Mortal: I'm in Tianxing City, intelligence updates daily.

Juxianlou is one of the three major restaurants in Qianyang City, located near the Qi Family Courtyard.

As soon as it was light, Li Shizhou, who had been sweltering all night, arrived at Juxianlou, found a seat by the window, and looked out at the pavilions and courtyards opposite.

The plaque above the opposite building reads "Yixiang Pavilion".

Yixiang Pavilion is right next to the Qi Family Ancestral Hall, and the woman's moans last night came from there.

After observing for a while, Li Shizhou cupped his hands in greeting to the two young men dressed as scholars sitting next to him: "Gentlemen, when did a brothel open across the street?"

A scholar in a blue robe replied, "This isn't newly opened. There used to be a brothel across the street. It was destroyed by fire half a year ago and was renovated. It just reopened yesterday."

"I see." Li Shizhou suddenly realized.

"To attract customers, the madam hired a top courtesan from out of town at great expense. Last night, business was booming, and neither of us could squeeze in."

Another scholar gently shook his folding fan, his tone tinged with regret.

"I've heard that the courtesan is unparalleled in beauty and talent, but unfortunately she's a virgin, selling her art but not her body."

"There are no such things as 'pure courtesans'; they are simply waiting for the right price to go. As long as you pay enough, they can become 'popular courtesans' immediately."

The two scholars became quite interested at the mention of the courtesan, and began to talk animatedly.

Li Shizhou couldn't get a reply and turned to continue looking at the courtyard opposite.

Suddenly, in the courtyard across the street, a window of a detached two-story building was opened, and a languid female figure leaned out of the window.

The woman was dressed in a black dress and wore a black veil, revealing a pair of beautiful eyes with a tiny beauty mark at the corner of her eye. She rested her chin on one hand and gazed out the window.

"Could this be the new courtesan?"

After a short while, the woman in the black dress turned around and realized someone was watching her. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she retreated into the room, slamming the window shut.

Li Shizhou looked away, considering whether he should set fire to Yixiang Pavilion across the street that night.

Because of his cultivation of the Pure Yang Technique, a large amount of Yang essence had accumulated in his spine, making him already prone to feeling hot and restless. This situation only exacerbated his condition.

"Forget it, it's despicable for the shop to burn down people's houses on the first day of reopening. Let's just put up with it for now."

He drank some tea, then went downstairs to settle the bill.

As I walked out of the restaurant, I passed the stalls next to Yixiang Pavilion.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an old scholar with gray hair and a sunken face, cleaning up calligraphy and paintings while loudly complaining, "It's immoral, it's immoral!"

"What's so morally reprehensible and vulgar about it? I think you're just upset that Master Lou went to Yixiang Pavilion and then gave up on the painting you originally wanted to buy."

A plump woman selling needlework at a nearby stall shouted that her business had improved considerably since Yixiang Pavilion reopened.

"What do you know, you gossipy woman? Go sell your needlework."

The old scholar straightened his faded long gown, glared at the plump woman, and then lowered his head to continue arranging his calligraphy and paintings.

"Let me tell you, besides that courtesan, I heard that several new male prostitutes have arrived. Their figures, hehe, just their voices are enough to make your bones go weak."

The vendor selling sesame cakes next to him was talking, his mouth watering.

The plump woman squinted at the pancake vendor and said, "Wang Er, I didn't realize that. I'll talk to your wife about it after I close up shop tonight."

"Oh, oh, it's just a casual remark, Sister Zhu, don't take it seriously. Here, have a sesame seed cake." The sesame seed cake vendor hurriedly handed over a freshly baked sesame seed cake.

"two."

"Okay, okay." The vendor handed another one to the plump woman.

The vendors protested, "We heard everything!"

"We have them all, we have them all," the pancake vendor said with a long face, handing out pancakes to the other vendors.

Li Shizhou watched for a while, a little mischievous pleasure stirring within him.

He spent ten taels of silver to buy the old scholar's most expensive painting.

Having sold the painting and received the money, the old scholar immediately became very proud.

......

Another hot and humid night.

At the third watch of the second night, the clear sound of the watchman's drum echoed through the streets and alleys of Qianyang City.

"Thump! Thump thump!"

"At midnight, all was well."

The night watchman yawned, carrying a gong, and walked and called out as he went. When he arrived at the entrance of Yixiang Pavilion, he noticed a faint light flickering inside.

The night watchman rubbed his eyes and looked again, confirming that there was a fire. He then began to beat the gong and drum incessantly.

"Clang clang clang clang"

The once quiet street was filled with the urgent sound of gongs and the watchman's anxious voice.

"Fire! Fire! Get up and put out the fire!"

A moment later, screams, loud door openings, and hurried footsteps came from inside the building, one after another.

A few breaths later, the door of Yixiang Pavilion was kicked open.

A young man rushed out carrying clothes, putting them on as he walked out the door.

Next to rush out was a heavily made-up young woman with long, snow-white legs. Her hair was messy, she was barefoot, and she was wrapped in a thin blanket.

In less than half an incense stick's time, forty or fifty people had already gathered on the street, creating chaos and constant coughing.

An old scholar with gray hair and a sunken face was holding a white long gown and was sandwiched in the crowd.

The man, already dressed, carried a bucket of water and splashed it towards the flames.

Many neighbors were also awakened. Some came to help put out the fire, while others poured water on their own houses to prevent the fire from spreading and causing collateral damage.

The fire started suddenly, and the little water was of no use. As the fire grew larger and larger, there was no way to save it.

A woman who looked like a brothel madam plopped down on the street, slapped her thighs, and burst into tears and snot.

"God, is this some kind of living hell? We just reopened and now there's another fire. It must have been done by some heartless bastard." She cried for a while, then wiped her nose and cursed.

......

As soon as it was light, Li Shizhou returned to Juxianlou and sat by the window as usual.

I ordered some pastries and tea, and while drinking the tea, I looked across at the table.

The main building across the street has been reduced to ruins.

Many people stopped to watch and discuss the matter.

"Oh, what a pity, I didn't even have time to go before it burned down so quickly."

"The house burned down, but no one was hurt. It can be repaired and reopened."

"What's the point of going there? Two fires in less than six months. There must be something wrong with the feng shui. I dare not go there again."

"I agree. This time no one was burned, but who knows what will happen next time? Beauty must be alive to enjoy it."

"..."

Li Shizhou did not want to harm innocent people; he set the fire last night at the appointed hour.

The night watchman saw it as he passed by.

With the gong sounding as a warning, the people inside had enough time to escape.

Therefore, although the fire was intense, the people inside the building only managed to escape in a panic, and there were no casualties.

Moreover, only the main building was burned down; the other auxiliary courtyards were largely undamaged.

As Li Shizhou listened to the murmurs of the crowd below, he suddenly heard a woman's sarcastic voice: "Old man Ge, I heard you went out to commit indecent acts last night."

"Don't talk nonsense. You're slandering someone's innocence without any evidence." The old scholar immediately became agitated.

"You didn't start that fire last night, did you?"

"Nonsense! I almost got burned last night too, how could I have set it on fire?" As soon as he finished speaking, the old scholar realized he had misspoke and quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

"Oh dear, you just said you weren't going, what a shameless old man."

The old scholar blushed and said, "For a scholar to visit a brothel, how can that be considered immoral? That's called being romantic. A pear blossom overshadowing a crabapple is also considered romantic."

"I think it's vulgar."

"Haha, haha." The vendors burst into laughter.

The atmosphere on the street corner suddenly became cheerful.

Li Shizhou was in high spirits, finally able to cultivate in peace. He had suffered greatly these past two nights, so he bought some wine and meat to take with him and went for a stroll outside the city.

When night fell and they returned home having enjoyed themselves, they used a hand seal to become invisible and went back to the secret room under the Qi family ancestral hall.

As soon as Li Shizhou stepped into the pale yellow light curtain, a faint fragrance wafted into his nostrils.

His hair stood on end, and in a flash, a silver armor covered his entire body, while a bronze shield protected him.

After setting up his defenses, he channeled his magic into his eyes and the spirit boots beneath his feet.

Then he shouted, "Who goes there? Come out here!"