Chapter 64: I, Bai Hongtu, Will Uphold Heaven's Justice!

“This is seriously messed up,” Bai Hongtu muttered, frowning. “According to what you said, the two-part corpse should’ve been lost outside the city. So why would it show up inside Wei City?”

Li Yanchu gave him a glance and said slowly, “What if... this two-part corpse had been in Wei City all along?”

Hearing this, Bai Hongtu froze. “What do you mean?”

However, Li Yanchu didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he approached the half-corpse, chanting softly under his breath while forming a series of hand seals.

He was performing the Art of Pursuit recorded in

The Yellow Court Classic

, a method used to seek out and locate objects. His goal was to find the missing lower half of the two-part corpse.

A cluster of black mist slowly rose from the half-corpse and floated into Li Yanchu’s palm. It resembled a swirling vapor.

It’s working...

Li Yanchu’s eyes lit up. He closed his eyes and focused, sensing the trail through the black mist now cradled in his hand.

Bai Hongtu, watching from the side, couldn’t help feeling a bit envious. Just as Li Yanchu admired Bai Hongtu’s Flying Sword Technique for its elegance and flair, Bai Hongtu also envied the mystical complexity and variety of Li Yanchu’s Daoist arts. It all came down to the differences in their respective lineages.

Li Yanchu opened his eyes and said to Bai Hongtu, “Burn this thing. I’ll take you to find the other half of the two-part corpse.”

Bai Hongtu’s eyes lit up. “Let’s do it.”

Just then, he immediately formed a fire seal and cast a burst of flame. Without the evil qi sustaining it, the half-corpse was quickly reduced to ashes. At this time, Li Yanchu held the cluster of black mist in his palm, turned around, and walked out.

Bai Hongtu followed closely behind, clicking his tongue as he said, “I still can’t believe that worked. You really knew the way to Guhe Town?”

Li Yanchu glanced at him and grinned. “I made it up.”

“...” The corner of Bai Hongtu's mouth twitched slightly.

The two of them quickly made their way out of the deep alley, following the direction indicated by the Art of Pursuit. But the farther they walked, the more uneasy Bai Hongtu began to feel. He couldn’t help but glance sideways at Li Yanchu.

Finally, they arrived in front of a brightly lit courtyard.

A smile tugged at the corner of Bai Hongtu’s lips as he clicked his tongue and said, “Hey, you're sure this is a proper spell? Because this... this is the entertainment district, buddy.”

Li Yanchu frowned. He had originally come to the entertainment district hoping to test his luck and investigate the paper effigy maker, but halfway through, they ran into the two-part corpse. Now, after all that circling around, they had somehow ended up right back at the entertainment district.

Li Yanchu murmured, “The spell is proper... maybe it’s just the person using it who isn’t.”

Bai Hongtu couldn’t help but laugh.

So he’s self-aware, at least.

“Come on, though I’m afraid we won’t be hearing any music tonight.” Bai Hongtu casually glanced at the pleasure house.

Li Yanchu nodded, and the two of them stepped into the pleasure house side by side. If the two-part corpse had taken refuge here, that would indeed be dangerous.

The corner of Bai Hongtu’s mouth twitched again, but he quickly covered it with a deliberately bold smile. After all, the half of the corpse that was missing was the lower half, and when you pair a demonic lower body with the entertainment district...

Bai Hongtu couldn’t help but feel a very bad premonition.

He was, after all, a frequent guest of the entertainment district. Many of the delicate, soft-spoken, and strikingly beautiful women here were

very close friends

of his.

And if...

A chill flickered in Bai Hongtu’s gaze. Even if a Corpse King appeared tonight, he would strike it down without hesitation!

The madam of the pleasure house was a woman past her prime but still charming, with a seductive air that lingered around her. When she spotted Bai Hongtu, her face instantly lit up with a wide, flirtatious smile.

“Oh my, if it isn’t Young Master Bai! It’s been quite some time since your last visit. The girls have all been asking about you nonstop,” she cooed.

Bai Hongtu reached out and gave the sultry madam a playful squeeze, fully embodying the persona of a roguish young master. Of course, he wasn’t faking this part of himself at all.

“I’m here with a friend tonight,” Bai Hongtu said, voice relaxed. “No need to bring any girls over for now. Stay back, and don’t disturb us unless I call for you.”

“Yes, yes, of course!” the madam replied smoothly. “If you decide you want company later, just say the word. I’ll send over whoever you like.”

She retreated with practiced grace, but not before stealing a glance at Li Yanchu.

What a handsome young man... refined and scholarly, truly a striking figure.

Li Yanchu wasn’t dressed in his Daoist robes tonight. Instead, he looked more like a clean-cut, elegant scholar. By contrast, Bai Hongtu, with his sword at his waist and martial air, looked every bit the

jianghu

hero.

The madam didn’t know who Li Yanchu was, but any guest brought by Young Master Bai was clearly not someone to be underestimated. Since arriving in Wei City, Bai Hongtu had quickly made a name for himself in the entertainment district, as he always spent lavishly without restraint.

He had poured most of the bounty silver from the

yamen

into this pleasure house, and in the eyes of this still-alluring madam, he was nothing less than a walking God of Wealth.

A small sense of smug satisfaction rose in Bai Hongtu’s heart.

Finally,

he thought,

people are treating me with more respect than they treat Li Yanchu. For once... you’re the one in my shadow.

After taking two steps, Bai Hongtu suddenly had second thoughts.

Why should I, a perfectly fine young master from a wealthy family, care about something like this? Hmph! I definitely did not feel jealous just now just because I thought Li Yanchu was getting more attention than me.

Absolutely not.

Just then, the two of them walked side by side into the pleasure house. Though the main hall was lively with singers and dancers clad in sheer silk garments performing gracefully, neither Li Yanchu nor Bai Hongtu paused to admire the show. Instead, they headed straight for the second floor.

Li Yanchu’s attention was entirely focused on the ball of black mist in his hand. Along the way, many people greeted Bai Hongtu warmly. Clearly, he was very popular here.

Eventually, the two of them stopped in front of a room on the second floor.

“This is the place. The lower half of the two-part corpse is inside.” Li Yanchu spoke in a low voice.

A chill ran down Bai Hongtu’s spine. The worst-case scenario had come true.

Just as Li Yanchu was about to knock on the door...

Bang!

Bai Hongtu suddenly kicked the door open with tremendous force.

Seeing this, Li Yanchu turned and looked at him in surprise; this wasn’t like Bai Hongtu at all. Normally, when the two of them acted together, it was always Li Yanchu who handled the brute-force work like breaking down doors. Bai Hongtu typically wanted no part of it.

But today, Bai Hongtu’s body was suddenly radiating murderous qi. Not only did he kick the door open, he also let out a loud “

clang

” as he drew his sword, storming straight into the room.

“Halt, fiend! Tonight, I, Bai Hongtu, shall act on Heaven’s behalf and deliver justice!”

Inside the room, a man and a woman stared back at him, looking completely stunned. They looked at each other, utterly confused.

Li Yanchu’s expression turned strange as he followed closely behind.

“It’s you!?”

“It’s you!?”

Both Li Yanchu and Bai Hongtu exclaimed at the same time.

Bai Hongtu frowned. “How do you know Lady Jin?”

Hearing this, Li Yanchu paused, then quickly realized Bai Hongtu was referring to the courtesan in the room.

But before he had the chance to explain, Bai Hongtu said coldly, “Lady Jin, I never thought you’d be possessed by a demonic corpse! I truly misjudged you!”

This Lady Jin was one of the

clean

courtesans of the pleasure house, the kind who sang and performed, but didn’t sell her body. Occasionally, she’d keep patrons company.

Through a twist of fate, Bai Hongtu had never managed to taste her fragrance, something he had originally regretted. But now, he actually felt a bit relieved. Still, the sense of being deceived left him seething with rage.

He was about to strike when Li Yanchu suddenly grabbed his arm. “It’s not her.”

Bai Hongtu froze, then he watched as Li Yanchu turned to the man in the room and said, “Song Sanlang, we meet again.”