Chapter 55 – A Place for Cultivation

Li Guanqi was intrigued. He hadn’t expected a place as small as Port Serenity to be this chaotic. The crowd earlier had been full of thieves, swindlers, gamblers, scammers, cult recruiters... practically a full roster of criminals.

If a newcomer had come to this place, they might not have made it out alive.

Even the shopkeepers and street vendors were cunning.

On the cloud boat, Li Guanqi watched as the clouds drifted past. The view was especially breathtaking once they pierced through the cloud layer.

Sunlight bathed the clouds in gold, turning them into a vast golden ocean. In the distance, he could see other cloud boats flying in various directions.

The cloud boat hovered a thousand zhang above land. As he lounged on the beast-leather seats, he found himself looking forward to the day he could fly on a sword.

The journey to Moon Gazing City would take an entire day. By the time the sky darkened, they were nearly there.

The captain led other crew members to collect payments for the trip. It was neither expensive nor cheap, costing eight low-grade spirit stones.

Everyone paid obediently, and Li Guanqi reached for his spirit stones to do the same. To his surprise, the fat captain bowed with a fist salute. “You don’t need to pay this time, Sir. Let’s be friends and consider this my treat.”

Since the captain was being so polite, Li Guanqi simply smiled and put away his spirit stones. He took out a small jade vial and pressed it into the man’s hands. “This is a dose of qi refinement powder. Now we owe each other nothing.”

The captain wanted to decline the gift, but when he heard what it was, he quickly tucked it into his sleeve. He grinned and said, “Alright. Have a good rest, Sir. If you need anything, just ask for me.”

Li Guanqi smirked to himself. The captain was obviously trying to curry favor because he recognized his affiliation with the Daxia Sword Sect.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

If he could establish ties with the sect, no one in Port Serenity would dare compete with him in business.

Even a blind person like me can see what you’re up to.

The captain was smart enough to leave it at that. After receiving the qi refinement powder, he dared not ask for anything more.

These were the unwritten rules of society.

If he still wanted to clamber for more things after accepting a gift, he would have to consider whether he could afford to be beaten by Li Guanqi.

That night, the cloud boat docked at a port with bright lights.

Li Guanqi gave the captain a quick fist salute as he disembarked, but he didn't say anything else.

Moon Gazing Dock was bustling with activity. Large and small cloud boats lined up in a long queue, waiting for their turn to dock.

Merchants bustled about. The market was full of women, as many shops sold silk and cotton fabrics.

As usual, Li Guanqi carried a large sword box on his back. His white robes and handsome face attracted the attention of many young ladies.

The pair of pure white eyes made many people shake their heads and sigh.

A girl embroidering a piece of cloth in a shop let out a yelp. She looked down and noticed her finger was bleeding. Yet she still lifted her gaze, searching for the man who had just passed by.

By then, Li Guanqi had already descended the port and entered Moon Gazing City.

“Cold cakes~ Cold cakes~ Three coppers per piece.”

“Sesame biscuits! Sesame biscuits!”

“Braised duck noodles! Braised duck noodles! Steaming hot braised duck noodles!”

The streets were alive with vendor calls. Two-story shops lined the road, and the area was brightly lit and bustling. A small river wound through the city, its banks connected by a bridge.

Decorated boats floated on the river, and occasionally, the sound of singing and women laughing drifted from them.

Li Guanqi smiled and muttered, “This is a place of women and wine.”

All of a sudden, he perked up as if he had remembered something. He asked for directions to a place and then quickly ran off.

Li Guanqi walked with his chest up and shoulders back. Along the way, he even stopped by the Treasure Pavilion to exchange some valuables for extra gold and silver.

The weight of the gold and silver in his pocket gave him a sense of security. This time, he was determined to visit the place his grandfather had described as “far more mysterious than the streets.”

Along the way, a very cute girl approached him, her eyes never leaving his face.

As she drew closer, she suddenly tripped and fell toward him.

“Aiyo~”

Li Guanqi disappeared and reappeared one zhang away without hesitation.

Crash!

The girl face-planted into the ground. In pain, she turned and shouted at Li Guanqi, “Why did you dodge me?! What’s the rush?! Where are you even going?!”

A warm voice drifted over. “I’m busy. Heading to the brothel.”

The girl froze, then clenched her jaw and shouted, “You... bastard!”

***

Li Guanqi arrived at the Drunken Flower Brothel of Moon Gazing City. He had only just arrived when four extremely attractive ladies pulled him inside.

“I haven’t seen your face before~ Is this your first time here? My name is Qing He.”

“You’re so handsome! Is this your first time in Moon Gazing City?”

“Your muscles are solid... Sir, let me spend a night with you for free...”

In the short distance between the door and the hall, their hands had already explored his body several times over.

Li Guanqi half-closed his eyes.

So this is why my grandfather said that worldly attachments muddy the mind. This may be a brothel, but it is the best place for training one’s focus. Today, I shall endure the pain of honing my mind here!

The main hall of the Drunken Flower Brothel grew noisier as he ventured further inside.

He furrowed his brow slightly, and the lady named Qing He immediately understood.

“If the noise here bothers you, we can go to the side hall,” she said gently. “It’s much quieter, and it just costs a little more silver. Or, if you prefer privacy, there are private rooms on the third floor.”

Li Guanqi smiled. This lady was highly observant.

“Or,” she continued, “we could head to the second floor. That way, you can still watch the main hall.”

Li Guanqi said gently, “Ladies, I’ll spend some time alone with Qing He today. I’ll make it up to the rest of you next time.”

The other three ladies were disappointed, but they still smiled and promised to meet him again.

Li Guanqi glanced around, listening intently.

This is an excellent place for gathering intel. There are people here from all walks of life.

Once they reached the second floor, he did nothing. Unlike the other men, he didn’t touch her.

Instead, he took out a hundred taels of silver, and Qing He arranged for wine and snacks. When the food arrived, she poured him a drink.

He scanned the place. A young man almost the same age as himself to his right piqued his attention.