Everyone Says I’m Cold and Aloof, But I Just Have Social Anxiety! - Chapter 9

“Yes, Master!”

Zhuying bowed to Gu Yuan, then turned to face Gu Qingzhi, bowing once more. “Zhuying greets the Young Master!”

Seeing that Zhuying’s face was completely black and devoid of features, Gu Qingzhi was stunned. He looked toward Gu Yuan in confusion.

Gu Yuan laughed softly and explained, “Zhuying is one of the rare Shadow Demons of the demon race. They are born without faces. He once nearly lost his life but was saved by me; afterward, he formed a covenant with me and serves as my subordinate. Currently, his cultivation is the same as mine, at the Early Body Integration Stage.”

Gu Qingzhi came to a sudden realization, understanding that taking Zhuying to kill Prince Anyang would be an easy task. Having him as a Dao protector seemed like an excellent choice.

No face? Then I’ll just treat you as talking air!

Yan Luochen was filled with astonishment, muttering privately: “That works too?”

Afterward, Gu Qingzhi left the Myriad Beast Forest with Zhuying. He walked leisurely through the bustling streets of Anyang City, while Zhuying hid silently in his shadow. To others, it appeared that Gu Qingzhi was simply strolling through the crowded streets alone.

However, he always felt that whenever someone passed him, their gazes were full of scrutiny and inquiry, looking directly at him and sizing him up. Although he maintained a calm exterior, his heart was already in a state of panic.

“Zhuying,” he couldn’t help but call out softly. Before Zhuying could manifest, he added hurriedly, “You don’t need to come out; just talk to me like this.”

“Yes,” Zhuying replied briefly.

“I ask you, why are they looking at me like that?” Gu Qingzhi asked in a low voice, filled with confusion.

Zhuying took a moment to consider before slowly answering, “Perhaps it is because the Young Master’s handsome face is too outstanding and attracts attention.”

“Ah? This…” Gu Qingzhi was momentarily speechless, not knowing how to respond. He frowned, still confused, and added, “I feel something is not quite right. Could there be something amiss with me?”

Zhuying replied, “Young Master, there is nothing amiss with you. It is likely just your extraordinary temperament that draws the eye.”

Gu Qingzhi gave a light hmph. “Do not talk nonsense; I have always disliked such empty words.”

As they spoke, a sudden commotion broke out ahead. Gu Qingzhi looked up and saw a crowd gathered around a spot, pointing and talking. Curious, he couldn’t help but walk forward.

Upon approaching, he discovered a little beggar being bullied—kicked and punched—by a group of household servants from some unknown family. The little beggar’s clothes were in tatters and his face was covered in dirt, yet his eyes remained stubborn.

Gu Qingzhi recalled his time in his original world, where he had also gone through hardships alone, struggling to get by, with no shortage of kind people lending a hand. Looking at the little beggar, he felt a sudden surge of pity. He wanted to help, but the thought of having to speak and take the initiative to interact with others made him hesitate.

“Zhuying, can you go and save him?”

Zhuying, in the shadow, seemed to stall for a moment before saying, “Young… Young Master, are you sure? If I manifest like this, won’t it scare them away or cause them to faint?”

Gu Qingzhi thought of Zhuying’s featureless, pitch-black face and frowned. That… indeed wasn’t very feasible.

“Young Master, to save or not to save is entirely up to your decision.”

Gu Qingzhi gritted his teeth and finally took a large step forward, shouting, “Stop!”

The men dressed as servants turned around at the sound. Seeing Gu Qingzhi’s extraordinary and otherworldly temperament, they were momentarily stunned. Then, one of them said overbearingly, “You kid, stay out of the Prince Anyang Manor’s business, or you’ll have more than you can chew!”

Gu Qingzhi’s gaze instantly turned icy. “Noisy!”

He then quickly walked to the little beggar and knelt down, pulling a pill from his robes that emitted a dense medicinal fragrance. “Open your mouth.”

The little beggar was dazed, not understanding what Gu Qingzhi meant. He was afraid this was someone playing a joke on him like the others, so he remained hesitant to open his mouth.

Gu Qingzhi seemed to understand instantly and explained patiently, “This is a medicinal pill that can make your injuries heal quickly. Eat it.”

The little beggar then understood that Gu Qingzhi was sincerely saving him. He hurriedly opened his mouth and ate the pill, which melted instantly. Within moments, his injuries began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The little beggar privately guessed that the person before him must be an incredible and powerful figure. He fell to his knees with a thump, kowtowing heavily to Gu Qingzhi and saying with a sob, “Immortal, you must be an immortal, right? Please, save my elder sister!”

The servants saw this and immediately shouted, “Stinking brat, stop talking nonsense!” Their expressions made it seem as if they were terrified of some secret being revealed.

Gu Qingzhi sensed that something was wrong and quickly asked, “Child, what happened to your sister?”

The little beggar burst into tears, sobbing, “Immortal, my sister was taken away by the people of the Prince’s Manor. I wanted to go in and find her, but they wouldn’t let me and kicked and punched me instead.”

The servants looked at each other and then lunged toward Gu Qingzhi and the little beggar together.

“Seeking death!”

Gu Qingzhi’s figure shifted like a ghost, easily dodging the attack. He then used his spiritual power to knock them all to the ground. Terrified, the servants scrambled away and fled.

The watching crowd erupted into cheers, and the little beggar looked at Gu Qingzhi with gratitude. Gu Qingzhi looked at the boy, pulled out some silver, and handed it to him, saying gently, “Take this to buy food, change into clean clothes, and then wait to receive your sister.”

The little beggar took the silver with both hands and kowtowed repeatedly in thanks.

Gu Qingzhi turned to leave, murmuring to himself, “My goal today was originally Prince Anyang; I didn’t expect to run into this matter by accident!”

Zhuying’s voice rose leisurely from behind him: “The Young Master has a kind heart. Once we reach the Prince Anyang Manor, we will naturally know what is going on.”

Gu Qingzhi said nothing more and continued to walk forward silently. He hurried along and soon reached the Prince Anyang Manor.

The manor gates were tightly shut, and the two stone lions at the entrance were majestic, emitting an aura that inspired awe as if silently warning outsiders not to approach easily. He stepped forward with a calm expression and lightly knocked on the copper-ringed doors.

After a moment, the door opened a narrow crack, and a servant cautiously peered out. When his gaze landed on Gu Qingzhi, his face turned dark and unpleasant, as if he had seen a god of plague.

“What are you here for?” the servant asked rudely.

Gu Qingzhi’s expression was cold as frost as he replied concisely, “To demand someone.”

The servant snorted and said with disdain, “What person? Our manor doesn’t have anyone you’re looking for.”

Gu Qingzhi had no intention of entangling further. He flicked his sleeve, and the servant was instantly pushed aside by an invisible force. He then took a large step and walked directly into the manor.

Seeing this, the other servants surrounded him, shouting, “How bold! You dare to trespass into the Prince’s Manor!”