The Joyous Pavilion
The name of this inn might give off an improper vibe, but the atmosphere inside was surprisingly decent.
Upon entering, no attendant came forward to greet them. The first-floor lobby only had a few tables, with three guests seated separately, none interacting with each other.
When Chen Chang'an and Gu Xian'er walked in, all three of them simultaneously turned their gazes toward the newcomers.
Their expressions betrayed a hint of surprise, but they quickly regained their composure, as if they had seen nothing, and resumed sipping from their cups leisurely.
"Young Master, these three give me an intense sense of pressure," Gu Xian'er whispered.
"Mm, all of them are in the Divine Transformation Realm, and not just beginners—likely at least the fifth level," Chen Chang'an nodded in agreement.
Just in the lobby alone, there were three guests at the Divine Transformation Realm. Judging by the scale of the Joyous Pavilion, there was likely an inner courtyard as well.
This place was far from ordinary. To maintain such tranquility in a lawless city like the Unreturned City, the owner of the Joyous Pavilion must have considerable means.
"Oh my, what a surprise! To think such fresh faces would grace my humble establishment."
"Rare guests, truly rare guests!"
At that moment, a voluptuous woman with revealing attire swayed her hips as she descended the stairs.
Her hair was a striking crimson, and her dress—a sheer red gauze—left little to the imagination, covering only the most essential areas.
There was no denying the seductive aura she exuded. Even Gu Xian'er couldn't help but feel her heart flutter upon seeing her.
While Gu Xian'er surpassed her in beauty, she had to admit defeat when it came to allure—this woman was a bona fide enchantress.
Chen Chang'an also turned his gaze toward her. Her large, glistening eyes shimmered with ripples of temptation, as if trying to melt him on the spot.
"My, what a handsome young man."
"It's been ages since I've seen such a dashing youngster."
"Come here, let this old woman have a good look at you."
The proprietress crooked her finger at Chen Chang'an, and he felt an inexplicable, strange energy tugging at him.
Charm magic?
So, the proprietress was skilled in seduction techniques. Unfortunately, such tricks had no effect on Chen Chang'an.
With a calm expression, he smiled faintly and said, "How can you be so sure I'm just a youngster?"
"Perhaps I'm far bigger than you could imagine."
His double entendre made the proprietress giggle, though inwardly, her thoughts were anything but amused.
Chen Chang'an appeared to be only at the first level of the Transcendent Realm, yet he had resisted her charm magic effortlessly. This man was anything but ordinary.
Could he be concealing his true cultivation? If even she couldn't see through it, his real strength might surpass hers. This was someone… not to be trifled with.
Her eyes playfully raked over Chen Chang'an's lower half before she sauntered closer, her fingers lightly tracing his cheek as she leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I'd love to see just how big you really are."
Chen Chang'an subtly stepped back, putting distance between them.
He knew better than to take her flirtations at face value. Despite her sultry and uninhibited demeanor, any bold advances from him might not be met with the expected response.
A woman like her was far more complex than she appeared.
"I'm here to stay, not to work."
"Your place seems quiet enough. Any rooms available?" Chen Chang'an asked with a smile.
Seeing that he wasn't biting, the proprietress didn't push further. With a coquettish smile, she said, "If you're willing to put in some 'work,' I might even waive the fee."
"But…"
Here, she glanced at Gu Xian'er, whose face flushed red with embarrassment.
"Ah, never mind. I won't force the issue."
"The rate here is two thousand mid-grade spirit stones per day."
"Still interested?"
Two thousand a day? That was far from cheap. The daily residence fee in the Unreturned City was only a hundred stones per person.
"Don't think it's too steep. The accommodations here are top-notch."
Plus, staying at my Joyous Pavilion comes with a privilege—guests don’t need to pay the city's detention fee.
"How about it? Tempted?" the proprietress asked with a smirk.
So, the Joyous Pavilion had such privileges? It seemed the proprietress had some connection with the city lord of the Unreturned City.
Spirit stones were no concern for Chen Chang'an. Back when Mu Yunyao was desperate to help him cultivate, she had excavated three entire supreme-grade spirit veins and handed all the stones to him.
Since he couldn't absorb them, they had remained stored in his spatial ring ever since.
In terms of personal wealth, Chen Chang'an feared no one. Who else would casually carry three supreme-grade spirit veins' worth of stones?
"Here’s ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones—five days in advance."
Chen Chang'an handed over the stones without hesitation.
His lavish spending only confirmed the proprietress's suspicions—this man was no ordinary guest.
The three guests in the lobby also reassessed their opinions of him.
"What are you staring at? In my Joyous Pavilion, everyone behaves."
Having lived here for so long, the proprietress could easily see through their greedy thoughts.
With just a glare, the three immediately settled down.
"Esteemed guests, right this way."
Turning back to Chen Chang'an, her expression instantly softened into a seductive smile as she led them to the inner courtyard.
"Take a look at the surroundings. Two thousand stones a day—worth it, don’t you think?"
"Indeed. More than worth it."
Chen Chang'an wasn’t just being polite. In a place like the Unreturned City, this environment was exceptionally serene.
The secluded courtyard had three private rooms, elegantly arranged, starkly contrasting with the city’s usual chaos.
"Inside the Joyous Pavilion, no one will dare lay a hand on you—that much I can guarantee."
"But once you step outside, it’s beyond my control."
"You’re new here, so best be careful."
"Otherwise, this big sister’s heart might just ache for you."
Though her words sounded like teasing, she was still probing.
Chen Chang'an saw right through it and replied with a smile, "Then how much would it cost to have you protect us?"
"Oh? Want me to be your bodyguard?"
"My fees are quite steep, you know."
"I believe you’d be worth every stone."
Hearing this, the proprietress laughed delightedly—what woman didn’t enjoy being praised?
"You really know how to sweet-talk. Did you win over this young lady with such smooth words?"
"Senior, you misunderstand. I am merely Young Master's maidservant."
Gu Xian'er quickly clarified, and this single explanation sent another shock through the boss's heart.
A maidservant? Such a remarkable person was only a maidservant?
"Truly blessed with good fortune, to have such a peerless beauty as your attendant."
"Alright, I won’t disturb you any further. If you need anything, come find me on the second floor."
The landlady turned to leave, but Chen Chang'an called out to stop her.
"Wait a moment."
"Hmm? What is it? Can’t bear to see me go?" she teased.
"I’d like to ask—who in this City of No Return is the most well-informed, the one who knows the most?"
Well-informed? So he’s looking for information?
At this thought, the landlady hatched a plan and replied with a smile, "Of course I know. The person who understands the City of No Return best, who knows everything about it, is none other than its ruler—Asura!"
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
