Volume 1, Chapter 14: A Friendly Guest (Part Two)

Riding their black horses, the group slowly made their way to the West Market on the wide, empty streets of Anyi, which could accommodate hundreds of people walking side by side. Occasionally, light spilled out from the grand stone buildings lining the street, accompanied by the sounds of crying babies and murmuring women. The clear clatter of horses' hooves echoed through the empty streets, making everything seem surreal. Xiahou felt increasingly at ease, smiling as he took in the scenery on either side of the road, explaining why it had taken him four years to come to Anyi.

As they rode, they passed patrols of soldiers, each unit consisting of about a hundred fierce-looking men with grim faces. The squad leaders even led ferocious black panthers on leashes. Seeing Xingtian Dafeng and his group approaching, the soldiers quickly stood at attention on the side of the road, saluting with their right hands. They resumed their patrol only after the group had passed several dozen meters.

Xiahou marveled at the sheer power and authority these people commanded in Anyi.

As they laughed and chatted, they suddenly turned a corner to find several brightly lit streets ahead, bustling with men and women in colorful attire. Laughter and joyous chatter filled the air, creating a stark contrast to the dark and quiet streets they had just left, as if they had entered a different world altogether.

Beautiful women in light clothing strolled the streets, and some men brazenly approached the ones they fancied, engaging in brief conversations before disappearing into nearby buildings. From the balconies above, nearly nude women waved colorful handkerchiefs and threw seductive glances at the men passing below. The air was thick with the overwhelming scent of perfume, almost like a deadly biochemical gas that nearly made Xiahou and Bai topple from their horses.

Several Heiyan soldiers rode ahead, cracking their steel wire whips through the air with a menacing snap. One soldier, his face marred by a massive scar, shouted fiercely, "Move aside, clear the way! Who dares block the path of Xingtian Army Marquess? Are you courting death?" A rotund man, seemingly a wealthy merchant, failed to move in time and was struck hard by the soldier's whip, leaving a gruesome gash from his face down to his abdomen, blood gushing out.

The merchant screamed, his body shaking with fear as he crawled to the side of the road, terrified. Xingtian Pan scoffed disdainfully, "A commoner with a few copper coins dares to be so presumptuous?"

Xiahou nodded to himself, realizing that the class system in this world was indeed extreme, similar to the caste system in India, where the higher classes viewed the lower ones with utter contempt. The power of the shamans was absolute, and the common people were entirely at their mercy. Xiahou pondered that, with his abilities, he could easily kill all the commoners in the West Market, let alone warriors like Xingtian Dafeng. Absolute power bred absolute superiority, and human life seemed to hold little value here. Even the merchant, despite his wealth, seemed relieved rather than resentful after being severely injured by a mere soldier.

Xingtian Dafeng watched the people hurriedly clearing the way and nodded. "Chi Hu, see how lax the West Market has become? Even if it's where we come to relax, it still needs to be managed properly. Looks like I'll need to have our elders report this to the king and give Xiangliu's family some trouble."

Taking the opportunity, Xiahou asked, "Brother Xingtian, what exactly is the feud between 'us' Xingtian family and the Xiangliu family?" Grasping the context, he realized this enmity was significant.

Xingtian Dafeng, pleased with Xiahou's use of "us," looked at him approvingly. Stroking the curious Bai, Xingtian Dafeng explained, "Our family patriarch, Xingtian E, our great-grandfather, was the Military Auxiliary Duke of the Great Xia Dynasty, overseeing the six orders, eighteen divisions, and fifty-four guards directly under the royal capital."

Xingtian Aolong added coldly, "Xiangliu's patriarch, Xiangliu You, is the Political Auxiliary Duke, in charge of all governmental appointments and royal affairs."

Xingtian Pan, still stroking Bai's smooth, cold scales, muttered angrily, "But that Political Auxiliary Duke has overstepped, inserting Xiangliu Laoliu into the Royal Guard's jurisdiction under our great-grandfather, handling Anyi's daily security and night patrols. That's encroaching on our military authority!"

Xingtian Dafeng sneered, "So, we make trouble for Xiangliu's children whenever possible. That's why Xiangliu Laoliu harassed you at the city gate, knowing you were coming to see me."

As they conversed, they arrived at a towering building constructed of rare pink marble. It stood seven stories tall, with a massive gate nearly ten feet wide. Thirteen steps, polished to a rosy shine, led up to the entrance, where a dozen young women in long skirts, covering everything but their faces and hands, stood. Their dignified appearance made them look like noblewomen.

Xingtian Pan laughed, "Heiming Sen's ideas keep getting stranger. Last time, the girls here were all naked. Now, they're dressed like palace maids."

Xingtian Dafeng frowned, "That's reckless. If someone from the palace sees this, Heiming Sen might get punished again. But hey, we're here to have fun. This setup has its charm." He ogled one of the girls, grinning. "The more they wear, the more fun it is to tear it off. Chi Hu, if you fancy anyone, just say the word. The owner, Heiming Sen, is an old friend."

Xiahou remained silent for a moment before replying, "I'll look around first." His Xuanwu True Understanding required him to maintain his purity for optimal cultivation speed, and he wasn't willing to jeopardize that for a moment's pleasure.

The Xingtian brothers mistook his hesitation for shyness and laughed, dismounting and leading their group up the steps. The girls on the steps, maintaining their composed demeanor, didn't glance at the brothers, which only increased the brothers' interest.

A young man in a green robe with a red cloak, exuding a strong fragrance, sauntered over, flanked by several beautiful women. Leaning weakly against a red-clad woman, he raised his hand in greeting. "Brother Huan, you were impressive at the gate today. Xiangliu Laoliu was so furious he smashed three tables here and is still drinking in anger."

The young man's eyes flicked over to Xiahou with a sly smile. "You three brought so many soldiers. No fighting inside, use your long spears instead. Break anything, and it's ten times the compensation as per our old rules."

Xingtian Aolong shivered and snapped, "Heiming Sen, enough of that nonsense. You're getting bolder by the day."

Heiming Sen straightened, dropping his flirtatious demeanor to reveal a sharp, commanding presence. He laughed, "What's the big deal? Just because the girls are dressed like palace maids? And to be honest, I even have one of the king's concubines here. You want to have fun, she's all yours tonight."

 Xingtian Dafeng's face turned pale, and he rushed forward to cover Heiming Sen's mouth, hissing in a low voice, "Heiming Sen, your courage is growing by the day! How dare you bring a concubine from the king's palace here? Even if your grandfather is the chief overseer in the palace and your family is trusted by generations of kings, is this something you should be bragging about in public?"

Heiming Sen pried Xingtian Dafeng's hand away, frowning. "It's not as serious as you think. That concubine is a pearl diver from an overseas island, presented by the Eastern Yi as tribute. She defied the king, who then ordered her to be sent here. Do you think I would have the guts to steal someone from the palace? The king wanted to humiliate the Eastern Yi envoys by having her serve as a courtesan."

Xiahou felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead. This king certainly had a unique personality. But one couldn't deny it was a severe insult to the Eastern Yi. Offering a woman as a concubine only to have her serve as a prostitute in Anyi implied the Eastern Yi's standards and status were not very high.

The city of Anyi, with its dark, intoxicating atmosphere, began to fascinate Xiahou. "Maybe I'll see more strange and unusual things. It'll make for interesting stories later," he thought with a wry smile.

Xingtian Dafeng, his brothers, Xiahou, Bai, and Heiming Sen, flanked by beautiful women, entered a pleasure house called 'Pink Melody.' All brothels in Anyi bore elegant names like music halls, painting galleries, zither houses, or chess rooms. Despite any debauchery inside, the exteriors were always neat and clean, resembling noble residences.

Inside Pink Melody, beyond the front gate, the main building, and a secondary main building, lay a vast garden. Artificially diverted river water turned the courtyard into a wetland with meandering brooks and winding paths. Delicate pavilions stood on these waterways, with trees strategically placed to create hidden spaces. Everywhere, one could hear muted moans and whispers, occasionally punctuated by a woman's playful scream, all of which stirred the senses.

Heiming Sen led them through a maze of corridors to a pavilion surrounded by streams. Instead of inviting them to sit, he flopped down on a thick fur mat, sprawling out. "Xingtian Dafeng," he purred, "do you want that concubine or someone else? She's very popular. If I weren't holding out for a higher price, she would have already entertained hundreds of men. But today, I'll give you a discount."

Xingtian Dafeng tossed his sword to the ground and, after removing his boots with the help of two maidservants, strode to a pile of cushions and sat down. "I'm not interested. Besides, she's still the king's concubine. If anything happens to her, it would bring shame to my great-grandfather."

Heiming Sen laughed, squeezing the chest of a nearby woman. "Then what kind of woman do you want? The governor of Guanzhou recently sent over hundreds of Western women, from toddlers to teenagers to mature women in their thirties, all of them beauties."

He looked at Xiahou with a sly grin. "This must be the brave warrior from the Chi family. How about some young girls? They have their own charm."

Xiahou was taken aback and shook his head vigorously. Young girls? In his past life, touching them would have gotten him executed. He felt a surge of disgust towards Heiming Sen.

Xingtian Pan, now barefoot, entered and said coldly, "Don't bring any other women. Call over those around Xiangliu Laoliu."

Heiming Sen sighed dramatically. "I knew it. Why do you always cause trouble in my place? Last time, your brothers almost wrecked the place. Aren't our families supposed to be friends?"

Xingtian Dafeng laughed thunderously, his voice echoing through the building. "Heiming Sen, I won't make things difficult. Xiangliu Laoliu's girls are already desired by my brothers. Send them over, and I won't bother you."

Xingtian Dafeng's powerful voice carried throughout the entire Pink Melody, causing a sudden hush to fall over the large garden. No one dared make a sound.

After a moment, a soft, snakelike voice slithered through the silence. "Xingtian Dafeng, if you want trouble with me, just say so. Why use such underhanded tricks?"

Another voice, metallic and strong, echoed, "Xingtian Dafeng, I hear you've recruited a new guest. Do you rely on him now? I have an Eastern Yi archer here. If your guest wins, Xiangliu Laoliu will apologize for today's incident. If you lose, you cover all expenses here tonight."

Xingtian Dafeng sneered, "Shengong Kun! Since when do you have an Eastern Yi archer?"

Shengong Kun's laughter rang out like waves crashing, causing a sudden wind to howl through the garden. "Enough talk. Do you dare accept the challenge? Archery, not swordsmanship. Life and death. Do you dare?"

Xingtian Aolong roared, "Shengong Kun, you want my Chi Hu brother to compete in archery? Why not test his strength instead?"

Xiangliu Rou's voice hissed, "Pink Melody is for entertainment. If you want to test strength, go watch the beasts fight in the royal zoo."

Xingtian Dafeng's eyes flashed with anger, ready to explode, but Xiahou shouted, "Fine! Archery it is. Life and death. I accept!"

As Xiahou spoke, his divine power caused the earth element around him to surge, shaking the ground. His display of strength was impressive.

People nearby gasped, and a calm, steady voice answered, "Very well. I, Yifeng An of the Eastern Yi, challenge the warrior of the Chi family."

With a roar, Xiahou's massive frame crossed the distance, landing firmly on a patch of open ground outside the pavilion.

From a nearby building, a tall, lean figure leaped out, moving like the wind. Holding a strange longbow, his eyes glowed blue as he landed on a tree branch a hundred meters away. "Warrior, where is your bow?" he asked softly.

A silent Heiyan soldier approached, handing Xiahou his dragon tendon bow and a quiver of thirty ebony arrows fletched with roc feathers.

People stood on balconies and rooftops, watching intently.

On a terrace behind him, Xingtian Dafeng whispered, "Chi Hu, be careful. The Eastern Yi are known as the best archers, descendants of the ancient god who shot down the nine suns. Don't underestimate them!"

Hou Yi shot down the suns? Could that be true here as well?

Distracted for a moment, Xiahou was caught off guard as Yifeng An released seven arrows in rapid succession. The arrows, trailing blue light, seemed to reach Xiahou the instant they left the bowstring.

In a split second, Xiahou found himself in his second life-or-death battle since arriving in Anyi.