His Meihua Swan | 他的大天鵝 (BL)

C H A P T E R 2 4

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Chapter 24 : The Gambling House, Part 2

"I believe it's located right here," said Liu Xiao as he pressed an exposed tile on a wall, which was situated far from the central area where the crowd had congregated to gamble.

*sighs* Who would've thought that there was demonic qi in here? Who should it be? I cultivated for four years to get ready for a situation like this, but I'm nervous because I don't care about a single thing! I was only about to finish reading the book! Who would've known that there was book two or more in this novel?! ⁽⁽(ཀ д ཀ)⁾⁾

The wall emitted a clank and gradually parted, unveiling a dark and elongated staircase. Bai Lan held him back, proceeding first with his sword drawn, wreathing its blade in a silver aura of spiritual qi. "Stay behind," commanded Bai Lan. "You lack strength." To hell with that! Am I that weak?! My rank may be lower than yours, but that doesn't render me feeble! ヽ(｀Д')ﾉ

Behind him, Liu Xiao rolled his eyes and followed Bai Lan in silence, his brow furrowed. Nearing their destination, the subtle demonic qi seeping from the gambling house intensified. Liu Xiao's forehead mark radiated as he conjured his orange spiritual qi into delicate plum blossom petals, hovering at the ready for any assault.

They encountered a dead end, obstructed by a stone door covered in moss. As Bai Lan reached to open it, the demonic qi vanished abruptly. On high alert, Bai Lan shattered the door with forceful blows, while Liu Xiao poised his floating plum blossom petals for an expected onslaught. However, both stood dumbfounded by the sight before them.

The young boy Liu Xiao had escorted earlier was standing atop a deceased elder. Liu surmised that the weak demonic qi he had detected emanated from the lifeless body beneath the boy's feet. The boy became aware of their presence; his eyes, once aglow with a blood-red hue, reverted to normal as he regarded Liu Xiao with a stunned expression. His lips parted slightly to speak, "Gege, I'm—"

"Keep your distance," interjected Bai Lan, obstructing Liu Xiao's view and brandishing his sword at the youth. Liu Xiao scowled and brushed him aside. "What is this madness? Lower your weapon at once!"

Bai Lan gazed at him incredulously and responded, "Look, he arouses suspicion. What if he is a—"

"No. I detect not even the faintest trace of demonic qi within him," Liu Xiao interjected swiftly. Bai Lan exhaled deeply, and Liu Xiao moved closer to the boy, flashing a broad grin and gently patting his head. "Incredible, you defeated him," Liu Xiao commended, alluding to the deceased elder beneath the young boy's feet. "Might you be a cultivator?" he inquired. The young boy paused momentarily before murmuring softly, "...Yes."

Liu Xiao nodded and posed another question: "Are you on a mission? Do you recognize this elder?"

"He belonged to a demon cult. He abducted young women and trafficked them as slaves in the black market," the young boy revealed hesitantly. Liu Xiao recoiled slightly upon hearing this.

His gaze swept across the expansive, shadowy chamber. Indeed, there was a large, elongated cage tucked away in the gloomy recesses, housing young women aged sixteen to eighteen who appeared underfed and frail. He had initially overlooked it since the women's vitality was too diminished to ascertain whether they were still alive. Bai Lan unleashed his spiritual qi and shattered the lock with his bare hands. He flung open the cell door, and the young women expressed their gratitude while others wept.

Why would a demon cult operate here? Could it be that they used this gambling den as a covert sanctuary for abducting young women? It suddenly made sense why Master Mo forbade Chen Yi from venturing out, always citing danger. Moreover, there were whispers of young women vanishing from the Yong'an empire. It seemed likely to be the work of this demon cult.