Three days later, the Dong siblings were asking around as they made their way through the slums.
“Bro Song, where are you?”
Dong Tianba took his sister to a run-down house where he noticed Zhuo Fan’s figure through a hole in the roof.
He was sitting on the bed with his eyes closed in meditation.
“Bro, I finally found you! It’s good that you’re alright!” Dong Tianba ran to him but bumped into an invisible wall and was flung into the dirt.
Opening his eyes, Zhuo Fan exhaled as he stood up.
With all the effort he put into cultivating these past few days, he reached the 2nd layer of Bone Tempering Stage! He had Yan Fu’s three poisons to thank for that.
Poison was also a tonic. Zhuo Fan refined them and also absorbed Chuchu’s yin Yuan Qi resulting in a one-month early breakthrough.
This advancement strengthened his body and speed by 10%. Now, the average Profound Heaven experts were nothing and he could even clash with those body cultivators in the Profound Heaven Stage!
With a wave of his hand, he released the defensive array and walked out with a smile, “Bro, a second rate clan such as you coming to visit my humble home truly brings light into this wretched house!”
“Please, stop pretending!”
Dong Tianba patted the dust from his clothes, “What’s with this house? Why couldn’t I enter and felt like I got slapped instead?”
“Ha-ha-ha, you think anyone can just waltz in?” Zhuo Fan laughed, “These three days, I was cultivating in seclusion and set up a defensive array so no one would bother me.”
“What, you know freaking arrays?”
Dong Tianba jumped, his two eyes staring at Zhuo Fan in shock, “Bro, if I haven’t indulged in vices with you for so long, I’d think you’re a different person. We haven’t seen each other for a few years and not only has your strength soared but you’re also knowledgeable in arrays as well as having refining skills?”
Dong Xiaowan stared with her pretty eyes at Zhuo Fan in worship.
Laughing out loud, Zhuo Fan hurried to explain, “Brother Dong, don’t tease me. I used to be so frivolous in my youth but young miss Dong and your grandfather woke me up. Let bygones be bygones.”
“Big brother Song it all my fault?” Dong Xiaowan’s rebuking glance seemed to be sending a message. Though, in fact, it was filled with love.
Dong Tianba smacked his lips, “Little brother’s glorious success leaves me ashamed! I’ll work hard and one day reach new heights just like you!”
[Ha-ha-ha, cultivation is based firstly on talent, second on luck, and third on diligence! If anyone could’ve become strong after just hard work, the world would’ve been filled with experts.]
Zhuo Fan gave a bitter laugh. Dong Tianba’s talent will only allow him to reach Profound Heaven Stage at best. Without a lucky break, he would never advance beyond that.
But Zhuo Fan didn’t want to curb his enthusiasm.
“Oh, Brother Song, where’s lady Chuchu?” Dong Tianba looked around, “She said she’ll save you and had actually done it. She is such a strange person. Why is it that I don’t see her around?”
“It’s a long story.”
Zhuo Fan sighed, having recalled the Bodhi Jade Sap and was filled with lament, “I had the perfect chance and blew it. But regretting it now is pointless. If the heavens would grace me with another chance, I will definitely strike when I need to!”
Zhuo Fan was filled with resolve while Dong Tianba misunderstood, “She left?”
Zhuo Fan nodded with a sigh.
“Bro, you have become so infatuated!” Dong Tianba patted his shoulder, “It’s alright, lovers will one day reunite. Just make sure to not let her go next time!”
Zhuo Fan didn’t get the chance to explain as Dong Xiaowan glared at her brother.
Dong Tianba noticed it and changed his tone, “Uh, that lady Chuchu must have left because she has another lover. Forget about her! The world is teeming with flowers so you don’t need to stop at the first one you find. Perhaps the one before you might be even better.”
Dong Xiaowan was bashful.
Zhuo Fan watched the siblings’ act while blinking dumbstruck. [Do I look like a man intoxicated by emotions?]
[My only regret is missing my chance to get the Bodhi Jade Sap.]
Though Zhuo Fan didn’t clear the misunderstanding, he continued to speak. “Brother Dong, did you come here to make sure I am still alive and kicking, or is there something else?”
Dong Tianba recalled the reason for his visit and facepalmed, “Brother Song, thanks for reminding me, I totally forgot. I came to make sure you’re alright and, for the safety of both our clans, to take you somewhere.”
Dong Tianba then pulled Zhuo Fan.
Zhuo Fan was baffled but followed after noticing how serious he was. Since he lost all trails on Bodhi Jade Sap, it was better to go with Dong Tianba and ask around.
The trio arrived before a tall building. The plaque on it left Zhuo Fan secretly giving a chuckle. Meanwhile, he had a vulgar grin on his face, “He-he-he, brother Dong, you just said you’re going to work hard but how come you brought me to this place?”
“What place?” Dong Tianba was clueless.
With a wretched smile, Zhuo Fan pointed at the plaque, “Brother Dong, don’t play the fool. You’re much more cultured than me. Look, it says bro-“
“Mph!”
Dong Tianba clamped his mouth shut as he cursed, “Quiet, this is Drifting Flowers City! A place ruled by women. You think there are such places here?”
“Uh, then…” Zhuo Fan blinked at the plaque.
Dong Tianba looked where he was pointing and almost cried, “Brother! Please look closer. It’s the Iris Edifice!”
After a long look, Zhuo Fan noticed right then when the wind blew the red silk away and revealed the whole plaque.
(StarReader: play on words. The first character for brothel is the same for iris.)
This was the Iris Edifice, the top of the 15 buildings under Drifting Flowers Edifice. And the Iris Overseer too was none other than Qin Caiqing!
“Ha-ha-ha, so it’s the Iris Edifice. I thought such a place was uncultured and didn’t bother remembering the matron’s name and called it brothel…”
“You’re still saying it?” Dong Tianba glared at him and sighed in relief once he found no one paid attention to them.
Uttering the word brothel in Drifting Flowers Edifice’s domain was suicide!
Dong Xiaowan pouted, “Humph, all men are the same. Let me warn you, both of you are forbidden from going into such places again.”
Zhuo Fan laughed dryly, [If you want to bother someone, nag at your brother. Why are you lumping me together with him? We’re not related and I am a free spirit!]
“Brother Dong, why did you drag me here?” Zhuo Fan ignored Dong Xiaowan.
The frown further emphasized the seriousness on Dong Tianba’s face, “Brother, I have thought long and hard these past days and realized our misfortune came from offending Peony Edifice’s Xiao Dandan.”
“Among the fifteen overseers, Iris Overseer is the most amiable and the easiest to speak with. I want to ask her to help dissuade this grudge. If not, even if we shave our heads and hide in a monastery, we’ll meet our end sooner or later!”
Zhuo Fan snorted but secretly nodded.
[If that Iris Overseer had any intention of helping us, Xiao Dandan would have been kept on a tight leash. She did all this in an attempt to expose my identity.]
This was fine anyway since Zhuo Fan wanted to know the Iris Overseer in person, to figure out how deep her suspicion went. And whether or not his battle with Yan Fu worked to consolidate these guesses!
Zhuo Fan nodded, “Bro you’re so thorough. The Iris Overseer is definitely a place the two of us must pay a visit.”
“Since bro agrees then let’s go.” Dong Tianba laughed and produced a red invitation to the two Qi Condensation young ladies standing guard.
Dong Tianba bowed 90 degrees as he offered it, “Please announce that Dong Tianba and Dong Xiaowan along with the Song clan’s Song Yu have come to visit Iris Overseer!”
“Humph, you think it’s that easy for second and third rate clans to waltz in?” The girl snorted.
Dong Tianba was beet red in anger, but his bow didn’t flinch under the contemptuous stare of the girl.
Dong Xiaowan chewed her lip and sighed.
She felt sorry for her brother but there was no other way. This was the reception all clans outside the seven houses got.
Zhuo Fan wasn’t known for his patience, entering while Dong Xiaowan was distracted.
“Ladies, do you know Xiao Dandan?”
One of them looked at Zhuo Fan, “She is our senior sister. What, you know her? She’s from Peony Edifice while this is Iris Edifice. We won’t announce your arrival even for her sake.”
“Ha-ha-ha, that’s not my intention at all. But have you heard? She was stripped naked by a man in the middle of the street, leaving her in nothing but her underwear.”
The two’s eyelids twitched as they nodded.
“He-he-he, that man was none other than me!”
Zhuo Fan let out a wicked smile, “Do you believe me when I say that if you do not announce our arrival, I will peel your clothes off in broad daylight?”
The two recoiled, “How dare you! This is Iris Edifice!”
“Is there a difference?” Zhuo Fan stared them right in the eye. His killing intent spiked and a soul ripple swept the two.
The ladies shivered, fear had gripped their hearts.
“W-wait here. I will go make the announcement!” Unable to withstand his cold gaze, one lady ran inside, leaving the other shivering.
Dong Tianba sighed.
Ever since he met Song Yu again, Dong Tianba felt he was a different person. Not only in strength but also in character, not putting even the seven houses in his eyes.
This was why he brought his sister along, to keep an eye out on this brother of his. But not only did she overlook his actions, the latter was now looking for trouble!
[We came here to look for asylum. And you’ve come asking for help with that attitude? It’d be lucky if they don’t slaughter your entire clan!]
Not only was Zhuo Fan indifferent, but he also had a proud look plastered on his face, “Bro, towards these small-time snobs, fear is the best solution! He-he-he…”
“Bro, you…” Dong Tianba sighed.
He could only hope Iris Floor Keeper was open-minded enough to overlook this…