AGAINST NINE REALMS

”Lady Qing. ” Duan Yu casually touched her waist while seeking her attention. They appeared more intimate than they looked.

”Yes, ” Lady Qing moved her head near Duan Yus lips instead of getting angry for being touched.

”Who were the two people seated on table one? ” Duan Yu whispered to her ears. While the question sounded serious, it did not appear the same in their expression, as they looked like they were flirting with one another.

”Northern Beichang City. I heard that they
e here to hire some people for construction works. ” Lady Qing replied. But her expression said otherwise like she was aroused by Duan Yu touching her waist. The way she moves is like a snake, slithering and stimulating.

”Listen to them well… I want to know every word they talked about. ” Duan Yu whispered, then took a gentle bite on Lady Qings earlobe to give her a reason to go away.

”Aww! Little overlord is quite ravishing today. This old lady had to quickly escape, or I would be another one of your conquest victims. ” Lady Qing shyly spoke and quickly escaped into the kitchen.

”Look at that little overlord… Even the owner couldn escape from his honeyed lips. I wonder when Lady Hong-Er will lose her body to him. ” one of the few customers said. His companion, who was also a patron of this brothel, nodded in agreement.

”I heard that he was a beast on the bed. Early this year, ten maidens had their bodies ravaged by him over an entire week on his birthday, and they couldn walk for the next three days. ” the other guy added.

Their debate got more ridiculous as it continued until Duan Yu was said to have the bloodline of four heavenly beasts. It was why he could dominate ten maidens like a dragon, had the stamina of a tiger, the fertility like a turtle, and appearance like a bird.

All and all, it was all blown rumors that people spread all over Eastern Duan City.

But the gossip doesn seem to bother the two from Northern Beichang City. They ignored the lively discussion and continued their conversation, unaware that someone was eavesdropping on them.

…

The same night.

”Little overlord, ” Lady Qing gently opened the door into Hong-Ers room while calling for Duan Yu. It turned out that Duan Yu was cultivating inside her room.

”What did they talk about? ” Duan Yu asked after he ended his self-meditation by taking a few deep breaths. The air he exhaled smelled a little sour, likely due to the wine he had before following Hong-Er back to her room.

”Typical small talks about how Eastern Duan Citys people are cheap labor, stupid, and widely accessible. But I also heard some other gossip. Would the young master like to listen? ” Lady Qing kneeled before Duan Yu like a faithful subordinate.

They appeared to be more behind the spoiled, brash little overlord persona and the owner of a brothel.

”Go ahead. ” Duan Yu nodded. In the meantime, Hong-Er is busy wiping all the sweat perspiring out around Duan Yus forehead and the back of his neck. Just like the other two, she doesn appear to be a regular courtesan of a brothel either.

”The two of them seemed to overheard a secret their master mentioned when he was drunk. It was related to why our Eastern Duan City was most affected during the Slaughtering Era. ” Lady Qing said.

”Oh? Now, this is something new. What did they say? ” Duan Yu smiled and used his fist to support his head as he paid more attention to the next word coming from Lady Qings mouth.

”They mentioned that the enforcer from Tuyuan Realm was a close relative to the wife of northern City Lord. By bribing that enforcer with treasures, he eventually agreed with the request to make it difficult for our eastern city. ” Lady Qing no longer smiled after narrating everything she heard throughout the conversation to Duan Yu.

”In your opinion… What do you think about the western and southern city lord? Do you think that they
e involved in this matter too? ” Duan Yu asked. Hes curious about how Lady Qing would guess.

”Please forgive this subordinate for being blunt, but I think they
e not excluded from the suspicion. I believe the young master will understand why I would say so… ” Lady Qin answered.

”True… Would the main perpetrator let them enjoy the fruit of labor if they don get their hand dirty? ” Duan Yu chuckled and stood up. He then made his way to the window, feeling the wind would sober him up.

”Do you need the Shadow Hall to do something, young master? ” Lady Qing asked. It seems that this was the real identity of Lady Qing and the people working in the brothel. Their organizations name had already given a hint of their profession.

”No. Stay hidden. The disparity of strength between us is too wide right now. Unless the chances of victory are more than three quarters, taking action right now would definitely fail. ” Duan Yu said.

”But we can keep sitting like this and wait, young master! ” Hong-Er interrupted. It was less than three years since she took the identity of Hong-Er, a courtesan. She had been by Duan Yus side since born. Before this, she was a mere shadow hidden under the foot of the Duan Family Members.

”No means no. Theres no negotiation in this matter. Do not act rashly without my order. ” Duan Yu turned around and sternly replied Hong-Er.

”I will go back today. Tell Lao Ma to prepare a horse and get 8, 9, and 10 to check the route. ” Duan Yu said and reached his hand to the jar of wine nearby and drank a few mouthfuls to create an impression of intoxication.

”It will be done, young master. ” Lady Qing left the room to prepare and left Hong-Er alone with Duan Yu.

”Just continue to cultivate. Stop thinking about anything else, as the sheer scale alone wasn something you and I alone could make a difference. ” Duan Yu said and made his way to the door while Hong-Er held his arms.

”Are you ready? ” Duan Yu smiled.

Their acting continued as the door opened. Duan Yu appeared extremely intoxicated when leaving Hong-Ers room happily under the watchful eyes of the brothel patrons. His award-winning acting brought him from the stairs until the waiter called Xiao Ma.

”Little overlord, be careful, please! ” Xiao Ma shows a hint of struggle when helping Duan Yu up the horse and reveals a face of relief after sending him off. Little did the patron know that all of them were actually closely associated.

Duan Yu appeared intoxicated while leaning on top of the horse. But that was just an act. For him to reach home safely, the horses had to make three turns. The first would be from the brothel street to the business street. The second turn would be from the business street to the main road, then riding until the citys eastern side.

Lastly, it turns into a passage leading to City Lords Manor.

A drunkard could be seen along each road every time Duan Yus horse turned and looked like he was busy minding his business.

But after Duan Yu was received into the manor, these drunkards would quietly leave and vanish from peoples view.

…

”Young master. ” the house servant greets Duan Yu as he tipsily makes his way into the familys smaller living hall. The other family member with the Duan surname was enjoying their evening.

Duan Yu simply nodded at them before making his way into the living hall.

”Yu-Er, you
e home? ” Duan Shunde had the same messy look as how it was since morning.

”Yes, father. ” Duan Yu nodded and politely paid his respect to his father.

”Today morning, four envoys came from the Northern Beichang City to hire some people to help with their construction. A total of sixty people went with them. ” Duan Shunde spoke about this with a heavy heart. He doesn seem particularly fond of his settlers going to the north to work.

”Sixty people… I wonder how many will come back. Couldn we tell them that we need the people too and stop them from coming here to grab our workers away? ” Duan Yu asked. When facing his father, Duan Yu appeared milder and more thoughtful than when he spoke with Lady Ling and Hong-Er.

”Do you think theyll listen? These snakeheads… Weve killed so many of them in secret, and their number still continuously increasing… Do you think the time is mature for us to make a move? ” Duan Shunde asked for his sons opinion.

”No. Right now, we
e not even comparable to a-fifth of Beichang City Lords private force. Let aside comparing ourselves in cultivation strength. ” Duan Yu replied.

”Are we still unable to invite an alchemist to help us Verdant Calming Grass? ” Duan Yu asked. They had access to the merchants from other realms occasionally. However, surprisingly, it was challenging for them to hire an alchemist.

Even after raising the salary multiple times, theres still no alchemist willing to take the offer.

”I know you
e worried on behalf of the family, but don bother about it for now. Did you forget that its our familys remembrance day today? Before the day ends, quickly get into the Ancestral Hall and pay your respect to all our ancestors. ” Duan Shunde said and told his son to let go a little.

As a city lord for forty years, how can he be oblivious to what is in his sons mind? Even he had gone through the same for the last twenty-thirty years, thinking about how to bring the Duan Family rising again.

”Yes, dear father. Yu-Er will immediately make his way to the Ancestral Hall and pay his respect now. ” Duan Yu nodded to his father and quickly excused himself.

He had no idea that a life-changing event would follow after visiting the Ancestral Hall.