Chapter Forty-Three: Caught Visiting a Brothel
“Name of the faction: Celestial Court. Task completion: 1%.”
“Ding, congratulations to the host for completing the first step of establishing a super faction. Title reward received.”
“Lord of the Celestial Court: Cultivation speed increased by one percent.”
For some reason, Yang Wenhao felt this title was rather unimpressive.
A one percent increase in cultivation speed—what use was that, really?
“Reminder: As task completion increases, the attributes of the title will also increase.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Wenhao finally understood. So that's how it works. Otherwise, one percent would be utterly useless.
At that moment, Linghu Chong, sitting opposite Yang Wenhao, saw the shifting expressions on his face and assumed he was unwilling to speak, so he quickly said, “If Brother Yang has any difficulties he prefers not to disclose, just pretend I never asked.”
Yang Wenhao snapped back to attention at Linghu Chong’s words; just now he’d been immersed in conversation with the system and hadn’t noticed Linghu Chong and the others.
“It’s fine,” Yang Wenhao replied. “I can tell you. My sect is called the Celestial Court.”
“Ding, host has promoted the super faction. Task completion increased by one ten-thousandth. Current completion: 1.01%.”
“Celestial Court?”
Not only was Linghu Chong stunned, but even Yilin couldn’t help shifting her gaze toward Yang Wenhao.
Though they were martial arts practitioners, they were not ignorant of what the Celestial Court represented.
This was ancient China, after all—the culture of Daoism ran deep.
Linghu Chong said, “It’s not that I doubt you, but this name inevitably leads to wild speculation.”
He, too, felt that Yang Wenhao’s faction name seemed a bit too grandiose.
After all, the Celestial Court was the authority of Daoist immortals in myth and legend—not something to be profaned lightly.
“Heh.” Yang Wenhao smiled quietly. He had expected Linghu Chong to say that.
But it didn’t matter. Whether anyone commented or not, the name was chosen, so there was nothing to be done.
Linghu Chong realized this topic was sensitive and used the wine as an excuse: “Enough, let’s not speak of it. Let’s keep drinking. The wine here just doesn’t taste quite right.”
Yang Wenhao only smiled in response.
At that moment, as Yang Wenhao and Linghu Chong were enjoying their drinks, they were perhaps unaware of the lively commotion in the brothel.
“Yue Buqun, it was your disciple Linghu Chong who brought my disciple Yilin to such a place.”
As a nun, Master Dingyi had always kept well away from such establishments.
She never imagined that the chief disciple of Mount Hua would bring the young junior from Mount Heng to a place of pleasure.
Feeling Dingyi’s disgusted expression, Yue Buqun was helpless, but in any case, the first priority was to find Linghu Chong.
---
On the other side, Yu Canghai had already begun searching with his men.
They wanted to be the first to find Linghu Chong and Yang Wenhao, so they could avenge the humiliation suffered during the day.
Hearing the commotion outside, Linghu Chong walked to the window of the private room, gently pushed it open, and looked out.
He was startled by what he saw.
“This is bad, really bad.”
Seeing Linghu Chong’s flustered expression, Yilin was puzzled. “What’s wrong, Brother Linghu?”
“We’re doomed.” Linghu Chong felt utterly despondent. “Your master and my master are right downstairs.”
“Ah!” Yilin was momentarily stunned, then realized where they were and instantly understood Linghu Chong’s panic.
“We need to find a way to escape,” Linghu Chong said. “Otherwise, if we’re caught, it’ll be miserable.”
With Master Dingyi’s temper, if she learned Linghu Chong had brought Yilin to such a place, he’d be lucky to escape with his life.
And he’d still have to face his own master’s punishment afterwards. Linghu Chong was truly desperate.
“Don’t panic—they haven’t come up yet,” Yang Wenhao said calmly.
Just then, a knocking sounded outside.
But it wasn't their door—it was the one next door.
“Damn, that was fast,” Linghu Chong exclaimed, suddenly anxious.
Yang Wenhao’s expression soured; he’d just said not to worry, only for reality to slap him in the face.
He immediately said to Linghu Chong and Yilin, “You two hide for now—I’ll handle this.”
“For now, I must trouble you, Brother Yang,” Linghu Chong nodded, then led Yilin to hide behind the screen.
“Bang, bang, bang!”
“Open up! Did you hear me inside?”
The rough voice boomed as though afraid those within wouldn’t hear.
“Bang!”
The door to the room was suddenly kicked open, revealing a disciple of the Qingcheng Sect.
Yang Wenhao recognized him: Yu Renhao, who often followed Yu Canghai.
Yu Renhao, seeing Yang Wenhao inside, brightened and said, “So it’s you, the savior of Linghu Chong and little sister Yilin!”
Yang Wenhao sat there, glanced coldly at Yu Renhao, and continued drinking.
Already angry, Yu Renhao, seeing Yang Wenhao’s indifference, drew his sword without hesitation and lunged at him.
---
“If it were before, you might’ve had a chance. Now, it’s too late.”
Yang Wenhao sighed under Yu Renhao’s furious glare.
“You—!”
Then, to Yu Renhao’s astonishment, Yang Wenhao caught his sword between two fingers.
“Not just you—even your master would have to kneel before me. Kneel!”
Yang Wenhao swept his leg sideways, catching Yu Renhao unguarded in the knee.
Crack!
Yu Renhao’s kneecap shattered under Yang Wenhao’s kick, and he screamed like a slaughtered pig.
With his kneecap broken, the agony was unimaginable.
“You—!”
Yu Renhao knelt on the ground, his eyes full of hatred.
Suddenly, he saw the sword appear in Yang Wenhao’s hand, his gaze filled with terror.
“My master is downstairs—you can’t kill me!”
Yu Canghai was his only hope.
But unfortunately for him, Yang Wenhao feared no Yu Canghai.
With a swift motion, Yang Wenhao brought the sword down, ending Yu Renhao’s life in a single stroke.
“You’ll die a horrible death!”
Yu Renhao’s final scream rang out as he collapsed, breath extinguished.
Linghu Chong, peeking from behind the screen, was startled at the sight—Yu Renhao’s eyes were wide open, as if staring at him.
“Brother Yang, you killed someone again,” Linghu Chong said, his gaze toward Yang Wenhao shifting.
From the moment he met Yang Wenhao, it seemed every encounter ended in bloodshed.
First Tian Boguang, then Luo Renjie—now Yu Renhao.
(End of chapter)