Chapter 111
Vibrant lantern light assaulted Ji Wuye's eyes as he stepped through the entrance, momentarily blinding him with a kaleidoscope of color.
As his vision adjusted, the glaring illumination dispersed to reveal a decadent scene unfolding before him.
Countless courtesans in flowing silken robes glided through the space, crimson-painted lips curled into coy smiles as they served liquor to the drunken guests. Raucous laughter and vulgar jokes filled the air, amplified by the thick smell of rice wine and pipe smoke.
The courtesans' movements were languid, seductive, as calloused hands groped at their exposed skin with a brazen lack of propriety. Their tinkling laughter filtered through the cacophony, melodious and practiced.
Ji Wuye's discerning crimson eyes traced the lines of their sinuous forms, noting how their meticulously applied makeup and artfully arranged coiffures crafted an illusion of delicate, tempting beauty.
The two-story building sprawled out before him, built of carved wood and stone in an ornate, decadent style.
An intricately latticed staircase dominated one corner, while the marble floors were littered with plush cushions and low tables. Exotic lanterns burned in sculpted wall sconces, bathing every alcove and enclosed pavilion in a warm, intimate glow.
The air was thick with the cloying, floral aroma of jasmine – a carefully calculated fragrance meant to lower inhibitions.
As Ji Wuye's pupils expanded to take in every lurid detail, hundreds of eyes flickered toward him in a wave of furtive glances.
Drunken leers from slovenly guests were quickly replaced by feigned disinterest, while the courtesans' gazes sharpened with undisguised calculation before being dragged back to their clients by impatient gestures.
'What a bizarre scene,' Ji Wuye thought inwardly as his passive Quick Adaptation skill analyzed and processed everything his crimson eyes absorbed.
'And this is a familiar scene,' Ji Wuye's lip curled in a knowing smirk as his roving gaze parsed the layout - the ground floor divided into pleasure pavilions served by the loosened half-revealed hanfu-clad courtesans, and a long wooden counter where guests could purchase rice wine, and liquors.
However, his true goal lay beyond the staircase at the rear...
"Perhaps the Young Master would enjoy a more... intimate experience first?" A simpering courtesan slid up beside him, smoky voice pitched low as she pressed her abundant assets against his arm.
Her kohl-rimmed eyes beckoned brazenly as she trailed painted fingernails along his lapel. "We have many...talented practitioners to satisfy any desire."
But…
"E-eh, Young M-master..." Ji Wuye pushing past the momentarily stunned courtesan, he made his way toward the rear chambers with purposeful strides, black robes flaring behind him.
Every pair of eyes traced his path with undisguised interest as the unearthly handsomeness of his chiseled features and lithe, powerful build clashed with the debauched atmosphere.
"W-welcome, honored guest!" The gambling host's reedy voice wavered with surprise as Ji Wuye entered the secluded pavilion.
Tables were arrayed in precise rows, surfaces littered with marked tiles, carved bone dice and stacks of qians.
Rising from behind a long wooden desk, the man in ornate long hanfu cupped his hand. His eyes flickered with avid greed and curiosity as they raked over Ji Wuye's form from head to toe.
"May I assume you wish to join the game, Young Master?" Ignoring the obsequious welcome, Ji Wuye's penetrating gaze traveled over the gambling den, noting the deliberate placement of guards in raised alcoves along the ceiling's latticed bamboo rafters.
He could feel the weight of their stares prickling his skin with wariness. The shifting courtesan behind the host avoided meeting his eyes, instead gnawing her lip with unconcealed trepidation.
'Ah... did they think I'm a killer?' Ji Wuye's keen eyes darted around, taking in the uncomfortable coughing fits and shifting gazes of the nearby.
A wry smile tugged at his lips beneath the sheer veil as comprehension dawned. So the mysterious, shadowy observers had expected violence or foul play with his unannounced arrival - the all-black attire and concealed features clearly stirring unease.
"Brother, please be assured," Ji Wuye addressed the twitchy gambling host with a reassuring smile, raising both hands in a placating gesture. "Pardon me for causing such a scene. This humble one merely wishes to enjoy the entertainment this establishment has to offer."
His calming tones and deferential manner seemed to have the intended effect. Ji Wuye could feel the weight of watchful stares lighten ever so slightly as the host's pinched expression relaxed into an obsequious smile.
"What a surprise! You, brother, have given me quite the start," the man chuckled, though the sound was still tinged with nervous tension. Motioning Ji Wuye over to an open gaming table, he ushered the shrouded figure into a plush seat amongst the other guests.
The beautiful courtesan who had led Ji Wuye inside hurried to join him, arranging her flowing silks with exaggerated care as she settled onto the cushion beside him.
"Young Master...your silence frightened me, you know?" she purred, fixing him with a sultry pout and batting her long eyelashes in a well-practiced gesture of coy invitation.
Rather than respond with the expected flirtation, Ji Wuye simply offered her a warm, disarming smile and reached out to tenderly caress her elaborately coiffed hair.
"Isn't it? I'm really sorry, Sister. It's just that this place, or rather, this kind of experience is new to me," Ji Wuye spoke.
The unexpected display of affection made the courtesan's painted eyes go wide, her breath catching in her throat with surprise. A flush of genuine color bloomed in her cheeks despite the thick cosmetics masking her skin.
His handsome face, polite and affectionate tone caught even a courtesan accustomed to such things off guard by his unexpected forwardness, and she let out a soft gasp.
Inwardly, Ji Wuye's sharp eyes catalogued every sidelong look and minute flinch with detached amusement. 'The Kunlun sect is really too arrogant,' he thought inwardly.
The next significant event in the Kunlun sect, based on his previous timeline, was the attack on the sect. It was normal, after all, for those who had been suppressed or restrained to strike when given a chance, without regard for the safety of the world anymore.
"Young Master, you truly are full of surprises," the courtesan managed to utter, her voice trembling slightly. "For one who claims to be new to such experiences, you certainly have a... bold touch."
As she spoke, she noticed the slight shift in Ji Wuye's gaze, his attention seemingly drawn elsewhere for a fleeting moment. Curiosity piqued, she followed his line of sight but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"Is something amiss, Young Master?" the woman managed once she found her voice again. "You seem...distracted."
Ji Wuye's smirk deepened as he caught the briefest flicker of movement from the corner of his eye. "Forgive me, Sister," he murmured in a voice like thick honey. "I was simply appreciating the beauty of my surroundings."
The courtesan's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of crimson at Ji Wuye's smooth words, her eyes widening slightly as she processed the underlying meaning behind his remark.
She opened her mouth to respond, but her words caught in her throat as a series of coughs erupted from the other guests seated at the same table.
Cough...cough...cough...
A tense silence fell as several of the other guests reacted to Ji Wuye's bold flirtations with unveiled hostility. The portly man with the ruddy, drink-flushed face was the first to bristle, leaning forward across the table to wag an accusatory finger.
"Brother...please refrain yourself," he admonished in a tone laced with undisguised envy and irritation. "She's just a common courtesan after all."
Ji Wuye's smile didn't falter, though his eyes glittered with faint amusement at the man's reaction.
Before Ji Wuye could respond, another guest - a lean, sharp-featured man with an arrogant bearing - slammed his cup down on the table with a resonant thud. wine sloshed precariously over the rim as he glared daggers at Ji Wuye.
"Enough!" he barked, eyes narrowed to slits framed by an impressive knot of frown lines. "Tsk, what a vulgar scene! If you think you can make such brazen overtures, I can do far better."
With a jerky, overly dramatic flourish, the man reached out and seized the courtesan beside him in an iron grip.
Dragging her bodily across the cushions, he shoved his other hand into her elaborate coiffure and began crudely raking his fingers through her tresses in a grotesque parody of Ji Wuye's earlier tender gesture.
The poor woman's eyes narrowed, her fists clenched, and a faint shimmer of energy seemed poised to gather in her hands. Her narrowed gaze grew cold as if she was on the brink of taking action, yet...
"That's quite enough of that, I should think."
The host's reedy voice cut through the tension with impeccable timing as the man stepped forward, palms raised in a mollifying gesture.
He shot Ji Wuye an odd, sidelong look - part wariness, part bemused approval at the predicament the handsome stranger had inadvertently caused.
"Esteemed guests, please...the game is about to begin. Chairs have been set."
With a meaningful clearing of his throat, the host shook his head in a gentle, chiding manner at the boorish guest who still clung to the courtesan, oblivious to the danger he was putting himself in. "Ahem. You wouldn't want to be... distracted from the evening's true entertainments, now would you?"
The arrogant man's lip curled in an ugly sneer, but after a tense pause, he grudgingly released the woman, who promptly allowed a hidden, faint shimmer of energy to dissipate. Her cold gaze instantly shifted back to its usual facade of feigned warmth.
Turning back to Ji Wuye with a toothy grin, the host chuckled indulgently and gave an exaggerated shrug.
"Also, Brother, your handsomeness - even concealed as it is - seems to be having quite the...potent effect on the other guests tonight," he said in a conspiratorial undertone, deftly breaking the tension. "How fortunate that the heavens have blessed the lucky one seated here.
"Then I certainly hope our esteemed guests enjoys the game..."
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