Chapter 84: A Heart Set on Seeking Pleasure

“No!” Xin Lang rejected decisively.

“Are you being reasonable? We simply don’t have cash on hand, but isn’t a gold note good enough?” The little maid, Qiu Yue, shouted aggressively.

“Heh heh…” The chubby Gu leered from the side, saying, “Little firecracker, if you put it like that, then what if I sleep with you for a night and let you go tomorrow—would that be acceptable?”

“You… shameless!” Qiu Yue’s face flushed red with anger, wishing she could eat Gu alive.

“Qiu Yue, give them my jade pendant,” a slender arm extended from the carriage, handing out a palm-sized jade pendant.

“Miss…” Qiu Yue held the jade pendant, unwilling to hand it over to Xin Lang.

A voice sounded from within the carriage, “This jade pendant is a specialty of Xiluo Kingdom in the southern region of the Grand Xia Dynasty. In Xia, it’s worth a thousand gold coins! Lord Martial Saint, could you please make things easier for us?”

Reluctantly, Qiu Yue handed the jade pendant to Xin Lang. Xin Lang examined it, then gathered the twenty gold coins, the hundred gold notes, and the jade pendant. He said, “Next time you travel, remember to bring more cash! Consider these gold notes as tuition fees!”

Xin Lang sensed the woman in the carriage was on the verge of exploding, yet she managed to suppress her anger.

“Qiu Yue, get in the carriage!” The voice from inside was tinged with irritation.

“Yes, Miss!” Qiu Yue shot Xin Lang and his two companions a venomous glare before climbing aboard.

Xin Lang waved his hand and called to Lin San, “Let them pass!”

The mercenaries of the Wild Wolf Mercenary Corps and the members of the merchant caravan, hearing Xin Lang’s words, acted as if pardoned, quickly organizing their party to leave this troublesome place.

The curtain of the carriage lifted slightly, and a pair of clear, dark eyes secretly glanced at Xin Lang, murmuring, “Cangqiong Mountain, I’ll remember this place!”

The grand caravan departed from Cangqiong Mountain, leaving only the mountain bandits behind.

Though they hadn’t managed to seize all the caravan’s wealth today, the robbery was a success: not a single bandit was lost. The loot was less than usual, but the bandits were in high spirits. Since Xin Lang had become the chief of Cangqiong Mountain, not only did they avoid risking their lives, the dividends were larger, and most exciting of all, they now received a monthly subsidy.

Such benefits had never even crossed their minds. Now, even if Huang Tianqi rose from the grave, the bandits would fight their way back to the Underworld Hall for Xin Lang.

Moreover, Xin Lang’s “Martial Saint” technique had won over all the bandits present. They firmly believed that by following Xin Lang, better days lay ahead.

Xin Lang summoned Lin San, who was responsible for cleaning up the battlefield, and said, “The three chiefs have important matters to attend to outside, so I’ll leave Cangqiong Mountain in your care for now.”

“Huh… me, in charge?” Lin San exclaimed in shock.

“Yes! What’s wrong? Can’t you handle it?” Xin Lang asked sternly.

“I can, I can, definitely! Chief, rest assured—I’ll take good care of Cangqiong Mountain!” Lin San promised.

Xin Lang continued, “After I leave, the toll policy remains unchanged. As long as you don’t get greedy, I guarantee every brother of Cangqiong Mountain will prosper!”

Lin San asked, “Chief, how long will you be gone? If something major happens on the mountain, what should I do?”

Xin Lang thought a moment and replied, “If there’s trouble, send someone to find us at the Martial Arts Academy in Xia Capital.”

“Yes, Chief!” Lin San answered.

With the caravan gone and the bandits returning to their mountain, only Xin Lang and his two companions remained on the wide road.

Gu looked up and sighed, “If only we robbed women instead of money, wouldn’t that be wonderful! Oh, Chief, since I didn’t get to sleep with that little firecracker, I demand double the subsidy!”

“Huh? Where did everyone go?”

Gu complained for a while, but no one responded. Looking down, he saw Qian Baidu driving the carriage at breakneck speed far ahead.

“Damn scoundrel, you sister-obsessed freak—wait for me…” Gu shouted, chasing after them.

***

Xia Capital, the seat of the Grand Xia Dynasty, lies at the heart of the realm, serving as the epicenter of power and wealth.

After three days of travel, Xin Lang and his companions finally arrived.

Xin Lang had lived in Xia Capital for many years before his rebirth, so the city was familiar to him. For Gu and Qian Baidu, however, it was their first time in such a bustling metropolis.

Qian Baidu grew excited seeing the wealthy folk crowding the streets. Without Xin Lang holding him back, he might have leapt out to rob from the rich and give to the poor.

“So many rich people—this place is perfect for redistribution! Xin Lang, why not bring everyone from Cangqiong Mountain here? We could charge tolls on this street and make a fortune!” Qian Baidu’s eyes gleamed with gold.

“Uh…” Xin Lang was speechless at Qian Baidu’s suggestion.

Gu’s reaction was even more exaggerated. The beautiful women on the street had him drooling.

“Beauties!” Gu howled.

He grabbed a scrawny, lecherous-looking young man whose appearance clearly indicated years of indulgence. Gu asked, “Brother, what’s the name of the biggest brothel in Xia Capital, and how do I get there?”

The young man, recognizing Gu as a kindred spirit, replied warmly, “You’ve come to the right person! I’m Pan Xiao’an, known as the Saint of Flowers!”

Pan Xiao’an pulled out a booklet and handed it to Gu. “This ‘Guide to Seeking Flowers and Willows’ is my painstaking creation, detailing dozens of brothels, hundreds of pleasure alleys, and information on thousands of girls in Xia Capital! Since we’re meeting for the first time, just give me a gold coin as a token of friendship.”

Gu happily handed over a gold coin, then produced a bottle of Xin Lang’s aphrodisiac, “Six-Flavored Imperial Dew.” He said, “This is my ancestral secret medicine. Just one drop, and I guarantee you’ll conquer every brothel—no girl will be your match!”

“Is this medicine really that miraculous?” Pan Xiao’an looked at it as if it were piles of treasure.

“Of course! I swear on my reputation as Gu Ge. Since we’re friends, I’ll sell it to you for two gold coins. Normally, I wouldn’t part with it for less than five!” Gu said sincerely.

Pan Xiao’an didn’t hesitate, handing over two gold coins. After a brief chat, Pan Xiao’an left, eager to test the medicine’s effects in the brothels.

Xin Lang, seeing the two gold coins in Gu’s hand, admired his business acumen. A bottle of “Six-Flavored Imperial Dew,” worth fifty silver coins, had just been sold for two gold coins. Not only did he recoup the cost of the “Guide to Seeking Flowers and Willows,” he made an extra fifty silver coins.

Gu flipped through the guide, unable to move his feet, prompting Qian Baidu to kick him hard and curse, “You damned fatty, are you coming or not?”

Unusually, Gu didn’t retaliate. After a while, he put away the guide and said to Xin Lang, “Chief, you two go handle the enrollment at Martial Arts Academy. Let’s meet there tomorrow morning.”

Before leaving, Gu shouted through the crowd, “Chief! If you see Ouyang Yanran at the academy, don’t tell her I went to the brothels!”

“Breeding boar!” Qian Baidu muttered under his breath.

Xin Lang was long accustomed to Gu’s antics.

As Xin Lang and Gu were about to head toward the Martial Arts Academy, they spotted two familiar faces on the street. Had Gu seen them, he’d regret his earlier words.

Qian Baidu addressed one of the women in the group, “Miss Ouyang, you didn’t hear what that fatty said, did you?”