Chapter 4

Shopkeeper Wang froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "What do you want to know? Given our friendship, I will certainly tell you everything I know."

Chang'an asked directly, "Has anything major happened at Crimson Blood Fortress recently?"

"Crimson Blood Fortress? There have been some major events, but they are all highly confidential. Look..." Shopkeeper Wang squeezed his small eyes into slits, rubbed his hands unconsciously, raised his teacup, and pretended to take a sip.

Merchants were greedy and never gave anything away for nothing.

Chang'an said, "Since you know some news, take a look at this rosewood treasure box. How is it? Imperial Use, no ordinary item." Chang'an took out the gold-inlaid, jade-set rosewood box and handed it to Shopkeeper Wang. Shopkeeper Wang's eyes lit up. He cradled it in both hands and inspected it carefully, nodding without pause. He simply could not bear to put it down and repeatedly sighed, "Superior wood, and the gold and jade are finer still. It truly is an exquisite piece among Imperial Use treasure boxes. It has considerable age as well, a high-grade antique. Good, truly excellent. How about this? Three thousand taels. Sell it to me for three thousand taels, and I will give you the news of Crimson Blood Fortress for free."

Chang'an raised five fingers and smiled without saying a word.

Shopkeeper Wang's obsession with antiques had long reached the point of Demonic Possession. He immediately gritted his teeth and hardened his heart. "Deal. Five thousand taels, then. Here are the banknotes. Check them."

Chang'an glanced at the notes. There were exactly five thousand taels. He handed them to Yu Fu, then lifted his teacup and said, "Now tell me about Crimson Blood Fortress."

Shopkeeper Wang hugged the treasure box and stroked it as he said in a low voice, "Two major things have happened at Crimson Blood Fortress recently. The first is that Liu Ye, the fortress lord of Crimson Blood Fortress, had his woman elope with a notorious bandit. She still has not returned. Liu Ye flew into a rage from humiliation and has put out a reward of ten thousand taels for the heads of that adulterous pair. The second matter is even more secretive. Crimson Blood Fortress has recently been moving very close to the Poison Dragon Cult, and they seem to be plotting something, though no one knows what. Other than that, all is calm, nothing else."

Chang'an rose and left the Yongan Pawnshop with Yu Fu. Shopkeeper Wang warmly saw them out onto the road. Watching the two lead Green Ox away, he continued gazing at the treasure box in his arms with a foolish grin. The two found an inn to settle into and ate a little. While Yu Fu was bathing, Chang'an left the inn alone.

The night was hazy, the lights sparse.

Danyang City's largest pleasure quarter, Moon Concealing Pavilion.

At the far end of a quiet corridor on the lofty building, a beautiful, mature, full-figured young matron in splendid robes leaned against a doorway. She propped her fragrant cheek in one hand, her eyes half-closed, looking lost in thought.

A figure silently appeared at one end of the corridor.

The young matron's ear twitched slightly. She lazily opened her eyes, and a flicker of delighted surprise passed through them. Her gauze skirts swayed as she moved with lotus steps, her graceful body gliding toward that somewhat forlorn figure. She seemed slow, yet was swift.

"Chang'an!"

The young matron called softly, her smile blooming like a flower.

Chang'an smiled faintly and relaxed. "Sister Yueru!"

The young matron was Su Yueru, Moon Concealing Pavilion's true owner. Her beauty was peerless and her wealth immense. Yet at this moment, her lovely face, faintly seductive, carried a trace of resentful sorrow. Holding Chang'an's hand, she said softly, "You finally remembered your sister?"

Chang'an gave a bitter smile. The last time he had slipped away in secret, it had been deeply awkward. Looking back on it afterward, he had felt terribly sorry toward this sister.

The two entered the room and sat facing each other. Yueru kept hold of Chang'an's hand, never releasing it. Her beautiful eyes shifted as her breath came fragrant as orchids. "Chang'an, your sister thought you would never dare come see me again! I was also afraid that I would never see you again. I worried over you day and night. You stubborn ox, is your sister truly not good enough?"

Chang'an looked nervous and repeatedly said, "Without Sister's care, I would likely have died long ago after my battle with Lu Jing. I have taken Sister's kindness to heart, and I will remember it for my whole life."

Su Yueru's eyes brightened, then a trace of exhaustion flowed into them. She pressed Chang'an's hand against her soft breast and murmured as if in a dream, "Sister is afraid, afraid deep inside... empty... Chang'an, on my wedding night, my husband died. So many years have passed... Chang'an, Sister gives herself to you... you, you take Sister... Sister is still pure... Last time, you saw Sister's body and fled in panic. Sister was truly heartbroken..." As she spoke, Su Yueru's peerlessly beautiful face alternated between laughter and tears. Tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes. Her body had already gone limp and soft, tender as though boneless.

Su Yueru had always cherished him, giving almost selflessly. Chang'an had long sensed the different feelings hidden within. Yet he had always regarded Su Yueru as his sister, just like his other seven brothers and sisters. He could not accept the love within it. Besides, he knew that Wang Qiandang had long been in love with Su Yueru.

He suddenly sensed that something was wrong. It seemed Sister Yueru had something he did not know about, something she was deliberately hiding and silently enduring alone.

At that moment, Su Yueru had already pulled him into her embrace, holding him tightly as she laughed and cried.

Chang'an felt a kind of despair from Su Yueru, and his heart ached. An empty chamber, cold and secluded; leaning on a railing and gazing alone; a solitary silhouette, standing all by herself. She had endured that loneliness and emptiness for more than ten years, destroying the prime of her youth. He wrapped an arm around Su Yueru's soft, slender waist. Her body was exceptionally sensitive, trembling lightly. She cupped Chang'an's face and kissed him deeply with longing in her eyes. Her waist swayed, her body quivered softly, and her suppressed desire burst forth like floodwaters breaching the banks.

After roaming the martial world for more than three years, Chang'an had slowly grown from an ignorant youth. He could no longer remember those nights, or the girls who had moaned and entwined themselves in his arms. The only one he could not forget was Yu Fu. He was a man with a powerful desire to conquer. Even though he had now lost all his inner strength, that desire had never gone out.

The martial world's blood was cold. Perhaps Su Yueru's blood had already gone cold as well, iron-blooded and indifferent.

Blood Rose.

Beautiful, yet covered in thorns. Whoever touched her would be wounded by them.

On this sudden night, Blood Rose possessed only rich, fragrant sweetness. Su Yueru began undoing Chang'an's clothes, proudly straddling him. She narrowed her eyes, smiling as she cried, her waist moving as she clung tightly around Chang'an.

The iron lady Blood Rose had skin like white jade and hair cascading down her shoulders. Biting her lower lip, she slowly sank down, sinking deeply, then lost all strength. Her whole body convulsed, and she collapsed weakly against Chang'an's chest. Teardrops fell one after another as she said with flustered shyness, "Chang'an, Sister hurts..."

Chang'an held Yueru in both arms, rolled over, and pressed her beneath him. He gazed seriously at her face and said softly, "Seeking joy amid pain, is that not what makes people ridiculous, yet lovable..."

Yueru gave a soft laugh and wrapped herself tightly around Chang'an like an octopus. Her full breasts gently rubbed against his chest. Her pearly teeth lightly bit his shoulder, followed by a quiet moan, as though she were speaking in a dream.

Desire was kindled bit by bit.

After a long hour had passed, Yueru leaned in Chang'an's arms, drenched in fragrant sweat. Like a little cat, she was quiet, peaceful, and clingy, curled up with her face pressed to Chang'an's chest.

Moon Concealing Pavilion's three thousand beauties concealed no more than this one Blood Rose.

"Chang'an, remember Sister!"

"Hm?!"

"Sister is already your woman!"

Her tears flowed again, impossible to stop. Her body slowly slid downward as she hid beneath the blankets. Her slender, soft hands quietly grasped something still burning hot and hard, then gently kissed it and tenderly took it into her mouth. Chang'an's body stiffened, his fingers slipping into Yueru's disheveled hair.

"Mmm..."

Yueru's face flushed crimson as she emerged from the hot, damp blankets. She coughed softly with her back to Chang'an. Chang'an sat up and embraced her. She stopped coughing and gasping, lifted her head, and looked quietly at Chang'an, mist veiling her eyes.

"Chang'an... Sister cannot go on..."

The fire in Chang'an rose again. Blood Rose Su Yueru, lying upon the bed, possessed a tenderness and thoughtfulness that the world could never know.

The iron lady became a little woman, receiving him beneath Chang'an. Her hands gathered her hair, and a beautiful smile Chang'an had never seen before bloomed across her face.

He could never forget Sister Yueru's face again, that gentle smiling face streaked with tears.

Another hour later, Su Yueru lay soft and powerless, staring at the disorderly traces on the bed and the patch of blood. She lowered her head and blankly looked at herself, her fingers gently stroking as pain filled her face. Then, naked, she pushed open the window and looked at Chang'an's retreating figure on the bluestone road below. She whispered, "Chang'an, do not forget Sister. Sister truly..."

The lamplight in the room flickered violently, and an icy voice rang out. "It is time!"

Su Yueru's body trembled. Without turning around, she slowly put on her clothes.

Outside Moon Concealing Pavilion, Chang'an walked expressionlessly along the street toward the inn. He did not understand Sister Yueru's sudden abnormal behavior. Her tearful smiling face kept surfacing in his mind, leaving him dazed.

Suddenly, a fast horse thundered past him, nearly striking Chang'an.

Chang'an's spirits tightened as he caught a faint scent of blood. At that moment, chaos erupted at the far end of the long street, with flames shooting into the sky!

In the martial world, there was not only fame, money, women, chunks of meat, and bowls of wine. There were also schemes, bloodshed, and terrible news. Once you were in the martial world, you would never know at what moment an icy blade might suddenly plunge mercilessly into your heart from behind.

The martial world was a dream, filled with beautiful dreams and nightmares!

Shopkeeper Wang had only just experienced a beautiful dream when the nightmare immediately descended. These twin brothers came to visit him one after the other.

In the firelight, Chang'an saw Shopkeeper Wang's fat body, its burning grease bubbling wildly in the flames. There was a neat gash across his neck, blood pouring out in torrents. It seemed someone had slit his throat with a single stroke. Unwilling to die, he had struggled outside before collapsing to the ground. One hand clutched the wound at his throat while the other stretched desperately forward, as though trying to seize something. He died with his eyes wide open. By the doorway, the young waiter who served tea had his chest blasted apart, dying a gruesome death.

The treasure box Shopkeeper Wang had fallen in love with at first sight, the one he could not bear to put down, had vanished. All his property had gone up in flames.

Chang'an smelled the thick stench of burning and the pungent reek of blood. His stomach contracted violently in unbearable pain, and he suddenly wanted to vomit.

He covered his slightly protruding belly and retched again and again, but nothing came out.