"Oh?" Xie Daoyun was momentarily startled, then quickly understood. "We were classmates before, and we're from the same place. Of course, we'll look out for each other."

She wondered why Chu Chuyan had gone to such lengths for Zheng Dan. She had heard rumors about Zheng Dan and Brother Zu before. Had Miss Chu already accepted Zheng Dan?

Ah, Chu Chuyan's grace was truly captivating; it extinguished any thought of vying with her.

Zu An, on the other hand, was overjoyed. He had originally sought out the Libationer to address Zheng Dan's situation, as it would have been a great pity for her talent and disposition to be wasted in the Sang family. He hadn't expected Chu Chuyan to be so in tune with him, thinking along the same lines.

More importantly, her actions clearly indicated that she had accepted Zheng Dan's presence, meaning he no longer had to worry about the relationship between the two of them.

"By the way, why were you looking for the Libationer?" Chu Chuyan suddenly remembered and asked curiously.

"Nothing, it's not important anymore," Zu An said, smiling broadly.

***

Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, the Emperor received a top-secret report from the Embroidered Chamber, and his face instantly darkened. "Golden Medallion Seven is dead?"