Wait a minute, where is my master?

Mei Shouyi and his companion crashed into the grand entrance of the brothel.

Fortunately, it was noon, and there weren't many customers at the entrance of the brothel, so their fall didn't injure anyone.

However, their appearance still caused a stir among the pedestrians on the street and the girls in the building.

After all, the sight of two middle-aged Confucian scholars falling from the sky and clinging tightly to each other was a bit too shocking for the cultivators living in the Nine Provinces Realm.

"Eh~ the clients at the Bi Yun Building sure play rough."

"Look, those two are wearing scholars' robes from an academy; looks like they fell from the top of our building. Hurry, go ask mama if a customer was playing too rough and fell down!"

"Hiss, why do these two look familiar?"

Having landed, Mei Shouyi and his companion were initially stunned by the surrounding chatter, before realizing that their current position might be misconstrued by onlookers.

The two men reacted very quickly, sprung up from the ground, lifted their sleeves to cover their faces, and activated their Confucian Skill "A Hair's Breadth in a Thousand Miles," instantly leaving the street.

By the time the madam of the brothel hurried out to check if a customer had fallen, they were already nowhere to be seen.

...

Meanwhile, inside the kitchen courtyard.

Lan Junyan saw Mr. Song smiling foolishly without making a move for quite some time, impatience gradually building in her eyes.

"Song Xili, where's the rare plant you were supposed to apologize with?"

"Oh, my apologies, Mr. Lan. I haven't bought the rare plant yet. I had just reached the largest flora and fauna market in the city when I... How about you come with me? You pick whatever you like, and I'll settle the bill to avoid the inconvenience of choosing something you might not find appealing."

Mr. Song indeed hadn't had the time to select the rare plant, as he had encountered Yu Yaoer and Little White and followed them to this place.

Although he hadn't had the chance to buy a rare plant, Song Xili felt there was no issue with his response.

Come with me and choose anything you like, and I'll pay for it—wouldn't that be sincere enough?

It also avoided the potential problem of picking something not to your liking.

Unfortunately, his intentions were good, but he didn't understand Lan Junyan.

Jin Xu, watching from the window, was just pondering that Mr. Song seemed to be out of trouble this time.

Suddenly, he saw the "吉" character on the other person's head transform, and a red, almost black "凶" character appeared in an instant.

Then, a powerful wave of fire-based Spiritual Power filled the small courtyard, and Song Xili was sent flying by this force, crashing heavily into the room next to where the little Taoist and the others were.

"Tsk, this fortune came true a bit too quickly."

Jin Xu tugged at the corner of his mouth, his gaze shifting to the bronze mirror that had just emitted the blue flame of the Flame Orchid.

"Mr. Lan, why did you suddenly attack!"

Song Xili, with blood at the corner of his mouth, burst out from the ruined room, his Confucian robe charred and torn, revealing the robust muscles developed through his Body Skill cultivation.

"I thought you were sincerely apologizing. It seems you had the intent to insult me! Well then, accept a beatdown, and let's consider the matter closed," Lan Junyan said, her face cold as she put away the bronze mirror and took out a pure white ruler, stepping towards Mr. Song.

It was apparent that she intended to be measured, but not excessively so.

The Nascent Soul Realm Taiji Bull, pretending to be unconscious on the ground, felt his heart nearly leap out of his mouth.

"Sure enough, that's the same old master. All those tactics for handling women were just illusions!"

Confusion appeared on Song Xili's face. Wasn't he being sincere enough?

Why did this mad woman accuse him of insulting her?

But at this moment, he didn't have time to think, as Lan Junyan with the pure white ruler had already approached him.

"Mr. Lan, I didn't mean to insult you, I..."

Song Xili, at a loss for words, especially wished he could ask for help from that Wang-named Taoist friend overseas.

Lan Junyan didn't say a word, and raised his hand to strike.

A faint flame light emerged from the pure white ruler, smashing towards Mr. Song's head.

At this point in the situation, Song Xili naturally had no reason to just sit and wait for death; he summoned his own dark green ruler and raised his hand to meet the attack.

A moment later...

He was flung out again, this time collapsing the courtyard wall of the Kitchen God's courtyard.

There was no helping it, the gap between the Void Refinement Realm and the Top of God Transformation was simply too great. Even though Song Xili had learned Body Refining Techniques, the gap hadn't narrowed much.

On the contrary, since he practiced both law and physical cultivation, Lan Junyan was even more willing to strike him harder.

Inside the house, by the window.

Two women, one excited, the other purely watching the excitement.

In any case, both of them were thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

Jin Xu, seeing the smashed room and courtyard wall, frowned.

This courtyard was bought by Brother Jiang, and since he was out, as a friend he couldn't just watch someone else wreck his place, could he?

Inside the courtyard.

In just a moment's time.

Mr. Song's face had swollen as if he had gone through a "Rogue Formation," yet there seemed to be no injuries elsewhere on his body.

Lan Junyan targeted only his face with each strike, not touching any other part of his body.

However, she was still rational in her attack. Although the injury looked embarrassing and felt painful, Song Xili was not in mortal danger.

Just as Mr. Lan sent Song Xili flying and was about to strike him again with the pure white ruler, a black shadow suddenly flew out from the window of a room on the side, reaching her before she could swing her ruler, blocking it from Mr. Song, and she really couldn't hold back her hand now.

"Damn it!"

Lan Junyan felt anxious in her heart, and did her utmost to contain the Spiritual Power in her ruler, hoping not to kill the black shadow with a single blow.

To her surprise, the pure white ruler she swung was actually caught by someone's hand!

Mr. Lan was stunned, and for a moment didn't react, looking at the small Taoist in front of her with a dark mask and black Taoist robe who showed no sign of Spiritual Power fluctuation, gripping her ruler.

"I must have mistaken, this person is a powerful Cultivator!"

With a snap,

Song Xili, who had been tossed behind Jin Xu, landed.

Lying on the ground, Mr. Song blankly lifted his head, looking around with eyes swollen to slits; he seemed to be wondering why he hadn't been sent flying as expected, and how he had ended up on the spot.

Then, he saw the back of the small Taoist blocking in front of him.

"I only had a few brief encounters with Taoist Jin Xu, and he's willing to come to my rescue!?"

Song Xili felt a surge of emotion called gratitude rise in his heart.

Then, he heard the figure in front of him speak.

"Can you not fight in someone else's courtyard? Moreover, about this broken room and courtyard wall, how many Spirit Stones do you plan to compensate?"

Lan Junyan, still holding the ruler, was even more bewildered.

"Is this inscrutable little Taoist in front of her asking for compensation?"