Chapter 804: Two Separate Routes

"Since the Azure-Moon Dragon isn't here, why don't we go back?" Zu An suggested. "We can inform the Emperor of the situation and request a different test." He felt a sense of unease, recalling Jiang Luofu's warning before he left, the various red-marked danger zones on the map, and the unknown schemes Prince Qi might have planned.

As soon as he spoke, the others immediately erupted in protest:

"What kind of joke is that? We just set out, and you want us to return defeated? Where would we even put our faces?"

"Exactly! What would returning now signify? Failure? I can't afford that kind of humiliation."

"If you're scared, then go back by yourself."

As they chattered, they cast disdainful glances at Zu An. "To think the Crown Princess trusted this guy so much," they muttered, "he's nothing but a coward."

Zu An ignored them and turned to Bi Linglong. "Crown Princess, what's your take on this?"

Bi Linglong shook her head. "We cannot go back. The Crown Prince's grand examination involved a lot of coordination among various factions, and we've already invested significant resources. To fail now would be an immense loss. Furthermore, if we return, Prince Qi might use our failure to complete the task as an excuse to attack, leaving the Crown Prince in a very passive position."

"Exactly, exactly!" Hearing the Crown Princess's words, the Gu brothers straightened their backs. "The Azure-Moon Dragon not being here might even be part of the test. If we found and killed it too quickly, the mission would seem too easy. This is the Crown Prince's grand examination, after all, concerning the succession to the throne; how could it be so simple?"

"Indeed, the Gu brothers make a good point." Others chimed in, clearly sharing the same sentiment.

Zu An stated grimly, "But the Azure-Moon Dragon isn't here now, and we're not even sure if there is one in the secret realm. If we can't find it and then have to withdraw, it will be even more humiliating."

"Moreover, this secret realm isn't as safe as we imagined. It's full of dangerous ferocious beasts."

Meng Pan scoffed, "What are mere ferocious beasts? With so many masters here, we could drown them with our spit."

Zu An replied coolly, "If you actually encounter those truly formidable beasts, one mouthful of you lot wouldn't even be enough to fill their teeth."

"You!" Meng Pan roared in anger. "If you're a coward, then be one yourself. Don't assume everyone else is as timid and scared as you."

Meng Pan's fury surged. The other scions of noble families, born into privilege and having experienced few setbacks, were equally proud and readily agreed with Meng Pan.

At this point, Pei You spoke up. "There's no need to worry about the Azure-Moon Dragon's whereabouts. I have a way to track it. I just checked the surroundings, and it seems to have gone deeper into the mountains."

"What are we waiting for then? Let's pursue it quickly, or the trail will vanish over time!" The others clamored, all turning their gaze to the Crown Princess. Everyone knew the Crown Prince was only here to eat and relieve himself.

Bi Linglong pondered for a moment before finally saying, "Alright. The main group will continue deeper into the mountains to search for the Azure-Moon Dragon. Additionally, to be safe, send someone to the secret realm's entrance to inform those outside of our situation here."

The group was inwardly impressed. To be able to contend with Prince Qi for so many years, even with the Crown Prince as a liability, the Crown Princess was clearly more than just beautiful; her foresight was indeed thorough.

Zu An also nodded secretly. This was indeed the best option available at the moment, and he hoped his worries were unfounded.

The group resumed their journey, with Pei You leading the way, searching for any traces left by the Azure-Moon Dragon.

Bi Linglong took the opportunity to lean closer to Zu An. "I didn't follow your advice. You're not angry, are you?"

Zu An smiled. "I'm not that petty."

Bi Linglong also revealed a faint smile, then lowered her voice to ask, "Is this secret realm truly very dangerous?"

Zu An nodded and briefly explained how Jiang Luofu had given him the map. "The deeper we go into the mountains, the more dangerous it becomes. Previously, the academy's disciples only trained in the outer regions of the secret realm; they rarely ventured into the deep mountains."

Bi Linglong's expression changed. She looked at Pei You, who was at the very front, and said, "Actually, I've always had a concern. Do you remember what I told you before?"

"Are you worried the Pei family is a double agent?" Zu An followed her gaze to the silent, sword-wielding man.

Bi Linglong hummed in affirmation. "I'm a little worried he might intentionally lead us into dangerous areas... No, I must take precautions."

Without waiting for Zu An's reply, she gathered everyone and stated in a solemn voice, "This expedition is of utmost importance, and we cannot afford any missteps. Therefore, no one should take this lightly. The secret realm's mountains contain countless dangers, so you must all follow instructions and absolutely refrain from acting on your own. Allow me to formally introduce everyone to Master Zu An, the Crown Prince's Assistant. He is very familiar with this secret realm and has extensive experience in wilderness adventures. For the foreseeable future, your routes and actions will be determined by him."

Zu An was momentarily stunned, not expecting her to entrust him with such a crucial task. However, considering the unknown dangers ahead, he did not decline.

But the others immediately became indignant:

"Why should we follow his orders?"

"What makes him qualified to command us?"

"There are so many people here with higher cultivation levels than him; why should we listen to him?"

Bi Linglong let out a cold huff. "Silence! What? Do my words no longer carry weight now that we're inside the secret realm?"

The men quickly declared they wouldn't dare.

Only then did Bi Linglong continue, "This matter is settled; there will be no further discussion! I am well aware of Master Zu's cultivation and abilities, and you will all experience them yourselves on this journey. I won't say more. Let's go!"

With various thoughts in their minds, the group resumed their expedition. Since the Crown Princess had spoken, they could only comply out of respect.

Pei You and the scouts from various families devised a route and sought Zu An's opinion. Zu An saw that this area was still relatively in the outer perimeter of the mountains, far from the truly dangerous regions, so there was no need to deliberately avoid anything. He therefore did not alter the proposed route.

After several such instances, the others began to feel disdain. They thought he would have some brilliant insights, but he seemed to be doing nothing more than delegating.

Zu An sensed their thoughts, but he was completely unconcerned. His only task was to protect Bi Linglong and the Crown Prince. As for the Azure-Moon Dragon, with his current cultivation, he could handle it alone without any trouble, making these people unnecessary hindrances. Instead, his gaze swept over the scions of the various families in the group, wondering if any of them might be problematic.

The secret realm had just opened, and countless eyes were fixed on the entrance. Prince Qi couldn't possibly have sent anyone in; only their group had entered. So how could Prince Qi interfere?

The most likely possibility was that he had planted people within their own ranks.

However, these families were all pillars of the Crown Prince's faction and had been meticulously chosen, so he wasn't sure if his suspicion was correct.

While Zu An didn't care about his relationship with these people, Bi Linglong had to. Sensing the undercurrents among them, she leaned closer to Zu An and whispered, "A'Zu, these people come from prominent families and are quite proud. They're generally not easily impressed, so they might not have any ill intentions toward you. Don't take it to heart."

Zu An chuckled, "Don't worry, I won't hold a grudge and retaliate."

Only then did Bi Linglong point to each person, introducing them to Zu An by detailing their personalities, relationships, cultivation levels, and other relevant information. There had been too many distractions on the journey earlier for her to do so.

From a distance, the young noblemen saw the Crown Princess and Zu An interacting intimately, laughing and talking, and they grew increasingly displeased.

The Gu brothers, in particular, were consumed with jealousy. Having grown up with Bi Linglong, they keenly noticed that her demeanor towards Zu An was entirely different from how she treated others.

Although they found such a notion rather startling, neither of them dared to let their guard down.

Gu Xing leaned close to his brother. "Brother, quickly think of something! That Zu An, who knows what kind of spell he's cast on Linglong to win her favor like this?"

A glint flashed in Gu Heng's eyes, and he quickly formed an idea. He found an opportunity to approach the Crown Prince. "Your Highness," he began, "Master Zu and the Crown Princess are walking perhaps a bit too close. This is truly unbecoming for a subject, and more importantly, it could easily harm the Crown Princess's reputation. Aren't you going to do something about it?"

In his view, no man could tolerate another man getting this close to his wife, especially when their interaction appeared so intimate.

Although the Crown Prince was foolish in other aspects, he possessed a strong sense of possessiveness over what he considered his own.

Seeing the Crown Prince look towards Zu An and Bi Linglong, the Gu brothers exchanged glances, their lips curling into slight smiles.

"Zu An, let's see how you die this time!"

To their surprise, after observing for a moment, the Crown Prince said, "They're not that close."

"Not close?" The Gu brothers were astonished. They were walking shoulder to shoulder, their bodies occasionally brushing against each other as they moved.

"What's that? Zu An even hugged Linglong before." The Crown Prince quickly lost interest and resumed gnawing on the spiced pig's trotters that the eunuch had prepared for him.