Chapter 626: Bone-Shrinking Skill

Just then, Yun Jianyue spoke. "Go lie on the bed."

"Huh?" Zu An was startled, not quite understanding why she made such a request.

Yun Jianyue glared at him impatiently. "Didn't you tell everyone you were injured? You're supposed to be resting."

"Oh, right." Zu An got onto the bed and pulled the covers over himself.

Come to think of it, though the house was now his, this was the first time he'd actually slept in its bed.

Just then, Yun Jianyue looked at him again. "Your clothes!"

Zu An looked utterly bewildered. Yun Jianyue frowned. "You seem pretty sharp usually. If you're sleeping, how can you possibly sleep with your clothes on?"

Zu An murmured "Oh" and took off his outer robe. However, he kept his mask on; the true face of an Embroidered Envoy could never be revealed in public.

After doing all this, he finally came to his senses. "What's the point of all this? The important thing is *you*, Big Sister. I'm not afraid of being seen."

Yun Jianyue hesitated for a moment, then simply lifted his covers and slipped in.

Zu An: "???"

Her long hair brushed against him, smooth and delicate like silk.

Breathing in her faint, elegant scent and feeling her soft body, Zu An finally managed to blurt out, "I think you're lusting after my body!"

"Shut up!" A faint blush, uncharacteristic for her, appeared on Yun Jianyue's fair face, but it vanished instantly.

He felt her wriggle around in the covers as if performing some kind of contortionist technique. Her body suddenly became incredibly pliable, and she seemed to shrink significantly. She curled up entirely inside his quilt, making it utterly impossible to tell there was an extra person in there.

Zu An was instantly dumbfounded. In his previous life, he had seen girls practicing yoga perform all sorts of incredible poses, but now he realized that compared to Yun Jianyue, they paled in comparison.

Whoever marries this woman in the future would surely have an incredibly fulfilling intimate life.

"Are you trying to die?!" At that moment, Yun Jianyue's gritted voice came from inside the covers.

Rage points from Yun Jianyue: +999!

Zu An's face flushed. He awkwardly shifted his leg. "This is a normal physiological reaction, beyond my control. My apologies."

Yun Jianyue: "..."

She turned her head away. *If you're doing that on purpose, I'll rip you to shreds!*

Had she not truly been left with no other option this time, why would she resort to such a drastic measure?

She knew that if anyone came in to search later, hiding behind a half-drawn curtain as she had before wouldn't work. Zhu Xie Chixin hadn't suspected anything, which was why he hadn't looked closely. But the person outside was clearly prepared; every corner of the room would be searched. Hiding outside the window temporarily was also not an option, as Zu An had just mentioned that a ring of guards already surrounded the area. If she were to climb out the window now, wouldn't she be immediately exposed?

And as a result, she was taken advantage of by this brat!

Rage points from Yun Jianyue: +233, +233, +233…

Speaking of which, is he perhaps from the Beast Tribe? Or a half-beast? But his outward features are entirely human.

Yun Jianyue, being the leader of a sect, understood the gravity of the situation. She took a deep breath and steadied her emotions.

Just then, Cheng Xiong's impatient voice came from outside. "Lord Eleven, if you don't open the door, I will have reason to suspect you are harboring a fugitive, and I will force my way in!"

Although the room had a protective array, such arrays also have defensive limits and certainly couldn't withstand the assault of an eighth-rank general leading a group of masters.

At that moment, Zu An pressed a key on his nameplate, and the courtyard gate automatically opened. "General Cheng, search if you must. I just moved in today, so there's not much here, and it will be easy to verify."

Cheng Xiong was somewhat surprised. This fellow actually let them in. Could he have genuinely wronged him?

However, he wasn't so quick to draw conclusions. He waved his hand, signaling his subordinates to search thoroughly. They were experts in searches, and even if there were hidden rooms or cellars in the courtyard, they wouldn't escape their notice.

He himself walked directly toward the main house. "Lord Eleven, forgive me. I am merely here on official business."

Though he harbored suspicions, he maintained his politeness. After all, everyone served in the palace, and certain courtesies had to be observed.

"There's nothing to forgive, General Cheng. Please make yourself at home after your search. I was just about to rest and recuperate." Zu An struggled to sit up halfway in bed, perfectly fitting the image of someone who had just been woken up.

"So Lord Eleven was sleeping? Didn't you just go to the Imperial Hospital?" Cheng Xiong stared intently at him, initially hoping to discern something unusual from his expression. Unfortunately, the other man was wearing a mask, so nothing could be seen.

He didn't doubt this point; the true identity of every Embroidered Envoy was highly secretive, and they never showed their real faces to others. It was entirely reasonable for him to wear a mask, even while sleeping; in fact, it would be strange if he didn't.

Zu An scoffed. "It seems General Cheng came well-prepared, having investigated quite thoroughly."

Cheng Xiong didn't take offense, smiling as he replied, "I can't help it. Since His Majesty tasked me with investigating this assassin case, I naturally must do my utmost and not overlook a single clue."

"I wonder if General Cheng has uncovered anything?" Zu An secretly frowned, wondering why this fellow was targeting him. Logically, they had no prior enmity, and he was a Gold-Medal Embroidered Envoy. There was no reason for Cheng Xiong to be so disrespectful.

"Those assassins are too cunning; nothing valuable has been found yet. However, I believe there are certainly still some assassins at large within the palace, though I don't know where they're hiding. But it won't be long before these individuals are found," Cheng Xiong said.

"I wish General Cheng every success." Zu An couldn't help but inwardly lament how perceptive this fellow truly was, having actually guessed the truth. Unfortunately, this individual was an enemy, which made things difficult.

Cheng Xiong smiled, then suddenly asked, "Oh, by the way, I just heard at the Imperial Hospital that Lord Eleven was injured. But earlier in the Imperial Study, I didn't sense that Lord Eleven was hurt. Could you have encountered more assassins after leaving the Imperial Study?"

Zu An screamed inwardly, *Did this guy read the script?*

Of course, he showed no weakness on the surface. "Actually, I was injured by that female assassin's flying sword back in the Eastern Palace. But I had to maintain my composure for His Majesty, so I forcibly suppressed the injury. Later, when I had a moment, I went to the Imperial Hospital for medicine."

"But I heard the Imperial Hospital didn't give you the medicine; they gave it to the Crown Princess instead," Cheng Xiong said, moving closer to him. "Lord Eleven, perhaps you need my assistance? Although I am only an eighth-rank official, I believe I still possess the ability to heal others."

"No need to trouble yourself, General. The Crown Princess just gave me the medicine, and I'm much better now. I just need a few days of good rest to recover fully." Zu An deliberately brought up his connection with the Crown Princess, hoping Cheng Xiong would back off.

As expected, Cheng Xiong's expression shifted when he heard "Crown Princess." He hadn't anticipated their connection.

However, he was also a ruthless character. He thought that since he had already offended Zu An, rather than letting him leverage the power of both the Embroidered Envoys and the Crown Princess to seek revenge later, it would be better to crush him now.

"Speaking of that female assassin, I still feel a lingering fear. For a grandmaster to disregard her status and attempt an assassination is truly shameless," Cheng Xiong remarked.

Hearing this, Zu An immediately felt Yun Jianyue's body tense. Clearly, she was seething with rage.

Worried she might lose her composure, he quickly reached out and gently patted her body, signaling her to calm down.

Yun Jianyue: "..."

*Once my injuries heal, should I really chop off this fellow's hands?*

Zu An, meanwhile, went along with Cheng Xiong's words. "That female assassin is quite beautiful, but unfortunately, her attacks are incredibly ruthless. I almost died by her sword."

Cheng Xiong praised, "Lord Eleven, to be able to evade a Grandmaster's flying sword attack is truly admirable. I wonder what kind of cultivation method Lord Eleven practices. When I approach you, I can feel a sense of intense heat. Could it be that you cultivate a fire-based art?"

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. He finally understood that this fellow was trying to probe whether the Flaming Blade that had saved Qiu Honglei earlier was connected to him.

As for the sensation of heat, with such a captivating beauty hidden under the covers, almost pressed tightly against him to avoid detection, feeling her soft and supple body—how could he *not* feel warm?

He said coldly, "Every Embroidered Envoy works for the Emperor, and their cultivation methods and abilities are classified. It's likely inappropriate for General Cheng to inquire about such things, isn't it?"

Cheng Xiong's expression changed. "I admire Lord Eleven's skills so much that I spoke carelessly. Please forgive me."

As he spoke, his gaze involuntarily fell on the covers draped over Zu An.

---

I've noticed that ever since I started writing, my wife and mother-in-law almost always take the kids out on weekends while I write alone at home. I barely have any time to spend with my family. Today, I decided to accompany them, but the cost is significant: my backlog of drafts is completely used up. I hope I can write some new drafts tonight.

I feel that one of the biggest problems with this profession is the inability to rest. You're never finished writing. A backlog that takes half a month to build up can be used up in a day or two. Ugh, it's frustrating. I envy those big shots who effortlessly have hundreds of thousands of words in reserve.