"People from the Demon Suppression Division may have noticed something. We've seen them several times around the back mountain recently."
"Don't pay them any mind. Finding the people we need is what matters!"
Inside the study, Xiao Hong, Hall Master of Purple Flame Hall, sat facing his son, Xiao Yunming, the Right Protector of Purple Flame Hall. Their expressions were solemn as they discussed the matter.
Purple Flame Hall had originally been the largest martial arts school in Purple Flame County. It had countless disciples, and within the borders of Purple Flame County, its word carried more weight than that of the government.
The previous Hall Master of Purple Flame Hall had possessed great foresight. He knew that even if he could rule Purple Flame County with an iron fist, in the eyes of cultivators, it was ultimately no more than an ordinary mortal organization.
Thus, he traveled to another country and spent all of Purple Flame Hall's savings at the time to purchase a damaged cultivation art and bring it back.
His child, the current Hall Master Xiao Hong, possessed astonishing cultivation aptitude and had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage in less than thirty years.
From then on, a new cultivation sect emerged in Qing Province.
Relying on that damaged Seven Flame Secret Method, Purple Flame Hall recruited many disciples with cultivation aptitude. It had now become the number-one sect beneath Qing Province's five first-rate sects.
And now, they had encountered an opportunity to leap through the Dragon Gate.
Just as the two men were discussing the matter, the study's main door was pushed open, and Xiao Lan hurried inside.
Seeing this, Xiao Yunming frowned and scolded her, "You're a girl, yet you're always charging around in such a wild and unruly manner. Don't you know to knock before entering?"
Xiao Hong, however, chuckled. "Ah, she's still a child. It's good for her to be lively."
Xiao Yunming looked at his indulgent father and said helplessly, "She's already twenty-five. Qiu Niang had already given birth to her at that age."
Xiao Hong ignored him completely. Smiling broadly, he waved Xiao Lan over. "Come here, Lanlan. What's got you so happy?"
Xiao Lan ran over and, as she passed Xiao Yunming, curled her lips and let out a hum.
"You!"
Xiao Yunming's veins bulged on his forehead at the sight, but he could only keep comforting himself.
She's my biological daughter. She's my biological daughter!
Xiao Lan said with a grin, "Grandpa, don't I have a surprise for you?"
"Oh? What surprise?"
Xiao Lan rolled her eyes and said, "Aren't you looking for ordinary people with exceptionally strong physiques?"
Xiao Yunming's brows drew together, and he said angrily, "How did you find out about this? Your grandfather and I are discussing serious business. Don't stick your nose in."
"She's family. It's fine, it's fine." Xiao Hong waved his hand, then smiled at Xiao Lan. "What? You found someone like that?"
"Mm-hmm. I found someone today. He should meet your requirements."
Xiao Yunming was somewhat skeptical. "The person we need has extremely high requirements for physical strength. He can't be compared to some strongman performing street acrobatics."
Faced with her father's doubts, Xiao Lan immediately protested, "Of course I know that. That man could pull his hand right out of my palm using nothing but his physical strength. I'm a cultivator who's about to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm!"
"What? Some man dared to touch your hand?"
"What? Are you telling the truth?"
The father and son reacted in strikingly similar fashion, both standing up with shocked expressions.
It was just that their attention had gone slightly astray.
"Of course. How could I lie to you?"
Xiao Lan pouted and said regretfully, "I just didn't manage to persuade him to help us right away. I was thinking of trying again tomorrow!"
"Good, you found someone! Good, you found someone!" Xiao Yunming paced back and forth excitedly before suddenly stopping. He turned to Xiao Lan and said, "You don't need to go out tomorrow. You'd best not get involved in this matter. Leave the rest to your grandfather and me."
"Why? I'm the one who found him!"
Xiao Lan protested unhappily.
Xiao Hong had also come to his senses by then and advised her, "Lanlan, listen to your father. This matter is dangerous, so stay home obediently. Just tell us who he is and leave the rest alone."
Seeing that even the grandfather who doted on her most was saying this, Xiao Lan could only nod helplessly. "All right, then. That person's name is... ah, darn, I forgot to ask what he was called."
Patting her head, Xiao Lan stuck out her tongue and said, "But don't worry. His physique is extraordinary, so it'll be easy to find out with a little asking around. He's staying at Zidu Inn!"
"Achoo!"
Kong Wu sneezed and rubbed his nose in confusion.
With my current physical strength, could I actually catch a cold?
Shaking his head, he picked up the wine jug from the table and took a fierce gulp.
"Change them out."
Looking at the row of singing girls and dancers standing before him, Kong Wu shook his head in disappointment and spoke to the procuress beside him.
The procuress, who had originally been gazing at him obsequiously, looked more like she was crying than smiling when she heard this.
"Strong sir, this is already the last group..."
Kong Wu casually tossed over a luminous pearl and asked, "With this level of quality, how do you have the nerve to open for business? Don't hide anything. I can afford it."
The procuress caught the luminous pearl and greedily glanced at the sack beside Kong Wu.
"The other girls are all pure entertainers. Whether they accompany guests or not isn't something we can force them to do. As for your request..."
Rolling her eyes, she leaned over and whispered a few words into Kong Wu's ear.
Kong Wu's eyes lit up when he heard this. "There's something like that? Fine, lead me there."
The procuress called over a young servant and whispered a few instructions to him. The servant then led Kong Wu out.
Kong Wu was a normal man with worldly desires.
Thus, after tossing and turning on the bed at the inn for quite some time, Kong Wu asked the waiter where the county's largest brothel was, then shouldered his sack and left the inn.
Originally, after Kong Wu had thrown the two burly men guarding the entrance out one in each hand, the procuress had not wanted to do business with him.
But he had simply offered too much.
So, after fully understanding her customer's needs, the procuress brought Kong Wu several waves of options, yet not one managed to satisfy him.
At that moment, after following the young servant out through the back door, Kong Wu took several winding turns and arrived before a small courtyard.
Standing before the courtyard, Kong Wu casually surveyed his surroundings, sighed, dismissed the young servant, and walked straight inside.
A maidservant came forward and asked softly, "Were you introduced by Mama Li?"
Kong Wu nodded and casually took out a gold ingot, handing it over.
The maidservant accepted the gold ingot with a calm expression and gestured for him to enter.
Kong Wu entered the room and saw a woman with eyes as alluring as silk.
She knelt before a folding screen, dressed in a pink gown. Beneath her delicate nose, her cherry-red lips curved into a beautiful arc.
A tea set sat before her, with wisps of steam rising from it.
But the moment Kong Wu saw the woman, unconcealable disappointment appeared on his face.
Liu Ying Lifespan: 240 Strength: 31 Skills: Cloud Dream Joyous Union Art, Cloud Dream Finger, Cloud Rain Whip First impression of you: Covetous (What a body brimming with yang energy. After absorbing his yang essence, my cultivation will surely improve tremendously.)
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