A heart of old is entrusted to an old sword
Chaolan arrived at the shop where she had arranged to meet Dongmei, but found no one there when she entered.
He browsed around the shop, captivated by several hairpins, but even after he paid, Dongmei still hadn't come to keep their appointment.
Just as they were about to leave, Dongmei came in from outside, pretending not to recognize them, and ordered the shopkeeper to bring the account book to look through.
Chao Lan rolled her eyes, feeling excited and novel. She then selected a few more accessories and took out a large ingot of silver to have the waiter find some odds and ends to buy her some time.
"How is Madam's health recovering?" Chaolan asked.
"Thank you for your concern, Master. Madam has begun to recover after taking the pills you gave her."
A moment later, the lady arranged to meet the Taoist priest in the back alley. Dongmei put the account book into her sleeve and left calmly.
Chaolan arrived at the back alley, but there was still no one there, only a dead wall.
He sighed, squatted down, propped his face up with one hand, and used his spiritual power to pile up the small stones in the corner of the wall with the other.
With a creak, the upstairs window was opened.
Chao Lan looked up and happened to see that the beaded curtain was half-enclosed by Dong Mei, and the other half partially concealed the figure of a woman.
Chao Lan wanted to take a closer look, but she felt a sharp gaze shooting out at her.
"No manners." A voice, neither too loud nor too soft, came down from above.
He lowered his head in fright and shuddered.
Yeah, like a female version of the Master.
"Thanks to you, young Taoist priest, I would like to express my gratitude here."
Although the Jade Buddha Temple has not been here for long, it has won over people's hearts with its sorcery and its influence is deeply entrenched, making it difficult to defeat.
I know you are from Chaoyun Mountain, but even when upholding justice in Jiaozhou, there must be rules.
Chao Lan stroked the hilt of her sword, muttering, "With so much evidence, can't we even apply the proper methods?"
"Sometimes even if you catch them red-handed, you can't do it. Things are different now than they used to be."
I'll give you an address and send you a squad of men. Go here and catch that bald guy.
Dongmei threw a sign down from upstairs.
"This is a pass."
Chao Lan took it; it was a flower plaque.
Chao Lan nodded, put the flower plaque into her sleeve, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you, Madam."
I came here to gain experience, and I should have been able to handle these things myself, but I was helped by others along the way and only did some manual labor.
He was so frustrated that he didn't even hear Dongmei calling him.
"Master! Master!"
After they had walked a while, Dongmei stopped him: "Hey little Taoist, why are you running so fast? My lady hasn't finished speaking yet! She still has something important to give you."
Chaolan came to her senses and apologized, asking what it was and why Dongmei hadn't brought it down with her.
Dongmei laughed and said she couldn't carry it, so she took Chaolan back down the alley.
The woman finally revealed her face, her eyes still sharp, looking down at Chaolan.
She lifted a sword with one hand and threw it out the window: "Catch!"
Chao Lan ran over in two strides, leaped over the wall, turned around, and caught the sword. The woman left behind the words, "Young man, there's no need to belittle yourself," and turned back to her room.
Chao Lan held the sword in both hands, her mouth agape in astonishment.
Dongmei solemnly said, "This was left to Madam Chen by Miss's grandfather. Madam Chen was the first female prefect of Jiaozhou."
Madam Chen needed a large sum of money after her ordeal, and her daughter was to marry Qian Jin. Sadly, Madam Chen still passed away.
Dongmei said with some melancholy, "If everything had gone well, Miss would probably have become an official in the court."
Chao Lan tightened her grip on the sword, her face full of confusion: "Why are you entrusting me with something so valuable?"
Dongmei said, "I don't know either. Maybe Madam thinks you can handle this sword, or maybe the sword at your waist is too worn out, hahaha. Anyway, you wield this precious sword."
Chao Lan's eyes flickered, a pang of sadness welled up in her heart, and she replied heavily, "Mm."
"Falling Cloud Tower?! What are you doing there? Don't you know that brothels are not places for decent men like us?"
Chao Lan recounted the whole story in detail, and Song Song changed his attitude again, insisting on going together.
He didn't tell You Youju about this operation, intending to tell her after he succeeded, so as not to worry his master.
The Zhuiyun Tower, which is only open at night, only accepts guests. Even a noble young master like Song Song cannot enter without a doorplate.
Chao Lan secretly gave Song Song some advice: Qi Ye should take him over the wall and they should meet in the backyard. Once they caught the monk, they should fire a signal flare to let the team outside come in and capture him.
Chao Lan was surrounded by male prostitutes and young ladies as she was led to her seat, and she was almost blinded by their presence.
Just by looking at the ordinary exterior, who would know what lies inside? It can only be said that Jiaozhou is a treasure land, where even the pebbles on the road are made of gemstones.
A man and a woman served him wine, and despite his repeated refusals, he also drank three or five cups.
The male prostitute beside him whispered in his ear, "Young master, you're a bit late. You missed a lot of the performances."
Seeing his attempt to flatter her, the girl gently pushed the young man away, saying, "But don't worry, young master, the grand finale is coming soon."
The two of them pushed and shoved each other, almost coming to blows.
Tonight, Chaolan changed her attire and chose a relatively simple outfit from Song Song. Her already extraordinary temperament, combined with the silk robe, made her appear even more noble and beautiful.
After he came in, he gave the two attendants a lot of benefits in order to avoid drinking. The two thought that they would not get anything good in the end, but they did not expect that such a handsome young man would come in. He was also generous and did not take advantage of others.
In order to avoid having to curry favor with those pot-bellied eccentrics, they were naturally happy to compete, thinking that perhaps one of them was the son of a general, and if they had fun, he might support them.
The hall darkened, and the lights focused on the central stage; it seemed the grand finale was about to begin.
The curtain slowly rose, but what was in the center was not a song and dance performance, nor a theatrical performance, but a brightly dressed child.
"Thank you for your patronage, gentlemen, for your presence at Falling Cloud Tower tonight."
A male prostitute dressed as a woman went on stage.
"This first course is a boy from Hezhou, just turned twelve. His skin and flesh are firm! This child is resilient and can tolerate pain; he can endure any beating. Starting bid: sixty taels!"
Chao Lan suddenly stood up, startling the two men who immediately grabbed him: "Oh, young master, if you like taking the picture, just do it. Why are you so agitated?"
Chao Lan angrily asked, "What is this all about? Is there no law here?"
The young girl flinched, somewhat bewildered by his behavior: "Is this your first time here, young master?"
Chao Lan noticed out of the corner of her eye that the male prostitute's expression was also somewhat different, so she stopped talking: "I was introduced by an acquaintance, so I don't know the rules here yet."
The young man explained, "These are handsome men and beautiful women we captured to be your male concubines. Young master, there's no need to be so upset since this is your first time here."
If you're unhappy, just take pictures of these kids and make them suffer less.
The little girl laughed and said, "It's right here. Don't talk about the law, or people will laugh at you."
Since you're new to this place, who in this Cloudfall Tower isn't a high-ranking official or nobleman tonight?
Jiaozhou, what it has in abundance is officials, hahaha.
The little maid fed Chaolan a grape. The auction for the first child was nearing its end, and she coaxed, "Young master, would you like me to bid for you?"
Chao Lan nodded, deep in thought.
The young maid instructed the male prostitute to call out the price, which Chaolan won in the auction.
He handed twenty taels to each of his two attendants: "Please sit here. All the children in the arena today, please bid for them and send them to my residence. You can mention the benefits afterward. Please point me in the right direction, I need to leave to change my clothes."
The two attendants beamed with joy, pointed in a direction, and happily took on the role of "masters."
Chao Lan rushed to the backyard, and Song Song smelled the alcohol on him and punched him: "I've been waiting for you here for so long, and you've actually started drinking."
Qi quickly pulled Song Song back a bit: "Young master, please be mindful of your manners."
Song Song rolled her eyes at Qi Ye again: "We're like family."
Chao Lan smiled and nodded at Qi Dian.
We needed to make a joke before getting down to business.
Song Song was puzzled. He had led Qi Ye around several times but couldn't find a way to get in. It was clearly a small building, but it seemed like there was a very high wall. It was Qi Ye who found an opening and flew him in.
Qi added, "Young master, it's a barrier."
Song Song, holding a fan, shouted, "I know! I haven't even gotten to that point yet!"
Chaolan and Qi exchanged a glance, and Chaolan smiled without saying a word.
He threw a transparent compass into the air, and after it settled, it emitted a beam of light that marked a direction.
Chao Lan put away the compass and gestured for the two to follow. "Hey, Chao Lan, can I have this compass?" Song Song asked with a fawning smile, raising his eyebrows.
Chao Lan shook her head and replied, "No, the things of Chaoyun Mountain cannot be passed on to outsiders, and activating them requires the spiritual power of a unique sect."
Song Song pretended to be indifferent and said, "I have plenty of treasures that radiate spiritual energy, so I don't care."
The Cloudfall Tower wasn't large, and they quickly found a room. Chao Lan covered her nose and said, "It really is a demon."
Chao Lan formed a protective barrier with her hands, isolating this place from the outside world. She then handed the two of them a protective talisman, affirming, "Anything made by Chao Lan is guaranteed to be of the highest quality."
In the silence between the two, Chaolan finally kicked the door open.
The three saw only the abbot inside, his chest exposed and his eyes blindfolded. Hearing the voice, he turned and ran towards Chaolan: "Little beauty, you're here~ Brother's here to catch you~"
Chao Lan jumped away in fright, but Song Song, in a playful mood, kicked the abbot from behind, knocking him to the ground.
The abbot cried out, removed his blindfold, and turned around to unleash a torrent of abuse. Seeing the three men, he fell silent in fright. Realizing the intruders were hostile, he shouted, "Help! Help!"
There was no movement outside the door, so he stood up, leaning on the table for support: "What, what are you trying to do?! Didn't we agree to meet the day after tomorrow?"
Before coming, Chao Lan and Song Song agreed that Song Song would experience what it's like to catch people. So Song Song stepped forward and said, "You stinking bald monk, you use demonic treasures to do some heinous and murderous things. Do you really think you're above the law?"
"If the people knew your true colors, they'd burn your Jade Buddha Temple to the ground!"
The abbot dropped the pretense and retorted, "What's wrong with me taking a little money for doing things for them? What are you two brats pretending to be, gentlemen? Aren't you here begging for treasure? If you keep this up, you'll regret it!"
"Oh dear! You're really giving me a hard time!"
Chao Lan interrupted Song Song's argument and went straight to the point: "Why did you target Master Qian's wife? Did her husband want her to suffer a fate worse than death?"
The abbot pulled out a bead emanating a black aura and retorted, "Why should I tell you? Die!"
He absorbed the magic of the bead, and his face immediately became ferocious. Fangs grew out of half of his face, and a few feathers stuck out. He was extremely disgusting, and Song Song felt like vomiting when he saw him.
Without saying a word, Chao Lan went to meet the attack. It seemed that the demonic pearl only turned her into a beast and had no other function.
Seeing that Chao Lan had dodged his fangs and claws, the abbot stopped fighting him, dislocated one of his arms, and pinned him to the ground.
He asked, "Where did you get this thing from? Tell the truth, and after you are executed, I will personally send you to the immortal sect for purification!"
The abbot chuckled twice: "Let me tell you, I activated this magic orb by relying on people's inner desires. If it doesn't absorb any results, the person behind it will come looking for you."
Song Song shouted, "This man has done all sorts of bad things, he must not be allowed to live, Chao Lan!" This was also a reminder.
Chao Lan gritted her teeth and severed her arm: "Speak!" The abbot screamed in pain, snot and tears streaming down his face: "I'll talk! I'll talk! But don't kill me!"
Chao Lan pressed several acupoints on his chest, temporarily stopping the bleeding.
"The money he obtained was all ill-gotten gains. His wife repeatedly tried to stop him from making money, and I just resolved his troubles. I didn't expect that woman to be so ungrateful and repeatedly obstruct me by relying on the remaining power of her family. That's why I gave her a warning!"
The abbot finished speaking in one breath, his face turning as white as paper from the pain.
Chao Lan picked him up and said coldly, "I won't deal with you. I'll just send you where you belong."
The abbot grinned and said, "Do you know who ordered me around? It's a high-ranking official from the palace!"
Just then, the window was slammed shut with a loud bang, and something was flying in!
Bang! Chaolan's barrier shattered!
As he shot the talisman towards Lan, his hand suddenly felt lighter, and he was pulled into a pitch-black boundary.
It seems the other party is no ordinary demonic cultivator!
The sword at her waist trembled. She patted it and comforted Lan, saying, "Don't be afraid."
There was a whooshing sound of wind. Chao Lan flipped over to dodge, followed by countless wind balls that struck his body one after another.
Chao Lan dodged several times, but was still hit a few times.
Unfortunately, the wisps of demonic energy seeped into his body only to be purified, having little effect on him. He noticed that there were a huge number of these wind orbs, so he calmed himself and let them pass through.
He now needs to focus his energy in his eyes and see clearly here.
There was nothing there. Even the wind whistles were gone; it was just a vast, completely black space.
"Ugh!" A figure attacked from behind, and Chao Lan barely managed to block the attack by drawing her sword. Such powerful magic!
"I've finally found you. Cen, Chao, Lan."
Chao Lan looked around: "Who are you?"
Another attack came head-on, and Chao Lan managed to parry it by thrusting out her twin swords.
But he cannot retaliate, because within his own boundaries, he can change shape and appear at will.
Is hiding the only option?
Fortunately, this sword was a superior spiritual weapon. Chao Lan rode the sword upwards and touched the top of the barrier.
This is not his real identity.
Chao Lan channeled her spiritual power, pinning the sword to the boundary wall with her right hand while using her left to deal with the afterimages that appeared at any moment.
The mother sword held its position, temporarily creating space for Chao Lan. Chao Lan silently recited the incantation, gathering spiritual energy between her fingers, and unleashed the true technique: "Break!!"
"Heh, we'll meet again."
The boundary was finally broken, and they returned to the initial room. The blade of the sub-sword was still humming, indicating that it had not yet adapted to the excessive spiritual power it had just received.
Song Song jumped over, his eyes filled with tears, and hugged Chao Lan, wailing, "You scared me to death! You scared me to death!" He pulled away and looked Chao Lan over carefully: "Are you hurt?"
Chao Lan was also somewhat tired. Seeing Qi Chu standing there, his face especially pale, and then looking at the pile of spiritual treasures and precious artifacts that Song Song had dug up on the ground, she guessed that Song Song was really frightened.
He wiped away Song Song's tears and comforted him, saying, "I'm fine. Where's the abbot?"
Song Song made a disgusted face: "A strange force just rushed in and took you away, and even the abbot self-destructed!"
He pointed only at what was behind Chao Lan, turning his face away and refusing to look.
Chao Lan turned around and saw that it was indeed all bits of meat.
Chao Lan sighed, closing her eyes to process everything: "It seems I need to go home."
Chaolan wrote to Dongmei about the subsequent situation, saying that the stolen money could be found by searching the abbot's residence.
If that doesn't work, then petition the imperial court, and someone will help resolve the issue.
Along with the letter, four earrings were also sent to Madam Yu and Miss Dongmei.
Chao Lan rushed to the capital. Upon receiving the bill and the group of people, Song Song finally understood why Chao Lan had said before leaving that the money would be owed and that he would order the sealing of Zhuiyun Tower when he returned to the capital.
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