The late spring rain drizzled softly.

Lu Xingzhou held an oil-paper umbrella, walking with Dugu Qingli on the streets of Jiangnan Chunshan County.

The umbrella was small, and Lu Xingzhou tilted most of it towards Dugu Qingli, letting half of his own body get wet.

For him, a practitioner of the water element, getting wet in the rain was no different from practicing cultivation. Dugu Qingli also didn’t need such protection. From time to time, she would turn to look at Lu Xingzhou, her blue eyes gleaming with incomprehensible light.

It was as if she couldn’t analyze the meaning of Lu Xingzhou’s actions. *I’m not afraid of the rain, so why are you specifically shielding me? If it’s just for your own practice, why bother with an umbrella?*

But her heart felt inexplicably sweet.

*So, humans can do some completely useless things that still make people happy, just like breaking off a flower’s reproductive organs to give to someone.*

The little white-haired girl felt she had learned more about human nature in this short time with him than in the past twenty years.

Also… Jiangnan was indeed very different from the North.

Amidst the misty rain, distant mountains appeared like painted eyebrows, streams crisscrossed the city, and stone bridges were everywhere. The slanting sunset, blurred by the mist, created a picturesque scene.

Such scenery was rare in the North. The people were also charming and gentle, making the whole world feel softer. She wondered if this was related to her mood.

The only somewhat uncomfortable thing was the increase in brothels, and they were very direct. The girls would wave their handkerchiefs and solicit customers when they saw Lu Xingzhou, their eyes either seeing a fat sheep or a treasure.

He was so handsome, of course, he was a treasure.

So Dugu Qingli hooked her arm tightly around his, signaling that he was taken.

However, the girls’ gazes towards her became somewhat hostile, coupled with unconcealed thoughts of, “Does that monster even deserve him?”

She could even hear girls whispering to each other: “That young master is so handsome, it’s a pity he’s with a monster.”

“If I could spend a night with that young master, I wouldn’t even ask for money.”

“I’d pay him instead.”

“Hehe, you little slut.”

The girls upstairs burst into laughter, while the white-haired girl downstairs pursed her lips, tightening her grip on his arm even further.

Lu Xingzhou extended his other hand and brushed a stray strand of hair from her temple: “All of them put together can’t compare to a single strand of your hair.”

Dugu Qingli smiled brightly.

Then she whispered, “What do we do now? We can’t tell anything from the street. Should we go directly to the Prefect?”

“No need, we’re on an incognito visit,” Lu Xingzhou smiled. “You can actually see a lot of things on the street.”

“Like what?”

“Those brothels just now, there are quite a few cultivating girls, I even sensed some at the seventh-rank. A seventh-rank cultivator is already considered strong. The fact that they’re willing to do this indicates that the forces training them have something going on.”

“…So what?”

“I want to go into a larger brothel and take a look.”

“You just want to go to a brothel!” The young girl raised her voice.

Passersby nearby turned their heads, their expressions trying to suppress laughter, and quickly looked away.

Lu Xingzhou sighed: “As a disciple of Tianyao Sect, shouldn’t your first reaction be to suspect it’s related to Chanü Hehuan Sect and requires investigation? Yuan Muyu said that Xuannü isn’t completely dead yet, and Chu Yun has taken over the main base. Who knows how many hideouts the cunning rabbit still has?”

Dugu Qingli paused, then fell silent.

In the North, under Ye Tinglan’s guidance, demonic cultivation was quite difficult. The Chanü Hehuan Sect’s traditional brothel business model was heavily monitored; almost every brothel was strictly checked to ensure it wasn’t connected to the sect. The decline of Chanü Hehuan Sect over the past few decades was also due to the severe crackdown on its fundamental industries, leaving them with little money.

As the Saintess of Tianyao, Dugu Qingli’s first reaction should indeed have been this… but her reaction was jealousy, never even considering the serious matter.

The little white-haired girl scratched her white hair, feeling that she was now even less valuable than her beloved Tinglan.

If she looked in a mirror, even dogs would probably find her repulsive.

But was he really not making excuses?

Turning two streets, they soon saw a city lake in the distance, with painted pleasure boats floating on it, temporarily moored by the shore. The boats were decorated with lanterns and streamers, and many guests were already boarding. The boats were filled with the chirping of orioles and the spread of laughter.

It was clearly a pleasure boat.

An old procuress waited by the lake. Her eyes lit up when she saw Lu Xingzhou and she immediately approached him.

Her neckline was cut very low, revealing most of her *dudou*, and her ample breasts jiggled wildly: “Honored guest, tonight our pleasure boat has its courtesan queen’s first official reception…”

Dugu Qingli stared at the jiggling breasts for a while, then looked down at her own, and lowered her head.

She lost.

She still had some sense of accomplishment in front of her martial uncle, but out here, she was crushed by a random procuress.

Lu Xingzhou was saying, “I have a companion with me, is that also suitable?”

The procuress’s eyes darted about: “Isn’t that up to the honored guest’s own abilities?”

Lu Xingzhou smiled: “Then shall we go take a look? Even if it’s just for a meal and a show.”

As he spoke, he slipped a silver note into the procuress’s cleavage: “Give us a top-grade private room.”

The procuress was overjoyed: “Honored guest, please follow me.”

Dugu Qingli obediently followed behind and boarded the boat.

The procuress: “…”

*What skill, to have trained her like this.*

She deliberately asked, “The evening program hasn’t started yet, does the honored guest need a few companions for now?”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Just one for starters.”

Dugu Qingli still didn’t speak.

The procuress took a deep breath, looking at Lu Xingzhou as if he were an immortal.

*This white-haired girl’s demeanor clearly isn’t that of a maid or guard, and the faint, chilling sword intent emanating from her makes one’s body tingle. How did you train her to be like this?*

Outside the pleasure boat, Jiang Yuan was dumbfounded.

*You’re going to a pleasure boat, what about me? How do I get in?*

Lu Xingzhou followed the procuress to a private room. The room was on the second floor of the pleasure boat, and from inside, one could clearly see a large stage below, apparently for the courtesan queen’s performance, which had not yet begun. Only the tireless sound of string and wind instruments echoed all around, the music soft, the atmosphere languid.

Lu Xingzhou casually ordered some wine and snacks, and the procuress smiled: “Honored guest, please sit comfortably. The wine, food, and young lady will be right with you.”

Watching the procuress leave, Dugu Qingli pouted: “I’ve been sensing all along, but haven’t detected any aura of the Chanü Hehuan Sect. Are they hiding well?”

Lu Xingzhou said, “From the looks of it now, it’s probably not the Chanü Hehuan Sect…”

“Why?”

“Because the Chanü Hehuan Sect would definitely know your appearance, while other forces might not, since you’ve appeared in public very rarely. Looking at this procuress’s attitude, she clearly doesn’t know.”

Dugu Qingli said, “You’ve already guessed it’s not them, so why are you still coming!”

“Well, since we’re already here…”

Dugu Qingli: “?”

Lu Xingzhou quickly said, “Even if it’s not the Chanü Hehuan Sect, there might be something else. Let’s try to get some information first.”

Dugu Qingli asked, “So you’re ordering a girl to get information?”

“Of course.”

“Then you’re not allowed to touch her.”

Lu Xingzhou chuckled: “Why do you sound like you know a lot about going to brothels?”

Dugu Qingli’s face was expressionless: “I don’t know, I just know you’ll be handsy with me, so aren’t other girls also for being handsy with? So, just ask your questions, no touching!”

Lu Xingzhou smiled: “Alright, alright, no touching.”

Dugu Qingli lowered her head: “If you absolutely have to touch, you can touch me.”

Lu Xingzhou almost burst out laughing.

Before long, the door reopened. A waiter brought in wine and dishes, followed by a line of girls entering. The procuress smiled: “Our girls are all of excellent quality, proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and can even chat a few words about cultivation. Does the honored guest have anyone in mind?”

Dugu Qingli’s small hands clenched, making cracking sounds, wishing she could just toss all these women out.

Lu Xingzhou swept his gaze around. They were indeed all quite good… Then his eyes suddenly widened.

He saw an acquaintance.

Liu Yan’er stood at the very end, also staring at him with surprise.

Lu Xingzhou truly felt that fate was wondrous. He pointed at Liu Yan’er: “Her.”

The procuress smiled: “Yan’er, you are fortunate, serve him well.”

With that, she took the other girls and left, closing the door again.

Liu Yan’er stood there, looking at Lu Xingzhou, then at Dugu Qingli, the atmosphere incredibly awkward.

Dugu Qingli also recognized her, and was very surprised: “You’re not dead?”

Liu Yan’er: “…”

*What a way to talk.*

Lu Xingzhou said, “Sit down. Uh, no need to sit close, just sit opposite and chat.”

Dugu Qingli’s smile blossomed again.

Little did she know, even if Liu Yan’er wanted to get closer, Lu Xingzhou would still be wary of contamination; she had had a venereal disease… Although she looked cured now, it was still off-putting, wasn’t it?

Liu Yan’er finally digested the situation of seeing Lu Xingzhou here. She sat down opposite them in silence, smiling somewhat self-deprecatingly: “You find me dirty.”

Lu Xingzhou said, “Not at all, not at all. I’m with my lover, so it wouldn’t be right to be presumptuous. Miss Liu, how did you… end up here?”

Liu Yan’er’s tone was calm, but it couldn’t hide the deep-seated hatred: “I came to Jiangnan to seek refuge with relatives and was completely ruined.”