Chapter 19: The Seven Stars Northern Dipper Formation!

Qin Xi shook the bag of spirit stones in his hand, causing a clattering sound. “Good thing that kid is a bit foolish,” he muttered.

“Are you really just going to hand over the Phoenix Authority Pavilion like that?” Bu Weiwei asked from the side. “What if someone from the Great Thousand Sect is inside?”

“Hand it over then. That disciple definitely isn’t there.”

“Not there? How can you be so sure?”

“That madam looked utterly surprised when she saw you all, as if she hadn’t been informed beforehand at all,” Qin Xi said, playing with a spirit stone between his fingers. “Of course, it could be an act, but I’m more inclined to believe the Great Thousand Sect wouldn’t make the answer so obvious. Otherwise, it would just be a matter of who has the most money getting into the sect, right?”

Bu Weiwei found his reasoning quite sound and asked, “So what do you plan to do next?”

“I’m going to visit every brothel in Yuebei City! Just a quick, light touch, leaving no trace. The goal is to resolve this swiftly!” Qin Xi waved his hand grandly. “Of course, I need to buy a map first.”

“Qin Xi, my courtesan is gone,” Jiang Baiqiu said, poking Qin Xi with a pitiful look.

“What do you mean your courtesan? Even if you brought someone over, what are you two going to do? Chat?” Qin Xi flicked Jiang Baiqiu’s forehead, pushing her away.

“Fine, fine, fine...” Jiang Baiqiu stammered. “I want to flip the flower strings!”

“...”

Qin Xi ignored her and continued walking down the street, eyes fixed on the map.

Suddenly, Qin Xi stopped in his tracks.

He stared intently at the various buildings on the map and their labels.

“What is it?” Bu Weiwei leaned in curiously.

“Phoenix Authority Pavilion.”

“Is there something wrong with the name?”

“Jade Wind Pavilion, Pivot Pavilion, Azure Sun Pavilion, Shining Light Pavilion, Moon Spin Pavilion, Pearl Cluster Pavilion...” Qin Xi recited all the brothel names in Yuebei City.

Then, with his finger, he repeatedly traced certain paths on the map, connecting these seven brothels.

After a moment, Qin Xi smiled and pointed in a direction.

“Looks like the answer is over there.”

...

Before them stood a shabby two-story building, dilapidated yet emanating a faint pink glow from within. A subtle, intoxicating fragrance wafted through the air.

The sign above the door bore three large characters: “Bliss Pavilion.”

“You’re not telling me this is the joint spot for the Great Thousand Sect and the Harmony Joy Sect?” Bu Weiwei hesitated, puzzled.

Such a run-down place didn’t seem to fit the legendary celestial sects.

“Didn’t you say that in Great Qi, the pure is legal, but the impure is illegal?”

“Yeah.”

...

“Do you think the Joy Sect leans toward the impure or the pure?”

“...”

“Do you think something impure would flaunt itself like the Phoenix Authority Pavilion, all flashy and worried the authorities might miss it?”

Bu Weiwei’s mind turned over; Qin Xi’s point made some sense.

“But places like this, unregulated spots, are everywhere... how can you be sure it’s this so-called Bliss Pavilion?”

“Come.”

Qin Xi pointed at the map. “Tell me, what are the names of the Big Dipper’s seven stars?”

“Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, Yaoguang—everyone knows that... wait a minute.”

Bu Weiwei’s pupils shrank as if a thought had struck her.

“Looks like you figured it out too. Now tell me, what are the names of the seven brothels in Yuebei City?”

“Pivot Pavilion, Moon Spin Pavilion, Pearl Cluster Pavilion, Phoenix Authority Pavilion, Jade Wind Pavilion, Azure Sun Pavilion, Shining Light Pavilion... No way.”

Though still somewhat doubtful, Bu Weiwei was mostly convinced. This was beyond mere coincidence.

“That’s right. These seven brothels correspond to the Big Dipper’s seven stars. I call it the ‘Seven-Star Big Dipper Formation’!”

Bu Weiwei felt the whole thing was surreal. “Isn’t a formation like that supposed to amplify the cultivators’ strength, making the seven cultivators within stronger? What use does it have for brothels?”

“Who says the cultivators inside the brothels don’t need to be strengthened?” Qin Xi smiled.

“Most likely, the formation makes guests experience the pure brothel first, and under its influence, become restless and eager to rush to the impure one!”

“Thanks to the formation’s power, those guests end up exhausting days’ worth of energy in a short time, thus fulfilling the Joy Sect’s goal.” Qin Xi stroked his chin. “Whoever invented this can easily be called the King of Dual Cultivation.”

“Formations are great; formations must be learned.”

Bu Weiwei fell into thought for a moment, then asked, “But how do you know guests become so restless after visiting the pure brothel?”

“... Let’s just go in first.”

“You haven’t answered me yet.”

“We’ll talk after we’re inside!”

“Why are you so nervous?”

“It’s deduced! How I know doesn’t matter!”

Qin Xi was disappointed in Bu Weiwei’s habit of getting stuck on trivial details.

Bu Weiwei’s gaze shifted downward.

Qin Xi bent over.

Bu Weiwei’s suspicious look intensified. “What are you doing? Why are you bending over?”

“Out of respect for you, isn’t that okay?”

“You just solved the puzzle; I should respect you. Stand straight.”

“I won’t.”

“I think Qin Xi just needs to use the bathroom. When I was cramped on the flying boat, I was in that exact posture,” Jiang Baiqiu chimed in sharply.

“Oh~ I see now.” Bu Weiwei nodded and averted her gaze.

You guys.

Qin Xi thought these women were easily amused, but his heart was steel, and so was his body. So what? This is called cultivating both inside and out.

Qin Xi adjusted his mind to counter the formation’s influence, took a deep breath, and pulled Jiang Baiqiu close.

“Here, I’ve got something for you to do.”

“What is it?” Jiang Baiqiu looked a bit dazed.

“Later, you’ll strain your voice and shout this phrase.” Qin Xi handed her a slip of paper.

“Oh...”

Prepared, Qin Xi strode boldly into this “Polaris”—the Bliss Pavilion!

“Oh? A ‘guest’ has arrived!”

As soon as he stepped inside, a voice capable of melting bones echoed in Qin Xi’s ears, sending shivers down his spine.

Damn, a trap!

Enchantress, daring to corrupt my Dao heart!

But to maintain composure, Qin Xi avoided looking at the scantily clad women and instead fixed his gaze on the landscape painting on the far wall. “Looks like I’ve solved the first riddle of the Joy Sect.”

This place was indeed the Joy Sect’s branch in Yuebei City.

“Guest, my name is Qingqing. You’ve answered the first question correctly, but staring at the wall won’t help you solve the second one,” the voice continued, tingling in his ears. “Sisters, come welcome the guest!”

Qin Xi cursed softly.

He saw pale flesh swaying before his eyes—these women seemed to have cast a spell making their clothes transparent.

Qin Xi clicked his tongue and closed his eyes. “No matter, I am detached from worldly desires.”

“You say you’re detached, but with your eyes shut, if you looked at me, I don’t believe your eyes would be empty,” Qingqing chuckled lightly. “The second test is to find the Great Thousand Sect disciple hidden among us. If you don’t open your eyes to look at us, how will you tell?”

Demonic sword gaze!

Qin Xi certainly could not open his eyes. The core of this “Seven-Star Big Dipper Brothel Formation” was here, the place where the fortunes of the seven brothels converged. Opening his eyes might cause immediate confusion of the mind.

Laughter grew clearer in his ears, and several women even blew air into them.

Qingqing, with her piercing voice, laughed softly. She was just a fledgling, no match for the profound power of the Joy Sect.

Yet at this moment, she noticed a faint smile at the corner of Qin Xi’s mouth.