Chapter 1783: Caught Red-Handed

Zu An smiled faintly, "It wasn't me who solved it; we solved it together. Without your help, I probably would have been cut in half by that monster by now."

Jing Teng's lips curved slightly upward, and her mood suddenly brightened.

Qiu Honglei bowed to her. "Miss Jing, thank you for saving A'Zu. I apologize for any offenses I may have caused previously, and I hope you won't take them to heart."

For some reason, seeing Qiu Honglei looking at Zu An with such deep affection, Jing Teng immediately felt a surge of irritation. "I was going to save him anyway; what does that have to do with you? Why are you thanking me on his behalf?"

Qiu Honglei raised an eyebrow. Was this woman deliberately trying to antagonize her?

Wait, why did her tone sound so similar to A'Zu's?

At that moment, Zu An cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. "Miss Jing, could you give us a general idea of what other monsters we might encounter? That way, we won't be caught off guard."

Jing Teng shook her head, troubled. "I don't know."

Wei Su let out a sound of surprise. "You knew about the Death Reapers just now, so why don't you know about the others?"

Qiu Honglei also looked at her suspiciously. This woman seemed to have told very few truths from beginning to end. Was she plotting something, or simply being mysterious?

Jing Teng explained, "As I told you before, I have memory loss. I only remembered some things just now because I saw that monster. Perhaps I'll only recover more memories as I encounter other monsters."

"I see," the others nodded subtly.

Qiu Honglei secretly sent a message to Zu An. "A'Zu, this Jing Teng is a bit strange. If she's truly just a vine enlightened by Immortal Monarch Baopu, she knows far too much."

"She is a bit strange, but for now, she doesn't seem to have any ill intent. We just need to be careful," Zu An replied.

"How do you know she has no ill intent? Is it just because she's pretty?" Qiu Honglei scoffed. It was strange how emotions worked; just moments ago, she was genuinely grateful for Jing Teng's help, but now she found fault with her in every way.

Seeing a string of small "anger" notifications pop up in his mind, Zu An couldn't help but chuckle.

Soon, the group continued deeper into the grand tomb. The walls were adorned with various exquisite bas-reliefs, depicting scenes of battles, ceremonial processions, and sacrificial rituals.

However, the eerie thing was that none of the figures in these murals had heads. If it were due to weathering over time, only the heads wouldn't be missing.

But if they had been deliberately removed, what could be the purpose?

"Miss Jing, do you know the origin of these murals?" Zu An looked at Jing Teng beside him. Her face seemed perfectly sculpted, her skin delicate and flawless, and her brows suggested a spring landscape. He had to admit, she was indeed very beautiful.

Qiu Honglei discreetly perked up her ears. Although she was annoyed by their conversation, she was equally curious if these murals held any secrets.

Jing Teng gently covered her forehead. "No, I have no memory of these murals at all."

"Miss Jing, what's wrong?" Wei Su couldn't help but ask, seeing her discomfort.

Jing Teng shook her head. "Nothing, just a bit of a headache."

Zu An and Qiu Honglei exchanged glances. Could she be recovering more and more memories as they delved deeper into the tomb?

Just then, Zu An's heart suddenly tensed, his hair stood on end, and he looked into the distance with a grim expression.

A teasing voice rang out, "What a small world it is, my Lord Shen."

Zhao Hao stood not far away, hands behind his back, smirking at him.

Li Changsheng and Xuan Bajing stood on either side, their expressions as gleeful as could be. It was as if they were thinking, *We can't be the only ones getting bullied, little rascal, it's your turn now!*

Seeing Zhao Hao and his companions, Qiu Honglei's expression soured. The Demonic Cult and the imperial court were sworn enemies, and she had even attempted an assassination in the palace previously. Encountering them here surely spelled trouble.

Jing Teng didn't recognize Zhao Hao, but she could sense his unfathomable aura. She also noticed that Zu An and Qiu Honglei were completely tensed up, something she hadn't seen throughout their journey.

"So it's Your Majesty. What a fated encounter, to run into each other so easily in such a vast world," Zu An remarked, feeling a touch of curiosity. Hadn't Zhao Hao entered the tomb first to scout ahead? Why was he here now?

Jing Teng's heart skipped a beat. *Your Majesty?*

Where in this world was there an Emperor?

A very long time ago, there were emperors in this world, but it had long been fragmented, with kings of small nations, various lords, and city masters ruling independently. The concept of an emperor had almost vanished into the annals of history.

"You must have seen me earlier," Zhao Hao said, as if reading his mind. "Originally, I was leading the way, but after entering, I found that this grand tomb has many formidable restrictions and monsters, some of which even I find troublesome. If I were still charging ahead, wouldn't I be doing work for those behind me? Are they even worthy?"

"Your Majesty is right," Zu An sighed. "Letting those people go ahead can indeed scout the path for you. Why didn't I think of that?"

Zhao Hao was no ordinary person; he was a shrewd old schemer who never wasted effort without seeing benefit. How could he possibly pave the way for others?

Seeing Zu An's dejected expression, Zhao Hao felt a great sense of satisfaction. "I figured since Li Changsheng and Xuan Bajing could reach this world, you lot must also be here. This grand tomb is currently the most appealing place in the realm, so you've most likely come too. I thought I'd wait here and see, and indeed, I've caught you."

He paused and glanced at Zu An. "Oh, why are there only two of you? Where are the others?"

"We split up. They've already gone deeper into the tomb to investigate; Grand Master Sacrificial Wine seems to have found something," Zu An said quickly, his mind working.

Zhao Hao's expression flickered slightly, but he immediately chuckled. "You truly never speak a word of truth, boy. Trying to trick me into not bothering with you and going after them instead?"

Xuan Bajing echoed, "Precisely. How could such a petty trick deceive His Majesty?"

Li Changsheng also added, "His Majesty is wise!"

Zu An's expression was odd. "You two are grandmasters of your respective sects, yet you've stooped to flattery. Didn't you conspire to kill him not long ago?"

He knew clearly that Zhao Hao already intended to kill him, and pretending to be a loyal subject would no longer work.

His mind raced, trying to figure out how to save his life.

Li Changsheng's old face flushed with heat. He usually prided himself on being refined and detached, with all his actions aimed at achieving immortality. This reluctant submission to Zhao Hao had, to some extent, affected his dao heart.

"You don't need to sow discord here," Xuan Bajing said, more smoothly. He cupped his hands to Zhao Hao. "It is our fortune from countless lifetimes that His Majesty is magnanimous enough to overlook our past transgressions, and we are now able to serve him."

Li Changsheng almost gagged at his words; the man was truly shameless.

Zhao Hao wasn't in a hurry to act, observing Zu An with a cat-and-mouse mentality. "The world says you live a dashing and carefree life. Seeing you today, even I am somewhat impressed. In such a short time, besides the Demonic Saintess, you've found another woman of unparalleled beauty."

Although he was old now and more concerned with immortality and eternal life, he was no longer interested in women.

Yet, he was still a man, and the thought that an emperor like himself had fewer stunning women than Zu An inevitably left him feeling a bit disgruntled.

Jing Teng's face flushed slightly, but she opened her mouth without saying anything.

"Your Majesty misunderstands. Miss Jing and I do not have that kind of relationship. On the contrary, she has some connection to this grand tomb," Zu An replied.

Jing Teng's face paled, and she suddenly looked at him. Was he trying to sell her out to save his own life?

As expected, Zhao Hao's interest was piqued. "Oh? She has a connection to this grand tomb?"

His tone, however, held a hint of suspicion. The woman looked too young and fragile; it was hard to imagine her having any link to this mysterious tomb.

"What Your Majesty seeks is nothing more than immortal destiny and eternal life. This Miss Jing, coincidentally, met Immortal Monarch Baopu back in the day," Zu An said with a smile.

Jing Teng's heart sank. She had experienced betrayal once before; was she about to experience it again today?

Why did it hurt even more this time...

Qiu Honglei looked at Zu An with some confusion, but she trusted that her lover was not that kind of person. Had he come up with some plan?

Yet, Zhao Hao was widely acknowledged as peerless in the world, and their side's combat strength was far too inferior. Even if Xuan Bajing and Li Changsheng defected immediately, they wouldn't stand a chance. How could there be any solution?

"Immortal Monarch Baopu!" Zhao Hao's eyes lit up, and he gazed intently at Jing Teng. Having been in this world for some time, he had naturally heard legends of the Immortal Monarch.

"If you can tell me everything about the Immortal Monarch, I might consider sparing those around you."

Jing Teng's face grew cold. "What do their lives or deaths have to do with me? Why should I tell you?"

Zhao Hao's face darkened. He had never been defied like this before. He raised his hand, about to seize her.

Zu An quickly interjected, "Actually, Your Majesty isn't the only one who wants her. Even the Ghost King of the Yin-Yang Realm has been looking for her. He's probably come to the grand tomb too, wouldn't you say? Can Your Majesty defeat the legendary Ghost King?"