Chapter Sixty-Nine: Siqing Courtyard

Liu Laogen listened to his vivid description, as if the young lady were standing right before him. Though his heart was somewhat stirred, he maintained a facade of propriety and replied, "Master Niu, you jest. At my age, I can scarcely manage such things..."

He spoke of his age and inability to indulge, yet inwardly he pondered whether he might also find an opportunity to enjoy such pleasures.

"You old man, you really lack a sense of fun."

With the contrast, Niu Ben's spirits rose further, his sense of superiority palpable. "If you ask me, that Siqing Pavilion is truly an extraordinary place. With my gambling habit, lately I've barely visited the gambling dens, and I'm starting to forget how to shake the dice;

But just thinking of those little beauties makes my heart itch. Ah, I simply can't help myself!"

Being someone who earns his living by wit and words, Liu Laogen naturally knew when to say what, and he flattered, "Master Niu, you are in your prime, robust and vigorous, it's only natural."

Perhaps because the conversation turned to health, Niu Ben returned to his senses and rubbed his waist, asking, "Old Liu, have you figured out what's causing my back pain?"

"I have," Liu Laogen nodded repeatedly, flashing a knowing smile that all men understood. "Master Niu, your back pain is simply the result of excessive indulgence. Eat more tonic herbs like ginseng and wolfberry and you'll recover."

The two exchanged a look and shared a knowing smile.

...

Siqing Pavilion?

Xu Boqing's brows knitted slightly.

From Niu Ben's description, that so-called Siqing Pavilion was certainly a place of pleasure and indulgence. For ordinary folk to frequent such a place and suffer fatigue would be expected, but his condition was more than mere exhaustion.

His vital energy was dissipating! He was on the verge of death!

A mere pleasure house could drain a person so thoroughly? There must be some hidden secret behind this!

Xu Boqing calculated the time—Jiang Jin should be arriving at Qizhou by now, perhaps already mobilizing forces to besiege Autumn Wind Fortress. And Qizhou was more than a hundred li from Hongyang; returning for orders would take some time...

Idleness breeds restlessness...

Seeing that Niu Ben had departed and Liu Laogen was receiving his next 'patron', Xu Boqing's gaze shifted as he turned to leave.

He cast his Celestial Sight upon the street and was astonished to discover that men suffering from dissipated vital energy, much like Niu Ben, were not few in number!

Outwardly, they mostly had murky eyes, sallow complexions, and unsteady steps. Under the Celestial Sight, he saw faint threads wrapped around their bodies...

Just like the pitiful souls in strange tales, drained by demons yet unaware, their days numbered, soon to meet their end!

Was it a demon that fed on human vitality?

Or some woman adept in 'cultivation by draining yang and nourishing yin', disguised as a Siqing Pavilion girl, using men to practice her arts?

---

It was only the morning market, yet dozens of men on the street showed symptoms of dissipated vital energy. If this was any indication, how many in Hongyang City must suffer the same?

If it were a demon, it would have to be a workaholic of extraordinary proportions, tirelessly draining so many day and night—surely even the most insatiable would find that impossible!

Xu Boqing frowned deeply, recalling Niu Ben's earlier mention that 'a batch of beauties arrived at Siqing Pavilion recently'...

Since it was a batch...

That meant those capable of 'draining yang and nourishing yin' were likely not just one, but a group—a whole gang!

Interesting...

Xu Boqing's eyes flickered. He found a man on the roadside who showed severe symptoms and approached, cupping his hands. "Brother, may I ask you something?"

The man was slightly taken aback, but seeing the visitor's distinguished bearing, he instinctively replied, "What is it?"

"Could you tell me how to get to Siqing Pavilion?" Xu Boqing wore a shy smile, explaining, "I'm not from around here, but I've long heard that Hongyang's Siqing Pavilion is a place even immortals can't forget.

Passing through your esteemed city today, I thought I might sample its delights. Alas, I don't know the location, so I hope you can guide me."

The man's eyes gleamed. "So you're a fellow traveler!"

"Fellow traveler?" Xu Boqing was momentarily puzzled. If not for his Celestial Sight discerning the man's true nature, the address might have led him to believe he was speaking to a practitioner of Daoism.

"Ah, kindred spirits!" The man, seeing Xu Boqing's confusion, winked and said, "Since we're both heading to Siqing Pavilion, we're 'kindred spirits.' Why not call each other fellow travelers?"

...

Fellow traveler... Kindred spirits... This...

Xu Boqing blinked, unsure whether the term was to be taken literally or had some deeper meaning...

After the man gave directions to Siqing Pavilion, Xu Boqing found himself pondering, on the way, whether he too could address the Emperor Yonghe as 'fellow traveler'!

How odd...

Normally, places of pleasure are lively only at dusk or night, but Siqing Pavilion was different—even in broad daylight, it was bustling.

There were drunken men stumbling at the entrance;

Lovesick fools begging the girls for affection and being rejected;

And those who had spent all their money, still wanting to freeload, being tossed out by the staff...

A motley assortment, all kinds.

But without exception, their complexions were poor, and all showed signs of dissipated vital energy, only varying in severity.

Xu Boqing's gaze grew keen as he scrutinized Siqing Pavilion. In his sight...

The girls who were either sending off guests or welcoming new ones all had faint threads tied to their bodies, and the other end of the threads converged somewhere...

Though the girls moved with seductive grace and alluring expressions, in his eyes, they resembled marionettes, as if every move was manipulated...

They seemed normal, but lacked vibrancy!

And the other end of the threads—the one manipulating these 'puppets' from behind the scenes—was inside Siqing Pavilion!

The girls who received guests were sharp-eyed; seeing a handsome man in moon-white robes standing at the entrance, their eyes shone brighter...

Noticing his slight frown as if he were observing something, several girls exchanged glances and, in silent accord, approached him.

Xu Boqing was about to follow the 'thread' deeper into Siqing Pavilion when he found several girls smiling and pressing their soft bosoms against his arms, pulling him inside.

...

He had intended to state righteously that he was merely looking and not that kind of man, but, outnumbered, he was helplessly pushed inside...

Within Siqing Pavilion, elegant seats lined the hall, and at the center stood a high stage where scantily clad girls performed alluring dances...

The surrounding lofts not only allowed patrons to play cards with favored girls but also to observe the entire hall below during their leisure.

Xu Boqing secretly marveled. Perhaps, accustomed to 'delicacies of the mountains and seas', this 'street snack' piqued his curiosity to sample it...

Yet, impulse aside, he had not forgotten his purpose.

Activating his Celestial Sight, he traced the threads from the girls and saw, in the corridor of the second floor, a matron in her prime, still possessing alluring charm...

All the threads from the girls converged upon her!

The matron's brows furrowed slightly, as if sensing something, and she glanced downstairs at Xu Boqing, who was being pushed in by the girls...

Their gazes met in midair.

Xu Boqing's pupils contracted, and he casually shifted his gaze elsewhere, for in his sight, behind the matron appeared the form of a spider!