The evening, Cloud Gazing Tower.
The wind of early spring, though early, blew with exceptional cold.
On a stone bridge not far from the Cloud Gazing Tower, a young man stood leading a horse. He was handsome, dressed in a simple blue tunic, with a sword exuding ethereal energy strapped to his back. He turned to look back at the pavilion of the Cloud Gazing Tower.
Qin Cheng, an eleventh-realm sword cultivator of the Mohist school, was a standout among the younger generation of his ancestral home.
This Mohist wanderer had traveled the world and happened to pass through Yunzhou City. While at the Cloud Gazing Tower, he was captivated by the beauty and talent of Shi Hanyin, instantly falling in love and lingering there for nearly half a month.
At this moment, Qin Cheng was looking in the direction of Shi Hanyin’s residence.
As he gazed, all the women in the tower were looking at this young Mohist cultivator. Not only was he handsome, but he was also a divine immortal from the Upper Five Realms!
Who among mortal women could resist such a man?
For a time, all the women in the tower were calling out Qin Cheng's name. Some even playfully offered to share his bed, asking for nothing in return but a fleeting romance.
An eleventh-realm Mohist sword cultivator in a blue tunic, gazing at the Cloud Gazing Tower, with countless young women on the tower smiling and speaking to him.
Just then, Lin Zhao, clad in white and accompanied by Old Huang, passed by. Seeing the scene from afar, Lin Zhao was instantly reminded of a verse—
"In youthful days, with thin spring robes, I rode a horse by the slanted bridge, and the tower was full of welcoming red sleeves."
...
Lin Zhao, with Old Huang, brushed past the eleventh-realm Mohist cultivator.
He mused inwardly, "Old Huang, this person exudes a strong Mohist aura. He must be from the Upper Five Realms, right?"
"An eleventh-realm sword cultivator."
Old Huang grinned, "His cultivation foundation is decent. Among eleventh-realm cultivators, it's quite solid. Just a tiny bit inferior to Xu Shuo's eleventh realm, but his state of mind is nowhere near that of the Mountain Master. This lad is likely to struggle with the trials of love for a while."
"Oh..."
Lin Zhao chuckled, "Everyone has their own fate. It's none of our business!"
Huang Tingyu heartily agreed, "Exactly, what business is it of ours!"
At that moment, below the Cloud Gazing Tower, a madam with a red sleeve beckoned, "Aiya, ayi! The evening performance is about to begin. Miss Shi Hanyin will be playing and singing personally. Guests who wish to enter, hurry! The entrance fee is one Flying Fish Coin~~~"
"Aiya!"
Lin Zhao frowned, "Prices are going up, even the entrance fee is one Flying Fish Coin now?"
"Mountain Master."
Huang Tingyu patted his sword hilt and chuckled, "Do you think my thirteenth-realm sword cultivator status is fake? I can directly enter the Cloud Gazing Tower with my small world, who cares about the entrance fee? I'm just afraid that such an action might go against the Mountain Master's Confucian rules."
"..."
Lin Zhao knitted his brows, "Logically, Confucian disciples shouldn't frequent pleasure houses to listen to music. However, it's ultimately for the sake of humanity and to repay Miss Shi's kindness. Let's skip the fee. A gentleman is not bound by rigid roles; rules are dead, people are alive."
Huang Tingyu pinched his nose, "No matter what you say, you're always right. Confucianism is impressive for this very reason."
With that, he waved his hand, conjuring a thirteenth-realm sword domain, and stepped into the Cloud Gazing Tower with Lin Zhao.
Not far away, Qin Cheng, the eleventh-realm sword cultivator on the stone bridge, frowned. He finally decided not to leave, took out a Flying Fish Coin, and led his horse into the Cloud Gazing Tower once more.
...
The City Lord's Mansion.
Han Yetang, who was having tea with Chen Xi, suddenly frowned and then looked north. Chen Xi also sensed something.
"Someone has erected a sword domain within the city. At least thirteenth realm," Chen Xi stated.
"Yes, it's Huang Tingyu."
Han Yetang’s delicate brows furrowed. She used the Water Moon Mirroring the Heavens technique to observe the direction of the sword domain, only to discover it was a brothel – the renowned Cloud Gazing Tower of Yunzhou City, where Shi Hanyin, hailed as the most beautiful woman in the Great Shang Dynasty, resided.
"???"
Chen Xi also perceived the commotion there with her martial artist’s qi. She looked confused and disappointed, "This Lin Zhao... making Huang Tingyu erect a thirteenth-realm sword domain just to get into a pleasure house for free?"
"Alas!"
Han Yetang sighed, huffing indignantly, "Men!"
Chen Xi frowned, "It seems Lin Baiyi cannot escape the constraints of being a man. Alas, if all men in the world were like this, we wouldn't need to seek Dao companions from the mountains. This life would be solitary, and we would only pursue the pinnacle of the sword and martial arts."
"Mhm."
Han Yetang blinked her beautiful eyes, "Then it's settled. No marriage in this life. I will reach the thirteenth realm of sword cultivation, and you will reach the Rebirth Realm."
"Agreed, it's a deal!"
Under the shameful actions of a certain person, the two young women had made decisions that would affect their entire lives.
...
Cloud Gazing Tower.
Huang Tingyu paid ten Flying Fish Coins for a seat somewhat closer to the stage.
As soon as Lin Zhao sat down, he said to the madam beside him, "We haven't eaten yet. Bring us a table of anything delicious you have. We're hungry, please be quick..."
"Right away!"
The madam's eyes narrowed into slits upon seeing the Flying Fish Coins, and she said with a smile, "Please wait a moment, honored guests. We'll serve your dishes immediately!"
At this moment, the young Mohist cultivator had already tied up his horse, sword on his back, and gracefully leaped over the wall to a floor beneath Shi Hanyin's dressing room. He looked up and said, "Miss Shi, are you still unwilling to grant me an audience?"
"Young Master Qin."
A stunning figure appeared upstairs. Dressed in a red gown, holding a brush, with a half-painted plum blossom on her brow, it was Shi Hanyin. She sighed and said, "Hanyin is merely a woman who sings and plays music in a brothel. I am not worthy of you, Young Master. Please, do not pester me further."
Qin Cheng said, "I only wish to see you up close. No amount of Jin Zi money is too much. Is even that not possible?"
Shi Hanyin's delicate eyebrows knitted, "Young Master Qin, even if I were to tell you that Hanyin already has someone in her heart, would you still refuse to give up?"
"Has someone in her heart?"
Qin Cheng was struck by lightning, standing there dumbfounded.
Shi Hanyin said, "Young Master, please leave quickly. Do not rely on your cultivation to breach walls and manipulate objects. Such actions only make Hanyin look down on you. If you wish to listen to music, wait in the front hall. If not, then depart."
Qin Cheng sighed and erected a sword domain, then departed.
In truth, as a dignified eleventh-realm sword cultivator, what kind of woman couldn't he obtain? He could even abduct Shi Hanyin directly in Yunzhou City, force her to become his Dao companion, and begin teaching her cultivation from now on, allowing her to retain her youth forever. None of this would be a problem.
However, Qin Cheng could not do this. If he could only obtain the person but not her heart, it would go against his true intentions.
...
Not long after, on the grand stage of the Cloud Gazing Tower, the performance began.
When Shi Hanyin appeared on stage, the audience erupted in cheers. As Shi Hanyin looked out at the crowd, she immediately saw the person she yearned for, who was currently holding a chicken leg, eating it with a bowl of wine, enjoying himself immensely.
Instantly, Shi Hanyin couldn't help but chuckle.
She slowly stood up and performed a deep bow towards Lin Zhao from the stage, "Young Master."
Lin Zhao immediately stood up, wiped the oil from his hands on Old Huang's embroidered marshal's cloak, cupped his fists, and said, "Miss Shi!"
Saying this, he sat down and gestured for Shi Hanyin to begin her performance, indicating that she should not be influenced by him.
As a result, Shi Hanyin's song was exceptionally melodious, even more moving than usual.
For a moment, Qin Cheng, the Mohist disciple sitting in another area, frowned. He did not know who the young man in white was, but it was clear that Shi Hanyin treated him differently.
However, Qin Cheng also noticed the old man beside Lin Zhao. He was a sword cultivator whose cultivation was unfathomably deep. Qin Cheng dared not probe him at all. The martial world was vast and deep. Even as a member of the Mohist ancestral home, daring to probe someone else's cultivation could risk being killed.
When a lower-realm cultivator probes a higher-realm cultivator, if the latter gets angry and asks, "What are you looking at?" and then kills them, it is too common.
The performances on stage continued one after another.
As night deepened, Shi Hanyin's performance concluded. She then changed into a plain dress and came out from a side door, sitting beside Lin Zhao and accompanying him as he listened to the music.
"Miss Shi."
Lin Zhao spoke respectfully, "Thank you for donating twenty thousand stone of grain and fodder to the Snow Region Heavenly Pool. It was truly a timely rescue. We in the Snow Region Heavenly Pool are currently strengthening our military training, so we are indeed lacking in grain and weapons. Thank you!"
Shi Hanyin pursed her red lips and said softly, "Young Master, Hanyin did her best. The grain and fodder in Yunzhou are almost all requisitioned uniformly. Therefore, Hanyin obtained this batch of grain from Ji Prefecture through friends. If the Snow Region Heavenly Pool still lacks supplies, Hanyin will try to find another way."
"You don't have to."
Lin Zhao smiled, "The vast Snow Region Heavenly Pool, the vast human world, can it really be sustained by a weak woman like Miss Shi?"
Shi Hanyin said, "Although Hanyin is a woman of the world, I have a heart for my country and family. Please understand, Young Master."
"Mhm."
Lin Zhao took out an exquisite box from his embrace, containing a Water Cloud Stone of not particularly high grade, but with potent spiritual energy. He said, "This is a Water Cloud Stone, not of the highest quality, but it is rich in water energy. You can raise a pond of fish in your residence and keep the Water Cloud Stone in the pond. It can imbue spiritual energy back to its owner, with the effect of maintaining one's appearance."
"Oh?"
Shi Hanyin's pretty face flushed. She accepted it without further thought and then smiled softly, "Thank you, Young Master!"
Lin Zhao said, "Alright, it's late, and Old Huang and I are hungry. We'll be leaving now."
"Yes."
Huang Tingyu added, "I heard that the night market tofu pudding in Yunzhou City is famous throughout the land. The Mountain Master and I wish to try it."
"Ah?"
Shi Hanyin pursed her red lips. "Hanyin has already changed into her plain dress. How about... Hanyin accompanies you to have a bowl of tofu pudding? I'll treat."
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
Lin Zhao frowned, "Miss Shi is still part of the Cloud Gazing Tower. Will they let you go?"
"Don't worry."
Shi Hanyin said, "If I want to leave, no one will dare to stop me."
"Then that's good. We're new to this place, Old Huang and I, so Miss Shi can lead the way."
"Mhm!"
...
Late at night, there were not many people on the streets.
Shi Hanyin, in her plain dress and cloak, walked alongside Lin Zhao on the grand avenue of Tianji City.
She pursed her red lips, wishing that this road would never end.
But soon, the calls for tofu pudding could be heard, and Shi Hanyin felt a sense of helplessness. This road was not that long after all.
From afar, someone was leading a horse, sword on his back, following at a moderate distance.