Chapter 23 - The Pearl Falls onto the Jade Plate

If you asked which brothel in Fenglin City was the most soul-stirring, every experienced patron would tell you the same answer—Sanfen Xiangqi Tower.

It wasn’t a place with just a mere hint of makeup and beauty, but the kind of establishment that monopolized a third of the world’s fragrances—Sanfen Xiangqi Tower.

Though it was only a branch.

But from the day it was established, it swept through Fenglin City’s mediocre pleasure market like a force of nature.

Young nobles of Fenglin City could now enjoy exquisite pleasures, all thanks to Sanfen Xiangqi Tower’s contribution to raising the standards of all the courtesans within the Maple Forest City Region.

This was akin to the way the Grade-5 Great Martial Artist Dong Ah raised the educational level of the martial academies in Fenglin City.

Of course, this was something that only Zhao Rucheng would say privately.

The current star courtesan of Sanfen Xiangqi Tower was a woman named Miao Yu.

Many longed for her private chambers both day and night, wishing they could crawl on the ground into her skirts.

But those fortunate enough to taste her charms were very few.

On a beautifully decorated swaying bed, a middle-aged naked man wore an expression of fervent ecstasy, his pleasures undulating, yet beneath him was clearly only a pile of bedding.

Separated by only a bead curtain, opposite the swaying bed was a plush couch.

Miao Yu leaned against it lazily, her curves enchanting.

Her look was hazy, whether she noticed the middle-aged man’s solo performance or not was unclear.

A man dressed in black knelt before the couch, reporting something respectfully.

“So you’re saying, that man named Jiang Wang, he’s mastered a sword technique of considerable ingenuity, but never showed it in public before?”

Her voice was lazy, like a cat that had just woken up, subtly enticing.

The man in black remained kneeling, never raising his head: “Indeed, it is so.

I am incompetent and cannot ascertain where he learned it from.”

Miao Yu pondered for a moment before lifting a finger: “You may leave.”

Upon hearing this, the man touched his forehead to the floor, brought his ring and little fingers together, while his thumb, index, and middle fingers formed a triangle over his heart, as he softly chanted, “At Forgetfulness River’s bottom, in the Abyss of the Yellow Springs.

As the revered gods return to the world, candles illuminate the human realm.”

Then, his whole body sank into the floor as if it melted away.

“A sword technique never seen in Fenglin City’s martial academies?

Passed down from which Great Martial Artist who roamed the world testing his sword?

Or perhaps…” Miao Yu’s eyes became more misty.

“Daozi…”

Her thoughts drifted even further, more intangible.

“At Forgetfulness River’s bottom, in the Abyss of the Yellow Springs.

As the revered gods return to the world, candles illuminate the human realm.”

She too, made the same gesture and softly recited the words.

Meanwhile, on the swaying bed, the naked man continued to writhe alone, as if he could eternally sink into his delightful illusions.

…

…

At this moment, far in a village in Yong Country, a fierce-looking bald man was greedily gnawing at something, blood running down his chin and hands.

And judging by the gaping hole in the chest of the villager lying beside him… it was clearly a human heart he was feasting on.

He gnawed with gusto until suddenly, a streak of flying light zoomed towards him.

Alas, this was not some righteous blade sent from heaven to eradicate evil.

The bald man stretched out his hand and fiercely grabbed the flying light, turning it into an ancient longsword.

“Dammit!

One day I’ll devour your heart too!” he grumbled, clearly upset at being disturbed during his meal.

“Old fool, what era are you living in, still sending messages by flying sword!” he cursed under his breath while using his blood-stained hands to unfurl the message attached to the sword.

The Mo Gate’s Thousand-Mile Voice Box had been implemented for many years and was selling extremely well.

However, there were always some forces that refused to use it, as no one could be sure whether the Mo Gate’s mechanism experts had left any secret tricks inside the boxes.

Even if the people of the Mo Gate swore to high heaven, the most stringent Heart Demon Oaths had already been figured out with dozens of ways to bypass them.

What use was swearing?

“Zhuang Country, Qinghe County, Three Mountains Town?” He spoke each word deliberately and could not help but spit: “What a godforsaken place!”

The longsword in the air shook as if it was urging something.

The bald man grew increasingly irritated, but it was clear that the person who sent the letter was a presence he currently could not resist.

With blood-stained fingers, he crudely drew five strokes on the paper, a simple sketch of a horse, meaning: Will go immediately.

He casually fixed the letter back to the sword, and the blade departed as suddenly as it had arrived.

After the flying sword had gone far away, the bald man suddenly thought of something, “The boss won’t fail to understand it, right?”

He thought about it for a moment and then shrugged off this minor annoyance.

“If he can’t understand this, what kind of boss is he!”

…

…

As he reached the door of his dormitory, Jiang Wang could hear voices talking inside.

After advancing to the inner door, he still shared a room with Ling He and Du Yehu, convenient for them to exchange pointers on their quests for the Way at any time.

Zhao Rucheng would come over every few days to stay for the night, but he wouldn’t stay long.

Although the room was much nicer than before, for Zhao Rucheng…

it didn’t make much of a difference.

Hearing Jiang Wang’s footsteps, Ling He quickly stepped out, “You’re finally back, your family has been waiting for you for a while!”

Family…

Jiang Wang’s heart skipped a beat as he hurried into the room, and at the huanghuali wood table and chairs near the window, he saw a woman whose charm was still apparent—clearly, the furniture had been stubbornly moved in by Zhao Rucheng.

Du Yehu sat beside her, restrained and polite, responding dutifully to each question she asked—an image of a wild child taming his nature in front of a friend’s parent.

It was just that this “child” had a beard that was a little too thick and features a bit too earnest.

Against all odds, he seemed older than the well-kept woman.

The woman stood up hurriedly, her eyes shining with surprise when she saw Jiang Wang, “Xiao Wang, long time no see!

You’ve grown taller and stronger!”

Jiang Wang nodded and greeted her, “Auntie Song is well.”

His birth mother had passed away early, and this woman was his father’s second wife.

He could not change the way he addressed her, always calling her Auntie.

This Auntie wasn’t a bad person, nor had she ever mistreated him.

But it was not long after his father had remarried that Jiang Wang was admitted to the outer door of the Daoist academy.

The cultivation practice was arduous, and except for holidays, he hardly ever went home.

They had no conflicts, but their emotional bond was not particularly deep either.

While greeting him, Auntie Song pulled the little girl hiding behind her to the front, “Go on, greet him!”

This was a shy little girl who, prompted by her mother, finally opened her small mouth and softly said, “Brother.”

The elegant silk clothes on Auntie Song sparkled brilliantly, adding a touch of color.

The little girl was also well-dressed, but it was her delicate features that naturally caught the eye, eliciting admiration.

It was just a pity that right after she called out, she quickly hid behind her mother again, only peeking half of her little head out, observing the brother she hadn’t seen in so long.

Of course, he was fond of his younger sister.

Blood was thicker than water; no one could change that.

However, being preoccupied with cultivation, his visits home had always been hurried.

It had been a long time since he had heard this voice call him “Brother.”

Though the call was light and faint, it was as delightful as pearls falling on a jade plate, indescribably crisp and pleasant.

After numerous battles and seeing so much blood and darkness, Jiang Wang’s heart, which he considered to have turned cold, suddenly felt a melting warmth.

Since returning from Tangshe Town, for the first time, Jiang Wang showed a true smile, “An An!”