128

Chapter 128 - The Tumultuous Times of the Tang Family, Volume 2 - 1

[The Lust Demon has headed towards Hubei.]

The initial parts of 'The Tumultuous Times of the Tang Family' followed Tang Zheng as he pursued the Lust Demon, heading towards Wuhan, the most bustling city in Hubei.

Towering into the skies, the brothels stood high and mighty. The one Tang Zheng found was the most renowned among them.

Even just entering the first floor greets one with beauties unseen in one's lifetime. However, the true value of this brothel was revealed as one ascended each floor.

With every floor climbed, one would find finer wine and more beautiful women. Yet, with every floor ascended, the cost to be paid was rumored to be fivefold the last, a legend among brothels.

[How did you make it here!?]

The Lust Demon was there, on the very top floor. The brothel's guards had all been vanquished by him, and the courtesans were crawling on the ground, lost in lust due to the spring medicines they'd ingested.

[Your wicked deeds end here.]

[You dare to oppose me!]

The battle unfolded rapidly. Had everything been as usual, the Lust Demon would have won, but Tang Zheng was no longer the man of old.

[Come forth into my realm of poisoned execution——]

"It's here! The Poisoned Execution Realm!"

Without realizing it, Scholar Huang let out an exultant cheer.

The ultimate martial art and formation that Tang Zheng wielded. It had been a mere boast at first, but during his journey to Hubei, Tang Zheng had managed to create the martial art he had envisaged into reality.

"Even the world's Lust Demon would be lost in Tang Zheng's Poisoned Execution Realm, unable to find his strength."

The space prepared with all of the Tang family's famed poisons and hidden weapons from Sichuan. A one-man army. It was both a formation and a martial discipline.

Within the Poisoned Execution Realm, the Lust Demon found it impossible to predict whether he would be met with hidden weapons or poison the moment he stepped foot inside.

Only when the Lust Demon's head fell to the ground would he barely perceive what had taken his life.

[I acknowledge your Poisoned Execution Realm. But if I do not approach it, that's the end of it. Farewell!]

[Are you cowardly fleeing!?]

"You filthy wretch! Stand and fight!"

To think the Lust Demon, freshly emerged in the Jianghu, recognized Tang Zheng's Poisoned Execution Realm. The Lust Demon felt fear and turned away. The martial prowess Tang Zheng developed during his journey to Hubei was no lie.

Scholar Huang was disappointed to see the Lust Demon flee, yet there was a certain satisfaction in knowing that even he ran in fear of the Poisoned Execution Realm.

[My name is Du Yingxiang.]

At last, the paramount courtesan of Hubei, Du Yingxiang, made her appearance.

If the foremost beauty of Sichuan was a flower without compare in this world, then Du Yingxiang, the chief courtesan of Hubei, was a sculpture crafted by the heavens, meticulously carved by a master artisan over a lifetime.

"Am I to share pleasure and moments with the foremost courtesan of Hubei now?"

Gulping, Scholar Huang briefly loosened his belt before turning the page.

[Fortunately, the girl avoided poisoning.]

"Why isn't she intoxicated with the spring medicine? This cannot be!"

Could it be that the author, Ho Pil, heeded the advice of rogues saying it wouldn't be right for an author to repeat the same plot?

No. The desire to see the paramount courtesan of Hubei overwhelmed with the effects of the spring medicine was great.

Instinctively, Scholar Huang propped the book up to check how many pages remained. Luckily, there was still a thick section to go. There was still hope to hang onto.

[Truly, to dispel the poison, must we exchange our affections? All the other courtesans have been poisoned.]

[Indeed. We must exchange passions with haste.]

[These women owe their lives to your heroism. Could you possibly take all of them for yourself?]

"Taking all the courtesans of the top floor to himself. Heh, Heh, Heh. Master Ho Pil has thought of everything."

[I refuse.]

"Why not!"

To spend the night with the courtesans of the top floor one would need to pay a fortune, akin to uprooting the very pillars of one's home. And here he was, passing up the chance to claim all those courtesans.

[Why not?]

[I've come to save them. Not to take them like the Lust Demon. Those women surely have a man in their hearts. Hurry and bring those men to them.]

"Ahhh, Tang Zheng, you maddening man!"

One can be too righteous for their own good. Such opportunities might come once in a lifetime, if ever. Scholar Huang felt a pang of bitterness watching Tang Zheng, who always seemed to have such incredible luck.

[Do you disdain these lowly courtesans because you are from the noble Tang household of Sichuan?]

[Haha. Noble ladies or courtesans, they are all women in need of rescue. How could I have such thoughts?]

[.... I shall fetch them immediately.]

"Heh, Heh, Heh. She's smitten. The paramount courtesan of Hubei is smitten. Yes, the more the merrier, isn't it? When the supreme courtesan is before me."

To win a woman of the highest caliber sometimes required sacrifice. Scholar Huang momentarily berated himself for failing to recognize the grand intentions of Author Ho Pil.

The Lust Demon kept reappearing in Wuhan, Hubei. With the help of the preeminent courtesan Du Yingxiang, Tang Zheng pursued him relentlessly throughout the brothel streets over the course of more than a month.

[May I call you brother?]

[I have a beloved in my heart.]

"Tang Zheng, you fool, you should just agree!"

To become the only man that Hubei's premier courtesan referred to as 'brother'—how could one refuse such a chance?

[Pfft. Brother. I just wish to call you brother, nothing more.]

Du Yingxiang naturally uttered the word 'brother' while also displaying a hint of melancholy.

"Aaahh, what to do! Sichuan's preeminent beauty is fine, Hubei's premier courtesan as well. Up until the first volume, I thought one only needed to share the bed with the courtesan of Hubei."

To share the bed with the courtesan of Hubei, and to marry Sichuan's preeminent beauty. The members of the Multitudinous Pavilion had predicted as much even before the second volume was released, but Du Yingxiang was too alluring.

The pursuit of the Lust Demon by Tang Zheng grew more intense with each day, yet he was always a step behind.

[Brother, use me as bait. If you do, surely the Lust Demon will come.]

"How commendably brave. What kind of woman thinks to catch a Lust Demon by offering herself as bait?"

Scholar Huang grew more enamored with Du Yingxiang's charm.

[If that is truly your wish, I have a strategy. Would you trust me?]

[I always have faith in you, brother.]

"Please... Please stop saying such things! Tang Zheng's rightful partner is supposed to be Sichuan's preeminent beauty Gu Shuqing. Why... Why are you trying to capture my heart!"

Brother. Truly, a word that stirs a man's heart. Scholar Huang clung to his wavering emotions and continued to read the story.

[Stop right there!]

The Lust Demon reached the highest floor of the brothel. Tang Zheng, using poisoned hidden weapons, thwarted the Lust Demon's attempt to approach Du Yingxiang.

[A trivial poison. Such poison cannot affect me. Tang Zheng, I know you care for this girl. If you don't want to see her dead, lay down all your weapons.]

[No, brother!]

[Cough!]

Tang Zheng set aside all his hidden weapons and the pouch filled with poison.

"No! If he does this, he can't use the Poisoned Execution Realm. He'll be at the Lust Demon's mercy!"

As soon as Tang Zheng disarmed, the Lust Demon stopped his threat towards Du Yingxiang and approached him. Then he picked up one of the pouches that had fallen to the ground.

[Poison powder? It doesn't matter what kind of poison it is. If it's potent enough to affect me, the girl beside me will die as well. Do you want to see that happen?]

"No. Du Yingxiang isn't a martial artist; if she's poisoned, she'll die. Tang Zheng, what are you going to do?"

Are you going to kill our adorable little sister? I simply can't bear to see it! With a tense heart, Scholar Huang read on.

[No. You're already poisoned.]

Tang Zheng's pouch was empty. He had completed the process of poisoning while discarding the hidden weapons.

[Cough! How? She wasn't poisoned!]

[Triple poison. Sichuan Tang family's deadliest poison that only takes effect when all three components combine.]

[Three poisons? But the poison you used wasn't two...]

Du Yingxiang pushed away the staggering Lust Demon and clung to Tang Zheng. She then sneered at the Lust Demon.

[The poison isn't exclusive to the Sichuan Tang family. The wine you drank with your filthy hands from mine, what do you think was mixed in with that poison?]

Triple poison. It was a poisonous scheme accomplished through the collaboration between Du Yingxiang and Tang Zheng.

"What a strategy! He's not just a straight-laced fool; he also wields clever tactics so skillfully. Remarkable! Incredible!"

[You lowly scum dare to mock me!]

[It's over now!]

[It cannot be!]

The Lust Demon used a smoke bomb, spewing white smoke. Tang Zheng was unable to chase after him, not knowing whether the smoke contained poison, and quickly shielded Du Yingxiang.

Fortunately, the smoke from the smoke bomb was just plain white smoke, but the Lust Demon had already disappeared.

[I let him escape. Xiang'er. I missed the chance you gave me.]

[Brother, don't be disappointed. As you said, being poisoned with the triple poison, he will need at least half a year of recuperation.]

[Xiang'er.]

[Ugh. Brother! I think I've been poisoned.]

Du Yingxiang staggered and pressed her body against Tang Zheng.

[No. The poison you drank isn't serious enough.]

The triple poison requires the combination of three poisons to be deadly. Alone, they have no effect. Tang Zheng looked at her, puzzled.

[No, it's deadly poison.]

[What are you talking about?]

[I'm poisoned by your charm, brother.]

"Heh... This is killing me. Truly."

[Xiang'er. You are indeed a captivating woman. However.]

Tang Zheng steadied her body, then avoided her gaze as he spoke.

[I know. Since you have a beloved, there's no place for me in your heart, brother. But your beloved, didn't she share a night with you after being poisoned with the spring drug? Then perhaps.]

Du Yingxiang swallowed a dose of the Love Drug that the Lust Demon had left behind.

[No, Xiang'er!]

[Brother. Please, take away my first experience that has been intoxicated by your charm.]

"This is madness. She willingly takes the Love Drug herself to force a situation where Tang Zheng has to be with her. Really! Du Yingxiang, are you a genius at evoking desire?"

[Lady. Although it's my first time, rest assured, I know all the courtesan arts.]

[No... This can't be real.]

[It seems I have lived until today for you, brother.]

"Whoa. A virgin courtesan. The premier virgin courtesan of Hubei. A virgin courtesan who knows all the night's arts. Who could come up with such an idea?"

[Xiang'er. The Love Drug used by the Lust Demon, I thought it wasn't, but at second glance, it seems to indeed be a special poison exclusive to the Sichuan Tang family. We must pursue the Lust Demon now. The day I return after punishing him, Xiang'er. I'll exclude you from the brothel and take you into our household.]

[I will eagerly await that day, brother.]

The two promised each other a reunion, clasping hands while naked.

"Why? Whywhywhy! Why are you leaving again, Tang Zheng! You can't do this!"

Tang Zheng, why does every woman you meet get left behind on your journey? One is Sichuan's preeminent beauty and the other Hubei's premier beauty.

With a feeling of regret, Scholar Huang read the final remaining page.

[Preview of the next volume.]

Tang Zheng encounters two peerless lady swordsmen in Hubei. One is a lady with a cold demeanor, the other of a gentle nature.

The three of them end up chasing after the Lust Demon together, and along the way, both ladies begin to harbor feelings for Tang Zheng. They become rivals in love, as close as sisters fighting over the same man.

In the midst of this, Tang Zheng himself becomes intoxicated by the spring drugs in a surprise attack by the Lust Demon.

What choice will the two ladies make?

Having read the preview for the next volume, Scholar Huang could only exclaim the same words as before.

"The next voluuuuume!"