CH 64

Red Blossom Pavilion, in the room of the courtesan Yao Ji.

After watching Long Dahai and his group of people select a group of women and enter the room with complex gazes, the maid Xiao Guai immediately approached and handed the received letter to Yao Ji.

“Sister Yao Ji… What did the Demon Sect Holy Saint say in the letter?”

Xiao Guai asked curiously.

“Nothing important.”

Yao Ji folded the letter and placed it on the guqin in her hand. “Tomorrow is the reopening ceremony of the Demon Artifact Pavilion, and he invited me to play a tune.”

“Are you going, sister?” Xiao Guai tilted her head.

“At such a crucial moment, how could I choose to appear in public?” Yao Ji sighed, her face showing some worry.

Seeing her sister’s furrowed brow, Xiao Guai tried to console her. “Actually, sister, you don’t need to worry too much. Everything has been prepared, and although those guys acted on their own, there don’t seem to be any signs of unexpected events…”

“If there are any unexpected events, it might be tomorrow.”

Interrupting her maid’s words, Yao Ji placed the guqin aside.

She stood up and walked to the window, looking at the bustling streets outside, her eyes filled with indescribable meaning.

Xiao Guai followed behind her, unsure of what to say.

They remained in silence for a while until Yao Ji suddenly turned her head and looked at her maid.

“Tomorrow, decline any visitors and say that I have caught a cold and cannot play the guqin.”

“Ah?”

Surprised by Yao Ji’s sudden statement, Xiao Guai took a moment to comprehend. Looking at that beautiful face, she tentatively asked, “Does sister intend to go to the Demon Artifact Pavilion?”

Yao Ji nodded.

“Although I can’t show myself in public, it is still necessary to go and see if anything happens… If something unfavorable to our plans does occur, we need to prepare early.”

If everything goes well, she will be more at ease. Moreover, although she only had a passing encounter with the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect, he was indeed an interesting person. She wanted to see what tomorrow would bring.

Seeing that Yao Ji had made up her mind, Xiao Guai nodded obediently.

“I understand, I will prepare everything.”

“Good.”

Watching her maid leave and closing the door, Yao Ji knelt back in the center of the room.

She gently touched the guqin she had set aside.

In an instant, the guqin transformed, revealing a piece of jade with a crescent moon and half a star.

Plucking the strings, the worry on the courtesan’s face diminished, replaced by a hint of a smile.

“Tomorrow…”

Perhaps she had worried too much during these days. Tomorrow, a rare festival would happen in the capital, and if nothing goes wrong, she could go there to relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

“(I should find a reputable diviner to see if my plan is progressing smoothly… Although there aren’t many reliable diviners outside of Heavenly Secrets Tower.)”

Consider it as her seeking reassurance.

…………

Unknowingly, dusk had approached.

After a long journey, the sword immortal Miss Lu Yuliu finally arrived at the capital city.

Feeling the grandeur and prosperity of the celestial kingdom’s capital, the young girl became noticeably excited.

Since she still had time before meeting that annoying fellow, the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect, she decided to explore the city.

“I heard that although the city is under curfew at night, there is a night market… Perhaps I can witness some interesting things.”

Lu Yuliu muttered to herself.

After all, she had promised her future master that if he wanted to come to the capital city, she would show him around. If she didn’t learn more about the city, was she going to take her master straight to the Demon Artifact Pavilion?

That was impossible.

Considering the size of the capital city, the Demon Artifact Pavilion only occupied a small area. Her master probably wouldn’t be interested in ordinary mortal weapons and artifacts. When the time comes, she can simply take her master on a few detours and avoid the Demon Artifact Pavilion.

That would be great.

Feeling quite pleased with her foresight, little Yuliu nodded to herself.

(But the Royal City is really lively… Is it like this every day? Or is there something special happening recently?)

And she always feels like she hears familiar words in the conversations around her.

The young girl is a bit curious.

So she looks around and approaches a direction where the crowd is gathering.

It turns out to be a Trial Martial Arena.

On the stage, two Qi Refining cultivators are exchanging blows, their fists landing on each other’s bodies.

But they are not using any weapons.

(Hmm? I remember disciples from the inner area who visited Royal City before said that there is indeed a Trial Martial Arena here for Qi Refining cultivators to compete, but they are not allowed to use weapons. Could it be that this is not the Trial Martial Arena but some short-term arena set up by another force?)

While she ponders this, she overhears discussions from the spectators nearby.

“The cultivator on the left looks like he’s struggling. It’s really difficult for a late Qi Refining stage cultivator to defeat a peak Qi Refining stage cultivator without relying on mortal weapons.”

“I didn’t realize it when we used mortal weapons before, but now I see that the improvement from mortal weapons is significant. It used to be a common occurrence for a late Qi Refining stage cultivator to defeat a peak Qi Refining stage cultivator without mortal weapons…”

“Tsk tsk, those were the days. Nowadays, if they use that special mortal weapon, even a peak Qi Refining stage cultivator would turn and run when faced with an initial refined Qi Refining cultivator!”

“Hahaha, you’re right, brother. It’s much more exaggerated now compared to before.”

After listening to these fragmented discussions, the Miss Sword Fairy’s expression becomes even more puzzled.

What are they talking about exactly?

After a brief thought, she gives up on listening to these trivial pieces of information here.

Instead, she withdraws from the crowd and scans her surroundings, finding a teahouse that seems decent enough.

The flow of customers appears quite substantial, making it a good place to gather information.

However, as Miss Sword Fairy approaches, she freezes beneath the teahouse.

“…Current Chief of the Demon Artifact Pavilion, the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect, Luo Wusheng, accompanied by the Demon Sect’s Holy Maiden, Bai Xiaoyao, visited this teahouse to watch the Trial Martial Arena. The best choice for guaranteed quality?”

Staring at the prominently displayed wooden board at the entrance of the teahouse, Miss Sword Fairy rubs her eyes.

Realizing that her eyes aren’t deceiving her, the young girl feels a bit uneasy and continues reading.

“The Demon Artifact Pavilion is the exclusive partner of the Royal City’s south side, where there are no mortal weapons allowed in the martial arts challenge. Rewards for defeating challengers without mortal weapons can be claimed at the first-floor checkout counter?”

?

Why is it that she recognizes every single word written here, but when they come together as a sentence, she can’t understand it?

What on earth has happened in Royal City?

The Demon Artifact Pavilion? What did that Holy Saint of the Demon Sect do exactly?

Miss Sword Fairy’s face is filled with confusion.

But she has a faint sense of foreboding.