Chapter 377: Specter’s Hand

“I cannot allow that. There’s now way Madam can fight in your current condition.” Ji Xiaoxi showed a rare serious expression. “Big brother Zu fought so hard to bring you back from the brink. You’ll be wasting all of his efforts if you act recklessly and worsen your own injuries.”

“Ah Zu…” Qin Wanru’s face turned red. She still couldn’t shake the fact that she’d misunderstood so badly. Even worse, despite her misunderstanding, she somehow didn’t get as angry as she’d thought she would. Just thinking about it made her heart pound fiercely.

Before, she would scream her head off at him even if he hadn’t done anything. Yet now, she didn’t even dare to look at him.

At this moment, Ji Dengtu finally returned, his figure swaying left and right. He held a bunch of herbs in his hand. He looked absolutely miserable, and he was muttering constantly. “Should I add this herb or the other one? But then again, I don’t have confidence in either of these working…”

He suddenly noticed that Qin Wanru was sitting up in her bed. Her complexion was rosy, and she looked nothing like how she had looked when he first left. He stared at her stupidly. “You… why are you…”

Before Qin Wanru could reply, Ji Xiaoxi waved the bottle in her hands. She held it up as if she was presenting a treasure, showering Zu An with praise. “Dad, big brother Zu saved her! Madam’s life was hanging by a thread just now, but big brother Zu brought back this miraculous medicine! He pulled Madam out of her critical condition!”

Ji Dengtu was speechless for a long time. He rushed over to check Qin Wanru’s pulse, and then a look of disbelief appeared on his face. “She really is out of danger.”

Even though Qin Wanru was still heavily injured, in her current state, even Xiaoxi could nurse her back to full health.

He turned around to look at Zu An. “Brat, where did you get this stuff from?”

Zu An blinked. “I found it in the secret dungeon.”

He didn’t know how else to explain ‘Faith in Brother Spring’. This was the most plausible excuse.

“Something this miraculous was found in the dungeon? It almost makes me want to go in and have a look around myself.” Ji Dengtu sounded incredibly envious.

Jiang Luofu spoke up. “You cannot enter our secret dungeon. You’re not a member of the academy.”

Ji Dengtu snorted. “Who wants to go into your stinky dungeon? I’ll just find another one!”

With a huff, both of them turned their heads in opposite directions. 

Zu An had a strange look on his face. He remembered Ji Xiaoxi mentioning that there was some friction between Jiang Luofu and Ji Dengtu, and it all stemmed from her older sister. Clearly, this seemed to be the case.

Qin Wanru spoke into the silence. “I cannot remain here. I cannot let the Chu clan be taken over by scoundrels. Even if I cannot use my cultivation, I can at least reveal the truth to everyone.

“Ah Zu, bring me back at once!”

Her firm attitude clearly brooked no argument. Zu An said gravely, “Even if there is a need to return, we aren’t so pressed for time. Let’s have Divine Physician Ji and Xiaoxi stabilize you first. We can head back after that.”

Qin Wanru nodded. “All right.”

The moment her agreement left her mouth, she was stunned. Wasn’t he supposed to be the one listening to her? When did they swap roles?

Together, Ji Dengtu and Ji Xiaoxi examined her again. They treated her further with a mixture of herbs and acupuncture. Ji Dengtu even infused some ki into her to help her recover.

Zu An dragged Jiang Luofu out to the courtyard. “Gorgeous principal, can I ask you for a favor?”

“Nope.” Jiang Luofu shook her head right away.

Zu An was stupefied. “But I didn’t even say anything yet…”

Jiang Luofu walked to the gates and looked off into the distance. Her long legs, paired with her high heels, gave her figure an incredible grace. “I know that you want me to help you suppress the rebellion in the Chu clan. However, even though it looks like a rebellion by Chu Tiesheng and Hong Zhong on the surface, it’s actually a struggle between various stronger powers. If my suspicions are correct, Sang Hong is backing them, and backing Sang Hong is the emperor himself.

“The academy has always maintained a neutral stance. We do not participate in the political struggles of any great power. I cannot allow this rule to be broken, not while the academy is under my management.”

Zu An opened his mouth. He had so many things he wanted to say, but he realized that none of it would make much of a difference. He dismissed the idea of trying to persuade her further. “Forget it, then. I won’t force your hand.”

Jiang Luofu hesitated a little, but still said, “The Chu clan is destined to fall. I advise you not to get too deeply involved. If things go really badly, you still have a place in the academy. Sang Hong won’t be able to harm you there, even if he decides to go all out.”

Zu An smiled. “Thank you for your kindness, gorgeous principal. Unfortunately, I’m already too deeply involved.”

When he thought about Chu Chuyan, Chu Huanzhao, and even Qin Wanru… From a certain perspective, he was already tied to the Chu clan.

Seeing that he’d already made up his mind, Jiang Luofu didn’t try to persuade him further. She returned inside to help Ji Dengtu treat Qin Wanru. Even though she didn’t have much medical knowledge, she had a lot of ki that she could offer.

Zu An used this chance to use up the rest of his chances on the lottery.

Surprisingly, the fifth multi-draw gave him ten Ki Fruits and another bottle of ‘Faith in Brother Spring’.

His luck was pretty damn good today.

The final nineteen single draws got him another bottle of ‘Faith in Brother Spring.”

His good luck left him baffled.

Who said that washing my face first doesn’t work?!

In the end, he had drawn 47 Ki Fruits and 3 bottles of ‘Faith in Brother Spring’. His luck was absolutely phenomenal!

Ki Fruits weren’t that fantastic, but 3 bottles of ‘Faith in Brother Spring’ was exceptional! He’d used one bottle to revive Qin Wanru, and these other two bottles represented two extra lives!

He swallowed the 47 Ki Fruits, but they really didn’t do much for his first formation. He remembered that filling this first formation would require 4181 Ki Fruits. There weren’t enough zeros behind the number 47 to even make a dent in this.

Zu An began questioning life itself. It was a ridiculous amount of effort just to clear one step of the fourth rank! He’d need even crazier amounts in the future. How in the world was he going to make any progress then?

By the time he reined in his despairing thoughts, Qin Wanru’s treatment had been completed. From Ji Dengtu’s final assessment of her, her condition wouldn’t worsen as long as she didn’t do any fighting.

“Ah Zu, bring me back to the estate,” Qin Wanru ordered again.

Zu An acknowledged her request. He walked over to pick her up, and then he bid everyone else goodbye.

The two of them rushed towards the Chu Estate. Perhaps because of the previous misunderstanding, Qin Wanru’s heart was pounding. She clearly had to get this off her chest. “Sorry about the misunderstanding earlier.”

Zu An smiled. “It’s no big deal. Madam was extremely lenient. You didn’t use much strength at all.”

Qin Wanru panicked. “Don’t misunderstand, I really was angry back then! I wasn’t trying to be lenient, I was just too weak.”

“I know, I know.” Zu An said.

Qin Wanru turned her head away. “By the way, where did you get that medicine from?”

Zu An sensed an opportunity to be mischievous. He smiled and said, “What medicine? That was just an excuse I gave Ji Xiaoxi and Jiang Luofu.”

Qin Wanru was stunned speechless.

Her fragile heart began to beat crazily. Even her voice began to tremble. “Then… How did you save me?”

“What do you think?” Zu An laughed, but didn’t elaborate.

Qin Wanru felt her brain explode. She was completely dumbstruck.

Zu An could feel her body getting warmer. She began to struggle. “Put me down! Put me down right now!”

She suddenly stopped talking. They had run into some Chu Estate guards.

Zu An tensed. He was just about to make his move when he heard an excited voice cry out. “Young master, Madam!”

“Huh? It’s you guys?” Zu An already recognized Jiao Shanhe, Feng Daniu, and Zhou Lujun. “Are you guys here to capture me?”

They waved their hands. “No way! We came looking for the young master and Madam. We wanted to offer our help.”

“Chu Tiesheng has rebelled. Unfortunately, there were too few of us, and we couldn’t do much at all.”

“Not forgetting Hong Zhong as well! They told everyone that the young master forced himself onto Madam, and they even hinted that Madam and the young master had already…”

The three guards trailed off, stunned. The two of them seemed so close to each other, and Madam’s face was entirely red. Were the rumors true?

Zu An coughed and quickly explained, “Madam was injured by those two bastards. She cannot move freely right now, and we needed to return to the Chu Estate as quickly as possible. That’s why I’m carrying her like this.”

The three of them nodded their heads fiercely, as though they understood completely.

Jiao Shanhe seemed to suddenly remember something. “Madam,” he said hurriedly, “I advise you not to return right away. Hong Zhong and Chu Tiesheng’s trusted aides are spread out all over the Chu Estate. They were given orders to kill on sight. The two of you won’t even get the chance to return and expose the truth.”

Zu An was stunned. What were they to do?

Qin Wanru was quick to give orders. “Jiao Shanhe, you’ve always been fleet-footed as  a scout. Make haste to the nearby commandery and call Yue Shan back.

“Feng Daniu, Zhou Lujun, the two of you are to head back to the Chu Estate and contact those who are still loyal to me. Persuade those who are on the fence to join us. Then, wait for an opportunity.”

“Madam, Butler Hong has the Chu Estate under a strict lockdown,” Zhou Lujun replied. “We cannot go back at all.”

Zu An offered a change of plan. “How about this? The two of you stay here and take care of Madam. I’ll go back to contact those people.”

Qin Wanru was aware of his cultivation, and she was confident in his ability to sneak in. As such, she also agreed with this proposal.

She led everyone to one of Chu Estate’s secret safehouses, then said to Zu An, “Ah Zu, I have something to say to you.”

Feng Daniu and Zhou Lujun tactfully went outside.

“What is it, Madam?” Zu An asked.

Qin Wanru’s expression flickered a few times. A long moment passed before she said with a sigh, “Since it’s already been done, it’s pointless for me to say anything else. You absolutely cannot tell anyone else about what happened. If not, the two of us, as well as the entire Chu clan, will be finished.

“Also, you should completely forget about what happened as well. You are not allowed to mention it to anyone. Nothing has changed between the two of us! Do you understand?”

Her voice became strangely stern towards the end.

Zu An was stunned. He hadn’t expected his joke to be taken so seriously.

Qin Wanru waved her hand just as he was about to explain himself. “Just go. I don’t want to talk right now.”

She then closed her eyes as if she were going to sleep.

Whatever. Zu An smiled bitterly. Making contact with the people within the Chu Estate was the most important thing right now. He’d find a way to explain things properly once everything was settled.

“Rest well, Madam!”

Zu An disappeared into the darkness. The defenses around the Chu Estate were indeed tight, but Grandgale granted him instantaneous movement. Together with the Mirror Mirage, sneaking around wasn’t an issue at all.

He decided to pay Chu Huanzhao a visit first. That little girl was probably frightened out of her mind.

Just then, a weight landed on his shoulder, unbalancing him. It was a hand that was weighing it down. He was absolutely horrified.

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