The Fourth Volume Chapter 4 (Part 2) The Female Demon's Clever Disguise

  The young servant led us into a luxurious room, where the walls were adorned with intricate carvings and frescoes that seemed to come alive. Some depicted a three-legged monster licking a person's body with its pink tongue, while the person lay on a couch with an expression of pleasure. Another scene showed an iron cage containing a long-eared child with snow-white skin and no hair, with a bloody hole in their forehead. A person was kneeling in front of the cage, sucking out the brain fluid from the hole with great force. There were also carvings of a seven-colored tree with large, seductive flowers that seemed to be dancing with several people embracing it, their faces looking idiotic.

  The little servant saw me staring at the carvings and fawned: "Which one does the guest like? I can take you to experience it immediately. This three-legged monster is a rare treasure of the Desire Heaven, called Liuxi, its tongue licking on the body makes people feel like they are dying for pleasure, do you want to try?"

  "I exclaimed in surprise: 'The carvings on the wall, are they really inside your building?'"

  The young servant smiled and said: "There's something for everyone. Stimulating, joyful, painful, it can satisfy the tastes of all kinds of customers, that's why it's called the Tower of Universal Joy."

  "Is this a lotus root doll?" she asked, pointing at the long-eared child on the relief.

  The young servant praised: "Guest, you have a good eye for things. This is indeed the lotus root doll from Lingbao Tian. Not only does its brain juice taste extremely delicious, but it also has the miraculous effect of preserving one's youth."

  I dismissed the young servant, and Hai Ji exclaimed in surprise: "There are indeed many novel things here, sugar foxes, lotus root dolls, and ice ant syrup, all of which are treasures that cannot be bought with a fortune."

  I closed the door and whispered, "This is a bit strange. How would a brothel owner know me? Moreover, wouldn't they want more customers, not be picky about who they do business with? And why build a brothel in such a remote place? Besides, how could a brothel have such vast financial and human resources to collect rare treasures from the north?"

  "Hai Ji glared at him and said: 'You little scoundrel, you're quite familiar with brothels, aren't you?'"

  I thought for a moment and then asked her: "What's the story with Zhu Sanjie? Why are all the disciples of the Step-Subduing Sect and the Chai Chi Tian Ya Jiao willing to be her followers?"

  "In the North, there's a saying that goes: 'Is the Zhu family rich or not? They can buy an immortal to be their house slave.' The Zhu family is the wealthiest in the North, with warehouses full of lingzhi mushrooms, rare herbs, and precious medicines. Even the esteemed Clear Void Sect and Luo Living Sect, among the top ten famous sects, sometimes have to ask for favors from the Zhu family. Sending a few disciples to serve as guards for the Zhu family is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Our own Sea Temple even has a female warrior who serves as a guard for the Zhu family's eldest daughter."

  I drooled at the mere mention of dozens of warehouses full of rare and precious herbs. If I could get my hands on all of them, I'd definitely be able to refine my Dan Ding Liu Mi Dao technique to the point where I'd be bleeding from the nose! I must find an opportunity to pay a visit to the Zhu estate, which is located in one of the higher realms.

  Her face revealed a strange expression, and she said in a low voice: "They live near the Tiankong of Hongchen Heaven and Huangquan Heaven, a place called Yinyangdu. It is said that after passing through this ferry, it is the Huangquan Heaven where yin and yang are separated."

  "I couldn't help but exclaim: 'It's actually a place close to evil spirits and ghosts.'"

  "Money can make a ghost grind, right?" Hai Ji laughed and said: "The Zhu family is a woman-dominated household, which is similar to our own Hai Temple. Eldest Sister Zhu is clever and experienced in handling matters, she's the leader of the Zhu family; Second Sister Zhu is a business genius; Third Sister Zhu is the most useless, she's notorious for being a spendthrift. The three sisters have the same father but different mothers, Third Sister Zhu's mother was a pig demon who became a concubine, so Third Sister Zhu is also a half-demon like you." After finishing speaking, she burst into loud laughter.

  I pretended to be annoyed: "Alright, you've been talking for half a day and you're just teasing me!" I reached out to scratch Haizi's itchy spot, and Haizi gasped with laughter.

  The door of the room suddenly opened, and a middle-aged man walked in with a bronze jug, saying respectfully: "There are two catties of ice ant sauce here, which is given to you by the master. The master said that taking too much ice ant sauce is not good for your body, so please use it sparingly."

  I exchanged a glance with Haixi and asked in confusion, "Who is your landlord? Why did he send me such an expensive gift? I want to see him. Can you help me get in touch with him?"

  A middle-aged man answered and retreated, in the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a beautiful woman with a bun on her head came in, with sparkling peach blossom eyes, a slender waist swaying, and a circle of agate rings tied to her skirt making a tinkling sound. The beauty smiled slightly at me: "Young master, do you have business with me?"

  I was stunned: "Are you the landlord? It seems like we're meeting for the first time, right?" I racked my brains, but I couldn't recall knowing this woman either.

  The beautiful woman swung her sleeves, and the fragrance wafted to her nose: "Lin Fei Gongzi's great name, who doesn't know after the Fragrant Gathering? Now there are good people who have already called you and Qingxu Tian Biluo's Gongzi Ying, Luosheng Tian Sanding's Wuyan, and Moshen Tian's Ye Liu Bing as the four great handsome young masters of the Northern Territory."

  She had recognized me long ago! I awkwardly took off my bamboo hat, thinking that if you want to get something from someone, you have to be nice to them first. This woman was being overly friendly to me for no reason, so she must have an ulterior motive. I chuckled and said: "I'm just a notorious good-for-nothing, how can I be considered a master? Madam, no payment without work, how much does this two-catty ice-ant sauce cost? I'll pay for it myself."

  "Young master, don't be so reserved. This little ice cream is nothing to make a fuss about? Lin young master's name is renowned throughout the northern territories, who wouldn't want to curry favor with you?" The beautiful woman's eyes sparkled like flowing water: "It's just that 'wife' is not an appropriate title for me yet, I'm still unmarried."

  I was startled, staring at her intensely. The beautiful woman covered her mouth and laughed: "Why is Master Lin looking at me like that? Be careful someone gets jealous." She glanced at Hai Ji intentionally or unintentionally.

  I remained silent and activated the Mirror Pupil Secret Technique to observe, under the beautiful woman's plump face, a faint red flame was jumping about.

  It's her! Xiao Hong! Also known as the singing female demon! I almost shouted out loud, if not for her gaze that seemed to be searching for something familiar, I would have been fooled by her disguise! No wonder she recognized me, no wonder she gave me the ice ant paste so generously. I stared at Xiao Hong, with doubts constantly surfacing in my mind, who is she really? How many identities does she have? What's the purpose of her disguise? In any case, she's absolutely not a simple person!

  Xiao Hong looked a bit uncomfortable under my gaze and said: "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." She curtsied and walked away with gentle steps.

  Looking at her back, I suddenly murmured: "Whose young man is upstairs, with a fluttering collar, hooking me, my heart is restless."

  Xiao Hong's slender body trembled slightly, and when she turned back, her face was full of confusion: "What did the young master say?"

  I stared at her, this sentence was a song when Xiaohong sang it, and her subtle reaction did not escape my eyes. I laughed: "Women are really good at changing, and they can change into anything, which really makes me admire."

  Xiao Hong continued to pretend to be deaf and dumb: "I don't understand what you mean, sir."

  The old saying goes "it's like no time has passed at all", this word 'gu' really does have some truth to it.

  Xiao Hong's eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness, but her face was full of smiles: "I've only heard that everyone sweeps the snow in front of their own door and doesn't care about the frost on others' tiles. I've heard that young master will be dueling with the demon from Mo Ye Tian in half a month's time, and I'm very worried."

  I locked eyes with Xiaohong, both of us understanding each other's thoughts, but neither of us spoke out. After a long while, Xiaohong let out a soft sigh: "Please leave, sir. This humble two-catty bottle of ice ant wine is for you to take, as a token of my goodwill."

  Haiji was confused by our conversation and said somewhat impatiently: "Let's go."

  "I'll just wish you a thriving business, and no one will bully you again. And it's also good that some idiots won't come to rescue the beauty." I said mockingly, picking up the bronze pot and leaving. Anyway, who she is has nothing to do with me. After taking the Ice Ant Powder, we owe each other nothing from now on.

  Step by step, walking down the stairs, a faint voice suddenly came from behind: "This place is good, but it's troublesome to deal with. There are many people who are neither here nor there, and few who are kind-hearted. After living here for a long time, only some yellow and white things will be left."

  I turned back, and Little Red had vanished around the corner of the stairs. I pondered over the meaning of these few words, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the entrance of the building.

  In the dark twilight, a monster with the shape of a black tiger, with two horns on its head and two wings growing from its ribs, flew down rapidly from high altitude. The monster shook its body, and its hair stood up like sharp thorns. A black-clad knight silently fell off the back of the beast, his face hidden by a wind hat, only revealing his hands sticking out of his sleeves, which were black, powerful, and had fingers that seemed to be made of refined iron, with bulging veins and knuckles full of explosive power.

  The mermaid's body trembled slightly, and she quietly pulled me away. The black-clad knight patted the monster on the head, and it immediately shrunk down until it was as small as a mouse, jumping into the knight's sleeve. The knight lowered his head and walked straight into the building. The giant bowed to greet him, without asking for an invitation, and could tell at a glance that he was a familiar guest.

  "Unexpectedly, the master of Fenglei Pool, one of the top ten famous sects, Huayan Chong is also a guest here." Haiji explained to me with a surprised face: "Huayan Chong's mount is called Qiongqi, an ancient ferocious beast, extremely easy to identify."

  I let out a wry smile: "This building is obviously used to socialize with the powerful figures of the North, Xiao Hong's ambition must be huge." I also told Haiji about my experience getting to know Xiao Hong.

  Hai Ji sank into thought for a moment before saying, "It seems that Da Qian City will no longer be peaceful from now on."

  "I've got it!" I suddenly slapped my forehead and exclaimed excitedly: "Do you still remember what Xiaohong said when she was leaving?"

  "This place is nice, but it's a hassle to deal with. There are many people who are neither here nor there, and few who are kind and sentimental. After living here for a long time, the only things that remain are some yellowed papers." Hai Ji repeated: "These words sound strange, I don't know what she wants to say exactly."

  "This is called a hidden message, Dad taught me before. Take the first character of each sentence and put them together to form 'This place cannot stay for long!'"

  "Her expression turned stern: 'She's hinting that you should leave the Great Thousand City as soon as possible. The demon king is about to launch a massive attack on the city, I wonder if it has anything to do with Little Red?'"

  "The mountain rain is coming, the wind is full of buildings," I shook my head in confusion, looking around, the night wind blew the branches trembling, in the gloomy and dense forest, the Great Happiness Building leaked out a cold blue light, as if a monster, silently lurking in the darkness.

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