Chapter 632: Mars Collides with Earth

Chu Chuyan's reason for being able to leave the Qin family was to inquire about the assassins in the imperial palace. As Zu An was the Crown Prince's attendant, he was expected to know some inside information, so the Qin family tacitly allowed her to come out.

Of course, Chu Chuyan shared her parents' desire to remain neutral and avoid involvement in the struggle for the throne. However, Chu Youzhao, having been raised by her maternal grandfather since childhood, had developed deep feelings for Prince Qi's faction due to her upbringing and naturally spoke in his defense.

According to information received by the Qin family, some of the assassins captured yesterday initially maintained a defiant stance, but after a round of severe torture, they confessed. All of them revealed that Prince Qi had assigned them. This revelation made the situation extremely serious, causing a stir within the entire Prince Qi faction. If mishandled, this incident could lead to the complete downfall of the Prince Qi faction.

Chu Youzhao empathized with the situation, cursing the assassins from the previous night for their despicable and shameless framing.

Hidden behind the screen, Qiu Honglei found the conversation grating and felt deeply displeased. Her emotional fluctuations caused her aura to leak slightly.

Chu Chuyan, now a formidable Seventh-Grade master, immediately sensed something was amiss. She didn't suspect Zu An; her first thought was that someone had infiltrated the house to harm him. After all, he possessed the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra, coveted by many. Furthermore, as the Crown Prince's attendant, she had heard that the Sixth Young Master of the Shi family, also a Crown Prince's attendant, had suffered an accident in the palace that was linked to Zu An. She worried that the Shi family might have sent assassins for revenge.

Instantly, she darted forward, using her fingers as a sword, sending a burst of sword qi toward the screen.

In an instant, the screen shattered into pieces from the sword qi, and a figure flashed out. The two immediately exchanged several blows.

As a saintess of her sect, Qiu Honglei was an outstanding practitioner with various skills and cultivation levels among her peers, and she did not fall into a disadvantage in the short term.

Chu Youzhao, her face alight with excitement, rolled up her sleeves, ready to rush forward. "Sister, I'll help you!" She rarely found such opportunities in the capital; most people dared not fight her seriously. Murong Qinghe was quite good, with high cultivation and fierce attacks, but she always went easy on Chu Youzhao, which made it boring. The last time she encountered assassins at her brother-in-law's place, it was too dangerous. Today was different; with her sister and brother-in-law nearby to look after her, her safety was assured, making her extremely eager to join the fray.

Zu An pressed down on her head. "Don't blindly join in; you'll only cause trouble."

"Don't touch my head!" Chu Youzhao flailed her arms, trying to hit him. Unfortunately, her petite stature meant her arms couldn't reach Zu An even when fully extended, and she only managed to swipe at the air.

Rage points from Chu Youzhao +233 +233 +233...

Meanwhile, Chu Chuyan also stopped fighting. "It's you?" There had been some misunderstanding at first, but after so many exchanges, she had clearly recognized her opponent: the courtesan from Immortal Abode in Mingyue City, with whom she had also fought alongside on the way to the capital. How could she not recognize her?

Qiu Honglei hummed in response. "Hello, Miss Chu." Her mind was a little muddled at the moment, and she didn't know what to say.

"Oh, you know each other," Chu Youzhao said, her face falling in disappointment upon hearing their conversation. The fight was off, and she unhappily batted Zu An's hand away.

Zu An was about to step forward and say something, but his survival instinct told him it was best not to put himself in the line of fire at that moment.

"Miss Qiu, what brings you here? Could it be you're still thinking about Ah Zu's Phoenix Nirvana Sutra?" Chu Chuyan frowned, naturally aware of Qiu Honglei's identity as a saintess of the Demonic Sect. The incident where Demonic Sect masters tried to abduct Zu An on the road to the capital was still fresh in her mind. Had Qiu Honglei not openly and covertly assisted Zu An back then, Chu Chuyan wouldn't have stopped fighting so quickly now.

Qiu Honglei lightly coughed. "Coming to the capital, it's only natural to visit old acquaintances." This reason certainly sounded plausible, but Chu Chuyan still felt something was off. Suddenly, she recalled the strange scent she had noticed upon entering the room. Her heart stirred, and she said, "You haven't wiped everything off your face yet."

Qiu Honglei was greatly embarrassed and instinctively touched her face, but there was nothing there. "You lied..." She stopped mid-sentence, realizing she had fallen into a trap.

Zu An, standing by, also gasped, surprised that Chu Chuyan, who usually appeared as pure as crystal clear ice, had such a cunning side.

Chu Chuyan's expression indeed turned cold. She snorted and then looked at Zu An. Rage points from Chu Chuyan +256 +256 +256...

That scoundrel! She had just been worried about his well-being and felt a bit guilty about not fulfilling her duties, yet he was here having a great time secretly with another woman.

Zu An offered an awkward smile. "Chuyan..." Chu Chuyan, however, had no interest in his explanation. She turned directly to Qiu Honglei. "If I'm not mistaken, Miss Qiu is still unmarried. Yet here you are, at a married man's house, playing... these games. Indeed, people from the Demonic Sect have no regard for rules in their conduct."

Chu Youzhao, intelligent and perceptive, though not fully grasping what had happened, roughly guessed that this woman was likely her sister's romantic rival. "Hmph, she looks like a vixen; she's clearly not a good person." She chimed in, "Sister, do you only realize it now? The Demonic Sect has always been this despicable and shameless!"

Although she and her sister often bickered, at times like this, they naturally presented a united front.

Qiu Honglei seethed inwardly, yet her face remained wreathed in smiles. "Indeed, we of the Demonic Sect are despicable and shameless, certainly no match for certain self-proclaimed virtuous noble families. They bring people into their mansions to work like oxen and horses when they are useful, but once their utility runs out, they're swept out the door, their ties completely severed, for fear of the slightest implication. In the end, it's us 'demonic women' who constantly find ways to rescue people. Isn't that right, Ah Zu?"

Zu An broke into a cold sweat. "It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound. My breaking ties with the Chu family was a result of our mutual discussion. I also didn't want to implicate others, and Chuyan she..."

Qiu Honglei, however, directly cut him off, turning her accusation toward Chu Chuyan. "That's right, if I'm not mistaken, you also have no relation to the Chu family anymore. Some people arrive first thing in the morning acting like the legitimate wife, demanding explanations. Who are you putting on this show for?"

Chu Chuyan's breath caught. The Chu family's severance of ties with Zu An had always been a thorn in her side. She hadn't been in Mingyue City at the time, and by the time she learned the news, it was too late.

Both had tacitly avoided mentioning the matter, but now her face paled. Indeed, they were no longer husband and wife.

Chu Youzhao, standing by, was furious. "Where did this vixen come from, brazenly trying to steal a man? Believe it or not, I'll immediately report you to the yamen and have them arrest you, a remnant of the Demonic Sect!"

To her surprise, Qiu Honglei leaned against Zu An with a sweet smile. "I'm Ah Zu's good friend and usually live here. If you report me, wouldn't you also cause him trouble? Ah Zu has been benevolent and righteous towards your Chu family, yet you repay kindness with enmity."

"You..." Chu Youzhao was momentarily speechless. In terms of eloquence, how could she be a match for Qiu Honglei, a Demonic Sect saintess who had long frequented Immortal Abode?

Watching Qiu Honglei intimately lean against Zu An, Chu Chuyan's eyelids twitched. She thought, *If I had known this, I should have let Zhu Xie Chixin capture her back then, instead of letting her go early. Hmph, she infuriates me!* She turned away expressionlessly. "Youzhao, let's go."

Chu Youzhao felt a pang of dissatisfaction. *Sister, you're the legitimate wife, how can you back down in front of those seductive hussies?* But seeing her sister walk away quickly, she wisely assessed the disparity in their martial power and chased after her.

Seeing this, Zu An was about to go after them to explain, but Qiu Honglei held him tightly. "Ah Zu, please get me some clean water to wash my face. It feels like my face has crusted over."

Just as she reached the doorway, Chu Chuyan paused, took a deep breath, and then walked away without looking back. Rage points from Chu Chuyan +999!

Seeing Qiu Honglei's eyes full of hope and pleading, Zu An sighed. Given what had just happened, leaving now would indeed seem too heartless. "Alright, I'll go get you some water."

Hearing his words, Qiu Honglei's anxious heart finally settled, and her face bloomed into a smile. "Honglei, we could have talked things through properly. Why did you have to escalate it to such an irreconcilable point?" Zu An said, wiping her cheek with a vexed expression.