Chapter 617: Human World’s Noble Flower

Yun Jianyue's entire body tensed up. After her recent intense battle with Zu An, the injuries she had barely managed to suppress flared up again. At this moment, she was barely stronger than a novice cultivator. If she were to clash with these wolf-like guards, it would be extremely difficult to escape, even with her superior vision and techniques refined over countless cultivation realms.

Moreover, she might attract other guards, and if all the palace experts pursued her, she would be doomed.

Although she was reluctant to admit it, she now had no choice but to rely on this man.

As she felt the guards approaching cautiously and heard their footsteps drawing near, Yun Jianyue's heart pounded in her throat.

How long had it been since she had experienced such fear, not since she had reached the pinnacle of her cultivation?

Just then, two cats suddenly darted out, meowing a few times at the guards.

The female cat's cries were particularly eerie, sending shivers down one's spine.

The guards burst into laughter. "So, it's a female cat in heat, looking for a male cat to do its business."

"Your shout probably ruined their good time. Be careful, it might come looking for you tonight."

"Tsk, if it were a cat demoness, I'd welcome it."

The group walked away, chatting and laughing, clearly assuming the noise had been made by the two cats, and continued their patrol elsewhere.

Yun Jianyue, however, looked furious. As she was currently embracing a man, their comments sounded as if they were directed at her.

"Were those cats your doing?" she asked irritably after the guards had left.

"Yes." Zu An glanced at the jade cong mark on his hand. Though it offered no combat ability, its auxiliary functions were incredibly useful. Controlling two cats to divert the patrolling guards' attention wasn't difficult at all.

"Then why specifically a male and a female?" Yun Jianyue asked, frowning.

"Uh, there just happened to be two nearby, and I thought one might not make enough noise." Zu An was a little surprised. This woman's focus was odd; shouldn't she be wondering how he could command cats? He had been preparing an excuse, but now it seemed unnecessary.

After speaking, he suddenly froze. The tension in his mind had prevented him from noticing it before, but now that the danger had passed, he was astonished to feel how soft her chest was.

As expected of his master, her mature, soft body was like a perfectly ripe peach.

He could also detect a faint, delicate fragrance in the air. As she was out on an assassination mission, she certainly wouldn't have applied perfume. This must be her natural body scent.

It wasn't the artificial scent of cosmetics like in his previous life, but a genuine, delicate fragrance emanating from her body.

This was a cultivation world, where practitioners, after reaching a certain level, would have long since refined away all impurities from their bodies, becoming immaculate, able to remain clean even after a month without bathing.

Of course, most cultivators were not high-level practitioners from birth; for many years, they lived as ordinary people, bathing and changing clothes. Once these habits were formed, they tended to instinctively retain them even after their cultivation advanced.

"Have you had enough of holding me?" Yun Jianyue's cold voice suddenly broke the silence.

Zu An gave an embarrassed smile and quickly released her. "I didn't recognize you earlier. Please forgive my offense, Big Sister."

"Big Sister?" Yun Jianyue's expression was peculiar. "Honglei calls me master, and you're Honglei's friend. By that logic, I am your elder. Calling me 'senior' would not be a loss for you."

Zu An chuckled. "Honglei calling you master and me calling you Big Sister don't conflict. We can simply refer to each other as we please."

Yun Jianyue was speechless.

She couldn't be bothered to argue the point with him and slowly started walking away. The man's close proximity in the confined space made her uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, she had underestimated her injuries. When he was holding her, she had support, but now walking alone, as soon as she took a step, she felt dizzy and her legs gave out, causing her to stumble sideways.

"Careful!" Zu An quickly moved to steady her.

"Thank you!" Yun Jianyue was surprisingly composed and didn't show any shyness or anger at his touch.

"Are your injuries that serious?" Zu An asked with concern.

"They were manageable, but our recent exchange aggravated them, and I can no longer suppress them." Yun Jianyue leaned against a nearby rockery, her face pale.

She felt uncomfortable because of the bloodstains on her veil, so she casually removed it.

Zu An's eyes widened instantly. Although he had witnessed her peerless elegance before and guessed she would be beautiful beneath the veil, he hadn't imagined she would be this stunning.

Her face held none of a maiden's immaturity; instead, it exuded the unique allure of a mature woman, precisely a woman at her most captivating.

He had initially thought that as the Sect Master of the Demonic Cult, she would possess an imposing, perhaps slightly masculine, appearance.

But in reality, it was completely the opposite. Her features were incredibly soft and exquisite: luscious red lips, a slender, fair, jade-like neck, and a full, high bosom that rose and fell with her quick breaths, creating a perfect, subtle tremble that could ignite a man's most primal desires.

Even through her night suit, one could clearly perceive her slender yet supple waist and her voluptuous, seductive hips. Her entire being seemed so ripe it was almost dripping with allure, every part undeniably tempting.

A flower of human splendor!

These words suddenly flashed through Zu An's mind. She was truly breathtakingly beautiful, like a resplendent peony.

Yet, she possessed a pair of transcendent eyes. Her gaze was exceptionally clear and profound, like the bright moon in the sky – immeasurably beautiful, yet seemingly looking down on the mortal world from the clouds, carrying an ethereal sense of detachment.

Logically, these two temperaments were vastly different, but in her, they intertwined perfectly. Without those serene eyes, people would perceive her as merely an earthly temptress, a perfect bedmate, which would diminish her grandeur;

But without that exquisite maturity, she would appear too ethereal and unapproachable.

"If you weren't Honglei's friend, any man who dared to look at me like that on an ordinary day would have had his eyes gouged out long ago." Yun Jianyue spoke as if it were a trivial matter, yet her stunning face held an intimidating dignity that required no anger.

Zu An couldn't help but mumble, "You can't beat me right now anyway."

"What did you say?" Yun Jianyue raised an eyebrow, her gaze turning somewhat dangerous.

Zu An quickly changed his tune. "I was just speaking up for those poor souls whose eyes you gouged out! They might not have looked at you with ill intent, but simply because you are too beautiful, Big Sister. Even an extraordinary man like me, accustomed to beauty, finds it hard to look away, let alone those inexperienced fellows. They were clearly appreciating an artwork that embodies the essence of heaven and earth, yet had their eyes removed. How pitiful!"

"Are you trying to tell me how to do things?" Yun Jianyue asked expressionlessly.

"Uh," Zu An was momentarily speechless, struggling to follow her train of thought. "Can't you tell I was subtly praising your beauty?"

"Since you said they appreciated an artwork that embodies the essence of heaven and earth, then their lives were already worth it. Why would they need their eyes to look at other ugly things?" Yun Jianyue said flatly.

Zu An was dumbfounded. "What you said makes so much sense, I can't even refute it."

"This is the first time I've met a Smooth Scroll Envoy as glib as you," Yun Jianyue paused, then suddenly asked, "Did you use these honeyed words to deceive Honglei?"

Zu An sighed. "Big Sister, you seem to have too little faith in your own disciple. Is Honglei really the type to be fooled by sweet talk?"

Yun Jianyue glanced at him. "It's precisely because I know she isn't that I've patiently spoken so much with you."

Zu An was speechless.

"Big Sister, you'll easily lose friends talking like that."

So, he simply remained silent.

As they stared at each other, Yun Jianyue finally couldn't help but frown. "Are you just planning to stand here with me indefinitely? If I'm not mistaken, more guards will be patrolling this way soon."

Zu An chuckled. "What does that have to do with me? They're not going to arrest me anyway."