Chapter 5: Um, Qing’er, I…

“Young Master… is he really in Luo City?”

In Chunfeng House, within a private chamber, a woman who appeared to be no more than twenty years old looked at the three black-robed elders before her, her eyes trembling.

The young woman’s appearance was extremely seductive, especially those two Langyue Mountains (the highest mountains under the heavens).

If the clothes on the woman’s chest were to tear, it would absolutely not be due to poor quality, but because the clothes were bearing a tension they were never meant to withstand.

Below the peaks was a willow-like slender waist, and then curves that promised great fertility.

Based on these exaggeratedly perfect curves alone, it was feared that any woman who saw them would feel a sense of inferiority.

“It is true.”

The three elders nodded.

Three black-robed elders, one woman with an extremely exaggerated figure. Anyone seeing this scene might imagine the plot developing in a rather grim direction.

But in fact, they didn’t dare to look at the woman for too long, and their tone even carried respect, because this woman was one of His Highness’s people.

“To be honest with you, Miss Jiang, not long ago, we released the latest inflatable puppets made by the Puppet Hall. Although they were all wiped out in the end, we were not without gains! We found this!”

As he spoke, Old Man Hei handed over a package.

The curvaceous woman took the package.

The moment she opened it, the woman’s eyes narrowed!

In the woman’s hands was a piece of blood-stained cloth. The blood on the cloth had long since congealed and was even somewhat dirty.

“This is…” The woman named Jiang Nongqin’s eyes wavered, and her tone trembled as well.

“Yes, Miss Jiang, you have not guessed wrong! This is indeed His Highness’s possession, and the blood on it is also His Highness’s.”

“How could this be… Your Highness…”

Clutching the cloth, so dirty its original color was unrecognizable, to her chest, the woman’s tears dripped down…
Yes, this was indeed His Highness’s scent, the scent that put her at ease…
In Jiang Nongqin’s mind, she had already pictured His Highness, after suffering the backlash from the Great Dao, his realm fallen, gravely injured, dragging his battered body to this unfamiliar city.

His Highness was alone and without support, an enemy to the whole world, forced to recuperate in pain in the sewers, waiting for an opportunity!
“Your Highness…”

At this thought, Jiang Nongqin’s tears flowed even more freely, her chest heaving. The three black-robed elders, after an unintentional and shocking glance, quickly averted their gazes.

“Miss Jiang, although His Highness is gravely injured, his life is definitely not in danger, otherwise the Elder of Heavenly Secrets would not have made such a divination.”

One of the black-robed elders consoled her.

“I know.” Jiang Nongqin sobbed softly. Although her eyes were still misty with tears, she forced herself to calm down. “What is your plan, sirs?”

The black-robed elder shook his head and said:

“After His Highness disappeared, the Demon Master also entered a death seclusion. Moreover, seven of the nine Star Lamps have already been extinguished, his condition is very poor. The Myriad Demons Sect is now in a state of chaos.

“Although the Myriad Demons Sect still has Disciple-Niece Su Ying maintaining His Highness’s influence, the Myriad Demons Sect is, after all, the number one demonic sect in the world. It is too large and too chaotic, and the various halls are relatively independent, each with its own faction.

“Now that His Highness has lost power, we want to find and protect him, but the other demon halls want to take this opportunity to eliminate His Highness, to remove a future threat.

“This is so they can further their ambitions to seize the position of the Myriad Demons Sect’s Master. Not to mention, there are still spies from the righteous path within the Myriad Demons Sect.

“Therefore, we cannot announce the news of His Highness to the Myriad Demons Sect. We can only return to the sect first and discuss it with Disciple-Niece Su Ying.

“Miss Jiang has been in Luo City for two years and has a wide network of contacts. We ask that Miss Jiang might be able to gather some information.

“Although His Highness may have already left Luo City, this is our only clue…
We must trouble Miss Nongqin.”

The three Nascent Soul realm elders of the demonic sect bowed deeply.

Nongqin stood up and returned the bow. “Please rest assured, three elders. Nongqin will certainly not fail your expectations. If His Highness is in Luo City, Nongqin will find him even if it costs me my life, and protect His Highness’s safety at all costs!”

“Thank you, Miss Nongqin…”

The demonic sect elders relayed a few more details, then turned and left.

“Your Highness… where on earth are you…”

Clutching the blood-stained cloth tightly to her chest, Nongqin bit her lip.

The woman’s eyes flickered, as if recalling that year when he, wearing a mask, holding a thick, black spear, had stood in front of her.

Nongqin had never seen Lin Xun’s face. Or rather, in this world, apart from the Myriad Demons Sect’s Master who was in death seclusion, no one had ever seen Lin Xun’s face… Perhaps… little sister Su Ying knew…

But Nongqin was certain! If gentleness truly had a face, it would be the face of the Young Master.

Tap tap tap

Just as Nongqin was still lost in her thoughts, a knock came at the door.
“Who is it?” Nongqin tucked the cloth into her robes, close to her heart.

“Sister, the Lantern Festival is about to begin. Mama asked Sister to start preparing, to do your makeup and dress up.”

“I know, you may go.”

“Yes.”

As the top-ranking qingguan [a courtesan who entertains with arts but does not sell her body] of Chunfeng House, Nongqin reorganized her thoughts and wiped away her tears.

Looking out from Chunfeng House, the streets were already brightly lit. The specks of candlelight complemented the stars in the sky, creating a magnificent scene.

“Young Master…”

“Achoo!”

Walking on the streets of Luo City with his wife, Lin Xun let out a big sneeze.

“Did you catch a chill?” Jiang Qingshang held Lin Xun’s palm with both her hands. “Why don’t we go back?”

“How can we do that?” Lin Xun smiled and enveloped his wife’s hands in his own palm. “We haven’t seen the fireworks yet.”

Jiang Qingshang chuckled lightly.

“Do you want to see the fireworks, or do you want to see the top courtesan of Chunfeng House? I hear that Miss Nongqin will be playing a tune on her zither tonight.

“That Miss Nongqin sells her art but not her body. Her beauty is top-tier. It seems the wealthy gentlemen of Luo City can’t even get a meeting with her for ten thousand gold.”

“So what? It’s just a marketing tactic, isn’t she just an internet celebrity? I’ve seen plenty.” Lin Xun guaranteed, “If I so much as glance at her! I won’t get into bed tonight!”

“Really?” Jiang Qingshang looked at her husband with a smile.

“Really!” Lin Xun was extremely confident!
Are you kidding me? I’m on the pure love route.

And just as Lin Xun’s words fell, on the banks of the Luo River, a fleet of flower boats came into view, like bright lanterns on the river.

Under the moonlight, amidst the lights of a thousand homes, the flower boats and flower lanterns.

The entire bank of the Luo River was as bright as day, yet more beautiful than the day.

Everyone’s gaze simultaneously turned towards the leading flower boat. Some lecherous old perverts had even climbed up high to get a better look.

On the leading flower boat, a curtain was lifted by a handmaiden, and a woman emerged, holding a yaoqin zither.

The moment the woman stepped out of the cabin, nearly all the men’s eyes widened abruptly, and they sucked in a cold breath of air!
Indeed! Miss Nongqin lived up to her reputation!
That figure!
Terrifyingly so!
As for Lin Xun, his eyes widened even more!

This wasn’t because the other party’s figure was too heavenly. Alright, that was part of the reason.

The main reason was! Lin Xun never expected to run into her here?!
Wait, isn’t she the direct disciple of the Demonic Zither Hall?
How did she end up ‘going out to sea’ [a slang for becoming a prostitute]?

Alright, she was a qingguan, so it probably couldn’t be considered ‘going out to sea’…
“I’m done for!”

Suddenly, Lin Xun realized something and quickly retracted his gaze to look at his wife beside him.

And from beginning to end, Qing’er had been watching her husband the entire time.

“Um… Qing’er, I…”

His wife smiled sweetly. “Husband, you can forget about sleeping in the bed tonight.”

(End of this chapter)