Chapter 2708 - An Invitation to a Brothel

The entire stretch of endless time and space was in upheaval. Blood flowed like a river.

A long time passed before everything quieted down.

The black sheep returned to Su Yi’s side.

“The old-timer was a member of the Misty Cloud Spirit Race,” said the black sheep. She recognized the assassin’s origins at a glance. “They’re quite famous on the River of Destiny, as they’re all natural-born assassins. They excel at hiding, gathering information, and killing.

“I remember that Divine Reverence Pavilion publishes a list of the six top factions of assassins. The Misty Cloud Spirit Race is on the list,” said the black sheep, looking at Su Yi in surprise. “You just killed a Divine Wandering Realm expert, someone a whole realm above you, and an assassin at that. Someone like that is extraordinarily difficult to kill; he was among the most dangerous opponents of his level. I wouldn’t have guessed you’d kill him with such ease.”

Su Yi tightened his grip, and the assassin’s corpse fell apart, crumbling into powder. All that remained was his Eternal Source, which Su Yi took in hand.

Eternal Sources were the manifestations of Eternals’ foundations in the Grand Dao. They were extraordinarily rare and precious.

There were three main ways of using them. You could just refine them to temper your own foundations in the Eternal Dao, you could refine them into medicine, or you could refine them into treasures.

Eternal treasures needed to absorb large quantities of Eternal power. The higher their quality, the more Eternal source energy required.

Most people who acquired Eternal Sources would refine them into medicine for the simple reason that every Eternal Source contained different types of Laws. Refining one directly could boost one’s cultivation, but it was a desecration of a heavenly treasure.

The same was true of refining them into artifacts. It was only by making medicine that you could put an Eternal Source to optimal use.

Su Yi put away the Eternal Source with laws that were seventh-tier at best, then said, “I was capable of killing Unfettered Realm Eternals before even entering Eternity. It’s not at all strange that I managed to kill a mere Divine Wandering Realm expert.”

The black sheep rolled her eyes. “Braggart!”

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Su Yi smiled. “Compared to you, Senior, my abilities naturally aren’t even worth looking at.”

The black sheep snorted coldly. “Flattery will get you nowhere, so quit it!”

Although she said that, she held her head higher. It was obvious that compliments were highly effective.

Su Yi seized the opportunity to ask, “Senior, what kind of faction is Divine Reverence Pavilion?”

The black sheep commanded, “Gather the spoils first. Then this lofty one shall answer your questions.”

The corners of Su Yi’s lips twitched, but he nonetheless straightforwardly agreed and got to work.

The black sheep watched him gather the trophies strewn across time and space. She couldn’t help but feel confused.

How... could he have changed so dramatically?

When Su Yi finished gathering the spoils, the black sheep merely glanced at them before shaking her head. “Keep them for yourself.”

Twenty or so Eternal Sources of varying levels, fragments of Eternal weapons, and several varieties of medicine and divine material would have been a fortune to most Eternals, but the black sheep obviously wasn’t impressed.

Su Yi didn’t stand on ceremony. He just put the treasure away.

He’d given all the treasures he had no use for to his friends on Sunset Perch Island before leaving the God Domain. All he had left were some of the divine medicines he’d gathered on Red Pine Mountain.

At his current rate of cultivation, he would burn through his stash within a month. Fortunately, this influx of trophies was more than enough to remedy that problem.

“Come on, let’s chat as we walk,” said the black sheep, leading the way ahead. She just figured that Su Yi’s personality was changing as his heart evolved.

Only Su Yi knew that his personality hadn’t really changed, and his heart that strove for the Dao had never wavered. His pride and confidence had simply become more withdrawn.

This was what it meant to follow the heart without overstepping.

In the endless void of time and space, a red-robed man with a sheathed longsword at his waist sat on his butt on a barren meteorite, paying no heed to his image.

He stroked his jaw and murmured, “How strange! How could that sheep know the Nine Magic Syllables of Daoism? Don’t tell me that it’s an old monster from the Lower Court of Three Purities Temple?”

He slowly rose, his red robes fluttering in the wind, like a blazing, dusky cloud.

“But that Su Yi guy sure is ballsy. He’s only just stepped into Eternity, but he dared threaten me to my face.” The red-robed man couldn’t help but laugh.

He took a step forward, then vanished. A moment later, he reappeared right in front of Su Yi and the black sheep.

“You again?” asked the black sheep, gaze cold and imposing.

The red-robed man waved hurriedly. “Don’t misunderstand. I just wanted to bid you farewell. Then I’ll leave.”

Su Yi found it strange, too.

There’s something just not right about this guy. We don’t even know each other, so why come all this way to bid us farewell? There’s no telling what’s going through his head.

“I don’t know when we’ll next meet, and there’s something I’d like to tell you before I go, Fellow Daoist Su,” the red-robed man said with a laugh. “Are you interested in hearing it?”

Su Yi said nothing. He just looked at the man in silence.

The red-robed man rubbed his face awkwardly. “Very well. I might be showering my affections on an uninterested party, but I’d still like to take this opportunity to get a few words in.”

He swung his sleeve, sidled up to Su Yi, and whispered, “Long ago, Jiang Wuchen and I used to go to brothels together. Often, too. Sometimes I paid the bill, sometimes he did. Regardless, both the host and guest enjoyed themselves

thoroughly.”

He patted Su Yi on the shoulder, then winked mischievously and made a solemn vow. “Should the opportunity arise, I’ll bring you to experience it for yourself! I guarantee that the brothels of the River of Destiny will blow your mind!”

With that, he turned and left, chuckling all the while.

The black sheep kicked him out of nowhere. “Shameless!”

The red-robed man staggered and almost fell, but he didn’t seem the least bit upset. He just laughed and said, “A man ought to enjoy female companionship! How could you possibly understand a man’s pleasures?”

The sheep kicked him again, but this time, he dodged and dashed off, laughing as he went.

In the blink of an eye, he’d vanished.

“I wouldn’t have guessed that he was a shameless, lustful pervert! He deserves death by a thousand cuts!” the black sheep said in a huff.

Su Yi, however, stroked his jaw. “If he’s telling the truth, my second incarnation was quite the playboy, too.”

The black sheep glared at him. “What, are you jealous?”

Su Yi laughed and shook his head. “I already have someone I like.”

The black sheep froze, gaze shifting inscrutably, then jeered, “I just hope it’s one girl, not a flock of them.”

Su Yi was speechless.

...

“When you can, you ought to enjoy life to the fullest. When you’ve got nothing to do, what could be more delightful than going to a brothel and listening to the music? Alas, now that Jiang Wuchen is gone, there’s one less person in this world who really understands me.”

The red-robed man let out a long sigh.

As he walked, his robes billowed around him. He was like a dragon in flight, utterly dashing.

“Master.”

A tall, stalwart bald man appeared out of nowhere. His features were coarse and fierce, and he had a strange blood-lotus mark on the center of his forehead, lending him an additional, sinister quality.

Were the old-timers of the Eternal Heavens Domain here to see him, their hearts would have quivered with fright, and they’d have turned to flee.

For this was a true, unparalleled bandit famed throughout the Eternal Heavens Domain!

They called him Lian Luo, or “Fallen Lotus.” It was quite an elegant title.

But his hands were thoroughly stained in blood!

Yet now, this unparalleled bandit knelt there with the utmost respect, his eyes full of reverence.

The red-robed man kicked him in the butt, sending him flying backward. After he landed, Lian Luo just lay there, not daring to move.

“Why not get up?” the red-robed man asked with a frown.

“Master has yet to command me. This humble one doesn’t dare to rise without permission!” said Lian Luo, visibly overcome with terror. “And this humble one’s heart is full of unease. He doesn't understand what he did wrong, or why his master felt the need to ‘bequeath’ him a kick.”

The red-robed man froze, stunned, then laughed and berated him, “You’re laying it on too thick! It’s gross! Hurry up and get back here!”

Only then did Lian Luo cheerily rise to his feet. He dashed over to the red-robed man, then respectfully averted his gaze. “Master, it seems like you’re in high spirits?”

The red-robed man stroked his jaw and laughed, although it was unclear what he was thinking about. “I have to say, your intuition is quite something. How many years has it been? This is one of the happiest days of my life!”

With that, he took out a fist-sized jade pendant covered in flowing, colorful light and tossed it to Lian Luo. “Here, this is for you!”

Lian Luo accepted it with both hands, then smiled. “What could I possibly have done to deserve such a generous reward? It's as if auspicious blue smoke is rising from my ancestors’ graves!”

The red-robed man raised his hand.

The tall, stalwart Lian Luo was a full two heads taller than the man in red robes, but he naturally lowered his head and placed it beneath his master’s palm.

The red-robed man smacked him on the head. “You’d best learn a few new ways to flatter me. I’ve grown sick of hearing all the old stuff!”

One smacked, and the other was happy to be smacked. One was happy to abuse, the other was obedient and willing to be abused. It was the very picture of tacit understanding.

Lian Luo looked up and pounded his chest. “Rest assured, Master. I’ll scour my family’s ancient tomes and find any and all legacies related to the art of flattery. I’ll study until I’ve achieved consummate skill. Going forward, I’ll make sure to flatter you so well that flowers bloom in your heart every time we meet!”

The red-robed man nodded approvingly. “A moldable talent indeed.”

Lian Luo said modestly, “You taught me well, Master.”

“I’d like you to do something for me,” the red-robed man said after a moment’s thought. He then transmitted orders to his subordinate.

Lian Luo said excitedly, “The opportunity to do this for you is the greatest fortune of three lifetimes, Master. I won’t let you down even if it kills me!”

“Roll away from me!” The red-robed man said irritably.

And indeed, Lian Luo did just that, his roughly ten-foot frame rolling like a gourd. Before long, he’d vanished from view.

“Tcch, this fiendish bandit sure is eager to lick boots. It’s as normal to him as eating and drinking. He’s getting more and more shameless,” said the red-robed man with a sigh. “As expected of the capable general I trained personally!”

He’d only just said this when he suddenly turned and gazed into the distance.

He habitually rubbed his face, then placed his other hand on the hilt of his sheathed longsword.