Passing several private chambers, he arrived by a riverside window on the top floor.
Clad in a white mink-fur robe, Xu Yuan stood by the top-floor window of Zuixian Tower, looking down at the nocturnal bustle of this major southwestern stronghold.
Zuixian Tower was the tallest structure in the northern part of the city, and from its top floor, one could overlook nearly half the hearth fires and lantern light of Jingjiang City.
The city's nightlife was remarkably vibrant. Although this world had no streetlights, the local authorities had engraved small brightness-rune lanterns along both sides of the avenues.
Looking down, Zuixian Tower stood on the banks of the Jinhuai River.
A lingering damp chill clung to the winter night of this water town. Common folk mingled in noisy commotion, hawking their wares, while pleasure boats anchored for the night drifted gently along the Jinhuai River. Below Zuixian Tower, lavishly adorned courtesans drew the constant gaze of men passing in the street.
For Zuixian Tower and the southern Xiaoxiang Pavilion to rival the government-run Music Bureau as premier pleasure quarters, they naturally possessed their own unique charms—especially since most of the women at the Music Bureau had the added prestige of former status.
Aside from their beauty, their attire was enticing in all the right ways.
Suppressing the stirrings in his heart, Xu Yuan took a deep breath, turned back, and sat cross-legged on the bed.
When one's constitution was ruined, one had to be disciplined. That meant abstaining from wine and lust.
Thanks to more than half a week of cultivation and conditioning in the black eagle's aerial pavilion, the hollowed-out body left behind by that wastrel had grown considerably healthier. Some ailments, however, required slow, patient recovery.
It wasn't merely that his predecessor had spent every day popping pills and indulging in debauchery in the brothels; the pills he took had been third-rate concoctions bought by his sycophantic lackeys.
Xu Yuan had no idea how potent their effects were, but their side effects were truly terrible. Popping them daily had directly inflicted hidden ailments on his internal organs.
Every time Xu Yuan recalled this, he felt that his predecessor was truly lacking in the brains department. No wonder he had been used as a stepping stone to be face-slapped by the player-controlled protagonist.
If you wanted aphrodisiacs, couldn't you have just asked your eldest brother? Even if it earned you a beating, he wouldn't have refused to give them to you.
His internal organs had long been overburdened. Had it not been for his family's formidable foundation and a steady supply of nourishing medicinal meals, Xu Yuan suspected he would already be lying in a coffin waiting for burial.
Those lackeys, however, were mostly dead by now.
Ever since he was abducted by that big block of ice, Xu Changge had come to Jingjiang City in person and slaughtered almost all the sycophants who used to surround his younger brother.
He could not kill his own brother, but Xu Changge had felt no hesitation whatsoever when dealing with the mediocre parasites around him.
Xu Yuan held no opinion on Xu Changge's ruthless methods. After all, those people had tricked his predecessor into stealing antiques, calligraphy, and paintings from home to sell at dirt-cheap prices—most of which had likely ended up in those lackeys' own pockets anyway.
Regardless, Xu Changge's actions had created a very real problem for the present Xu Yuan.
According to the plot's timeline,
that story protagonist should have already left Burial Village on the border of Great Yan and would soon arrive in Jingjiang City.
Yet now, when Xu Yuan wanted to make preparations in advance, he didn't have a single usable person under his command.
At the most basic level, he couldn't even track down the protagonist within the vast expanse of Jingjiang City.
Scoundrels though those lackeys were, whenever he gave the word on matters concerning the lower rungs of society, they had always handled things neatly and efficiently.
After all, no matter how much of a profligate his predecessor was, there were always people eager to fawn over the Prime Minister's third son—not to mention that the foolish wastrel had been exceptionally generous.
High-ranking members of Jingjiang City's gangs, sons of merchant associations, and even men from the City Defense Bureau had been his "bosom friends."
If nothing had happened to those people, finding someone in Jingjiang City would have been no trouble at all. But now, Xu Changge had butchered the entire lot.
And with their fate as a warning, who would dare risk having their head chopped off by his brother just to curry favor with him?
Have Ying'er or Zhou Chen do it?
Those two eminent figures...
*Heh.* Xu Yuan felt he might as well wash up and go to sleep; anything was possible in dreams.
Besides, ever since leaving the black eagle's aerial pavilion, Xu Yuan hadn't seen a trace of Ying'er. She was probably crouched in some obscure corner peeping on him right now.
A thoughtful look surfaced in his eyes. His fingers tapped lightly on the wooden windowsill before he let out a long sigh.
With no one to use, it seemed he could only dispatch the newly assigned manor guards. He just didn't know if this new batch of guards would listen to him, the Third Young Master...
***
After handing down the task, Xu Yuan had someone set up a Spirit-Locking Array and remained sequestered on the top floor of Zuixian Tower for the next twenty days.
Whenever he encountered a bottleneck in his cultivation, he consulted Master Zhou, who was growing leaner by the day from his indulgence in wine and women on the same floor.
Zhou Chen's chatty nature made him a far better teacher than that big block of ice, Ran Qingmo. Most of the problems Xu Yuan faced were resolved with ease.
Guided by a master and supported by an array of pills, Xu Yuan's cultivation naturally advanced into the Ninth Rank after less than a month of practice in total.
Just like his previous breakthrough when entering the ranks, with a crisp *snap*, the bottleneck inside him broke open without the slightest hindrance.
Feeling the surge and transformation of the Source Qi within him, Xu Yuan opened his eyes in satisfaction and chuckled softly.
"Breaking through with an Innate Dao Body is truly as easy as eating and drinking..."
For someone of decent talent to cultivate from scratch to the Ninth Rank, it generally took about a year. Yet he had achieved it in less than a month!
Lowering his gaze, he clenched his hand into a fist. The once wispy strands of blood-red Source Qi were now dense enough to envelop his entire fist.
He opened his fist into a palm, watching the bewitching crimson Source Qi shift into various shapes at his will.
The surging fullness brought by the Source Qi drew a grin to his lips.
Was this...
what power felt like?
As the thought flitted through his mind, Xu Yuan gave an amused shake of his head.
*Heh... that's so edgy.*
Reining in his wandering thoughts, he extended his intent-soul and retrieved the Source Crystal from the center of the Spirit-Locking Array back into his Sumeru ring. He then sat cross-legged and breathed in every last bit of the liquefied Source Qi lingering in the room before exhaling a long breath.
Having been immersed in cultivation, more than half a month had passed since he tasked those guards with gathering information. It was time to check on their progress.
Besides gathering news on the protagonist, he had also instructed the guards to look into whether any of the brothels in Jingjiang City had newly groomed top courtesans making their debut.
With that in mind, Xu Yuan called out toward the door, "Someone come in. Bring Xue Yong here."
A quarter of an hour later,
*Knock, knock, knock—*
A knock sounded against the door of the top-floor suite.
"Enter."
Upon receiving permission, a young man dressed in black martial attire entered the room. His features were handsome, carried with a stern, unsmiling demeanor.
The young man glanced around, his gaze falling upon the long-haired man seated leisurely before the tea tray, sipping his tea.
The man's jet-black hair spilled loosely onto the floor. Without looking at him, he merely poured himself another cup of tea and drank.
Seeing the Third Young Master putting on such airs, a flicker of amusement crossed the martial-clad youth's eyes and vanished.
Rumor had it that the Third Young Master liked to mimic the Eldest Young Master's mannerisms. Seeing it today, it was indeed true to the rumors—yet it was nothing more than an amateur attempting to draw a tiger and ending up with a dog.
Stepping forward, Xue Yong bowed slightly, clasped his fists, and said in a flat tone while keeping his head lowered, "Third Young Master, the person you secretly ordered us to investigate has been found."
Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow at the words. Taking a light sip of fragrant tea, he asked in an unhurried voice, "Which one?"
The original guards of the Xu Manor had either been killed or reassigned by Xu Changge. The current guards had been transferred from his father's adopted daughter—the one known to outsiders as the Fourth Miss.
They were responsible for his basic safety when traveling.
Although Zhou Chen and Ying'er protected him in the light and from the shadows, two powerful experts could hardly be expected to step in for every trivial matter. Naturally, guards of respectable strength were needed to deal with blind troublemakers.
And so Xu Yuan had used them to track down the protagonist and a certain "maiden courtesan."
The young man replied in a low voice, "It is the maiden courtesan you wished to find."
*Not the protagonist...*
Xu Yuan felt a slight tinge of disappointment, but locating the woman was satisfactory enough. Smiling faintly, he asked, "Is she at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion in the south of the city?"
The young man shook his head. "No. She is right here in Zuixian Tower. Tomorrow is the day of her debut."
Xu Yuan's fingers holding the porcelain cup paused slightly, and then he sighed.
Well then, the plot he knew so well had gone awry once again.
In *Cangyuan*, there were many routes where his predecessor died in the Wanxing Mountain Range, but there were also many where he was rescued by Xu Changge.
After returning to Jingjiang City, a few of his predecessor's deaths occurred precisely because of this maiden courtesan.
The cause was simple: jealousy over a woman with the protagonist.
The conflict escalated step by step until, through a twist of fate, he was beaten to death by the player-controlled protagonist.
Only, in *Cangyuan*, this woman was supposed to appear at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion in the south of the city. Now, it had changed to Zuixian Tower in the north.
Xu Yuan hadn't set foot in the Xiaoxiang Pavilion—his predecessor's favorite haunt—for the past month, staying instead at Zuixian Tower the entire time. Yet this woman had actually followed him here.
It was as if she had come specifically to spark a conflict between him and the protagonist.
Naturally, Xu Yuan knew it couldn't be that simple.
In all likelihood, like Ji Qingyue, that maiden courtesan had set her sights on him, the Third Young Master.
However, now was not the time to dwell on that.
Emptying the cup of fragrant tea in one gulp, Xu Yuan stared thoughtfully at the young man before him and suddenly asked, "When did she arrive?"
"Over half a month ago," Xue Yong replied flatly.
"Over half a month ago?" Xu Yuan gave a soft chuckle.
Upon hearing this answer, a sliver of anger gradually crept into his heart.
This Xue Yong and the guards under him hadn't taken his orders seriously at all.
Xu Yuan had spent every single day cultivating on the top floor of Zuixian Tower, while these guards stood watch at the key entrances leading up to it.
Xue Yong and his men were stationed inside Zuixian Tower itself. Even if they had merely asked the madam offhandedly, given his status as a big spender, she would never have kept it a secret.
Helping him, Xu Yuan—Xu Changtian—find someone?
Bullshit!
Had he not specifically asked today, he probably wouldn't have received the news until tomorrow when the woman officially made her debut and he saw her with his own eyes.
Squinting at Xue Yong, Xu Yuan said softly, "Xue Yong, if I recall correctly, I had you begin investigating this woman twenty days ago. She entered Zuixian Tower half a month ago, yet you only bring me this news on the eve of her debut?"
Hearing this, the young man glanced at Xu Yuan and bowed slightly, saying, "This subordinate is incompetent. I ask the young master to punish me."
Though he said the words, his tone was indifferent, and his eyes met Xu Yuan's on level terms.
Xue Yong didn't care in the slightest about Xu Yuan's reproach.
The Chancellor had three sons and a daughter: two dragons, one phoenix, and one rat.
He belonged to the Fourth Miss's retinue and had only been temporarily assigned as a bodyguard to the Third Young Master because of the recent kidnapping.
That the Fourth Miss looked down on her third brother was common knowledge throughout the Chancellor's Manor.
His duty was to protect the Third Young Master, not to cater to his pursuit of women.
If he disobeyed, the worst he would get was a beating from the man.
If the young master wanted to hit him, so be it; this useless Third Young Master couldn't even harm him with a sword.
"..."
For a moment, silence descended upon the room.
Sitting cross-legged on the meditation cushion, Xu Yuan lowered his eyes and toyed with the exquisite porcelain cup in his hand, remaining silent for a long while.
Experiencing it firsthand made him understand why his predecessor had been so sensitive and so prone to bouts of impotent rage.
His status was indeed high, but it was nothing more than an empty shell.
Whether his subordinates listened to him depended entirely on their mood.
Worst of all, there was nothing he could do to them.
Tattle to his elders?
Go complain that they wouldn't help him chase women? *Heh.*
Of course,
he could beat them like a madman, and his subordinates indeed wouldn't dare strike back, but doing so would only hurt his own hands.
A gap in cultivation paid no heed to status.
After a moment of thought, Xu Yuan sighed and suddenly smiled. "Xue Yong, twenty-two years old, peak Sixth Rank Iron Body, with the Fifth Rank well within reach. Little Sister seems to think highly of you. Very good. A young genius like you indeed has the right to be proud."
"..."
Xue Yong's eyes narrowed slightly, somewhat surprised that Xu Yuan knew his cultivation level.
Under Xue Yong's gaze, the Third Young Master slowly rose to his feet and said softly, "But since you asked for punishment, very well..."
Quietly circulating his cultivation method, Xu Yuan walked slowly toward Xue Yong with his hands behind his back.
A bewitching crimson Source Qi began to spread across his palm.
He wasn't sure whether his newly attained Ninth Rank cultivation could pierce the defense of someone at the peak of the Sixth Rank Iron Body realm. However, Xue Yong likely still thought of him as an ordinary mortal and in all probability wouldn't circulate his technique to defend himself. A surprise attack should be able to inflict some damage.
He had to establish his authority.
Otherwise, having subordinates who obeyed orders only when it suited them was a minor issue compared to the trouble they might bring in the days to come.
Reaching him,
Xue Yong continued to gaze indifferently at the Third Young Master before him, waiting to see the man's ugly, flustered display.
Xu Yuan gave him a faint smile, and the hand shrouded in blood-red Source Qi suddenly struck out from behind his back!
Time seemed to freeze at that instant.
Xu Yuan's hand was only halfway extended,
when Zhou Chen, holding his wine gourd, appeared beside Xue Yong like a ghost.
His appearance was as abrupt as ever.
"..." Xu Yuan was speechless.
Zhou Chen shook his head at him.
Then,
he casually gave a light pat to Xue Yong's right arm, which was still raised in a clasped-fist salute.
The air fell still for a heartbeat.
Xu Yuan clearly saw the expression in Xue Yong's eyes shift from disdain to shock, and then to pure terror.
"*Aaaargh—!*"
A shrill, agonizing scream echoed through the entire Zuixian Tower.
The tremendous force pinned Xue Yong to the floor, his entire right arm twisted into a mangled, deformed mess.
Meanwhile, the smile on Zhou Chen's face remained unchanged. Glancing at the blood-red Source Qi on Xu Yuan's hand, he bowed smilingly to Xu Yuan.
"Congratulations, Third Young Master, on stepping into the Ninth Rank."
Then, he cast a glance at Xue Yong, who was wailing like a dying dog on the ground, and leisurely shook his head.
"A mere guard dares to show disrespect to the Third Young Master... Tsk tsk, are the people under the Fourth Miss all this ill-mannered? Heh."
With that,
Zhou Chen looked at Xu Yuan, his eyes curving into a casual grin as he asked, "Third Young Master, should I cripple him completely, or just kill him outright?"
Chapter 33