Chapter Twenty-One: The Fiery Cloud Evil God

Hearing the "swordswoman" before him speak such bawdy, suggestive words left Zhao Rui feeling as though he had been thrust into a surreal, disjointed reality.

This unique kind of indulgence—well, it wasn't half bad! Who doesn't harbor a secret longing for the heroic, unbridled life of a wandering martial artist? And who doesn't secretly fantasize about the tender affection of a beautiful swordswoman?

"Beauty, if I may ask, what kind of services do you provide?"

Having integrated the memories of his past life, Zhao Rui possessed a remarkably thick skin. Since he was out to enjoy himself, there was no point in being coy.

The "swordswoman" was clearly taken aback. She hadn't expected this boy, who still looked like a mere student, to be so blunt. Seeing no trace of shyness or discomfort in him, a flicker of disgust crossed her eyes. It wasn't that what he said was particularly offensive—plenty of men came up and asked point-blank how much a night with the swordswomen cost. It was just that upon seeing Zhao Rui and Yang Fan, she had pegged them as novices to the nightlife scene, still carrying the callow air of students. She had a younger brother about their age, and she had felt a subconscious flicker of goodwill toward them.

"My esteemed guest, do not misunderstand. The beauties here are all exquisite and peerless in their charm; they are far beyond what a mere attendant like me could offer. You will encounter someone much better soon enough," the swordswoman replied with a smile.

Hearing this, Zhao Rui offered a faint smile and said nothing more. As for the words of women in such places, it was best to take them with a grain of salt. He had only asked out of curiosity to test the waters and understand how things worked here. Some places offered services through their attendants, while others kept them strictly as waitstaff. It didn't matter; he just needed to be clear on the rules.

"Two honored guests, this is our costume zone. Inside, we can craft a bespoke period drama for you, and you may play any character you wish."

Roleplay? They certainly knew how to have fun!

"This is the combat zone, where you can place bets... and this is the foot reflexology lounge..."

"Should you become a distinguished VIP client, the second floor will offer you even more refined services and greater enjoyment."

After circling the first floor, the swordswoman came to a halt before a wide staircase. Zhao Rui and his companion followed her gaze upward. Lining the stairs, every five steps, stood a young woman, each one radiant and graceful. They watched those below with smiles on their faces, and whenever a client stepped onto the stairs, a young woman would step forward to greet them and escort them up.

"We'll just stick to the first floor. Thank you."

Zhao Rui expressed his gratitude, and the two of them followed a girl to the reception desk to collect low-tier identity tokens for their purchases. These tokens only allowed access to the first floor; the second floor was off-limits. As for whether there was a third floor above that, it was impossible to tell, though given the height of the building, it was likely more than just three stories.

"Let's just get a foot massage!"

Zhao Rui glanced at Yang Fan, who looked eager to wander off toward the bathing area, and decisively shut down the idea. It wasn't that he was abstinent; once a martial artist passed the three barriers and opened the nine orifices, connecting the upper and lower energy channels, they no longer needed to strictly abstain from desire, provided they didn't indulge to excess. He stopped Yang Fan simply because he feared the boy wouldn't be able to handle himself. He hadn't expected this place to be so intense; even with his past-life experience and the "training" he'd received from Japanese instructors, he felt a bit dazed. Yang Fan, still a virgin, would have been completely out of his depth.

"Brother Rui! I..."

Yang Fan raised an eyebrow, but seeing Zhao Rui’s firm look, he obediently did as he was told, saying to the attendant, "Arrange two pretty technicians for us!"

"Very well, please wait a moment, honored guests!"

The swordswoman bowed and left for a secluded private room tucked away in a corner of the first floor. The foot reflexology here was strictly legitimate, intended purely for the relaxation and recovery needs of the guests.

"Brother Rui, live a little! We're out to have fun!"

"Fun my ass, look how young you are."

Zhao Rui rolled his eyes at him. When no one was around, Yang Fan acted like a big shot, fearing nothing, but the moment he arrived in a strange place, he immediately tucked his head in like a scared quail.

"Hehe!"

Seeing that Zhao Rui was truly uninterested in that sort of thing, Yang Fan felt a tinge of regret but didn't press the matter. Just as they took off their shoes and reclined in the massage chairs, waiting for the technicians, a thunderous "BOOM" suddenly echoed from afar.

The sound made Yang Fan jump. Zhao Rui quickly shifted, pushed the door open barefoot, and looked toward the source of the noise. He saw that one of the inner doors they had just passed had been shattered, a massive hole punched through it. Shrapnel flew in all directions, wounding several guests and attendants at the entrance. The floor was covered in people wailing in pain.

"What's going on?"

Many other customers from nearby rooms had come out to investigate, exchanging wary and suspicious looks.

"Who dares to cause trouble at my Xiaoyao Pavilion?"

Just as Zhao Rui stood there in astonishment, a figure launched itself from the second floor, darting toward the scene with incredible speed.

"Cause trouble? I just don't like the look of this door. Which one of you is from the Xiaoyao Pavilion? Were you among those who got beaten up last time?"

A gruff voice slowly drifted from outside the broken door. In an instant, a bald man wearing only a pair of shorts and a small undershirt strolled in, looking completely nonchalant.

"Kung Fu Hustle's Beast?"

Zhao Rui nearly choked on his own spit. The man's appearance was just like the "Beast" from Stephen Chow's film *Kung Fu Hustle*. The face was different, and he lacked those specific tufts of hair, but the temperament and style were uncannily similar.

"Too much bullying!"

The man from the Xiaoyao Pavilion, dressed in a traditional Tang suit, had looked quite refined, but now his fair face twitched, and his eyes seemed to be spitting fire.

"I don't just dislike the door; I don't like you either! Fight me, and I'll leave."

The "Beast" narrowed his eyes. As soon as he finished speaking, he stomped his feet, his figure flashing like lightning as he lunged toward the man in the Tang suit.

"As if I'm afraid of you!"

The two immediately began to exchange blows in the main hall. Their movements were electric, and their bodies emitted surges of force; they were both high-level masters capable of projecting *Qi*. Their profound internal energy erupted with every punch and kick, shattering the surrounding gambling tables and chairs into splinters. Even the reinforced concrete walls crumbled like tofu under their strikes. Such masters were rarely seen by ordinary people, and here there were two at once.

The entire hall fell into chaos. The bystanders wished they had an extra pair of legs to run as far away as possible. Moments after the fight began, a group of staff members in tight-fitting combat gear rushed in, swiftly ushering the guests away from the danger zone. The scene was utterly chaotic. Some clever and daring guests had slipped out through the broken entrance the moment the two men started talking, but most had missed their chance as the "Beast" had blocked the way. Now, they could only scramble as far from the combat zone as possible.

Zhao Rui and his companion, already positioned at the very edge, were left untouched. Within moments, the area around the foot reflexology customers was packed with people from other sections.

"That damn lunatic—I ran into him last time I was here. I don't know what the Xiaoyao Pavilion is doing. If this keeps up, I'm never coming back," a fat, big-eared regular complained with some dissatisfaction.

"What's going on? Tell me about it, brother!"

"I don't know the specifics, but I heard this old man has a screw loose. Seems like he comes here just to stir up trouble."

"And the Xiaoyao Pavilion doesn't stop him? They aren't exactly pushovers!"

"Stop him? You have to be able to beat him first. Word is, the third-in-command of the Pavilion got beaten pretty badly last time..."

As they spoke, a string of exasperated curses erupted from the two combatants.

"You bastard, I’m going to kill you!"

Zhao Rui looked toward the center of the hall and saw the man in the Tang suit looking disheveled, a clear footprint visible on his chest. It was obvious he had lost the upper hand in the exchange; the imposing demeanor he had when he first appeared was long gone.

"You're the bastard! Your whole family is full of bastards!" The "Beast" laughed disdainfully, his body swaying as he effortlessly parried the Tang suit man's attacks. "Your Mantis style is lacking. This move was too slow!"

The Beast taunted him while fighting, a truly ruthless psychological blow.

"Step aside, Second Brother. You are no match for him!"

Just as the Tang suit man was struggling, his anger peaking, a metallic flower branch whistled through the air like a sharp blade, humming as it flew straight toward the Beast's chest.

The Beast narrowed his eyes, showing a rare look of seriousness. His right hand slashed through the air with lightning speed, precisely catching the branch.

"Finally, someone worth fighting!"

The Beast looked at the newcomer with sharp eyes, his aura suddenly becoming as vast and deep as the sea. All traces of his previous nonchalance had vanished.

"I am Li Maosheng of the Kongtong Sect. Everyone does me the favor of calling me 'Big Brother Li.' I don't know how we offended you, honored guest, but I apologize in advance..."

The newcomer was also dressed in a Tang suit, but his temples were gray, his cheeks were high, and his eyes were drooping, appearing half-closed. As he spoke, he occasionally glanced up, and it felt as if two cold beams of light flashed out.

"Kongtong? To hell with the Kongtong! I don't know you! I just don't like the look of you. Come, fight me. The last time wasn't satisfying enough. Come on, fight me!"

Hearing this, the gray-haired Elder Li's brow furrowed, and cold light flashed in his eyes.

"Whatever the other side is offering you, our Xiaoyao Pavilion will double it! We hope to make a friend of you."

"I don't have friends. All my friends are dead. Do you want to die?" The Beast chuckled, his yellow teeth particularly striking, with bits of green vegetable stuck between them.

"It seems you have no intention of talking this through, then?"

"Talk? Let's have a fight first."

The Beast didn't wait, charging straight at Li Maosheng, the leader of the Xiaoyao Pavilion. Li Maosheng signaled to his second-in-command, then retreated rapidly, leaping to the top of the second-floor staircase. At the same time, two security guards who had been maintaining order suddenly pulled handguns from their clothes and fired at the Beast as he flew through the air.

In the blink of an eye, the Beast twisted his body like a swallow in flight, dodging the bullets with incredible speed.

"You treacherous curs, using hidden weapons!"

The Beast was visibly enraged, his feet lashing out in a rapid series of kicks, sending broken wood and concrete debris flying toward the two guards. The pair seemed prepared; they ducked into the crowd as soon as they fired. The surrounding guests, however, suffered collateral damage, many being struck by the flying wood. Just as the Beast turned his anger toward the onlookers, several more gunmen emerged from the crowd and opened fire on him.