Chapter 34

Shinma's Selection (34)

"You really have an unusual taste, don't you? A clear gaze and a voluptuous figure! Great! You have a discerning eye."

The woman who was pointed out by Dan Yaxian was surprised.

She never expected that the guest she would serve would be a child. When Fan Jiewei gestured to call her, the courtesan looked at the manager with a bewildered expression.

The manager frowned and nodded.

The courtesan approached Dan Yaxian with a forced smile.

"It is an honor to serve a young hero with such noble demeanor and charm. I am Yang Hua. May I offer you a cup of wine with all my heart…."

Yang Hua, who introduced herself, could not continue.

The child had grabbed her wrist while she was pouring the wine.

'What a cheeky little brat...'

Unlike her inner thoughts, Yang Hua covered her face with her sleeve as if she were embarrassed and acted coy.

"Oh, my. What's the rush? The night is long."

Yang Hua, who tried to shake off Dan Yaxian's hand, suddenly felt strange. Dan Yaxian's gaze, which was fixed on her, contained no ulterior motives.

"I was right after all."

Dan Yaxian nodded and asked Yang Hua.

"Have you been suffering from severe headaches recently? Especially before going to bed?"

"Me?"

"Like being pricked by needles…."

"Yes, I have…."

"Do your hands tingle when you wake up in the morning?"

Yang Hua's eyes widened like teacups.

"How did you know that!"

It was as if even a ghost would weep. She had experienced those symptoms but had never told anyone.

Dan Yaxian sighed.

"If I had been a little late, it could have been serious."

Then he said to Yang Hua.

"Is there a quiet room here? I need to start the treatment right away."

"Me? Treatment?"

Dan Yaxian comforted the startled Yang Hua.

"Don't worry. It's a disease that can be easily cured with treatment. It's fortunate that we caught it before it worsened."

"There are many rooms, but…."

Yang Hua trailed off.

After all, the rooms on this floor of the pleasure house were not for treatment.

Fan Jiewei was equally flustered.

"Dan Yixian, this is not a place for such things. It's a place for other activities."

"Other activities? What kind of activities?"

"Um… It's a place to relieve one's sorrows?"

"I just met this person today."

"No, not the kind of sorrow where you talk about the past. I mean the kind of conversation you have with your body."

"I've never learned sign language."

"No! I mean when a man and a woman take off their clothes and get into the same bed…."

Frustrated, Fan Jiewei was about to give a more specific explanation when Dan Yaxian cut him off.

"Let's start with the treatment. You can't relieve your sorrows if you're not alive, right?"

* * *

Wulin Alliance, Xian Branch.

Feng Xian, the first disciple of Huashan, could not hide his surprise at the sudden visit of Plum Blossom Swordswoman.

After seeking the understanding of the Wulin Alliance officials, Feng Xian moved to a quiet place.

"What brings you here at this hour?"

At Feng Xian's question, the third disciple Ming Xue revealed a perplexed expression.

"It's a message from Yi Mei."

"Yi Jian? Has something happened?"

"That's…."

Ming Xue's trailing off made Feng Xian even more puzzled. He was known for his cautious nature and well-organized speech, which had earned the recognition of many elders.

"Take a look at this first."

As Feng Xian read the letter Ming Xue handed him, he let out a laugh of disbelief.

"Did I try to leave Huashan?"

It was not just unbelievable but also absurd.

Although he had passed his position to his disciple Ming Jian, the former Plum Blossom Chief Swordsman was Feng Xian himself.

"Whoever it is, they are digging their own grave."

Feng Xian stood up, shaking off his seat.

"Lead me there."

"Please just tell us if it's true or not, and I…."

"No. When one dog barks at a phantom, a hundred dogs will follow. Such rumors must be nipped in the bud."

A ship can sink if too many feathers are loaded.

The same goes for rumors. He also wanted to see the face of the person who fabricated such a ridiculous lie.

"Let's go."

Feng Xian, who had picked up his sword, headed to the inn where Ming Jian was staying, accompanied by Ming Xue. Ming Jian, who was drinking tea on the first floor, was startled when Feng Xian entered.

"Disciple Ming Jian greets Master!"

Feng Xian asked Ming Jian, who was offering greetings.

"Who is the one who insulted me?"

Feng Xian, who had been scanning the surroundings, suddenly paused.

There was only one person on the first floor of the inn besides Ming Jian. A woman in her early twenties with a stunning beauty.

He felt like he had seen her somewhere before.

Feng Xian, who was trying to recall, suddenly froze like a statue.

"Could it be…?"

Han Xuehua, who had been tilting her head and scrutinizing Feng Xian's face, soon nodded.

"It's the same brat from back then."

Then she looked into Feng Xian's eyes.

"But what did you just say? 'You'?"

"…!"

Realizing the situation, Feng Xian bowed respectfully to Han Xuehua.

"I am Feng Xian, the first disciple of Huashan, a minor figure in the martial world. I greet you, Senior."

Ming Jian and Ming Xue were shocked.

He was the former Plum Blossom Chief Swordsman and one of the top ten experts in Huashan. Considering his status and position in the martial world, he could never call himself a minor figure.

"Master…."

Feng Xian, who was still bowing, could not raise his head. Han Xuehua, looking at him, felt a bittersweet emotion rise and then fade.

"I see."

"…?"

"Is that cute little boy who used to rub his face against my skirt gone now?"

Feng Xian's face turned red.

"S, Senior. This is in front of my disciples. Please…."

"Time really does fly. That boy has grown up so much."

Han Xuehua sighed and continued.

"I made a bet with your disciple."

"A bet?"

Feng Xian, who could not hide his puzzlement, was told the details of the conversation between Han Xuehua and Ming Jian.

Feng Xian, who finally understood the situation, let out a sigh.

"Did I lie?"

To Han Xuehua's question, Feng Xian, after a moment of bewilderment, slowly replied.

"Senior, there is no lie in what you said."

Han Xuehua turned to Ming Jian.

"What do you think? Did I win the bet?"

"Me?"

Ming Jian, who was momentarily confused, quickly answered.

"Y, yes."

"Then what about the bodyguards?"

"I will dismiss them immediately."

Han Xuehua, as if she had nothing more to say, stood up.

When she passed Feng Xian, heading for the stairs leading to the upper floor, she said.

"Who would have thought that the boy who used to rub his face against my skirt would grow up like this."

"S, Senior!"

As her figure disappeared, Feng Xian slumped into a chair.

"Master, who exactly is that person…?"

In response to Ming Jian's cautious question, Feng Xian answered with a dazed expression.

"Senior Bingyuxian. A former expert who occasionally appears in the martial world."

"Former expert?"

"Perhaps even before that…."

Feng Xian lifted the teacup on the table and drank it in one gulp.

"To think she hasn't aged at all. Did she achieve the elixir of immortality?"

Seeing Feng Xian muttering to himself, Ming Jian hesitated before asking.

"Then is that story true? Did Master really try to leave Huashan because of that woman…?"

"No."

"Me? But why did you say it was true just now…?"

"It wasn't me."

"Me?"

Ming Jian, who was puzzled, was suddenly startled and gasped.

"Then could it be…?"

If it was the former Plum Blossom Chief Swordsman….

Feng Xian nodded with a sigh.

"Yes, it was Master."

"The Sect Leader…."

Feng Xian cut off Ming Jian's words with a stern look.

"Today's conversation is a secret to take to the grave. Understand?"

Ming Jian, who was shocked, could not speak for a while.

* * *

Chao Ailiang took in the row of pleasure houses lining the alley. It was obvious where the brat had gone.

Given his character, he would have headed to the most luxurious and largest pleasure house.

There was one that caught his eye. A four-story building with a sign that read "Li Hua Lou." However, something was off.

The lights were brightly lit, but the entrance was empty.

Chao Ailiang, with a puzzled look, entered the pleasure house and soon understood why.

He saw a long line of courtesans waiting on the stairs leading to the upper floor.

As Chao Ailiang was about to climb the stairs, a sharp voice stopped him.

"Get in line!"

Chao Ailiang frowned.

"What kind of attitude is this to a guest of a pleasure house?"

"We're not open today. So if you want to go up, get in line."

"What?"

After a moment of disbelief, Chao Ailiang's curiosity was piqued. A pleasure house that was so obsessed with money was not open, and he was very curious about the reason.

Chao Ailiang climbed the stairs to the upper floor.

There, too, was a long line.

The line led to a room at the end of the corridor. After pushing through the crowd, Chao Ailiang saw Dan Yaxian treating someone at the front, while the courtesans waited their turn.

At that moment, he also noticed Fan Jiewei yawning widely beside Dan Yaxian.

"Hey? Brother Chao is here?"

When their eyes met, Fan Jiewei recognized him.

The courtesans, who realized that Chao Ailiang was with Dan Yaxian and his group, made way for him.

"What are you doing here?"

Fan Jiewei sighed with a gloomy face.

"Brother Chao, you know…."

"What?"

"Good looks and money are all useless. Medicine is the best. If I were to be reborn, I would learn medicine first and forget about martial arts."

Fan Jiewei, looking at the line of courtesans in front of Dan Yaxian, was full of resentment.

"Missing a day of business would be a huge loss. How could the owner of this place let this happen?"

Chao Ailiang turned to where Fan Jiewei pointed.

He saw an old man lying on a bed in a corner of the room, his upper body exposed. Dozens of needles were stuck into his body.

Beside him, a man with a gloomy expression was sitting cross-legged, also with needles stuck into various parts of his body.

"I see."

Chao Ailiang immediately understood the situation.

* * *

Three hours later.

It was early morning, just as dawn was breaking, when Fan Jiewei and Chao Ailiang, carrying Dan Yaxian, finally left the pleasure house.

Dan Yaxian mumbled in a tired voice.

"I'm sleepy."

Then he buried his face in Fan Jiewei's back and fell asleep. He was exhausted from treating people non-stop in a short time.

When they returned to the inn, Han Xuehua was waiting for them, emitting a cold aura.

"Did you make the child drink alcohol?"

Fan Jiewei jumped and waved his hands.

"No! I didn't! I didn't even drink myself!"

"Then why is the child like this?"

"Maybe he used his body too much?"

"What?"

A piercing blue light flickered in Han Xuehua's eyes.

"Did you make that child do that kind of thing?"

Squish.

A bone-chilling cold spread from Han Xuehua's feet, quickly covering the inn with ice.

"This brat, I must say something!"

Chao Ailiang quickly stepped forward.

He needed to resolve the situation before the misunderstanding grew worse.

Chao Ailiang explained the situation he had witnessed in the pleasure house. Han Xuehua looked at Fan Jiewei and Dan Yaxian with a disbelieving gaze.

After a moment,

Chao Ailiang, who was scanning the surroundings, felt puzzled.

He could not sense the presence of the Plum Blossom Swordswomen who were supposed to be staying there for protection.

"What happened to those ladies?"

"I talked them into leaving."

"Are you saying that the great Huashan Sect listened obediently to your words?"

"They had to. It was my word."

Although Chao Ailiang was still skeptical, he did not press further. Regardless, it was a welcome outcome to have them gone, no matter the process.