Sleeping Soundly in a Coffin! What Rotten Luck!

"General Qi? The Qi Family Army?"

Chu Yang’s eyes lit up. The Qi Family Army actually existed in this world. He had never paid attention to any news from the Imperial Court and had no idea Qi Jiguang existed.

Theoretically speaking, the Ming Dynasty world was already chaotic enough that no matter who appeared, it would not be strange.

"My lord knows General Qi too?" Manager Qian was somewhat surprised, but he quickly put on an admiring expression and praised him. "General Qi is incredibly formidable. The coastal regions are often attacked by the Wokou. If not for General Qi, the common people would never be able to live in peace."

"Not just the Wokou. General Qi has also led his army to slay quite a few Great Demons, keeping an entire region safe. If they had not left, Jinling City probably would not have fallen into this mess."

Perhaps it was an illusion, but Li Gexiao always felt that Manager Qian was speaking through gritted teeth.

It seemed General Qi had made those Demon People suffer quite a bit!

"To hear you say all that, he must truly be a good general." Chu Yang smiled and spoke meaningfully.

Manager Qian failed to catch the hidden meaning in his words. With a fawning smile, he flattered him, "You are right, my lord. You and General Qi are heroes who appreciate heroes!"

The carriage jolted onward, drawing ever closer to the mass grave outside the city. The driver sitting on the shaft did not notice the enormous creature following far behind them.

Its green eyes glowed like ghostly flames in the night, chilling to the bone.

Its silvery-white fur flickered in and out of view beneath the moonlight.

After an unknown amount of time, the carriage gradually slowed.

It finally came to a stop, and the huge figure in the darkness vanished at the same moment.

"We’re here!"

Manager Qian was the first to climb down, his fat body wobbling as he did so. Chu Yang and Li Gexiao followed close behind.

The driver held up the lantern in his hand, its firelight illuminating the surroundings.

The next second, they saw one desolate grave after another, as well as black coffins scattered haphazardly all around.

"This is the place, my lords. Please lie down quickly and wait for Paradise Pavilion’s people to arrive."

Manager Qian bowed, then prepared to leave.

Chu Yang grabbed his shoulder and smiled. "Manager Qian, since you’re already here, why not lie down with us and see just what sort of wonderful place the Paradise Pavilion of legend is!"

Manager Qian trembled and stammered, "I-I’d better not. I’m too old to withstand such trouble. I’m afraid I’ll only hold you back then."

Li Gexiao said coldly, "No one is asking you to fight. Just go in and have some fun. All you need to do is buy us time to find Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou."

Manager Qian put on a troubled expression, but secretly calculated that going to Paradise Pavilion with them would be good too. He could personally bury them there.

"My lords, you must guarantee my safety!"

Manager Qian timidly lay down in a coffin. That frightened expression of his would surely make anyone who saw it pity him.

He was quite convincing.

Li Gexiao could not be bothered watching his act. With a kick, he sent the coffin lid flying shut over him.

"I’ve never lain in a coffin before. I didn’t expect I’d get the chance to try it today and see how it feels."

With a smile, Chu Yang controlled the wind to blow the dust from the coffin, then quietly lay down inside. He casually closed his own coffin lid, every movement smooth and effortless.

"You look rather experienced, young master." Li Gexiao teased him, then laughingly followed Chu Yang’s example and closed his own coffin.

Once the coffin truly shut, Li Gexiao finally felt its oppressive nature. It was not only because the interior was so cramped that his build barely allowed him to move, but also because the darkness within was as silent and still as an abyss.

That suffocating silence, tightly wrapped in darkness without any response at all, was truly unbearable.

"It’s all right. Just endure it for a little while."

As Li Gexiao comforted himself, he never imagined that Chu Yang in the coffin beside him was already sleeping soundly.

Fear simply did not exist for him.

He treated it like camping. The tent might be a little small, but that did not matter. He just had to sleep. It was not as if there was anything else he could do anyway.

Second by second, time passed. Li Gexiao lay inside the coffin as though sitting on needles, nearly unable to resist smashing it open and bursting out. Just then, he felt the entire coffin rise into the air.

Soft footsteps sounded, and the coffin swayed from side to side like a boat on the sea.

Someone was carrying the coffin!

Paradise Pavilion’s people had arrived!

Li Gexiao was instantly invigorated. He cast all discomfort from his mind, thinking only of going on a killing spree once they arrived and venting all the pent-up frustration from being trapped in the coffin.

Chu Yang, meanwhile, slept even more soundly. The swaying around him felt just like a cradle.

Under the moonlight, six Black Shadows carried three coffins as they raced forward. Upon closer inspection, one would easily notice that none of those six Black Shadows had feet!

The six Black Shadows carrying the coffins were not human!

After they departed, an enormous wolfhound silently appeared at the mass grave. It twitched its nose, located them solely by scent, and followed after them once more.

Elsewhere in Jinling City, Yan Nantian was practicing his swordsmanship in a residence while Jiang Feng sat on a stone bench nearby, drinking wine as he watched his sworn elder brother train.

Yan Nantian’s Wedding Dress Divine Skill had to be cultivated anew from the beginning, and no one knew how much time it would take. To protect his sworn younger brother’s family, he could not afford to waste even a moment.

Fortunately, rebuilding his cultivation was easier than he had imagined. The once tyrannical true qi within his body had grown gentle, and he could finally make it move as his heart desired.

"Prince Xian was right. To use its sharpness, one must first blunt its edge. After rebuilding my cultivation once, I understand the Wedding Dress Divine Skill even more thoroughly. My cultivation speed is now utterly incomparable to before!"

"At this rate, it may not take long for me to return to my peak. I may even go a step further."

Yan Nantian set the Black Iron Heavy Sword aside and strode toward Jiang Feng with a hearty laugh. Jiang Feng handed him the wine jug, and he took several great gulps, looking incomparably satisfied.

"Prince Xian’s martial cultivation is unfathomable, and he even understands the characteristics of our martial arts so well. Thinking back on it now is truly chilling."

"I have visited the capital several times over the years and heard some rumors about this prince. They bear no resemblance whatsoever to what he is actually like. Why has Prince Xian hidden himself so deeply?"

Yan Nantian shook his head with a sigh. "The Imperial Court is treacherous and ever-changing, even more difficult to fathom than the grudges and feuds of the Jianghu."

"But one thing is obvious. The Emperor likely cannot tolerate Prince Xian’s existence. One day, Prince Xian may well face the blade and the axe."

"When that time comes, it will be my chance, Yan’s chance, to repay his kindness!"

Jiang Feng stared at Yan Nantian in shock. "Big Brother, are you saying you intend to rebel alongside Prince Xian?"

Yan Nantian said calmly, "In these times, only someone like Prince Xian can restore the nation. Otherwise, the people of the Ming Dynasty will have to live beneath the shadow of demons and monsters every day."

Jiang Feng trembled all over, too stunned to speak.

The greatest swordsman under heaven was going to become a rebel. If word got out, the entire Jianghu would erupt!

Bang!

The coffin slammed heavily onto the ground. Chu Yang was jolted awake by the violent impact. He pushed open the coffin lid, and the first thing he saw was a string of large red lanterns hanging high overhead.

A group of masked people had already surrounded the coffins. Most carried weapons and appeared to be thugs, while the two leaders held masks in their hands.

"Please put on your masks before entering Paradise Pavilion."

The voice was cold and mechanical, carrying an invisible sense of oppression.

Chu Yang stood up, accepted a mask, and put it on. Li Gexiao and Manager Qian did the same. Only after they had put on their masks did Paradise Pavilion’s people lead them inside.

In ancient times, so-called paradise was nothing more than food, drink, prostitutes, and gambling.

The moment Chu Yang entered, he smelled a familiar scent. It was the fragrance of rouge mixed with specially prepared sandalwood fragrance, an aroma that heightened desire. He often smelled it in the brothels of the capital.

Yet mixed within that fragrance was a faint trace of Demon Qi, something ordinary people would certainly be unable to detect.

Though Li Gexiao had been dispirited these past years, he only drank and had never visited a brothel for pleasure. Thus, he was not sensitive to this smell and merely thought it rather pleasant.

The first floor was a gambling hall. Pai gow and dice were all present, along with cricket fighting, stone gambling, and more. Frantic shouts echoed everywhere. Those who lost wanted to win, while those who won wanted to win even more.

They were all losers!

The only true winners were the dealers, who took a cut from every game. They did not need to stake any chips and could only profit, never lose.

Chu Yang knew places like this inside out. During those years when he played the useless prince in the capital, he had been a frequent visitor to gambling halls. Whenever he ran out of money, he simply went to the palace to ask for more. He never felt the slightest heartache over fleecing the Emperor.

The three stood beside a pai gow table. When someone lost all their chips and stepped away, Chu Yang immediately took their place. He placed his bet and drew his tiles in one smooth motion, leaving even Manager Qian dumbfounded.

Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou seemed to have been temporarily forgotten by Chu Yang. He was completely focused on the gambling table, his eyes fixed firmly on the tiles in his hand.

"My lord, don’t we have more important business to attend to…"

Manager Qian wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"He and I are one drunkard and one gambler. I can’t walk when I see wine, and he’s the same when he sees a game. Let’s wait a little longer."

Li Gexiao took a swig from the wine gourd at his waist and sat casually beside the gambling table, ready to join in at any moment.

Though he did not know what Chu Yang intended, he trusted him unconditionally.

Manager Qian was dumbfounded. What was wrong with these two?

Were the Embroidered Uniform Guards these carefree now? Did they only investigate cases after having enough fun?

After waiting half a quarter-hour and seeing that Chu Yang had no intention of moving, Manager Qian did not know what else to do. He could only force a dry smile. "Please continue playing, my lords. I need to visit the privy."

Li Gexiao impatiently waved him away.

Manager Qian quietly left the first-floor hall.

Then Chu Yang’s voice sounded in Li Gexiao’s mind. "When he returns, I’ll find an excuse to leave. You keep him here."

Li Gexiao nodded.

Meanwhile, Manager Qian left the hall and turned through the maze-like Paradise Pavilion, looking extremely familiar with every corner of the place.

He arrived at a small pavilion and respectfully spoke from outside the door. "Master, two Embroidered Uniform Guards have come from Jinling City. I brought them both here."

A faint pink mist suddenly spread through the pavilion, followed by a soft, coquettish female voice. "Last time, that man with four eyebrows came. Now there are Embroidered Uniform Guards too. It seems Jinling City is no longer a place where I can stay. If this continues, I fear that old bastard Zhuge will come knocking personally!"

Manager Qian smiled fawningly. "Master, as long as you absorb a little more essence and desire, even old thief Zhuge will be unable to do anything to you in time. Enduring a little hardship for now is nothing."

A sigh came from within the pavilion. "If that old lover from Cloud Dwelling Temple were willing to help me, why would I need to hide like this? I would have long since eaten my fill without restraint."

Manager Qian listened silently, not daring to interrupt. The Paradise Pavilion he had painstakingly built for his master was, in that man’s eyes, an act of aiding evil. That man was constantly thinking of killing him with a single palm strike!

"Speaking of which, Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou are quite resilient. Even now, they have not lost themselves. But they can hold out for another day or two at most."

"And now, two more Embroidered Uniform Guards have been delivered to me. Heaven is treating me quite well."

The woman in the pavilion began giggling. To Manager Qian, the sound was like demonic music piercing his ears. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his breathing suddenly grew rapid.

"You dog, are you thinking of climbing into my bed?" The angry rebuke snapped Manager Qian awake. He fell to his knees in terror and repeatedly slammed his head against the ground, begging for mercy.

Yet the next second, the woman’s voice turned tender and seductive again, soft and sweet as though she were flirting.

"But… if you can continue helping this servant keep Paradise Pavilion running, then it’s not as though you cannot climb into this bed. Hehehe."

Manager Qian’s heart itched unbearably. Just hearing her voice made him feel as though he were already floating in ecstasy.

Another half a quarter-hour later, Manager Qian returned to the first-floor hall. He saw Chu Yang holding a courtesan dressed in thin gauze in his arms, no longer seated at the gambling table.

Li Gexiao had taken over the chips.

Chu Yang smiled. "Old Li, Manager Qian, you two gamble a few rounds here. I’m going to have some fun with this lovely lady."

Li Gexiao did not care in the slightest and told Chu Yang to enjoy himself.

Manager Qian, however, said anxiously, "My lord, shouldn’t we find Hero Lu and the others first?"

Chu Yang cursed, "What are you rushing for? Lu Xiaofeng and the others may not even be in Paradise Pavilion. Let me have some fun first!"

He had played the role of a spoiled wastrel for many years, and his tone could not have sounded more genuine. Manager Qian could almost confirm that these two Embroidered Uniform Guards were probably privileged young masters who had landed this secure post through their fathers’ influence.

Good!

That would save him the trouble of wasting effort.

They could sink into Paradise Pavilion to their hearts’ content, having their vital essence and desires drained away without even realizing it, until they died of weakness!

Manager Qian sneered inwardly, then sat beside Li Gexiao with a fake smile and generously placed bets for him.

Holding the beauty in his arms, Chu Yang followed a servant up to the second floor.

He tried to use Observation Haki to investigate Paradise Pavilion, but met considerable resistance. Just like in the Sword and Fairy World, Demon Qi still interfered with Haki.

The two arrived at an empty room.

The pretty beauty had just closed the door when she turned around and saw a pair of scarlet eyes. The tomoe within those pupils seemed to possess Magic Power, plunging her into a daze.

After using the Sharingan to control her, Chu Yang left behind a clone and used Earth Escape Technique to leave the room.

Paradise Pavilion had been built inside a hollow mountain belly, the entire structure surrounded by rock. With Earth Escape Technique, Chu Yang could move freely and appear anywhere.

He now had two options. He could either rescue Lu Xiaofeng first, or directly strike at the source and kill the Great Demon here.

It depended on whether Chu Yang encountered Lu Xiaofeng first, or the Great Demon in the pavilion.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

Chu Yang stood before a pavilion as pink Demon Qi rushed toward him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your luck is really terrible!"

Man and demon spoke in unison.