In the beginning, no one cared about this disaster.
It was merely the disappearance of a singing girl, of a dancer, of a poetry gathering; the interruption of a banquet—until this disaster became closely tied to everyone.
"Is it just my imagination?"
"There seem to be fewer people around. The embroiderer is gone, and Xiao Rui hurried backstage right after Lady Feng whispered a few words to her. Why did everyone leave?"
"Only a few of the pure courtesans are left."
"You've got to be kidding me."
At some point, the bustling, lively Danfeng Tower had grown surprisingly quiet, causing quite a few patrons to frown.
Even the top courtesan, Qingfeng, showed a look of surprise upon the stage.
Meanwhile, several gentry and scholars who practiced martial arts keenly perceived that an extraordinary sound was echoing through Danfeng Tower.
Yet when they strained their ears to listen closely, they caught only a faint rustling, making it impossible to pinpoint the source.
What in the world was happening?
***
Danfeng Tower, Secret Sound Pavilion.
Wang Ping reclined languidly on a brocade couch. Clothes were strewn across the floor—his own and those belonging to others—intermingled amid a carpet of exhausted feminine beauty.
Though his adversaries had arrived in an endless stream, he had remained utterly invincible.
Outside the door, Lady Feng's delicate brows were tightly knit.
"Still haven't brought him down?"
The maidservant beside her wore a nervous expression, yet she could not help moistening her lips. "Every one of them went inside, and not a single one has come out. They've all been conquered."
"He's even more formidable than Master Liu was back in the day."
Lady Feng swallowed hard at those words. "And he only just started training in the Iron Ox Art? Even someone who reached great perfection in it would only be at this level, or perhaps he's even stronger!"
Even an expert who had perfected the Iron Ox Art was still flesh and blood. Yet the master of this private chamber seemed like a rushing river that flowed without pause, never taking a single rest along the way. Such capability completely defied Lady Feng's understanding.
Still, things couldn't go on like this.
Just then, another maidservant ran in from outside in a panic. "Madam Feng, the guests outside have noticed something's wrong and are starting to make a fuss."
"Find a way to placate them. If all else fails, you go out there."
"Ah? Me?" The maid pointed blankly at herself.
"..."
After a moment of silence, Lady Feng shook her head, glanced at the blushing maid at her side, and said exasperatedly, "Go inform Master Liu at once."
"At this rate, I'm afraid he won't stop until tomorrow."
"Today's business is completely ruined."
The maid beside her suggested, "Madam Feng, how about you use your eloquence and try to persuade that young master to rest for a bit?"
"You don't understand."
Lady Feng shook her head. "Things have already reached this point... Wait here. I'll go in myself!"
When all was said and done, she was the seasoned warhorse of Danfeng Tower, far more skilled than those young girls.
Taking a deep breath, Lady Feng decisively pushed open the door to the private chamber.
***
Danfeng Tower, ground floor lobby.
Having altered his attire and disguised himself as an ordinary merchant, Xie Shi frowned deeply and scanned his surroundings, no longer paying attention to the courtesan Qingfeng on the stage.
*Where did everyone go?*
The increasingly deserted atmosphere almost made him suspect that the county yamen had laid an inescapable net to capture him. Yet looking closely, he realized that wasn't the case.
Rather, it seemed like an unexpected incident.
At the same time, he had also noticed the subtle sounds within Danfeng Tower. Unfortunately, severely wounded as he was, his hearing was far from what it used to be, making it impossible to identify the source.
Just then, a commotion broke out among the crowd.
"What? Impossible!"
At last, someone appeared to have pried information out of the passing maids and attendants of Danfeng Tower. As the news spread, it provoked countless gasps of astonishment.
"Are you saying a ferocious powerhouse has arrived in the tower?"
"Are you out of your mind?!"
To everyone's surprise, once the news spread and was confirmed, few patrons were angry. Most were filled with sheer curiosity.
Four whole hours, and from the looks of it, was he attempting a speedrun of Danfeng Tower within a single day? This definitely wasn't an ordinary man; he had to be practicing martial arts.
What exact martial art was it? Could I learn it?
Intense curiosity stirred the crowd into greater excitement. Yet mixed among them, Xie Shi, having learned the cause and effect, wore a dark scowl, barely able to keep his composure.
*Damn it...*
He had zero interest in the powerhouse who had practically swept through Danfeng Tower. What infuriated him was that because of this mess, Danfeng Tower had apparently suspended business altogether.
Even Qingfeng, the top courtesan on stage, had quietly retreated backstage.
How was he supposed to study a beauty's form and disguise himself now?
This was a matter of his very survival. For a moment, Xie Shi's resentment toward that mysterious powerhouse soared through the roof, yet he dared not reveal the slightest trace of it.
***
Meanwhile, Wang Ping was thoroughly enjoying himself.
On the couch, having exhausted his partners, Wang Ping sat cross-legged and held his hands in a seal level before his chest.
Inhale! Exhale!
All at once, Wang Ping felt an ethereal breath of qi rush into his nose and mouth, traversing his entire body and flowing into every limb and bone.
This sensation was entirely different from ordinary breathing. That breath of dynamic energy seemed to possess an unimaginable wonder. Everywhere it passed, his skin, flesh, sinews, and bones underwent a earth-shattering transformation. The sound of his coursing blood grew increasingly resonant until this stream of energy integrated into his deepest marrow.
*This feeling... Could this be spiritual energy?*
In the next instant, a bizarre mutation suddenly occurred.
Across Wang Ping's face, splitting outward from the line between his brows, eyes, and nose tip, his features pulled toward both sides, revealing two distinct faces upon the very same head.
The left face bore sword-like brows and starry eyes, masculine and imposing.
The right face bore vermilion lips and captivating eyes, gentle as flowing water.
Meanwhile, upon his chest, back, and armpits, grotesque fleshy nodules swelled out like newly developing infant limbs, eerie and uncanny in the extreme.
Even though he had mentally prepared himself long before, Wang Ping still felt a shiver run down his spine. Soon, however, he calmed all his scattered thoughts.
*Thank goodness for the Iron Ox Art...*
Relying on the state of relaxation that followed the exertion, Wang Ping did not panic. He swiftly stabilized his mindset and worked to channel the wondrous energy within his body.
*This is the final step of the Desire Realm Innate Method—manifesting physical anomalies. Such physical mutations are proof of evolution and qualitative transformation.*
*However, this step also carries immense danger. After all, evolution isn't inherently good; one must command this process with one's own will.*
Otherwise, if the evolutionary path went awry, the consequences would be unthinkable.
For instance, right now he was in a state of superposition between a Desire Realm Devakanya and a Desire Realm Deva. If he went astray, he might even transform directly from male to female.
And that was considered fortunate.
Worse still was turning into something neither male nor female, or suffering the total collapse of his physical body.
With that in mind, Wang Ping settled his mind even further and steadily adjusted his mutating body in strict accordance with the Desire Realm Innate Method.
*What a pity that the Heavenly Scripture of Other-Transformation Governing the Desire Realm is incomplete.*
*Otherwise, if I could cultivate the complete scripture before evolving my body, I wouldn't merely remain unaffected by such mutations; I could even exert total control over them.*
*Still, there's no need to fear. The cooldown for the Fiend from Beyond has already reset. Even if I fail, I can simply start over. I have plenty of room for error.*
Time ticked by bit by bit.
At last, Wang Ping opened his eyes, his expression void of joy or sorrow. His split facial features knit back together, and the surplus limbs rapidly receded to normal.
"Hard work pays off... It's done!"
Almost simultaneously, the wondrous breath of energy he had previously drawn into his body seemed to exhaust its mysteries, expelled from his mouth as a breath of turbid qi.
The Desire Realm Deva Body, achieved!
At that moment, Wang Ping felt as though his entire body were submerged in a hot spring, bathed in warm vitality and qi. It was immensely comfortable, and the world before his eyes changed dramatically.
It was an extraordinarily subtle sensation. Even though his eyes could not physically see within his body, his consciousness clearly "beheld" every blood vessel, every muscle, and even his internal organs. He sensed their workings, mapping out an exquisitely intricate network inside him.
*Is this... spiritual sense?*
Understanding dawned on Wang Ping. This was the consciousness of an immortal cultivator once freed from the shackles of the flesh. Now, through this secret method's transformation, he possessed such a marvel as well!
In the next instant, Wang Ping shifted his focus.
His spiritual sense turned from internal inspection to the world outside. Looking out, he felt as though he could see the color of the wind, hear the voices of the flowers and grass, and smell the scent of emotions.
*Clang!*
His saber slid from its sheath. The air in the room, previously stifling and humid from several hours of fierce exertion, was swept clean in an instant as a biting cold gale surged in all directions.
Three Demon Blades of Yanluo!
Instantly, the intense blade intent of Greed resurfaced in his heart, yet it could not shake Wang Ping's spiritual sense in the slightest, suppressed effortlessly beneath his will.
First blade, initiated!
Next, the intent of Greed receded, replaced by an uncontrollable rage. The blade intent of Wrath emerged, searing his soul like a roaring furnace.
Yet it remained futile!
An immortal cultivator's spiritual sense delivered an overwhelming dimensional crush against a martial artist's domain. True gold fears no fire; Wang Ping's mind remained entirely unperturbed by the flames of fury.
Second blade, minor mastery!
Immediately after, the rage faded, supplanted by foolish ignorance, clouded perception, spiritual darkness, and deep delusion, casting a heavy shadow over his mind.
Yet at that very moment, Wang Ping snapped his head up.
"Break!"
His sharp cry sounded like a sudden clap of thunder. A flash of blade light sliced clean through all delusion in an instant. The vitality coursing through him boiled his sweat into steam, billowing upward like mist!
Third blade, major mastery!
In the next second, all phenomena subsided, the misty sweat dispersed, and Wang Ping stepped slowly down from the couch, gripping the saber casually in his hand.
*Hum—!*
The blade trembled violently, and with it, the major sinews throughout his entire body surged and coiled tightly together, unleashing a clear whistle akin to a dragon's roar.
Sinews like a dragon!
At this moment, Wang Ping clearly felt the strength overflowing through every limb and bone, like a powder keg primed to erupt at any second.
*Did I just... reach perfection in this saber art?*
Wang Ping found it somewhat hard to believe.
Surging vitality, taut sinews, roiling power—these sensations overlapped, granting him a pleasure far surpassing any other.
*The difficulty of the Three Demon Blades of Yanluo doesn't lie in the forms, but in the blade intent. Normally, it would indeed be harder than ordinary martial arts, yet my spiritual sense proved to have a miraculous effect. The blade intents could no longer shake my mind, so practicing it was as easy as turning over a hand, advancing all the way to perfection in a single breath!*
This metamorphosis of his very life essence left him utterly enthralled!
"How strong am I right now?"
Wang Ping slowly opened and closed his palm, musing inwardly, *The four grades of dragon sinews: viper-dragon, flood dragon, horned dragon, and true dragon. Which level am I at now?*
Could he shatter a decorative rockery with a single slash, like Shouchong had done before?
He truly wanted to find someone to test a strike on!
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Wang Ping felt a sudden intuition and looked outside the room.
"...Hmm?"
Just now, his spiritual sense had caught a wave of intense emotion, thick with fury and aggrieved frustration—and aimed directly at him.
Who was that?
*It's natural for someone to be annoyed after I turned Danfeng Tower upside down, but such intense fury and deep resentment... that's not right.*
With that in mind, Wang Ping immediately directed his spiritual sense, following the trail of emotion all the way down to the lobby of Danfeng Tower, before locking onto a single figure.
*Well, well, he's even in disguise?*
With a sweep of his spiritual sense, Wang Ping immediately discerned the man's peculiarities. The skin, flesh, sinews, and bones were contorted and rearranged, clearly not his original appearance, but the product of a disguised form.
Yet when he saw the person's true face beneath it all, Wang Ping's expression froze.
"Xie Shi... Senior Brother Xie?"
Rumble!
Indeed, the moon was dark, the wind high, and the rain poured down in torrents.
Chapter 12