Chapter 605: I want to be low-key too, but my strength doesn't allow it

An assassin, previously engaged in besieging Prince Tutor Cao Hou, shifted his attack towards Zu An.

“A seventh-rank expert!”

Observing the formidable aura of his approaching opponent, Zu An quickly assessed his cultivation level.

He inwardly cursed. This assassin was clearly the second strongest among those attacking Cao Hou, yet he had abandoned Cao Hou to charge at Zu An, bringing several companions who were all at least sixth-rank experts!

Where’s your sense of priorities? This force should be targeting Cao Hou or the Crown Prince, not me!

In truth, Zu An’s tenure as a Brocade-Clad Guard was still too short for him to fully grasp the significance of a Gold Medal Guard.

Within the entire Brocade-Clad Guard corps, there were only ten Gold Medal Guards. Beyond their keen intellect and reliability in solving cases, the fundamental requirement for each was to be a top-tier master.

They were all at least seventh-rank, with rumors even of ninth-rank masters among them.

Huang Huihong, who had been dispatched to Bright Moon City to apprehend Zu An, was merely a Silver Medal Guard, which highlighted the immense prestige of a Gold Medal Guard.

In the eyes of the other attackers, a Gold Medal Guard posed an even greater threat than Prince Tutor Cao Hou.

After all, they had no idea which Gold Medal Guard stood before them. If it were a ninth-rank master, their fight would be pointless.

Therefore, they had to allocate their strongest forces to intercept him.

Zu An dared not be negligent. He swiftly swung his palm to meet the seventh-rank assassin's strike.

The seventh-rank assassin felt the force of his blow dissipate like a clay ox sinking into the sea. He was instantly alarmed, exclaiming, “Damn it, at least an eighth-rank expert!”

He was unaware this was the effect of the 'Taotie Devouring Heaven Art.' He simply assumed his opponent’s cultivation far surpassed his own. Still, it didn't feel like a ninth-rank master; if it were, that single palm strike would have ended him.

They secretly lamented their misfortune, wishing it had been a mere seventh-rank Gold Medal Guard.

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince’s faction felt a surge of renewed spirit. The Crown Princess’s beautiful eyes turned in that direction, thinking, *After this is over, I must properly thank him.*

Zu An himself felt a momentary daze. Although he knew his current cultivation could not be measured by conventional ranks, he had not at all expected to directly clash palms with a peak seventh-rank master and hold his ground without the slightest disadvantage.

Am I truly this powerful now?

At that moment, two more assassins attacked, one from the left and one from the right, clearly attempting to relieve pressure on their seventh-rank comrade.

Knowing these assassins specialized in killing techniques, Zu An dared not show any negligence. Capsizing in a ditch now would truly be an embarrassment to all transmigrators.

Unwilling to expose himself by using his usual martial arts, he instead activated the 'Taotie Devouring Heaven Art.' While he still couldn't transform his palm into a black hole like Wu Geng once did, he could now generate a powerful vortex in his palm.

He directly devoured the elemental energy from the longsword of the assassin attacking from the left. Then, with a casual twist, he warped the sharp blade in the opponent's hand into a tangled piece of scrap metal.

The assassin was aghast and swiftly retreated. But Zu An, whose speed was a particular strength, would not let such an opportunity slip. He closed the distance in a single stride, delivering a palm strike that sent the assassin spitting blood.

Everyone present was stunned by his power!

Even Prince Tutor Cao Hou cast him a glance of profound surprise and uncertainty. Who was this Gold Medal Brocade-Clad Guard? Why couldn't he discern his cultivation level? He didn't appear to be particularly powerful, so had he perhaps reached the realm of profound inner brilliance, where his true strength was so much greater than Cao Hou’s that it became imperceptible?

The Crown Princess’s eyes, too, gleamed with unusual brilliance. It wasn’t that she was smitten with this Brocade-Clad Guard; rather, having a dependable protector during such a crisis always brought a sense of reassurance.

Seeing the wary yet admiring gazes from those around him, Zu An felt a thrill of satisfaction.

What is cultivation for? Is there any point if one can’t show off a little?

He also secretly marveled at how effective the 'Taotie Devouring Heaven Art' was. It could neutralize an opponent's force into nothingness, making it impossible for others to discern his true cultivation—a perfect tool for feigning weakness to trap stronger foes.

Of course, he dared not truly use the 'Taotie Devouring Heaven Art' to absorb another's cultivation in plain sight. He had no desire to become a public enemy of the cultivation world; such a technique was best used in secret.

Rage points from Qiu Honglei +123!

…

A stream of rage points continuously registered in the background, clearly reflecting the emotional turmoil of the assassins witnessing their comrades’ injuries. However, one particular name among them caused Zu An to freeze.

Qiu Honglei?

Is she among them?

Zu An immediately scanned his surroundings, but unfortunately, everyone was clad in black, and the chaotic scene made it nearly impossible to distinguish anyone.

While he was momentarily stunned, the assassin from the right launched another attack.

Zu An’s figure flickered as he swiftly dodged. His primary concern remained the seventh-rank expert, who still posed a significant threat from the sidelines.

Seeing Zu An charge, the seventh-rank master unleashed everything he had learned in his life, proving himself capable of both offense and defense, ensuring he stood in an unassailable position.

Zu An frowned. He secretly summoned Bai Ming and unleashed a mental shockwave upon the master.

Since this seventh-rank master certainly wasn’t Qiu Honglei, there was no need to hold back.

He had originally intended to keep a low profile, but his power simply wouldn't permit it.

Given the circumstances, he might as well play the part of a hidden master. Since his face was masked, no one would discover his true identity anyway.

His only concern was whether his presence would inadvertently disrupt Qiu Honglei’s grand plan. Unfortunately, this was beyond his control, so he could only take things one step at a time. He resolved to quietly extract Qiu Honglei later.

The seventh-rank master had no way of anticipating this. He felt his head swim, his mind completely blank. By the time he recovered his senses, he had already been struck by a palm, collapsing to the ground and violently spitting blood.

Just then, a thin sword thrust towards Zu An from behind—it was the assassin he had just dodged, attacking once more.

However, the attacker had just witnessed Zu An critically injure his seventh-rank comrade in a single move. A chill went down his spine, and he knew he was likely doomed. Yet, his sword was already committed, and it was too late to retreat, so he resolved to fight to the death.

Zu An’s two fingers, nimble and precise, clamped onto the blade of the sword, while his other hand continued its attack toward the assassin.

“The Spirit Finger?” The assassin exclaimed, somewhat surprised.

Zu An was even more surprised. He had intentionally altered his move, yet it was still recognized?

In truth, very few people had ever witnessed this move of his, and even fewer knew its name.

But he didn’t recognize the voice of this assassin before him.

Suddenly, he recalled how Qiao Xueying had deliberately altered her voice to conceal her identity. A thought struck him, and he immediately shifted his hand three inches to the side, allowing the attacker ample room to dodge. “Honglei?”

No wonder the figure was so graceful and alluring. *Alas, if only I had understood her better, I would have recognized her from the start.*

“A’Zu?” The assassin also froze, then resumed her original voice.

Zu An’s heart lifted. As he continued to feign combat with her, he transmitted his voice through spiritual energy: “How did you get into the palace to assassinate the Crown Prince?”

No wonder her cultivation felt much weaker; it seems she was worried about exposing her identity and origins by using the Changxin Palace Lantern.

“How did you become a Brocade-Clad Guard?” Qiu Honglei simultaneously asked.

“It’s a long story,” they both replied in unison.

Zu An felt a pang of frustration. “I’ll get you out of here first.”

Qiu Honglei shook her head. “No, we’ve come prepared to burn our bridges. We must kill the Crown Prince.”

“When did your Demonic Cult come into conflict with the Crown Prince again?” Zu An asked, utterly perplexed.

“It’s difficult to explain in a short time. In any case, I can’t abandon my comrades and flee alone.” Qiu Honglei was also in a dilemma. She had originally come with a martyr’s resolve, but upon seeing Zu An, she found herself unwilling to die. Yet, abandoning her companions to escape alone was something she simply couldn’t bring herself to do.

The two conversed while tacitly attacking each other, creating a thrilling spectacle. Collaborating with intelligent individuals was indeed a pleasure.

But the others were utterly bewildered. This Gold Medal Brocade-Clad Guard had just nearly instantly defeated a seventh-rank master, so why was he struggling to take down a sixth-rank opponent now?

The Crown Prince’s retainers wondered if this sixth-rank individual possessed some special ability.

The other assassins, however, were ecstatic. “The Saintess truly lives up to her name; her skill is extraordinary.”

Just then, Qiu Honglei’s expression changed, and she quickly warned, “Be careful, my master is here!”