Chapter 18: Xi'an Town

"Gege, look!" Xiao Feng shouted as he pointed at a toy cart.

Various toys, such as kites, colorful rattles, masks, wooden horses and Dragons, colorful birds, whistles, cloth tigers, etc, were present on the toy cart.

"Which one do you want?" Yu Chen asks Xiao Feng like a doting father, pointing at the toy cart.

"I want the small carved dragon and the bamboo flute," Xiao Feng responded with glee.

"Young Master, I have located the shop," suddenly a voice said.

"OK, Tuxuan. You know, you can call me Yu Chen. That's my name," Yu Chen said, peering up at Tuxuan.

And yet again, an arrow pierced Tuxuan's heart. Tuxuan flushed red.

"Ahem! No, you are my most esteemed Young Master. You are not just an unparalleled beauty but-"

"OK, OK. I understand," Yu Chen asserted,

instantly cut off Tuxuan's ranting, trying to avoid him getting carried away and embarrassing them both.

'Hah! What did I expect,' Yu Chen thought as he sighed at the traditionalist standing before him.

Looking around him, Yu Chen had complicated feelings. This scene was the same as in a TV drama, but now it turns out to be his reality.

'Whether it'd be the people, residents, or atmosphere, everything is the same as in a TV drama; it almost felt surreal,' Yu Chen thought as his eyes wandered around.

In Xi'an town, the residents, pavilions, inns, etc., are all siheyuan style with detailed designs and colors; some simple, some intricate, and some extravagant.

The most extravagant would be that of an aristocratic household.

Walled compounds with substantial restriction barriers, floating pavilions, wooden columns and paneling, various color-glazed roof tiles, and beautiful landscaped and top-grade medicinal gardens are proof of the lavish lifestyle of an aristocrat.

Various food and toy carts are in every part of Xi'an's street. The glaring sunlight illuminated the entire town as it bustled with people.

The vibrant music and clamorous chattering uplift the ambiance in this little town—the strong scent of delicious aromas spread from far and wide, assaulting one's nostrils.

Children run around with loud laughter, and vendors call out for people to buy their goods.

Others scream at each other, looking to create a mess. All these factors make Xi'an town an almost ideal place to spend one's life.

"He's so beautiful!"

"OH My!"

"Can someone be this beautiful?"

"How can there be such a person in this world!"

"He's a hermaphrodite!"

"A hermaphrodite?"

"It's my first time seeing a hermaphrodite like him!"

Yu Chen heard clamorous chattering and shocked gasps from all around.

'Hah! Now it looks like we have much more onlookers than before,' Yu Chen thought.

"Haha! His husband is also handsome,"

"And quite honeyed tongue,"

"Haha!"

'Husband, my ass! What a load of bullshit! Didn't he just say, Young Master? Young Master!'

'Hah! There's no point in arguing; we should just hurry and leave,' Yu Chen thought, exasperated.

"Tuxuan, lets-" Yu Chen's words were cut short by a tall figure with big racks, blocking his path.

'Such strong scents! Kuahh! It's nauseating!'

"Xiao didi, do you want to come to play with us?" a seductive voice said.

'Ahhh! What's this!?' Yu Chen screamed inwardly as he looked at who blocked his path.

A person who looks to be a woman with a large build stood before Yu Chen.

Her face plastered with Huadian,* giving her an almost ghastly appearance.

'Is this person supposed to be a woman!? What melodramatic setting is this!? Yu Chen thought, shocked at such revelations.

Stepping back and composing himself, Yu Chen replied, "No, thank you," his face was stoic and his presence cold.

"You don't have to be so cold, Xiao didi. Come, let's have fun," a gorgeous woman in a very revealing outfit said.

'At the least, she looked much more normal,'

'But judging from how they dressed and the strong fragrance smell, they are probably courtesans from the red light district across the road. But something doesn't feel right,' Yu Chen thought, scrutinizing the two women before him.

Yu Chen suspected this encounter was a bit weird, but he could not wrap his head around it.

Before he could get lost in his thoughts, he was suddenly bombarded.

"Yes, Xiao didi*,"

"Come and have fun,"

"Jiejie* can teach you,"

A group of women in the same revealing outfit said as they encircled Yu Chen.

'OH shit! They are too close. I'm going to suffocate from the strong stench,'

"Shiing!" suddenly the sound of a sharp blade sounded.

'Wait, that sound!' Yu Chen thought.

Yu Chen whipped his head around to locate the blade sound. When he didn't see anything, he thought he heard wrong.

Suddenly, a bright glare from a shiny object obstructed his vision, but he managed to see the person in that state.

The gorgeous woman appeared normal before, but her aura was completely different from the ominous aura she has now.

Her face had a sinister expression, dark energy emitting from her body.

Her appearance drastically changed. There are visibly complicated drawings, like tattoos from the neck down to her hands.

Holding a curved dagger, she etched closer and closer, zeroing in on Yu Chen.

What's worse is that everyone present didn't notice her presence when she was there with them.

"Are you all courting death?" Suddenly, Tuxuan's voice boomed.

Turbulent energy fluctuated from his body, causing the air to become stagnant.

"I...I can't breathe!"

"Kuaagh!"

"Kuah!"

"You are all counting death!" Tuxuan's voice resonated with Majesty simultaneously with all the courtesans, and on the sight, spectators fell to their knees.

They gasped, trying to catch air as the oxygen from the area slowly slipped away.

'If Tuxuan were any later, I would be buried here today,' Yu Chen thought, slowly catching his breath.

Realizing that Tuxuan had no plan of sparing them, Yu Chen immediately stepped in.

"Tuxuan! It's OK! I am fine,"

"But Young Master-"

"I said it's OK," Yu Chen said as he stared at Tuxuan.

"As you command," Tuxuan replied with a subtle shoulder bow.

'I can't have Tuxuan causing chaos and alarming the snake,' Thought Yu Chen.

His eyes scanned through the crowd, looking for the woman who wanted to take his life.

But like air, she vanished into nothingness.

Yu Chen compensated the courtesans and spectators who got caught in the mayhem.

"Xiao Feng, Tuxuan, let's go," Yu Chen said as he held Xiao Feng's hand and slipped away with Tuxuan in tow.

'It's not safe here. We got to get on with our business and head back,' Yu Chen thought as he looked at Xiao Feng.

...

"Ahhh! Hmmm....ple…please!...." a shrill voice moaned. It was evident that the shrill voice was that of a woman.Cries of pleads and pleasures could be heard in a large, extravagant room. Such cries would make chills run down someone's spine. At the center of the extravagant room is a large bed with a large red canopy. Two sets of robes were scattered at the front of the bed.

"Ahhh…pl…please ...hmmm!...ahhh," the moan got louder.

"Shut Up!" A baritone voice command.

"Fssshh,"

Suddenly, a gust of wind hurled a few li's* from the bed, creaking due to strenuous activity.

"Master!" A feminine voice called.

In the following moment, silence filled the room. Only muffled moans and the slapping of bare skins could be heard.

"Didn't I say not to interrupt me while I'm busy," the baritone voice behind the canopy spoke threateningly.

"I…Forgive me, Master!" The feminine voice stuttered.

Once again, the room was silent as the muffled cries and the slamming of bare bodies resonated loudly within the room.

"Speak," the baritone voice said.

"The…Mission failed," the feminine voice responded.

Suddenly, the racking bed came to an abrupt stop. The slapping of bare skins that resonated with the muffled and shrill cries like a coordinated tune soon stopped. Only calm and heavy breathing resonated in the large and extravagant room.

"Mas-" before the feminine voice could continue, a powerful energy force whacked her into the wall.

"Thud!" With a thud, she fell to the ground from an incredible height. Usually, this would kill an average person, but for a cultivator, a few broken bones and meridians.

"Kuagh! Cough!"

"Jia Yi, oh Jia Yi, what punishment should I give you?" The person with the baritone voice, who was just on the bed, was standing before the woman, Jia Yi.

"Cough! Master…Please forgive…cough! My incompetence!" Jia Yi violently coughed as she spoke.

"Ha! Forgive!?" The baritone voiced the question with a dry laugh.

"Didn't I say failure in completing this mission would result in the worst death possible!?"

"Kuaagh! Ahhhh!"

"Or should I just go after your family?"

"Kuagh! Ahh! Kuah!"

With every sentence the person with the baritone voice asks, Jia Yi suffers ripping pain throughout her entire body.

But hearing the word family, Jia Yi's eyes bulged as she trembled with apprehension. She struggled to her knees.

"My…My family?" Jia Yi stuttered as her mind drifted. It was a sunny day, the bright sun radiating on a small house surrounded by luscious green and beautiful flower beds. Running through the beautiful flower bed is a young girl no older than three years old and a tall, good-looking man.The girl had long blonde hair, big, round peach eyes, cherry-like lips, and a gleaming smile that would warm any heart. Jia Yi folded her hands into a fist as she tried to rise from the ground. She was determined to save her family, even if it meant destroying someone else's. Jia Yi peered up at her Master with resolution in her eyes.But her master is too unfeeling to human emotions, to understand what she meant by looking up at him.

"How pathetic!" Jia Yi's master said.

He delivered a violent kick to Jia Yi's stomach.

"Kuagh! Cough!" Jia Yi coughed violently, vomiting fresh blood.

"Please… give…Me…One..more chance, Master," Jia Yi forced herself to say despite the excruciating pain.

"Chance, huh?" Jia Yi's Master questioned.

"I…I learned the child will head through the Jalroth Forest; we can intercept and attack them there!" Jia Yi asserted. Jia Yi lowered her head before the ruthless man with no regard for human life, whom she called Master.

"OH? And are you aware that that child must not return to the Yu Dukedom?"

"Yes, Master," Jia Yi responded.

"No, no, you don't seem to understand. That child could ruin all our plans!" Jia Yi's master voice thundered, causing the entire place to shake.

"Kuaghh! I…I under…understand! I will make sure to do it right!" Jia Yi forced through gritted teeth.

"OK. I'll give you one last chance. Bring that boy to me. Dead or Alive!" he said, turning his back to Jia Yi and walking to the center of the room, where the large bed was.

"Yes, Master!" Jia Yi responded.

Struggling to stand, Jia Yi could only use the wall as leverage before completely disappearing.

.....

Meanwhile, that said target watched as Xiao Feng happily went from cart to cart with a small smile on his beautiful face.