Chapter 1305: A Gentleman Uses His Mouth, Not His Fists
Pei Mianman ran up to the door to confirm that Yan Xuehen had already left, then closed it. Then, she asked Zu An with a guilty conscience, “Sect Master Yan doesn’t know about us, right?”
“Uh… I don’t think so,” Zu An said, although he wasn’t too certain either. If Yan Xuehen knew, whether it was for Chuyan’s sake or her own, she would probably shave a layer of skin off him.
“I was just going to say, she didn’t scold me at all,” Pei Mianman said. She patted her chest in relief, making that area ripple. “Sigh. I have to find a chance to clear things up with Chuyan. I don’t want to be all secretive like this anymore.”
However, she felt a bit strange after saying that. Chuyan already divorced him, so why do I have to explain anything?
Zu An felt as if his head might explode. He could already foresee just how terrible the situation would become. Eventually, he said, “It’s been a long time since I last saw Chuyan too.”
After some hesitation, Pei Mianman asked, “Should I write a letter for Sect Master Yan to bring to Chuyan? I’ll write out everything clearly in the letter.”
Zu An jumped in fright. “No way!”
What kind of a joke is this? The past Yan Xuehen definitely wouldn’t peep on a letter meant for her disciple.
But things are completely different now! She’s still a woman. Even though she said we had to pretend nothing happened between the two of us, things will definitely still be different.
Yan Xuehen might suspect my relationship with Pei Mianman and be unable to hold back her curiosity, and thus peep at the letter.
Their relationship wasn’t that stable at the moment. There was a chance of everything sliding into a bottomless abyss at any time. If she found out the truth, that would be game over!
“What’s wrong?” Pei Mianman asked, looking at him in confusion. She felt that Zu An’s reaction was a bit too dramatic.
Zu An’s quick wit kicked in. He said, “Uh, it’s just that I think this kind of thing is better dealt with in person. It’ll seem more sincere, and there’ll be fewer misunderstandings.”
Pei Mianman nodded and said, “You're right. I asked to write a letter because I felt guilty and didn’t want to face Chuyan directly. Still, it’s better to speak to her face to face.”
Zu An sighed in relief when he saw that she didn’t press the issue.
“Ah Zu, what exactly has happened since the last time? Do you know just how worried I was?” Pei Mianman asked, giving him a resentful look with tears glistening in her eyes.
Zu An took her into his arms and said, “Manman, I’ve really been worried about you all this time. Don’t try to impersonate an Embroidered Envoy again; it’s just way too dangerous.”
“I couldn’t just watch as you were convicted as a traitor without doing anything, right?” Pei Mianman replied with a pout.
“Don’t worry. Good guys don’t live that long, but bad guys always survive for thousands of years. A scoundrel like me won’t be done in so easily,” Zu An replied. When he saw her lovable and charming appearance, he couldn't help but move in for a kiss.
“You’re so annoying~” Pei Mianman replied, hitting his chest playfully. “Who talks about themselves like that?”
“Don’t you always call me a bad guy…” Zu An began, but Pei Mianman covered his mouth out of embarrassment.
…
After they fought playfully for a bit, Zu An then began to tell her about everything that had happened since the last time they met.
When she heard about just how great a danger they had suffered in the underground mines, even though Pei Mianman knew that Zu An was already back safe and sound, she was still scared and on edge. She said, “You were clearly fighting bitterly for the human race and almost threw your very life away, and yet these court officials were only trying to think of ways to deal with you. It really is annoying!”
Zu An chuckled and said, “If you consider it from other perspectives, that kind of behavior is still understandable.” Then, he told her about what had happened afterward.
Pei Mianman clicked her tongue and said, “I didn’t expect the completely incompatible Sect Master Yan and Sect Master Yun to actually get along. Aren’t you a bit too charming?”
Zu An began to sweat. A woman’s intuition really was sharp! He could only say, “It was mainly because we had a common enemy back then. After fighting alongside each other, they were too embarrassed to fight each other after that.”
Pei Mianman nodded and said, “It’s also thanks to that terrifying Scaled Deathworm that Sect Master Yan abandoned the difference between human and fiend. I really don’t know whether to call your luck good or bad.”
Zu An could feel the strong resentment in her voice. He knew she was unhappy about the risk he had taken to save Yu Yanluo. He could only explain, “Madam Yu showed me tremendous kindness in the past. Back then, I was almost killed by his majesty over the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra, but she helped me plead for mercy… She also helped me with many other things. I couldn’t just watch without doing anything as she perished.”
“I know you’re a loyal and true person,” Pei Mianman said with a bit of envy. However, she continued, “Are you still going to call her Madam Yu in front of me? Their spy said you were together with her in the fiend race territories all the time, and that you were really close.”
Zu An chuckled in embarrassment. He initially planned to defend himself a bit, but Yu Yanluo’s relationship with him would be found out sooner or later. Lying to Pei Mianman now would instead only hurt her more later.
When she saw his expression, Pei Mianman’s suspicions were confirmed. She sighed. This guy got a new girl every time he went out; who could tolerate such a thing? The worst part was that she had fallen for him the same way back then too! That was why she didn’t have the confidence to blame him. She really felt incredibly annoyed when she thought of that.
In order to divert her attention, Zu An quickly asked, “Manman, have you gone to the fiend race territories before? The scenery over there is completely different from this side…” Then, he told her about the local features and customs of the Snake race territory and Bluefield Country.
Sure enough, Pei Mianman was interested. However, she also knew he was trying to distract her, so she kept an unhappy expression on her face. Still, when she heard about his battle against the Golden Crow Crown Prince, she began to feel nervous. She asked, “Why are you so good at pissing people off wherever you go? You actually dared to even offend the Golden Crow Crown Prince in the fiend race territories? That’s the next Fiend Emperor, you know?!”
“He wasn’t even that amazing. I almost plucked him naked,” Zu An said with a chuckle.
“You still have the nerve to act all cocky?!” Pei Mianman exclaimed, stomping her feet nervously. “The main problem is his identity! The Fiend Emperor is someone on the same level as his majesty. Now that you’ve bullied his successor, will he let you go?”
“There is indeed some risk, so I always tried to maintain a low profile in the fiend race territories afterward, almost never revealing my real identity,” Zu An said in consolation.
However, Pei Mianman was incredibly sharp and quickly reacted. “Then, judging from what you’re saying, are you still going back there?”
Zu An nodded and said, “That’s right. I obtained a treasure map from an old tomb there. Recorded on it was a map to an Unknown Region. It’s in the Fiend King Court. Sect Master Yan and Sect Master Yun are going as well.”
Pei Mianman harrumphed unhappily. She asked, “You’re saying all of this just to tell me you’re not doing it for Yu Yanluo, right?” Of course, she knew that Unknown Regions were just too alluring for cultivators. No one could refuse such a tremendous opportunity.
Zu An felt a bit apologetic. He said, “That’s also part of the reason. The Fiend Emperor is gathering the leaders of the various clans in the Fiend King Court. I don’t know what he plans to do.”
“Enough, enough. Just go and take good care of big sis Yu. Of course, you have to take care of yourself too. You’d better not die in the fiend race territories,” Pei Mianman said.
In truth, she felt rather strange. Normally, since Yu Yanluo had joined the harem after her, she would be the little sister. But she was someone who had already been famous for many years, and could even be called a major figure from the previous generation. Pei Mianman really couldn't bring herself to call her ‘little sister’.
Zu An sighed in relief and said, “Don’t worry. I still have such a great Manman waiting for me back home, so I have to hurry back no matter what.”
“Hmph! Can you say some nicer things, please?” Pei Mianman harrumphed. “Right, how did you come back from that side so quickly?”
Zu An took out the Wind Fire Wheels and explained, “These are the Wind Fire Wheels. Ms. Shang took them from her nephew as an apology to me…”
Pei Mianman sighed in amazement when she heard his summary. She exclaimed, “I didn’t expect Ms. Shang to be from the Ocean races, and for her strength to have been hidden so well!”
Zu An also sighed in amazement, saying, “Indeed. I’ve discovered that there are actually quite a few fiends hidden in human society, and those people might not necessarily have any bad thoughts. On the contrary, they’re quite friendly.”
“There are good and bad humans, so there are obviously good and bad fiends too.” Pei Mianman copied Zu An’s usual attitude and asked teasingly, “But why is your affinity with girls so good? Ms. Shang was even willing to empty out her nephew’s pockets for you.”
“Haha, it might be because I’m just a likable person,” Zu An said with an embarrassed smile.
Pei Mianman had a very deep impression of Ms. Shang from Brightmoon Academy. She didn’t think too much of it and instead focused on something else. She said, “The Wind Fire Wheels are a pair. How did you and Sect Master Yan come back? Don’t tell me you each stepped on one?”
Zu An was speechless. If anyone else found out, wouldn’t Yan Xuehen directly silence them? Still, he reacted quickly and said, “Of course I just supported her with my arm. She’s a grandmaster. Even though she’s injured, she can still barely fly.”
Pei Mianman thought to herself that, as Yan Xuehen’s normal aura was indeed powerful, flying likely wasn’t too big of an issue. She said, “You’d better not do anything to that Sect Master Yan. If you offend her, you’re dead for sure.”
“Don’t worry! How could a nobleman like me do anything disrespectful to her?” Zu An replied without batting an eyelid. A gentleman uses his mouth, not his fists, right?
He continued, “Later, though, we encountered some danger in the Great Snowy Mountain, so we couldn't use the Wind Fire Wheels anymore…”
When she heard about the terrifying storm they had encountered and the earth immortal rank snow lady they had run into, Pei Mianamn felt as if her heart had encountered tumultuous waves. She said, “The Great Snowy Mountain is too terrifying after all… Right, what did you two end up encountering in those hot springs?”
Zu An’s expression became extremely strange as he said, “I met the emperor.”
😉