Chapter 245

Chapter 245: Enjoying Music and Dance

After handing over one hundred spiritual stones to the other party, Brother Tiger asked if they wanted to buy anything else, saying he could help procure it.

Originally, Zhou Luo had thought that a black market was a physical marketplace.

Only now did he realize that the so-called black market was actually just a nickname. It fundamentally referred to a group of individuals with special channels engaged in sales representation.

It seemed likely that a good portion of the items in the black market were those snatched by bandit cultivators from other cultivators.

Zhou Luo wasn’t interested in anything else, so he left with Wang Lang.

"Brother Tiger is quite trustworthy; you don’t need to worry," Wang Lang reassured him once they were outside.

Zhou Luo didn’t say much more.

In this line of work, trustworthiness was essential; otherwise, people wouldn’t buy from you and would choose others instead.

"So, you are part of the black market too?" Zhou Luo suddenly asked.

This Wang Lang was just an ordinary cultivator, yet he resided permanently in the Immortal City. His income most likely came from the black market.

"How could I be entitled to touch the black market? I’m just helping with introductions," Wang Lang shook his head vigorously, explaining openly. "I get a commission if someone buys something through my referral. Sadly, you bought nothing today, so I earned nothing."

Wang Lang was essentially a middleman, though his position was far more perilous than that of the black market bosses.

He was easily noticed and, should a Qinyuan Sect purge hit, escape would be impossible.

Zhou Luo hadn’t expected this direct descendant of a long-life family to choose such a hazardous profession.

That showed some guts.

His impression of Wang Lang shifted somewhat.

"But I genuinely don’t need anything," Zhou Luo stated seriously.

He truly had no need to purchase anything through the black market. If required in the future, he might perhaps use Wang Lang’s channel.

After all, his impression of the man wasn’t bad, but he’d still need to observe him further.

"It’s fine, I’m just doing this for fun. My real profession is rune-making," Wang Lang chuckled lightly.

He had once used his rune-making skill to gain entry for study in an Immortal Sect, but later stopped attending, feeling it offered him little benefit.

Now, in the Immortal City, he mainly supplied spiritual symbols to various shops, which covered his living expenses without issue.

The reason for his keen interest in Zhou Luo was that he had once sensed something the man possessed that he desperately needed—an item crucial for his rune-making that also concerned his family.

That was why he had been able to notice the other party immediately at their first encounter.

His current deliberate efforts to build closeness and friendship were aimed at peacefully obtaining that item.

After speaking, Wang Lang waved a hand enthusiastically. "Come, since we have free time, I’ll take you to the pleasure house to enjoy dancing and music."

Hearing the words "pleasure house to enjoy dancing and music", Zhou Luo reflexively refused. "I don’t go to places like that."

Wang Lang looked at him doubtfully. "You have many wives and concubines, yet you dislike those kinds of places?"

"It’s different," Zhou Luo replied.

He married for Changsheng; going there offered him no benefit whatsoever at all.

This left Wang Lang extremely surprised. Then he laughed. "Relax, the place I’m taking you to is completely respectable. We’re just going to unwind. And it’s my treat."

Zhou Luo was somewhat skeptical, but seeing this guy’s appearance, it seemed a bit true.

Then he would go take a look…

Eventually, Zhou Luo followed Wang Lang walking towards a place in the inner city.

Not long after, he saw a pavilion crafted from white jade, with a plaque above the entrance clearly inscribed with the three large characters ‘Yao Chi Pavilion’.

He had seen this name at the Longfeng Marketplace before.

This was a place that arranged marriages, sold maids, and provided wives and concubines.

He didn’t expect that the Immortal City had also opened an identical place; it seemed the Yao Chi Pavilion had a strong background.

Zhou Luo glanced at it.

Previously, he had said he would visit it before leaving the Longfeng Mountain Range to see if he could buy a concubine with high-grade spiritual roots, but later, an incident at the Zhen Yuan Tower made him afraid to return to the marketplace.

If there was one in the Immortal City too, then he should find an opportunity to visit it sometime.

After all, although he had many wives and concubines, few had high-grade spiritual roots; like Lin Qing Han and Lin Yi Yi, they had low-grade spiritual roots.

Naturally, with increased cultivation, the difficulty of having children had risen; he would definitely choose to have relations with high-grade spiritual root wives and concubines in the future.

This way, the probability of high-grade spiritual root descendants being born would be better, and he could also enhance his own spiritual roots quality faster.

"Brother Zhou, want to go in and have a look?" Wang Lang noticed his expression and joked.

"Later," Zhou Luo didn’t have that intention for now.

After leaving the Yao Chi Pavilion, Wang Lang, familiar with the route, led him to an antique-styled building.

This building had large red lanterns hanging, with faint zither music drifting from inside and a subtle fragrance in the air.

"Come on, I’ll take you to relax a bit." Wang Lang strode in, Zhou Luo following calmly behind him.

Upon entering the building, he could clearly see the interior situation.

Surprisingly, this was a place of elegant style, for listening to music and appreciating dances.

The first floor resembled a theater from his previous life; on the stage, a female cultivator wearing a white veil danced gracefully, while another was plucking the zither strings.

It was peaceful and calming, without any vulgar air, appearing more refined and dignified, making one feel relaxed and clearing the mind.

It seemed that the phrase "listening to music at a brothel" was actually meant literally.

"Two honored guests, would you like to sit on the first floor or go upstairs to a private room?" A middle-aged female cultivator greeted them with a smile.

"Of course a private room on the second floor; have Friend Yanran come, I like her musical arts the most." Wang Lang said loftily, with unrestrained confidence on his face.

A glint flickered in Zhou Luo’s eyes.

Musical arts were also one of the hundred skills in cultivation.

Ordinary musicians could purify the mind and calm the spirit.

While powerful musicians could even break Heart Demons and dispel illusions.

If they had a musician with them when they entered the Illusionary Forest back then, the journey probably wouldn’t have been so difficult.

Arriving at the second-floor private room, Wang Lang and Zhou Luo had just sat down.

A female cultivator with bright eyes and white teeth approached the scene in a light skirt. She bowed slightly to the two men before sitting gracefully to the side.

In the next second, an ancient zither appeared before her.

Zhou Luo observed that her aura was not weak—she had even reached the sixth layer of Qi Refinement—indicating her musical skills must be quite polished.

Wang Lang gazed at her with a smile. "Friend Yanran, I’ve brought a friend today. Be sure to perform well."

"No problem." The woman extended her fair, slender jade-like hands, her fingertips lightly plucking crisp, melodious notes.

Light zither music began to flow slowly, intertwining with spiritual energy, bringing an ethereal, crystalline sensation.

Both men closed their eyes, quietly savoring the soothing embrace of the music. They felt a gentle breeze pass over them, as if transported to a land of tender comfort.

Zhou Luo hadn’t expected Wang Lang, this fellow, to be so adept at enjoying life.

Generally, excessive cultivation or becoming stuck at a certain realm could inevitably lead to demonic obstructions. Lin Xin had almost fallen prey to a Heart Demon once, fortunately awakened by Zhou Luo.

Thus, many cultivators chose to listen to music to dispel demonic obstructions and resolve Heart Demons.

During Zhou Luo’s cultivation, perhaps due to The Fusion of Dragon and Phoenix Technique, he remained unaffected by Heart Demons.

Still, occasionally indulging in the cleansing effect of music was harmless, especially when it was someone else treating him.

Half an hour later, the music ceased. Wang Lang awoke from his slumber, looked at Zhou Luo who remained seated steadily, and said with a grin, "How was my taste?"

"Passable." Zhou Luo agreed rarely.

"Just wait! Let’s go." Wang Lang stretched his limbs, stood up, and headed out.

Returning to the bustling street, Zhou Luo felt as if a lifetime had passed.

The two walked toward home. As they entered an alleyway, Wang Lang suddenly stopped before a small stall.

"Uncle Liu, how many potions are left?" he asked, squatting down.

Before him sat a disabled elder with tattered clothes, his small stall displaying various potions.

"Lang, my boy. They’re all here," the old man answered, his voice trembling slightly.

Zhou Luo could see at a glance that the old man had suffered grave injuries long ago, his bodily functions deeply affected.

"I’ll take them all." Wang Lang pulled out a pouch of spiritual stones and tossed it over.

"Alright. Yes, alright." The elder’s face lit with joy.

Wang Lang then stood up with the pile of potions and said to Zhou Luo, "Let’s go."

"Brother Wang, you must realize those were all substandard potions," Zhou Luo transmitted his voice in reminder.

"I know," Wang Lang replied, seemingly unconcerned.

Zhou Luo understood implicitly and praised, "I hadn’t expected Brother Wang to be so kind-hearted."

Wang Lang blinked mischievously. "You don’t know—Old Liu’s daughter is truly beautiful. Lovely enough to move anyone, I must say."