The young man did not care. Instead, he fixed his eyes on Ding Hao and scrutinized him from head to toes. After a long time, he finally said, “Are you really a man?”

Ding Hao said nothing.

He could feel that the young man’s strength was definitely not low. An exceptionally mysterious power was concealed in his body, far more terrifying than that of the white-robed swordsman and the scrawny young man with the black spear who had also entered the back hall with them, giving one an extremely mystifying and unreal feeling.

The young man burst into laughter, walked out of Heaven Pavilion, and disappeared into the corridor in the distance.

It appeared that he had returned to Heaven Pavilion just to mock Golden Cicada and take a glance at Ding Hao.

“Let’s go.” Golden Cicada got up, turned around, and walked toward the outside. Ever since he came back from the back hall, his expression had been very solemn, always frowning.

Ding Hao had more or less realized something and knew that they could not leave today. Perhaps he would stay in Chu City for another three to five days. He had to figure out what was going on.

As he went down the winding passageway, the interior structure of the nine-story Golden Boat looked really complicated. The splendid corridor shimmering with gold meandered like a maze. When they reached the exit of the first story, they suddenly heard footsteps behind them.

“Young Master Ding, please wait a moment.” A familiar voice rang out. It was that beautiful woman of extremely exalted status on the Golden Boat, Fangfei.

She walked out quickly with Muying and Miaoyu, coming to Ding Hao, and said with a smile, “I neglected you last night, Young Master Ding. I’m really ashamed to have let you spend the night alone in Heaven Pavilion.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s my own choice,” Ding Hao said with an expressionless face.

In fact, last night, the female warriors of Miaoyu Bordello had come many times, proposing to arrange a bedroom for Ding Hao and have him serviced in bed by a special young girl, but Ding Hao refused the offer.

“No matter what, I was the one who neglected you, distinguished guest. My mistress felt most uneasy, so she presents you with a gift. Please be kind and accept it.” Fangfei smiled, pointing to Muying and Miaoyu behind her.

“A gift?” Ding Hao frowned.

“The two sisters, Miaoyu and Muying, will be your servants from now on. My mistress saw that you didn’t have any servants, so she chose them to be your attendants. From now on, they will be yours, Young Master Ding. They will no longer have anything to do with Miaoyu Bordello,” Fangfei spoke very solemnly. In the end, she joked, “These two girls are the most exquisite sisters of Miaoyu Bordello. They’re still virgins. Young Master Ding, you have to treat them well.”

Ding Hao’s brows puckered even more deeply and he was about to refuse…

… When suddenly, he saw the earnest pleas in Muying and Miaoyu’s eyes.

He had practiced the Mind Essential, so his Divine Senses were very sharp. His sixth sense had reached an ineffable level, and he immediately understood what these two poor girls wanted.

In Miaoyu Bordello, they were passed around like merchandise. Although masters in the Martial King Realm, they had no dignity and freedom. If they made a mistake, they might be severely punished, and would suffer a fate worse than death. For the disciples of Miaoyu Bordello, their best fate would be to be chosen by a great personage and taken away. Even if they were to become a servant girl serving tea or water, it would be much better than being treated as merchandise in Miaoyu Bordello and facing an unknown fate.

In particular, young handsome men like Ding Hao with extraordinary strength and modest, gentle temperament were the dream mates of many female disciples of Miaoyu Bordello.

“If I accept them, does it mean that they will have nothing to do with Miaoyu Bordello from now on? I can do whatever I want to them?” Ding Hao asked very cautiously.

Fangfei obviously misunderstood him. An ambiguous look flashed across the depths of her eyes. She nodded and said, “Of course, you may do anything to them.” She particularly emphasized the word “anything”. Any man would understand what she meant.

Miaoyu and Muying also bowed their heads slightly, their pretty faces flushed red.

Obviously, they had misunderstood him too, but they did not reject this proposal.

Because in Miaoyu Bordello, their bodies were no more than merchandise.

For example, in Heaven Pavilion the night before, if a man had taken a fancy to them, he could take them directly to the bedroom on the eighth story and deflower them. They did not have to pay any price, because all who could appear in Heaven Pavilion were geniuses that Miaoyu Bordello wished to enlist. The chastity of one or two female disciples in exchange for the goodwill of these men was a worthwhile bargain in the eyes of Miaoyu Bordello.

If these helpless girls had to lose their most precious asset, a suave gentleman like Ding Hao would obviously be the best choice.

In contrast, Muying and Miaoyu both felt that they were much luckier than the other girls of Miaoyu Bordello.

Ding Hao did not give the matter much thought. He nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll accept this gift. Please thank your mistress for me.”

Fangfei was overjoyed. She said a few things more before turning around to go back and report the success of her errand. In her heart, she felt a little relieved.

At first, she was worried that this teal-robed young man was not interested in women, and would firmly reject her gifts. If that happened, she would not be able to answer to her mistress. She had not expected everything to go so smoothly. “Haha, that was easy. It proves that this teal-robed young man isn’t perfect and without a weakness. He’s also a lecher, to say the least. Miaoyu Bordello always has ways to deal with geniuses who enjoy women.”

After walking for a while in the city, they arrived at the inn they had stayed in before.

Ding Hao turned around and looked at the two girls following behind him. He said, “Well, let’s call it a day. It’s time for us to part.”

“Part? Young master, we’re parting? Um… why?” Muying did not quite understand.

Ding Hao looked up at the warm sunshine in the sky, stretched himself lazily, and said with a smile, “Didn’t you girls want to leave Miaoyu Bordello through me? You’ve achieved your goal, so you’re free. From now on, you can roam wherever you like in this big world, and do anything you like. Given your strength and talent, I believe you two can survive well in this world.”

The two female warriors were both stunned. They immediately realized something and began trembling all over.

“You… you mean…”

“We really can… go… but we are your bondservants. We…”

They trembled so hard that they could not even speak coherently.

This was something that they had never dreamed of before—to be able to actually touch the word “freedom” at such a close range one day! Happiness had come too suddenly, more dazzling than the sunlight in the sky. It felt unreal.

“Yes, you two can go now.” Ding Hao smiled, turning to walk into the inn.

“Wait a minute, Young Master Ding… I… I still want to follow you… even if I’m a slave or a bondservant. I…” Muying suddenly thought of something and quickly followed him in.

Miaoyu was stunned for a moment, then she thought of something too and followed them in.

Ding Hao waved his hand and said, “I’m used to being alone, and I don’t need you two to keep me company. Besides, do you think someone like me can’t find servants if I need them? I’m not used to the company of others. You two can leave and live the life you want.”

After that, Ding Hao’s figure disappeared on the spot.

Muying and Miaoyu were stunned, remaining rooted to the spot. After a long time, they sighed and ignoring the strange looks of the others in the inn, bowed in the direction where Ding Hao had disappeared, before turning to go.

If they could accompany a genius like Ding Hao, it would be really great too.

After all, in this world where only the strong were respected, a woman, especially a beautiful woman, would still face a lot of trouble even at the Martial King Realm. If she had a strong backer, everything would be much easier.

Unfortunately…

As they walked out of the inn door, warm sunshine shone down. Both of them felt a warmth they had never felt before.

A new life had begun.

They must live like real human beings now.

“Where did you find this?” Ding Hao looked at the scorching ball of light resembling a flaming fire in Golden Cicada’s palm, a trace of solemnity on his face.

If one looked closely, one would find this ball of light actually made up of minuscule golden Sanskrit characters, as tiny as the eyes of needles. These dense golden Sanskrit characters kept jumping around, interlocked like chains, emitting a very peculiar divine brilliance, filling the whole room with compassion and kindness, as if Buddha’s light was illuminating all.

Ding Hao was extremely familiar with this aura.

He had experienced it during the fight with Sweet Sound, a disciple of the Zero Thought Sect, at the Grading Meeting by the Mirror Lake in Snow Province. At that time, Ding Hao had casually recited a Buddhist gatha and gifted it to Sweet Sound.

The Buddhist gatha was a credo verse of an ancient Buddha on Planet Earth from his former life. At that time, it had greatly amazed the elders of the Zero Thought Sect. The Zero Thought Immortal Nun even visited the Swordsmanship-seeking Villa to see Li Jianyi and Ding Hao in person.

Nearly a year had passed since then.

Ding Hao could still clearly remember this scene in his mind. At that time, Sweet Sound had displayed Buddhist combat skills with this unique aura, leaving a deep impression on Ding Hao.

Before his eyes, the ball of golden Sanskrit light in the palm of Golden Cicada was glowing with the same aura as that from Sweet Sound, with identical Buddha Nature power from the gatha which Ding Hao had recited. There was a bit of a difference, but masters like Ding Hao and Golden Cicada could still tell that they were the same.

“It was extracted from the body of that Moonlight Fairy,” Golden Cicada said with a frown. “That successor of Miaoyu Bordello is very strange. There are many different auras in her body, all extremely rare mingling Qi. They are triggered by some secret technique, making up the Form of the Chaos. It’s not the real Power of the Chaos, but only a subspecies. Her attacking prowess is quite extraordinary. Last evening in the restaurant when she passed by in that carriage, I sensed a wisp of that aura on her, so I went to the back hall to investigate.”

It turned out that on the evening before, that mysterious woman in the white carriage covered by a dazzling white canopy, escorted by a cavalcade of cross-dressing female warriors, was the Moonlight Fairy—the successor of Miaoyu Bordello.