Dual Cultivation God Returns

Chapter 203 Enemies and allies

"Everyone, give a warm welcome to Gong Liwei, and yes, you are not hearing wrong, this is the Gong Liwei, the beauty of the Eastern Forest Province!"

The host gave an introduction to the beauty on the stage and a wave of whispers and small talks went through the room.

"As you all know, the Gong family that governed the Eastern Province have recently lost its status, and their business has been largely annexed by the newly rising Jue family..."

The host, pleased with the reaction of the crowd started to explain.

The Wood Spirit Empire had many noble families, far more than any other country, simply because life on this continent was tranquil and peaceful, and being part of the "high society" gave the prestige and respect that people loved.

Since a noble family was only considered so if they had some area of influence, there was not enough territory of the country for the continuously multiplying "aspiring to be noble" families. Thus there was a constant war of influence going on between various noble families, with dirty tricks and assassinations being frequent play.

In such a society, it was quite common for a noble family to fall, having lost in a conflict of interests or having lost their business. In such conflicts, sometimes to settle debts that accumulated the families would sell off their daughters to the public houses, and the daughters would comply to alleviate the burden on their families.

After the host livened up the crowd with the introductions, the bidding started and every bid made a shiver run through the beauty.

Wu Long looked at that, and an unknown light, with a hint of displeasure, appeared in his eyes. But when the prince's booth made a bid that shut the crowd up he soon noticed something else in the reaction of the beauty named Gong Liwei, as well as in the reaction of the host and a slight chuckle escaped his mouth as he shook his head.

He made a single competing bid, that blew out of the water anyone else, as he commanded the resources of an entire sect which brought a slight panic on the face of the host and a minute panicked reaction in Gong Liwei's eyes. The host stalled for time, fishing for bids as his eyes slightly wandered to the prince's balcony where the prince was standing, enraged and screaming at his subordinates while pointing a finger to the balcony Wu Long was sitting in.

After some time of no one topping Wu Long's bid, the Flower Banquet concluded and the stage was then filled with dancers to please the audience and thank them for their time. There was also a slight invitation to partake in the dancers, which conveniently played on the frustration of the audience of not winning the auction, and increasing the possibility of business from these customers.

After some time, the door behind Wu Long was lightly knocked on.

"Come in"

Wu Long leisurely sat on the armchair as he said this and the door opened with a middle-aged man in manager clothes standing with a few beauties.

"Esteemed Master, please follow me to claim your winnings"

Wu Long nodded to the man and followed him to a lavishly decorated room on the upper floors, complete with a separate bedroom that was obscured from view by thin decorated sliding doors, and a bathroom that was on the other side of the bedroom, similarly closed off by thin decorated sliding doors so that the whole room could be connected into a long one by opening all of the partition doors.

The outer wall of the room was a huge window that overlooked the night city, opposite the main entrance to the room.

There was another middle-aged man, but in more luxurious robes, who greeted Wu Long upon entering.

"Please have a sit, esteemed guest, I am the owner of the establishment, you can call me Old Yen"

The middle-aged man said in a slightly old manner of speaking, as would someone of higher age. His cultivation level was at Foundation Forging Realm, and it was highly likely that he was in the late latter half of his not-so-short lifespan.

Wu Long nonchalantly sat down, not standing on ceremony.

Old Yen sat down opposite him, looking at Wu Long with a curious gaze and a polite but slightly sly smile.

"Young man, I am greeting you like this since I want to first congratulate you on your successful win..."

As Old Yen said this and made a slight pause, Wu Long simply expressionlessly looked at him without saying a word. As there was no reaction, the man's smile turned wry.

"...but you see, there is a proposition to you, which may not look attractive at the first gaze, but is in fact very beneficial to you..."

"You want me to relinquish the Flower Banquet Crown"

Wu Long flatly said and Old Yen made a wry smile yet again.

"Very perceptive, yes indeed, I am not going to sugarcoat this since you seem to not mind the more honest speech... the person that is currently in the next room from here has paid an exorbitant amount of money prior to the Flower Banquet you see..."

"So you ruined the Gong family and made them give up the Beauty of the Eastern Forest Province, providing a legal way for him to obtain her"

Wu Long finished for Old Yen and surprise flashed in his eyes.

'And then have her murder him after you disclose to her that he was responsible for the downfall of her family and that he was not going to rescue her as he promised, but leave her as a courtesan here after using her once'

Wu Long finished his own assumption inwardly, as if he spoke this part Old Yen would instantly turn hostile. Conspiracy to assassinate Imperial Family members was a very serious crime, and even substantially powerful crime organizations would fear the consequences.

Having a mistress obtained by the prince himself murder him for completely personal reasons was a very good plan. Not only would they have successfully fulfilled the request of the prince, gaining the credit from that, but also fulfilled the request for the assassination of an Imperial Family member, tricking the consequences to befall an already ruined noble family, all at the same time.

It only fell short as the buyer changed. But they could not publicly admit that the Flower Banquet was staged for the legitimacy of the prince's claim of the woman, so they had to opt for a settlement behind closed doors.

And they could not outright kill Wu Long on the brothel premises either, since then the whole situation with the Flower Banquet would blow up. And the prince's death after that would draw a lot more suspicion to the brothel.

Though these assumptions were made by Wu Long by seeing the difference in reaction between the auction host as well as brothel workers, and the reaction of Gong Liwei, he was fairly confident in them, especially after meeting Old Yen and seeing his attitude.

"Let's cut the pretenses, you know my name and who I am, though, more accurately at least who I was a little more than a year ago"

Wu Long said and Old Yen's expression shifted yet again, becoming a little cold, but intrigued.

"Indeed I do know you, Mister Wu... or should I not call you that in light of your departure from that esteemed house?"

"I still go by the same name"

"Then, let me be clear, Mister Wu Long, if you refuse this offer the same fate may befall you as that time, and even if you are to our great surprise a lot stronger than before, a Qi Manifestation Realm practitioner no less, you will not escape the fate of being erased, and this time I doubt there would be any wandering good-doers who will stick their nose in to save you. This is not a threat but a piece of honest advice from a man who knows how things work around here"

Old Yen said still reserving some politeness as this was strictly a business transaction, and Wu Long may well still be their customer.

"I appreciate your advice. Unfortunately, I do not plan to relinquish the Flower Banquet Crown, and would like to proceed with the payment, and then have the New Flower make her entrance"

Wu Long flatly rejected the proposition, and Old Yen sighed with resignation as this was now out of his hands.

"Making enemies as soon as you return is not the best way to stay among the living, Mister Wu"

"I know, so I thought of making some allies as well"

Wu Long placed the spatial ring with the money he bid that he previously separated while on the balcony. Old Yen checked the sum and nodded with satisfaction, but then Wu Long placed another spatial ring on the table with words about making allies Old Yen checked it with an intrigued expression. His expression quickly changed to that of astonishment, which he quickly concealed but the riches he found in that spatial ring were very substantial.

"Are you willing to hire our services?"

Old Yen said with a polite smile, his tone turning a little more respectful.

"Yes, but I would like to enjoy my winnings first"

"Certainly"

Wu Long nodded, and Old Yen stood up, leaving the room with a quick gait.