Chapter 33: Giant Blade Appears

Bian Weikang had been begging for a long time, his voice hoarse from shouting, his head pressed to the ground as he wept bitterly. He repeatedly slammed his fists into the earth, consumed by endless regret and intense self-loathing for failing to protect the woman he loved. His knuckles were bleeding from the blows.

As the former young master of Wukang Mountain, he had probably never imagined a day when 50,000 gold would be his undoing. This humbling experience was likely one he would remember for the rest of his life.

Among the onlookers, no one showed him any sympathy; most reacted with amusement and scorn.

Some even whispered to their companions, "A grown man willing to abandon his dignity—what else is there to fear? If all else fails, he should just rob them!"

No one knew if the one speaking would actually take such a desperate risk if they were in the same situation.

In short, to the onlookers, Bian Weikang's actions were a huge joke. To suffer such disgrace for a courtesan truly shamed Wukang Mountain.

Onlookers came and went in waves.

"The madam of Liyun Brothel is here," someone announced.

Everyone turned to look at the entrance of Liyun Brothel. Madam Fengchi, the brothel owner, was seen descending the steps, a handkerchief dangling from her fingers, her hips swaying with each step. The people blocking the lower steps immediately parted to either side.

Before Fengchi had even found her footing at the bottom of the steps, Bian Weikang, hearing her arrival, turned and crawled on his knees to her feet. He kowtowed several times, then looked up and pleaded, "Madam, it's still 50,000 short, just 50,000! Please release Lan'er first. I promise I'll pay you back, I'll pay you back double, no, ten times over!"

Fengchi looked down at him contemptuously. "Ten times?" she scoffed. "If you were still the young master of Wukang Mountain, I would believe you. But what do you have to pay with now?"

Bian Weikang, his forehead stained with crimson blood, said with anguish, "I understand, I know. Please, just give me more time. I only just received the news; where can I find so much money at such short notice? Give me two more days, no, just one more day will do."

Fengchi couldn't help but smile. This sudden turn of events was precisely designed to catch him off guard, leaving him no time. Otherwise, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse—after all, he was once the young master of Wukang Mountain, and it was uncertain where he might find connections to borrow some money.

She raised her handkerchief to cover her smile, then sighed with emotion. "Bian Weikang," she began, "it's not that I haven't given you a chance. I told you that if you could give me an equivalent amount of money first, for Lan'er's sake, I'd be willing to go back on my word and endure the humiliation from Master Lü."

"After all, she's called me 'Mother' for all these years. For a daughter's wish, enduring a little hardship would be appropriate, fulfilling this bond of affection."

"But you can't produce the money, and you won't let me send her tonight. Wouldn't that be offending Master Lü beyond recovery? How will Liyun Brothel conduct business in Zhaotian City in the future?"

"Bian Weikang, you can't be so selfish. Lan'er's deep affection allows her to indulge you, but no one else will."

"Tell me, what use are you? You have no money, no ability. For so long, Lan'er has been supporting you with money she earned by performing, charming, and enduring others' whims. How can you, a grown man, spend it so comfortably? That foolish girl even gave you all her savings to help her buy her freedom."

"Even her hands are empty now; you two have nothing left. She's used to a life of luxury—what will she live on in the future? Do you expect her to keep supporting you? Are you going to make her sell herself again? That girl is foolish; she doesn't know the hardships of this world. What's wrong with Master Lü? In my opinion, he's a hundred, a thousand times better than you. I truly don't know how she became so devoted to you. Bian Weikang, if you truly care for Lan'er, then let her go."

Her words prompted many in the crowd to sigh and shake their heads.

Bian Weikang shook his head, tears streaming down his face. "Don't worry," he vowed, "I definitely won't let her suffer. I'll take her back to Wukang Mountain."

At his words, a faint gleam appeared in Fengchi's eyes; this was exactly what she had been waiting to hear.

Shi Chun, who had just squeezed back into the crowd, immediately became displeased upon hearing this. 'It's right for you to return to Wukang Mountain honestly,' he thought, 'but what does it mean to bring a courtesan back? Are you abandoning the dignity of the Bian family? Where will Wukang Mountain put its face? It would be a miracle if they accepted your return.'

For Shi Chun, Bian Weikang had already been expelled from the sect. Bringing the top courtesan from Liyun Brothel back to Wukang Mountain would only make it harder for Bian Weikang to be readmitted. This, in turn, would make it difficult for Shi Chun to blend in and follow him, rendering all his efforts useless.

Therefore, his resolve to sell the top courtesan from Liyun Brothel became even stronger!

It was just as well; he was short on money. A few thousand gold wouldn't be enough.

Cultivation required vast resources. How long would it take, working for a few hundred gold a month? He had a clear ambition to become someone influential and was determined to push forward. Since he had stumbled upon this situation with the Liyun Brothel's courtesan, he might as well make a quick profit.

He felt his cultivation had stagnated for quite some time; no matter how he practiced, there was no progress, which was strange. He suspected it was due to the lack of cultivation resources in the place of exile. As soon as he had the money, he planned to buy some resources and try them out.

Fengchi, inwardly pleased, outwardly put on a stern face. She snorted coldly, "Return to Wukang Mountain? What nonsense are you spouting? Since you won't listen to reason, stop blocking my entrance, weeping and wailing, and hindering my business. Guards! Drag him out, and take him far away!"

As she spoke, two rows of personnel immediately scrambled down the steps behind her.

In the small side room, Xiang Lan'er, who had been listening intently, raised her hand to undo her cloak. She casually pulled it off and threw it aside, then quickly walked to the door, about to open it and rush out.

Suddenly, a sharp shout rang out: "I'd like to see who dares! Stop!"

It was a truly bold shout, clearly heard by everyone inside the building.

Xiang Lan'er froze, her heart tightening with an inexplicable sense of unease. She immediately retreated to the glazed window, poking her head around the corner to discreetly peek outside.

It wasn't just her; the bustling scene outside instantly fell silent.

Two burly men, who had already grabbed Bian Weikang's arms, instinctively paused at the sound.

A group of men who had been charging forward like wolves also came to a halt.

Bian Weikang, pushed beyond his limits, had already clenched his fists, his eyes instantly bloodshot with a clear intent to kill. The sudden shout also made him freeze and turn his head.

Old Dong and Big Stone, who had followed him inside, simultaneously turned to look at the person beside them. It was Shi Chun, who had issued the sharp shout. Both were surprised and puzzled, wondering, "What is the boss doing?"

Che Si, who had also followed inside, likewise stared blankly back at Shi Chun, thinking, "What exactly does this guy mean?"

He had just returned from the place of exile and had no idea what was happening here. He had simply squeezed in to see the situation, thinking Shi Chun merely wanted to watch the commotion. He never expected him to directly involve himself in it, leaving him with a bizarre and inexplicable feeling.

Everyone present looked at Shi Chun.

Seeing him dressed in rags, disheveled, and with obvious signs of having been beaten, one of Liyun Brothel's enforcers immediately lifted his chin. "Where did this piece of trash come from, daring to act like a big shot here?" he sneered. "If you don't want to leave on a stretcher, then get lost!"

He rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, his warning unmistakable.

Shi Chun calmly said, "Jinliang, if anyone dares to act tough, smack him dead!"

He dared to speak so boldly because three people from Bowang Tower were with him, and he had just received tens of thousands of gold. He figured Che Si wouldn't simply stand by.

If it didn't work out, it wouldn't be too late to call a halt. He first wanted to make a show of standing up for Bian Weikang, to prevent the madam from looking down on him and being difficult to deal with.

Having spent years in the place of exile, he understood a crucial principle: meeting someone's conditions was one thing, but whether they were willing to accept was another. The key was whether you appeared easy to bully. If you were, they might suddenly raise the price, and he couldn't acquire a large sum of money at short notice.

He himself had often done things like temporary price hikes in the past.

"Alright," Wu Jinliang immediately squeezed forward from behind, then brandished the massive weapon he had dragged out, dazzling everyone's eyes.

"Whoa, what a huge blade!"

Upon seeing the giant blade, the enforcer who had rolled up his sleeves was instantly dumbfounded and somewhat intimidated. Anyone with eyes could see that such a massive blade, especially with its crude design, was clearly not meant for ordinary people. In other words, an extraordinary individual had arrived.

Bian Weikang, seeing the extraordinary greatsword, also saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Old Dong and Big Stone, on the other hand, were full of suspicion. Having been with Wu Jinliang for many years, they knew him too well. They had initially found their boss's behavior baffling, but now, seeing the excited, ravenous sneer on Wu Jinliang's lips, they realized this was definitely not spontaneous; there was surely a scheme at play.

Meanwhile, Che Si tilted his head and vaguely whispered to Shi Chun, "Don't mess around."

The group of enforcers collectively turned to look at the madam.

Fengchi's gaze also paused on the great blade. She then saw people dressed in Bowang Tower attire whispering to that man. Immediately disregarding Shi Chun and his companion's ragged clothing, she put away her previous arrogance, plastered a smile on her face, and tentatively asked, "May I ask, from which esteemed establishment do these distinguished guests hail?"