Era of Mist

The commotion erupted, and then it subsided. In these chaotic times, such brawls and fights were hardly surprising.

Why had those Westerners come looking for trouble? Who were they? What was their background? Had someone put them up to it, or was it just a spontaneous act? All these things needed to be considered. But they were things for San Fan to consider, not Shi Tiexin.

The suited underlings who were on duty returned to their posts, while those who needed a doctor rushed off to see one. San Fan’s call came in quickly. He thanked Shi Tiexin, asked about the situation, then promised to treat him to tea next time before hanging up in a hurry, seeming quite frantic.

Fifteen minutes later, Brother Fa’s call came through as well.

Compared to the anxious and preoccupied San Fan, Wang Dafu seemed much more calm and composed. He first asked gently if Shi Tiexin was injured, then commended him for his righteous act of defending a colleague. Finally, he told Shi Tiexin to enjoy himself and not let such a trivial matter spoil his mood.

As for the cause, course, and conclusion of the incident, he never brought it up. It was his way of showing that he cared only for his trusted general, wasn’t bothered by the sudden squall, and certainly wouldn’t burden Shi Tiexin by putting him in charge of the chaotic aftermath.

This style of leadership was truly heartwarming.

Shi Tiexin exchanged a few steady words with Wang Dafu, and they made plans to visit a painting and calligraphy exhibition in a couple of days before hanging up.

He looked left and right. Everything was quiet.

He cocked an ear. Inside the private room, the party was in full swing. Ah Fei’s talent for hyping up a crowd was formidable; things were about to get wild. Plus, fresh off their victory in the big fight, everyone was feeling smug and satisfied. Shi Tiexin had no idea what Ah Fei was doing, but it was making the girls shriek and scream.

Shi Tiexin decided it was best not to go in. He was afraid of what kind of inappropriate scene he might walk in on.

Besides, how should he put it... Shi Tiexin was still a little shy.

’Sure, he might occasionally think about petite girls with big... assets, but who doesn’t? What man past puberty doesn’t think about that stuff? Not to mention, we martial artists are brimming with vigor. Isn’t it perfectly normal to let our minds wander a bit?’

’But when it comes to actually doing something, well, that’s when he gets bashful.’

And for some reason, these women—whether they smiled sweetly, coquettishly, purely, or glamorously—couldn’t truly pique his interest.

He’d originally thought he was just coming here to broaden his horizons, and now he found that was indeed all he was doing. As for actually *doing* something... Heh, ’my lower dantian’s false core isn’t even fully formed yet. This old monk should stay far away from these female patrons.’

’Besides, I’m not even of age yet! Inappropriate, so inappropriate~’

’So, what should I do now?’

Shi Tiexin thought for a moment, and his mind suddenly turned to the large Black man from earlier.

A weakling, sure, he was a bit of a weakling. But compared to the average fighter, that weakling was actually quite outstanding—a firm-fleshed weakling, if you will.

The crucial part was that the guy’s skin seemed a little tough; his physical durability was rather high.

With years of practicing martial arts and engaging in life-or-death combat, Shi Tiexin had long since developed a relatively accurate grasp of how much force was needed to produce a certain effect. His intuition told him that there was something a little strange about that Black man. Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to go take a look.

So, Shi Tiexin found someone and asked for the room where the man was being held, intending to go have a look.

The entertainment city was quite large, with more than just two floors. Shi Tiexin went up to the fourth floor, which was much quieter and served as the level for offices and administration. Guided by the suited underlings, Shi Tiexin made his way forward.

He had already considered the possibility that the large Black man had practiced some kind of hardening art. If he could obtain this art, or at least learn of its origin, it would be a great help to him.

But as he was walking, he came to a corner. Just as he rounded it, a figure coming from the opposite direction also turned the corner, brushing past him.

It happened so fast that he didn’t get a clear look at the person’s face. But from what he saw in his peripheral vision, Shi Tiexin felt the person’s figure was incredibly familiar.

’Hmm, swan-like neck, a slender waist, peach-perfect hips, and long legs—isn’t that the young lady from the gym!’

Shi Tiexin quickly turned around, only to catch a fleeting glimpse of her back as she disappeared.

’That’s right, it’s her!’

Even though he had only seen her twice, and she was wearing different clothes, the image of her back was seared into Shi Tiexin’s mind. She simply possessed a unique kind of allure.

Every day when he went to the gym to train, he would hope to run into her again, but there was never any trace of her. He hadn’t gone out of his way to look for her, but in the back of his mind, there was always a faint sense of anticipation.

He never imagined he would run into her again here of all places!

’Hmm? Run into her "here"?’

Shi Tiexin frowned. ’Could this young lady... be "working" here?’

Temporarily pushing the matter of the Black man’s tough skin to the back of his mind, Shi Tiexin turned and followed the young woman. Today, she wore a wine-red dress. As the hem swayed, she walked forward with light, elegant steps. None of her movements were artificial or provocative; she wasn’t deliberately trying to flaunt her figure. And yet, she possessed a soul-snatching charm.

This charm seemed to be innate.

Shi Tiexin followed behind her, keeping a comfortable distance. Before long, the young woman had descended from the fourth floor to the third and turned into a billiards and coffee lounge.

The third floor of the entertainment city was much quieter than the two floors below, and the billiards and coffee lounge was its main attraction. It was a place to drink coffee, have a few drinks, and play pool—a spot for leisure and relaxation, with a touch of elegance.

Of course, the venue hadn’t lost its defining characteristic: the male patrons who came here were often accompanied by one or more female companions.

These companions were, of course, all beautifully made-up women—flowers in full bloom.

But when the woman in the red dress walked past, all the other flowers paled in comparison.

Following behind, Shi Tiexin saw it clearly. Everyone in the lounge, man and woman alike, stared at the young woman—some for a long moment, others for a brief glance; some furtively, others brazenly.

After looking, the female companions would turn back to flirt with their men, but their expressions were a little unnatural, as if their confidence had taken a hit.

The men, on the other hand, couldn’t help but look, and then look again. Some simply twisted around and craned their necks, fixing their gaze on her in an unblinking salute.

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

’What is she doing here?’

Under the gazes of many, the young woman walked to an empty pool table, picked up a cue with her long, slender fingers, and then turned her head.

Only then did Shi Tiexin see her face in full.

He decided not to even try to describe her, because he felt his command of words was simply not up to the task of capturing her appearance in concise language. But the instant he saw her face, Shi Tiexin felt that her looks, her figure, and her aura were all a perfect match.

It gave one the feeling that this face and this body were truly the optimal combination, a perfectly harmonious and unified whole, not some fake cobbled together and carved by a surgeon’s knife.

And then there were her eyes—those almond-shaped eyes, made to look languid and sexy by her makeup. It was like dotting the eyes of a painted dragon, bringing to life her most ethereal and beautiful qualities, which were nevertheless tinged with a hint of darkness and danger.

It was an aura that in the East would be called a Banished Immortal, to describe its purity, and in the West a Fallen Angel, to describe its temptation. Purity and temptation coexisted within her, a contradictory yet unified whole. She was an unforgettable woman.

"Hello, beautiful. You here to play?" A man with the air of a playboy was the quickest to react, immediately sidling up to her. "Want to play a couple of rounds together?"