78: Zhuang Xian came to the door

The morning sun was as red as blood, staining the glazed tiles of the Northern Border City's City Lord Manor a dark crimson.

In front of the gates of the Northern Border City's City Lord Manor.

"Bang!"

The body of a gate Guard slammed heavily into a stone lion, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth and snaking down the patterns of the ferocious beast's head. Another Guard clutched his broken ribs, curled up on the ground and moaning in pain.

Zhuang Xian gave a disdainful smile, stepped over the Guard, and walked leisurely into the manor.

He held a Xiangfei bamboo-ribbed paper fan, strolling leisurely along the bluestone path. The gold-sprinkled cloud patterns on the fan surface trembled slightly with his movements, making the arrogance between his brows even more pronounced.

Behind him, two attendants held Hong Mei like puppets on strings.

The young girl's eyes were red, and tear stains still hung on her Face. Her snow-white silk dress was stained with a bit of dust, the silver hairpin in her hair was crooked, and as she stumbled, her embroidered shoes dragged messy marks across the bluestone.

"Who do you people think you are? How dare you injure the Guards of the City Lord Manor!"

A general of the garrison suddenly turned out from behind the screen wall, his waist-worn sword unsheathed by three inches. The cold light reflected his Face full of anger as he blocked Zhuang Xian to question him.

Zhuang Xian glanced sideways at the man, a sneer curling his lips.

"A mere pest at the First Layer of Foundation Establishment dares to block your Grandpa Zhuang's path? I think you didn't get enough milk as a child, so your brain didn't develop properly!"

Before he finished speaking, the tip of his boot, embroidered with gold-thread cloud patterns, kicked out like lightning.

Before the Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator general's sword could leave its scabbard, he was kicked in the chest by Zhuang Xian, letting out a miserable scream.

The steel heart-protecting mirror shattered on impact, and the general was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing into a carved moon gate, with rubble clattering to the ground.

A metallic sweetness surged in the general's throat, gold stars danced before his eyes, and he couldn't get up for a long time.

Zhuang Xian leaned over and brushed off non-existent dust from his boot, his peach-blossom eyes slanting upwards slightly.

"What a piece of trash. Ptooey!"

A crowd of Guards drew their long sabers with a clatter, looking as if they were facing a great enemy, but they all retreated in unison when they met the cold gaze of the old man behind Zhuang Xian.

The grey-robed old man appeared aged, but a faint pressure lingered around him like a crouching tiger. Just standing there caused slight ripples to appear in the air.

Zhuang Xian snapped open his folding fan with a "shua," the depiction of a beauty on the fan rustling in the wind.

"Go find someone who can take charge."

After speaking to those Guards, Zhuang Xian turned his head and used the handle of his fan to tilt up Hong Mei's chin. The girl's tearful Face looked even more delicate and charming in the sunlight.

"This Young Master is going to stay in this City Lord Manor and take good care of my little beauty..."

Hong Mei turned her head desperately, looking tearfully toward the West Courtyard of the manor. That was Lin Suwan's courtyard, her only reliance.

Zhuang Xian lightly scraped her fair cheek twice, snapped his folding fan open again, and laughed loudly. This provoked the manor's Guards, who were angry but didn't dare speak up, so they quickly went to notify the manor's higher-ups.

News of someone coming to provoke them spread through the manor like wildfire.

As the First Commander of the manor, Zhu Changpo rushed over after receiving the news, only to see a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the manor being defeated so easily, which shocked him greatly.

Zhu Changpo took a deep breath and led a squad of garrison troops forward slowly. When he reached them and felt the Cultivation of Zhuang Xian, he couldn't help but frown deeply.

Especially when he felt the old man beside him, whose spiritual pressure was hidden but not released; when sensed carefully, it was as dangerous as a tiger or a wild beast.

Zhu Changpo was very certain that this old man was definitely a Golden Core expert. This alarmed him and made him uncertain about why they had come.

He cupped his fists and said:

"This is the Northern City Manor residence. Is there some misunderstanding, Your Excellency?"

Before Zhuang Xian could speak, the driver who had been driving Zhuang Xian's carriage hurried in from outside the main gate. He whispered in Zhu Changpo's ear for a moment and then handed over a sound-transmitting talisman engraved with the mark of the Bei Batian.

Zhu Changpo looked at Zhuang Xian in shock, his breathing becoming somewhat hurried.

The fingertips that took the sound-transmitting talisman trembled uncontrollably. He swallowed hard and pressed the talisman to his forehead, and a cold spiritual power instantly poured into his Sea of Consciousness.

"This person is the grandson of the Xihua Sect's Outer Court Grand Elder... with hopes for the position of Saint, he must be properly entertained..."

These few short words startled this half-step Golden Core expert so much that his back was soaked with sweat.

After putting away the sound-transmitting talisman, Zhu Changpo's forehead broke out in a cold sweat, and he forced a smile:

"So it is Young Master Zhuang's arrival. My subordinates failed to recognize Young Master Zhuang, I hope Young Master Zhuang can forgive us! Young Master Zhuang, please come inside!"

Zhuang Xian lightly shook his folding fan and gave an arrogant smile:

"Now that you understand my identity, I presume you won't do anything else blind, right?"

Hearing this, Zhu Changpo gave an embarrassed smile and said:

"Young Master Zhuang must be joking. Please come inside!"

Zhuang Xian stood up, pulled the somewhat resistant Hong Mei toward him, leaned in close to her hair, and took a deep breath, closing his eyes in intoxication:

"The faint fragrance of a virgin. How wonderful!"

Having said that, he followed Zhu Changpo toward the East Courtyard with his arm around Hong Mei.

Hong Mei's eyes were red, looking like a pear blossom in the rain, as she allowed Zhuang Xian to hold her slender waist and walk toward the East Courtyard.

Seeing that even the manor's First Commander was so polite to Zhuang Xian, she knew that resisting would be futile and only hoped that her mistress could save her.

In the main hall of the East Courtyard, dragons saliva incense curled up from a gilded beast-shaped censer, and a table full of wine and food was spread out.

Zhuang Xian leaned lazily against a carved redwood chair, his hand around Hong Mei wandering restlessly:

"Wouldn't it have been better if you were this sensible earlier?"

The young girl's tears flowed, and her silk skirt was pulled into a mess.

Zhu Changpo leaned over to pour wine at the side, smiling apologetically:

"Young Master Zhuang has come from afar. The City Lord has already instructed me to entertain Young Master Zhuang well, so if Young Master Zhuang needs anything, please just ask."

Zhuang Xian sneered and said:

"Then find two more beauties. This Young Master likes excitement. Besides, with just one delicate beauty, if she's broken or if a life is lost, wouldn't that ruin the Northern City Manor's reputation?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changpo felt a wave of bitterness in his heart.

To think that he, a dignified Grand Commander of the city manor, had to go and scavenge for beauties to please a profligate youth felt absurd, but remembering the other's identity, he still gave an embarrassed smile and nodded in agreement:

"Don't worry, Young Master Zhuang. I will immediately order someone to handle it."

Zhuang Xian's fingertip traced the sash at Hong Mei's waist. He glanced sideways at Zhu Changpo and said:

"Then why haven't you withdrawn yet? This Young Master has no hobby for performing in front of others."

"This... alright."

Zhu Changpo gave an embarrassed smile and turned to leave.

But before he could leave, a sound of footsteps came from outside the door, causing him to frown and secretly curse whoever was so ill-mannered.

Looking up, Liu Xuaner, Su Yunniang, Lin Suwan, and several maids and Guards filed in from outside the door.

Before the group arrived, they had each been informed by someone sent by Zhu Changpo about the arrival of a distinguished guest in the manor, as well as Zhuang Xian's identity, and specifically about Lin Suwan's maid, Hong Mei, being taken a fancy to.

When Lin Suwan heard this, she hurriedly sought out Liu Xuaner to vent her grievances, saying that the maid Hong Mei had been with her for many years and she couldn't bear to see Hong Mei fall into the devil's clutches.

Liu Xuaner found it very difficult upon hearing this. Since this involved the Xihua Sect, she couldn't interfere at all, nor did she have the strength to do so.

After repeated discussions, they decided to go together to consult with Su Yunniang. After all, Su Yunniang's seniority in the manor was higher than theirs, her Cultivation was higher, and she was more stable in handling matters.

After Su Yunniang heard their purpose, she thought it over and decided to go and discuss it with Zhuang Xian to see if he could let Hong Mei go for the sake of their Face.

The reason she risked offending Zhuang Xian to see him was, firstly, for Lin Suwan's request, and secondly, for Situ Jun.

Ever since learning about Situ Jun's absurd Cultivation Technique, she had developed a slight intention to recruit for Situ Jun's harem. She felt that although Hong Mei was just a maid, if she could be noticed by Zhuang Xian, she must be good-looking and meet the threshold for entering Situ Jun's harem.

After deciding, the group came together to the place where Zhuang Xian was staying in the East Courtyard.