Let's Go Visit a Brothel, Susu!

As dusk falls, the tides along the coast slowly spread out like a crescent moon.

Jiang Rongyue gazed at the vast sea, far surpassing even a mountain of mist, her fair and delicate fingertips resting on the cool, jade-like hilt of her sword, feeling at peace.

This is the second gift I received from my master.

The divine weapon Ruoshui, which the [red-clad] man received thousands of years ago, was based on the Xuanyuan Sword in his own hand.

The reason she was able to obtain this item was simple: the essence of the Five Elements of the Tai Xu Five Aggregates could only be mastered with the Xuanyuan Sword.

As long as one can achieve a state of perfect harmony with the opponent, the sword intent will naturally develop.

In essence, it is unrelated to the other four aggregates and is not a type of martial art.

The Immortal Chi Yuan incorporated it into the Void Sword Qi for convenience. Sword Intent is a descriptive term used to make it easier for people of this era to understand. Its true meaning is a special mechanism by which the Xuanyuan Sword resonates with its wielder and concentrates energy to change shape.

For example, Ruoshui in Xiao Yun's hands.

For example, the [Spring Void Roll] that transformed from the Grip of the Void in the hands of the Immortal Chi Yuan that day.

In short, as long as the Xuanyuan Sword resonates with oneself, one can obtain the most suitable weapon for oneself and generate power with different focuses.

Jiang Rongyue has not yet been able to transform the Xuanyuan Sword into a suitable form, but this original mass-produced Divine Key is enough to surpass all the divine weapons that can be produced in this era, and is more than enough to replace the original Hundred-Forged Sword.

At this moment, the girl's captivating yet remarkably clear peach blossom eyes reflected the painting of clouds and sea, and the dark depths of her pupils were tinged with a beautiful sunset glow.

The man who overheard the request glanced at it a few times, his heart skipped a beat, and he immediately looked away, not daring to look any longer.

No matter how good Yue Maiden Sword's temperament may be, the battle in which the opponent first rose to fame—that image of a gray-clad figure with a thin blade, and rivers stained with blood—remains a legend that has been difficult to erase from the martial arts world for decades.

This is a top-tier warrior whom the imperial court would not want to be an enemy of, even if he transgressed worldly laws and principles.

A common man's anger can cause blood to splatter five steps away.

When the emperor is enraged, millions will die.

However, whether the current Jiang Rongyue's depends on the specific situation.

Moreover...

Given the other party's personality and abilities, there's no need for them to fabricate their so-called senior uncles and sects.

These must all be real people.

But if what is said is true, given that the Yue Maiden Sword was already renowned throughout the world and had few rivals, what kind of being could possibly take her under their wing?

Considering the rumors circulating in the Capital City about the Martial Arts Gathering, and the fact that the Yue Maiden Sword Legend of the Immortal and traveled throughout the Shenzhou, it's easy to conjure up a chilling truth.

So even though the other person's appearance and temperament were exceptional, Xiao Zixian still didn't develop much interest in her.

He had only recently inherited his father's position as gang leader and was at the prime of his career. He was already a well-known figure in Huating County, and having three wives and four concubines was nothing unusual for him. He spent his Tiāntiān taking his underlings to brothels and enjoying himself immensely. Why would he needlessly invite trouble and provoke such a person?

Let alone the high probability that he won't succeed, even if he does succeed, daring to be as unrestrained as he is now would be tantamount to courting death.

Jiang Rongyue had no idea how many romantic ideas this handsome young gang leader had planted in his head in such a short time. She simply said:

"The reason I've come to you is simple. I'm under orders from the immortals to eliminate the threat of demons in the deep sea. To prevent the demons' remains from polluting this area, your Dragon River Gang, as the person in charge here, needs to find members and ships to help me transport all the demons' remains back to the warehouse at the estuary."

Xiao Zixian was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. Although he was intimidated by the other party's reputation, he also knew that Yue Maiden Sword was not an unreasonable person. He then asked:

"I certainly believe that Lady Jiang wouldn't fabricate news about demons, but as you said, my Dragon River Gang, as a force in this area, has been assisting the imperial court in its operations at sea for decades. If demons truly existed in the depths of this sea, it should have spread far and wide by now."

"Could you perhaps learn a little about the secrets behind this?"

The girl didn't look at him, but gazed at the slowly spreading and receding waves, and whispered:

"Let the 139 people hiding in the Haikou warehouse behind you come out; it will be easier to explain everything at once."

Xiao Zixian pressed down with his fingertip without changing his expression, and Heaven and Earth Qi scattered in all directions like a shower of stars.

At this point, the many gang members inside the warehouse silently walked up behind him. Most of them were carrying harpoons, and all of them had dark skin and rough skin.

Their generally honest and simple-minded appearances, combined with their strong physiques and sheer numbers, give them a certain intimidating presence.

These are all members of the gang who are qualified to practice the basic Qi cultivation technique. Due to their aptitude, even if they do not continue to cultivate Qi, some of them will not live past the age of forty and will be eroded and killed by the Heaven and Earth Qi.

Therefore, they were treated quite well, all supported by the Dragon River Gang, and were considered servants of the Xiao family.

In an era where the average lifespan was less than forty, and even emperors' average lifespan was only around forty, such a price was probably negligible to ordinary people.

Therefore, this phenomenon is quite common across Shenzhou.

The leader of the Dragon River Gang naturally didn't believe that these small fry could withstand the famous Yue Maiden Sword, but they could still be used as props to boost morale and increase a sense of security.

In the world of martial arts, even if you can't win a fight, you can't lose your spirit.

Leaving aside Xiao Zixian's inner thoughts, he didn't show it on his face, but simply said respectfully:

"Please tell me the reason, Miss Jiang."

Jiang Rongyue did not answer immediately.

No matter how many compelling reasons you have, nothing beats seeing is believing.

That's just how people are; they're naturally suspicious and tend to believe the truth they see.

The girl's right hand loosely gripped the sword hilt. Her deep breaths seemed to dispel all impurities from her limbs and bones, bringing her mind and self into a state of profound stillness. The surrounding Heaven and Earth Qi) seemed to have been stopped by a heavy snowfall, as if they had all entered a unified temporal field in that instant.

Jiang Rongyue was originally able to unleash a sword strike that cut through heavy snow and Sea of Mist when she was ten years old, thanks to the power of the Stigmata.

From then on, while it cannot be said that there was no progress at all, there was also no fundamental transformation.

Now that things have come to this, she has already cultivated the Sword Heart, and can now see the world as her dantian and her body as her meridians. The Qi, which has been regarded as the origin of martial arts since ancient times, no longer needs to be hidden. This has overturned the fundamental way of using Qi. Furthermore, she has experienced the wonderful initiation immortal technique of her junior uncle, and her control over the Heaven and Earth Qi has been completely transformed.

Perhaps... even without that special power, one can still reach a state that is infinitely close.

Jiang Rongyue.

However, none of the gang members present, including the gang leader who was the most skilled in cultivation, were able to witness the man actually drawing his sword.

All that remained in the depths of his eyes was a faint, elusive illusion.

It was as if the colorful clouds were dancing with the surging sea of clouds at dusk, or as if the extremely cold moonlight suddenly pierced the edge of the field of vision.

The silent roar transformed into a continuous flow of wind and waves that caressed my face, and all I could hear was the clamor of the crashing waves.

Xiao Zixian gazed at the vast ocean whose surface had been separated, and at the sliver of sky that stretched to the corner of dusk. He sensed the Heaven and Earth Qi rising suddenly from below and then slowly receding. He was deeply shocked by the concentration of Qi that made his body feel uncomfortable in the blink of an eye.

At that moment, everyone understood that what the other party said was true.

Beneath this sea lies the lair of demons, though separated by a barrier that mortals can never reach in their lifetime.

After Jiang Rongyue's sword energy cut a gap in the outer atmospheric seal set up by the Immortal Chi Yuan, the Heaven and Earth Qi within surged like a tide, almost proclaiming that this place was about to become a place of Yama, the King of Hell.

However, this weather circle has formed an unbreakable cycle. As long as it is not continuously damaged, this opening will draw on the surrounding Heaven and Earth Qi) as materials to repair itself completely in the next instant, which means that even if there is an accident, it will not cause any fluctuations.

But how many people in this world truly possess the qualifications to deliver this unexpected gift to the meteorological community?

The Great Song Dynasty's superior ships and cannons were clearly far from sufficient to compete with those of other countries, and the same was true for its own military men. Thus, only the weight of time could provide true peace.

Xiao Zixian was now completely convinced.

In other words, if there were even the slightest possibility that this matter would come true, the Dragon River Gang, which relies on this sea area for its livelihood, would naturally provide direct support to Jiang Rongyue due to their direct interests.

From the most direct perspective of profit, compared to the money that can be obtained from this port or even the entire coastline, temporarily renting some boats to the other party and spending some manpower to move things is simply too cheap, and there is absolutely no need to hesitate.

His question was merely a routine matter, stemming from genuine concern and curiosity, and there was no reason for him to refuse.

After all, even putting everything else aside, the reputation of the Yue Maiden Sword alone is enough for me to give her face.

Xiao Zixian gazed at the gradually closing sea and the magnificent spectacle of the rising and falling tides, then glanced at his clothes, which were soaked by the splashing waves, and remained silent.

Well, after witnessing that sword strike, I no longer had the courage to refuse the other party.

Is this truly a level that humans can reach?

A single sword strike cleaving through dozens of miles of sea is enough to rival the legendary feats described in ancient texts.

Jiang Rongyue's master...

It now seems entirely possible that it was the Immortal Chi Yuan.

If that's the case, rounding it off, he's practically conversing with a living mythical figure, and even having the good fortune to help them and indirectly benefit himself—it's incredibly lucky.

At that moment, the man solemnly cupped his hands and said:

"Sword Immortal Jiang has given us instructions; how could we disobey?"

"This is an act of vanquishing demons and upholding justice, and our Dragon River Gang naturally has an inescapable responsibility to do so."

"When will we set sail? I'll have the brothers prepare in advance."

Using her sensitivity to the Heaven and Earth Qi, the girl sensed the tolerance of the more than one hundred gang members to the Heaven and Earth Qi, and said:

"If it's convenient, we can do it now."

She gazed at the still-dark sky and thought to herself.

If I could get my uncle a boatload of demon corpses right around dinnertime, he probably wouldn't be so hungry today.

According to Senior Xiao Xuan, the essence of Master Uncle's state is an extreme lack of the Heaven and Earth Qi, as well as other things. Mortal food is only a drop in the ocean for him. Only a large number of demon corpses can make him feel truly full after being refined.

Having just received the grace of being taught, I should work harder so that my uncle will no longer go hungry.

Xiao Zixian glanced at the dejected looks of his inexperienced gang members behind him, and without hesitation agreed, replying:

"No problem."

An inn in a small town.

Li Shishi was very troubled. It wasn't until she went to pay for spare clothes for the group that she realized her value as a wallet had been severely damaged because Su Su had taken her directly away from the Capital City.

Although he had taken some cash with him to try all the delicious food in the city, most of his money was still in the gold-threaded wooden box by his bedside. He didn't even take any jewelry or clothes with him, and left in a great hurry.

She complained quietly, "We could have gone back to Zhen'an Ward first!"

Even following the illusion of the lanterns and the leisurely descent of Udu-dust, from the perspective of artistic conception and mood, it was indeed very suitable to cause Celestial Phenomenon to leave the Capital City at that time.

But... I can't even feel at ease being a useless nobody like this.

The girl emptied all the loose silver from her purse. She counted it carefully and, considering that silver was not circulated in some areas and that exchanging it for equivalent copper coins might be at a premium, the total value, plus the few strings of cash she had wrapped around Su Su's waist that day, was barely enough to support the expenses of an average family for a year.

This is far from enough to take Susu and Rongyue to brothels Tiāntiān.

Before Li Shishi went on her trip, she was actually looking forward to dressing up as a man and visiting brothels as a free woman.

It's not that I have any strange or unusual interests, it's just... it's interesting to imagine, like that subtle feeling in college where seniors always like to come and watch freshmen go to military training.

The young girl wasn't so bad as to gloat over the prostitutes' plight; it's just that such a place, where she could clearly understand that she had truly gained freedom, did offer a wonderful experience.

Especially given that he couldn't even get the basics of the Sword Heart Technique, even though Su Su said it was due to his aptitude for refining Qi, experiencing more things and gaining more insights would ultimately benefit this method.

The Void Sword Qi is an unparalleled method for refining Qi, but the key to supporting cultivators to reach deeper levels lies in the accumulation of mental state.

Even setting aside Su Qing'an, who was at the core, Jiang Rongyue and Li Shishi could all gain their own unique insights and experiences from this journey of slaying demons and monsters.

Considering their different childhood experiences, the act of traveling itself was clearly much more important to Li Shishi than to Jiang Rongyue, who had been wandering all over Shenzhou since she was ten years old.

This was her youthful dream, a delusion that had recently faded into ashes, but which finally emerged from its cocoon and was truly realized amidst a rosy sunset gifted to her by others.

Even though she had only taken the first step, the girl could still sense a different rhythm and the detachment of the Heaven and Earth Qi as she silently recited the Sword Heart Technique.

On the other hand, even at such an opportune moment of breaking down and rebuilding, Li Shishi still failed to master the Zhi Shui Sword Heart, which shows that her aptitude was indeed quite mediocre.

The Honkai Energy is a threshold that those with mediocre talent inevitably cannot overcome.

The difficulty lies in the journey Su Qing'an took, from having no Honkai Energy to achieving Honkai Energy immunity.

His martial arts teacher, Chen Junxuan, was the same.

Even with exceptional martial arts talent and knowledge, and a mind that has been cultivated to the point of being over fifty years old and incredibly insightful, one is still hampered by a lack of talent in Qi cultivation, and is unable to grasp the essence of sword heart for a long time.

Now, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Li Shishi will also have to face this inherent constraint and the cruelty that comes with it.

However, even with only the qualifications of C-rank Valkyrie, her situation is still far better than the previous two.

Lacking both Honkai Energy resistance and mediocre Honkai Energy proficiency, they are already several levels below each other.

Su Qing'an habitually sorted through her memories. After recovering the relevant information, she no longer felt any novelty towards it, but rather felt it was as natural as if it had been integrated into her cognition. This method of recovery from the root gradually made her stop thinking about the extremely philosophical and complex question of "Am I still myself?"

The young man took a sip of the tea on the table, compared it with the coffee and cola he remembered, and a hint of regret flashed in his eyes. He then looked at Li Shishi.

At this moment, the Courtesan, lying on the bed with her beautiful curves flowing out, looked like a child, earnestly counting the silver coins scattered on the quilt, revealing a touch of childlike innocence and pure cuteness.

But Su Qing'an only felt confused, and he asked:

"Senior Sister Shishi, you've been counting for almost half an hour now, aren't you bored?"

"You clearly don't lack money."

Upon hearing this, Li Shishi looked up with a wronged expression, her voice filled with the bitterness of bearing the burden of all the daily chores of a family alone, and she uttered a sigh brimming with deep emotion:

"Susu, you're still young, you don't understand."

"Living alone out here will cost a lot of money. It's not like living in Zhen'an Ward where food and lodging are provided, and there's an income. Even someone as clever as me has to start being careful with my money from now on."

He said calmly:

"But the money you're planning to take with you, isn't it enough for you to live a life of ease and comfort?"

The girl's eyes widened slightly, and she said with a hint of annoyance:

"SuSu~~ Have you forgotten that we didn't bring any money with us yesterday?"

Su Qing'an thought for a moment, then fell silent. He finally understood why the other person had been counting money.

The boy glanced at the neatly stacked luggage and valuables inside the Soul Hall, snapped his fingers to signal the other person to look over, then materialized a portion of it on the table and said:

"Because you, Senior Sister Shishi, said you were prepared to leave at any time, I put it into the Manas consciousness."

Li Shishi stared silently at the familiar gold-threaded wooden box on the table, feeling incredibly foolish for having taken Su Su shopping for clothes and diligently counting money.

But this beautiful woman with bright eyes and white teeth quickly felt the joy of regaining what she had lost. She immediately sat down at the table, opened the wooden box, looked at the silver inside, and happily uttered the words that made Su Qing'an regret taking the box out:

"Great! Susu, let's go to a brothel!"