Cao Yi’s words made Li Yundong overjoyed, washing away much of the earlier unpleasantness. He chuckled, “Is that so? What kind of enterprise, and where is it? Hurry and take me to see it!”
Only then did Cao Yi notice the other people beside Li Yundong. Her eyes swept over them and saw Zi Yuan and Ruan Hongling from the Linggong Sect of the Zhengyi Dao, who had participated in the siege of the Fox Charm Gate, as well as Su Chan and Li Yundong’s eldest disciple, Zhou Qin.
Cao Yi started, thinking to herself: Zou Ping of the Zhengyi Dao had mentioned that the Sect Master was colluding with Zi Yuan. At the time, seeing the two fighting so fiercely, she had dismissed it as slander, but now it seemed true.
This Sixth Martial Uncle of the Fox Charm Gate offered a slight bow to Zi Yuan and Ruan Hongling, saying, “Boundless longevity and fortune be with you. Greetings to the Daoist friends of the Linggong Sect of the Zhengyi Dao.”
Although Ruan Hongling had always considered herself part of the orthodox sects and looked down on the demonic ways of the Fox Charm Gate, being on their territory now, she dared not be arrogant. She dutifully followed Zi Yuan in a slight bow, returning the courtesy.
After bowing, Zi Yuan spoke softly, “Regarding the recent incident involving the siege of the Fox Charm Gate, it was truly done out of necessity. We hope the Daoist friend can forgive and understand.”
Cao Yi was intelligent. Seeing Li Yundong and Zi Yuan together, she immediately understood why Zi Yuan had stepped forward to seemingly oppose Li Yundong while secretly aiding him.
If Zi Yuan hadn't proposed fighting one by one, Li Yundong, no matter how powerful, might not have withstood a rush from so many cultivators.
Understanding this, Cao Yi became genuinely respectful. “True Man Zi Yuan has a broad mind, unlike other cultivators who cling too much to sect rules and differences in kind. On behalf of everyone in the Fox Charm Gate, I express my deepest gratitude to True Man Zi Yuan for your timely help.”
Zi Yuan smiled faintly, offering no comment.
Li Yundong had initially worried that the Fox Charm Gate members would clash with Zi Yuan and the others, which was why he hadn’t informed Cao Yi and the others immediately. But now it seemed he had worried needlessly. He laughed, waving his hand, “Don’t be so polite, the two of you. Martial Aunt Cao Yi, hurry and take me to see the Fox Charm Gate’s enterprise. I am dirt poor right now; in a few more days, I might have to lead the Fox Charm Gate in collective street begging!”
His remark drew laughter from everyone else. Cao Yi nodded and smiled, “Then let’s go now.”
Li Yundong laughed and pointed at Cao Yi’s Daoist robe, “You plan to go down the mountain dressed like that? Aren’t you afraid of being photographed?”
Cao Yi looked down at herself, then glanced at Li Yundong and the others. They were all in casual wear. Even the ethereal Zi Yuan was wearing a long, elegant dress in pale violet, both fashionable and classical. Su Chan was in a bright yellow long dress, looking lively and cute; Zhou Qin wore a casual top with a pair of sharp, well-fitting jeans that accentuated her figure; Ruan Hongling was in a school uniform, looking youthful and bright. Only she stood there in her drab Daoist robe. By itself, it wasn’t eye-catching, but standing among them, she instantly became the most conspicuous one.
Cao Yi smiled, “Sect Master, to be honest, aside from last time, I’ve never been down the mountain, and I have no other clothes to change into.”
Li Yundong laughed, “Although I’m a poor Sect Master, I can afford a few sets of clothes. Let’s go down the mountain and buy you an outfit first. You really shouldn’t go out dressed like that.”
Su Chan’s eyes lit up at the mention of shopping. She exclaimed excitedly, “Are we going shopping for clothes?”
Hearing this, Li Yundong turned around and playfully smacked Su Chan’s forehead in mock anger, chiding, “Little girl, stop causing trouble! Haven’t I been ruined enough? If you push me, I’ll leave you right here!”
Su Chan immediately looked terrified, nestled close, and clutched Li Yundong’s arm, saying eagerly, “Will it be pawned off dead or pawned off alive?”
Li Yundong fought back a smile, deliberately teasing the girl, “It depends on your behavior. If you behave well, I’ll pawn you off alive; if not, hmph, a dead-pawn kind of girl!”
Su Chan puffed out her cheeks, looking mournful, “So I’m still getting pawned after all? Well, if I behave well and you pawn me alive, you have to come redeem me quickly!”
Her words made Li Yundong burst into laughter. Zi Yuan, Zhou Qin, and the others couldn't help but smile faintly.
Li Yundong dotingly rubbed the little girl’s cheek and waved his hand grandly, “Let’s go, we head down the mountain!”
The group filed out of the Daoist temple. On the way, they met other disciples of the Fox Charm Gate. After exchanging greetings with them one by one, Li Yundong descended the mountain.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Li Yundong and the others waited for a moment before hailing several taxis and heading straight for Dongwu City.
After arriving in Dongwu City, Li Yundong first took Cao Yi to a clothing store to change her attire. Cao Yi, being an actual transformed fox spirit, was naturally a great hanger for clothes. After being dressed up, she made the staff and customers stare in awe. Li Yundong and the others all praised her looks, and even Ruan Hongling couldn't help but mutter sourly: A fox spirit is a fox spirit, born to entice people!
After changing Cao Yi’s outfit and buying clothes for the other Fox Charm Gate members, the group, laden with shopping bags, followed Cao Yi straight to the legendary enterprise of the Fox Charm Gate.
Along the way, Li Yundong asked, “Where exactly is our Fox Charm Gate’s enterprise located?”
Although Cao Yi was a cultivator, being legitimately down the mountain with the Sect Master and wearing new clothes made her somewhat excited and happy. She laughed, “I don’t know the exact details, but I saw in the Sect Master’s journal that he wrote the address was No. 328, Mugdu Hong Kong Street, in Dongwu City. We’ll just find it ourselves when we get there.”
Li Yundong nodded, secretly speculating what the Fox Charm Gate’s enterprise might be. Along the way, he and Su Chan guessed back and forth.
Su Chan, seated in the back of the taxi, said with a flicker in her eyes, “If you ask me to guess, I’d say the Fox Charm Gate’s business is either a clothing boutique or a cosmetics shop. If not that, then a snack stall!”
Li Yundong laughingly cursed, “You glutton, you only think about food! If you ask me, I bet it’s some kind of company or corporation.”
Su Chan pouted, “Saying that is the same as saying nothing, isn’t it?”
As the two chatted and laughed, the car entered Hong Kong Street in the Mugdu District.
It was already five in the evening; the sky was just darkening, and the street was already decorated with lights and festive colors, full of bright lights and decadent nightlife. At first, some promotional banners could still be seen, but after Li Yundong got out of the car, he looked around and saw rows of hair washing salons and foot massage parlors stretching out, with all sorts of seductive slogans catching the eye. The traffic on both sides of the road was heavy, filled with male office workers coming and going from these entertainment and consumption venues after work, their laughter and playful chatter filling the air.
Li Yundong was stunned, feeling a sense of unease in his heart. He stopped a hurried man on the roadside to ask about the location of No. 328 Hong Kong Street. The man smiled ambiguously, “Oh? You’ll see it thirty meters ahead.”
Li Yundong nodded his thanks and led the equally stunned Cao Yi, Su Chan, Zi Yuan, and the others forward.
After walking about thirty meters, Li Yundong found himself facing a luxuriously and grandly decorated entertainment complex, above which shone several dazzling golden characters: Crystal Love International Entertainment City!
These characters were surrounded by continuously flashing multicolored lights, creating a dazzling and flamboyant display. At the entrance, two rows of hostesses stood, possessing graceful figures and wearing sexy, low-cut V-neck cheongsams. The tops were cut nearly to the navel, and the slits in the skirts reached almost to the armpits!
Li Yundong observed that most people entering and leaving the establishment were men. Every time a man entered, the hostesses would bend over, revealing large swathes of beautiful, fair skin, and chime out sweetly, “Welcome, Boss!”
Welcome, Boss? Welcome, Boss!!!
Li Yundong felt as if an atomic bomb had exploded in his mind, shaking him to his core until the world went dark!
“This, this…” Li Yundong’s expression was priceless. “Isn’t this the legendary red-light district? What kind of ‘International Entertainment City’ is this? For goodness sake, this is just a whorehouse!”
Zhou Qin had sensed something was wrong long ago, but she hadn’t spoken, only pursing her lips and secretly chuckling, looking ready for some entertainment.
Su Chan, innocent and naive, hadn't grasped the situation. She pointed curiously at two hostesses at the door and asked, “They’re dressed so revealingly, aren’t they cold?”
Although Cao Yi hadn't seen much of the world, she was an old fox and quickly sensed trouble. She managed a hesitant chuckle, “Perhaps we’ve got the wrong place?”
Li Yundong forced a smile, “Maybe so.” Saying this, he stopped a middle-aged man who was about to enter the Crystal Love International Entertainment City and asked, “Excuse me, is No. 328 Hong Kong Street here?”
As he asked, his heart kept praying: This is not the Fox Charm Gate’s enterprise, this is not the Fox Charm Gate’s enterprise!
The man sized up Li Yundong from head to toe, then glanced greedily at Su Chan and the others behind him. With a mix of envy and jealousy, he said, “Nonsense, of course it is! Hey, brother, you brought so many top-tier beauties out to play? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?”
With that, he flicked his sleeve and walked away. As he entered, the hostess bent over again, revealing a large expanse of pure white, tender skin, and sweetly called out, “Welcome, Boss!”
Li Yundong was dumbfounded, thinking: Damn it, this really is the Fox Charm Gate’s enterprise! What the hell kind of place is the Fox Charm Gate? No wonder they’re called a demonic sect—their only asset is a service industry business!
Su Chan hadn't reacted at first and excitedly joined in, “Playing outside? Is it fun in there? I want to go play too!”
Li Yundong slapped Su Chan’s forehead and glared at her, “Stop talking nonsense!”
Su Chan was startled, holding her forehead with both hands, blinking her eyes at Li Yundong, looking both wronged and confused, completely unaware of what she had said wrong.
Zi Yuan and Ruan Hongling now understood the situation. Zi Yuan frowned slightly, while Ruan Hongling’s face flushed faintly, and she spat, “Pah, what kind of place!”
Su Chan wasn’t dense. Her eyes darted around, taking in the reactions of the group and the overtly seductive hostesses at the door. She instantly understood, and her face instantly turned the color of red cloth. She clutched Li Yundong’s hand and whispered, “Yundong, did we get the wrong place?”
Li Yundong never imagined that the Fox Charm Gate he had inherited was not only the messiest mess imaginable, but its sole source of income was a place dealing in flesh trade!
He gasped, secretly furious, and ignored Su Chan, striding in himself.
The hostesses at the door had noticed Li Yundong long ago. They had even speculated whether he would come in. Some guessed, “Definitely not; look at all those beauties he has with him, each prettier than the last. Why would he come here for fallen flowers and wilted willows?”
Others refuted dismissively, “Who says? The wild flower is always sweeter than the home flower. Men are just dogs!”
As they were murmuring amongst themselves, they saw Li Yundong rushing in with fierce intent. They immediately straightened up, ready to bow, but seeing the suppressed anger in his brow and the extraordinary presence in his every move, he rushed inside in a flash, followed by five or six beautiful women with varying expressions.
The girls who relied on looks to make a living were usually sharp-eyed; they immediately felt uneasy, crying out inwardly that things were bad. One quick-witted girl immediately beckoned to another nearby and whispered quietly, “Quickly call Mei Niang; this one looks like he’s here to cause trouble.”
Indeed, Li Yundong reached the main hall, looked around, and said in a deep voice, “Who is in charge here?”
Mei Niang arrived instantly. She was about thirty, wearing a seductive and revealing long dress. Her features were quite beautiful, but her expression carried the marks of worldly experience. She approached with a fawning smile, sizing up Li Yundong, then glancing back at Su Chan and the others behind him, clapping her hands in feigned amazement, “Mei Niang has been working since I was sixteen, and in all these years, this is the first time I’ve seen a customer bring such top-grade goods with him! Amazing, amazing, I’m impressed! Esteemed Boss, are you here to play, or here to smash the place?”
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