Chapter 30: The Pavilion of Hundred Flowers

"Please, lead us upstairs," Xie Mengmeng said coolly, her gaze sweeping across the room and finding nothing of note.

Hearing this, the woman paused, cast a suspicious glance at Xie Mengmeng from head to toe, and then let out a coy laugh. "What a handsome young master! Follow me, then."

Xie Mengmeng nodded, gestured for them to proceed, and the three of them began to ascend the winding, tiered staircase. Lin Chen was struck by the portraits of beautiful women lining the walls. The craftsmanship was so exquisite that it had reached the pinnacle of artistry; each figure was rendered with such vivid detail that they seemed to breathe.

It felt as if the women in the paintings were watching him. Most unsettling of all was the way their gazes seemed to follow his movements, as if each one were seeing him off as he passed.

After navigating the winding stairs, the scene that met Lin Chen’s eyes made him blush deep crimson, unable to look directly ahead. Men and women were entangled in intimate embraces, whispering sweet nothings in a display of decadent revelry that was dizzying to behold.

Most eye-catching of all was a woman seated on a high platform, plucking the strings of a zither. Her melody was elegant and winding, soothing to the heart. A veil covered half her face, leaving one with the burning impulse to step forward and uncover her true appearance.

While Lin Chen was lost in his thoughts, Xie Mengmeng dismissed the woman who had led them up. She whispered in Lin Chen’s ear, "That one over there—that is Mo Qinghai."

Lin Chen followed her gaze to see a plump man lounging on a divan, flanked by women on either side. He was busy kissing one and teasing another, looking thoroughly self-indulgent.

"Are you sure it's him?" Lin Chen asked in a low voice.

"It is," Xie Mengmeng replied, her eyes unwavering. "I have seen him several times; there is no chance I could be mistaken."

"Do you have a way to lure him out?" Lin Chen asked, slowly leaning back into his chair.

Xie Mengmeng shook her head. "My usual methods won't work here. Look at him—does he look like a man who is lacking for women?" Clearly, she had been considering seduction, the only method she had relied on since entering the world of cultivation. Seduction failing, she might have resorted to a dose of 'Joyous Powder,' but neither seemed appropriate here.

Lin Chen rolled his eyes at her and whispered a few words into her ear. She looked at him with profound skepticism but said nothing, instead rising and walking over to Mo Qinghai.

Whatever she said, Mo Qinghai’s expression shifted instantly. He stood up and followed Xie Mengmeng out of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. Lin Chen took a leisurely sip of tea, rose, and followed them out.

***

He trailed the pair at a steady pace until they entered a narrow alleyway.

"Speak quickly," Mo Qinghai said in a deep voice. "If the information is true, you shall be handsomely rewarded."

Lin Chen pretended to look around cautiously before speaking slowly. "She is in White Cloud Town, with her son. As for the exact location..." He paused, rubbing his fingers together to signal for payment.

Seeing this, Mo Qinghai did not suspect the information was false, but he was annoyed that Lin Chen demanded money upfront. His face turned cold, and he threatened, "Boy, do you know who I am? How dare you ask me for money?"

"Of course. The second young master of the Mo family, one of the Four Great Clans," Lin Chen replied, his expression calm and unruffled as he turned to leave.

In Jinxiu City, the Four Great Clans were the Yan, Wang, Mo, and Xiao families. However, the Xiao family had since been wiped out, leaving only three, with the Yan family at the helm. Beneath them were countless third-rate families like the Fu, Xue, Wen, and Ye clans.

Mo Qinghai hesitated, then, with a pained expression, pulled a thousand-tael banknote from his sleeve. "Here! Take this thousand taels and tell me the location. This is my bottom line." He handed over the note, clearly reluctant.

Lin Chen took the money and gestured for him to lean in, feigning secrecy. Just as Mo Qinghai leaned close, Lin Chen’s expression shifted instantly. "Go to hell!" he whispered.

Mo Qinghai was caught off guard and struck by a heavy blow, falling unconscious on the spot.

"Wouldn't it have been better to just kill him?" Xie Mengmeng asked, puzzled.

"I still need to question him. If I kill him now and things aren't resolved completely, it will be troublesome." As he spoke, he pulled out a burlap sack and stuffed the man inside. Looking at the spatial ring on Xie Mengmeng’s finger, he asked, "Can your spatial ring hold living things?"

"It can," she replied, and without hesitation, she took the sack.

Outside Jinxiu City, in a secluded grove, Mo Qinghai stared at the two of them, his face twisted with rage. "Audacious! How dare you treat me this way? Do you know the consequences?"

Lin Chen toyed with a bamboo rod in his hand, his eyes filled with cold malice. "Is that so? I’d like to see what those consequences are."

He stepped toward him and delivered a punch to his face. Teeth mixed with blood flew out, and in the dim moonlight, his distorted face looked particularly horrific.

***

"Damn it! I tried to negotiate with you in good faith, and you kidnapped me!" Mo Qinghai roared, his speech slurred.

Lin Chen was slightly surprised; he had expected the man to beg for mercy after such a beating. A wicked smile curled his lips. "You have some backbone, but that isn't enough to save you from me."

*Thwack!*

He drove the bamboo rod straight into Mo Qinghai’s thigh and slowly twisted it back and forth.

*Aaaah!*

Mo Qinghai let out a piercing scream, his body convulsing in agony. His eyes widened, and he roared with every ounce of strength he had left, "What the hell do you want?"

He had initially assumed they were after money, but only now did he realize he might actually die. Lin Chen pulled the rod out, flicked the blood and flesh off, and violently plunged it into the other leg.

The shrill, agonizing screams tore through the dark night. A foul, pungent liquid began to pool beneath him. Lin Chen stopped, covered his nose and mouth, and picked up a stone to use as a stool, sitting down slowly.

"Who else knows about the debts owed by the widow and her son from the Li family? Who else was involved? I will give you one chance. You had better tell me the truth."

Xie Mengmeng stood to the side, her expression complex. Watching the scene, she felt an inexplicable sense of dread toward Lin Chen’s ruthless methods. Despite this, she remained silent; after all, she had killed countless people in her time, though she had never resorted to such torture.

"I... I'll tell you! I only took ten percent of the proceeds; the rest had to be turned over," Mo Qinghai stammered, his face pale with terror.

Lin Chen lifted his chin with the bamboo rod, his gaze icy. "Turned over to whom? Who else knows the list of debtors?"

Mo Qinghai stuttered for a long time, seemingly paralyzed by fear. Lin Chen swung the bamboo rod, striking him sharply across the cheek with a crisp snap.