Chapter 942: Death Tribe

Nanyun was standing at the door. Hearing that Zu'an had come to see her, she was so thrilled that she nearly forgot to put on her shoes before rushing to him. When she arrived, she found he had brought two other people with him.

Her first thought was that he had brought friends to show off, a common tendency among men, something she had witnessed countless times in the brothel.

However, she quickly realized something was off, as one of his companions had an unusually exaggerated chest.

Upon closer inspection, with delicate features, a small mouth, and fair skin, it was clearly a woman disguised as a man.

She was surprised why he would bring a woman to a place like Red Sleeve Manor. Before she could ponder it further, she heard the other flat-chested person speaking ill of her from behind. Naturally, she wouldn't tolerate it and immediately retorted.

Sang Qian was startled, not expecting to be overheard by the very person she was discussing. She was about to speak when she clearly saw the woman's beauty. Initially, she had imagined a courtesan queen would be heavily made-up and alluring, but this woman possessed an exceptional elegance, even more refined than many noble ladies, making it difficult to associate her with a woman of the night.

What struck her even harder was how exaggerated everyone's chests were. What did they eat growing up?

Usually quick-witted, she had a retort ready, but upon seeing the woman's impressive bust, her confidence immediately waned. All desire for debate vanished. She huffed and turned her head away in a sulk.

Zheng Dan also snapped to attention, curiously appraising the woman at the door. She was indeed captivating and charming, but what was striking was the lofty, condescending gaze in her eyes, which oddly gave her no hint of a courtesan's air.

"She could rival Qiu Honglei," Zheng Dan thought, unconsciously straightening her posture. She secretly regretted feeling so exhausted lately and not wearing makeup that day, certain she was being outshone.

However, she quickly remembered she was dressed as a man that day, which offered a small measure of relief.

"Nanyun, it's really not easy to get to see you," Zu'an said, sensing the tense atmosphere and quickly changing the subject.

Hearing his voice, a hint of a smile instantly appeared on Nanyun's otherwise frosty face. "There's nothing I can do about it. All the guests who come want to see me; if I met every single one, I'd be exhausted. But rest assured, young master, I'll tell the staff inside that you can come straight in next time, no need for announcements."

Sang Qian secretly scoffed. Was this woman showing off how popular she was? She used to think her sister-in-law was a bit flirtatious, but compared to this woman, her sister-in-law was as pure as a white flower.

"You have to see so many guests?" Zu'an's brow furrowed unconsciously.

"Are you jealous, young master?" Nanyun's smile deepened as she directly linked her arm through Zu'an's. "I'm so happy."

"Affected," Sang Qian muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

Zheng Dan also slightly frowned. This woman was a formidable rival. *Hmph*, if only Chu Chuyan were here.

Though usually at odds with each other to some extent, the two women now found common ground against a shared "enemy."

At that moment, Nanyun leaned close to Zu'an's ear and whispered, "Don't worry, young master. I just chat with those people to humor them; I haven't even removed my facial veil. I'll remain chaste for you."

As she spoke, she deliberately blew softly into his ear, full of playful provocation.

Zu'an sighed inwardly, marveling at her seductive skill. No wonder even a figure like Prince Qi had once been hopelessly infatuated with her beauty.

Considering she was Prince Qi's consort in her past life, yet was now a virgin, was she to be considered a young married woman or a maiden?

A maiden's body with the mind of a mature woman?

Feeling the murderous glares from the two women behind him, he finally snapped back to reality. "Oh, right, I came today for something important. I wanted to ask Miss Kong about a few things."

"There's another woman?" Zheng Dan's ears perked up instantly.

Sang Qian also looked puzzled. Who was this Miss Kong? Were there any famous people named Kong in the capital?

Although she often criticized Zu'an internally, she respected his taste; a woman of ordinary looks would never catch his eye.

Anyone he took an interest in would likely be a stunning beauty. If she was also named Kong, such a woman should be very well-known in the capital.

Nanyun pouted slightly. "Young master, you're so heartless. You haven't visited me since our last meeting, and now you come just to find another woman through me."

"Are you even jealous of her? Don't worry, it's about important business," Zu'an chuckled.

Nanyun knew that timely coquetry could increase her standing in a man's heart, but also that it was easy to overdo it. So, she cleverly stopped at the right moment. "Alright then, I'll take you to see her. She was just talking about you."

"Talking about what?" Zu'an was curious, feeling a little uneasy about being remembered by someone of high status among the demon race.

"That you're a heartless scoundrel," Nanyun scoffed, then led the way with a graceful sway that made the inexperienced Sang Qian feel both disdain and envy.

Zheng Dan watched Zu'an with a knowing smile. Though she had long known he was a womanizer, she hadn't expected him to be so promiscuous. From what she heard, that Miss Kong also seemed to be one of his confidantes.

Soon, the group arrived at a small courtyard at the back. Nanyun stopped at the door. "Young master, I need to ask for permission first. You know her identity is a bit..."

She glanced at Zheng Dan and the other woman, leaving her sentence unfinished.

Zu'an understood her concerns and naturally didn't make things difficult for her.

Watching her enter the room, Sang Qian couldn't help but ask, "Who is that Miss Kong? So mysterious!"

"Her identity is indeed special. We're here to ask for help, so naturally, we must follow their rules." Zu'an didn't reveal Kong Nanwu's identity. The word "demon" was too sensitive, especially given the recent incident where demons had massacred a border town.

Sang Qian and Zheng Dan exchanged glances, both seeing curiosity in the other's eyes.

Nanyun soon emerged. "Young master, she invites you in, but these two might find it a bit inconvenient."

Sang Qian's eyebrows immediately knitted together. *Where does this courtesan get off being so arrogant?* Just as she was about to lash out, Zu'an stopped her. "Xiao Qian, please wait in the outer room for a moment. I'll take your sister-in-law inside to inquire about her condition."

Sang Qian was initially annoyed, but hearing it concerned her sister-in-law's illness, she suppressed her displeasure. "Fine, this place is too precious; I won't go in. Wouldn't want to get stained with the scent of a fox."

She had originally thought of saying "sultry scent," but ultimately decided it was too vulgar and held her tongue.

Zu'an thought to himself, *You're actually right; there really is a fox in here.*

Soon, Zu'an led Zheng Dan inside. Nanyun hesitated, "Young master, she..."

"It's fine," Zu'an said. "Miss Kong can speak from behind the curtain. The matter I need to consult her about concerns this companion, so I must bring her in."

Having stayed there for a night, he naturally knew the layout of the room.

Hearing his words, Nanyun no longer insisted. She went in first to inform Kong Nanwu.

As Zu'an and Zheng Dan entered, Zheng Dan curiously surveyed her surroundings. She wanted to know who this Miss Kong was, to be held in such high regard by Zu'an.

She quickly spotted the person, but unfortunately, obscured by a bead curtain and layers of silk drapes, she could only vaguely discern an an elegant figure without seeing her face clearly.

"Please forgive me, young master; we can only meet in this manner," a soft voice came from the inner room. Zheng Dan's eyes widened. Could there truly be such a beautiful voice in the world? In that instant, she imagined a nightingale's song, pearls dropping onto a jade plate, yet none could adequately describe the striking impact of that voice.

Zu'an led her by the hand to a seat before speaking. "Miss Kong, you're too kind. I understand your concerns, and I'm already grateful that you're willing to meet us in this way."

Kong Nanwu chuckled softly. "May I ask, young master, what brings you here today?"

"It's like this..." Zu'an then described Zheng Dan's symptoms. "I heard that the 'Yansheng' curse comes from the demon race. Do you know of any way to break it?"

Kong Nanwu finally understood why he had sought her out. "The Yansheng curse indeed originates from the demon race. The demon race is diverse; besides the widely known species, there are also some obscure and lesser-known ones, such as the Blood Clan and the Necromancer Clan. The Yansheng curse comes from the Necromancer Clan, though it has been modified slightly by humans."

Zheng Dan thought, *This woman is so knowledgeable, she knows so much about the demon race. No wonder A'Zu values her so highly.*

Zu'an, astonished, asked, "There's actually a Necromancer Clan in this world?"

If there truly were beings like the undead, why would the Emperor bother seeking immortality? Wouldn't it be better to simply exist as an undead being?

"Not as you might imagine," Kong Nanwu explained. "They are a type of undead creature, possessing the ability to refine corpses and spirits. However, these spirits usually lack consciousness and can only mechanically follow commands."

"Then, is there a solution for my companion's condition?" Zu'an asked, pointing to Zheng Dan. He admitted that initially, he had even suspected Kong Nanwu might be responsible, given her ability to create *chang* ghosts. Who knew if some accidental conflict had arisen between them? However, after arriving and conversing with her for a while, he immediately understood that she was likely not involved.

Silence fell in the inner room. After a long moment, her voice was heard: "This might be somewhat difficult."

Zu'an's heart jolted. "Is there no solution?"

"Not exactly..." Kong Nanwu's next sentence was transmitted directly through spiritual essence. "Young master should understand that since the other party used such a technique, they might have connections to the demon race. And you know how severely our demon race is oppressed by humans right now. If we, residing within human territory, don't even assist each other, and instead undermine one another, then I'm afraid..."

Zu'an's expression turned cold. "Are you trying to blackmail me, Miss? Tell me, what do you want?"

Since it concerned Zheng Dan, he couldn't care less about the means, willing to go to any lengths.

"Young master, you've misunderstood. That's not what I meant. What I just said was truly from my heart." Kong Nanwu's voice was filled with hesitation. "Very well, since it's your friend, young master, I'll intervene this once."