Chapter 17

"Please enjoy your meal, honored guest."

The waitress smiled brightly as she served the delicious dishes.

"Brother Zhang, please," Gu Changqing said, initiating the polite exchange.

Just as they began to eat, a group of male and female cultivators at another table were glaring at one another.

"Despicable! Scoundrels!"

The female cultivator’s face was ugly, her flushed features filled with rage as she stared at the men who had been speaking just moments before.

"You women are being unreasonable. You think the magistrates are allowed to set fires, but the commoners aren't allowed to light lamps? Don't tell me you don't like Master Suqing? You haven't spent money on him? If Master Suqing didn't have such high standards, I suspect you would have already offered yourself to him."

"You..."

"What about me? Just now I heard you praising Master Suqing as peerless."

Much like men discussing beautiful women, women also enjoyed discussing the men they admired.

The woman in the yellow dress blushed. "Master Suqing is pure and self-respecting; he is nothing like those vixens."

"Pah! Him being self-respecting has nothing to do with you. Don't act so righteous."

"Haha, if you like Master Suqing so much, Miss, I could cast an illusion for you. While it wouldn't be as glorious as the real person, it might at least soothe your lovesickness."

The female cultivators stormed off in a rage.

Gu Changqing highly suspected that if they weren't wary of the faint pressure of a Golden Core expert emanating from the floor above, they might have come to blows.

However, he became even more curious about what kind of place the Linglong Pavilion was. Both men and women vied for its favor; even if the objects of their affection differed, it was enough to prove the magical nature of the establishment.

"I truly don't know what's so great about Master Suqing," a male cultivator said sourly.

"Indeed. Those female cultivators really have no taste."

"At least Young Master Bai is lucky. Fairy Luo is deeply devoted to him and never pays attention to other men."

Bai Tinghan’s face wore a look of smug satisfaction.

Gu Changqing: "..."

He ate in silence. The spiritual food at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was quite good. Before him was a group of people who could see the faults in others but were completely blind to their own.

***

Returning to the inn, Zhang Yuan bid him farewell and left.

Ji Yan was swaying, leaning against the wall. His expression was muddled with intoxication, his eyes hazy, his cheeks flushed, and his body seemed to be running hot.

"Are you alright?"

Gu Changqing felt a flicker of concern. The man had drunk too much; he hoped there wouldn't be any trouble.

"I am fine."

Ji Yan shook his head, looking at him with blurry eyes. He reached out a hand and commanded as if it were a matter of course, "Help me back to my room."

"Fine."

Gu Changqing decided not to argue with a drunkard.

Ji Yan stumbled as he leaned on him, drunkenly muttering, "You... you stay away from the Linglong Pavilion. Don't, don't you dare think of targeting them."

Gu Changqing was speechless. He didn't even know which way the gate to the Linglong Pavilion faced; this was his first time hearing of it today. He had never really held brothels in high regard, anyway.

"Did you hear me?"

Ji Yan glared at him, dizzy and confused, warning, "Neither men nor women are allowed. Otherwise, otherwise I will make you, make you regret it."

Gu Changqing: "..."

If only they weren't actually in a formal Daoist-companion contract.

Still, according to the terms of the contract, even if he had the heart for it, he would likely have to wait until Ji Yan was dead.

"Huff!"

Ji Yan’s body tilted, and he suddenly fell into a deep sleep. Seeing him about to collapse, Gu Changqing quickly caught him, grumbling, "If you can't hold your liquor, don't drink."

After getting him back to his room, Gu Changqing paused, looking at Ji Yan’s quiet sleeping face. He looked quite well-behaved.

Ji Yan was only well-behaved when he was asleep. Once awake, no matter how kind he appeared on the surface, he was still a lunatic.

Gu Changqing thought for a moment and channeled a sliver of Azure Wood energy into his body to ensure the man wouldn't suffer any ill effects from the alcohol.

Spiritual wine was no ordinary drink; it was a brew that could enhance one's cultivation. It was harmless for a normal person, but with Ji Yan’s broken body...

Gu Changqing turned and left. He would not expose too much of himself for Ji Yan’s sake; a sliver of Azure Wood energy was enough. Besides, since Ji Yan dared to drink, he likely knew his own limits. Even if the reincarnated man hadn't recovered his memories, it wasn't something Gu Changqing needed to worry about.

***

The next day, Gu Changqing slept in, not rising until the sun was high in the sky.

"Where is he?"

He sensed the room and realized Ji Yan was gone. However, there was a note and a food box left on the table in the main hall.

"Pfft!"

Gu Changqing couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't expected the man to be so embarrassed that he would leave to avoid him. But could he really hide forever? Remembering the man’s drunken state yesterday, Gu Changqing felt amused; Ji Yan was actually quite funny when drunk.

At this moment, he didn't know that Ji Yan simply loathed the Linglong Pavilion and harbored an inexplicable hostility toward it, which was why he had rambled while intoxicated.

Feeling quite pleased with himself, Gu Changqing unreservedly helped himself to the delicacies in the food box. There were three spiritual dishes and a bowl of Red-Refining Tiger Bone Soup. The taste was excellent, and it could not only stabilize his cultivation foundation but also slightly strengthen his physique. He wondered how it compared to the effects of demonic beast meat.

With this thought in mind, and after eating his fill, Gu Changqing prepared to go out.

He had already learned about the market yesterday. It wasn't far from the inn, but if he wanted to buy strange and curious items, the best place was the Treasure Pavilion, managed by the Bai family.

The Bai family started in business and operated the local auction houses; they were never short on exotic items, including eerie materials. Gu Changqing needed to craft an ancient book without a single flaw, and only eerie materials could meet his requirements.

***

At the Treasure Pavilion.

"Hateful! I haven't said I forgive you yet."

"My good girl, if I leave now, I won't be able to keep you company today."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Fine, fine, fine. Today, I am all yours," the man said with a smile. He then produced a hairpin made entirely of green jade and placed it in the woman's hair. "Zhilan, you are truly beautiful."

"..."

Gu Changqing never expected to be fed "dog food" as soon as he arrived at the Treasure Pavilion. However, realizing that the pavilion was a Bai family business, he felt a sense of resignation. He just couldn't understand where Fairy Luo Zhilan’s pride had gone. Yesterday, people were betting she wouldn't be angry for more than three days, and yet...

Truly, one was willing to beat and the other was willing to suffer; every pot had its lid.

"What does the guest need?"

At this moment, Bai Tinghan noticed Gu Changqing and recognized him as the diner from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion yesterday. He offered a sheepish, awkward smile and touched his left cheek, secretly sighing in relief. The medicinal pills in the cultivation world were highly effective; the slap mark was already gone.

Gu Changqing held back a laugh. "Young Master Bai, please, go about your business."

Luo Zhilan was already looking unhappy again.

"Brother Han, you promised to keep me company today."

"Zhilan, be good. I'm busy attending to a guest."

"Then you must promise me first that you won't go looking for Qinglan anymore."

"This..."

Luo Zhilan looked on the verge of tears, her beautiful eyes shimmering. The young couple was about to start arguing again. The staff at the Treasure Pavilion were clearly used to this. A clerk quickly greeted Gu Changqing, "You look like a new face, sir. Have you just arrived in North Spirit City?"

North Spirit City was the full name of North City.

Gu Changqing nodded and casually revealed his status token as an inner disciple of the Lingxu Sect. This was how the world worked; without strength or a backer, no one would care about a cultivator at the sixth level of Qi Refining.

"So, you are an inner disciple of Lingxu! My apologies, my apologies."

The clerk became visibly more enthusiastic. "What would you like to purchase, sir? Pills, magic tools, or materials? Everything we have here is top-tier."

This was a fact. The Treasure Pavilion lived up to its name, selling only high-end goods. Otherwise, if they tried to monopolize every trade, the other families wouldn't stand for it. Even now, the Li family was at odds with the Bai family.

Gu Changqing took out a list. "Do you have the materials listed here?"

"This..." The clerk hesitated. "The second-tier materials and ores are easy enough to source. But for these eerie materials... are you certain you want the raw components? Once they leave our doors, the Treasure Pavilion is not responsible."

Eerie objects were evil and heavily polluted. Under normal circumstances, they had to be treated before use; otherwise, a single slip could lead to an eerie mutation. Even a fingernail from an eerie object, if not handled properly, could cause a Foundation Establishment cultivator to fall into demonic madness and transform into an aberration.

Gu Changqing nodded. "That goes without saying."

"I will go consult the manager."

"Very well."

The clerk, unsure of himself, hurried off to ask the manager. As for their young master, the clerk ignored him, and Gu Changqing did the same.

Bai Tinghan was currently swearing to the heavens, "I promise, I will never go looking for Miss Qinglan again. If I break this oath, let me be struck down by heaven and earth!"

"Don't!"

Luo Zhilan finally broke into a smile through her tears. Daoist oaths were recognized by the Heavenly Dao; if Bai Tinghan broke his word, he would surely suffer heavenly retribution.

"Brother Han, you didn't have to do that."

"Who told you to be the one I fear seeing cry? Zhilan, my good girl, are you satisfied now?"

"Mm!"

Luo Zhilan’s eyes were brimming with tears, her smile blooming like a flower. "Brother Han, you are so good to me."

The young couple finally reconciled and left, looking very intimate.

Gu Changqing found the scene nauseating, yet he was also surprised. Bai Tinghan had actually sworn a Daoist oath; he found it hard to believe. Bai Tinghan looked like a classic playboy—was he truly willing to settle down?

It felt unreal.

Gu Changqing soon got his answer.

The manager and the clerk walked over. The manager, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, looked at him and said, "So, you are the one who wants eerie materials?"

"Yes."

Gu Changqing raised an eyebrow. "What? Does your Treasure Pavilion pry into the reasons behind every purchase?"

"No," the manager shook his head. "I simply need to register your information. Once the goods are sold, we take no responsibility. However, we must also prevent investigations. If you were not an inner disciple, we would never sell untreated eerie materials."

Gu Changqing nodded, understanding the manager's intent. The Treasure Pavilion wanted to make money, but they also needed to shift the blame; otherwise, if anything went wrong, they wouldn't be able to escape the consequences. Therefore, selling to an inner disciple of the Lingxu Sect was perfectly fine—the Lingxu Sect was a power they dared not offend.

Gu Changqing presented his token.

"Correct, this is the seal of Little Spring Peak. Please wait a moment, honored guest." The manager smiled, instructed the clerk to attend to him, and left the main hall.

"Please, sir, come to the inner room for some tea." The clerk was very welcoming. While this transaction might not mean much to the manager, for the clerk, the commission would be a significant sum.

Gu Changqing chatted with him idly. "Will your young master really turn over a new leaf?"

"How could he!" The clerk waved his hand dismissively. "Miss Qinglan is almost yesterday's news. I heard that three months from now, Lady Lian Yue, one of the Twelve Fragrant Masters of the Linglong Pavilion, will be coming to our North Spirit City. Rumor has it that she not only has a naturally seductive constitution but is also a rare Taiyin body. If one were to dual cultivate with her..."

The clerk couldn't hide his envy. "That is the kind of woman our young master pursues. I’ve heard that in the Southern Border, there are Golden Core cultivators who used her to breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage. There are even nobodies who used her to soar to great heights, and there’s more..."

The clerk went on and on, fantasizing, "I heard the Twelve Fragrant Masters don't look at cultivation levels when they take guests, only at 'predestined affinity.' If you have the affinity, she might even dual cultivate with a beggar on the roadside. I’m at least better than a beggar; I wonder if I could ever become one of the lucky ones to taste her fragrance."

The clerk’s dream was quite practical.

Gu Changqing asked, "What is the cultivation level of the Twelve Fragrant Masters?"

The clerk shook his head. "How would I know? But I’ve heard that at the very least, they are all Golden Core cultivators."

"Golden Core?"

Gu Changqing felt a jolt of shock. Twelve Fragrant Masters meant twelve Golden Core experts. With such a massive power, how could the Lingxu Sect just let them be? Furthermore, Golden Core cultivators were not necessarily kind-hearted. He didn't believe that "dual cultivation" was purely just dual cultivation.

If the cultivation levels were similar, that was called dual cultivation. If the gap was too wide, why would they sleep with you? Because of "predestined affinity"?