CH 24

When Gu Feng pulled Su Mujin, it made his center of gravity unstable, and he stumbled into the other person. What was this situation? Why does Gege always act so suddenly?

After having fallen into hell for a bit, his heart had suddenly taken flight and entered paradise. His whole person was dizzy and he had long forgotten any of the schemes he was supposed to maintain. 

Gazing into each other’s eyes, the temperature of their surroundings was steadily rising. Gu Feng looked at his partner with a smile on his face as he slowly observed his features, starting with the brows, moving to the eyes, the nose, and finally resting on the lips. Obviously it was the same face he knew so well from his previous life, but yet it wasn’t the same at all. Now that he was older, the face looked completely different. He only felt that he loved each feature exactly as it was. His partner’s lips were thin and soft, and just by looking at them he could imagine how wonderful they felt.

Slowly leaning in, just on the verge of meeting, Su Mujin suddenly placed a finger on his lips.

“What is it?” Ge Feng tenderly inquired.

Su Mujin’s lips moved, as though he was anxious to speak, but was too embarrassed. 

“Hush, don’t overthink it. I’ll confess my feelings for you in a moment.” Gu Feng moved the finger aside. Su Mujin had only wanted to ask his intentions. He already had thought through how he would confess, but it wasn’t yet the perfect moment.

“Mmm, then I also have . . . something to confess to Gege.” Su Mujin’s eyelashes quivered as he slowly closed his eyes.

Gu Feng’s lips curved into a smile. He was about to take the next step when outside the inn there was a sudden racket. Immediately following that, a loud knock on the door and a shout.

“Gu xiong, something terrible has happened. Come out quickly!” Ye Mochen called out anxiously as he pounded on the door.

“Fuck!” Gu Feng cursed under his breath. He was resentful at being interrupted at such a delicate moment.

“What’s wrong?” He opened the door with a gloomy expression, causing Ye Mochen to leap back in fright.

Ye Mochen saw Su Mujin sitting in the room, his face red with a blush, and realized he’d come by at a bad time. But the incident was of grave importance, and he could only brace himself and continue, saying, “Hua Yan and I were just out and about, strolling around, when we ran into a man who suddenly came up and said he wanted to make Hua Yan his woman. Of course she didn’t agree, and we both tried to beat up that man, but he was too strong and neither of us were his match and he kidnapped her. What should I do?”

Gu Feng was speechless. This guy was really reborn in vain. He couldn’t even protect his own wife. 

“Where are they now?” Ye Mochen is in the initial stage of golden core and Hua Yan is in the initial stage of nascent soul. So that man’s cultivation must be at least above the initial stage of golden core.

“After being abducted, Hua Yan transmitted a message to me. It seems as though they’re at a place called Wuying Pavilion?” Ye Mochen spoke with uncertainty.

Wuying Pavilion? Gu Feng’s heart leapt. He had planned to head to Wuying Pavilion on the way, so he might as well take this opportunity.

“I know of that place. It’s at the foot of Hundred Flowers Palace. Go call Chu Feng and we’ll head out.” Gu Feng pondered over who might have abducted Hua Yan; he already had an inkling as to who it was. 

He should be Wuying, the master of Wuying Pavilion. His cultivation was at the out of body level of cultivation and he liked to kidnap women, specifically married women. Whenever he abducted a person, he would spare no effort to treat them well. But if that person showed the slightest bit of interest in him, he would send them packing. It was useless to try to change his mind. After losing his companion, he would ruthlessly search for a new target.

Why go to all that trouble? Gu Feng couldn’t understand Wuying’s strange way of thinking at all. But at the moment, Hua Yan should be completely safe, and probably enjoying a delicious meal.

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“He left. Don’t worry, I’m happy to be free of that burden.” Chu Feng bitterly answered.

“He left?” Gu Feng subtly glanced behind Chu Feng.

“Yes. Mr. Venerable Curmudgeon has finally left. I can now relax. Tomorrow I’ll go find ten or so beauties–Oy, Gu Feng, why is your eye twitching?” 

Gu Feng couldn’t bear to directly look at Chu Feng’s face. Silently, he pointed his finger behind him.

Chu Feng turned his head in befuddlement, then stood as still as though he’d been turned to stone.

Feng Hu had taken human form, and stood there in all his glorious beauty, expressionlessly staring at Chu Feng. His eyes seethed with anger and a trace of indignance.

“Guys, Hua Yan is still waiting for us to rescue her. We’ve got to get moving!” The situation was too tense, so Gu Feng tried to divert the topic. 

Feng Hu nodded, and turned back into a fox. Under Chu Feng’s expectant gaze, he leapt in the arms of . . . Ye Mochen.

“Let’s go.” Ye Mochen turned to leave, pretending not to notice Chu Feng’s murderous gaze. He wanted to cry, but had no tears. In his embrace he held someone who could not be offended. He was just an innocent bystander. Why was he always injured in other people’s personal affairs?

In this strange mood, they got on the road. Traveling quickly, it would take about a day to reach Wuying Pavilion.

“Gu xiong, are you sure we’re at the right place?” Ye Mochen pushed aside the gauze clad woman, his face full of doubt. The building before them bore a plaque on which three giant characters were inscribed, reading “Spring Breeze Manor”. 

A woman whose head was covered in jewels and pearls and exuded a strong fragrance greeted them, “Gongzi, which girls strike your fancy?”

All the women had exquisitely madeup faces. Each and every one of them was fair and blushing. They were thinking that these several newly arrived gongzi were all handsome and talented, and if they could manage to bed one of them, they wouldn’t even care if they were paid or not.

“Coming and going with nary a shadow, where is the master of Wuying Pavilion?” Gu Feng casually uttered the secret phrase. Wuying Pavilion’s influence was spread across the entire continent, and brothels were their point of contact. They would convey messages directly to Wuying Pavilion.

Last life, he had been traveling with Mo Ran and Gu Yunxi to the Hundred Flowers Festival when Gu Yunxi was abducted along the way. He and Mo Ran spent a great deal of effort to find her, and he became familiar with Wuying Pavilion’s workings at that time. 

“Ah, so you’re guests. Come with me.”

They followed the matron along a path that twisted and turned, finally arriving at a rock garden. The matron must have activated some lever, causing the scenery to suddenly change.

Exquisite buildings, flowing water, the area occupied was vast, looking just like the scenery of a sect, but on a smaller scale.

“Wait here, honored guests. The pavilion master will be right with you.” The matron led them to a hall and then retreated. 

Not a moment later, a red clothed man appeared. He had a prominent nose and his lips were somewhat upturned. His peach blossom eyes held a fake smile. His appearance was elegant and romantic, but the expression in his eyes was desolate. He was clearly a ruthless man.

“Hua Yan!” As soon as the man appeared, Ye Mochen was unable to hold back because he saw Hua Yan standing behind the man.

“Beauty, aren’t you going to answer your lover? Should I withdraw to give you some space?” Wu Ying’s elegance was really on show as he treated the woman he fancied with such gentleness.

“I’d be happier if you just let me go free.” Hua Yan was flabbergasted by this man, and was pretty sure his brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders. 

“I’m afraid that won’t work.” Wu Ying rejected Hua Yan’s request with a gentle expression on his face.

“It appears that the Pavilion Master doesn’t intend to do business today. In that case, I can only come back another day.” Gu Feng saw the time was almost right, and spoke in an unhurried manner.

“If you’ve come to discuss exchanging this beauty for another, I apologize. It’s not possible.” Wu Ying seemed to just have noticed Gu Feng, and observed how Gu Feng and Su Mujin’s hands were clasped, his eyes brightening for a second.

“Who said anything about a substitute? I have some business to discuss with the Pavilion Master. Let me invite you to dinner and we can converse about it,” Gu Feng suggested. 

“Come, take guest’s friends to refresh themselves.” As soon as Wu Ying called out, several black clad men appeared and escorted Su Mujin and his companions away.

Wu Ying looked in the direction they had left and didn’t come back to his senses for a long time.

“Cough, the people have left. Don’t look any longer. I’ve come to ask the pavilion master to buy some news.” Gu Feng cleared his throat, thinking that Wu Ying was watching Hua Yan.

I want to check on Taixu Sect Master’s daughter, Gu Yunxi, before she entered the sect. I also want to know about the tools that the people at the top of this mural are holding.” Gu Feng spoke and transferred an image of the section of the mural directly to Wu Ying’s mind. 

Wu Ying looked and pondered for a while, then spoke “This information will be difficult to obtain and requires a lot of manpower . . .”

“As long as it can be uncovered, the price is no problem.”

“It’s a pleasure doing business with you!”

After settling on the specifics, Gu Feng handed over a deposit. Wu Ying assured him that as soon as there was any news, he’d contact him. 

“Is your group heading to the Hundred Flowers Festival” Wu Yin inquired.

“That’s right.”

“You must be weary from the trip. Why don’t you stay at my place to rest and refresh yourselves before heading out.”

“In that case, how can I refuse?” Gu Feng hadn’t forgotten that the purpose of this trip was also to rescue someone. 

Two flowers bloomed on the same branch.

Su Mujin had just left the great hall when he transmitted a message, “Hua Yan, for the next couple of days, do your best to show your interest in Wu Ying. If you want to leave him you must do as I say. Don’t ask why.”

“Okay.” Although she was confused, if she could escape by flirting with Wu Ying, she was game.

That evening Wu Ying held an impromptu banquet to welcome the guests. Gu Feng was suspicious. In his past life he had never seen the man act so enthusiastic. Could it be that he treated his guests better?

“Pavilion Master, I offer you a toast.” Hua Yan gazed at Wu Ying with eyes as soft as water, taking what Su Mujin had advised and running with it. 

“Hua Yan, what are you doing? Am I dead to you?” Ye Mochen indignantly slapped the table, playing along with the charade.

“Mochen, don’t be angry. The pavilion master has treated me well the past couple days. We ought to show our gratitude.” After saying this, Hua Yan shot a shy glance over toward Wu Ying.

Wu Ying’s eyes were full of mockery but he still responded with grace. “If you like it, that’s good. I heard Gu xiong say that you’re headed to the Hundred Flowers Festival. I won’t keep you. In two days time, you can all go together.”

If it was before, he might still be interested in Hua Yan, but now he had a new target.