Chapter Forty-Five: Fear and Unease

He couldn't help but interrupt his storytelling, then pointed his folding fan toward the woman and said, "This gentleman looks quite familiar. Please, take a seat." The smile on his face was filled with wickedness.

The woman was none other than Yun Cuixian.

Yet none of Yun Cuixian's companions had anticipated Zhu Yuzheng would be so brazen as to harbor such lascivious intentions.

Yun Cuixian's expression darkened, but it was Hongyu by her side who, already furious, stepped forward, blocking Yun Cuixian from view.

At that moment, Hongyu recalled Zhu Yuzheng's lecherous gaze upon her at the Lei Yin-Yang residence. Had it not been for Lei Yin-Yang's need for her blood, perhaps she would have already been handed over to Zhu Yuzheng, succumbing to his demands.

She impulsively moved forward, but from the sleeve of her robe, a butterfly emerged, sending a red mist directly toward Zhu Yuzheng.

Wherever the mist passed, a faint fragrance lingered, causing drowsiness, as if possessing the power to dominate the will of others.

It was Princess Lotus—seeing Zhu Yuzheng's arrogance, she seized the moment to unleash her “enchanting illusion.” The red mist spread, barely perceptible, and reached Zhu Yuzheng.

Sensing something amiss, Zhu Yuzheng’s smile abruptly vanished. The folding fan in his hand shimmered with a green glow, absorbing the red mist in an instant. He then pointed the fan at Hongyu, and a verdant light encircled both her and Princess Lotus.

Princess Lotus felt her strength drained, pain wracking her body, the green light binding her tightly. Suddenly, she was cocooned within a snowy chrysalis, wrapped up and rendered unconscious, unable to move.

At this moment, Yun Cuixian’s anger was growing.

To think Zhu Yuzheng would stoop so low—accusing her of coveting the power of the Prince of Chu’s household, and implying her aim was the Prince himself!

She had already dispelled her earlier misunderstandings of Chu Youcai, and her heart was deeply in love with him. Time and again, she longed to confess her feelings and learn about Chu Youcai’s past, but the lingering misunderstandings made it impossible to speak freely, leaving her to maintain a courteous distance. Now, in such a sensitive moment, Zhu Yuzheng dared to slander her motives.

As her hatred intensified, suddenly someone gently placed a hand on her shoulder—it was Chu Youcai.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Chu Youcai met Yun Cuixian’s gaze with sincerity, then stepped in front of her and softly said, "I'm here."

In that instant, Yun Cuixian felt warmth, trust, and affection in Chu Youcai’s eyes. His figure, shielding her, was so resolute, and those simple words, "I'm here," felt incredibly comforting.

Yet almost immediately, worry crept into her heart, for Zhu Yuzheng was not someone easily dealt with.

Chu Youcai smiled faintly. "Zhu Yuzheng, do you know who I am?"

Zhu Yuzheng paused, then replied coldly, "Who might you be, sir?"

"You don't even know me?" Chu Youcai’s gaze slowly turned icy.

The crowd began to whisper, and a few burly men nearby were about to rush forward, but Shangguan Wanru sent out murderous intent, making them feel as if blades pressed against their throats, stopping them in their tracks.

Zhu Yuzheng scowled. "I, Zhu Yuzheng, only associate with those of status. Who are you, and what business do you have with me?"

Just then, Dou Xu returned to the tavern, standing firmly at Chu Youcai’s side, a hint of embarrassment on his face. "Brother Chu, unfortunately I couldn’t help you."

Zhu Yuzheng raised his brows, sneering. "So you’re that Chu Youcai? Ha!"

Everyone around was stunned, sizing up Chu Youcai. They had assumed he was a disgraceful pauper, but now he stood tall and dignified, commanding respect at first glance. Could the rumors be false? They did not know that Chu Youcai, having forged his Dao heart and cultivated the Valley of Ice and Snow, had undergone a profound transformation.

Without waiting for Chu Youcai’s reply, Zhu Yuzheng threw his head back and laughed. "Now that you’ve been expelled from the Prince of Chu’s household and forced to sell your wife, what right do you have to appear before me?"

He raised his folding fan, ready to unleash the green light to subdue and suppress Chu Youcai, pinning him to the ground!

Here, he was the law, protected by many burly men—who would dare stand against him?

His folding fan, though not a cursed treasure, was an instrument to subdue demons and spirits, and could easily suppress ordinary people.

Just then, Chu Youcai’s body flashed, a streak of light flickering. The Fish-Scale Blade emerged from his chest, charged with murderous intent, and struck directly at Zhu Yuzheng.

Zhu Yuzheng barely had time to react—his folding fan was cleaved in two, dissolving into a wisp of green smoke.

Chu Youcai instantly withdrew his Fish-Scale Blade, standing calmly as if nothing had happened. The scene seemed to leave only a lingering shadow; many witnesses were unsure what had transpired.

At that moment, Zhu Yuzheng felt terror. His cherished folding fan, which he relied on for protection, had been destroyed with ease. Simultaneously, an intense, genuine chill swept over him. A gust of wind brushed his neck, making it feel as though it might snap, his mouth slightly open, struggling even to breathe.

Even when alongside Lei Yin-Yang, he had never felt such a powerful killing intent. If he moved again, he would surely face death.

How could Chu Youcai possess such murderous aura?

His body became rigid.

He did not know that Chu Youcai, within the world of the Dragon Mountain River Orb, had slaughtered countless blood beasts, facing life and death many times. How could Zhu Yuzheng withstand such murderous intent?

Zhu Yuzheng looked around desperately, seeing the burly men standing like puppets. Spotting the scholars and poets nearby, his eyes darted as he shouted, "You... You are that Chu Third Young Master, the one who says 'If our paths differ, we cannot work together.' What is your Dao? How dare you insult the teachings of Confucius and Mencius?"

Chu Youcai answered coolly, "I tried to reason with you, but you wanted to discuss strength. Now that I have shown strength, you want to talk reason? You, who are unreasonable, unfilial, and without virtue, are in no position to debate with me."

"You!" Zhu Yuzheng was furious. "My father, Zhu Wengong, is a leader among Dao scholars, revered by all. What he does and says is reason itself! I uphold my father’s principles, and you dare say I am unreasonable?"

Chu Youcai swept his gaze over the crowd, noticing several scholars and poets looking at him with disdain. He said coldly, "Mr. Zhu Wengong, Zhu Huiweng, is honored as a sage not merely for his doctrines, but for his ability to acknowledge and correct his mistakes. Not, as you claim, for every word and action being absolute reason."

Zhu Yuzheng laughed. "My father has never made a mistake!"

The scholars and poets nodded in approval, while Dou Xu at Chu Youcai’s side looked anxious.

Chu Youcai’s eyes flashed with lethal intent. "Did your father ever preside over the case where the Xue family seized a commoner’s burial plot?"

PS: In honor of Nangong’s efforts, please send more flowers~