The sky was full of vultures, scavenger birds and crows. Corpses that had not yet rotted, broken limbs that had solidified into granite-like blood clots, scorched and crumbling bulwarks, collapsed city walls, warriors who had died in battle, fractured sabers and swords… the ground was dyed red with blood and had turned into a crimson mire…
Surveying the vast land, even the plants had turned crimson.
The stench of blood reeked into the sky, and all kinds of maggots were breeding. It was like hell on earth.
The situation had become extremely chaotic.
It was not until a peripheral Hall Master of the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost came to Earth Province with nearly 1,000 of his Holy Guards and eliminated 21 demonic forces that the melee reached an apogee. The chaos ended temporarily with the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost managing to crush the tumult.
After the war, the Demon Clan of Earth Province also paid a heavy price. This was a war with no victor.
The smoke of dust and saltpeter slowly dissipated.
The turmoil had turned the entire Earth Province into a land of death. More than 80% of the Human and Demon populations had been decimated.
One could imagine that for a very long time after that, this land which was not that prosperous to begin with would become even more barren.
In the end, some kind of compromise was reached between the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost and the supreme forces of the Demon Clan. Their forces both withdrew from Earth Province, leaving the rest of the humans and the demons to go on punitive expeditions of their own.
There were also other rumors.
It was said that this catastrophe was masterminded by a certain clandestine force outside the province, in order to provoke armed conflicts between the Holy Palace of Mysterious Frost and the Demon God’s armies in the Northern Region. After nearly a thousand years of peace, the Human Clan and the Demon Clan had gone through a rare period of recovery. Some forces were restless and impatient about the current situation, eager to wage another Holy War between the two clans in order to profit from it.
Some also predicted that the calm on the surface would not last. After a short period of peace, an even more terrible tempest would follow.
After that, not only the Northern Region, but the entire Land of Infinity, would be plunged into chaos and carnage.
All kinds of rumors spread from several major forces. For a time, everyone was in a state of panic. There was a feeling that a storm was coming, dark clouds were gathering over the city, and the city was about to be annihilated like in the end times.
However, these had nothing to do with Ding Hao for the time being.
Because by this time, Ding Hao had already left the Northern Region.
The Land of Infinity was divided into five regions: Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central.
It would take a long time to travel from the Northern Region to the Southern Region, due to the fact that they were not adjoining each other. Going by the most direct route, one would need to traverse several large provinces of the Divine Central Continent, and use the space gates to constantly teleport oneself to the Southern Region.
It would be a long journey.
Golden Cicada had once told him that even if he were to travel all this time using the space gates’ teleportation ports, it would still take almost half a year for him to reach his destination.
A month had gone by since he parted ways with Bai Quanshui, Song Que, and the others.
A month ago, Ding Hao and Golden Cicada had met up to travel together to the Southern Region in search of Ding Hao’s sister, Ding Ke’er. Now, they had finally departed the Northern Region and arrived at the Divine Central Continent.
On this day, the sun was setting in the west.
Ding Hao and Golden Cicada finally reached Yellow Province, one of the 46 major provinces of the Divine Central Continent.
Yellow Province was not a large province among the 46 provinces of the Central Region. It was smaller than about 30 provinces, but since it was located in the most fecund land in the Land of Infinity, it had distinct seasons all year round, with plentiful heaven-and-earth power and abundant tides. The province had bountiful Spiritual Qi, was beautiful and inspiring, inhabited by bright remarkable individuals, and with strange and wondrous scenic sights rarely seen by Ding Hao after his teleportation journey.
“Looks like we’re going to spend the night by Chu River,” Golden Cicada said softly as he looked at the river flowing east.
The city they were at now was called Chu City.
Chu City was one of the major cities inhabited by humans in Yellow Province. There was a special space gate within that led to most provinces and cities of the Divine Central Continent. However, outsiders needed to obtain permission if they wished to travel via the space gate. Generally speaking, the space gate would be closed at night, so the two of them could not travel using its teleportation port tonight.
Ding Hao nodded and said, “Well, I’ve never seen such a big river before, but it’s good to be able to enjoy such beautiful scenery.”
They were in a restaurant that was dozens of stories high, in the middle of Chu City.
Looking out down the window, a crimson, blood-like sun was slowly sinking into the river in the distance.
The Chu River ran through Chu City, and divided the large city into two sections. The river was dozens of kilometers wide, with unfathomable depth. On the surface, the river ran extremely smoothly, but 50 meters below the surface, the tides surged turbulently. There were countless extremely terrifying undercurrents. Even a warrior of the Martial King Realm plunging himself down that depth could not survive.
The boats shuttled ceaselessly along the surface of the water, all precious vessels guarded by inscriptions. They were extremely solid, unafraid of the currents, and moved extremely fast, leaving ripples on the water surface that did not disappear for a long time.
The river was so wide that it resembled the sea.
Ding Hao had never seen such a magnificent river in his previous life before. Gazing down from a height, he suddenly found it extremely beautiful. The water and the sky were blended in a single color, and the river was dyed crimson by the setting sun. Countless boats were shuttling back and forth, the larger ones like giant structures skimming the river, while the smaller ones were like willow leaves falling onto the water surface.
“The Central Region, also known as the Land of the Divine, really lives up to its name. The scenery of other cities in the Northern Region absolutely cannot compare with this.” Ding Hao could not help but praise with a sigh.
Night descended.
The surface of the river was ablaze with fiery sparks, and bright lanterns were hanging on all passing ships.
From a distance, the lights on the dark water surface were like stars, each sparkling singularly. The Milky Way seemed to be suspended upside down on the earth’s surface. The closer they were to the riverbank, the denser the lights. More and more people started to crowd along the bank. Quite clearly, the night markets here were busy and teeming with visitors.
The sounds of singing, dancing and drumming drifted downstairs.
When Ding Hao took a closer look, he saw that most of the boats floating on the shallow water were hanging with bright red lanterns. There were people constantly ascending and descending the stairs, and many young girls could be faintly seen on these boats. They were dressed in fancy clothes and gossamer gauze, looking extremely seductive, smiling and greeting the crowds along the shore.
They turned out to be floating brothels.
Ding Hao could not help but laugh.
He did not expect that in this world, the service industry would be so developed too.
Sitting by the side, Golden Cicada was wearing a cassock, a Buddhist rosary hanging down his chest. He looked like a Buddhist master, but was staring at the brothel boats below with interest. His eyes were riveted on these floating brothels, extremely absorbed.
Ding Hao was no longer surprised.
This holy monk from Great Leiyin Monastery was completely different from those old-fashioned, ascetic, and well-behaved sadhus in most people’s impression. He was never afraid to eat meat, was especially fond of wine, and enjoyed delicious food and wine wherever he went. He did not act like a monk at all.
However, this was the first time he was staring at a brothel boat like that.
“Why? You want to be a playboy?” Ding Hao teased. They were already very familiar with each other after the journey. Golden Cicada liked crowds. When there were no other acquaintances around, he would not get angry when Ding Hao joked with him.
Golden Cicada smiled and was about to say something…
… When suddenly, a sudden noise erupted from below.
The crowds were like waves, rushing toward the nearest brothel boat below the restaurant.
The brothel boat was 1,000 meters long and more than 500 meters wide, nine stories tall and had carved cornices on each story. Extravagant and luxurious, it was like a precious ship cast out of pure gold, extremely opulent and the most magnificent vessel within dozens of miles.
There were many people on the golden boat. Even the helmsman was a young lady dressed in a gossamer palace dress. There were many female warriors clad in black, bikini-like armor, patrolling back and forth—all young, beautiful, and extremely alluring.
The boat was parked by the riverbank, with six three-meter-wide boards on the wharf. Many expert martial artists were guarding the boat with strict formations. Only a few personages of high status could finally get on the brothel boat, stepping onboard.
The masses were like waves, crowding the wharf so densely that even water could not seep through them.
It was a fanatical scene, as if the crowds were waiting for something momentous to happen.
Some thought that they were strong enough and wanted to barge onto the boat, but they were rudely manhandled and thrown into the freezing river by the martial artists there.
The scene was a little chaotic, and the crowds too zealous.
Ding Hao’s curiosity was also piqued.
He waved his hand, summoned the waiter of the restaurant, threw him a gold piece, and asked, pointing down, “Waiter, why is there such a big crowd down over there?”
The waiter grabbed the gold and beamed with joy. He told him everything he knew.
“Sirs, you two must be from elsewhere, aren’t you? You’ve come right on time! Tonight is the Chu City Festival of the Ten Most Generous Clients Bidding for Courtesans. The Golden Boat of the Nine Heavens Mystic Fairies is our largest floating brothel, from the biggest service house in the Central Divine Continent, Miaoyu Bordello. They have the best courtesans on Chu River, as well as the finest female musicians trained by various forces… This golden boat is the sensual dream of countless men. Many men from big cities outside Chu City have come here just to see this magnificent scene today.”
Ding Hao nodded.
“So that’s what it is.”
It was somewhat similar to the legendary Qinhuai Riverbank of ancient earth in his previous life.
In the past, such events could only be heard in stories. Yet today, he had witnessed it unexpectedly with his own eyes. It really felt unique. From this, he could surmise that the Divine Central Continent was countless times more prosperous than the Northern Region. Even in Sword City, that renowned metropolis of the Northern Region, Ding Hao had never seen such an extravagant scene before.
He only hoped that the willpower of the Human Clan in the Divine Central Continent had not been corrupted by such intoxicating indulgence.
At this moment, there was a sudden change below.
The wharf, which was already very crowded, was suddenly thronged with even more fanatical hordes, like a handful of salt thrown into a slightly hot oil pan. The crowd could not help but go wild. People were pushing one other, their heads wriggling, and angry curses rose and fell. Some were shoved into the water. Even a few of the warriors who were maintaining order had fallen into the river, and the scene was chaotic.
“Hmm?”
Ding Hao was surprised to see a white cavalcade slowly approaching in the distance.
In front of the convoy, there were about 20 riders on horseback, all dressed in white attire and skirts. They were all young girls about 16, crossdressing in swordmen’s robes and armors. They looked exceptionally pretty, delicate yet heroic, approaching slowly while escorting a carriage with a dazzling white canopy.
