Chapter 55: Chapter 53: Demoness, I Advise You to Watch Yourself
As the beautiful matron spoke, she laughed so hard her body trembled like a flower in the wind. The quivering of her pale, ample bosom so captivated Guo Mingsheng that he nearly threw propriety to the wind and reached out to grope her.
"Ahem, Miss, this is my first time here. What kind of fun is there to be had?"
The beautiful matron sized him up and chuckled. "Sir, just head on inside. Whatever you’re looking for, we’re sure to have it."
She then beckoned with her hand. "Li Ying, come over and entertain this gentleman."
"Yes!" A woman, looking so frail she might be blown away by a gust of wind, emerged from behind a tree. She carried a small lantern painted with the character "Ying" and moved with light, graceful steps.
She came to Guo Mingsheng’s side, naturally took his arm, and said with a faint smile, "Sir, please follow me."
Guo Mingsheng chuckled. "Of course, of course. What sort of fun did you have in mind for me?"
Li Ying’s voice was soft and delicate, with a pleasingly crisp edge. "What would you like to do, Sir?"
"As long as you’re here, I’m up for anything." As he spoke, Guo Mingsheng’s hand reached for Li Ying’s buttocks.
Li Ying deftly sidestepped him. A flicker of anger crossed her delicate, pretty face as she said softly, "Sir, please show some restraint. I’m not that kind of woman."
Guo Mingsheng wasn’t angered by this. Instead, he found it amusing, which only heightened his anticipation.
After a little more conversation, Guo Mingsheng learned that this Drunken Flower Shade was indeed a first-class den of indulgence.
It was truly all-encompassing, with every kind of food and entertainment imaginable.
There was even a small auction house, and an auction was scheduled to begin shortly.
The items up for auction were quite diverse, with the final lots being several women of peerless beauty.
"They’re pitiful souls. If you were so inclined, Sir, winning them at the auction would be a great help to them. It’s rumored they all have the aptitude to become Immortal Masters, but who knows if that’s true," Li Ying said in her feeble voice, appearing to gasp for breath after just a few sentences.
But Guo Mingsheng wasn’t so blinded by lust that he’d lost all common sense.
He was stunned to hear this. "They can auction people in Wenzhe City? This... isn’t that against the law?"
And they were even auctioning off women with Spirit Roots?
Guo Mingsheng had a sinking feeling that he’d stumbled into something major.
’Then again,’ he thought, ’if this wasn’t a big deal, Brother Yuanqing probably wouldn’t have pushed me to come here.’
’Even if something goes wrong, Brother Yuanqing will have my back.’
’Brother Yuanqing is a True Inheritor of the Sect. A single stomp of his foot could make Wenzhe City tremble.’
’No matter how big the disaster in Wenzhe City, there’s nothing Brother Yuanqing can’t handle.’
At this thought, he calmed down a little.
Li Ying giggled behind her hand, then said with disdain, "The law? What’s that? Only simple, honest citizens respect the law. When have you ever seen it used against a powerful figure?"
Guo Mingsheng shook his head, not understanding.
He had joined the Zhongxuan Sect as a child and didn’t understand the ways of the world.
For the past two months, he had been loitering in the streets and learning all sorts of low-class tricks, but only for the novelty of it; he never sought a deeper understanding.
He truly didn’t have a sufficient grasp of society’s fundamental nature.
Besides, he had no desire to understand it, scorning the very idea.
’Mortal society... what does it have to do with me? Not even half a Spirit Stone’s worth.’
But remembering he was here to scout things out for Brother Yuanqing, he continued to play along, hoping to wheedle more information out of her.
Li Ying, however, was extremely shrewd. She talked in circles, and while she seemed to say a lot, it was all just common knowledge.
The two wandered for a while through the sprawling maze of courtyards, encountering many men and women along the way.
There were pot-bellied old men with pretty young women in their arms, as well as wealthy, older women accompanied by handsome young companions.
Every face wore a euphoric smile that spoke of seizing pleasure in the moment. Live for today, get drunk today, and find your own carefree world within these little courtyards.
It wasn’t even dark yet, but many had already cast off all inhibitions.
Guo Mingsheng suddenly stopped and looked toward a small, unlit courtyard in a corner.
From within, he could hear a woman’s mournful sobs.
Guo Mingsheng frowned and glanced at Li Ying. "What’s that place? Is there anything fun over there?"
Li Ying smiled. "It’s nothing. Just an empty courtyard. No one’s living there."
"But I hear crying. Is someone hurt? Let’s go take a look."
Li Ying’s tone became plaintive. "Sir, can’t you just focus on having a good time? Why worry about things that don’t concern you?"
The smile vanished from Guo Mingsheng’s round, usually charming face. "And what if I insist?"
"Li Ying, stand down," a cold voice suddenly said from nearby.
"Yes, milady."
Guo Mingsheng tensed up. He hadn’t sensed anyone approaching.
’This newcomer must be a Cultivator,’ he realized, ’and their Cultivation is far greater than mine, to be able to block my senses to such a degree.’
’Or maybe they have a Magical Artifact for Concealing Aura. Those things are incredibly expensive. Anyone who could afford one must be far stronger than me.’
He turned to see a woman whose body was completely covered, her face hidden behind a black veil. She swayed her hips as she walked, her bare feet moving with an elegant grace.
Though her clothes were neither revealing nor tight-fitting, one inexplicably got the impression that she had an exquisite figure.
And her face, though hidden by the veil... one look at her eyes told the whole story. They were chilling to the bone, yet on closer inspection held a hidden allure. One just knew she had to be a devastating beauty.
The instant he saw her, Guo Mingsheng’s mind buzzed. All the blood in his body seemed to rush to his head, blinding and deafening him to all else. His world narrowed until it contained only this breathtaking woman.
A line of poetry he had once overheard Brother Yuanqing recite sprang into his mind.
Her robes are the clouds, her face a flower,
Kissed by spring breeze, glistening with dew’s power.
If not upon the Jade Mountain’s peak you see her bright,
You’ll meet her on the Jasper Terrace in moonlight.
’I must have fallen in love at first sight... Is this what love feels like?’
Guo Mingsheng thought in a daze.
’Wait, this isn’t right!’
The last shred of his rationality screamed a warning.
’This is a Charm Skill! A very advanced Charm Skill from a Demon Sect, at that! No ordinary woman could possibly possess a charm so captivating you can’t look away!’
Alarm bells screamed in his mind, finally snapping Guo Mingsheng out of the Charm Skill’s influence and restoring his clarity.
But he didn’t relax in the slightest; on the contrary, he grew even more horrified.
He realized she hadn’t even been actively using a Charm Skill. This was just the allure she unconsciously radiated with every step.
’This woman... just what level has her Charm Skill Cultivation reached?’
’She must be an exceptionally talented junior from a Demon Sect. At least an inner disciple... perhaps even a True Disciple.’
’What is she doing here?’
’What is she plotting?’
’Could she be targeting Brother Yuanqing?’
At the thought, Guo Mingsheng’s heart seized. He ripped the Communication Spiritual Artifact that Brother Yuanqing had stuck on him from his clothes and crushed it.
Then he bellowed, "Demoness! My Brother Yuanqing is a True Inheritor of the Sect! If you dare make a move against him, you’ll die without a place to be buried! I suggest you reconsider whatever you’re planning!"
Even behind the black veil, the woman’s face couldn’t hide her fury. She suddenly reached for him. "Fatty, I was going to speak with you civilly. But since you insist on being difficult, I’ll just take you down first and then go settle things with him!"
With a casual grab, her slender palm seemed to blot out the sky as it descended upon him.
"Qi Cultivation Perfection!" the Little Fatty cried out in despair.
Facing an enemy stronger than any he had ever met, he unleashed one hundred and twenty percent of his power in that instant. He just barely managed to dodge her hand, then turned and bolted.
He deliberately avoided running toward the exit, lest he run into Brother Yuanqing.
He could only hope Brother Yuanqing would quickly realize something was amiss, call for reinforcements from the Sect... otherwise, all two hundred pounds of him were going to be left behind for good.
