"Hold your tongue!" Liu Xintang's face was swollen red with anger. "If I wanted you to stand out amongst your peers, I wouldn't have become the castellan of this godforsaken place!"

Liu Yue knew he'd touched one of his father's nerves, so he quickly begged for forgiveness, "Father, please quell your anger. Your child is in the wrong."

Liu Xintang's complexion brightened up a little. "Our Liu Family is only hiding away in this corner because we don't wish to be caught up in the fight between the Seven Grand Holy Lands. Of course you can defeat Ling Xiao with your abilities, but what significance does it hold? Amongst the others, that Li Yuanchong is very impressive too. But in the end, what is he going to be? Won't he just be another thug working for the Sunken Wind Valley? Oh right, where's that boy, Ling Xiao now?"

Liu Yue's face twitched. "Father, Ling Xiao, h-he went to a brothel."

Liu Xintang almost had a heart attack when he heard this.

To Ling Xiao, other than the Northern Jade Sect, places like the Floating Red Courtyard felt closest to home. A hint of curiosity slipped into his mind as he thought of this. I wonder how angry Master would be if he knew I placed the Northern Jade Sect on par with some low-grade brothel. Would he spit out a river of blood?

None of that mattered for now. Without his Master and the rules of the sect binding him, Ling Xiao unbridledly went to visit Seadragon City's Aromatic Pleasure Garden.

To determine whether a city was thriving with eroticism and flourishing with prostitutes, Ling Xiao looked at the ladies in the local brothels. The more eye-catching ladies sold their services on the premises, the more prosperous the brothel was.

When Ling Xiao walked into the Aromatic Pleasure Garden, the thick scent of cosmetics assaulted his nose. He was met by a pair of shining eyes. They belonged to the female brothel keeper who looked like a housefly that spotted its next meal.

"Oh, Young Master, I haven't seen you here before. Are you new in town? I have many excellent young ladies here." The female brothel keeper shrieked like someone was pinching her throat, "Ladies, come and receive your patron!"

It was still early in the afternoon. There weren't many people at this hour of day who could take things free and easy. This in turn meant there wasn't much business for these young ladies.

When they heard there was a guest, these orioles and swallows made their way out of their workshops and aligned themselves in a neat circle for Ling Xiao to take his pick.

Most brothels were built in a similar fashion. All of them were circular buildings. In the center was the main hall from where one could look up to the higher floors. The ladies usually stood neatly arranged on the second and third floor for their customers to take their pick.

Looking at the ladies he could choose from, a look of utter disappointment appeared on Ling Xiao's face. He felt his taste in girls had become increasingly refined. And how couldn't it have after gazing upon beautiful women like Tang Yingying, Cheng Yu, and Shen Mingfang for so long? Next to them, the girls before him now were a bunch of women slathered in common rouges and powders. They didn't arouse his carnal interest at all.

The reason Ling Xiao came here was still that reason. He was afraid loneliness would reach the depths of his heart. In the past, loneliness was nothing but a stranger to him. Each day went by only with the thought of survival running through his mind. After joining the Northern Jade Sect, the existence of this desolate feeling called loneliness gradually became clear to him. But it wasn't until the day Tang Yingying left him that he truly understood just how terrifying loneliness could be. And now, here in Seadragon City without his Master and the others by his side, what could he do to combat it if not visit a brothel?

"Hmm?" A girl unintentionally caught Ling Xiao's eye. He pointed at her and said, "I want her."

The female brothel keeper felt embarrassed as she replied, "She's only here to serve tea and wine-" But she quickly sealed her lips when Ling Xiao took out a shiny yellow gem. It wholly captured the female brothel keeper's attention.

"Is this enough to buy her?" Ling Xiao stared intently at this elegant and exquisite young girl. Even though she was wearing the common clothes of a servant, Ling Xiao was deeply attracted to the unique aura she exuded.

The female brothel keeper nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. "I-it's enough."

"Then I'll be taking her." Ling Xiao disregarded the female brothel keeper. Without asking for the girl's consent, he pulled her by her small wrist and walked off.

"Fuck! How boring." The other young ladies stretched their bodies and yawned. Some of them were still half-asleep. They returned to their workshops to get in some more sleep. To them, sleeping was both work and rest.

Ling Xiao caused a huge ruckus when he brought a young lady back to the guest rooms in the garrison. It was a taboo for Celestial Soul Masters to visit brothels. But Ling Xiao didn't seem to care much for hiding his desire for this taboo as he swaggered back to his room with the young lady. Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw this scene. Elder Ling Well, wasn't he a little too daring?

The youngsters who were slightly more feisty in that department could understand Ling Xiao's needs. But all of them knew they could resolve such desires outside. Why did Ling Xiao have to bring her back here with him?

The Celestial Soul Masters of Seadragon City were first shocked, but that quickly turned to anger. Veins started popping out of their heads in a towering rage. "We're here from the cradle to the grave, giving our lives to protect this city. But you folks from the hinterland only know how to enjoy your lives every day!"

"Ling Xiao, you son of a bitch! Get your ass out here!"

Li Yuanchong and the others wanted to bar the way of this angry mob. After all, they came to Seadragon City with Ling Xiao. Add to that they'd also benefited tremendously because of him, and it was easy to see why they wouldn't let him face this angry mob by himself over such a trivial matter.

But none of them expected what happened next. Ling Xiao spoke up from his room with that incomparably vulgar voice of his, "I'm going to start working. Don't be noisy out there."

Soon after came the shrieks of a young girl from behind the door. The crowd didn't know what to do. They were momentarily shocked in place.

Liu Xintang let out a lengthy sigh. "Everyone, disperse."

Since the Castellan had opened his mouth, his men angrily left; they revered their leader, so they listened to his commands. The newcomers from the Sunken Wind Valley didn't feel like eavesdropping on Ling Xiao giving in to his carnal desire, so they too left with the Celestial Soul Masters from Seadragon City.

Ling Xiao had a lewd expression on his face as he looked at the girl whose outer garments he had ripped to shreds. A nasty laugh escaped his lips as he said, "What's your name?"

Fright painted the girl's delicate and pretty face. "X-xiao Mo"

Ling Xiao took out a dagger dipped in green poison, grazing it across Xiao Mo's face from left to right and back. "Do you believe me if I say I'll cut your face open with this dagger?"

Xiao Mo's entire body was trembling. "Y-you Why are you doing this?"

Ling Xiao inched his face ever closer to Xiao Mo's. He stared at her with an ice-cold look glinting in his eyes. "I should be asking you this question."

"What do you mean?" Xiao Mo suddenly turned tranquil, staring at Ling Xiao without the slightest hint of fear. The fear she previously exuded was merely a facade.

Ling Xiao slowly drew his words out, "Indeed, I did meet a young lady in the brothel and took her back with me. But it doesn't mean I'll always take home a young lady whenever I visit a brothel. Especially when it comes to those who harbour evil intentions. Leave. Don't let me see your face ever again."

Xiao Mo feigned a hint of surprise. "You're willing to let me go?"

Ling Xiao brushed his eyes over Xiao Mo's erotic appearance and answered her question with a question of his own, "What do you think? Or could it be you're only willing to leave after I do something to you?"

Xiao Mo blushed and hatefully spat out, "You pervert!" She quickly took out a clean set of clothes and put them on before slamming the door open and leaving.

Ling Xiao mischievously chuckled. "That's right, you should quickly put your clothes on if you have them. Don't go to brothels and act when you have nothing better to do. It's too dangerous."

Xiao Mo was already far away. Who knew if she heard him

Ling Xiao helplessly shrugged as he looked at the door that had been slammed open. "If I didn't let you go, your boss would've come looking for me. I'm awfully afraid."

Xiao Mo's departure didn't miss Liu Xintang's eyes. His stomach was filled with questions, but he wouldn't ask Shen Xuan, Ling Xiao, nor anyone else. He only believed in his own judgement.

This boy is not to be underestimated. This was Liu Xintang's judgement of Ling Xiao. "Shen Xuan and him are both secretly on their guards against each other. I just don't know why they're so wary toward each other."

Liu Xintang couldn't simply drop matters he couldn't make heads or tails of. In this aspect he differed from Ling Xiao. Living on the border with the Demonic Clan, there were immense responsibilities weighing heavily on his shoulders. He couldn't allow internal conflict to exist with the danger of the enemy constantly looming over them.

In a forest somewhere outside Seadragon City. Xiao Mo was trembling in fear as she arrived before the Master of the Blue Moon District. She knelt down on one knee and said, "Master, Xiao Mo failed. That boy's too devious. Xiao Mo can't even get close to him."

The Master of the Blue Moon District was still as calm as ever. "No matter. It's only normal you're not his opponent. There's still a chance in the future. Let's go. Follow me back to the Blue Moon District. I'll let you try again if a chance presents itself. I don't believe anyone can withstand Xiao Mo's charm in the whole of the Clear Sky Continent! Haha!"

The Master of the Blue Moon District clicked his tongue as he praised her. He lightly caressed Xiao Mo's tender and smooth face with his withered hand.

Other than fright, there wasn't a trace of other needless expressions on Xiao Mo's face. She let the Master's hand that resembled a withered tree branch wander about her body as he so pleased.