Chapter 37

Chu Li finally suppressed the impulse to ambush and kill Fashan, and returned to Chongming City.

It was already evening, and the lights were just beginning to come on. When he returned to the mansion, the entire place was brightly lit, and the sound of delicate laughter echoed, as sweet and pleasant as silver bells.

Chu Li smiled. Hearing their laughter made him feel reassured. He hoped they would soon move past the shadows and start a new life!

He had just stepped into the outer courtyard when Li Yue came out to greet him, hurriedly pulling him by the arm: "Brother, you're finally back!"

Chu Li smiled and said, "Everything settled?"

"Finally!" Li Yue wiped his forehead and smiled wryly, "Brother, if you hadn't come back, I would have died of exhaustion!"

Chu Li laughed, "Is it really that exaggerated?"

"These ladies, I'm truly convinced, not one of them is easy to handle!" Li Yue waved his hands frantically, looking as if he were trying to avoid snakes and scorpions.

Chu Li raised an eyebrow, "They also know martial arts."

"Their tongues are too sharp!" Li Yue shook his head, sighing deeply, "One wrong word, and they wouldn't let it go. They talk back and forth, and I was completely confused... Brother, I have to go quickly, the garden can't be left unattended."

Chu Li chuckled, "I thought it would be a good job for you, with so many beautiful women around, it would be quite pleasant."

"I don't have the good fortune to enjoy it, you should do it yourself!" Li Yue waved his hands frantically, shaking his head, looking as if he were still haunted by the experience.

"Alright, you go back first, I'll stay here tonight," Chu Li said.

Li Yue looked at him with a strange expression, "You really want to stay here?"

"Yep," Chu Li nodded, "Is it not my own mansion?"

"Can you handle so many beautiful women?"

"Get lost, don't think so dirty!" Chu Li pushed him away, and Li Yue took the opportunity to laugh and leave.

Zhao Ying entered gracefully and whispered, "Senior Brother, how did it go?"

Chu Li shook his head, his face darkening, "He escaped!"

"Escaped?!" Zhao Ying's face changed slightly, frowning, "This is going to be troublesome!"

Daleiyin Temple will never let it go. They have never failed in their pursuit, and Senior Brother Chu is in danger!

Chu Li smiled, "It's not that serious. As long as I stay in the mansion, no one will dare to act rashly!"

"Senior Brother, you can't stay in the mansion forever. Daleiyin Temple has great power and will continue to pursue you!" Zhao Ying's face was filled with worry, sighing, "What can we do?"

Chu Li said, "There's always a way out, ... have you found a room?"

"Me—?" Zhao Ying pointed to herself.

Chu Li smiled, "As a man, they would find it inconvenient. You need to help out more. Running back and forth all day is a waste of time. Find a room here and stay occasionally!"

Zhao Ying hesitated.

This is, after all, Chu Li's mansion. What he said made sense, but she couldn't ignore these women. However, staying in his mansion would not look good, and it would be too immodest and unbecoming.

Chu Li smiled, "Don't worry, I won't do anything improper!"

Zhao Ying gave him a glare.

Chu Li said, "After a while, once they get used to it, you can move out again."

As long as she moved in, she would break the psychological barrier and gradually get closer, making it hard for her to think about moving out.

To pursue Zhao Ying, Chu Li had put in a lot of effort.

Seeing her hesitation, Chu Li smiled, "It's settled then. Is the west wing empty?"

"No," Zhao Ying shook her head, "They didn't stay in the main courtyard."

"Then you can stay in the west wing."

"But—"

"Stop making excuses!" Chu Li interrupted her, "You can't just leave them alone. Running back and forth all day, how can you have time to practice? ... Don't worry, I'll mostly stay in the east garden and won't come back often."

Zhao Ying still hesitated but didn't say more.

Chu Li smiled, "I need to meditate, please take care of them."

Zhao Ying said, "They can do everything, I'm not as good as they are."

Chu Li nodded, "In the courtyard, it's like this, but in the city, it's different. By the way, pick a few people to clean the mansion."

"Okay," Zhao Ying nodded lightly, seeing Chu Li's expression, she quickly added, "Alright, Senior Brother, go rest first."

Chu Li nodded, returned to the front courtyard, entered the bedroom on the east side of the hall, and sat on the bed to start practicing.

He sat on the bed, recalling the scenes of the previous fight, summarizing the martial arts of Daleiyin Temple, observing Fashan's technique, and thinking about how to deal with it in the future.

Daleiyin Temple will not let it go, otherwise, it wouldn't be Daleiyin Temple. Fashan will certainly gather a group of helpers to pursue and kill him.

He is a Xiantian expert and is quite accomplished in the Xiantian realm, but once he encounters a Tianwai expert, he would have no resistance. The difference in realms is like the sky and the earth, impossible to bridge.

Daleiyin Temple has a deep foundation and definitely has many Tianwai experts. If they mobilize, his chances of survival are slim. He needs to practice hard and reach the Tianwai realm to protect himself.

To reach the Tianwai realm, it's impossible in the mansion. He needs to achieve the realm of intention.

The realm of intention is mostly in the hands of major sects. As a guard of the mansion, he can go to some sects for training, but not everyone can go.

These training opportunities are very precious and rare. Without special contributions, the mansion will not grant them to the guards.

He sighed, still needing to achieve great merit. Fortunately, Xiao Qi is enlightened and generous, rewarding heavily. Achieving great merit gives him a chance, and Xiao Qi hasn't broken through to the Tianwai realm either.

---

The next morning, Chu Li returned to the mansion. When he got back to the east garden, Li Yue was busy weeding the moonlight orchid garden. The moonlight orchid garden grows weeds quickly, thanks to Chu Li's spiritual energy supply, and needs to be weeded every two days.

Li Yue looked up and saw him, giving a strange laugh, and sized him up.

Chu Li glared at him.

Li Yue laughed, "How was it, being surrounded by beauties?"

Chu Li glared at him, looking down at the moonlight orchid and the night-blooming cereus, which were growing well, without needing his attention.

"Brother, where did you get so many beauties? Are you planning to open another Yaoyue Tower?" Li Yue grabbed his sleeve.

He was so curious that he didn't sleep well all night. These women all had a hint of charm, and their every move was alluring. He thought they were comparable to the beauties of Yaoyue Tower.

Yaoyue Tower is the best brothel in the city, the top gold pit. Only the rich and powerful can enter. The entrance fee is a hundred taels of silver, which can buy a small mansion, showing how expensive it is.

Chu Li shook his head and explained their background.

Li Yue listened, then punched his palm, sighing, "Indeed pitiful. I didn't expect you to do such a big thing, truly a great deed!"

Chu Li smiled wryly, "This is like poking a hornet's nest, causing a lot of trouble. The chieftain is a disciple of Daleiyin Temple, though a renegade, but killing him is a sin. Daleiyin Temple is now pursuing me."

"Daleiyin Temple—?" Li Yue's eyes widened.

Chu Li nodded.

Li Yue's mouth opened wide, speechless.

Daleiyin Temple is a massive entity, more powerful than the mansion. As a guard of the mansion, protected by the mansion, ordinary martial artists wouldn't dare to provoke him, but Daleiyin Temple is different.

Chu Li waved his hand, "I'll go report to the chief steward."

"Ah..." Li Yue sighed, nodding, "Go quickly. You should stay in the mansion, don't go out, it's too dangerous!"

Even though Chu Li is a martial arts expert, Li Yue doesn't think he can withstand Daleiyin Temple's pursuit. Daleiyin Temple has many experts, more powerful than the mansion, and is said to have hidden divine experts, which is why it has stood for a thousand years.

Chu Li arrived at Yuxi Island.

As soon as he entered the island, Su Ru came over, wearing a light yellow silk robe, looking at him with a smile.

Chu Li got off the boat and landed, bowing, "Chief Steward."

Su Ru waved her hand and smiled, "I heard you bought a mansion and hid a group of beauties?"

Chu Li smiled wryly, shook his head, and sighed, recounting the entire journey in detail.

Su Ru's expression changed immediately, gestured, and led him to the top floor of the Star Observation Tower, where Xiao Qi was practicing swordsmanship in a white silk robe.

The sword light was like snow, and the cold air was intense. Chu Li took a step back to avoid the chilling air. The power of this sword technique was truly astonishing. To counter it, he would need the fourth level of the Boundless Ocean Technique, otherwise, he would not be a match.

"Miss," Su Ru said as Xiao Qi stopped, catching the sword she threw, and sheathed it, "Chu Li has caused another big trouble."

"Hmm—?" Xiao Qi's eyes, clear as water, looked over.

Chu Li recounted the events again.

"Fashan..." Xiao Qi pondered, nodding, "He should be a disciple of Daleiyin Temple's Discipline Hall, responsible for pursuing renegade disciples. To defeat him, your martial arts are quite accomplished, well done!"

Chu Li shook his head, "Fashan doesn't seem to be top-notch."

"Hmm, the disciples of the Discipline Hall are generally not top-notch. If they really want to pursue you, they will use the disciples of the Demon Subduing Hall." Xiao Qi shook her head, "These guys are ruthless killers, with powerful martial arts. You can't be careless."

"Miss, what should we do?" Su Ru frowned, "Can we talk to Daleiyin Temple?"

"No use," Xiao Qi said calmly, "They are very arrogant and don't take the mansion seriously."

"Are we just going to let Chu Li be pursued?"

"Hide for a while."

"Ah... This is too frustrating, isn't it?"

"The situation is stronger than the person. If Chu Li goes out, they won't be lenient. If they kill him, what can we do? Dare to start a war with Daleiyin Temple?"

Su Ru huffed, "Then warn them. If they dare to kill Chu Li, we will kill Daleiyin Temple disciples, one by one in Chongming City!"

Xiao Qi glared at her.

Su Ru pouted, huffed, "Anyone can bully us, it's really infuriating!"

Chu Li said, "Chief Steward, Daleiyin Temple is different."

"Who cares what temple it is, if they provoke our mansion, they will pay the price!" Su Ru huffed.

"You... just don't think!" Xiao Qi shook her head, "If the mansion were so powerful, it would be close to destruction!"

Chu Li nodded.

Such power, where would the imperial palace be? The mansion is different from Daleiyin Temple, relying on imperial power to exist.

Chu Li said, "Alright, I won't leave the mansion for a while."

"That's best," Xiao Qi nodded lightly, "Start working on the spirit soil. Everything is ready, you will prepare on Yuxi Island?"

"Yes," Chu Li nodded.

"Okay, then on Yuxi Island," Xiao Qi said, "Xiao Ru, you two find a place, as secret as possible, and help Chu Li as much as you can!"

Su Ru was listless, answering reluctantly, "Yes, Miss!"