After we arrived in the House of Heavenly Pleasure, Ellen and I enjoyed ourselves until Zayne arrived. Harlow watched with a fascinated expression on her face. Meanwhile, Elliot kept an eye out for trouble. At first I felt embarrassed for engaging in this sort of behavior in public, but my embarrassment soon faded. Ellen kept me too distracted to care. Besides, we were tame compared to most of the other patrons.

  In the midst of all this, two women who worked for the House of Heavenly Pleasure arrived. They were the dancer and musician duo that I ordered from Madame Janessa when we first entered. Both were in Qi Condensation. However, it took me a few minutes to notice them, since Ellen kept me entranced. Rather than be upset by this, the two women seemed impressed by Ellen’s skill.

  After I acknowledged their arrival, the dancer and the musician started their performance. They were… Fine. While they weren’t the best I had seen and heard, they were far from the worst. Were they worth the two hundred spirit stones that I paid for their services? No, of course not. However, it didn’t matter, since I wanted to come across as an arrogant and spendthrift young master. It was for a good cause.

  Maybe if I told myself that enough times, I would believe it.

  When the dancer and the musician finished with their first piece, they attempted to join Ellen and I. However, to their surprise, we rejected them. It never occurred to them that we just wanted them to dance and play music. This made us unusual, at least compared to the other patrons of the House of Heavenly Pleasure. Despite this, the two women shrugged and continued with their performance. As long as they were paid, it was all the same to them.

  ‘Darian,’ Elliot said, speaking to me through telepathy, ‘He’s here.’

  I glanced at him and nodded, before returning my attention towards the dancer. However, I cast my spirit sense towards the House of Heavenly Pleasure’s entrance. When I caught sight of Zayne, I clenched my fist so hard that my bones ached.

  I last saw Zayne six years ago, just before Astra rescued me from Mt. Wind Dance, but I recognized him right away. How could I ever forget? For a time, he had made my life a living nightmare.

  Like the rest of our kin in Clan Wind Dance, Zayne had beautiful and delicate features. As much as I wished that his appearance matched his horrid character, that wasn’t the case. He was tall and pale skinned, with long blond hair that he wore in a simple pony tail. We shared the same sky blue eyes, a fact I hated with a fiery passion. Zayne wore white and gray robes, marking him as a disciple of the Thousand Blade Sect. As Ellen and Elliot reported, he was in Foundation Establishment.

  A group of male cultivators in Qi Condensation, who were also disciples from the Thousand Blade Sect, surrounded him. I didn’t recognize any of them. This somewhat surprised me. I expected to see Zayne’s two cronies, the ones who always accompanied him back on Mt. Wind Dance. However, they weren’t in sight.

  Were they on some errand for him? Or had Zayne abandoned them after he became an inner disciple of the Thousand Blade Sect? Either was possible. Not that it mattered.

  Madame Janessa approached Zayne and his group, wearing what appeared to be a genuine smile on her face.

  “Welcome, Young Master Zayne.” She said, greeting him with far more enthusiasm than she greeted me and my companions. “As always, it is a pleasure to see you!”

  Zayne snorted.

  “Of course it is.” He said. “You should be thanking the heavens that someone like me deigns to grace this place with my presence.”

  His voice grated on my nerves. The sound of it brought me back to when I lived on Mt. Wind Dance. The humiliation, the pain, the misery. While Zayne wasn’t the only one who made my life hell back then, he was the worst among them.

  It felt like I hadn’t ever left Mt. Wind Dance, as if Astra rescuing me and everything that happened afterwards was nothing more than a dream I conjured up. Fear gripped wrapped itself around my throat and choked me. I couldn’t breathe. My body started trembling.

  A warm hand caressed my cheek. It pulled me out of my spiraling thoughts, grounding me in the here and now.

  ‘It’s alright, Darian.’ Ellen said through telepathy. ‘I’m here.’

  Her voice dispelled the last of my fears, reassuring me that this was all real. This wasn’t a dream. I really had escaped Mt. Wind Dance.

  ‘Thank you.’ I said, leaning against her.

  Through our telepathic connection, I conveyed my feelings of gratitude and relief.

  ‘I should’ve taken you away from that place when I had the chance.’ Ellen said, full of regret and remorse.

  I shook my head.

  ‘If you had, my kin would have chased us down and captured us.’ I said. ‘Afterwards, they would have locked me up and handed you to the Beast Blood Sect.’

  Back when I was a child, Ellen killed a Golden Core cultivator belonging to a demonic sect called the Beast Blood Sect. They chased her down to get revenge. To escape their pursuit, Ellen disguised herself and hid in a mortal town. That mortal town happened to be the one located at the foot of Mt. Wind Dance. That was how the two of us first met.

  However, the Beast Blood Sect tracked her down and Ellen had to flee. Before she left, she sealed away my memories of her to protect me. I didn’t recover them until after I joined the Dawn and Dusk Sect and we reunited.

  ‘Even so.’ Ellen said, doubtful.

  I smiled at her.

  ‘It all worked out in the end.’ I said. ‘Besides, even if we had escaped, you and I would have been more akin to mother and child, at least an older sister and her younger brother. I prefer the way things are now.’

  Ellen looked at me with a conflicted expression on her face, before nodding.

  ‘Are you two done being all lovey dovey?’ Harlow asked in a dry voice. ‘Now that Zayne Wind Dance is here, we don’t have time to play around.’

  Her voice reminded us why we were here in the first place. I turned my attention away from Ellen and focused on Zayne again. Madame Janessa was leading his group up to the second floor. Zayne strutted around like a peacock with his feathers on full display. When Ellen and Elliot gave me their report on him, I knew he had become even more arrogant than before. However, I hadn’t realized it was this bad.

  I wondered where he got his confidence from. He had mediocre aptitude, lacked diligence, and his status in Clan Wind Dance wasn’t even that high. Even with Lucille Wind Dance’s backing, this was as far as he would rise. Or maybe he really thought he would end up marrying Willow? If so, that infuriated me even more.

  To my surprise, Madame Janessa didn’t bring Zayne and his group to a private room. Instead, she brought him to a spot similar to the one that my companions and I occupied. Perfect. That meant we could witness the results of our efforts firsthand.

  Within a few minutes, several serving girls brought bottles of spirit wine for Zayne and his group. A multitude of beautiful women accompanied them. In no time at all, the latter began entertaining Zayne and his group.

  Time to put our plan into action.

  I turned my attention to the dancer and musician duo, who were in the middle of a performance, and gestured for them to stop. Afterwards, I beckoned the dancer to come closer. She gave me a lascivious smile as she approached. However, when she attempted to lay her hands on me, I glared at her. She froze in fear. Even her partner, the musician, stiffened.

  “I thought I made my wishes clear earlier.” I growled.

  “The only one who gets to touch our dear is me and my little sister here.” Ellen said, narrowing her eyes.

  Harlow grabbed my arm and glared at the dancer. I felt a little bad for her, but I had an act to keep up. The dancer swallowed, before bowing her head.

  “I apologize, esteemed guests.” She said. “Please forgive me for my foolishness.”

  I made a dismissive gesture.

  “I’m in a good mood, so I’ll forgive you this time,” I said. “Just don’t let it happen again.”

  The dancer nodded.

  “Yes, esteemed guest.” She said. “How may I serve you?”

  I gestured towards Zayne and his group.

  “Who is that?” I asked. “He must be someone of high status for Madame Janessa to treat him so well.”

  The dancer licked her lips out of nervousness, before she answered.

  “That is Cultivator Zayne.” She said. “He is a young master of Clan Wind Dance.”

  “Clan Wind Dance?” I asked. “The ones who aligned themselves with the Thousand Blade Sect in recent years?”

  The dancer shook her head.

  “I wouldn’t know anything about that, esteemed guest.” She said. “I am just a lowly Qi Condensation cultivator.”

  I frowned, as if displeased. The dancer blanched.

  “I can go find out, if you wish.” She said, almost in a panic.

  I shook my head.

  “No, don’t bother.” I said.

  “Fate is smiling upon you, my dear.” Ellen said. “This is an opportunity to make a connection with the Thousand Blade Sect. You should seize it.”

  Harlow chimed in as well.

  “Didn’t you receive a bottle of Hidden Rain Pavilion’s signature wine?” She asked. “You should send it over.”

  I wore a reluctant expression on my face.

  “I don’t know,” I said, “He seems to be enjoying himself. I don’t want to interrupt.” I pulled both Ellen and Harlow closer to me. “Besides, we were having our own fun.”

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  Ellen pretended to think it over.

  “In that case, why not send the bottle over but keep it anonymous?” She said. “However, you should leave a message so you can meet with this Young Master Zayne at a later date.”

  I smiled at her.

  “What a wonderful idea, darling.” I said, before looking over at the dancer. “Would that be possible?”

  The dancer wore a hesitant expression on her face.

  “I’m not sure.” she said, uncertain. “I should go to the madame and ask.”

  I shook my head.

  “I don’t want to bother her over something trivial like this.” I said. “If you deliver a bottle of Hidden Rain Pavilion’s wine for me, but keep my identity hidden, I will make it worthwhile for you and your companion.”

  With that, I pulled four bottles of Qi Condensation Pills out of my storage ring. They were from before I reached Foundation Establishment.

  When the dancer and the musician saw the bottles of pills, their eyes lit up with avarice. The dancer looked conflicted for several moments, before her expression cleared and she smiled at me.

  “You’re right, esteemed guest,” she said, “There is no need to ask the madam about something minor like this. I will deliver the bottle of wine for you.”

  I gave her a pleased smile.

  “Good girl.” I said, before tossing one bottle to her and one bottle to the musician. The two cradled the bottles of pills, before putting them away. “You’ll get the rest after the deed is done.”

  With that, I pulled a bottle of Hidden Rain Pavilion’s signature wine out of my storage ring. It was real. After Willow and I shared a feast with Grandmother Ava, I bought two bottles of the wine from Hidden Rain Pavilion. I would have bought more, but each bottle was one hundred spirit stones. As much as I enjoyed the wine, I didn’t have that many spirit stones to spare.

  However, while the bottle of wine was from Hidden Rain Pavilion, it contained an elixir that Harlow concocted at my request. That was how she ended up getting involved in this matter. The elixir wasn’t harmful. It heightened emotions and lowered inhibitions, but it otherwise had no effect. After Zayne imbibed it, we would move on to the next part of our plan.

  A part of me questioned the morality of all this. Was I the kind of person who utilized underhanded means in order to accomplish my goals? Yes, I was. I wasn’t a saint. I was a demon. A divine demon, but a demon nonetheless. While there were lines that I wouldn’t cross no matter what, I had no problem resorting to dirty tricks when necessary. Of course, it didn’t hurt that my target was Zayne.

  I also removed a jade slip from my storage ring, imbued it with a message, before I handed both the wine and the jade slip to the dancer. She accepted them with a smile on her face, before she walked over towards Zayne and his group. I kept an eye on her, just in case something went wrong. We had contingencies in place if this failed, but those came with much lower chances of success.

  To my relief, the dancer reached Zayne and his group without issue. She gave him the bottle of wine, saying that it was a gift from someone who wished to make a connection with him, but wanted to remain anonymous for now to avoid interrupting his enjoyment.

  Now came the moment of truth. Would Zayne accept a bottle of wine given to him by a stranger who refused to reveal their identity? The answer was yes. He took the bottle of wine and accepted the jade slip, before dismissing the dancer. I refrained from sighing with relief. When the dancer returned, I gave her and the musician the other two bottles of Qi Condensation Pills. I gestured for them to resume their performance, before I focused on Zayne and his group with my spirit sense.

  “How amazing!” One of Zayne’s companions said. “You’re of such high status that strangers off the street wish to befriend you, Young Master Zayne. They’re even willing to give you a bottle of Hidden Rain Pavilion’s signature wine.”

  Zayne puffed up his chest.

  “Of course,” he said, “As the young master of Clan Wind Dance, such occurrences are commonplace for me.” He glanced at the bottle of wine from Hidden Rain Pavilion. “While this is somewhat lacking, I see no reason to turn down the gesture.”

  With that, he had one of the women entertaining him open the bottle and pour him a cup. The moment he drank the wine, and Harlow’s elixir, I smiled. Perfect. I pulled out a transmission talisman and sent a message to Willow. It was time for her part in this performance.

  It took Willow about fifteen minutes to arrive. During that time, the elixir took effect and affected Zayne’s behavior. In the beginning, the effects were minor. Zayne just became louder and more animated. However, as more time passed and he drank more of the wine, the elixir’s effects grew more pronounced.

  Zayne’s face flushed red and he reacted to the slightest provocation, for good and for ill. He laughed at every joke told to him, even the unfunny ones. He grew angry at the slightest perceived insult, lashing out at the target of his ire. His lust became uncontrollable, as he all but assaulted the women entertaining him and his companions.

  At first, everyone around Zayne humored him. However, as his behavior grew more extreme, they realized that something was wrong. Zayne’s companions eyed him with concern, while the women who worked for the House of Heavenly pleasure started to inch away from the group as a whole. One woman even ripped herself out of Zayne’s grip, tearing her clothes as she did so.

  “Filthy wench!” Zayne shouted, spittle flying from his mouth. “How dare you flee from me? Get back here!”

  He stood up and tried to grab the woman, but his movements were slow and uncoordinated due to his current condition, allowing the woman to avoid him with ease. She fled from him with tears in her eyes.

  Guilt pierced my heart. When I came up with the idea to trick Zayne into drinking Harlow’s elixir, I never considered how it would affect the people around him. If he had hurt that woman while under the effects of the elixir, I would have been at fault.

  “Young Master Zayne,” one of his companions said in a soothing tone, “I think it’s time for us to leave. The Rising Heroes Tournament starts tomorrow, and we don’t want to be late. We should turn in early.”

  Zayne whirled around to face him.

  “What?” He demanded. “You want to leave? We’re just getting started.” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you think I’m too drunk to continue? Is that it? You’re wrong! I’m completely fine.”

  Zayne swayed on his feet, which proved his claim wrong. However, none of his companions dared gainsay him. After all, he was in Foundation Establishment while they were just in Qi Condensation. Even in his current state, Zayne could defeat them with ease. In fact, given his current condition, he might even kill them by accident.

  After debating with myself for a moment, I decided to intervene if that happened. I started this, so it was my responsibility to ensure that no one got hurt. If that meant the plan failing, so be it.

  To my relief, Madame Janessa arrived soon after. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she was a match for him, especially in his current state. She wore a polite smile on her face, though her eyes contained a hint of steel in them.

  “Young Master Zayne,” she said in a respectful, but firm, tone, “I think it’s time for you to leave. You’re causing a disturbance.”

  Zayne turned towards her and barked out a laugh.

  “Who do you think you are?” He demanded, sneering at her. “I’m the young master of Clan Wind Dance. You’re nothing more than a used up old hag that owns a run down brothel.”

  Madame Janessa’s smile disappeared.

  “While I am willing to tolerate all manner of behavior,” she said, dropping any pretense at politeness, “I will not tolerate being insulted in my own home. Leave.”

  Zayne’s face grew so red with rage that I thought his head might explode.

  “You dare tell me what to do?!” He shouted. “You’re courting death!”

  With that, he pulled a sword out of his storage ring and swung it at Madame Janessa. Caught off guard by his sudden attack, she almost didn’t avoid his attack in time. The other patrons witnessed everything unfold with fascinated expressions on their faces, as if they were watching an entertaining play. Not a single one made a move to help.

  Meanwhile, the women who worked for the House of Heavenly Pleasure wore worried expressions on their faces, including the dancer and the musician performing for me and my companions. However, they were too weak to intervene in a fight between Foundation Establishment cultivators. A few stepped forward to help regardless, but the other women held them back.

  I stood up, ready to rush over and defend Madame Janessa. However, it turned out that my intervention became unnecessary.

  “What is the meaning of this?!” Willow’s voice boomed out.

  Zayne paused before he could attack Madame Janessa again. She took advantage of this to put some distance between them, before taking a talisman out of her storage ring. However, she didn’t attack Zayne.

  After all, he was a young master from a cultivation clan and an inner disciple of the Thousand Blade Sect. If she injured him or killed him, then she would face severe consequences. Instead, she waited to see how the situation would unfold. At least, that was how I interpreted her actions.

  Willow strode into the House of Heavenly Pleasure and walked up the stairs, until she was just a few feet away from Zayne. Two burly men flanked her, both in late Foundation Establishment. They dressed in similar attire as her: yellow trousers, yellow tops, and black boots. I assumed they were members of Clan Stone Pillar, given their appearances.

  “Cultivator Willow?” Zayne asked, a befuddled expression on his face. “What are you doing here?”

  Willow sneered at him and ignored his question.

  “I always knew you were an oaf and a scoundrel.” She said. “However, I never expected you to stoop this low. You’re an inner disciple of the Thousand Blade Sect, yet you draw your sword against an innocent woman. You should be ashamed of yourself!”

  Zayne pointed a finger at Madame Janessa.

  “That whore dared to threaten me!” He said. “I merely defended myself.”

  Madame Janessa shook her head, a frantic expression on her face.

  “No, young mistress,” she said, speaking to Willow in a deferential tone, “Young Master Zayne had too much to drink and caused a commotion. I merely asked him to leave.”

  Willow snorted, before she crossed her arms and glared at Zayne.

  “A liar as well as a lecherous drunk.” She said. “I had no expectations of you, but even so, I find myself disappointed.”

  “You believe that whore?” Zayne shouted. “She’s clearly lying!”

  Willow nodded towards his companions, who were huddled together in a group behind him. They all wore fearful expressions on their faces.

  “And what about them?” She asked. “What will they tell me if I ask them what happened?”

  Zayne turned towards his companions.

  “The truth.” he said in a menacing tone.

  Willow scoffed, before shaking her head.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “After witnessing your behavior, I realize that marrying you would be the biggest mistake of my life. I would rather die.”

  Zayne’s jaw dropped.

  “Bu-… But…” He sputtered. “What about the agreement between our clans?”

  Willow shook her head.

  “Agreement or not,” she said, “I refuse to marry the likes of you.”

  Zayne stared at her for several long seconds, before he barked out a laugh.

  “So you would risk war between our two clans because of your personal feelings towards me?” he asked, sneering. “I never knew you were so selfish.”

  “It’s better than shackling myself to a weakling like you.” Willow said.

  Zayne’s expression darkened, and I saw a vein on his forehead throb.

  “I’m not a weakling!” He said. “I am the young master of Clan Wind Dance!” He sneered. “Far better than a beast like you deserves.”

  The expressions on the two burly men accompanying Willow turned unsightly. They looked ready to tear him apart with their bare hands. However, they held back after Willow gestured for them to stand down.

  “You are a disgrace.” She said. “Senior Connor must be ashamed to have a son like you.”

  “Ha!” Zayne said. “As if I care what a dead man thinks. It’s not like he’s my real father.”

  He paused for a moment, before he panicked as he realized what he just said.

  “No, what I meant was-…” Zayne started to say, but Willow interrupted him with a laugh.

  “By the ancestors,” she said in a mocking tone, “You’re more foolish than I expected. I can’t believe you outright admitted it.” She sneered. “Not that I believed your lies for a second.” She smirked. “I can’t wait to tell my grandmother about this.”

  Zayne’s panic deepened.

  “You can’t prove anything!” He shouted.

  Willow spread her arms out, gesturing to the entirety of the House of Heavenly Pleasure.

  “Everyone here heard you,” she said. “I’m sure a few of them would be more than willing to testify on my behalf.”

  Zayne’s eyes darted from left to right several times. He looked like a cornered animal. A foreboding premonition filled me. In my experience, cornered animals were at their most desperate and therefore their most dangerous.

  My premonition proved correct when Zayne pulled a transmission talisman out of his storage ring. I ran towards him, even though I knew it was pointless. My intuition warned me that if we let him call for help, the situation would only grow worse for us.

  “Stop him!” Willow shouted. She must have realized the same thing.

  The two burly men rushed towards Zayne, but they were too slow.

  “Auntie!” he shouted into the transmission talisman. “Help me!”

  A second later, the two burly tackled Zayne and pinned him to the ground.

  “You’re too late!” Zayne shouted, a frenzied expression on his face. “When my aunt arrives, you’ll all regret mocking me!”

  A moment later, the aura of a Golden Core cultivator approached the House of Heavenly Pleasure, making no attempt to hide their cultivation base. They would be here in seconds.

  Things were about to get ugly.

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7