Tian Hao was staggered by Linghu Chong's twisted logic. He could not be bothered to keep talking to someone so wrong in the head.
"Second senior brother, look into that fellow just now. He tried to kill at the drop of a hat, so he must have plenty of lives on his hands. With strength like that, he's certainly no weakling.
"His arms were also abnormally thick, and his hands were covered in heavy calluses. He must have practiced some external body-hardening art focused on the arms."
Tian Hao addressed Lao Denuo, who had walked up beside him. He did not believe the fellow who had tried to kill him without hesitation was a decent man. Moreover, the man was formidable: his internal cultivation had reached the peak of the inner qi realm, and his external arts were exceptionally powerful too.
Had Tian Hao not cultivated Embrace Origin Force to greater mastery, alongside Minor Achievement in the Horizontal Crab Iron Shirt, he might not have been a match for him.
Even so, his left arm still throbbed from their exchange of punches, which showed just how powerful the man had been.
"I'll look into it right away!
"Eldest senior brother, you shouldn't be coming to places like this."
Lao Denuo nodded and picked up a bone fragment the White-Clad Burly Man had left behind. Before leaving, he gave Linghu Chong a contemptuous glance.
Linghu Chong held no ordinary position. He was not only their eldest disciple, but also the future sect leader of the Mount Hua Sect.
If the righteous martial world learned that the Mount Hua Sect's future leader frequented pleasure houses, where would their dignity be?
Their Mount Hua Sect would probably become the laughingstock of the entire righteous martial world. How could they allow that?
Most importantly, their youngest junior sister and Linghu Chong had grown up together and loved each other. What was he trying to pull by coming to a pleasure house?
Although pleasure houses were more upscale than brothels and advertised themselves as selling entertainment rather than bodies, any man knew what really went on.
Most importantly, Linghu Chong had just agreed to that courtesan Dongfang Bubai's invitation in public. Where did that leave the Mount Hua Sect? Where did it leave their youngest junior sister?
"Didn't you come here too?"
Being rebuked in public only stoked Linghu Chong's anger. Before he could speak, however, Lu Dayou walked over and glared at Tian Hao and Lao Denuo.
"How are we the same? He's our future sect leader, and he's going to marry our junior sister."
Tian Hao glared back. He really had not noticed these two earlier, and judging by appearances, they had arrived even before he and Lao Denuo did.
"We only came for a drink. What's the big deal?"
Lu Dayou was still furious. Had this not been the wrong place for it, he would have drawn his sword and started killing.
"Wipe the lipstick off your neck before saying that."
Looking at the lipstick mark on Lu Dayou's neck, Tian Hao felt the fellow was insulting his intelligence.
Lu Dayou instinctively rubbed his neck. Sure enough, a faint smear of red appeared on his fingers, and his face flushed scarlet.
"You disgraceful fools. Get back and explain yourselves to Master and Mistress!"
Tian Hao cursed them. Had the setting not been inappropriate, he would have given those two pieces of work a proper lesson on their master's behalf.
"This brave warrior..."
Dongfang Bubai finally could not resist speaking, but Tian Hao cut her off coldly the moment she opened her mouth.
"Call me young hero!"
"..."
Dongfang Bubai stared at the burly man before her, with his stubbly chin and muscles bulging all over, utterly speechless.
What part of you looks like a young hero?
"You misunderstand, young hero. I was the one who invited Young Hero Linghu, so he isn't to blame. I simply felt an affinity with him and wanted to share a drink, nothing more."
Dongfang Bubai explained. She genuinely found Linghu Chong rather appealing.
Of course, she had another purpose in inviting Linghu Chong as well.
"There's something wrong with your eyes. He's well into his twenties, almost thirty, and you're still calling him a young hero?"
His thick brows furrowed slightly. Tian Hao felt certain Aunt Dongfang's eyesight was poor. Linghu Chong was already twenty-five or twenty-six. How did he look anything like a young hero?
"..."
Dongfang Bubai was once again utterly speechless. She looked at Tian Hao's coarse features, then at the handsome, dashing Linghu Chong, and decided this fellow's skin was thick beyond belief.
You have the nerve to call yourself a young hero looking like that, but he doesn't deserve the title?
"Those are minor details. Let me remind you: our eldest senior brother belongs to our youngest junior sister. Don't seduce him. Know your place."
Tian Hao did not dwell on Aunt Dongfang's choice of address or her eyesight, instead offering earnest instruction.
You're not getting any younger. Stop eyeing someone else's boyfriend. That's bad, very bad!
His words enraged Dongfang Bubai. Since taking a master, when had anyone ever lectured her like this?
And in front of such a crowd, too! I, Dongfang Bubai, am a person of standing. I have my dignity!
"You said you wanted someone to drink with earlier. I don't drink alcohol, but I can join you for tea. Which room is yours?"
Changing tack, Tian Hao voiced what he had in mind.
He wanted to see whether she really was the genuine Aunt Dongfang.
"Shameless!"
Linghu Chong, who had reached the entrance of Fleeting Years, cursed furiously at those words. This was utterly shameless.
So you really just wanted to take my place!
Lu Dayou's face turned livid as well. He had never seen anyone so shameless.
Tian Hao's astonishing about-face nearly made Dongfang Bubai wrench her slender waist. Never in her life had she encountered such a shameless man.
"Since you've invited me, young hero, how could I refuse? Please follow me!"
After a moment's daze, Dongfang Bubai pursed her lips in a soft laugh. She took Tian Hao's hand and tugged hard on the silk, preparing to leap upstairs.
To her, it did not matter whom she invited upstairs for a drink, as long as he belonged to the Mount Hua Sect.
It was the perfect opportunity to obtain information about the Mount Hua Sect's recent activities, particularly to establish whether that person was still alive.
Riiip!
An accident occurred just then. The moment she pulled, the silk hanging from the roof tore in two.
Watching the silk fall, Dongfang Bubai looked back at Tian Hao, speechless.
This fellow is a little over the weight limit!
"I'll carry you instead! Show me the way!"
Without the slightest embarrassment, Tian Hao stepped forward, hoisted Aunt Dongfang over his shoulder, and headed upstairs along the staircase. Part of his attention, however, turned toward the Heaven-Defying Mirror he had summoned.
Dongfang Bai Spirit: 30 Qi: 31 Essence: 8 Fate: -70
It really is the genuine Aunt Dongfang!
Looking at the dazzling innate attributes displayed on the Heaven-Defying Mirror, especially her innate qi attribute, Tian Hao was all but certain that this was Aunt Dongfang—and apparently the female version.
The fate attribute, as low as negative seventy, also caught his attention. But recalling this version of Aunt Dongfang's experiences and ending, he felt the number was perfectly reasonable.
This version of Aunt Dongfang was both a tragedy and a simp. Abandoned by her parents when she was young, she lost her younger sister, then was rescued by the leader of the Sun-Moon Divine Cult from two generations back and taken as his disciple.
From then on, she disguised herself as a man. Logically, however, Dongfang Bai should have become the next cult leader, yet Ren Woxing took the position instead. There had to be something fishy behind it.
Then came a round of intrigue and scheming. She brought down Ren Woxing and ascended the throne as leader of the Sun-Moon Demon Cult.
But that was only the beginning of the tragedy. Everything went smoothly at first, but after meeting the protagonist, Linghu Chong, she plunged helplessly into the river of love. Unfortunately, Linghu Chong did not love her.
Even so, she insisted on being a simp. Despite her exalted position as leader of the Sun-Moon Demon Cult, she ventured into danger alone and imprisoned herself in Shaolin Temple, solely to obtain its Muscle-Tendon Change Classic and save Linghu Chong's life.
Afterward, Linghu Chong wounded her repeatedly. In the end, she even gave up her own heart to be transplanted into Ren Yingying, all so Linghu Chong would not be sad.
She thoroughly deserved the title of ultimate simp. Yet she also proved that saying true-simp, simp, keep licking to the bitter end, and you'll be left with nothing.
She really disgraced all the other versions of Aunt Dongfang!
Besides that, her younger sister Yilin also fell in love with Linghu Chong. Her love went unrequited too, and she was likewise a simp, ending her days in the company of a solitary lamp and ancient Buddha statues.
Before you continue