Zu An was utterly dumbstruck.

Unable to believe what he had just heard, he asked again for clarification, “What did you say?” 

“My mother is biased against you, so there’s no way she would allow you to treat my older sister. So, I knocked her out,” explained Chu Huanzhao. “I used chloroform.”

Zu An’s face darkened. “How in the world did you manage to get your hands on that kind of stuff?”

“Well, I got them for entertainment purposes. Besides chloroform, I also have laxatives, aphrodisiacs, and many others. You don’t know how fun it was to play with those maids and servants in the past. It’s a pity they began avoiding me soon after, running away frantically as soon as they saw me,” remarked Chu Huanzhao, her voice tinged with regret.

Only now did Zu An remember that this lass was a demon. When he first transmigrated into this world, Chu Huanzhao had set a huge dog on him, and whipped him up good. These memories were still very clear in his mind, though their recently improving relationship had changed his perception of her by a fair bit.

“I took a huge risk to help you, so you better make sure you treat my big sister!” Chu Huanzhao swung her fists furiously as she stared at him with a not-very-threatening expression.

“Don’t worry, leave it to me!” said Zu An with a nod.

Cheng Shouping just happened to return at this moment. “Young master, I’ve got what you asked me. Ah, the Second Miss is here too?”

Chu Huanzhao ignored Cheng Shouping and walked straight to Zu An's side, craning her neck to see the items that Zu An acquired. “What are these?”

“These are the key items needed to save your older sister’s life,” said Zu An, quickly packing them up after checking them. “Let’s go. We need to make haste.”

“Young master, what are you planning to do? Is there anything I can do to help?’ Cheng Shouping asked with an obsequious smile.

“There is,” replied Zu An.

“What is it? Feel free to ask anything of me. I’ll be more than willing to brave through a mountain of flames for you!” Cheng Shouping patted his chest as he gave his promise. 

It looks like I’ve really gotten on the right boat this time. Given how close the Second Miss is to the young master, even if the First Miss abandons him in the future, he can still hook up with the Second Miss and continue mooching off the Chu clan.

“Shut your mouth and head back to your room,” said Zu An. Chu Chuyan’s current state was a confidential secret within the Chu clan. If news were to leak out to other clans, it would be a disastrous blow to the Chu clan. There was no way he would let Cheng Shouping in on this, not with his famously leaky mouth.

“Consider it done!” Cheng Shouping didn’t look the least bit disappointed. He zipped his mouth up and obediently marched his way back to his room.

Chu Huanzhao had been panicking, but Cheng Shouping’s response brought a smile to her face. “That study companion of yours really is an interesting guy.”

Zu An was also surprised to see how obedient he was. “I guess he’s been struck down by life so many times that he’s finally learning to tone it down.”

The two of them hurried to Chu Chuyan’s room. Several guards posted at the entrance tried to stop them initially, but when they saw Chu Huanzhao, they stepped aside and allowed them to pass. 

Zu An was deeply displeased. What’s with this? I, the young master of the Chu clan, am here to visit my wife, but they are only allowing me to pass on Chu Huanzhao’s account?

There was no one in Chu Chuyan’s room, not even a maid. Only Qin Wanru lay unconscious by the side of the bed, seemingly deep in sleep. Her figure was much more voluptuous compared to Chu Chuyan and Chu Huanzhao, but oddly enough, she didn’t appear plump.

As he took in her attractive profile, Zu An had to admit that she was indeed blessed with good looks. It was just a pity that her mouth was even worse than Snow’s.

Zu An felt that Huanzhao was really brave, leaving her mother unconscious and all alone here. Wasn’t she afraid that something might have happened to her mother while she was gone?

“Where’s Physician Bao?” asked Zu An as he took a look around.

“I drove him away. Since he doesn’t know how to treat my big sister, he’d just be a waste of space here.” Chu Huanzhao said with a snort.

“Are you sure it wasn’t because you were afraid he’d notice that you’ve drugged your mother?” asked Zu An skeptically.

Chu Huanzhao’s face reddened a little as she exclaimed, “That’s just part of the reason. Aiyo, let’s not bother with the details now, all right? Hurry up and treat my big sister!”

Chu Chuyan’s faint voice drifted over from the bed. “Huanzhao, is that you?”

Chu Huanzhao quickly rushed over to her side and pulled the curtains aside. There was no outsider around at the moment, so there was no need for them to conceal anything. “Big sis, it’s me.”

A chilling frost immediately gushed out as soon as the curtain was parted. Chu Chuyan was lying on the bed, her face terribly pale. 

When she saw Zu An, a hint of redness crept onto her cheeks as she remarked, “You… are here too?”

Zu An nodded. “Don’t worry, I can save you.”

Chu Chuyan shook her head and said, “I’m the best judge of my condition. Hah, if only I’d known that things would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have eaten the Evanescent Lotus. It’s a waste on someone like me. If you had eaten it instead, you would be nearing the fifth rank by now.”

Zu An sat by the edge of the bed. He brushed her hair to the side and said, “Don’t worry. I was able to save you from the dungeon despite you being on the verge of death. There’s no way something of this level will faze me.”

Chu Huanzhao was a little surprised to see this. She knew her older sister wasn’t the sort to allow a man to get so close to her, but she showed no reaction towards Zu An’s touch. Did something happen between the two of them that I don’t know of?

Chu Chuyan thought about the manner in which she was saved in the dungeon, and her heart immediately began to pound. However, it aggravated her injuries a little, and she started coughing right away.

Zu An quickly helped her up and patted her back softly to soothe her discomfort.

*Uweh!*

Chu Chuyan spat out a small mouthful of blood filled with bits of ice. Even the warmth of her blood wasn’t able to melt those ice fragments, which gave off a chilling air.

Chu Huanzhao’s eyes immediately reddened upon seeing that. “Big sis!”

“I’m fine. I’ve been in this condition for quite some time now,” said Chu Chuyan as she forced a smile. She suddenly noticed Qin Wanru lying unconscious next to her and exclaimed in horror, “What’s wrong with mother?”

Chu Huanzhao wiped off her tears and explained in embarrassment, “Well, no matter what I said, she wouldn’t allow brother-in-law to treat you, so I… I knocked her out.”

“You knocked her out?” Chu Chuyan immediately straightened up, which triggered a fresh round of coughing.

“What else could I do?” Chu Huanzhao protested indignantly. “She simply doesn’t listen at all!”

Chu Chuyan was silent for a moment.

She looked at her little sister with a complicated look on her face and asked, “Why are you so confident that he would be able to save me, even going to the extent of…”

Chu Huanzhao bit her lip and replied, “I feel like all of you have been misjudging him. He’s not a person to lie about such serious matters. He didn’t lie about being confident at the Clans Tournament, and I don’t think that he’s lying about this either. Big sis, you should have a little more faith in him.”

Zu An was moved by her words. Ahhh, my sister-in-law is really the best. You’re the only reason why the Chu clan doesn’t feel like such a cold place.

Seeing her little sister’s agitation, Chu Chuyan sighed deeply and said, “I believe in him too… but let’s move mother to the wooden bed over there so that she can lie down. It wouldn’t do to leave her there.”

Chu Huanzhao pushed Zu An forward and said, “Brother-in-law, you take care of that.”

She was rather petite, which made it inconvenient for her to carry Qin Wanru.

Zu An was about to say that it was inappropriate, but Chu Chuyan wasn’t saying anything about it either. On top of that, the two sisters seemed to be secretly exchanging words with one another.

So, he walked over reluctantly and hoisted the unconscious Qin Wanru up. Since she was unconscious, it was much harder to hold her up properly. Fortunately, this was the world of cultivation, and Zu An’s strength had long surpassed that of any ordinary man. 

Qin Wanru’s body was actually incredibly supple, although there was no other way he could have noticed this. Vaguely, he could smell the scent of roses coming from her.

Zu An recalled reading some research on the internet in his previous life stating that women who preferred rose-scented perfume tended to be more sexually active.

That would explain why Chu Zhongtian always had eyebags and looked weak. With such a wife, he’d probably be constantly sapped of energy.

That being said, Zu An was unable to conjure any lustful thoughts toward her, perhaps because she was his mother-in-law. To be honest, as he was carrying her to the side, the thought of dumping her onto the stone-cold floor did cross his mind. Although he could understand why Qin Wanru was biased against him, that didn’t mean that he could accept her treating him the way she did. 

However, he remembered that Chu Chuyan and Chu Huanzhao were right behind him, so he eventually decided against it.

He casually laid her down on the wooden bed before heading back to Chu Chuyan’s side.

“Brother-in-law, how are we going to treat my big sister?” asked Chu Huanzhao anxiously.

Zu An was just about to speak when something crossed his mind, and he remarked sheepishly, “Regarding that… I need to discuss it privately with your older sister first.”

Chu Huanzhao was stunned for a moment, then pouted in dissatisfaction. “Are you trying to get rid of me after all I’ve done for you? That’s too much!”

Zu An scratched his head awkwardly. “I’m not trying to get rid of you. There are just some things which your older sister doesn’t want others to know about.”

Those words made Chu Chuyan’s heart skip a beat as she realized what Zu An was getting at. She began to blush furiously, but she tried her best to keep a straight expression as she said, “Huanzhao, help me guard the room. Alert us if anyone tries to enter.”

Sensing her reluctance to leave, Chu Chuyan added, “What if father happens to return and sees that you’ve knocked out mother?”

They had been sisters for many years, after all. She knew how to handle her younger sister.

“He’s already on the way to the neighboring city. How could he possibly return that quickly?” murmured Chu Huanzhao. However, she was still unable to shake off the worry that her father could return in advance, so she went outside to keep watch.

When her younger sister had left, Chu Chuyan turned to Zu An and said, “So, how do you intend to save me?”

Zu An stared at her intently and said, “Actually, deep down, you already know the answer.”

Chu Chuyan’s face quickly reddened as she averted her eyes. “That won’t do. Definitely not!”

“Why not? It won’t be our first time anyway…” replied Zu An.

Chu Chuyan turned her face away. By now, the redness from her cheeks had even spread down to her neck. “No means no. It’s not the same as the last time… If you try to touch me now, I’ll kill you!”

Despite her severely weakened state, she was still in possession of her cultivation. As a cultivator at the pinnacle of the sixth rank , she was more than capable of killing Zu An in a heartbeat, even though it would surely worsen her condition and bring her a step closer to death.

“Do you hate me that much?” asked Zu An with a frown.

“It’s not because I hate you, but… but… I’m just not prepared…” Chu Chuyan was flustered, not knowing how to explain this. “Anyway, it just won’t do right now!”

Zu An could tell that she would surely cause a huge ruckus if he were to force the issue.

Fortunately, he had asked for an alternative in advance. “Forget it, there’s still another way out of this. If you still won’t go along with me, there will be nothing more I can do.”

“What way?” asked Chu Chuyan anxiously. I’ll be fine with anything else, as long as it isn’t the embarrassing thing we did in the underground palace. 

Zu An took out a gleaming silver needle and replied, “Acupuncture. I’ll use a special method to stimulate the acupoints in your body to release the frost bit by bit.”

Chu Chuyan frowned in doubt. “If it’s that simple, there’s no way Physician Bao wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“You’re right. It’s not that simple. In fact, I’m the only one in the whole world who is able to do this. Anyone else who tries to do the same will only be harming you,” replied Zu An.

“Why is that so?” asked Chu Chuyan with a frown, not comprehending the basis of Zu An’s confidence.