Chapter 08: Xie Shuang

Qin Yun declined the invitation to the evening gathering and left with Tian Bo

"Brother Qin Yun," a handsome young man dressed casually and elegantly approached and sat down beside Qin Yun. This young man was none other than the 'Master Wufeng,' who had originally established the Xishan Sword Garden. Master Wufeng smiled and said, "By the time you were thirteen, you had already reached the ninth level of Qi Refinement. At fifteen, you traveled the world alone. By now, you must have found your chance for immortality and knocked on the gates of the celestial realm, haven't you?"

Fortunately, Yan Feng Lou is the most famous brothel in Guangling County, where the renowned courtesans are known for their artistry rather than their bodies. Only some ordinary brothels would engage in the sale of flesh.

The two rode back on horseback

Qin Yun also raised the wine jug

***

When he first entered the Xishan Sword Garden, he was the son of an ordinary constable, only ten years old

Brother Qin Yun, why do you not come to offer us your guidance

When a security escort encounters a monster, they often offer treasures, and sometimes the monsters will spare them. However, lacking sufficient confidence, even a formidable escort can usually manage to deal with one or two minor monsters.

The Xie family undertook a large escort mission. Tian Bo said, "The madman personally went to escort the goods. Just as they were nearing their destination, they encountered a monster. The battle was said to be fierce, with only three out of hundreds surviving. Two of the monsters were killed, and when the madman died, he had pierced the monster's skull with a sword from its mouth, but the monster had also torn through the madman's heart.

Madman?" Tian Bo was slightly taken aback and said in a low voice, "The madman has been dead for almost three years.

Tian Bo, the son of a small wealthy merchant, is only nine years old

... ...

Nearly twenty thousand taels? Qin Yun nodded, having ten thousand taels of silver would already be considered wealthy. The nearly twenty thousand taels for selling oneself, Yan Feng Lou is willing to bear, which is already quite rare

"That convoy was significant; if the escort fails, the Xie family must compensate, and with so many lives lost, the Xie family still has to pay. " Tian Bo shook his head, "Sister Xie Shuang is also righteous; when the escort agency collapsed, she went bankrupt and first compensated the families of those deceased men. Later, there wasn't enough money left to cover the escort fees, and she was forced to sell herself to Yan Feng Lou to gather the required funds."

Yan Feng Lou is the most renowned brothel in Guangling County, frequented by officials, celebrities, and wealthy merchants. Even the most ordinary act of having a cup of tea inside requires one or two taels of silver! One or two taels of silver is sufficient for the household expenses of an average family of three for two to three months

These monsters. Qin Yun gritted his teeth; the intelligence of monsters is generally lower than that of the human race, and some are even foolish! With bad luck, offering treasures is of no use, and he can only rely on the sword in his hand

In the evening

The two people bumped into each other

"To endure being thousands of miles away from home is quite impressive." Young Master Wufeng raised the bamboo wine flask and said, "I toast to you."

The madman is dead, and Sister Xie Shuang has sold herself to Yan Feng Lou

Originally, I planned to wait until after today's gathering to discuss this privately with you, Brother Yun. Tian Bo lowered his voice, "You know that Kuangren's father has long been in poor health, bedridden with a serious illness. Just six months after you left your hometown, Kuangren's father finally passed away! However, Kuangren is capable and resourceful, and he managed to secure the position of the head of the escort agency. He even mentioned that his next marriage would be to a concubine from the Hong family, the first family in Guangling County, which would provide him with a powerful backing. But who would have thought that before he could marry, something unfortunate happened."

Qin Yun fell silent

Qin Yun and Xie Lei have a very good private relationship, how could anyone believe that the highly skilled and powerful Xie Kuangren would die like this

Fortunately

"Come on, don't just know how to drink."

Sister Xie Shuang was the only daughter of the Xie family, skilled in sword dance, and also proficient in playing the pipa, with a striking appearance, which allowed her to command a high price when she sold herself. Tian Bo shook his head, saying, "I originally intended to offer financial assistance, but at that time, Sister Xie Shuang needed nearly 20,000 taels of silver. My Tian family would have to sell off nearly half of our estate to gather that amount, and selling in a hurry would mean a low price. There was simply no way around it, and my father would never agree to it."

"Has it been almost three years since he died?" Qin Yun's expression changed.

Sitting by the railing, sipping wine, watching friends practice swordsmanship in the water against the backdrop of green mountains and clear waters

"We are going to Yan Feng Lou tonight," said Qin Yun

"Alright, I will accompany you." Tian Bo nodded

Where is Xiao Shuang? Qin Yun asked

Selling meat is looked down upon, and usually, a mere half or two taels of silver would suffice. However, the situation is quite different for renowned courtesans, who attract a throng of wealthy patrons. Just to have a cup of tea and engage in conversation can cost dozens of taels of silver, and it also depends on whether the courtesans are willing to oblige. ... Some of these famous courtesans are well-known throughout the land ...! ... There are those who are prominent figures in their own right, spending thousands of taels of silver just to seek a meeting, and even then, it may not be guaranteed!

With the death of Xie Kuangren, the Xie family is left with only one girl.

We are going to Yan Feng Lou

Xie Lei's family opened a security agency at the age of only eleven

"Selling oneself to Yan Feng Lou?" Qin Yun's face turned pale.

The unarmed young master could not help but exclaim: "I admire you greatly; you are the only one among the younger generation of our Guangling County who has opened the door to the immortal realm. And do you know what I admire most about you?"

The unarmed young master, after drinking, said: "You are already different from us; your lifespan is no longer the same. If you knock on the door of immortality, you can live beyond a hundred years. If you step into the innate realm, even the virtual elixir stage grants a lifespan of two hundred! The legendary golden elixir stage offers five hundred years of life. Among true immortals, when we, your playmates from your youth, have turned into a pile of yellow earth, you may still be quite young."

I admire your courage," said Young Master Wufeng. "With your innate talent, it would have been easy for you to join the cultivation sects around Guangling County and gain entry to the immortal gates. Yet, you clearly look down upon those ordinary cultivation sects, preferring instead to travel the world in search of opportunities and to join a truly top-tier sect. Perhaps the path of cultivation requires such a resolute heart.

What on earth happened, how did he die? Qin Yun felt a pain in his heart, as scenes from his youth surfaced in his mind, causing his eyes to involuntarily redden

Monster

Qin Yun was taken aback and shook his head: "Do not flatter me. During the journey away from home, I faced the wind and rain, and more often than not, I was confronted with life-threatening crises. At first, I gritted my teeth and endured it. Later, when I truly wanted to return home, I realized I was already thousands of miles away, and the return journey was equally perilous. Since that is the case, I have no choice but to walk this path to the end."

Xie Lei is very strong-willed and has a fiery temper, earning him the nickname "Xie the Madman." On the other hand, Tian Bo, who was handsome yet frail and shy at the time, was teased and called "Little Bobo."

At this moment, the Yan Feng Building has opened its doors to welcome guests, with red lanterns already hung up, and outside the main entrance, a group of beautiful maidens is enthusiastically greeting visitors

Having endured countless hardships, I have finally knocked on the door of immortality, Qin Yun said

"No need for that," Qin Yun said with a forced smile. He truly lacked the mood for it, as thoughts of Xie Shuang, who had sold herself to Yan Feng Lou, and the deceased Xie Kuangren weighed heavily on his heart, leaving him feeling oppressed and uncomfortable

What is it? Qin Yun inquired

Certainly, there are courtesans who voluntarily offer themselves and recommend their services, but such instances are quite rare

Qin Yun was puzzled

Strictly speaking, Tian Bo is akin to a junior follower, while Qin Yun and the madman Xie, known as "Xie Lei," are the two individuals with exceptional swordsmanship in the Xishan Sword Garden. The two often engage in competitions and sparring. Xie Kuangren's sister, "Xie Shuang," is treated by Qin Yun as if she were his own sister, as Qin Yun once had a sister who passed away when he was eight years old. Xie Shuang bears a striking resemblance to his sister, even sharing similar temperaments and ways of acting spoiled.

Greetings to friends

Although he was eager to meet Xie Shuang, the Yan Feng Building only opened its doors to guests in the evening, and Xie Shuang had been in the Yan Feng Building for over two years, so there was no need to rush. Qin Yun patiently stayed here with his many old friends.

Qin Yun was momentarily taken aback, said nothing, and simply gazed at her friends competing with swords on the surface of the lake, quietly drinking wine