As the words left the innkeeper’s lips, a surge of murderous intent filled the shadowy alley. The fierce black dog, who had cast aside his humanity to cultivate along the Beast Dao, revealed a face full of shock and terror. This alluring woman was clearly no ordinary person. The little girl with the high ponytail, Hutou, narrowed her eyes, and a cold glint flashed within her gaze. “Interesting... I really misjudged you. A master like you was hiding right under our noses.” Hearing this, the innkeeper gave a slow, bewitching smile. “You two are quite amusing yourselves, one who abandoned being human to become a dog, and the other an evil spirit hiding in a child’s corpse, trying to cultivate a human body.” Just then, the girl’s face flickered with surprise. The beautiful innkeeper of the Taiping Inn had seen through her cultivation Dao at a single glance! The innkeeper let out a soft chuckle. “So now the Bare Body Sect really takes in all kinds of monsters and freaks? Even Gufeng doesn't rein you in?” This time, Hutou’s expression changed completely. She blurted out in alarm, “Who... who are you!?” The name “Gufeng” was not just casual, it referred to one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Bare Body Sect, Lord Gufeng[1] himself. All of them served under his command. And the Bare Body Sect operated in deep secrecy, so no outsider should have known about its hierarchy. At this time, the innkeeper smiled faintly. “I’m just the innkeeper of the Taiping Inn. Didn’t you two want to catch me to threaten my man?” Immediately, Hutou’s eyes flickered with surprise and suspicion. A thought rose in her mind, Could this enchantingly beautiful woman be one of their own? A member of the Bare Body Sect? However, the innkeeper’s bright and cunning eyes turned toward the black dog possessed by Zhang Ping. Meeting her gaze, Zhang Ping felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss. Having descended into the Beast Dao, his senses of danger were sharper than ever, and he knew at once that he needed to run! But before he could move, the innkeeper gently lifted a single pale, slender finger and tapped. The savage black dog instantly exploded and tore into pieces, becoming nothing more than a mist of blood. Then, a dazed-looking translucent male spirit appeared in the air. He had already fallen into the Beast Dao, cultivating a wicked and forbidden technique. His three souls and seven spirits had become entwined with this vicious dog, which had been raised on human flesh. Yet now, they had actually been forcibly torn apart. This was simply a divine technique beyond his comprehension! The innkeeper remained calm, and her expression was serene as she lightly traced a line with her finger. In that instant, Zhang Ping’s soul was wracked with searing, soul-tearing pain; his skin cracked open, and blood poured forth. Yet though his mouth was wide open in a silent scream, no sound came out. He was in so much agony that it felt as if he was torn apart by a thousand blades. Hutou, the evil ghost cultivating in a human body, could only stare in stunned horror, and her eyes were wide with disbelief. Instinctively, the little girl turned to flee, but the innkeeper merely gestured lightly through the air. In an instant, an overwhelming and unimaginable killing intent exploded forth, shattering Hutou on the spot. A long-haired vicious ghost emerged in her place, and she too was subjected to a thousand cuts. Instantly, her soul and spirit alike were shredded! After a moment, the innkeeper let out a cold snort, “Why am I even wasting time on the likes of you?” With that, she took the fragmented jade and turned to leave without so much as a backward glance. Behind her, only Zhang Ping’s soul and the evil ghost remained. They writhed in agony in the dark, bone-chilling alley, enduring the full torment of a thousand cuts. Until at last, they could bear it no longer. Their souls unraveled, disintegrating into nothing, leaving behind only ashes scattered on the wind. The innkeeper's figure was exquisitely curvaceous, and each sway of her hips was enough to pull a man's soul right out of his chest. No matter how one looked at her, she was a woman anyone would fall for at a glance. She was like a perfectly ripened peach, making one’s mouth water with the urge to take a bite. What those lusting after her body didn’t know was that, just moments ago in that quiet, haunted alley, two terrifying evils had been utterly annihilated by this mature, seductive woman, who used brutal and ruthless methods that chilled one to the bone. When Li Yanchu and Bai Hongtu returned to Wei City and walked once more through the familiar streets, they both felt a strange sense of disorientation, as if they had left and returned to a different world. Their time in the tomb hadn't been long, but the peril and complexity of their experience had left a deep impression. Being trapped within the cold, shadowed halls of that ancient burial chamber, then suddenly emerging into the sunlit streets of the city brought a mix of emotions to both men. At this time, Li Yanchu didn’t return to the Daoist temple, but instead chose to stay once more at the Taiping Inn. The inn's rear courtyard was the innkeeper’s private quarters, and it was elegant and serene. Inside, the room was warm and brightly lit. Li Yanchu sat soaking in a wooden tub, where steam rose in gentle clouds. The innkeeper had prepared the water long in advance, adding a mixture of herbs known to soothe fatigue and replenish energy. Stripped bare, Li Yanchu revealed a frame of lean, sculpted muscle as he relaxed back into the tub. In his usual robes, he looked quite handsome, with well-defined features and sharp, chiseled contours. But now, with his body exposed, his muscles told another story entirely. He didn’t have the burly build of an ordinary martial artist, but his muscles were lean and powerful, brimming with explosive strength. Even the most skilled painter, no matter how masterful their brushwork, could never capture the raw, masculine yang aura he exuded. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novel⚑fire.net Meanwhile, the daring and elegant innkeeper, clad in a thin, gauzy robe, was gently massaging Li Yanchu’s shoulders from behind. Just then, he leaned his head back with his eyes half-closed and let out a long, slow exhale. “Feel good?” the innkeeper asked softly. “Mmm,” Li Yanchu replied gently. “Ever since you left on that trip, I’ve been so uneasy. I was worried something might happen to you.” She slipped an arm around his neck, and as she spoke, her breath was warm and fragrant against his skin. Li Yanchu closed his eyes and smiled faintly. “After I left, did anything strange happen to you?” She shook her head. “No, nothing at all.” Hearing this, Li Yanchu gave a small nod. The next morning, Li Yanchu departed from the innkeeper’s quarters feeling utterly refreshed, as if all fatigue had vanished. His body and spirit were restored to their peak. Meanwhile, the innkeeper lay lazily at the edge of the bed, her face radiant and glowing. But her body was drained of strength, so much so that she couldn’t even be bothered to lift her arms. Li Yanchu returned to Qingyun Temple and practiced a full set of the Divine Astral Hand. Now, his strikes seemed infused with Lightning-Fire Pure Yang aura and was far more powerful than before. He could sense this pleasing transformation himself. It was due partly to his repeated use of the Spirit Officer Summoning Talisman in the tomb expedition, and partly because of the talismanic armor he had retrieved. He carried himself with extraordinary bearing, already showing the air of a martial master. His physique was stronger than ever; his sinews, muscles, bones, and qi all vastly improved, and the force he could unleash was on a whole new level. The deep, burning qi and blood in his body even seemed to flicker like living flames when he moved. “Yanchu, I swear your martial skill has improved again!” Bai Hongtu said in astonishment. That change in Li Yanchu’s aura was too obvious. Just by watching him spar, Bai Hongtu, a mere ninth-rate fighter, could tell he was extraordinary. “I only gained a bit of insight after fighting for my life,” Li Yanchu said with a wistful glint in his eye. Bai Hongtu’s heart suddenly sank. Damn it! Is that so?! Then why didn’t I have any insight?! Bai Hongtu grumbled inwardly. He had always believed his own Daoist talent to be outstanding, and that his Flying Sword techniques were ferocious and dominant. But ever since arriving in Wei City, he’d experienced a growing sense of frustration in the presence of Li Yanchu. This guy’s innate talent in cultivation was clearly just average, yet he’d trained in martial arts to such a formidable level at such a young age. And what’s more, he’d even mastered some truly profound Daoist techniques. It was enough to catch anyone off guard. Luckily, Bai Hongtu was an inherently open-minded person. Although he enjoyed showing off, frequenting brothels, and listening to music in entertainment districts, he was still a perfectly upright young man in his own way. Though a flicker of crisis had arisen in his heart, it was quickly cast aside. Tonight, I’ll hit the brothel and unwind properly. 1. In chinese, 孤 (gū) means solitary, lone, isolated, while 峰 (fēng) means peak, summit, mountain peak. Together, 孤峰 literally means “Lone Peak” or “Solitary Summit.” It evokes a sense of striving for the top or standing above the mundane world, fitting for a cultivator who seeks supremacy. ☜