Xi Jianlan removed his earring and casually tossed it on the table.
The Tianyan pearl emitted wisps of blue lightning patterns.
Though Hongchen Shijun Tower looked like just a tall pavilion, every brick and tile was carved with mechanism patterns by the Fu family of Manting Province. Without Hongchen’s permission, even if Sheng Jiao used “Worthy of Heaven’s Way” to blast everything to powder, he wouldn’t be able to find Xi Jianlan in this maze-like Shijun Tower.
Yaoyao was still unconscious on the soft couch nearby. Xi Jianlan could only clumsily apply his own makeup.
The Tianyan pearl continued hissing with lightning patterns.
Soon, Hongchen came in with a smile, fanning herself: “Dear, it’s fine that you came, but why did you bring me such big trouble?”
Xi Jianlan turned around with a hairpin in his mouth: “What?”
“That person is about to tear down my tower…” Hongchen said, then stopped abruptly, staring at Xi Jianlan’s face in shock. “Heaven above, who beat up your face?”
Xi Jianlan: “……”
Hongchen walked over with a worried frown: “Even if you have a good face, you can’t ruin it like this. Let sister take a look. Tsk tsk, the foundation is still there, but if you go out like this, I’m afraid you’ll ruin the reputation of my Hongchen Shijun Tower.”
She casually waved her hand, and Yaoyao woke up. Seeing the situation, her face became even paler.
“Don’t stay here. Bring in the clothes I selected,” Hongchen instructed her.
Yaoyao fearfully bowed and timidly left.
Xi Jianlan put down the gaudy hairpin he’d been holding in his mouth and said obediently: “Sister, I suddenly said I’d participate in the courtesan competition today. Sister Xun Niang won’t be angry, will she?”
Hongchen laughed so hard her hands shook: “Dear, you only stayed in my pleasure house for a few days back then. How did you learn the jealous tone and mannerisms of the flower girls so perfectly?”
Xi Jianlan laughed along with her.
“It doesn’t matter.” Hongchen’s fingers gently caressed behind Xi Jianlan’s ear, smiling charmingly. “Xun Niang has been keeping her door closed these days. I heard one of her patrons got into trouble, and she’s trying to find a way to rescue him. Tsk, truly a devoted person.”
That patron was probably Xi Minghuai.
Xi Jianlan looked thoughtful.
Yaoyao held a gorgeous robe embroidered with golden thread and large peony patterns, trembling as she walked back. At the corner, she looked up and suddenly froze.
The furnishings in the third-floor central hall had been reduced to powder and ash scattered on the ground. A man in plain black clothes stood there expressionlessly, his whole body radiating cold malice.
The guard Xun Niang had hired was earnestly trying to reason with him.
“Can you calm down? Are you still that calculating, ruthless Sect Master Sheng?”
“He can’t run away—what are you worried about?”
Yaoyao vaguely heard Liu Changxing mention “Sect Master Sheng,” and her heart jumped heavily.
Even people from the Southern Territory had heard of the reputation of Sheng Jiao, the Xiezhi Sect Master from Central State, and moreover…
Yaoyao boldly peered around the pillar to look at that “Sect Master Sheng’s” face. When she finally saw it clearly, she almost held her breath.
Three years ago, after the courtesan Lan Jiaojiao cruelly killed that gentleman surnamed Qu, probably fearing exposure, she had used an illusion in front of Yaoyao to instantly transform into a tall, black-clothed man.
For the next three days, all of Nine Heavens City was spreading rumors that “Xiezhi Sect Master Sheng Jiao actually came to Hongchen Shijun Tower to visit prostitutes! He even had a spring night with that courtesan Lan Jiaojiao.”
People didn’t know if this was true or false, but the Bright Birds of the rhino horn lamps flew for three whole days before the excitement finally died down.
Yaoyao stared at the black-clothed man’s face, which was identical to Lan Jiaojiao’s disguise, her hands gripping the robe slowly tightening.
—It really was Xiezhi Sect Master Sheng Jiao.
Sect Master Sheng was upright and just. Learning that the courtesan had killed someone without reason, he would definitely act to capture and restrain her.
Yaoyao was too afraid of Xi Jianlan’s seemingly smiling face that killed without trace. She didn’t know where she got the courage, but she swallowed and was about to step out from behind the pillar to meet the Xiezhi Sect Master.
Suddenly, a gentle laugh came to her ear.
“Silly girl.”
Yaoyao’s pigtails nearly stood on end as she looked back in terror.
A white-haired, white-clothed man had appeared at some point, lazily leaning against the pillar. Golden patterns flowed in his eyes as he looked down at her with gentle yet sinister attention.
The moment her gaze met this man’s, Yaoyao’s whole body stiffened, unable even to move her eyeballs.
“He already said he won’t kill you—aren’t you satisfied?” Yu Tuishan smiled mysteriously as he played with a strand of the girl’s hair hanging over her shoulder, saying carelessly: “Why actively seek death?”
Yaoyao looked at him in confusion.
Nine Heavens City’s most famous dish was sweet and sour mandarin fish. Yu Tuishan had probably just eaten some, as he carried the sweet and sour fish aroma, with a few drops of sauce on his snow-white sleeves and collar.
That skull mask had no intimidating power either—his temperament was gentle as jade, like some noble young master.
But just one moment of eye contact made Yaoyao break out in uncontrollable cold sweat.
Fear belatedly surged into her heart, like a gentle hand grasping her fragile heart, slowly and gradually tightening.
Killing intent seeped into her body like gentle rain, and the intangible aura somehow made her slender body experience fine, dense pain for no reason.
“Beautiful Yaoyao…”
Yu Tuishan extended two fingers to gently touch Yaoyao’s forehead, speaking in soft, warm words like reciting poetry: “A gift for parting.”
Rich floral fragrance spread out.
Separated by only a wall, Hongchen finally finished Xi Jianlan’s makeup. His coiled black hair was adorned with dark blue kingfisher feathers, gold and jade hairpins—a whole pile of them, looking both elegant and luxurious.
Xi Jianlan was dizzy from the strong rouge fragrance and walked to the window to push it open for fresh air.
His gaze casually fell downward, and he spotted Yu Tuishan in white clothes and white hair strolling on the street, apparently buying cloud lanterns.
Hongchen Shijun Tower had already hung Lan Jiaojiao’s embroidered banner on the pavilion. Many people learned that the famous Lan Jiaojiao was also participating in the courtesan competition and immediately rushed to buy cloud lanterns.
Within half a quarter-hour, the cloud lanterns on the entire street went from the original one spirit stone for ten lanterns to ten spirit stones for one lantern.
Yu Tuishan was foolish with money and didn’t care about the cost. He bought as he walked, almost purchasing all the cloud lanterns in Nine Heavens City.
Xi Jianlan frowned as he watched him.
Yu Tuishan walked for a while, then suddenly seemed to space out, stopping in place with his golden pupils slightly turning.
He was distracted for a moment, then frowned and tugged at his snow-white sleeves, muttering something quietly.
Xi Jianlan could read his lips.
“Why do I always get sauce on white clothes?”
Xi Jianlan’s lips twitched slightly. Just as he was about to close the window, he inadvertently noticed Yu Tuishan seemed to be holding a vivid peony flower in his hand.
It was already past the summer solstice, and Nine Heavens City rarely had such flowers. Where had he picked the peony?
Yu Tuishan casually held the peony flower, turning it around. Soon, as if sensing the gaze, he suddenly looked back and met Xi Jianlan’s eyes precisely.
Xi Jianlan met his gaze indifferently.
Yu Tuishan saw his face, his golden pupils suddenly turning. Like seeing a rare beautiful sight, even with the mask covering his face, his pleasure was detectable.
Just then, a vendor handed him a cloud lantern.
Yu Tuishan held the cloud lantern with two fingers, condensing a point of golden light at his fingertips—actually using the Tianyan spiritual power that all thirteen provinces coveted to light the lantern’s wick.
“Hiss.”
The golden cloud lantern blazed brilliantly.
Xi Jianlan: “……”
Xi Jianlan’s face turned green as he slammed the window shut.
Yu Tuishan burst out laughing.
Hongchen waited and waited but Yaoyao never came with the clothes. Frowning, she had others go get them.
Soon, someone came carrying the peony-patterned robe: “Yaoyao went somewhere to slack off. The clothes were just dropped behind a pillar outside—lucky they didn’t get dirty.”
Hongchen didn’t pay much attention, shaking out the almost blindingly gorgeous robe and wrapping it around Xi Jianlan.
The robe was too large—only someone of Xi Jianlan’s relatively tall stature could carry it off. Several strands of trailing black hair fell among the peony clusters covering his back, like dark, bewitching stamens.
Radiant with pearls and jade, breathtakingly beautiful.
Even the woman who had been questioning whether Xi Jianlan’s face was real was slightly dazed by the sight.
A face that could bewitch demons should have been seductive, flirtatious, and enchanting, but Xi Jianlan held a peony petal in his hand, his expression dark to the extreme.
Yu Tuishan…
Whenever Evil Qi Road was mentioned, Xi Jianlan instinctively thought of that almost addictive strange object—”Abandoned Immortal Bone.”
Over the years, Yu Tuishan had accumulated enough spirit stones from “Abandoned Immortal Bone” to buy ten Central State families. His coming to Nine Heavens City—could it also be to sell fake Tianyan?
Xi Jianlan didn’t believe that sinister person would spend lavishly lighting cloud lanterns for a courtesan. He instinctively had a bad feeling.
Hongchen circled around him, thinking even his frowning, dark expression was devastatingly attractive, and directly pulled him up to go outside.
Xi Jianlan’s thoughts were interrupted as he frowned: “What are you doing?”
Hongchen: “The courtesan selection.”
Xi Jianlan was stunned: “Isn’t it tonight?”
He had only wanted to use this identity to approach the courtesan Xun Niang and get answers. He’d been planning to ask his questions and then escape, avoiding embarrassment in front of Sheng Jiao.
Perfect plan.
But Hongchen said: “I’ve already informed all of Nine Heavens City—Hongchen Shijun Tower’s courtesan competition has been moved to noon.”
Xi Jianlan: “……”
At the highest point of Hongchen Shijun Tower, the pavilion was surrounded by white gauze. The wooden platform extending outward had no barriers—standing at the edge, one could see the entire Pleasure House Street.
A woman in snow-white clothes slowly walked to the edge of the high platform and looked down. The dense crowd was like ants.
Cloud lanterns lit up one by one, their candlelight obscuring clarity in the shadows.
A swallow flew down from the sky, silently landing on Xun Niang’s shoulder.
Wind howled at the height, blowing Xun Niang’s white clothes wildly. She held a silver pipe between her fingers—what was in the bowl wasn’t tobacco but something like liquid that faintly glowed pale purple.
The swallow chirped once.
“Is that so?” Xun Niang lightly exhaled white smoke, her bright eyes staring into space, speaking to someone unknown as she said coldly: “…What if I say I know nothing of past events?”
The swallow chirped again, and an androgynous voice came from within.
“The ‘Bone-Gazing Mirror’ xiangwen can use Tianyan spiritual power to see memories. I don’t believe you’re not interested in the real culprit behind the Xi family massacre.”
Xun Niang suddenly laughed coldly: “Wasn’t it you who massacred the Xi family?”
The “swallow” chuckled softly: “…But it could also not be me.”
Xun Niang’s face was impassive.
The “swallow” said lightly: “You’ve also learned much from Xi Minghuai’s memories. With him in Xi Jue’s hands, how could he still be alive? If you want to save him, do as I say. Just make Sect Master Sheng’s 108 Tianyan pearls all judge Xi Jue guilty and deserving death. Then Tianyan and Heaven’s Way thunder punishment will pour down like a deluge.”
When that time came, even if Sheng Jiao didn’t want to, with Heaven’s Way and Tianyan above, he would be forced to kill the guilty person with his own hands.
Xun Niang said nothing.
The swallow spread its wings and flew up, chirping crisply a few more times before the spiritual power attached to it finally dissipated.
Third floor central hall.
Liu Changxing was still earnestly trying to persuade Sheng Jiao: “…Jue’er really said it himself. He told you to wait—he’ll get clear answers about Xun Niang’s matter himself.”
Sheng Jiao remained unmoved. Except for the ten “Execute” pearls on his wrist, all the other Tianyan pearls flew off to search for Xi Jianlan.
Xi Jianlan had been too obedient these past days—kissing, hugging, sweet words flowing freely—so much so that Sheng Jiao had forgotten this person’s pile of honeyed words were all for escaping.
It was better to catch him and keep him under close watch.
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the pleasure house, accompanied by the faint scent of burning candles wafting in, carrying a strange odor.
Sheng Jiao’s brow furrowed slightly.
He strode to the window and pushed it open forcefully. Outside, thousands of people had somehow gathered, packed densely on the long street, all looking up with inexplicable anticipation in their eyes.
Countless cloud lanterns were lit, still bright even under the blazing sun.
Sheng Jiao keenly sensed something wrong. His spiritual power swept out, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
He quickly walked out of Hongchen Shijun Tower and casually caught a floating cloud lantern, condensing spiritual power at his fingertip to probe inside.
Familiar spiritual power hit him.
Sheng Jiao’s expression instantly darkened.
It was “Abandoned Immortal Bone.”
Someone had mixed weak “Abandoned Immortal Bone” into the cloud lanterns and lit them, spreading the aura of fake Tianyan throughout the area.
One lantern’s fake Tianyan wouldn’t be easily detected and might not cause much trouble, but nine out of ten cloud lanterns on this entire street had “Abandoned Immortal Bone” mixed in.
Having seen Xi Jianlan’s almost addictive aftereffects from “Abandoned Immortal Bone” along the way, Sheng Jiao’s expression turned ice-cold. He immediately recalled the Tianyan pearls that had scattered to search for Xi Jianlan.
Someone was using the courtesan competition to fish in troubled waters.
Yu Tuishan.
Sheng Jiao calmly crushed the cloud lantern with “Lan Jiaojiao” written on it. With a slight movement of his hand, the Tianyan pearls instantly returned, forming a string that clinked together with crisp sounds.
Only one pearl seemed not to have returned.
Suddenly, the crowd nearby erupted in excitement.
“Lan Jiaojiao! It really is her!”
“Heaven above! Three years ago I thought she’d truly retired, but I never expected to see her grace again today.”
“A peerless beauty! Absolutely! To see her, one could die without regret!”
Sheng Jiao looked up expressionlessly.
He seemed to know where the last pearl had gone.
A Tianyan pearl silently hovered in mid-air, wisps of lightning patterns flashing toward the person on the high platform, as if pointing the direction for its master.
At the highest platform of Hongchen Shijun Tower, a person in gorgeous robes adorned with peony clusters stood in the half-veiled pavilion. Sensing the commotion, they looked down with impatience and annoyance in their eyes.
Breathtakingly beautiful.
Sheng Jiao: “……”
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(advanced chapters available on kofi)
