Refining the Mountains and Rivers

The middle-aged cultivator flashed a blinding smile, “You absolutely will not regret your decision. I will call someone to bring you somewhere to rest.”

With a sly wink and an ambiguous tone he said, “In addition, the trade association has prepared additional amenities for the fellow daoists boarding the ship. If you take a liking to any of the maids here, then simply tell me beforehand and she will be your…personal…maid until you board.”

Qin Yu shook his head. “No need. The cultivation method I practice isn’t suitable for me to be overly intimate with women.”

The middle-aged cultivator had a strange expression. Then, his face filled with sympathy. In his opinion if a person couldn’t be close with women, then that was a fate worse than death!

Soon, more cultivators arrived and Qin Yu was politely shooed away. The young maid was left helpless for some time before she continued to entertain other guests.

On the building's third floor, there was a long corridor that extended down both sides with rows of rooms.

Just as Qin Yu came up the last step, a door not too far away suddenly opened and an almost completely naked woman ran out. Her snow-white skin was covered in mottled blue and purple. As she saw Qin Yu and the guiding cultivator, she yelled at them and threw herself over.

“Save me! Please save me! There’s a madman inside!”

Her screams were filled with fear.

Whoosh –

A rope flew out from the door and wrapped around the woman’s neck. It immediately knocked her to the ground and pulled her back.

The woman’s face filled with even greater horror and panic. Her hands stubbornly dug into the rug and her nails broke. The smell of blood filled the air.

“Save me…save me…”

The guiding trade association cultivator had a calm expression as if he didn’t see anything at all. When the door slammed shut, he gestured a hand and said, “Dear guest, please follow me.”

Stepping over the broken nails and allowing the blood to dye the bottom of his boots red, he placed his hand on a door and pushed it open. “You will be living here temporarily. If you have need for anything please ring the small bell in the room. Unless there’s an essential reason, please don’t go out randomly.

“I won’t disturb your rest. Oh, that’s right, my name is Bai Lu. Before you board, I am the one that will be handling your matters.”

He bowed and turned to leave.

Qin Yu entered the room and closed the door behind him. Silence filled the air.

He closed his eyes. His divine sense quietly trickled out like a stream, sweeping through every corner of the room.

After several breaths of time, Qin Yu’s eyes flashed. Without batting an eye, he silently glanced at a potted plant placed behind a door.

“I hope my luck is good and I can return alive. Once I pay off this debt, I will never gamble again!” He whispered between clenched teeth. Then he fell back onto the bed, his breaths becoming longer and longer.

He really did fall asleep.

Tempering the will was a truly arduous and tough grind. In addition to the backlash from the devil mark, Qin Yu hadn’t truly rested for a long time.

When he woke up, the weather had turned dark. There was no explicit division of day and night within the Sealed Stone World. The darker weather represented night.

Qin Yu stood up from his bed. He drank a cup of tea and rang a small bell. Bai Lu soon knocked on the door. He asked with a smile, “Does guest have need of anything?”

“Bring me something to eat and drink. And when will the ship leave? I can’t just wait here aimlessly until then.” Qin Yu said with furrowed eyebrows.

Bai Lu said, “The ship will leave in two days. I ask dear guest to please wait. If there are no other problems, then I will go to prepare a meal for you.”

Qin Yu nodded, “I’ll have to trouble you.”

Bai Lu smiled, “It’s good as long as you are satisfied.”

He turned and left.

Just as Qin Yu sat at a table, there was a loud crash from outside the room. When he opened the door to see what was happening, he couldn’t help but frown.

The young maid from this morning was struggling on the ground in horror. A middle-aged cultivator with a blood-coated face was grabbing onto her ankles and pulling her away.

“You filthy whore, I give you face and yet you don’t value me, you even dare to hit my head!? Today I will definitely punish you!”

The sound of an opening door caused the young maid to look over. Her despairing eyes immediately lit up as she shouted, “Guest, guest, please help me!”

The middle-aged cultivator was startled for a moment before he sneered in annoyance, “My apologies. I have disturbed your rest. I will immediately bring her away.”

At this time, Bai Lu arrived carrying a box tray of food. His complexion changed as he saw what was happening, “Tong Yin, what are you doing?”

The middle-aged cultivator waved his hand, his expression tense as he said, “It’s nothing. We’re about to leave.”

Qin Yu suddenly said, “I should be able to choose a maid to serve me, right?”

Tong Yin looked up, his eyes filled with hatred. He had offered this person to Qin Yu and Qin Yu had refused; now this person actually wanted to meddle in his business!

Bai Lu said, “Of course you can. This is your right.”

Qin Yu pointed a finger, “Then I’ll take her.”

Bai Lu smiled. “From this point on, she is for your personal use. There is a portion for two people in this food box. If it isn’t enough I will bring more.”

He looked at Tong Yin, “Why haven’t you left yet? Do you want me to bring you away personally?”

Tong Yin coldly snorted in indignation before leaving.

Bai Lu eyed the young maid, “Go fix yourself up…”

Qin Yu interrupted him, “No need. Come in with me.”

Bai Lu nodded and passed the food box over. When he did, he gave her a look before bowing and leaving.

Qin Yu glanced at the young maid, “Come in.”

Raising the food box, the pale young maid bit her lips. The creaking sound of the closing door caused her body to shake.

“Put down the food box and sit down.” Qin Yu lightly said, “You can rest at ease. Due to the cultivation method I practice I cannot be intimate with women. You will be safe here.”

The young maid relaxed. Qin Yu revealed a helpless expression. After eating a meal, he sat down cross-legged on the bed.

“If you think it isn’t safe then you can leave on your own. There is no need to say anything to me.”

When Qin Yu opened his eyes once more, she was still sitting in the room. After looking at her, he sat up and rang the small bell.

Bai Lu came after a moment, carrying a second food box. According to Qin Yu’s requests, the amount had been increased.

The young maid wolfed it all down. Her capacity for food was astonishing. As she ate she burped before blushing and slowing down. After eating for a long time she laid down her utensils, carefully cleaned up after herself, and placed everything to the side.

Looking at Qin Yu close his eyes and begin cultivating again, the young maid revealed a hesitant look. After a long time she bit her lips and started to take off her clothes.

Light rustling sounds echoed through the room. Qin Yu sighed and said, “I have no interest in you. If that’s what you want to do, then leave.”

The young maid stammered, “I…I am…clean…”

Qin Yu shook his head, “That has nothing to do with this.” He reached out and rang the small bell. “I will have Bai Lu take you away. He will ensure you are safe.”

Bai Lu soon knocked on the door. Qin Yu directly said, “If I return alive, I will have five medium-grade beads as a reward. I will give you two if you can guarantee her safety. If I die, then the agreement will no longer be valid. Is that fine?”

Bai Lu nodded. “Of course. I agree to your conditions.”

Two medium-grade beads had an immense purchasing power in the Sealed Stone World.

Qin Yu said, “Now bring her away. Before I leave I must adjust myself to my peak condition.”

The young maid bowed, an ashamed look on her face. “Thank you guest…I…I will wait for you to return…”

The young maid followed behind Bai Lu. After leaving the third level, her uneasy expression disappeared.

Bai Lu paused. He bowed and said, “Greetings, Lord Mantuo.”

The young maid said, “He’s a good man. Don’t investigate him anymore.”

“Yes.” Bai Lu hesitated for a moment, “But if it’s like this then the plan will be ruined. How will you go to the Sea of Bewildering Fog?”

The young maid said, “Didn’t a maid die? I can just replace her.”

Bai Lu said, “But what about the man just now?”

The young maid’s lips curled up in a sneer, “Isn’t it better like this? If they have issues between them then that will save me a great deal of effort. Then, it’s decided.”

She walked away.

Bai Lu bowed. After he left, he looked up towards the third floor, a mocking look in his eyes.

Third floor room.

Qin Yu sat back against the door, his eyes calm. It was good if others believed he was a foolish idiot. At the very least he would be able to avoid many unnecessary troubles.

All he wanted was to use the ship to enter the Sea of Bewildering Fog and find where stone beads were ‘born’. As for what happened afterwards, he would figure it out then. There would no more need to waste his energy acting.

A young and pitiful maid?...Haha, hahahaha…

After that, Qin Yu remained in his room. When Bai Lu next came to call upon him, it was time to board the ship. When he pushed open the door he could hear loud laughs as another door was pushed open and a large fellow walked out, holding onto a petite young woman.

Seeing Qin Yu, the petite woman stiffened and quickly lowered her head.

Qin Yu sneered inwardly but he couldn’t help but continue the act and put on a stiff expression.

Bai Lu revealed an awkward expression, “I apologize, but this is the decision of the trade association so there is nothing I can do.”

Qin Yu nodded without expression.

“Are you the one that expelled little Yunyun from your room? It really doesn’t make sense. But if it weren’t for that, how could she belong to me?” The large fellow had a fierce expression, “Because you were smart enough, I’ll forgive you for seeing that cheap whore’s naked body before. From here on out keep your distance from me and don’t look for trouble!”

He laughed and walked away.

Bai Lu said with a soft tone, “Yunyun will embark together with you.”

Qin Yu coldly snorted and walked away. He thought that once he boarded the ship he would stay in his room and not come out. He had no intention to join these people in their pathetic theater play.

Outside the trading market, a wooden boat had already come to a stop. Qin Yu was in a group of 17 people that boarded.

As this happened, many eyes fell upon their bodies. There was pity in their cold gazes as if they were watching dead people.