After thinking about everything that happened from the moment he broke down the door, to the seemingly contrived banquet, to the way Tenth Prince arrogantly took out the bag of holding, Xu Qing was left thinking one thing.

It seems entirely possible this Tenth Prince isn’t the silkpants everyone thinks he is....

Although it seemed like a case of Xu Qing making a big splash and Tenth Prince acting domineering, the reality was more nuanced. There were deeper things going on.

That said, in many instances, one isolated incident isn’t enough to make a broad judgment. The only way to determine if Tenth Prince really had set the entire thing up would only become apparent later as he took other actions. Given that, Tenth Prince’s actions actually made a lot of sense. He didn’t care if people other than Xu Qing and Ningyan realized what was really going on, as the power of words could overcome many obstacles.

As Xu Qing thought about those things, Ningyan was at his side, his eyes also flickering thoughtfully. As an imperial prince, Ningyan was naturally not an idiot, and he had picked up on some of the same clues. He looked over at Xu Qing, and Xu Qing looked back and nodded. Together, they returned to Ningyan’s mansion.

Back inside, Ningyan took Xu Qing to the mansion’s shrine hall. There, he opened the bag of holding to reveal a scroll painting. There was nothing else inside. Apparently, it wasn’t something that would normally be stored in a bag of holding, as it took effort to extract it without destroying the bag itself and losing the scroll to spatial rifts. The scroll painting was wrapped up in a special package that was designed to facilitate its storage in the bag of holding.

All of that made it abundantly clear the Tenth Prince had been meticulous in making preparations that required a lot of time and effort to handle properly.

That was another reason why Ningyan had been in such a hurry to leave, and hadn’t bothered checking thoroughly what was inside the bag of holding.

After taking out the scroll painting, Ningyan felt a bit shaky. He rubbed the painting with trembling hands, his eyes glimmering with reminiscence. Finally, he unfurled it and hung it on the wall of the shrine hall.

It depicted a young woman. She wore a simple yet elegant blue gown. Her hair was not bound and her smile seemed shrewd and even crafty. She wasn’t stunningly beautiful, and in fact, there were many people in the world more attractive than her. But there was no doubt that she had a strong personality. The light in her eyes shone through even in the painting, making it clear how vivacious she was.

Looking more melancholy than ever, Ningyan approached the painting, lit some incense, and bowed to his mother.

Xu Qing solemnly stepped forward, lit some incense, and bowed. Then, as he looked at the painting, and specifically Ningyan’s mother’s eyes, his expression flickered.

He had no idea who had painted this image, but they executed it in a very lifelike way. For example, he had gone to the trouble of painting the pupils in the eyes. But it wasn’t just the pupils that were painted in detail; there were also reflections in the pupils. Although they were somewhat blurry, the general shape was visible, and at first, it seemed like an altar.... But if you looked more closely, you would realize it was actually a building. The specific details of the building weren’t clear.

Xu Qing decided to revisit the matter later. Looking to the side, he saw that Ningyan was lost in thought as he looked at the painting. Xu Qing, having experienced moments like this himself, knew that Ningyan probably wanted to be alone. He left the shrine hall, being careful not to disturb Ningyan. As he made his way through the mansion, he encountered occasional patrolling swordsages. Other than them, the mansion was relatively empty. A faint breeze blew, causing the bells hanging from the eaves to chime. That only added to the emptiness.

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Plumdark hadn’t returned, nor the Captain. Both of them were handling their own matters in the imperial capital. Kong Xianglong went out to pay a visit to Li Yunshan.

That meant that the only people left in the mansion with Ningyan were Xu Qing and Wu Jianwu.

Some distance away, Wu Jianwu sat at the edge of the lake reciting some poetry in the breeze.

“The water ripples, mortality is tangible; a koi fish roasts here in the capital!”

“Great poem. Really great poem!”

The poem was recited by Wu Jianwu, and the praise came from the parrot.

Xu Qing scanned the lake with divine will and saw Wu Jianwu sitting there, looking thoughtfully at the surface of the water. As he continued to recite more poetry, the parrot didn’t just spout praise. It had taken on an additional task. It was keeping a record. It was recording all of Wu Jianwu’s poetry in a jade slip, for when Wu Jianwu occasionally needed to reference them.

Seeing how much fun they were having, Xu Qing chose to just sit down on the stone slabs of the courtyard. The sensation of the breeze, and the sound of the chiming bells, caused him to gradually relax. As he reviewed all of the information of late, he came to the realization that he was probably going to be in the capital for a while. After all, he was here, yet the emperor hadn’t summoned him yet.

Xu Qing wasn’t in a hurry. After getting his thoughts in order, he closed his eyes and started working on his cultivation. The spirit energy in the capital was stronger than in Sea-Sealing County. And though there was still mutagen, it existed in much lower levels. For mortals, it meant that their longevity was very close to normal. For cultivators, it meant that cultivation progress came a lot quicker, and the chances of mutation were infinitely smaller.

Therefore, Xu Qing didn’t want to waste this opportunity, and immersed himself in cultivation. As of now, he had three god troves. Unfortunately, he wasn’t even sure of how to progress with his fourth. It was something he needed to put some thought into going forward. Other than that, he had his god states.

The god state associated with his first god trove was easy to sustain. But his second-level god state needed Crimson Mother’s flesh, and that was a big waste, especially considering the god state didn’t last for long. There was little need to mention his third-level god state.

I need to figure out a way to change that.

Before coming to the imperial capital, he had asked Master Seventh about the situation. His Master had told him that he would be able to find the answer in the imperial capital.

Where do I find this answer?

Xu Qing looked up into the canopy of heaven for a time, then closed his eyes and went back to breathing exercises.

Days passed. Half a month later, there was less attention being focused on Xu Qing than before, mostly because he hadn’t left the mansion the entire time.

The story about the incident between Xu Qing and Tenth Prince had long since made the rounds in the capital. What was more, after the event, when the banquet continued, Tenth Prince had made a point of repeatedly mentioning how Xu Qing was his enemy now.

There was something else that had distracted the prying eyes. A major development occurred in the war with the Nightshades. A few days previously, a grand prince of the Firemoon Darkheavens was invited to the Nightshade’s imperial capital. It was a very sensitive situation, and it resulted in a temporary ceasefire in which tensions mounted.

Xu Qing hardly saw Plumdark or the Captain during the half month that passed. He spent most of his time in the courtyard seated in meditation.

One evening when Ningyan was away, two people that Xu Qing had met before sent a message saying that they wanted to visit. Shortly after, they were escorted into the courtyard by two swordsages.

“Long time no see, Xu Qing! Hahaha!” One of them smiled broadly as he casually entered and sat on a stone bench near Xu Qing. The other one seemed more cautious as he approached the bowed respectfully.

Xu Qing opened his eyes and looked at them. It took a moment for him to realize who they were.

“Brother Meng. Brother Huang.”

The cautious fellow was the swordsage Huang Kun, while the casual one was Meng Yunbai. [1]

He had been introduced to both of them when he went to Seventh Prince’s banquet. And Meng Yunbai, who was the grandson of the minister of war, had actually been sitting right next to Xu Qing, and had given him additional information about some of the other guests. In fact, Xu Qing had talked with Meng Yunbai more than anyone else that day.

Laughing heartily, Meng Yunbai continued, “I knew from the moment we met that you had limitless potential, and that we would definitely meet again one day. Of course, I had no idea it would be here in the imperial capital.

“I wanted to come see you earlier, but my clan said I couldn’t. They said too many people are watching. But thanks to the developments in the Nightshade war, attention has shifted, and I was finally permitted to make contact.”

Meng Yunbai’s personality hadn’t changed since that banquet. He seemed carefree, as if he would say anything that came to mind. And when he talked, he got to the point.

Off to the side, Huang Kun nodded. “It’s the same over at the Swordsage Division. Actually, there are a lot of swordsages who want to pay a visit to you, Xu Qing....”

Meng Yunbai blinked a few times, then lowered his voice and adopted a mysterious tone of voice. “You see, someone invited Huang Kun and I over to the Red Dust Pavilion today. Then we thought of you, and decided to ask you to come along. What do you think, Xu Qing? Want to join us for a drink?

“By the way, the Red Dust Pavilion is a great place. You’ve heard of the Red Dust Emotional Suppression Pavilion, one of the ten superpower sects, right? When I say Red Dust Pavilion, that’s what I mean.

“It’s different from most sects. The disciples are primarily women, and their cultivation revolves around withdrawing from society and suppressing emotions. Of course, if you want to withdraw from society, you have to be a part of society first. And if you want to suppress emotions, you have to release them first.

“That’s why their sect opens Red Dust Pavilions in many places. It’s a very expensive place, and they have strict requirements based on status, position, and cultivation base. If you don’t meet the qualifications, then regardless of anything, you won’t be allowed inside. For all intents and purposes, going there will leave you broke for a month. While we go there for fun, the Red Dust Pavilion disciples practiced cultivation there.

“However, they offer entertainment and companionship, nothing more. Nobody would dare try to use force on them. No, they’re treated very well. After all, the god they worship is supposedly High God Starfire of the Firemoon Darkheaven people.

“When it comes to the female cultivators from there, each one is more good-looking than the next, and each one has a hotter body than the next. And if we guests are charming and dashing enough, then you can get intimate and practice dual cultivation. Now

that

is true bliss!”

Meng Yunbai licked his lips, and his heart burned with passion. However, seeing that Xu Qing wasn’t very interested, and was about to reject his invitation, he quickly continued, “Incidentally, the gathering today is being hosted by the junior emperor from the Star Emperor Preeminence Sect. He’s also a descendant of Grand Emperor Starry Sky. You know, now that you’re here in the imperial capital, you probably feel like your head is spinning. I know you might want to stick to yourself, but the reality is that there are some good people around here. Besides, you can take advantage of this situation to learn first-hand how things work here.”

Xu Qing thought about it. What Meng Yunbai said did make sense. He needed to personally observe more about the imperial capital so that he could make his own judgment about things.

Finally, Xu Qing nodded, got to his feet, and left the mansion along with Meng Yunbai and Huang Kun. Meng Yunbai talked just about nonstop, telling Xu Qing all about the customs in the capital. Combining that with what he already knew gave Xu Qing an even deeper understanding of the capital.

Soon, it was evening, and yet the streets were no less crowded than before. In fact, they were busier. As in most human cities, nighttime was often more vibrant. In the east of the city was a courtyard structure. It featured extravagant architecture, precious building materials, ornamental rocks, and decorative streams. A light buzz of conversation could be heard inside. Above the main entrance was calligraphy

as flamboyant as dancing dragons and swirling phoenixes

.

Red Dust Pavilion.

There were red lanterns everywhere, and a lot of foot traffic in the area. The open-air courtyard was filled with small buildings separated by ornamental rocks and connected with meandering paths. The little buildings all had spell formations that could be used to create privacy.

Meng Yunbai was obviously a regular here, as he was immediately noticed by the granny in charge, who walked over with a smile on her face. She was called ‘granny,’ but was actually an attractive middle-aged woman. She had a flirtatious look in her eyes, but if you looked closely, you could see a cold glint there. Being hot on the outside but cold on the inside was one way to make yourself a lot more attractive.

Meng Yunbai casually slipped his arm around the ‘granny’s’ waist and then pointed at Xu Qing. “Recognize him?”

The ‘granny’ looked Xu Qing over, and the pupils in her beautiful eyes constricted. She smiled. “Young Sir Xu! Who hasn’t heard about you?”

Xu Qing’s expression was the same as ever as he looked around. He wasn’t very comfortable in places like this. As for Huang Kun, though he had started out being reserved, being in this familiar environment, he started to loosen up a bit. As Meng Yunbai continued to laugh and chat, the ‘granny’ led them onward.

The smell of perfume filled the air, lending a sense of romance to the place. It was a really nice brothel, that was clear. Some of the buildings had guards, and when they spotted Meng Yunbai, they clasped hands and bowed.

There were beautiful, alluring women everywhere. When they noticed Xu Qing, almost all of them stopped and stared. In sharp contrast, Xu Qing ignored them.

Before long, the ‘granny’ had led the three of them to one particular building which was completely empty except for a young woman playing a zither.

However, as Xu Qing got closer, it was like walking through a sheet of water and into an otherworldly paradise. Within that otherworldly paradise was a huge immortal hotspring. The spirit energy a dense mist that filled the area and cleared the mind. Not too far away were a dozen or so young men, toasting each other and chatting. Each young man had a beautiful woman at his side, each of whom was attractive in a different way.

Seated in the very middle was a young man in a black robe embroidered with a starry sky. He was extraordinary, being very handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and eyes that sparkled like stars. He was currently chatting with the woman next to him. He was obviously the host of this event, the junior emperor of the Star Emperor Preeminence Sect. Music drifted about, and there were dancers performing. The atmosphere was very warm.

When Xu Qing, Meng Yunbai, and Huang Kun entered, everyone in the immortal hotspring looked over. Meng Yunbai stepped forward, clasped hands to the young man in the starry sky robe, then laughed heartily.

“Brother Peng, sorry that Huang Kun and I have come late, but we brought a new friend with us. I don’t think I need to introduce Xu Qing to any of you. You’ve all heard of him.”

All gazes shifted to Xu Qing. Some people even rose, smiled at him, and clasped hands.

Junior Emperor Peng looked at Xu Qing and nodded. His expression wasn’t cold, but neither was it warm. It was neutral.

Xu Qing nodded to everyone, then found a place to sit down. Meng Yunbai chatted for a bit, then went over to Xu Qing to explain who everyone was. They were either nobility or disciples from major sects. They were sizing Xu Qing up while he did the same to them. Regardless of what they were thinking on the inside, they were all smiles on the outside.

Eventually, some beautiful girls arrived, and one of them, who was fairer than any of the others, gracefully sat down next to Xu Qing.

“Young Sir,” she said with a smile, “you look a bit out of sorts.”

Xu Qing wasn’t necessarily out of sorts. It was just his first time being in a situation like this.

***

In the Red Dust Pavilion’s shrine hall, the clay fox stirred, and hēr eyes suddenly glittered.

Should I go have a look at the naughty little boy...?

1. We met Meng Yunbai in chapters 547.1 and 547.2. ?

Deathblade's Thoughts

This chapter was much longer than average, being around 4,500 Chinese characters instead of the standard 3,000.

ALSO!

Starting with this chapter, I'm uploading a ton of chapters in preparation for my trip to China. I want to make sure there are plenty on the WW end in case I experience travel delays or internet issues. As a result, there are going to be about a week of chapters with NO shoutouts for reviews. Once I'm in China, back on line, and start uploading chapters to WW again, the shoutouts will resume. Thank you for your patience!