LGHTNOVELBOOK 26: Disguising to Enter the Brothel
Zou City, Central Continent.
This city was one of the most prosperous in the Central Continent, home to the largest brothel within a hundred li radius, Hua Man Lou.
In this place of flowers and willows, beauties in red curtains leaned on railings, gazing into the distance, tossing embroidered balls and fragrant handkerchiefs. Patrons were constant, and the streets were filled with laughter and playful banter, truly a lively scene.
Looking down from flying swords, one could see beauties with powdered faces and exposed bosoms enthusiastically soliciting customers.
Under the onslaught of this paradise, customers were enchanted, surrounded by a group of beauties as they went into the establishment to drink flower wine.
“Little Junior Sister, do you really want to go to that place? I’m from a good family!” Tantai Ming’s face showed refusal. He sat cross-legged on his sword. Just because he had accidentally glimpsed a few girls in revealing attire earlier, he had “Whoosh!” turned his head away like he’d been electrocuted, the tips of his ears turning red.
Chu Sang thought Seventh Senior Brother was too innocent. The flower girls were so pretty. She pointed to the side, “Look carefully at that man in black.”
Tantai Ming reluctantly turned his head back and glimpsed a tall man in black walking towards the entrance, embracing two scantily clad beautiful girls as he entered the building.
Although the street was crowded with people and patrons were numerous, the moment the black-clad man appeared, he drew attention immediately.
“Demon Lord Yan Wangxing. If I’m not mistaken, he’s the mastermind behind this beast forest disturbance.” Even though he had deliberately suppressed his demonic energy, that sinister aura was still easily distinguishable.
“I didn’t expect it to be a Demon Lord.” Tantai Ming’s sword-like eyebrows furrowed into the shape of a river.
The demon realm had a total of seven Demon Lords. Although the undisputed leader of the demon race was that supreme Demon Sovereign, rumors said that the old Demon Sovereign had been bedridden for days and didn’t have long to live. He existed in name only, with the ruling power falling to the seven Demon Lords under him.
Among them, Demon Lord Yan Wangxing had the largest influence. Barring any accidents, he was very likely to be the next Demon Sovereign.
Tantai Ming roughly guessed Little Junior Sister’s plan. It was said that this Demon Lord was extremely addicted to wine and women, so he often lingered in brothels and other places of pleasure. Coming here tonight to lie in wait was not surprising.
However, a Demon Lord was not something small cultivators like them could provoke.
His strength was above Nascent Soul realm. He could turn them to ashes with a single slap. Although Little Junior Sister was a genius, she was truly like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers.
Just as Tantai Ming was considering how to tactfully convey the principle of “the wise man knows when to retreat” to Little Junior Sister, he saw her eyes light up as she said softly, “Second Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Brother, look over there quickly!”
The two looked where she indicated.
They saw another group of people blending in with the crowd.
Although they had changed out of their sect robes, that air of being both clever and foolish, newly entered into the world, set them apart from the ordinary patrons around them. Moreover, Chu Sang recognized a few familiar faces, easily identifying their identities.
—Disciples of the Eight Great Sects.
It seemed they weren’t the only ones trying to catch a turtle in a jar tonight.
This was truly a case of when you’re sleepy, someone brings you a pillow.
“Come on, let’s go check it out.”
She grabbed her two senior brothers and went to join the excitement.
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The nearby disciples of the Eight Great Sects had received a message from their sects saying that someone had reported the beast forest disturbance was due to demon interference, and that the demon would come to the brothel for pleasure tonight.
The identity of the reporting cultivator was unclear, and it was unknown whether this information was true or false. What if it was a trap set by the demons? After much consideration, the higher-ups of the Eight Great Immortal Sects decided to send disciples to verify the information first. If the situation proved true, they would immediately report back to their sects!
Just now, they had indeed detected a trace of demonic aura nearby. To avoid alerting the target, they had changed out of their sect robes and blended in with the crowd. They had also used a space array to partition off this area, while disciples from the Eight Trigrams Sect set up a demon-trapping array around the brothel, planning to catch the turtle in the jar.
“Your array can’t trap him.”
A female voice came from behind. Lin Jing turned to look and saw a woman and two men approaching. He didn’t know when these three had appeared.
Seeing that the three wore low-grade legal robes, Lin Jing lowered his guard and impatiently waved them away, “Where did these poor wandering cultivators come from? Go stand aside, don’t interfere with our business……”
“It’s you!”
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by another voice. Lin Qi ran over with a face full of joy, “I can’t believe I’ve really met you again! The Speed Talisman you gave me last time was incredibly useful. I want to buy another hundred from you, no, two hundred. However many talismans you have, sell them all to me. I’ll take them all!”
The young woman before him looked somewhat familiar. Chu Sang searched her memory several times before finally remembering that this was the passerby she had met the first time she set up a stall to sell talismans. She had even casually given him a Speed Talisman and a name card.
She suddenly realized, “Oh, it’s you!”
A big order, a big customer.
“Add me as a friend. I don’t have many talismans on hand right now, but I’ll contact you later.” When the two took out their jade disks to add each other as friends, Chu Sang discovered that this was the online friend she had ignored a few days ago. Fortunately, she hadn’t impulsively cursed him out at that time, otherwise she would have lost this big customer.
Chu Sang currently had more than a dozen Speed Talismans on hand. Lin Qi immediately bought five or six. Seeing this, Lin Jing let out a cold laugh,
“It’s nothing more than the lowest grade talisman. The patterns of the Speed Talisman aren’t even drawn correctly. I don’t know where this third-rate wandering cultivator came from, daring to try to scam us orthodox talisman practitioners?”
Chu Sang curiously looked him over. Who was this kid? So arrogant.
Lin Qi gave him a sidelong glance, “Surely no one thinks that the Eight Trigrams Sect alone represents the talisman techniques of the entire Spirit Abyss Continent?”
“For the same talisman, there are many different ways to draw it. Who says it has to be the same as your Eight Trigrams Sect to be considered orthodox?”
Lin Jing hadn’t expected to be refuted. His face turned ugly as he tried to save face, coldly saying, “I don’t understand? Can a sword cultivator like you understand better than me?”
Lin Qi couldn’t be bothered to argue further with this ignorant fellow. He knew how useful these talismans were! With limited talismans, he wanted to secretly keep this treasure of a seller to himself. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to get any if too many people knew.
“How is it you people again?”
Qiu Xiude thought he had seen wrong. Upon closer inspection, he found it was indeed Chu Sang and her two companions.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes seeming to hide a layer of gloom, “Are you maggots? Why do you keep haunting us!”
Chu Sang raised an eyebrow, “It seems you’re the dung then.”
Qiu Xiude was stunned for a moment. The suppressed laughter and strange gazes from the surrounding disciples fell on him. He belatedly realized what she meant, his face turning as black as the bottom of a pot. He couldn’t spit out a single word, so angry he wanted to scratch the wall.
Chu Sang had no interest in trading insults with him. She scanned the seemingly impregnable array before her and pouted, “The target isn’t an ordinary demon, but very likely a Demon Lord. Your array is too fragile; it can’t hold him at all.”
Lin Jing sneered, “What nonsense. How could a Demon Lord be seen so easily? And who do you think you are, daring to comment on our Eight Trigrams Sect’s array techniques?”
“This array is a demon-trapping array personally created by our sect’s elders. Once a demon enters this array, they can’t escape even if they grow wings!”
“The array is indeed a good array, but unfortunately, you disciples haven’t grasped its essence. It’s clearly lacking in some aspects.” She said, “Although I haven’t seen the original diagram of the array, it’s obvious that here… here, and the southeast life gate, the combination of runes in these three directions conflicts in attributes. Not only does it fail to reinforce the array, but it actually weakens its power, leaving such a large gap in this already imperfect array.”
“Forget about a Demon Lord, even an ordinary demon sensitive to auras could easily escape through this exit.” Chu Sang commented.
“Second Senior Sister, the disciples of the Eight Trigrams Sect are all experts in orthodox talisman and array techniques. We outsiders shouldn’t speak like this, lest we make fools of ourselves……” Qin Xixue also came forward, speaking gently.
But before she could try to win favor with the Eight Trigrams Sect, a blue-clad young man who had been lost in thought spoke up, “……She’s right.”
Cui Xiu was the senior brother of the Eight Trigrams Sect, with the highest attainment in talismans and arrays among the younger generation in the sect. He knew that the demon-trapping array created by the elders was a high-level array, and that they, as disciples out for experience, were ultimately too inexperienced. When setting up the array earlier, he had been constantly aware that something was off.
Regrettably, he had searched for a long time but couldn’t find a way to repair it. Yet this red-clad young woman had pointed out the flaws in the array in just a few words.
He had already used spiritual energy to probe, and everything she said was spot on.
“How is that possible! She’s just a wandering cultivator……” Lin Jing’s eyes widened as he tried to refute.
“Have you forgotten how our master taught us?” Cui Xiu rebuked him with a glance, “The way of runes is profound and variable. Even the Eight Trigrams Sect has only inherited a bit of skin and hair. We must not be too arrogant, nor look down on anyone.”
“I……” Lin Jing was both surprised and unwilling, but since the senior brother had spoken, even if he was dissatisfied, he could only swallow it.
Who exactly was this woman? She actually saw through it!
Qin Xixue bit her lip, her face slightly red as she clutched her handkerchief tightly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
How was this possible…… In her impression, Chu Sang was just a sword cultivator who had never studied talismans and arrays. How could she possibly understand the intricacies?
After some more tinkering, the Eight Trigrams Sect disciples finally repaired that gap.
Next, they needed to lure that demon out of the building to avoid harming innocents.
They couldn’t startle the snake by hitting the grass, otherwise if the demon became angry and took hostages, it would be difficult to deal with.
Chu Sang said, “I have a way to lure him out.”
“What good idea could you possibly have?” Qiu Xiude mocked from the side, jumping around impotently.
Chu Sang ignored him and looked up at everyone, “I need two people to go into the building with me, preferably female cultivators, to seduce that Demon Lord out.”
Seduce??
Everyone thought they had misheard. What kind of ridiculous idea was this? It was amazing she could come up with such a damaging plan!
However, coming to such a place of pleasure late at night, it was clear that this demon was indeed someone addicted to beauty.
Although this method was simple, crude, and not very proper, it was indeed the most effective approach. However, it also carried a certain level of danger.
“The Eight Trigrams Sect disciples need to reinforce the array outside, and the Ten Thousand Swords Sect needs to prevent any demon accomplices from supporting or sneaking in, so……” Chu Sang scanned the crowd, her gaze falling on Qin Xixue, who had taken two steps back. She smiled, “You don’t seem to have anything to do. Why don’t you come with me?”
Qin Xixue’s face turned slightly pale as she gently tugged on Mo Qingchen’s sleeve, shaking her head vigorously, “I won’t go. I’m afraid… demons are terrifying……”
She could really act. She had just had a secret midnight meeting with the very person a few nights ago, and she didn’t seem afraid then.
However, Chu Sang understood. Although Qin Xixue and Yan Wangxing had met, they were only at the stage of having just met. She hadn’t revealed her identity to him yet.
After all, Yan Wangxing had been jointly attacked by the Eight Great Immortal Sects last time, so he deeply hated disciples of the Eight Great Immortal Sects. Now that their relationship was just beginning, Qin Xixue was probably afraid that he would recognize her identity, so she was making excuses.
She was probably worried about how some unknown person had sent a message to the Eight Great Immortal Sects, exposing Yan Wangxing’s whereabouts and causing all these nearby disciples to come and capture him.
The message, of course…… was sent by Chu Sang to the Eight Great Immortal Sects.
But with Qin Xixue not going, there were no suitable female cultivators in the team.
Mo Qingchen looked down at Qin Xixue, who was tightly clutching his sleeve, and after a moment of thought said, “I’ll go in her place.”
“Brother Qingchen, you……” Qin Xixue never imagined he would go to such lengths for her, feeling deeply moved.
If Chu Sang knew her thoughts, she would probably mock her. Mo Qingchen wouldn’t talk about love in the early stages. He was a typical disciple of the righteous path, taking the elimination of demons and protection of the world as his duty.
He simply couldn’t tolerate demons causing harm to the world.
“Little Junior Sister, it’s not safe for you to go alone. I’ll go with you.”
Tantai Ming also stepped forward.
The gazes of the crowd towards the two were somewhat strange, but then thinking that this was “sacrificing” for the righteous path, their eyes immediately turned respectful and admiring.
“Um……” Shang Ziling silently took out several dresses, lightly coughing twice, “My build is taller than ordinary women, so these clothes should fit you. I’ll lend… no, I’ll give them to you.”
Mo Qingchen’s face was expressionless, “Not necessary.”
With that, he drew his sword, about to charge into the brothel.
Chu Sang spoke calmly, “If the problem could be solved by direct confrontation, why would you have spent so long here? If a fight really breaks out inside, not a single ordinary civilian nearby will survive.”
Mo Qingchen halted his steps.
Qin Xixue’s eyes flashed as she stepped forward and said softly, “But for a big man like Senior Brother to wear women’s clothing, isn’t that… isn’t that too humiliating?”
“How is wearing women’s clothing humiliating? I like to wear men’s clothing when I go down the mountain.” Shang Ziling felt uncomfortable hearing this. “Moreover, this is for the sake of the common people. It’s a mission we disciples of immortal sects must complete. In such a critical moment, should we care about these trivial matters?”
“I, I didn’t mean that……” Qin Xixue stammered, unable to say anything more.
“It’s alright, Little Junior Sister. I don’t mind. I’ll go with you!” Tantai Ming, always straightforward, didn’t feel there was anything wrong. “If worst comes to worst, we can have Second Senior Brother come too!”
Ling Yu gave him a gentle look. Thanks a lot.
Mo Qingchen said coldly, “I will go with you.”
Chu Sang took the lead, bringing the two men with her as they swaggered into the brothel.
Tonight’s plan—seduce Yan Wangxing!