Chapter 1594: Old Memories

Even though the person was masked and dressed in a night suit, her graceful figure still gave her away, especially her long legs, which were all the more striking as they were accentuated by the tight clothing.

"What is Zhang Zhitong doing here?" Zu An wondered. Recognizing her by her legs alone wasn't that impressive; in his previous life, some gentlemen online could identify people by their chests, or even by their voices, which was truly admirable.

Seeing him lost in thought, Zhang Zhitong instinctively pushed her knife slightly forward. "As long as you cooperate, I won't hurt you," she said. "Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Zu An recognized her, but she had no idea that the person before her was Golden Eleven.

"Alright," Zu An said with a faint smile. "But please, don't push any further. It's about to go in."

Zhang Zhitong's face flushed. She instinctively pulled the knife back, thinking, *Is this guy flirting with me?*

*But he looks so good when he smiles…*

If someone like Xiao Jianren, Old Dai, or Old Chen had spoken to her that way, she would have likely gotten angry, but this man made it hard for her to be upset.

Just then, a commotion arose nearby, and a team of guards rushed in their direction.

Zu An gently pressed, making Zhang Zhitong squat down.

As an Embroidered Envoy, Zhang Zhitong had encountered all sorts of people, but their current posture infuriated her. She thought he was trying to take advantage of her.

Rage points from Zhang Zhitong +404 +404 +404...

"Who are you?" a senior voice asked. Only then did she realize that he was using his body to shield her, and she inwardly chided herself for her distracting thoughts.

Immediately, her entire body tensed, and she didn't even dare to breathe.

Zu An looked back and saw an old man with grayish hair standing not far away, watching him warily.

He was extremely thin, almost skeletal, and his appearance was somewhat gaunt and menacing.

His aura was somewhat faint, like an old man nearing the end of his life.

However, his eyes were exceptionally bright and sharp. Upon closer inspection, they seemed to contain endlessly swirling vortices, creating the illusion that one could be drawn in at any moment.

Additionally, patterns were painted on his face, converging at his glabella to vaguely form a vertical eye. Though closed at the moment, it conveyed a sense of danger.

Zu An was secretly startled, wondering if this was Mr. Huo.

He calmly replied, "I am a guest invited by the Yan King. We just made a bet to see who could help him catch the assassin first, which is why I'm searching around here."

"A guest?" The old man sounded surprised. Just then, a guard whispered something in his ear, apparently confirming Zu An's identity.

The old man nodded slightly. "Then, I wonder if this esteemed guest has found anything? The assassin just fled in this direction."

"Fled this way?" Zu An feigned deep regret. "It seems my luck isn't good, otherwise I would have already won this bet."

The old man scrutinized him, while secretly extending his qi to check the room. Not sensing anyone else, he nodded and said, "Guest, please return to the banquet as soon as possible. That assassin is very dangerous."

After speaking, he led his men away to continue the search.

After the others had left, Zu An looked down at Zhang Zhitong, who was still squatting. "Alright, they're gone."

"Gone?" Zhang Zhitong was surprised; she hadn't expected to get past them so easily. "That old man is very cunning. He might be feigning departure, preparing for a surprise attack."

Zu An shook his head. "He really didn't find you. Get up, or do you prefer squatting in this position?"

With his qi concealing her, the old man wouldn't have been able to see her unless he came right up to them.

Zhang Zhitong's face flushed, and she sprang up immediately. "Who likes squatting like this!"

Then, a little confused, she asked, "Why did you help me?"

She wasn't foolish; she immediately realized that he was actively helping her, not under coercion.

Unwilling to explain the details, Zu An casually replied, "Because you're pretty, and your legs are long. I've always been considerate towards beautiful women."

Zhang Zhitong immediately became flustered. Normally, if anyone spoke to her like that, she would just dismiss them as an annoying rake, but this man spoke so naturally that she seemed to sense an inexplicable sincerity.

"May I know your esteemed name, young master?" Zhang Zhitong said, cupping her hands. "I will certainly repay today's kindness in the future."

"My surname is Wu, and my given name is Laogong. Remember that," Zu An replied casually.

"Wu Laogong?" Zhang Zhitong was startled, thinking, *This man is so handsome, but his name is a bit uninspired.* "Thank you, Young Master Wu. We will meet again."

With a tap of her toes, she vanished into the night sky.

Zu An didn't escort her further. After all, she was a Silver Embroidered Envoy; if she still got caught after he'd helped her this much, she might as well bash her head against a block of tofu.

After successfully escaping the Yan King's residence, Zhang Zhitong couldn't help but sigh in relief. She looked back at the brightly lit palace, and the handsome smile reappeared in her mind. She wondered, *Who exactly is this Wu Laogong? He's actually a guest of the Yan King, and he even helped me...*

*Hmm, someone invited by the Yan King is certainly no ordinary person. When I get back to the office and check the records, I should find out his identity.*

*That name, Wu Laogong, is quite special. Huh?*

She muttered the name several times, and then it finally clicked. Her face instantly flushed crimson.

Rage points from Zhang Zhitong +233 +233 +233...

Inside the royal residence, Zu An saw the string of rage points in the backend and couldn't help but chuckle. *This girl seems a bit slow; it took her so long to realize.*

*But if she were truly sharp, she wouldn't have been foolish enough to break into the Yan King's residence alone, looking for clues about Mr. Huo.*

"Have you encountered something happy? You're smiling so brightly," a clear, cool voice asked from behind him. Chu Chuyan stood beneath the plum blossoms, her skirts fluttering, graceful and charming.

Although they were already husband and wife, he still felt a sense of awe every time he saw her. Zu An's smile became even more radiant. "It's naturally a joy to reunite with you here," he said.

"Us?" Chu Chuyan looked puzzled.

Zu An's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "Back in the Demon Imperial City, I fought alongside Sect Master Yan. We're certainly friends now, so of course, I'm happy to see her."

Chu Chuyan then relaxed, but immediately added with concern, "Ah Zu, I know your character, but you absolutely must not harbor any improper thoughts about Master. She has been cold towards men for so many years. If she finds out, she will definitely give you a sword strike, ensuring you can't cause trouble in your next life."

Zu An's expression became strange as he thought, *Your master didn't give me a sword strike. On the contrary, I gave her a 'shot'...*

"I don't think Sect Master Yan is that unapproachable," Zu An said, seizing the opportunity to probe. "For example, Guan Chouhai from Lihentian has been courting her, and she doesn't seem to dislike it."

"How dare you say that?" Chu Chuyan exclaimed. "You offended Lihentian so much before; I was terribly worried about you, afraid that Sect Master Guan would attack. I was even trying to figure out how to ask Master to help you." Remembering what happened at the banquet, Chu Chuyan still felt lingering trepidation.

"Don't worry, I'm not afraid of someone named Guan," Zu An said, taking her hand. He found its cool softness incredibly comfortable. "Besides, your master and I are, at the very least, comrades-in-arms. She wouldn't just stand by."

"So that was your plan all along? And here I was, worrying about you," Chu Chuyan pouted playfully. If anyone else had been there, their jaws would have dropped; after all, she was usually cold towards everyone, and no one had ever seen such a sweet and artless side of her.

"You still haven't told me about Guan Chouhai and your master," Zu An asked, his face full of gossip.

"What else could there be? Sect Master Guan has simply been pursuing Master," Chu Chuyan said, a little excited to be discussing gossip. "Back then, Sect Master Guan had astonishing talent. In his teens, he was already designated as Lihentian's next sect leader, and even had the chance to become the foremost expert among the Nine Daoist Sects. He was also handsome, refined, and amiable. At that time, countless maidens, not just from Lihentian but from other sects too, were infatuated with him. There were even scandals of people trying to throw themselves into his arms in the middle of the night, only to be rejected."

"What happened next?" Zu An grew nervous. *Such devotion, combined with his own charm—surely few women in the world could resist that.*

"There was no 'next'," Chu Chuyan shook her head. "Master didn't like him. At first, she tried to dissuade him gently, but he not only refused to listen but became even more persistent. So Master simply ignored him. I even suspect now that Master's cold nature and her stern demeanor towards all men might have been triggered by this incident."

Zu An was stunned, thinking, *That's actually quite possible.*

Just then, a light cough from nearby startled both of them. They turned around and saw Yan Xuehen, her eyes containing a hint of anger.