Chapter 924: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

Bi Zi'ang's expression flickered, but in an instant, it returned to normal. He chuckled and said, "I really didn't expect Brother Zu to have such a trick. I'm genuinely impressed and admit defeat wholeheartedly."

Secretly, however, he was fuming. Since childhood, he had always acquired anything he set his sights on. Today, he had stumbled and lost to this boy.

He even suspected that the other party hadn't actually counted the petals. Instead, he had secretly hidden one petal and then, upon hearing Bi Zi'ang's answer, simply added one to trick him. After all, counting so many petals in such a short time required extraordinary cultivation. While the other party was now well-known, in terms of true cultivation, how could he possibly compare to Bi Zi'ang, who came from an esteemed family and had experienced countless fortunate encounters?

Even so, he had only barely managed to count the petals by practicing the "Heaven and Earth Sorrowful Sword" technique. So how could Zu An have done it?

Rage points from Bi Zi'ang +745, +745, +745...

Despite his inner fury, he showed no trace of it on his face. Even Nan Xun praised his demeanor, saying, "Young Master Bi is truly a gentleman. A room has already been prepared for you in the pavilion, and there are other courtesans available for your selection."

Only Zu An smiled, saying nothing. On the surface, Bi Zi'ang certainly maintained a dignified demeanor. Unfortunately, the continuous stream of rage points in Zu An's system deeply betrayed Bi Zi'ang's true feelings.

Bi Zi'ang had initially disdained the other courtesans. But considering that an abrupt departure might make him seem petty, he smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you, Miss Nan Xun."

Soon, he was led away by a maid. Nan Xun then turned to Zu An. "Young Master, tonight I am yours. Please be kind to me."

Zu An had to admit that these courtesans were remarkably skilled. Uttering such alluring words with a proud, cold gaze was enough to make any man's heart pound.

However, Zu An knew there was something amiss with her identity. He was purely in a "let's see how you perform" mindset.

"A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold. Let's not waste any more time," Zu An said, feigning an attempt to embrace her.

"A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold?" The mysterious woman next door murmured his words to herself, unable to help but admire his talent. What a pity it wasn't used for noble purposes; he was nothing but a lecherous fiend.

Nan Xun turned and evaded his embrace. She pursed her lips, smiled, and said, "Young Master, there's no need to rush. I've had a maid prepare hot water. Please allow her to assist you with bathing and changing first."

Zu An waved a hand. "There's no need. I specifically bathed before coming, precisely to save time."

Nan Xun's smile instantly froze. Such an unexpected reply momentarily left her speechless.

Seeing his refusal to bathe, she had no other choice. She continued to retreat, eventually feigning a stumble onto the bed. She then looked at Zu An with a piteous expression, saying, "Young Master, given my background, I don't expect to ever marry. But I've always envied those scenes where a husband lifts the red veil on their wedding night. Tonight is also my 'wedding night.' Young Master, could you please lift my tasseled veil, treating it as if you were lifting a red wedding veil?"

This request was perfectly reasonable. Combined with her tender, watery eyes and soft, sweet voice, no man could possibly refuse.

Zu An was, of course, no exception. "My pleasure."

Saying this, he leaned down and slowly lifted the tasseled veil from her face. Though it wasn't his first time seeing her, he was still struck by her beauty; she truly was a stunning woman.

Just then, Nan Xun's red lips parted slightly, and a wisp of white smoke emerged, directly spraying onto Zu An's face.

Zu An's body stiffened, then he slumped limply onto the nearby bed.

Nan Xun rose from the bed, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, her gaze returning to its usual aloofness. She scoffed with a sarcastic tone, "Stupid man, didn't see that coming, did you!"

Zu An, having been on guard, naturally wasn't poisoned. He wasn't sure what effect the white smoke was supposed to have, and was debating whether to feign unconsciousness or simply pretend to be weak. Just then, he heard her words, which suggested the latter was likely the desired outcome. So he feigned panic and asked, "What's happening? Who exactly are you?"

"Now I ask the questions; you're not qualified to ask me," Nan Xun said, looking down at him condescendingly. "You can only blame your bad luck. My target today was originally either Yu Nan or Bi Zi'ang, but you just had to get involved."

Zu An quickly said, "They're right next door, not far away. You can go find them now."

"Heh. After our interaction just now, I actually thought you were some kind of hero. I didn't expect you to be such a coward," Nan Xun said with disdain, seeing his reaction. "It's not convenient to find those two today. And as it happens, I have some questions for you. I'll ask, and you'll answer."

"Don't even think about resisting. The breath I just exhaled will make you utterly obedient," Nan Xun said confidently, seemingly aiming to quickly break down his will.

Zu An was amused. He had just been wondering how to make his deception convincing, and now she had completely laid it all out for him.

So he pretended his eyes gradually glazed over. He mumbled, "What do you want to ask?"

"That was quick," Nan Xun said, not expecting him to succumb so swiftly. She thought to herself, "The willpower of such a lecherous man is truly weak." "What exactly happened when you went to the National Academy's secret realm this time?"

Zu An's heart tightened. *Could she be someone from Prince Qi's faction?* he wondered.

*Was her previous 'death' just an act, coordinated with Prince Qi?*

He didn't dare to delay. He gave a general account of what had happened in the secret realm.

Nan Xun frowned, clearly displeased with his answer. "I want to know what *really* happened in the secret realm, not these standardized government accounts."

"These *are* what really happened. Has Prince Qi not told you, Princess Consort?" Zu An suddenly smiled.

Hearing his words, Nan Xun was first stunned, then her entire body trembled violently. She immediately flew backward.

Unfortunately, she was still a step too slow. With Zu An's current cultivation level, there was no way he would let her escape.

In the blink of an eye, Zu An had seized her shoulder. Just as he was about to seal her vital acupuncture points, something surprising occurred: his hand passed directly through her body.

It was as if the woman had no physical form.

Nan Xun gave a cold smile. "In my current state, you are far too green to catch me."

With that, her form slipped directly through the crack in the door. Soon, only her skirt hem and feet were visible.

If anyone else had witnessed this, they would surely have cried out in terror.

But Zu An was already well-versed in such phenomena. Hearing this, he chuckled and said, "It's just a ghost. It's not like I haven't encountered one before."

He activated his "Primordial Chaos True Qi." He then reached out and firmly gripped her ankle. Though previously an intangible phantom, her ankle became solid under his grip.

Nan Xun screamed, and was instantly pulled back. Dark scorch marks, as if burned, appeared on her fair ankle.

At that moment, her previous cold arrogance and smugness vanished. Instead, her eyes were wide with terror. She continuously recoiled into the corner, as if Zu An emanated some terrifying aura, and the further she was from him, the better.

Zu An looked at her calmly. "I presume you understand that I can turn you to dust at any moment. So now, I ask, and you answer!"

Just then, the window was suddenly smashed open with a bang. A graceful figure flashed inside, directly lunging at Zu An.

"Finally!" Zu An had vaguely sensed someone watching him from the shadows even when he was outside. For a moment, he had even sharply felt the other party's surging killing intent.

Knowing Nan Xun's current true state, he had naturally suspected someone else was controlling her. Now, his opponent had finally revealed themselves.

His expression remained impassive. With his current cultivation and combat experience, as long as he didn't run into those seasoned veterans who had been renowned for years, he essentially had nothing to fear.

Since he intended to capture the person alive for interrogation, no martial art was more suitable than the "Feathered Robe Entangling Hand."

Now, with his cultivation unleashed, its power was more than doubled.

The attacker initially tried to lead Nan Xun away, but quickly realized that Zu An's cultivation was far superior to what she had anticipated.

She couldn't evade his grasp, no matter what she tried. Her own safety was even becoming precarious.

She dodged left and right, several times narrowly avoiding his grasp.

Both furious and anxious, she couldn't help but let out a sharp cry, "You pervert!"