Chapter 658: On the Self-cultivation of a Scumbag

As Zuan was deep in thought, Yun Jianyue was equally worried. After a moment's hesitation, she said, "You don't need to concern yourself with me anymore, lest I implicate you."

Zuan was startled. "What do you mean by that? If I were afraid of being implicated by you, I wouldn't have saved you in the first place."

"I know you are a truly honorable and righteous person, but things are different now. I plan to go to the imperial prison. You've helped me enough; I can't drag you down any further." As Yun Jianyue spoke, she carefully observed him. Although he was a smooth-talker on ordinary days, he was far more reliable than many within the cult who constantly proclaimed their unparalleled loyalty and righteousness. Honglei wouldn't be disgraced by being with him. It was a pity that her cultivation method had issues, meaning they were destined to meet but not be together in the short term.

Zuan felt a slight flush on his face after being called "honorable and righteous." To be honest, if she hadn't been so beautiful, he might not have been so proactive. As a lecher, he was quite self-aware.

But he quickly composed himself and asked, surprised, "You're going to the imperial prison? Are you planning to rescue your companions? Isn't that a death wish?"

Yun Jianyue shook her head, her long hair swaying slightly. "Not to rescue them, but to kill them."

Zuan was speechless. Do members of the Demon Cult all think so erratically? He was getting dizzy trying to follow her logic.

Only then did Yun Jianyue explain, "I know my limits. With the Emperor residing in the palace, even at my peak, I couldn't rescue anyone from the imperial prison, let alone now that I'm severely injured. I'm going to the prison to give them release. Last time, you mentioned they were beaten beyond recognition in the prison. As their cult leader, if I can't save them, I can at least allow them to find release sooner and no longer suffer earthly torments."

Her tone was incredibly bleak, clearly filled with anger and guilt over her helplessness.

Zuan stared at her with a strange expression. Yun Jianyue, thinking he was about to dissuade her, said directly, "You don't need to persuade me. If this matter isn't resolved, my cultivation foundation will be damaged, and I might never make any further progress in my spiritual path. Besides, by releasing them, I'll also prevent your identity from being exposed."

Previously, to reassure Gu Yue and the others, Zuan had promised to rescue them later. Now, after so many days, they were probably starting to feel anxious. If they fell into despair, they might very well expose Zuan.

Hearing her words, Zuan felt a pang of shame. The Cult Leader was still thinking of him at a time like this, while he had only been scheming to win her over.

He cleared his throat and said, "The imperial prison is heavily guarded; it's too dangerous for you to go. Leave it to me. I'll see if I can rescue them."

"Rescue? How?" Yun Jianyue was startled, clearly not expecting him to say that. In her view, with the Emperor in the palace, rescuing anyone was an utterly impossible task.

"Certainly not by force, but by wit," Zuan said, pointing to his head and looking at her with sincerity. "I've been to the imperial prison and am familiar with those people, so it would be much easier to do anything. These past few days, I've seen you unable to eat or sleep, often looking towards the prison with a worried expression. That's why I've been thinking of a way to rescue them. I originally wanted to surprise you, but when I heard you were going to risk it, I had to tell you in advance." As he spoke, a little red figure inside him cursed him as a scumbag for using the Emperor's goodwill to woo a woman for free. Just then, another little black figure scoffed beside him, "Bah! Can matters of the heart be called 'scummy'?"

Yun Jianyue saw his intense gaze and, for the first time, felt unusually flustered, instinctively taking a step back. "So... you've done all this for me."

Seeing her flustered and confused, Zuan secretly sighed. This woman was a Grandmaster in cultivation, yet it was a pity she had been celibate for so many years; emotionally, she was like a blank slate. In this area, she was like a younger brother to him—or rather, a younger sister.

"No matter what, we've been living together for so many days as friends. How could I not share a friend's worries?" Zuan didn't press further. Their relationship wasn't at that stage yet, and being too eager might only backfire. The Emperor's secret mission was for him to infiltrate the Demon Cult. *Hmm*, would infiltrating the Demon Cult Leader herself count as success?

"Friends..." Hearing this word, Yun Jianyue's racing heart finally calmed down slightly. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. "Who's been co-habiting with you? Don't make it sound so unpleasant."

Usually, she maintained a cold, arrogant, and domineering demeanor, so it was rare to see her display such a girlish expression. Zuan couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment.

Noticing his gaze, Yun Jianyue also realized she had lost her composure and quickly reverted to her usual imposing and domineering manner. "What are you looking at? Keep staring, and I'll gouge out your eyes!" At the same time, she secretly warned herself: *This man belongs to Honglei; don't do anything that would make a fool of yourself.*

"Cult Leader Yun, you truly are naturally beautiful; even when you're angry, you're still so lovely." Seeing her deliberately feign anger, Zuan almost burst out laughing. *You can't fool me on this front; your lack of 'rage points' truly betrays you.*

Hearing him praise her beauty, Yun Jianyue's brows involuntarily relaxed for a moment, but she still maintained a straight face and said, "I am Honglei's master. Sometimes, when you joke, you still need to mind your boundaries."

Zuan pursed his lips. "I told you we should keep our relationships separate."

Yun Jianyue raised an eyebrow, just as she was about to flare up, Zuan quickly said, "I'll go to the Eastern Palace first. As the Crown Prince's attendant, it wouldn't look good if I'm not seen there for days."

Watching his somewhat disheveled and hasty departure, Yun Jianyue, who had been maintaining a straight face, let out a chuckle. "Hmph, I thought you were truly fearless." Her smile at that moment was truly like melting ice and snow. The previously aloof moon gained a touch of earthly warmth.

On his way to the Eastern Palace, Zuan pondered how to rescue the Demon Cult assassins. Although he had the Emperor's implicit approval, he couldn't publicly reveal this. At most, he could only give subtle hints to relevant personnel, so he still had to figure out the rescue himself. In fact, getting people out of the imperial prison wasn't difficult; the challenge lay in handling the aftermath. Not only could he not let the Demon Cult members suspect anything, but he also couldn't allow the palace guards to trouble him. Those guards wouldn't know this was the Emperor's intention and would certainly pursue him as an imperial criminal who had raided the prison. Furthermore, figuring out how to get the rescued people out of the palace was another headache.

As he thought, he unconsciously found himself at the Eastern Palace's entrance. The scene inside greatly surprised him. He saw the chubby Crown Prince respectfully holding a cup of tea and offering it to someone seated in the main position. The Crown Princess stood beside him, also bowing, but it was visibly apparent that she was feeling aggrieved, as if her heart was about to burst from frustration.

Zuan was curious. The Crown Princess usually acted like a haughty little hen, looking down on everyone as if they were trash. Who could possibly make her feel so frustrated?

Seated in the chair was an elegant middle-aged man. Although his face showed some marks of time, his sharp brows and bright eyes, and his gentle, watery gaze, still revealed how popular he must have been with women in his youth. His hair was meticulously combed, and a strand of white hair was mixed in at his temples. Far from making him look old, it added a touch of dashing charm.

Just then, he heard the Crown Prince say weakly, "Grand Tutor, please have some tea."

Zuan's heart skipped a beat. He finally understood who this person was. No wonder he bore some resemblance to the Emperor. The Prince of Qi, Zhao Jing!

At this moment, the Prince of Qi slowly spoke, "I haven't been to the Eastern Palace in a while, and I've noticed the Crown Prince has forgotten many rules. So, today, I specifically had him review them. I am your teacher, and also your uncle. When I ask you to offer tea, do you harbor any resentment in your hearts?"

"No, none at all," the chubby Crown Prince said, his gaze darting away. He was clearly somewhat afraid of his uncle and dared not offer any rebuttal.

The Crown Princess's eyes were filled with unwillingness, but she couldn't find a reason to refute, so she could only sulk by herself. Seeing her timid and useless husband beside her, she grew even angrier.

Witnessing this scene, a thought stirred in Zuan's mind. It seemed there was a solution to the problem that had been bothering him.