Chapter 49, Entry into the Second-rate Realm!

Translator: StarReader

 

Su Chen gazed up at the signboard hanging under the brilliantly lit red lanterns, and his heart skipped a beat.

 

“Mist Terrace!”

 

This brothel was well-known, the most high-class establishment in Gusu County City. It belonged to one of the Five Major Groups, specifically the Caravan Guards.

 

Su Chen frequently passed by the west entrance, and it was no secret to him.

 

With the strong Caravan Guards backing it up, the martial artists behaved in here. Even the Daoists from Han Mountain Daoist Temple kept their distance from the Caravan Guards’ territory.

 

The brothel district was a chaotic mix of people—high-ranking officials, martial artists, wealthy nobles, merchants, and commoners alike all frequented the area. By evening, it came alive with activity, bustling until late into the night.

 

Su Chen found this place perfect for hiding. From the west gate into Gusu County City, the brothel was within half of three hundred meters of the gate—a prime location indeed. As a low-ranking disciple of the Medicine King Group, he could blend in effortlessly among the crowd of misfits and outcasts, staying unnoticed yet legitimate in his concealment.

 

Once the heat died down and the Daoists eased their pursuit, he would seize the chance to slip back to the Medicine King Estate.

 

Su Chen felt a pang of reluctance. Brothels were places where money flowed like water, and he was afraid it would cost him some silver coins.

 

He pondered, forcing a bitter smile: [Mist Terrace is the most convenient place to confuse their suspicions. Alright, for safety’s sake, I’ll have to spend a bit of silver.]

 

…

 

Su Chen continued making meticulous preparations for his nighttime expedition to Han Mountain Daoist Temple. The most crucial preparation was to quickly break through to the second-rate realm and boost his strength as soon as possible.

 

He could already sense a faint aura in his Middle Dantian, which should manifest within the next two or three days.

 

But this aura flickered in and out of existence.

 

It was a sign that True Qi was about to form, yet it always fell short.

 

On this day, at Medicine King Estate’s Su Chen’s residence, he drank a bowl of Qi-nourishing ginseng soup as usual. Then, he began making a great cycle with his energy, sensing the fluctuations within his body as he attempted to cultivate True Qi.

 

Shortly after, he sensed a faint trace of Qi. Su Chen wasted no time; he immediately employed inner sight to examine every meridian within his body. To his astonishment, in the depths of his Middle Dantian, he spotted a minuscule amount of white mist. This mist clung to the walls of the Dantian, resembling the breath on a cold winter day, slowly seeping out.

 

At first, Su Chen was puzzled by what this could be. Ordinary second-rate practitioners, unable to utilize inner sight, were completely unaware of their body’s internal state and couldn’t comprehend the appearance of True Qi. None had clearly described its form—only that it existed as a strong sensation within the Dantian, beyond description.

 

“Could this be True Qi?” he wondered. A flash of insight struck Su Chen, illuminating the answer. Since he could use inner sight, he was able to notice immediately the unusual white mist on the walls of his Dantian—a sight unseen before.

 

This should be the most primitive form of True Qi, attached to the wall and not yet forming a trace of True Qi.

 

Su Chen tried to collect this white mist, allowing it to condense. To his delight, they could indeed gather into one strand of faint True Qi trace.

 

However, this newly formed True Qi trace was too weak. If not carefully nurtured, it might disperse from the Middle Dantian.

 

Many late third-rate practitioners were unable to see their own energy, failing to grasp these minuscule traces of True Qi. As a result, they struggled to protect and nurture this weak white True Qi, ultimately falling short of breaking through and reaching the second-rate realm.

 

Su Chen carefully tended to this fragile white mist, allowing it to circulate through his seven major meridians in a greater cycle. With each cycle, the strand of True Qi drew upon the white mist in the meridians and grew thicker by a fraction.

 

After twelve such great cycles through the meridians, it had grown more than ten times stronger, becoming a stable True Qi stream circulating within the meridian. It finally returned to the Middle Dantian, settling within the Dantian.

 

“Middle Dantian, True Qi! I have reached the second-rate realm!”

 

Su Chen was greatly exhilarated. Since becoming an Errand Hall disciple, he had spent over a year and a half bitterly cultivating, but now he finally broke through to the second-rate realm and officially became a second-rate martial artist of considerable skill. He spent several hours experimenting with the various applications of True Qi, familiarizing himself with this new power.

 

The understanding that martial arts practitioners had of True Qi was extremely thorough. The smallest trace of True Qi could enhance strength wherever it flowed. When True Qi gathered around the eyes and ears, depending on its potency, it enhanced a practitioner’s vision and hearing, with the maximum enhancement reaching about three times.

 

When True Qi condensed in the fists, it could form fist Qi, greatly increasing the power of punches. If True Qi was infused into swords or sabers, it naturally enhanced their lethality. When True Qi gathered at the soles of the feet, it allowed for swift and agile movement, significantly increasing speed.

 

It could be said that it was precisely due to the numerous benefits offered by True Qi that second-rate warriors saw a comprehensive enhancement in their abilities, enabling them to rise above third-rate practitioners and become a solid force within the martial world.

 

As for the distinction between second-rate experts and the stronger, first-rate experts, there was none. Both were engaged in cultivating their Middle Dantian. The only notable gap lay in their True Qi reserves.

 

Only after a practitioner reached the Grandmaster realm and could glimpse into the Upper Dantian would they achieve the next qualitative leap. Among the entire martial community of the Wu Region’s thirteen counties, only a handful had attained this level.

 

This breakthrough to the second-rate realm instilled Su Chen with renewed confidence to make another nighttime foray into the Han Mountain Daoist Temple.

 

…

 

Su Chen had advanced to the Middle Dantian and had made all the necessary preparations to venture once more into the Han Mountain Daoist Temple deep into the night.

 

He had no idea what he might uncover in Qinghe’s quarters—perhaps even that symbol resembling a cluster of flames, which he wished to study and understand its nature.

 

It was said that the older one grew in the martial world, the more cautious they became.

 

Su Chen did not want to wait too long, fearing stalling might erode his courage to attempt another infiltration.

 

After carefully calculating the timing, Su Chen arrived at the Gusu County City street front of Mist Terrace in the evening. He needed to come here first and prepare everything in advance. This was a crucial step in his plan. He had to leave behind enough evidence—both people and objects—at Mist Terrace to prove he stayed in the brothel tonight before slipping away quietly to infiltrate Han Mountain Daoist Temple. After completing his task, he would return unnoticed to Mist Terrace.

 

If any Daoist noticed something was missing and traced it here, the people at Mist Terrace could testify that he had been there all night. As for whatever might be stolen from Han Mountain Daoist Temple, it would have nothing to do with him.

 

The evening was bustling as Mist Terrace came alive with activity, filled with music and dance, just as Su Chen had anticipated.

 

Outside, a matron was with dozens of young ladies, elegantly dressed, and welcomed the wealthy nobles and martial artists from the county. The brothel was abuzz with activity.

 

Inside the building, over ten bodyguards kept a watchful eye on every guest, wary of any disturbances.

 

Su Chen, summoning his courage, arrived at Mist Terrace. However, upon approaching, the alluring scent in the air made him blush and hesitate, preventing him from moving forward.

 

Though martial artists often interacted with brothels, Su Chen had never been there before, his heart racing with anxiety.

 

The matron at the entrance, sharp-eyed and experienced, noticed a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy from the Medicine King Group. He was shyly peering from a distance, appearing inexperienced. She deduced he likely intended to visit but lacked the courage to enter.

 

“Hey there, my kind young man! Our sisters at Mist Terrace have been longing for you night and day, waiting for your arrival for over ten years. Finally, you’ve come!”

 

The matron waved her fragrant silk handkerchief, rushing forward with a warm smile to greet him, dragging Su Chen toward the entrance.

 

“This… what exactly do you offer here?”

 

Su Chen modestly said, “Oh, come on! What can’t be done? Carefree martial figures love having a few sisters to drink and dance with them. Elegantly mannered gentlemen prefer listening to women play the lute and sing. Romantic scholars adore sisters who understand poetry and song. After everyone has had their fun, they naturally spend the night with the sisters of their choice! Our Mist Terrace girls are versatile in all eighteen arts, including singing and dancing—they can do it all. The pricing ranges from one to two hundred taels, guaranteed to satisfy you. So, my dear guest—are you here for some companionship over drinks or a musical performance?”

 

The matron chuckled.

 

Su Chen pondered. He wasn’t much into alcohol, nor did he understand poetry. As for sharing the night with someone—forget it. That left only one option: listening to music.

 

He hesitantly asked, “Uh… how much does it cost to listen to a performance?”

 

“Listening to music starts at one tael,” the matron replied, sizing up Su Chen’s Medicine King Group disciple attire. He was new to martial circles; he probably just started out. His pockets likely held a few taels at most.

 

She suggested with a knowing smile, “How about this—our most skilled zither player will perform for you. The standard rate is five taels, but since you’re our guest today, we’ll offer it to you for three taels.”

 

Su Chen hesitated briefly, then nodded in agreement.

 

But familiarity breeds ease. Even if you didn’t have much money, it was not a problem. It is the regular customers that make a business thrive.

 

She was afraid that Su Chen didn’t understand the rules of the brothel, so she explained in detail: “However, brothels have their own rules. If you want to listen to a courtesan’s zither, there’s a price for that. If you want a courtesan to accompany you while drinking or spend the night with you, that comes with its own separate fee. Courtesans who are still unmarried do not offer their bodies; they only sell their art. These girls are precious because they’re still pure. This is Caravan Guards’ territory, so you must behave yourself. As for the other courtesans, feel free to choose any of them. If you see someone you like in the brothel, just let Matron Li know.”

 

Su Chen listened and was secretly astonished.

 

Listening to the zither started at one or two silver taels per session!

 

This brothel truly was a den of wealth. In Gusu County City, an average household might only earn one silver tael a month. Spending one or two shiny silver coins just to listen to a courtesan play the zither was not something most people could afford.

 

Only the wealthy merchants, martial artists, and upper-class gentlemen of Gusu City could indulge at Mist Terrace.

 

“Let me introduce you to someone. We’ve recently added a new courtesan at Mist Terrace. She was trained for three or four years! Her name is Ah Nu; she’s fourteen, and she specializes in zither and lute. It’s her debut, so even though her zither skills are excellent, her price is low—just one silver tael. Why not let her play a few songs for you to entertain yourself?”

 

The matron warmly led Su Chen to the third floor of Mist Terrace, a spacious suite.