The street was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder.

The red sun slanted westward, its gentle light shining down on the market street, stretching everything into long, oblique shadows, including those of Qin Lu and Cao Mo.

This was an extremely famous entertainment street in Wuji Market, home to the majority of the market’s pleasure-seeking establishments.

Male brothels, courtesan houses, chess parlors, teahouses, variety theaters, bathhouses, beast-fighting arenas, gambling dens, and elixir shops—every kind of entertainment venue imaginable was here.

Shops of all varieties stood in rows along the street, attracting numerous pleasure-seeking cultivators who came drawn by its reputation.

Whether they were sect disciples residing in the market or down-on-their-luck loose cultivators scraping by in the slums, all were regular patrons here.

As the saying goes, money earned in the market is spent in the market; not a single coin is meant to be taken home.

This place was the very embodiment of that saying.

And this place was also known by another name: “Joyous Lane.”

At this moment, Cao Mo was rubbing his plump hands together, his eyes darting excitedly over the surrounding shops, his spirits high as he kept up a constant, hushed chatter.

“Big Brother, shouldn’t we be doing this sort of thing at night? Did we come too early?”

“Oh, right, how late are we staying out tonight? Ah, I still have to go home, or my parents will never let me off…”

“I’m a bit nervous, look at all this sweat on my hands. This is my first time, you know…”

“Wow, Big Brother, look at that woman! She’s dressed so… lightly! Isn’t she cold?”

Listening to Cao Mo’s nervous, chirping chatter, Qin Lu couldn’t be bothered to respond. Instead, he watched the rows of shops on either side with keen interest, sizing them up privately.

A feeling both familiar and strange rose within him.

Since it was still early, some of the less reputable shops hadn’t opened yet, but that did nothing to dampen the lively atmosphere.

Cheers, shouts of excitement, and playful laughter rang out constantly, interspersed now and then with the drifting melodies of songs and music, fully displaying the area’s prosperity.

Suddenly, Qin Lu’s heart stirred, and he couldn’t help but look toward a building up ahead.

Two flagpoles stood at its entrance, bearing the phrases “Small Bets, Big Wins” and “Conquer the World” respectively.

The doorway was slightly screened by a cloth curtain, and the characters for “gambling” were painted large on the walls on either side. Above, on a plaque with flamboyant, sweeping calligraphy, were three characters: Jishan Store.

“This is… a gambling den! My biggest creditor!”

Seeing the sign for Jishan Store, Qin Lu’s hand actually began to itch uncontrollably.

It was as if a little man had popped up in his mind, constantly whispering in his ear: Go play one round, just one…

Qin Lu knew this was a habit left over from his previous body. With a conscious effort, he quickly suppressed this mistaken thought.

But the next moment, a feeling of guilt surged from the depths of his mind and swiftly took over his heart.

That’s right, he still owed this establishment over a hundred Spirit Stones. How dare he loiter in front of his creditor now? If he were discovered, wouldn’t that mean big trouble today!

“Better make myself scarce!”

Qin Lu reacted immediately. He turned his face to the other side, pretending to scratch his head to block his features, quickened his pace, and strode swiftly past the gambling den.

The bewildered Cao Mo was also swiftly dragged away from the spot.

What Qin Lu failed to notice was that from a second-floor window of Jishan Store, a pair of eyes was fixed intently on his retreating back, filled with malice and resentment. The gaze only withdrew when he disappeared around the street corner.

……

Having passed Jishan Store, Qin Lu finally let out a sigh of relief and began to slow his pace, examining the courtesan houses that appeared intermittently along the roadside.

Cao Mo beside him was even more out of his depth. He had never been to such a place. Now, his eyes were wide, he inhaled the heavy scent of rouge and powder, and he kept swallowing nervously, the very picture of someone who had never seen the world.

“Big Brother, Big Brother, this courtesan house looks pretty good. I think this woman… her skills… must be excellent,” Cao Mo suddenly said.

Hearing this, Qin Lu glanced over as well, but upon seeing the woman at the door, a cascade of black lines seemed to fall over his head.

“Hey, what kind of taste do you have? You can like someone that… plump? And that’s the madam soliciting customers! She doesn’t entertain clients herself!”

“Ah? What does a madam do…?”

A look of regret appeared on Cao Mo’s face.

Qin Lu felt a wave of speechlessness inwardly. After a moment’s thought, he spoke in a serious tone:

“Kid, you better think carefully. The women in these courtesan houses are the best at sapping your bones, sucking your marrow, and draining your spirit. A little virgin like you is most likely to be completely drained after a single night of spring passion.”

Cao Mo looked somewhat alarmed and quickly asked, “What happens if you get drained?”

“What do you think? Your cultivation plummets, your realm regresses. And if it’s more serious, you might never be able to again…”

Qin Lu shot a glance at Cao Mo’s crotch, the implication clear.

“Ah!”

Cao Mo’s hands flew down to cover himself, his face pale. “No way! Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Enough!”

Qin Lu patted Cao Mo on the shoulder and led him onward. “This kind of thing can wait until you’re older. Today, I’m taking you to another great place!”

……

“Ahhh~ So comfortable~”

Qin Lu leaned against the wall, letting the waves push against him, his eyes closed, enjoying this rare moment of pure bliss.

Cao Mo was beside him, mimicking his posture, letting out an occasional moan.

Besides the two of them, there were quite a few other people present. Most wore identical expressions of contentment, and they were all, without exception, men.

This place was the bathhouse.

Ever since transmigrating here, Qin Lu had never had a proper bath. For a clean-living, promising young man like himself, this was unacceptable.

So today, using Cao Mo as an excuse, he had specifically come to the bathhouse intending to wash up properly.

The bathhouse’s decor wasn’t particularly remarkable.

It was just that beneath the bathing pool, some unknown array had been set up, actually able to keep the water at a consistently pleasant temperature, making it extremely comfortable.

In the area, there were also cultivators whose profession was “back-scrubbers,” constantly asking customers if they needed a scrub for the price of three catties of gold.

Leaning against the side of the pool, Qin Lu suddenly remembered something and turned his head to Cao Mo.

“Oh, right, about me moving—Aunt Li doesn’t know yet. If she comes looking for me, just tell her I’ve moved into the market to live.”

Naturally, Qin Lu had little interest in that young, beautiful widow, Madam Zhang.

But for someone like Aunt Li, awarm-hearted neighbor and professional matchmaker who specialized in introducing women, Qin Lu didn’t want to sever that connection.

After all, this might be his only chance to get paired up here!

“Mmm, got it~” Cao Mo replied vaguely.

Qin Lu gave a slight nod, but then, after another thought, he spoke again.

“Besides Aunt Li, if anyone else comes looking for me, keep it secret. Don’t just tell anyone where I live.”

Qin Lu really didn’t want to get involved with the former owner’s crowd of dubious friends. This was a new beginning; he had to learn to cut ties and move on.

“Okay~” Cao Mo replied just as softly.

Seeing this, Qin Lu set his mind at ease. Leaning back against the edge of the pool, he closed his eyes and savored the long-missed feeling of relaxation.

……

Happy times always pass especially quickly. By the time night fell, the two of them formally emerged from the bathhouse.

Cao Mo, full of energy, wanted to continue playing and enjoying himself in Joyous Lane, but Qin Lu, using the excuse of insufficient Spirit Stones, hurriedly and insistently sent him home.

After seeing the young man home, Qin Lu returned to the market. He spent twenty Spirit Stones to replenish some talisman-crafting materials and daily necessities before finally heading toward his new home.

What he didn’t know was that his appearance in Joyous Lane today had attracted the attention of certain interested parties……

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