The Mortal Realm... Tempering the Heart?

Whenever the local cultivators of Nanjiang caught sight of Li Guanqi's attire, their eyes involuntarily darted toward him. Li Guanqi paid their glances no mind, strolling down the street at his own leisurely pace. Perhaps because his bearing and appearance were so otherworldly, many local Nanjiang women along the way found their eyes lingering involuntarily on his face. From time to time, strange fragrances drifted from both sides of the street. Yet when Li Guanqi closed his eyes and focused his senses, he discovered that these scents contained lethal poisons! Still, he paid them little heed, merely giving a slight flick of his finger inside his sleeve. Thud!! In a dim alleyway, an old man in exotic garb at the Nascent Soul realm had his skull instantly pierced through by an arm-sized spirit sword!! The spirit sword sank through his head, pinning him dead against the wall. The corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curved upward slightly, and he chuckled under his breath. "Good grief. They took me for a fat sheep..." "It really has been... years since I last felt like this." Finding it somewhat amusing himself, Li Guanqi continued walking forward. Perhaps until the moment he died, that slain cultivator could never have imagined that after a lifetime of ambushing people in the city, he would target a great expert of the Tribulation Transcendence realm... Seeing several shops, Li Guanqi could not help wanting to step inside. He could not help it; he was genuinely curious. Inside the shops, shelves of all sizes shimmered with array light. Every compartment on each tier held ferocious, menacing venomous bugs! Scorpions, centipedes, and the like were all too common; there were also various bugs, cicadas, snakes, and more. The sheer variety and complex functions left even him marveling in wonder. An old man sitting behind the counter with his hands tucked into his sleeves merely glanced up at Li Guanqi. Then, bowing his head, he pinched some tobacco leaf and said softly, "If anything catches Senior's eye, just say the word. This old man will gift it to you as a little plaything." Li Guanqi looked at the elder in some surprise. Shrouded in decay, the man clearly had little of his lifespan left. His Dao age was around eight hundred years, and he appeared to be only at the mid Nascent Soul realm. With the man's strength, it was impossible to perceive any trace of Li Guanqi's aura; even if he could vaguely sense something, he would probably only take him for a Nascent Soul cultivator. Perhaps seeing the unconcealed puzzlement in Li Guanqi's eyes, the old man blew out a puff of smoke and said helplessly, "Please don't be too puzzled, Senior." "Your bearing... it really... doesn't resemble a Nascent Soul cultivator at all." The old man's voice sounded somewhat nervous. Only then did Li Guanqi notice that the hand holding the pipe was trembling involuntarily. The old man confessed honestly, "Your gaze... looks as if you hold all living beings in disdain, placing no one in your eyes." "If I hadn't been sitting firmly, I would probably be on my knees by now." Li Guanqi felt a bit helpless. He could rein in the pressure of the Tribulation Transcendence realm, but the commanding aura of one who stood above others was difficult to completely conceal. Moreover, it had been far too long since he last needed to disguise himself as weak. His entire mindset and gaze had naturally undergone an earth-shattering transformation. Li Guanqi gave a faint smile and flicked his finger. A fifth-grade pill swirling with dense misty glow appeared before the elder. "Thank you for the reminder." With that, Li Guanqi reached through the barrier, picked up a thumb-sized golden cicada, and placed it in his palm. The cicada was plump and golden all over, looking quite cute. As Li Guanqi turned around, his gaze softened considerably, and his whole demeanor underwent a drastic change, making him look no different from an ordinary person. The old man's turbid eyes filled with excitement, and he hurriedly put the pill away. After taking quite a while to compose himself, he rose, walked to the entrance, and shut the door tight. "Old Li, why are you closing so early today?" The old man didn't utter a word. After latching the door, he couldn't help cursing under his breath, "Why the hell would I stay open? I'm gonna live!!!" "A fifth-grade pill! It's definitely a fifth-grade pill!!" Li Guanqi nudged the golden cicada in his hand with a finger. The chubby creature wriggled lazily, clearly still half-asleep. A smile touched Li Guanqi's face, finding it rather amusing. He did not care whether this golden cicada had any special function; it was merely a third-rank golden cicada. Moon Shadow City was relatively quiet, not as clamorous and chaotic as other cities. Gradually, as Li Guanqi proceeded into the main city district, things grew livelier. Restaurants, teahouses, pleasure quarters... Standing before the red pavilion, Li Guanqi had a slightly dazed look in his eyes. "A place for tempering the heart... It really brings back memories." Perhaps Li Guanqi had spoken a bit too loudly; a woman standing at the doorway let her gaze ripple toward him and spoke in a tender voice, "Since Young Master feels nostalgic, why not take your pleasure while you can?" Li Guanqi looked up at the woman, who was exotically enchanting, strikingly beautiful, and dressed even more boldly. Her eyes seemed to speak volumes, yet Li Guanqi's gaze remained clear and lucid throughout. As the corners of his lips curved slightly, the woman was very discerning. She naturally stepped to his side, bowed respectfully, and guided Li Guanqi into the establishment. "Would Young Master prefer a livelier atmosphere, or somewhere elegant and quiet?" Hearing this, Li Guanqi smiled. "Find a private room, and bring some specialty drinks and food." With that, he casually tossed out a high-grade spirit stone. The woman swayed with sultry grace, her eyes brightening, yet she did not lose her composure. Beaming with smiles, she caught the spirit stone between her jade fingers and tucked it into the cleavage of her bosom. She gave a few soft instructions to the staff, then led Li Guanqi upstairs. The establishment was bustling, filled with all sorts of people from every walk of life. It was not the largest pleasure house in Moon Shadow City. Yet every woman here was stunning, each possessing her own unique charm. Some were petite and lovely, some icy and aloof, while others were fiery enough to melt one's heart. Soon, the woman arranged the restaurant's finest private room for Li Guanqi. On the sixth floor, overlooking both the street and the water, it offered a panoramic view of the city. "Please take a seat, Young Master. The view here is most beautiful at night." "Overlooking Moon Shadow City with pleasure boats making music—it's wonderfully lively." Li Guanqi smiled and nodded. At present, tempering his heart in the mortal realm could hardly stir much excitement in him anymore. His state of mind was like still water, unruffled by any ripples. His strength and realm had risen, yet he had also lost some of the youthful flutterings of his earlier days. The woman stayed by Li Guanqi's side, kneeling on the floor to gently remove his cloud boots. Her hands kneaded his feet with gentle care. She then placed a warming pouch under Li Guanqi's feet. Her attentive service prompted Li Guanqi to marvel that the brothels of Nanjiang were far superior to those in the Six Domains. Every move she made was alluring; she paid no heed to occasional glimpses of skin, and her gaze was seductive yet impeccably measured. She made a patron feel thoroughly indulged without ever sensing the slightest overstepping of boundaries. Soon, the door opened, and spiritual wine and fruits were served in full. An ethereal tune on the zither drew Li Guanqi's gaze. A row of women filed in gracefully to the accompaniment of zithers and lutes. Their slender waists, fair skin, and sheer veils concealing half their faces added an air of mystery. Li Guanqi cracked the mud seal on the wine jar and paused slightly in surprise. At the bottom of the wine jar coiled a mass of venomous insects, with a black-backed silver-thread snake nestled at the very base. The pale-golden liquor shimmered with spiritual radiance, and the woman beside him spoke softly, "This is a specialty spiritual wine of Nanjiang: Hundred Venom Brew." Li Guanqi curled his lip slightly. As a rich aroma of wine wafted out, he took a gentle sip; the texture was dense and complex. "Good wine."