Chapter 356: Just Out of the Tiger's Den, Into the Wolf's Lair

“Who the hell is this guy? Where did he come from?”

“What's worse, he's utterly despicable!”

If he had just ridden the carriage away, maybe no one would have noticed for a while. But he intentionally called out to alert everyone; was he just trying to infuriate them?

Why take such a huge risk for nothing? Is he out of his mind?!

Even as they thought these things, they were quick to act, grabbing their swords and shouting as they pursued him.

The two groups even spontaneously ceased fighting, no longer attacking each other. They both decided to catch that guy first.

Zu An galloped ahead in the carriage. As he rounded a corner, out of sight of his pursuers, he took out his Glazed Orb and absorbed all the boxes into it.

Then, with a light touch of his toe, he leaped into a nearby tree, while the carriage continued to speed off into the distance.

Unaware of what had happened, the pursuers rounded the corner and continued to shout as they chased in the direction of the carriage.

Zu An couldn't help but smile as he watched the continuous stream of Rage points pouring into his system. He knew he could have absorbed the boxes into the Glazed Orb in an instant, but he had deliberately waited to harvest a wave of Rage points.

With so many people, it would have been a waste not to.

Worried about Qin Wanru, he hurried back.

As he ran, his system received another wave of Rage points. Clearly, those people had caught up to the carriage and discovered that all the boxes were empty.

“Sigh, I wonder if those groups will keep fighting,” Zu An speculated, almost hoping for more chaos.

Returning to where they had separated, he found that the River Defense Camp's numbers were dwindling. If not for Sang Qian single-handedly holding off nearly half the enemies, they probably would have been wiped out already.

Meanwhile, Qin Wanru and Qiu Honglei were locked in a fierce battle.

Although Qin Wanru's cultivation was higher, she had lived a life of luxury for many years and had few opportunities for real combat.

In contrast, Qiu Honglei's combat experience was clearly much richer. Moreover, with that strange lantern that had a slowing effect, she gradually began to turn the tide.

Qin Wanru was losing face, unable to deal with an opponent with lower cultivation for so long. With a sharp cry, a cold wind suddenly swirled around her, and countless ice shards shot out from the air behind her.

It was Zu An's first time seeing her use elemental power; he hadn't expected her to be ice-elemental, just like Chu Chuyan.

However, her temperament didn't really match the ice element.

With such a fiery temper, he had assumed she was fire-elemental.

“Oh?” Qiu Honglei clearly thought of something. She quickly flicked her finger, and faint yellow light spilled from the lantern. The incoming ice shards entered the yellow light's area, instantly slowing down, then gradually coming to a crawl.

Having lost their speed, the heavy ice shards finally fell to the ground, shattering into pieces of ice.

However, Qin Wanru seemed to have anticipated this. She calmly pressed her hand to the ground.

A deep blue halo suddenly formed on the ground beneath Qiu Honglei's feet. Immediately, the shattered ice pieces on the ground regained vitality and reassembled. Then, in an instant, they spread up her legs, firmly fixing both her feet in place.

Qin Wanru's figure flickered, and she struck out with a palm towards Qiu Honglei's chest.

Zu An was horrified and couldn't help but blurt out, “Show mercy!”

Qin Wanru didn't know the opponent's identity, but Zu An knew she was Qiu Honglei.

Since their interactions began, Qiu Honglei had been good to him, and they were, to some extent, friends. Naturally, he didn't want to see her perish.

However, Qin Wanru was a sixth-rank master. Although he had already used Great Wind to rush over, he was still a step too late.

Qin Wanru had already pressed her palm onto Qiu Honglei's chest.

Qiu Honglei, with her feet frozen, couldn't move at all. All she could do was turn her head towards Zu An at the last moment, a hint of confusion still visible in her eyes.

It was unclear if she didn't understand why an enemy would care about her, or if she recognized his identity.

Qin Wanru's hand had already passed directly through her chest, and then Qiu Honglei's entire body suddenly shattered.

Yes, shattered, like glass strewn across the ground.

Zu An was dumbfounded, but Qin Wanru immediately felt a warning sign: “Light and Shadow Clone!”

Qiu Honglei's figure had already appeared behind them, her slender hand now like a knife, aimed at Qin Wanru's back.

Because she was enveloped by the lantern's light, Qin Wanru's movements were already a few beats slower than usual, and it was too late to dodge.

“Madam!” Zu An had originally come to save Qiu Honglei, but who knew the battle would change so quickly that in the blink of an eye, Qin Wanru was the one in danger.

If something really happened to Qin Wanru here, how would he face Chu Chuyan and Xiao Zhao in the future?

He had just flown over with Great Wind and, unable to care about anything else, rushed forward, grabbed Qin Wanru, and tried to leave.

However, as soon as he touched the faint yellow light from the lantern, he instantly felt his whole body grow heavy, finding that his body was more than ten times heavier than usual.

The lantern's light was faint yellow and looked quite warm, but being within it, he realized that light could actually be cold.

Qiu Honglei saw him suddenly block her way; her figure paused, clearly hesitating.

While she hesitated, Zu An happened to spot a well nearby. He immediately summoned Blue Flute, and the well water surged out like a water dragon, spraying directly onto the lantern hanging in mid-air.

Qiu Honglei was startled. Ignoring the two of them, she rushed to retrieve the lantern.

Zu An, seizing this opportunity, summoned Great Wind and, holding Qin Wanru's hand, vanished nearby.

Watching their receding figures, Qiu Honglei looked thoughtful.

After running several miles, the two stopped. Zu An was panting heavily; everything that had just happened was in a flash, and a slight misstep would have meant their end.

But did Qiu Honglei hold back midway?

Did she recognize me?

That's right, for a dashing man like me, even a mask can't conceal my excellence.

“Why did we run?!” Qin Wanru finally reacted, jerking her hand away. “That was just an accident; I could have beaten her...”

As she spoke, she felt a little guilty. If Zu An hadn't helped just now, she probably would have been seriously injured. For a sixth-rank and a fifth-rank to fight to such a stalemate was truly humiliating.

Though the combat power of the woman opposite her didn't seem like a fifth-rank at all.

Zu An secretly chuckled, thinking, *Why is she still so unwilling to admit defeat, like a young girl?* But this also suited her character. “Madam,” he said aloud, “have you forgotten our purpose for coming here? It wasn't to fight.”

“The salt warrants!” Qin Wanru suddenly came to her senses. “Are the salt warrants still lost?”

Seeing his empty hands, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. However, with so many people on the other side, it was normal for him not to get them.

Besides, he had just come back to save her; she couldn't possibly say anything reproachful.

“Don't worry, I've got the salt warrants,” Zu An said triumphantly.

“Ah?” Qin Wanru looked surprised and delighted, quickly looking around. “Where are they?”

Just then, the smile on her face froze. “Careful,” she said, “someone's coming from that direction.”

“Their cultivation is very high, seems like seventh-rank!”

“They must be with those black-clad people!”

In almost an instant, Qin Wanru quickly made a series of analyses.

The two instantly became tense.

---

My physical examination report came out today; one of my liver function tests is abnormal, with AST higher than the normal range. I have to go for a re-examination in a month...

Sigh, I feel like annual physicals are like playing Russian roulette now; I'm always worried that one day I'll hit that bullet.