Minglong

Chapter 321 Misty Rain Along the River
The river is shrouded in mist and rain, and the mountains are shrouded in fog.

The large ferries moored along the riverbank resembled isolated islands in the clouds. Countless wandering swordsmen braved the rain to disembark, gazing with wonder at the vast, cloud-covered landscape and the women with their long, white legs exposed under umbrellas, whispering amongst themselves:

"These are the women of the Hehuan Sect?"

"It's as tender as tofu, and it looks like it's been well-nourished. By the way, which sect does the Hehuan Sect belong to?"

"The founding patriarch explored the dual cultivation techniques of immortals, Buddhas, martial artists, sorcerers, and demons, forming his own school. However, his potential was limited, and no one established a sect or claimed patriarchship, making it a 'wild chicken' sect..."

"That certainly seems a bit wild. I heard you can get something for free just by striking up a conversation with them?"

"Do you think they run a charity? If they don't want money, they'll definitely ask for something else. See that shaky, dark-eyed brute? He'll be like this in three days at most..."

"This shows they were treated well, unlike Lao Xiang Ji, which is overpriced and perfunctory..."

……

As the wandering laborer walked and looked around, he was exchanging words when he suddenly noticed a group of people standing on the dock.

The dozen or so men were all dressed in standard leather armor, with black capes and ghost masks under their dark hats. They stood motionless in the rain, their weapons at their waists still sheathed, yet they exuded a chilling aura. It was clear at a glance that they were ruthless figures in the martial arts world who had killed countless people.

Moreover, among the dozen or so people, there was an ornately carved palanquin, and four beautiful young women were even waiting with umbrellas for them. They were clearly the followers of some powerful demonic patriarch. Passersby quickly made way for them and whispered among themselves:

"Is this someone being picked up? Who's making such a big fuss?"

"Judging from their attire, they seem to be from the Blood Rain Pavilion. I guess their leader, Wei Kun, is coming. This entourage is simply... I thought the Joyful Union Sect had gained a new male leader..."

"I've heard that the new leader of Blood Rain Tower is even more ruthless than Shen Jinyu. Not only can he go toe-to-toe with Xie Jinhuan, but he also has connections everywhere and has taken over a lot of the Crescent Moon Manor's wealth. Is that true?"

"It's absolutely true. I've heard of your great name, but it seems no one in the martial arts world has ever seen your true face..."

"They're assassins; how come anyone who's seen them is still alive?"

"Too……"

……

The noise of discussion continued.

Fan Hai Nie, who was leading the team to welcome the new chairman, was also proud when he heard passersby praising the new landlord's skills. Just as he was striking a pose, he suddenly noticed someone waving from an alley next to a teahouse.

Seeing this, Fan Hai Nie left the dock without making a sound and came to the vicinity of the teahouse. As soon as he landed, he saw the Lord of the Building wearing a mask, with his arms crossed and leaning against the eaves. Although he could not see his expression, he looked a little unhappy.

"Hey, what are you doing here? Didn't you come by ferry?"

After Xie Jinhuan left Luojing, he and his two wives headed towards Longgutan. To keep a low profile, they did not use the Wind Riding technique but instead traveled by car and boat. They had just arrived at Longyun Port, south of Longgutan.

He had contacted Fan Hai Nie the day before yesterday to gather intelligence in advance and hand it over to him here. However, before he even got off the ferry, he found a dozen or so scoundrels standing on the riverbank posing for photos, carrying a palanquin with their concubines, looking like they were about to parade him through the streets.

Seeing that Fan Hai Nie was still somewhat bewildered, Xie Jin Huan said speechlessly:
"We, Blood Rain Tower, are an underground force, we do dirty work. Why are you making such a big show of it? Are you afraid our underworld friends won't know I'm here?"

Fan Hai Nie had gone to great lengths to please the new boss, and seeing this, he quickly said:
“Aren’t we now on the right path? Righteous people travel everywhere, so why hide? Besides, the leader has just taken over, and most people don’t know him. If we show our faces in the martial world without a proper presence, we’ll be looked down upon. Even Shen Jinyu has to bring dozens of people with him when he goes to Sanjiang Estuary…”

Xie Jinhuan slightly raised his hand: "I'm here to seize opportunities, not to participate in the Heroes' Gathering..."

Fan Hai Nie sighed softly, "Master, to be honest, we're just here to make an appearance, enhance our reputation, and make some connections with heroes of the martial world. As for opportunities, even Xie Jin Huan couldn't snatch them..."

Since Xie Jinhuan needed to use the alias 'Wei Kun' to conceal his whereabouts anyway, he didn't dwell on making a big fuss about it, and simply asked:

"A lot of important people have arrived?" Fan Hai Nie nodded and took out a slip of paper from his pocket:
"Our informants are keeping an eye on the three main ports in the north, south, and east, as well as the movements of various sects. The experts who are confirmed to be present or on their way include Long Boyuan from Longyun Valley, Zhang Jiwu from Liuhe Hall, Lü Yan from Wuling Mountain, Ming Ji, the Holy Maiden of Beiming Sect, Chen Yishan from Sanshi Cave, and the various sects in Longgutan."

"Furthermore, with the emergence of the 60th anniversary of the 'Opportunity,' figures who had not shown their talents for nearly 60 years have also come out. Among those identified so far are the current practitioners of the Buddhist ascetic sect, several rogue immortals of the Hidden Immortal sect, and the old demon Sha Tu from the Western Regions..."

"..."

Xie Jinhuan looked at the long list of names and their rather lavish background descriptions, and was surprised to find that even Lü Yan wasn't among the top performers.
"People from the Hidden Immortal Sect and the Ascetic Sect have also come? Aren't those two supposed to be detached from worldly affairs?"

Fan Hai Nie waved his hand: "While I may not be involved in worldly affairs, I still have to fight for what I need for cultivation. Last time, Xie Jin Huan really went early, and only Lü Yan showed up. If I had waited until after the winter solstice, it would have been the same scene."

"Moreover, these people who came are not only here for the Azure Dragon's divine gift, but also to ambush Xie Jinhuan. Xie Jinhuan monopolized three opportunities from Phoenix Mausoleum, forcing cultivators across the land to wait for another sixty years, cutting off the cultivation paths of many. Everyone wants Xie Jinhuan to return two of them, but Xie Jinhuan is cunning and didn't come this time, otherwise the competition would be even more intense..."

Xie Jinhuan had anticipated being surrounded by powerful enemies, but he hadn't expected so many. After thinking for a moment, he said:

"Understood. Continue to investigate and report back immediately if you find anything. As for seizing opportunities, I'll see how things go. I certainly won't take the risk if there's no chance."

"In my opinion, the OP shouldn't go and rob. Just walk around the city a few times, say a few harsh words, and that's enough. Yanbo City has given instructions that Super Rank individuals can't make a move in residential areas during this period, but if a conflict occurs outside the city, Yanbo City won't interfere. Those who come here are responsible for their own lives..."

"I have my own sense of proportion."

Seeing this, Fan Hai Nie stopped arguing and instead said:
"By the way, last time I discussed business with Elder Bu Hanying, she said that if we continue to use the name 'Blood Rain Tower' now that we're doing legitimate business, it'll be too aggressive and could easily lead to financial losses. We should change it to a more auspicious name..."

Xie Jinhuan blinked, a bad feeling creeping over her:
"Elder Bu recommended it?"

“Yes, the words ‘blood rain’ are too murderous. Elder Bu wanted to change it to ‘fallen petals’ without changing the original meaning, but it sounds… to me a bit like a brothel…”

Xie Jinhuan didn't know how to comment. After telling Fan Hai Nie to get lost, he put the list into his pocket, entered a nearby empty room, changed out of the cloaked man's clothes, disguised himself as an ordinary martial artist, and entered the gentle spring rain.

……

L……

Located in the south, Longyun Port experiences almost constant rain and fog in spring, hence the name "Longyun" (meaning "Dragon Cloud").

Like the northern port of Shuanlong, this port is quite large. Resources from within Longgu Beach are sold here to the Southern Dynasty, while the Southern Dynasty sends magical artifacts, elixirs, and daily necessities to this place. Erotic magical artifacts are high-end luxury items, especially popular among female cultivators of Baihualin.

Xie Jinhuan was visiting this place for the first time. Because there were no government officials and only sect disciples, it felt like he had traveled to a cultivation market. It wasn't as serious as he had imagined a celestial market. Perhaps because he was young and a skilled martial artist, even though his face was disguised as ordinary, older women would still wink at him from time to time.

Because they weren't prostitutes, but cultivators who grew up through sexual cultivation, these "bad sisters" were all fair-skinned, beautiful, with large breasts and round hips—to ordinary people, they were like fairies.

Xie Jinhuan felt a surge of blood rush to his head when he saw the long, gleaming legs, but he knew that these girls were not to be trifled with. In this place, he was the prey. Others entertained customers for money, but these girls were willing to risk their lives. If one's will was not strong enough and he was lured into the room, he would come out with both his essence and blood depleted. If he was bewitched and couldn't bear to leave, it wouldn't be surprising if he lost several years of his life.

Ye Hongshang, carrying a red umbrella, walked in the rain and noticed the small roast chickens. Intrigued, she leaned close to his ear and coaxed:
"Why don't you go and have a taste? I'll teach you a few secret techniques, and I guarantee they won't be able to squeeze a drop of oil out of you even if they twist their backs. If they realize their skills aren't enough, they'll probably have to shake their master, and if their master doesn't work, they'll have to shake their grandmaster..."

?

Xie Jinhuan thought the ghost wife was really wicked. She had dug up the young one and then the old one. In the end, she would have to open up all the defeat illustrations in the Hundred Flowers Forest.

Although somewhat interested, Xie Jinhuan had no time for this side quest, and shook his head with a smile:

"I can teach you the techniques, but I won't let you take advantage of me for free. It's all for cultivation. The girl is willing, and she wants to exchange some of her vital energy after serving me for an hour or two. If I don't give it to her, I'll be gossiped about."

"Tch~ He's all lustful but lacks the guts..."

Xie Jinhuan ignored the ghost's teasing and strolled along the way, heading towards the ferry he was on...

(End of this chapter)