Chapter 101: The Ideal First Encounter

In the pleasure districts, life begins when the sun goes down.

Tonight, however, the Cui-Fang Pavilion seemed to be anticipating guests of high status. The entire establishment was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and several of the top courtesans had declined all other patrons, lining up in an orderly row on the ground floor to welcome four young men as they entered. The surrounding crowd buzzed with speculation.

Two young gentlemen sat on the second floor sipping tea. Listening to the commotion below, one of them flicked open his folding fan and remarked to his companion, "Look at that. They are only a few scholars, yet they put on quite a show."

His companion, dressed in a sea-blue changshan and wearing a square cap, glanced down. "Is that the future husband of Qiu Jinling?"

Below, surrounded by the women, were the four young men. One of them looked bashful, appearing quite unaccustomed to being the center of attention.

"Indeed. I have calculated that he faces a tribulation, and it seems this is where it will manifest," Qing Hong said, dressed in a simple brocade robe, as he spoke to Li Jingxun, who was disguised as a man beside him. "If nothing goes wrong, people from the Demonic Sect should appear."

Li Jingxun had followed Qing Hong in her disguise, but she felt ill at ease in such a place and frowned as she looked down.

As Wang Wenbai and his three classmates entered a private room upstairs, Li Jingxun said, "This young man doesn't learn from those he should, yet he insists on following others in their debauchery. Today, it would be no harm to teach him a lesson, so that Miss Jinling may have peace of mind in the future."

"I have divined that he possesses a Pure Yang destiny and remains a virgin, which is the very type of person the Demonic Sect covets most. If there is indeed any movement from the Sect tonight, I suspect he will be abducted."

Upon hearing this, Li Jingxun silently calculated the celestial patterns. "He has a destiny of a violent death, which may well be fulfilled this day. Once he is abducted by the demonic agents, you and I can follow the trail to uproot those who have been lying in ambush here."

The two waited patiently until two graceful women arrived to serve them.

With Li Jingxun by his side, Qing Hong, a seasoned veteran of such scenes, naturally refrained from any improper behavior. He let the two women play the zither and pour wine while he waited leisurely for the members of the Demonic Sect to reveal themselves.

Suddenly, he set down his wine cup. Li Jingxun felt it too, looking up toward the private room where Wenbai had entered. A faint fluctuation of demonic energy emanated from within.

"Is the young master also interested in the Four Talents of our Jin-Yuan City?" The woman beside Li Jingxun leaned in, her body as supple as a serpent against her.

Li Jingxun subtly moved away and asked in return, "You speak of the Four Talents?"

"Indeed. The four in the private room are the very scholars who will be attending the Spring Examinations tomorrow."

"They say that talented men deserve beautiful women. So, is this for good luck—finding someone to break their virginity today before they set off?" Qing Hong was well-versed in such customs. It was said that these degree-holding scholars would seek out a virgin to "see blood" before the imperial examinations, hoping for a "red-letter" start.

Li Jingxun raised an eyebrow. "Brother, you are quite knowledgeable about such things."

Qing Hong chuckled dryly and immediately changed the subject. "Though they call it the Spring Examination, the date this year is quite close to the third lunar month."

"What other choice is there? A consort just passed away in the palace," the woman replied. "His Majesty is observing the mourning period for Consort Jing, delaying the court sessions by three days, and even the examinations were pushed back."

Li Jingxun frowned. The current emperor was a man of great ambition but little talent. Moreover, members of the Demonic Sect had already tainted the imperial court. Although the Tai-Xiao and Tai-Shang palaces had remained silent after being offended by the Tai-Yuan Palace last year, the day of dynastic change was likely not far off.

"Let us not speak of such taboo matters for now," Qing Hong said. "What is the background of those in the private room? Are they all preparing for the exams?"

The woman nodded. "As you say, sir. Those scholars are preparing for exactly that. The four of them—not just in our Jin-Yuan City, but in the entire Ling-Nan region—are top-tier figures. Especially Master Liu in there; he is the most romantic of them all. It is said he once had the record of being with ten women in a single night." As she spoke, the woman’s eyes sparkled, and she subtly rubbed her elbow against Li Jingxun.

Sensing the woman’s flirtatiousness, Qing Hong caught the subtle movement in his peripheral vision and said with a playful tone, "He sounds like a man who never tires. Why don’t you try to match him tonight, dear brother?"

Li Jingxun had a detached personality, but as an unmarried young woman, how could she endure such a remark?

She shot Qing Hong a glare and said, "Brother, wait here. I am stepping out for a moment." She rose to leave, and the woman, finding no interest from her, turned to cling to Qing Hong instead.

Qing Hong had once practiced the Demonic Dragon Sutra and had times when he could not control the demonic nature within, so he was familiar with such pleasure houses. He easily handled the woman, casually tossing a few pieces of silver. "Go and bring me two more jars of aged wine. You... yes, you, come here and drink with me." He pointed to the woman playing the zither and had her sit by his side.

He let the two women accompany him in drinking, waiting slowly for the right moment.

Meanwhile, after leaving under a pretext, Li Jingxun took out a page from the Jade Book of Morality. Fluorescent light spilled over her, concealing her form as she slipped into the room where Wang Wenbai was staying.

She spied on the four men. Wang Wenbai was already drunk, while the other two were groping the women beside them. Their clothes were in disarray, and the atmosphere was growing increasingly lewd.

As for the aforementioned Master Liu, he was instead reciting poetry with the lead courtesan, showing not a hint of debauchery. His eyes were clear, his mind sober. Despite being surrounded by flowers, his heart remained unmoved, possessing a profound and mysterious quality.

"Is it him?" Li Jingxun thought, a storm rising in her heart. This man looked somewhat familiar.

Liu Zimo seemed to sense something, but he looked around and found nothing. "Strange. Who is spying on me?" He hid his hands in his sleeves and secretly performed a divination, vaguely sensing a tribulation approaching.

"Is this a 'Peach Blossom' tribulation?" Just as Liu Zimo was pondering this, a commotion broke out outside.

Qing Hong set down his cup and looked down to see a young woman rushing in, full of fire. "Where is that fellow Liu Zimo?"

The woman had a heroic bearing, dressed in leather armor like a traveling swordswoman. She slapped the table, startling the madam into silence.

"Eh? She is a cultivator? No, an immortal?" Qing Hong’s discerning eyes could see the Daoist fruit forming within her; it was clearly the aura of an orthodox sect. There was even an item on her that resonated with the Dragon-Whisker Fan in his hand.

"A supreme treasure of the Tai-Shang?" Qing Hong was stunned. "How can a supreme treasure of that lineage appear in a place like this?"

The woman also sensed something. She glared at the two women by Qing Hong’s side, then at him. "You, wait there! Don't go anywhere; I will come back for you later!" With that, she grabbed the madam and headed upstairs to find Liu Zimo.

Liu Zimo felt that something was amiss. "Since I achieved the Daoist fruit, I have had heavenly premonitions. Could it be that some enemy has come looking for me? If so, I cannot fight here. I should go outside the city."

Just as he was about to rise, the door was kicked open with a bang, and the woman charged in.

"Senior Brother Liu! You are becoming more and more audacious! To think you spend your days in a place like this!" Upon entering, the girl saw Liu Zimo and the courtesan in a close embrace and immediately pulled out a whip to strike him.

In the shadows, Li Jingxun couldn't help but cover her forehead: Why is this girl here?

The girl moved to strike Liu Zimo, who was terrified out of his wits. He pushed the courtesan aside and hurriedly used his folding fan to block the attack. "Junior Sister, why have you come down from the mountain?"

He leaped out through the window and onto the roof to escape.

Seeing this, the girl sneered and chased after him. "You men! Truly, not one of you is any good!"

Li Jingxun hesitated but did not follow, choosing to stay in the room to watch Wang Wenbai.

"Who is that fellow?" Qing Hong arrived at the private room, which was now crowded with many people rushing over. Wang Wenbai, dazed, woke up and was dragged away by his two companions.

Qing Hong stood in a corner and whispered to the invisible Li Jingxun, "I have often imagined the scene of meeting other Tai-Shang descendants, but I never expected it to be in a pleasure house. And to think, the other party is a woman."

Li Jingxun said, "She is from the Wu-Wei Sect."

"The Wu-Wei Sect? The legendary sect known for being the most detached and non-interfering? That girl? Where is there any sign of detachment or 'inaction' in her? If you were the descendant of the Wu-Wei Sect, I might believe it."

"Hmph! Gossiping behind people's backs is hardly the conduct of a Tai-Shang descendant!" As luck would have it, the girl overheard him and entered again through the window. "You, come out! I happen to have a bone to pick with you."

Qing Hong gave Li Jingxun a look and went out to meet the young woman.

Leaping onto the roof, he saw Liu Zimo bruised and battered, clearly having suffered a sound thrashing from the girl.

The girl flipped her hand. "Qing Lan of the Tai-Shang Wu-Wei lineage. Which lineage of the Tai-Shang are you from?"

"The Yun-Xiao lineage." Qing Hong took out his Dragon-Whisker Fan and waved it gently, causing two swimming dragons to dance around him.

"The Yun-Xiao Pavilion? So, you are a loose immortal who happened upon the lineage by chance?" Qing Lan immediately showed a look of disdain. "Just as I thought, you are all disgusting men, all the same. Relying on cultivation methods that don't require maintaining virginity, you spend your days idling in such hellholes!" She felt disappointed. Just like Qing Hong, she had imagined many times meeting others who held Tai-Shang treasures. They would slay demons and eliminate devils together, revitalize their sect, and eventually achieve the Dao of the Celestial Immortal. Who would have thought their first meeting would be in a pleasure house?

How could she tell her future disciples that she first met so-and-so in a brothel?

Hearing this, Qing Hong felt deeply wronged. "Junior Sister, your senior brother might be that kind of person, but I am not. You cannot paint us all with the same brush. I am here on official business."

Seeing Qing Hong distancing himself, Liu Zimo became angry. "What do you mean 'that kind of person'? Is it that I am here for pleasure, but you are here to discuss the profound Dao?"

Just as Qing Lan was about to speak, Qing Hong quickly explained the situation. "Since you are here, Junior Sister, why not join forces with us to capture the demonic agents? I suspect that Senior Brother Liu, who has been guarding Wang Wenbai, is doing so because he sensed an approaching tribulation?"

Liu Zimo had come for mere amusement, but upon receiving a signal from Qing Hong, he immediately nodded. "Indeed. I observed his physiognomy and sensed a tribulation looming. That is why I have been guarding him, though I cannot resolve it for him."

At this, Qing Lan’s expression softened. "I will trust you for now. I will go ask Senior Sister Li what she thinks."

The three were about to descend when suddenly, a surge of demonic energy erupted, followed by a black wind that engulfed Wang Wenbai and fled toward the outskirts of the city.

"Senior Brother Liu, come with me to save him. Junior Sister Qing Lan, join up with Junior Sister Jingxun; you two track the Demonic Sect members here." Qing Hong did not hesitate, taking Liu Zimo to pursue the distant Wang Wenbai.