Chapter 984: Trapped in Confinement

Soon after, Zu An followed Sun Xun to the Yan King's Residence. Sun Xun was greatly astonished because he had galloped much faster than his subordinates the whole way. Yet, although Zu An couldn't fly, his speed was not much slower than his own.

"Is this person's cultivation level close to mine?" A thought flashed through Sun Xun's mind, but he quickly suppressed it. Zu An was so young; even if he had practiced martial arts since birth, he couldn't possibly be comparable to himself.

After arriving at the Yan King's Residence, Zu An immediately looked around. At the same time, he activated the Jade Cong's ability, directly controlling small animals near the residence, observing for any stirrings.

The Yan King's Residence was clearly much inferior to the Imperial Palace. However, it was also exceptionally grand and imposing. Among the residences Zu An had seen, perhaps only the Qi King's Residence could compare.

However, because the Qi King's Residence was in the capital, there were always concerns about its various specifications, so strictly speaking, it was not as magnificent as the Yan King's Residence.

Zu An, however, didn't pay attention to any of this. He quickly searched for traces of Yun Jianyue and Qiu Honglei. However, the major battle here seemed to have ended; there was nothing but injured and wailing guards.

Zu An frowned deeply, suppressing the anxiety in his heart. He looked at Sun Xun and asked, "Prime Minister Sun, the great battle seems to have ended?"

"Let's go see the King first." Without delay, Sun Xun quickly pulled up his robes and walked towards the inner courtyard of the residence.

They encountered many guards along the way, but upon seeing Sun Xun, they all let them pass.

Arriving in the inner courtyard, many female companions were crowded into a room, crying and vying to express their heartfelt concern. Before long, an angry roar came from inside: "I'm not dead yet! Why are you all acting as if it's a funeral?"

Indeed, hearing his roar, the female companions instantly quieted down.

Just then, Sun Xun stood at the door reporting to the guards. After the guards went in, the female companions soon began to leave one after another. As they left, they all bowed to Sun Xun.

Zu An was greatly surprised. It seemed Sun Xun was truly highly favored in the Yan King's Residence; even the Yan King's concubines had to bow to him.

Soon after, a guard from inside came out to announce Sun Xun's entry. Zu An followed Sun Xun and met the so-called Yan King. His face was pale, and he appeared extremely weak. There was no hint of a Grandmaster's demeanor about him; instead, he resembled an ordinary old man on his deathbed.

"Your Highness, what happened to you?" Sun Xun was greatly alarmed and asked urgently.

"It's nothing serious. I was injured by Yun Jianyue of the Demonic Cult. However, she's not much better off than I am." The Yan King, lying in bed, replied weakly, then looked at Zu An with a puzzled expression.

Zu An's heart skipped a beat. Yun Jianyue was injured too? He wondered if her injuries were severe.

At this point, Sun Xun introduced him, saying, "This is Lord Zu An, from the imperial envoy delegation. He currently serves as the Crown Prince's Chief Steward and a Cavalry Commander of the Feathered Forest Guard. He once uncovered..."

His overly flattering praise made Zu An blush slightly. He then added, "Just now, thanks to his help, we managed to identify the murderer of my son."

"Something happened to Xiao Ji?" The Yan King was startled and subconsciously tried to sit up, but this action clearly aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough repeatedly.

Sun Xun rushed over, helping him lie back down. "I'm sorry to trouble Your Highness. After all, it was my son's own incompetence..."

He then briefly recounted what had happened to Sun Ji.

The Yan King couldn't help but fly into a rage. "Preposterous! Someone dares to be so audacious in Yi Commandery? Issue my order: put the Taoist with Thick Eyebrows on the wanted list. Anyone who apprehends him will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold and three ranks of promotion. Anyone providing useful clues will receive at least a thousand taels of gold."

Sun Xun immediately knelt and bowed. "Thank you for Your Highness's immense kindness. Ji'er's spirit in heaven will also be eternally grateful."

Zu An, standing by, watched their deep master-servant bond. He couldn't help but inwardly scoff, "Whose son is this Sun Ji anyway?"

After the Yan King had vented his anger, he finally looked at Zu An: "Regarding Ji'er's matter, I truly thank Lord Zu. Lord Zu is indeed a young talent, just as the rumors say."

"Your Highness, you flatter me. I merely did what was my duty." Zu An replied modestly and then began asking about the matters he was concerned about. "By the way, we saw a big commotion here at the residence and rushed over. May I know if those demonic cult members have been apprehended?"

The Yan King shook his head. "That enchantress Yun Jianyue's cultivation is too high. With her protection, although the Demonic Cult members suffered some losses, most of them managed to escape unscathed."

Upon hearing that Yun Jianyue and the others were safe, Zu An finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I wonder why Yun Jianyue would lead people to attack the residence. You know, the residence is heavily guarded; their attack was bound to be futile. The Demonic Cult Master shouldn't be a fool, so why would she act so unwisely?"

This was the point he found most puzzling. However, with his current status, he could openly ask the Yan King.

"Presumably, it's because we've been suppressing and encircling the demonic cult members for years, making them hate us to the bone," the Yan King said somewhat testily. "However, what caused them to come out in full force this time, I suppose, is because we captured their Saintess a few days ago."

The Yan King said this casually, but it caused a massive stir in Zu An's heart.

What? Qiu Honglei was captured?

"Lord Zu, what's wrong?" Sun Xun, standing by, looked at him with a suspicious gaze. Even the Yan King noticed his unusual reaction.

Zu An reacted quickly and immediately replied, "I once had dealings with that enchantress in the capital. That woman is exceptionally cunning and sly, and her martial arts are formidable. She even managed to escape from the Imperial Palace back then. To think she was now captured by Your Highness, it truly fills me with admiration."

The Yan King stroked his beard somewhat excitedly. A hint of self-satisfaction unconsciously appeared in his eyes. "Lord Zu, you flatter me. Capturing her this time was merely a stroke of luck."

He dared not appear too pleased. After all, Qiu Honglei had escaped from the Imperial Palace only to be captured by the Yan King's Residence. If someone with ulterior motives were to make an issue of this, implying "Your Yan King's Residence is even more powerful than the Imperial Palace, what are you trying to achieve?" it could be problematic.

Zu An chatted with the two for a while. Then he seized the opportunity to suggest, "May I go see that enchantress? Mainly because, during the incident in the capital, a friend of mine was completely outmaneuvered by her and has always wanted to vent his frustration."

Hearing the phrase "I have a friend," the Yan King and Sun Xun exchanged knowing smiles.

"No problem. You may take Lord Zu to see that enchantress." The Yan King was already injured, and after chatting for a while, he felt a bit tired.

"Your Highness, please rest well." Sun Xun quickly bowed to the Yan King, then said to Zu An, "Lord Zu, please follow me."

Zu An also bid farewell to the Yan King. He walked out of the room with Sun Xun, his heart filled with trepidation.

"I wonder which master managed to capture that enchantress. To achieve such an extraordinary feat, I must inform the Emperor for a proper reward upon my return to the capital."

Sun Xun smiled faintly. "The one who captured that enchantress was naturally His Highness himself. Therefore, there's no need to request a reward; his status isn't quite suitable for that."

"I see!" Zu An feigned a look of sudden realization. No wonder Qiu Honglei fell into their hands. If a Grandmaster personally took action, how could she possibly escape?

Soon, Zu An arrived at a secluded courtyard. The guards along the way were noticeably much stricter. This was clearly the Yan King's private dungeon.

After unlocking several heavy shackles, they reached the deepest part of the prison. From afar, they saw a woman in a black dress sitting in a corner, hugging her knees. She looked somewhat dispirited and pale, but her breathtaking beauty was still undeniable. The enchantress, usually flamboyant and sinister, now had a touch of innocent fragility, which made her even more captivating.

Zu An's heart sank. On the way here, he had been praying that the Demonic Cult Saintess they spoke of was not Qiu Honglei. Unfortunately, he was ultimately disappointed.

Qiu Honglei heard the movement and looked up. Even Sun Xun was captivated by her exquisite face.

"What more is there to say to you..." She coldly scoffed, then suddenly saw Zu An behind him, and her expression froze instantly.

Sun Xun said meaningfully, "Do you two know each other?"

Zu An chuckled then. "After that fleeting glimpse last time, the Demonic Cult Saintess's breathtaking beauty lingered in my mind for a long time. Seeing you today, you're still as beautiful. Compared to before, I actually prefer your current appearance."

Qiu Honglei snorted. "Damn imperial lackey!"