Marry the Demon Sect Girl with No Bride Price-Chapter 170: Orchid in Prison

The patriarch’s room was quite spacious, but it was draped everywhere in black cloth, even blocking the moonlight from the window. Only a few flickering candles lit up the corners, giving it an eerie feel.

Housekeeper Lu was not the least bit surprised, evidently accustomed to it. He walked into the inner chamber, where a large bed was also covered with black curtains, through which a withered figure could vaguely be seen by candlelight.

"Patriarch."

Housekeeper Lu bowed in greeting.

The withered figure behind the curtain spoke, his voice like a broken gong, hoarse and fearsome:

"Has the third one been found?"

Housekeeper Lu lowered his head and replied, "We have searched through three cities and twelve towns, and still have not found any trace of the third master."

"What?"

The hoarse voice sounded again, now laced with anger.

Housekeeper Lu quickly said, "However, in Yunling Town, we found some clues."

He then relayed the information gathered by the black-clothed messenger, which included Pei Daoyu and Qin Gengyun.

After he finished speaking, there was a moment of silence behind the black curtain, and then a voice finally said:

"Send Old Five and Old Four to take a trip. Chang Chunzi, after all, belongs to the Chang Family. No matter how disappointing, it is up to us to discipline him—it’s not for others to interfere."

"Understood."

Housekeeper Lu cupped his hands in acknowledgment. He hesitated for a moment before quietly asking:

"Patriarch, the husbands and fathers of those female cultivators came to the gate crying again, but I persuaded them to leave."

The withered figure behind the curtain said flatly, "Send someone to properly console them tomorrow. After all, they are all subjects of my Chang Family."

"Yes! Patriarch, as per your instruction, we captured two female cultivators with Earth Spirit Roots yesterday. They came from outside the town, so they won’t attract attention."

"Hmm, I need a month to fully digest after absorbing Primordial Yin and Divine Sense once. Send another one over next month at this time."

"Understood, I will take my leave now."

Housekeeper Lu exited the room and left the patriarch’s courtyard. The path he took grew narrower, leading into a forest. Passing through a Concealment Array, an iron gate appeared ahead.

He took out a key and opened the door to enter, arriving at the underground of the Chang Family Immortal Mansion.

Descending along a dark ladder for a while, the sound of weeping women echoed ahead.

Housekeeper Lu walked over to find a dungeon.

The cells were divided into three sections, each large enough to hold dozens of people.

Shockingly, these three cells were actually confining over a dozen female cultivators each.

These female cultivators mostly wore regular dresses or long robes, clearly not Prostitute Cultivators, but respectable women.

At this moment, some of these female cultivators were quietly sobbing, some were lifeless, their hair was disheveled, and their bodies bore marks from whipping.

Housekeeper Lu, long accustomed to the sight, walked straight to a guard and calmly asked:

"Have these women caused any more trouble?"

The guard respectfully replied, "As you ordered, those who dared to make noise were greeted with the God-piercing Whip, and now they’re much quieter."

The God-piercing Whip is a torture tool specifically used on cultivators, with barbs that pierce the body causing external injuries, while also scourging the Divine Sense, rendering the cultivator utterly miserable.

However, due to its excessive cruelty, this instrument was banned a hundred years ago in the Eastern Cultivation Land.

It was unexpected to find it reappearing in this concealed dungeon of the Chang Family.

Housekeeper Lu coldly said, "The cultivation technique of the patriarch requires the attraction of a female cultivator’s Primordial Yin and Divine Sense every month. Be careful not to damage their Divine Sense."

"Understood!"

The guard cupped his hands respectfully, hesitating before saying:

"Housekeeper Lu, the female cultivator we captured yesterday—with the customary Killing Whip given to her—the others were wailing non-stop, but she showed no sign of pain; there might be something unusual."

"Oh, which one?" Housekeeper Lu was also a bit surprised.

The ancient and cruel God-piercing Whip might not cause severe injuries, but it directly assaulted the Divine Sense, leaving the sufferers howling and convulsing at worst, or in a scattered state of soul at best.

It was the first time Housekeeper Lu heard of someone unresponsive to the God-piercing Whip.

"That one."

The guard pointed to one of the cells, where over a dozen female cultivators lay limp on the ground, except for one who was sitting cross-legged, facing the wall.

She wore a plain white robe, her posture upright, with a single ponytail cascading down to her waist. Though stained with blood, she exuded a sharp and crisp demeanor.

Housekeeper Lu squinted his eyes slightly, "The one from Yunling Town?"

"Yes, that’s her."

"Have her come over, I have something to ask."

"Understood."

The guard responded, then shouted towards the female cultivator:

"Hey, you sitting there, come over here!"

Yet she remained indifferent, continuing to sit cross-legged as if cultivating.

Housekeeper Lu chuckled, "Still able to cultivate? This female cultivator is quite interesting."

The guard, embarrassed, lifted the God-piercing Whip and infused it with spiritual power, the whip’s body slithering through the cell bars, striking the female cultivator with a snap.

The barbs on the whip pierced her flesh, drawing a spurt of blood.

But the female cultivator remained utterly still, seemingly indifferent to the pain.

The guard, enraged, swung his arm, continuously lashing the God-piercing Whip on her, soon leaving spots of blood on the plain white robe, yet the slender back remained straight.

"Enough."

Housekeeper Lu commanded, forcing the guard to halt. Housekeeper Lu, smiling, then addressed the female cultivator:

"Taoist Friend, I heard you’re from Yunling Town?"

The female cultivator still did not move, so Housekeeper Lu continued, "Yunling Town isn’t large, and alchemists above the Third Tier are few and far between. Have you heard of a Third Tier alchemist named... Qin Gengyun?"

Upon hearing the name, the female cultivator, who had remained unmoved by the God-piercing Whip, finally reacted.

She turned her head, revealing a face full of spirit; her features weren’t particularly delicate, yet she exuded a radiant, cheerful air.

On her left shoulder was embroidered an orchid, complementing her spirited face, making her all the more captivating.

Seeing the female cultivator’s reaction, Housekeeper Lu’s eyes lit up, "Do you know him?"

The woman shook her head, turned back to face the wall, and continued her cultivation.

"How impertinent of this wench!"

The guard was about to whip her again when Housekeeper Lu said, "That’s enough—just the other day you whipped one to death, and I haven’t even settled accounts with you yet!"

"Housekeeper Lu, please calm down, we will be more mindful."

The guard, frightened, stayed his hand, daring not to strike again.

Housekeeper Lu took a deep look at the female cultivator’s back before finally turning to leave.

The guard returned to his post, and quiet finally returned to the deep dungeon, albeit occasionally interrupted by the women’s sobs, which the guard quickly silenced.

In the cell, the poised female cultivator opened her eyes, her bloodstained and dirty face blossoming into an orchid-like smile.

"Taoist Friend Qin, so you’ve become a Third Tier alchemist? How wonderful."

... 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Two days later.

Yunling Town.

Caifeng Street.

A new plaque hung above the gates of the Spirit Vein Immortal Mansion, displaying three large characters—

Qinhe Garden.

This was the name Qin Gengyun gave to his new home.

At this moment, Qinhe Garden was filled with guests.

Qin Gengyun’s former colleagues from the Spirit Pill Workshop, neighbors from Narrow Rain Lane, and the "sisters" that Qiu Zhihe met while shopping daily, all gathered to celebrate the housewarming of Qin Gengyun and his wife.