Chapter 304: The Ascender to Divinity

Jin Yanmen is an intelligence organization.

Compared to those Martial World inns, Jin Yanmen's intelligence focuses more on the Imperial Court and commerce, being adept at social maneuvering and wandering through the mansions of the powerful.

When Li Yan was in Shanzhou, he had contact with this organization.

First, at Manchuan Pass, under the introduction of the Cao Gang bigwig Han Kun, he learned information about Lu San through his old lover...

Second, in Pingkang Lane, Zhao Wanfang, the top courtesan of Qingyuan Hall who had a good relationship with him, joined Jin Yanmen, attempting to use its power to take revenge on Zhao Changsheng...

Of course, this organization is also relatively loose.

It's a bit like the Pai Sect; although they belong to the same sect, each has its own division of power, and the internal harmony is not great, sometimes even leading to infighting.

Li Yan found it strange; why did Wu Qu choose to stay here?

With the reputation of the Wu family of Cangzhou, he only needed to state his name, and any Shaanxi Shen Quan Hui in any place would treat him with all their heart; why would he need to stay in a brothel...

Just then, Li Yan suddenly remembered something.

Since coming to these three cities of Wuchang, he had experienced many things, but he had never seen the Shaanxi Shen Quan Hui show its head, and it didn't appear during the ring match on Mount Gui either.

The Shaanxi Shen Quan Hui is the connection between the Imperial Court and the Martial World, but here in Wuchang, this organization was very low-key.

Could it be that something happened?

Li Yan was puzzled in his heart, but his footsteps did not stop.

Arriving before the main gate of this Jin Feng Lou, he looked up and saw flying eaves and carved wooden pavilions, with three floors in total, each with large red lanterns hanging from the eaves.

The entire building exuded a sense of exquisite luxury.

"Young master, please come in!"

The pimp at the door saw him and hurriedly bowed and scraped as he welcomed him, "You look like a new face; is this your first time? We here..."

Before he could say more, Li Yan spoke, "I'm looking for Master Wu Qu; is he here?"

The pimp was stunned, his eyes becoming more respectful as he raised his hand, "Are you Young Master Li Yan? Master Wu gave instructions just this morning; just follow me."

Saying this, he led Li Yan into the Jin Feng Lou.

After entering, there was a main hall; it wasn't large, with a small stage in the center, and many square tables neatly arranged below.

There were stairs on both sides leading to the second and third floors. With various colored lanterns and curtains hanging down, the entire hall appeared colorful and overflowing.

Perhaps because it was daytime and the Duan Yang Festival, there weren't many customers in Jin Feng Lou, but on the stage, there were two women, one playing a male role and one a female role, singing:

"Spring feelings are boundless, my heart blooms. The whole family is busy for my exam, you have talent and go to the capital. Silver pot and red wine send off my husband, slowly moving steps to cherish the slow enjoyment of spring time..."

They sang one line each, their voices gentle, their water sleeves dancing lightly, their brows and eyes full of affection, clearly very engaged.

This is the Huang Mei opera "Luo Pa Ji".

The two sang quite well, and combined with this elegant environment, it immediately made one feel relaxed.

Li Yan glanced at it casually.

In the hall, there were young masters drunk to the point of collapse, and old men drinking small cups of wine and shaking their heads; one look and it was clear they were all ordinary people.

He didn't pay much attention and followed the pimp to the third floor.

Above were large suite rooms; not only were the doors tightly closed, but there were also carved partitions to block the view, providing excellent privacy.

Before he even got close, Wu Qu's voice came, along with the voices of two women.

"Flower branch!"

"Leopard!"

"Come, come, come, you lost, keep drinking!"

The pimp smiled and turned his head to explain, "Master Wu likes playing 'Ye Zi Cards' the most and often calls the girls to play with him."

"Ye Zi Cards" is a card game that has been passed down since the Tang Dynasty, with many fans ranging from literati to commoners.

Before the pimp could step forward to knock on the door, footsteps came from inside, and then the wooden door was suddenly pulled open; it was Wu Qu.

He had awakened the Body Yi Shentong; although it couldn't compare to the Ear Yi Shentong, his hearing was far superior to ordinary people, so he could naturally distinguish Li Yan's footsteps.

"Haha, Brother Li is here!"

At this time, Wu Qu was wearing a red cloak, his chest and abdomen exposed, completely different from his appearance on the ring, as if he were a completely different person.

He laughed heartily and directly cupped his hands, "I've been talking about you since I woke up this morning, fearing Brother Li would be too busy to come."

"Master Wu invites me; how could I not come?"

"Haha, please come in!"

After Li Yan entered the room, he looked around.

This elegant pavilion was no less inferior to his residence at Qingyuan Hall back then.

The tables, chairs, and tea tables were exquisite and elegant, the calligraphy and paintings on the walls were overflowing with ink fragrance, and there was a censer in the corner with curling blue smoke.

On an Eight Immortals table in the room, leaf cards and wine dishes were scattered, and three women were sitting nearby; two were like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, and one was older, with a graceful demeanor.

Wu Qu didn't know how much he had drunk, his body reeking of alcohol, as he clapped his hands and laughed, "My distinguished guest is here; how about we stop for today? It's not that I, Wu, am afraid of you!"

Hearing this, the two young women covered their mouths and giggled, staring unblinkingly at Li Yan, their eyes full of tenderness, "Master Wu, why do you chase us away just because Young Master Li is here?"

Wu Qu shook his head and waved his hand, "He is a serious person; you all should restrain yourselves, don't scare him."

The older woman couldn't help but laugh, gently fanning herself with a round fan, "Master Wu, you are ignorant of this."

"This Young Master Li is not simple; he is famous in Pingkang Lane of Chang'an. Look at those pavilions prepared by this slave; they are his handiwork. The title of 'Little Top Scholar of the Brothel'..."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Li Yan hurriedly waved his hand, "It's all rumors; don't spread them around."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Qu became interested, "I didn't expect Brother Li to be a man of this path; Yumai, tell me about it."

The older woman named Yumai immediately told a story about throwing thousands of gold, a hundred flowers competing for beauty, clever words and suggestions...

In short, it was the foolish things Li Yan did in Chang'an, magnified three times, and other people's romantic affairs planted on his head, making Wu Qu listen in a daze.

Looking at Li Yan again, his eyes were full of admiration, "I didn't expect Brother Li to have such a reputation; I admire you, I admire you."

"It's all blind rumors."

Li Yan shook his head speechlessly, then looked at the older woman and changed the subject, "This senior of Jin Yanmen, you seem very familiar with me?"

He had long seen that this woman was not simple.

The other party had practiced martial arts; although she didn't know what method she used to make the calluses on her palms disappear, making her skin white and delicate.

But the bone structure of her palms and her habitual movements could not be hidden from an expert.

Also, there was Yin Sha Qi lingering on her body, which even the strong scent of powder could not cover.

The woman named Yumai smiled and waved her hand, and the two women immediately stood up and left; when passing by Li Yan, they even threw a flirtatious glance.

"Two little sluts."

Yumai couldn't help but laugh, "Young Master Li, don't blame them. Wanfang is my sister; I have already sent a letter to inform her that you killed the Red Fan Fan Fu Ren." Zhao Wanfang?

Hearing this familiar name, Li Yan was slightly stunned, "Where is she now?"

Yumai smiled, "She is in the capital now, following an elder of the sect; she is intelligent and meticulous, and her future is limitless."

"That's good."

Li Yan was thoughtful and nodded slightly.

This Zhao Wanfang had a miserable childhood and took revenge as her obsession.

He had revealed Zhao Changsheng's information at the time, intending to make her retreat in the face of difficulties, but he didn't expect the other party to be like she had been injected with chicken blood, starting to plan step by step.

Yumai shook her head and sighed, "Wanfang is also stubborn; she entrusted me to keep an eye on the 'Red Fan Fan Fu Ren's' news and send people to give it to young hero Li."

"I didn't expect that before I was ready, young hero Li had already killed her; this slave truly admires you."

"To tell you the truth, this 'Red Fan Fan Fu Ren' was originally the leader of the Chang'an Jin Yanmen, but she secretly joined the Mile Sect, harming and implicating many sisters; many elders hate her to the bone."

Saying this, she stood up and bowed, "This time the great revenge is avenged; we thank young hero Li."

Li Yan's expression was calm as he shook his head, "It was just a coincidence."

!.

Yumai smiled sweetly, "The two of you seem to have things to discuss; this slave won't disturb you, I'll prepare another banquet for the two of you."

Saying this, she nodded slightly and left with a fragrant breeze.

Watching the figure of the other party leaving, Li Yan was thoughtful.

He naturally wouldn't relax his vigilance because of a few flattering words; one must know that this Jin Yanmen had never been a good sort.

Wu Qu, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, "Brother Li, there's no need for suspicion; I've lived here for a long time and Yumai and I can be considered old acquaintances; she should have nothing to do with those monsters."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, "How can you tell?"

Wu Qu laughed and said in a low voice, "This Yumai was sent by the Chang'an Jin Yanmen; Qu Qiuyan, the leader of the Wuchang Jin Yanmen, is very wary of her, and both sides are waiting to get hold of each other's handles."

"At a time like this, they would hide if they could; why would they collude with monsters?"

"But these are all my feelings; how to act, Brother Li, you decide for yourself."

Li Yan smiled slightly, changed the subject, and asked, "Master Wu, you have so many places to live, yet you stay in a brothel; aren't you afraid of people gossiping?"

"Hahaha..."

Wu Qu shook his head and laughed a few times, picked up the wine in his cup, and drank it down, "It seems Brother Li doesn't know many things."

"The martial arts circles are not that harmonious. The president of the local Shaanxi Shen Quan Hui in Wuchang is an old boxing master from Cangzhou, and he has some relationship with my family."

"But in a place like Wuchang, where all kinds of people gather, the Shaanxi Shen Quan Hui is suppressed by the Martial World sects; the Prince of Wuchang has supported them several times, but they didn't rise, so he found them useless and couldn't be bothered to pay attention."

"No matter which family I stay with, it's trouble, and it's all about fighting for power and profit; I can't be bothered with such rotten things, so I might as well hide here and be carefree..."

As he spoke, he suddenly stopped.

Soon, the door opened, and several women entered one after another with the waiter, replacing all the wine and dishes on the table, and toasted the two of them a few times before turning and leaving, closing the door.

As soon as they left, Wu Qu immediately stood up, went to the side of the room, and took out a statue of a god from his massive travel bag.

I saw that this statue had three eyes, its gaze like a torch. It wore a gorgeous robe of red and gold, a precious crown on its head, long hair draped over its shoulders, and held magic tools like a gold brick and a fire wheel, its demeanor stern.

It was none other than the Great Emperor Huaguang.

The Great Emperor Huaguang's surname was Ma, and his name was Lingyao; in the folk, he is also called Lord Ma. Not only do martial artists believe in him, but even in many cities, there are temples to Lord Ma, with commoners offering sacrifices day and night.

This statue was clearly not an ordinary item.

Wu Qu pinched the magic formula, bowed three times, and then lit three sticks of incense before the statue; a majestic Yin Sha Qi immediately shrouded the entire room.

Li Yan had seen this kind of method; it could prevent divine ability detection.

Wu Qu finished doing this before turning back to sit at the table, smiling, "The matter I want to discuss with Brother Li is secret; it's better to be careful so as not to be overheard."

"Oh?"

Li Yan became interested, "What does Master Wu want to say?"

Wu Qu didn't rush to answer, but shook his head, "Wuchang is currently in an eventful autumn; does Brother Li know why I don't want to get entangled with them?"

Li Yan said, "Why?"

Wu Qu's eyes became solemn, "Because for me, there are more important things; the power in the red dust is nothing but passing smoke."

"We practitioners overcome thorns and thistles; if we indulge in it, how can we have time to glimpse the Great Dao?"

Li Yan's heart tightened, "Ascender to Divinity?"

This Wu Qu's behavior was somewhat strange; he seemed to come from a famous sect and wandered in the red dust, but he inexplicably had a sense of detachment.

When he was on Mount Gui, Li Yan had suspected it.

Wu Qu sighed and shook his head, "I'm not qualified yet."

"The so-called Ascenders to Divinity are a group of very special people; they are either stunningly talented or come from famous sects, walking in famous mountains and great rivers, hiding in wild marshes, or practicing the righteous path, or walking on evil paths..."

"My cultivation is limited, and I can't reach them yet."

"However, I vaguely know some things. Among these Ascenders to Divinity, there are also many factions; when they meet, they sometimes fight to the death, but usually in the wild mountains and fields, which is difficult for outsiders to know."

"Most of their factions are related to their cultivation paths."

"There are Ascenders to Divinity of the Mystic Sect's righteous path, who have extraordinary status in the sect. They all have connections with each other; once someone is recognized and has the opportunity to ascend to divinity, the Mystic Sect will go all out to build momentum for them, sealing gods and building shrines in various places."

"Of course, most people at most cultivate to become Ghost Immortals or Earth Immortals, hiding in the spiritual apertures of blessed caves; one is fear of the Heavenly Law, and the other is to serve as the foundation of the sect, appearing to take action at critical moments..."

"This group of Ascenders to Divinity is known as the Hidden Immortals."

"There is another type that comes from the side-door magic lineages; they practice in various places, forming alliances with each other, watching over and helping each other, both righteous and evil."

"This group of Ascenders to Divinity is known as the Mountain Immortals."

"But the largest number is another group of people; no matter what their background is, they have walked the evil path of longevity for various reasons, scattered all over the Shenzhou, and are no different from demons."

"These people are also the key targets of the Mystic Sect's righteous path and the Imperial Court; we call them 'Demons'!"

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, "We?"

Wu Qu nodded, "To tell you the truth, I have also joined an organization; they are all practitioners of martial magic, mostly from the Martial World."

"No matter which sect in the Shenzhou, once they reach this level, they rarely participate in Martial World affairs and travel everywhere."

"To tell the truth, although Senior Zhang Xiaoshan has entered the Dan Jin level, he is old and his blood and energy are exhausted, he has no potential, and he is not a member of the Mystic Sect, so he was not absorbed by us."

"We are neither the Mystic Sect's righteous path nor do we have the ability to pray for blessings, nor can we be recognized by the Imperial Court, so we can only rely on ourselves."

"Brother Li, I want to invite you to join the association; I wonder what you think?"

After hearing this, Li Yan was thoughtful and said, "Master Wu, what is your organization called?"

Wu Qu was silent for a moment and shook his head, "I can't say for now, but there is one thing I can reveal to Brother Li."

"In our organization, there are quite a few living Yin messengers!"

Second update later

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 305 =====