Chapter 8: Warning

◎ Golden Core versus God Transformation, she doesn’t care about her life, but he still cares about his face ◎

Guang immediately slapped him on the forehead.

A damned building.

The Wanfo Sect doesn’t have fixed rules. Cultivating Buddhism is a means, not the end.

The Zen of Anger doesn’t forbid evil deeds, the Zen of Gluttony doesn’t forbid indulgence in rich foods, the Zen of Joy doesn’t forbid women, and the Zen of Slaughter doesn’t forbid killing. As long as it doesn’t violate the laws of the Kunyu realm, anything is fine.

Visiting a brothel, from both a moral and legal standpoint, is not an issue.

You Xiaowu pouted, feeling a bit aggrieved, “Fine, if you don’t want to go, why hit me?”

Guang tossed the tent onto him and turned to leave. “You should have said so earlier. Now we’ve had to run around to so many places.”

You Xiaowu, looking confused, thought: Am I to blame?

Guang walked in a particular direction, passing by several lively brothels, finally stopping at the largest one. The Red Sleeves Call, the property of the Meimen, the largest brothel chain in the Kunyu realm, with locations in every city of Kunyu.

You Xiaowu squeezed through the crowd, tightly following behind her, worried about losing her in this chaotic place. He had already been groped several times.

“Senior Sister, how did you know there was a brothel street here?”

The entrance to the Red Sleeves Call was wide and splendid, with carved railings and pavilions, adorned with countless delicate red lanterns. At the second-floor window, a lady in light gauze partially covered her face, waving her hand, while music and the sound of bamboo pipes filled the air in a luxurious, graceful manner.

You Xiaowu saw her turn her head, the seductive red glow hitting her face, carrying an indescribable meaning.

“In Jiugui City, of the 108 districts, the one that hosts the most is this Pingkang District. Do you know what this district is for?”

At the entrance, men and women were leaning on each other, many pairs of eyes falling on Guang and You Xiaowu. Their attire from the Wanfo Sect was too eye-catching.

“The world is going downhill. These days, even monks are visiting brothels.”

“You’re not wrong. Ming Fei from the Zen of Joy is actually a big shot in the brothel. Many girls even throw themselves at him for free.”

“Friends, go ahead. Don’t let the monks outshine you.”

You Xiaowu’s face turned red. He raised his sleeve, trying to cover his face, but before he could, a stranger grabbed his hand. Before he could speak, the stranger said,

“Senior brother, which Zen are you from? First time visiting a brothel? Hurry up and change into different clothes.”

With that, the stranger handed him a storage bag with clothes and walked away.

You Xiaowu stood there holding the storage bag, unsure whether to change or not. However, he looked at his senior sister, who seemed unfazed. She walked in naturally, skillfully reserved a room, and called for two girls to come serve drinks.

The two girls in pink clothes and thin garments entered, and You Xiaowu immediately felt his head fill with heat, so intense he couldn’t think.

Guang leaned against the railing, looking across the window. The hall below was filled with singing and dancing, bustling with activity, with a riot of lights and wine.

A voice from You Xiaowu reached her ears. She turned her head, and saw his face as red as a monkey’s bottom. His voice was soft and stammering, and she couldn’t make out what he was saying.

Guang teased, “What’s wrong? Two aren’t enough? Should I get you two more?”

You Xiaowu’s face turned even redder, and he quickly waved his hand.

She whistled. “Then that’s enough.”

At that moment, a loud noise of smashing and shouting came from the hall.

“Senior, you don’t have a token. I’m holding the gold token. You came first, but once I show my token, according to its rank, I should be in front. Therefore, ‘Red Dust Drunk’ tonight should belong to me.”

“Red Dust Drunk” was a special wine offered by Hongxiu Zha, brewed only once a night, with each drop worth a thousand gold.

The speaker was a well-dressed Golden Core cultivator, holding a cup with a gilded jade pitcher. He spoke loudly, trying to draw attention from the surrounding crowd, and the others agreed with him.

Guests at Hongxiu Zha were divided into two categories: those with tokens and those without. Among those with tokens, there were four ranks: silver, gold, huaxi, and jade.

“Even high-level cultivators cannot oppress others with their status.”

“Why don’t we settle this with a fight? Whoever wins takes it.”

“Did you read too many stories? Golden Core vs. Transformation Stage, what would they even fight about?”

Mo Changge exhaled a long puff of smoke, his face growing darker by the second. After all these years, rising to the Transformation Stage, he couldn’t even remember the last time someone had stolen something from him. He never imagined he would kneel for something like this.

It was just a cup of wine. If he didn’t get it today, he could always buy it tomorrow. He wasn’t that fixated on it, but it was a matter of pride.

He couldn’t swallow this anger.

“How can I get that token? I’ll go and get one.”

The madam of the brothel smiled ingratiatingly and said, “Sir, this token can only be obtained from the headquarters in the capital. How about you order another drink for tonight, and next month, during the Huakui night, you can go to the capital to get it?”

Mo Changge’s expression darkened, and the stubble on his chin looked even more pronounced.

The Golden Core cultivator smirked, turning to his companion and saying something. The two of them laughed as they looked at Mo Changge.

“Senior, why don’t you go get a token first, and next time…”

A clear, cold female voice came from upstairs, like a brisk wind that blew away the frivolous atmosphere below.

“Token, you say? I have one.”

A token dropped onto the wine jug. Everyone focused their gaze, and it turned out to be a jade token, exquisite and translucent. The Golden Core cultivator stared dumbfounded, unable to say a word.

Mo Changge saw He Guang, his expression complicated.

The madam reacted the quickest, snatching the jade token and inspecting it carefully under the light.

It was made from high-quality mutton-fat white jade, smooth in texture, crystal clear in color, and intricately carved with delicate patterns. The front of the jade token was engraved with the character “招” (invitation), while the back bore the character “上” (top).

Reluctantly, the madam ran her fingers over it. The jade token for Huakui Night’s top guest—this was the first time she had seen the real deal.

He Guang’s lips curved into a slight smile. “So, the Red Dust Drunk is mine then?”

The madam quickly nodded.

The onlookers began murmuring among themselves.

“A wild card has appeared halfway through. What bad luck.”

The Golden Core cultivator was left empty-handed. He couldn’t swallow this frustration and had already thought of what tricks he would play tonight.

“Wait a minute, is this jade token real?”

Huakui Night at Hongxiu Zhao happened once every thirty years. The four types of tokens were only distributed on that night, with each token’s level based on how much money each guest spent. The jade token was unique—only one was given out in a single night.

The crowd realized and looked around. No one had ever seen a real jade token before.

He Guang smiled softly and said to the madam, “Pretty sister, tell me, do you think my jade token is real or fake?”

The madam was overjoyed by the compliment and quickly responded, “It’s real, it’s real!” She snatched the Red Dust Drunk from the Golden Core cultivator, handed it to a nearby servant, and urged, “Quickly bring it to the senior!”

He Guang waved her hand, and the jade token returned to her possession. In the moment she raised her hand, her sleeve slipped down, revealing the Wanfo Sect’s pattern.

“Damn, a monk.”

“A monk going to brothels and drinking love wine—must be from the Joyous Zen, impressive.”

“Joyous Zen? Hmm, Daoist, cover me, I can’t stop the nosebleed.”

Mo Changge grabbed his cigarette pipe, ready to leave when He Guang’s voice entered his mind.

“Senior, would you like to share a drink?”

Mo Changge raised his head. He Guang on the second floor waved the Red Dust Drunk at him. He clacked his teeth together and smiled cryptically.

You Xiaowu looked shocked, his eyes unmoving. He Guang tossed him an empty wine glass. “What, you’ve gone dumb?”

You Xiaowu pushed aside the girls around him and squeezed up to He Guang. “Senior Sister, where did you get that jade token?”

He Guang glanced at him sideways, speaking nonchalantly, “It was given to me by Senior Uncle Mingfei of Joyous Zen. Do you think I have so much money to just toss into the sea? Hongxiu Zhao is Senior Uncle Mingfei’s vast ocean of stars.”

He Guang turned her head towards the staircase. The array guardian was slowly making his way up the stairs.

His eyelids were half-lowered, and a faint dark circle lingered under his eyes. A few strands of hair fell onto his shoulders, giving him an indescribable sense of decadence. Suddenly, he looked up, and their gazes met.

He Guang silently thought to herself, this unspoken pressure—no wonder he’s considered the strongest below the Great Ascension. When she first saw his weary appearance at the teleportation array, she nearly didn’t recognize him. Only after some inquiry did she dare believe it.

At that moment, it felt as if all sound faded away, leaving only the sound of his footsteps on the wooden floor.

His gaze, like a shark scenting blood, swept over He Guang’s forehead, throat, and chest, as if he had pinpointed every blind spot.

He Guang couldn’t help but tighten her fists, her back stiffened, her eyes fixed on him as his aura, filled with the scent of blood and battle, slowly closed the distance and he sat down beside her.

Mo Changge unbuckled his sword, placing it heavily on the table. He poured himself a drink and downed it in one gulp, the soft sound of the liquid passing down his throat ringing clearly in the quiet space.

The moment the glass touched the table, the oppressive pressure abruptly dissipated, as if the surface of a water mirror had shattered.

He Guang let out a long breath, cold sweat trickling down her back.

Mo Changge threw the wine glass aside and directly grabbed the wine jug, pouring himself a drink. He glanced at He Guang, who was pretending to be composed, and said, “Young one, do you find it amusing to mess with me?”

He Guang replied respectfully, “The younger generation would not dare. I just saw you being intentionally bullied and took the liberty to help you get some justice.”

He Guang gave a glance to the girl nearby, signaling her to step forward and pour Mo Changge some “Red Dust Drunk.”

The girl, seasoned in the pleasures of the world, leaned close to Mo Changge, lazily resting on his shoulder, trying to slip into his arms to grab the wine glass. However, Mo Changge stopped her.

He waved the girl aside and furrowed his brows, saying, “No need, don’t I have hands?”

Seeing this, He Guang pushed the wine forward to him. He silently held the glass, not drinking, and her heart couldn’t help but beat faster with unease.

Mo Changge stared at the reflection in the wine, the lingering sound of his voice echoing in her ears, “I accept losing the ‘Red Dust Drunk,’ but you stepping in makes me feel like a fool. Young one, what do you think should be done about this?”

He Guang was stunned, “How should I know?”

Mo Changge was also taken aback. He hadn’t expected her to reply back. Leaning against the railing, he studied her with some curiosity.

This monk actually looks pretty good.

He Guang furrowed her brows, “How about we have a fight?”

Mo Changge snorted lightly. “Golden Core against Transformation Stage? You’re throwing your life away, but I still have my dignity.”

The two fell into silence, and an awkward tension spread between them.

He Guang had a frustrated expression on her face. She had originally just wanted to thank him and lend a hand, but now she was caught up in this mess for no reason. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and she snatched the wine bottle from his hand and drank from it herself.

Mo Changge lifted his eyelids and watched her drink, downing it in one go.

Wow, she drinks quite boldly. Not a beginner, but a monk who doesn’t follow the rules.

Mo Changge leaned closer to her and quietly asked, “Are you here looking for a soul from another world? The one with the eerie voice?”

He Guang froze for a moment. She looked at Mo Changge, her expression turning sour, clearly ready to fight him.

Did Xie Xuan let something slip?

Mo Changge raised his hand and created a soundproof barrier, gesturing to her, “Same circle, I’ve heard the old guys mention it before.”

He Guang was silent for a moment. She exchanged a silent signal with Mo Changge, and once they were on the same page, she finally relaxed.

That idiot Xie Xuan.

He Guang nodded and replied, “It’s very possible, but not certain.”

Mo Changge grabbed another bottle of wine, bit off the top of the jug, and took a few swigs. “Yuyou… that sounds familiar. Is it Liu Yuyou from the Dayan Sect?”

He Guang was surprised. “You know her?”

He burped, wiped his mouth in a carefree manner, and said, “I don’t know her personally, but I’ve heard of Liu Yuyou. She’s been causing a storm with Ji Chanzi from the Wanfo Sect, so it’s hard not to know about her. If we’re talking about souls from other worlds, this Yuyou is the most likely one.”

He Guang curled her lips. That Ji Chanzi was really a troublemaker, causing such a commotion.

You Xiaowu hadn’t heard their conversation. After a few drinks, he became drowsy and drifted into a drunken stupor.

He Guang and Mo Changge chatted intermittently through the night, and by the time dawn was breaking, she had no idea what they had talked about.

As the first light of morning appeared, Mo Changge stood up, lazily stretched, and used his inner energy to clear the smell of alcohol. “Time to get to work. Thanks for the drinks, young one.”

He Guang looked at the sky in the distance, which was gradually brightening as the sun rose higher.

She kicked You Xiaowu, but he didn’t respond. He was sleeping like a dead pig, drooling at the corner of his mouth. She then grabbed the back of his collar and threw him out of the window.

A sharp, agonizing scream woke everyone in Hongxiu Zhao.

“My back—!”

Angry voices echoed from the rooms.

“Is this some kind of soul-calling? Quiet down!”

“Fellow Daoist, you’re playing too hard, how could you break your back?”

“Quick, take him to the pharmacy and get it fixed, and check if that thing down there is still working.”