At first, no one paid attention to this disaster.
It was merely the absence of a singer, a dancer missing from the stage, a canceled poetry gathering, or an interrupted banquet—until the catastrophe affected everyone.
“Is it my imagination?”
“It feels like there are fewer people. The embroiderers are gone. Xiaorui hurried backstage after hearing a few words from Lady Feng. Why did everyone leave?”
“Only a few pure courtesans are left.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
The once bustling Danfeng Brothel had grown somewhat deserted at some point, causing many to frown.
Even the top courtesan on stage, Qingfeng, revealed a look of surprise.
Meanwhile, some wealthy squires and scholars who practiced martial arts keenly sensed… the entire Danfeng Brothel was currently experiencing an extremely subtle tremor.
The source of the tremor… seemed to be a certain room?
Yet when these people focused their ears, they only heard a chorus of rising and falling soft moans, making it impossible to pinpoint the source of the shaking.
What happened?
…………
Danfeng Brothel, Hidden Sound Pavilion.
Wang Ping sat lazily on the brocade couch. Clothes littered the floor—his own and others’—tangled among the sea of pale, bare flesh sprawled across the ground.
Although the enemy pressed hard step by step, he remained invincible.
Outside the door, Lady Feng frowned deeply.
“Still can’t take him down?”
The maid beside her looked nervous upon hearing this, yet couldn’t help licking her lips. “They all went in, and not a single one came out. They were all taken down.”
“He’s even fiercer than Master Liu back in the day.”
Lady Feng gulped. “He just started practicing the 【Iron Bull Technique】? Even at great perfection, it should only be at this level. He might be even stronger!”
One must know, even with a perfected 【Iron Bull Technique】, he was still human. Fighting ten against one was the limit. Yet, the occupant of this private room had engaged in a bloody battle for two full hours without a single break. Such ability completely exceeded Lady Feng’s understanding.
But the problem was, this couldn’t continue.
Just then, a maid ran in from outside in a panic. “Mother Feng, the guests outside noticed something is wrong and are starting to make a fuss.”
“Find a way to placate them. If you can’t, you go in.”
“Ah? Me?” The maid pointed at herself in bewilderment.
“……….”
After a moment of silence, Lady Feng shook her head. She looked at the maid beside her, whose cheeks were flushed red, and snapped, “Hurry and notify Master Liu.”
“At this rate, he won’t finish until tomorrow.”
“Today’s business is ruined.”
The maid beside her suggested, “Mother Feng, why don’t you use your eloquence and try to persuade the young master to rest for a while?”
“You don’t understand,” Lady Feng shook her head. “At this stage, eloquence is useless… wait here. I will go in myself!”
Ultimately, she was the seasoned veteran of Danfeng Brothel. Her skills far surpassed those of the younger girls.
With that, Lady Feng took a deep breath. Her waist swayed like a willow in the wind. Wearing a resolute expression as if marching to her death, she pushed open the private room’s door.
…………
Danfeng Brothel, First Floor Hall.
Xie Shi, having changed his attire and disguised himself as an ordinary merchant, frowned tightly. His gaze swept the surroundings, no longer paying attention to the top courtesan Qingfeng on stage.
Where did everyone go?
The increasingly deserted environment made him almost think the county yamen had laid an inescapable net to catch him. However, upon closer inspection, he realized this wasn’t the case.
Instead, it seemed like an unexpected situation.
He also noticed the subtle tremors of the Danfeng Brothel. Unfortunately, heavily injured as he was, his hearing had degraded significantly, making it impossible to identify the source.
Just then, a sudden uproar erupted in the crowd.
“What? Impossible!”
Finally, someone seemed to have gathered information from the bustling maids and servants. Yet, as the news spread, it drew countless gasps of shock.
“Are you saying a fierce warrior has arrived in the brothel?”
“And all the ladies went to serve him?”
“That warrior has battled for two full hours without a single break. Even Lady Feng went in and seems to be locked in a bitter struggle?”
“You’ve got to be kidding!”
Unexpectedly, once the news spread and was confirmed, only a minority in the crowd felt angry. The majority actually reacted with curiosity.
Two hours! And at this rate, he aimed to defeat a hundred people in a single day? This was definitely no ordinary man; he must have practiced martial arts.
What specific martial art was it? Could I learn it?
Intense curiosity caused the crowd to grow even more restless. However, hiding among them, Xie Shi, having learned the entire story, wore a dark expression, nearly losing his composure.
“Damn it…”
He had zero interest in the fierce warrior who almost swept through the Danfeng Brothel. He cared about the fact that this stunt effectively shut down the brothel’s business.
Even the top courtesan Qingfeng quietly retreated backstage.
How was he supposed to outline a beauty’s features for his disguise now?
With his life on the line, Xie Shi’s resentment toward that mysterious warrior nearly pierced the heavens, yet he didn’t dare show the slightest hint of it.
……….
Meanwhile, on the other end, Wang Ping felt phenomenal.
“One hundred and eight!”
On the bed, Wang Ping casually pushed aside the completely exhausted, eye-rolling Lady Feng. He then sat cross-legged, forming a hand seal and holding it level in front of his chest.
Inhale! Exhale!
Instantly, Wang Ping felt an ethereal breath of air rush into his nose and mouth, surging through his entire body and flowing into his limbs and bones.
This sensation differed completely from normal breathing. This strand of qi seemed to possess some unimaginable miraculous property. Wherever it passed, his skin, flesh, sinews, and bones underwent earth-shaking changes. The sound of his blood flowing grew increasingly loud until this strand of qi merged into the deepest parts of his marrow.
This feeling… could this be spiritual qi?
The next second, a sudden mutation occurred.
Looking closely, Wang Ping’s face split open from the center of his brow, eyes, and nose. A single face bizarrely displayed two different appearances.
The left face featured sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding masculine might.
The right face featured red lips and beautiful eyes, exuding a gentle, watery tenderness.
Simultaneously, grotesque flesh tumors bulged from his chest, back, and armpits, resembling newly developing infant limbs. It looked incredibly eerie and bizarre.
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, Wang Ping still felt his skin crawl. However, he quickly calmed his chaotic thoughts.
Thanks to the 【Iron Bull Technique】…
Relying on the relaxed state achieved after his training, Wang Ping didn’t panic excessively. Instead, he rapidly steadied his mindset and focused on mobilizing that miraculous strand of qi within his body.
This is the final step of the 【Desire Realm Innate Method】: the body manifesting anomalies. This physical mutation proves evolution and qualitative change.
However, this step also carries immense risk. After all, not all evolution is beneficial. I must control this process with my own will.
Otherwise, if the evolution veered in the wrong direction, the consequences would be unimaginable.
For example, he currently existed in a superimposed state of a 【Desire Realm Goddess】 and a 【Desire Realm Deva】. If he slipped up, he might turn straight from a man into a woman.
And that would be the good outcome.
Even worse, he could end up neither male nor female, or his physical body could collapse entirely.
Realizing this, Wang Ping calmed his mind further. Strictly following the contents of the 【Desire Realm Innate Method】, he gradually adjusted his mutating body.
It’s a pity the 【Scripture of Paranirmitavaśavartin Governing the Desire Realm】 is incomplete.
Otherwise, if I cultivated the complete technique before evolving my body, not only would I avoid the adverse effects of this physical mutation, but I could even control it.
But I have nothing to fear. The 【Otherworldly Heavenly Demon】 cooldown has ended. Even if I fail, the worst-case scenario is starting over. I have enough room for error.
Time ticked by.
Finally, Wang Ping opened his eyes. His face showed neither joy nor sorrow. His previously split facial features merged back together, and the extra limbs rapidly reverted to their original state.
“Hard work pays off… Success!”
Almost simultaneously, the miraculous strand of qi he had inhaled seemed to exhaust its profound essence. It transformed into a mouthful of foul air that he expelled.
Desire Realm Deva Physique, achieved!
In that instant, Wang Ping felt as if his entire body soaked in a hot spring. His qi and blood steamed, bringing immense comfort. The world in his eyes changed drastically.
The sensation was profoundly mystical. Even though his eyes couldn’t see inside his body, his mind clearly ‘saw’ every blood vessel, every muscle, and even his internal organs. He perceived their functions and mapped out the incredibly complex network within himself.
Is this… 【Spiritual Sense】?
Enlightenment dawned on Wang Ping. This was the consciousness of an immortal cultivator that transcended physical restraints. Now, thanks to the secret art modification, he also possessed this miraculous ability!
The next second, Wang Ping shifted his focus.
His spiritual sense shifted from inward inspection to outward perception. Looking around, he seemed to see the color of the wind, hear the voices of flowers and grass, and smell the scent of emotions.
Clang!
The long saber left its sheath. The incredibly stifling air in the room, built up from hours of fierce combat, was instantly swept clean. A biting cold wind blasted in all directions.
【Three Demonic Sabers of Yama】!
Instantly, the intensely thick saber intent of Greed resurfaced in his heart. However, it couldn’t shake Wang Ping’s spiritual sense in the slightest and was effortlessly suppressed.
The first saber, crossed the threshold!
Immediately after, Greed retreated, replaced by insuppressible fury. The saber intent of Anger emerged, roasting his soul like a blazing furnace.
Yet, it remained useless!
A cultivator’s spiritual sense inflicted a visibly massive dimensional strike on a martial artist. True gold fears no fire; Wang Ping’s mind remained completely unaffected by the flames of fury.
The second saber, minor achievement!
Soon, the fury faded, replaced by foolish ignorance, mental obscurity, lack of enlightenment, and the obstacle of delusion. It shrouded his mind like a shadow.
But right at that moment, Wang Ping snapped his head up.
“Break!”
With a shout like a sudden thunderclap, the saber light flashed, instantly cleaving through all delusions. His surging qi and blood vaporized his sweat, rising like steam!
The third saber, major achievement!
The next second, all anomalies subsided. The steam dispersed. Wang Ping slowly stepped down from the bed, casually gripping the long saber in his hand.
Zing—!
Instantly, the blade trembled violently. Consequently, the large sinews all over his body bulged and coiled tightly, emitting a clear whistle resembling a dragon’s roar.
Sinews like a dragon!
At this moment, Wang Ping clearly felt the power overflowing within his limbs and bones. Like a powder keg, it could detonate violently at any given time.
Is this… my saber technique reaching perfection?
Wang Ping felt a bit of disbelief.
Boiling qi and blood, taut sinews, surging power—the convergence of these sensations brought him a thrill far exceeding anything else.
The difficulty of 【Three Demonic Sabers of Yama】 lies not in the moves, but in the saber intent. It was originally much harder than ordinary martial arts. However, my spiritual sense worked miracles. The saber intent could no longer shake my mind. As a result, my practice succeeded in one stroke, easily pushing straight to perfection!
This metamorphosis of the essence of life was simply intoxicating!
“How strong am I now?”
Wang Ping slowly opened and closed his hands, wondering, “Dragon sinews have four tiers— snake-dragon, flood dragon, horned dragon, and true dragon. Which level am I at right now?”
Could he shatter a rockery with a single slash like Shou Chong did?
He really wanted to find someone to hack at just to test it out!
At this thought, Wang Ping suddenly sensed something and looked outside the room.
“…Hmm?”
Just now, his spiritual sense fed back an incredibly intense emotion filled with fury and suffocation, pointed directly at him.
Who was it?
“I turned Danfeng Brothel upside down, so it’s normal for someone to be angry at me. But this level of fury and resentment… this isn’t right.”
Realizing this, Wang Ping immediately circulated his spiritual sense, following the emotion to ‘look’ at the Danfeng Brothel’s hall, finally locking onto a person.
Good heavens, in disguise?
With a scan of his spiritual sense, Wang Ping instantly noticed the person’s peculiarity. Their skin, flesh, sinews, and bones were intricately contorted. It clearly wasn’t their original appearance; they were in disguise.
However, when he used his spiritual sense to discern the person’s true face, his expression froze.
“Xie Shi… Senior Brother Xie?”
BOOM!
It was night. Pitch-black, windy, with torrential rain pouring down.