Volume Two: The Winds Rise in Anxi Prefecture Chapter One Hundred Sixty-One: Who Made You Responsible

"That Lu Jiuzhang's identity goes beyond that. He holds the token of the Master of the [Yingtian Restaurant]."

Director Zhao dropped an even more astonishing piece of news.

"Is the [Yingtian Restaurant] involved as well?"

The Chief Manager was utterly shocked. Having spent many years in Anxi Prefecture, he knew all too well how terrifying the [Yingtian Restaurant] was. Its background was so profound that even the people of the Myriad Mechanisms Pavilion would not dare to act presumptuously before it.

"Is what Director Zhao said true?" The Chief Manager wanted to confirm it once more.

"It is not just me; the people at the [Beimu Dao Hall] know this as well. The day Lu Jiuzhang went to the [Beimu Dao Hall] to cultivate, he produced the token of the [Yingtian Restaurant] Master," Director Zhao affirmed.

"Hiss... This young man is definitely not simple."

The Chief Manager drew a sharp breath. If this were true, then Director Zhao was undoubtedly punching well above her weight. The other party's status and standing should be far superior to the Zhao family's.

*Cough, cough... I'm getting a bit carried away.*

That was just a thought, certainly not something to be said aloud in front of Director Zhao, lest it wound her feelings.

"That is why I wished to approach him, to probe and uncover his true background," Director Zhao explained. "Lending him my armor was also a way to draw the two of us closer."

Fearing the Chief Manager might still harbor suspicions, Director Zhao fabricated another lie, "My parents are aware of this matter as well, and they suggested I do so. However, you must never speak of this to outsiders, so as not to draw the prying eyes of others."

"Understood!"

The Chief Manager swallowed Director Zhao's improvised story hook, line, and sinker. "Rest assured, Director Zhao, the Anxi Prefecture Myriad Mechanisms Pavilion is under the jurisdiction of the Zhao family. Even if it means stepping on a mountain of blades or plunging into a sea of fire, I will never breathe a word of this."

"Release Lu Jiuzhang," Director Zhao ordered.

"Very well!"

The Chief Manager nodded in compliance. "As for the armor, we can lend him the finest armor from Anxi Prefecture. There's really no need to use your personal armor, Director Zhao, lest rumors spread that might compromise your innocence."

"If I don't use my personal armor, how are we to grow closer?" Director Zhao retorted.

"Well, that is also true!"

The Chief Manager nodded. "You should handle this matter yourself, Director Zhao! I shall no longer meddle, but rest assured, my lips are sealed."

With the Chief Manager's repeated promises, Director Zhao finally let him leave. Afterward, she headed toward the cell where Lu Jiuzhang was being held.

Upon entering the room, Director Zhao discovered that Lu Jiuzhang had already hit it off famously with the guards inside. He was eating roast duck, his mouth glistening with oil. On a small table beside him sat two jugs of fine wine.

She had expected Lu Jiuzhang to be suffering here, but instead, he was living the high life, wining and dining.

"Let's go!" Director Zhao said, looking at Lu Jiuzhang.

"You're finally willing to let me go?" Lu Jiuzhang smiled as he stood up.

"Of course. Though it seems our Demon-Slaying Emissary Lu has been having a wonderful time here, wining and dining." Director Zhao could not help feeling a twinge of annoyance. She had been harboring guilt and worrying that Lu Jiuzhang was being bullied, only to find out how comfortably he was passing the time.

"Just a moment ago, they were asking for my advice, wanting to know how I managed to fool you. They bought me roast duck and wine, so it would have been ungracious of me to refuse. I just made up a few random stories and managed to hoodwink these folks," Lu Jiuzhang laughed heartily.

"It seems our Demon-Slaying Emissary Lu has plenty of practice tricking people?" Director Zhao retorted.

"Not at all. I am the most innocent person alive; how could I ever trick anyone?" Lu Jiuzhang refused to admit it to the grave. "What I said earlier was just a flash of inspiration."

...

After rescuing Lu Jiuzhang, Director Zhao led him to her private quarters. This time, however, Lu Jiuzhang stood at the threshold, stubbornly refusing to step inside. If another misunderstanding arose, he truly wouldn't be able to talk his way out of it.

But Director Zhao didn't care; she simply reached out and dragged Lu Jiuzhang straight into the room.

"Rest assured, no one will barge in this time. I have already made things clear to the Chief Manager; no one will disturb us again," Director Zhao said, giving Lu Jiuzhang peace of mind.

Yet somehow, that sentence sounded rather ambiguous no matter how one listened to it.

"Let's get this straight first: if anything happens, I take zero responsibility."

"Pfft, who's asking you to take responsibility?" Director Zhao flashed him an annoyed look, then removed her outer white robe. Stripping off another layer of clothing, she revealed a white, jade-like armor fitted snugly against her upper body. Faint white light rippled across the armor's surface, betraying the intricate array formations concealed within.

This set of armor was far superior to the one in the Anxi Prefecture Myriad Mechanisms Pavilion, which was why Director Zhao had chosen to lend her own.

As Lu Jiuzhang took the armor, the moment it touched his hands, a faint, delicate fragrance drifted into his senses.

Director Zhao's face flushed red with shyness. This was, after all, her personal armor, and it was now being held in the hands of a young man.

"By the way, my name is Zhao Yuru. You don't need to address me by my title anymore; just call me Zhao Yuru directly," Director Zhao added.

Addressing her by her official position was clearly too distant and would not help draw them closer.

"Then you should call me Lu Jiuzhang as well, or Shucheng," Lu Jiuzhang said. "Calling me Demon-Slaying Emissary Lu sounds too formal. Shucheng is the courtesy name bestowed upon me by my revered mentor, Master Xu."

"A courtesy name bestowed by the Great Scholar Master Xu? I am so envious."

Ripples of emotion stirred within Director Zhao's heart. A courtesy name given by a Great Scholar was exceedingly prestigious. With the Sub-Sages and Half-Sages remaining in seclusion, Great Scholars were the guiding lights of scholars across the world. Though there were several Great Scholars, Master Xu was the Emperor's tutor—was there any Great Scholar whose reputation could overshadow his?

Inside the room, Lu Jiuzhang put on the armor. That subtle fragrance lingered around him constantly, plunging him into a daze of lingering fascination for a moment.

"I also have a magic treasure that boosts speed. The glazed cloud boots on my feet, when pushed to their absolute limit, rival the fastest travel speed of a martial artist at the sixth grade of the Martial Dao."

"Of course, they cannot compare to martial artists or demons who specialize in speed, but within Anxi Prefecture, you generally won't encounter such dangers."

Zhao Yuru intended to take off her boots as well and lend them temporarily to Lu Jiuzhang.

"The boots won't be necessary," Lu Jiuzhang waved his hand. Even if Zhao Yuru wasn't in danger, she still needed items to protect herself. Taking everything would be pushing his luck.

"It's fine. I have loved dressing in men's attire since I was a child, and these boots were crafted in a masculine style. As a magic treasure, the boots can adjust their size, so you shouldn't find them awkward to wear."

Zhao Yuru slipped off her boots and handed them to Lu Jiuzhang. Standing barefoot on the floor, the sight of her delicate, slender feet lent a hint of alluring femininity to her masculine attire.

Unbidden, Lu Jiuzhang was reminded of the bare-footed fox demon he had encountered a few months ago, and fresh ripples stirred in his heart.

"Cough, cough..."

Lu Jiuzhang coughed lightly to keep himself clear-headed.

"Many thanks, Director Zhao!" Lu Jiuzhang expressed his gratitude.

"Is Shucheng still going to be so formal?" Zhao Yuru blinked her eyes, looking slightly displeased.

"Many thanks, Zhao Yuru—no, thank you, Yuru," Lu Jiuzhang corrected himself gratefully. Addressing her by her full name felt inexplicably strange, but dropping the surname and using just her given name sounded rather pleasing to the ear.

"Just remember my silver coins and my conditions, and you won't need to thank me. After all, it's an exchange," Zhao Yuru said.