Half an hour later, the weasel led Gu Qingfeng to an ancient mansion.
It was a two-entry mansion, laid out similarly to a traditional courtyard house, with buildings on all four sides surrounding a large square courtyard, forming a "mouth" shape. The so-called two-entry design added a horizontal line to the center of the "mouth," turning it into a "sun".
Before even entering, the sounds of lively chatter and laughter could be heard from inside, as if a grand banquet were underway.
"Sir, this is the place. As you can hear, it's full of people," the weasel said with a flattering smile.
Gu Qingfeng grabbed the weasel by its neck, his calm demeanor hiding a simmering rage. "Do you think I'm an idiot? Take a good look around! We're in the middle of nowhere, with not a soul in sight, and yet here stands a mansion. Tell me, what kind of fool would build a mansion in this godforsaken place?"
The weasel, terrified, tried to argue, but before it could say anything, there was a sickening crack.
Its neck was snapped.
Gu Qingfeng tossed the weasel's corpse aside like garbage and strode toward the mansion.
Bang!
He kicked the door open, revealing the scene inside.
Indeed, there was a crowd holding a banquet, with about a dozen tables laden with sumptuous dishes. The guests were laughing, toasting, and enjoying themselves. A stage had been set up, where a guzheng player performed and dancers twirled gracefully.
When Gu Qingfeng barged in, the crowd showed no surprise or alarm. Instead, they continued laughing, their smiles frozen on their faces, unchanging.
Gu Qingfeng sneered. Through his Eyes of Truth, he saw that there were no living people in the mansion—only paper effigies. And the so-called delicacies on the tables were nothing but maggots and flies.
The only exceptions were the figures seated at the head table, who were weasels in human form.
At that moment, a portly old man sitting at the head of the table spoke up. "Esteemed guest, you've come from afar, and I apologize for not welcoming you properly. Please, take a seat and enjoy..."
Before the old man could finish, an overwhelming surge of spiritual power erupted from Gu Qingfeng, instantly enveloping the entire room.
The music and laughter ceased abruptly, as if someone had pressed a pause button.
In an instant, everyone in the room felt an immense pressure, as though a mountain had been dropped on them. Under such weight, they couldn't hold on for even a second. They all collapsed to their knees. The portly old man and the others at the head table could no longer maintain their human forms and reverted to their true shapes—plump weasels.
"Hmph," Gu Qingfeng snorted coldly. He strode toward the head table, stepping over anyone who happened to be in his way.
When he reached the weasel that had transformed into the portly old man, he didn't waste any words. With a single kick, he sent the creature flying and took its seat at the head of the table.
Then, he released his spiritual pressure and commanded, "Keep the music playing and the dancers dancing!"
Gu Qingfeng knew he wouldn't be returning to Wutong Prefecture or visiting the Heavenly Fragrance Tower tonight, so he decided to make do with this place.
At least the weasels had kept the mansion in decent condition, and the paper effigies were somewhat presentable.
The weasels exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to do.
Gu Qingfeng's voice turned icy. "What the hell are you waiting for? Didn't you hear me?"
Seeing the weasels standing around like idiots only fueled his anger. He kicked each one of them.
Finally, the weasels snapped out of their stupor and began controlling the paper effigies to resume the music and dancing. The guests below continued toasting and laughing, just as before.
The weasels, meanwhile, knelt at Gu Qingfeng's feet, trembling in fear.
They weren't fools. The spiritual pressure Gu Qingfeng had unleashed earlier was terrifying. Under such force, they couldn't even breathe, let alone resist.
Faced with a powerhouse of this caliber, they had no choice but to submit and beg for mercy.
"Spare us, great one! We've never harmed anyone! We've only been guarding this small territory!"
Gu Qingfeng ignored their pleas, instead frowning at the so-called delicacies on the table.
Bang!
He kicked the table over. "What kind of garbage is this? Hey, you lot, go get me some real food fit for humans!"
"B-but, great one, this is all we have in our humble abode!"
Slap!
"If you don't have it here, then go hunt some wild game and roast it! Send the paper effigies to do it. I don't want to hear any excuses. I'm in a bad mood because I can't go home. From now on, keep your mouths shut. Not a single word. Just do as I say. Understood?"
"Y-yes, yes, yes!" one of the weasels stammered, nodding frantically.
Bang!
Gu Qingfeng's fist shot out, and the weasel's body exploded into a cloud of blood, filling the air with a metallic stench.
The other weasels were petrified, unable to comprehend why Gu Qingfeng had suddenly killed one of their own without warning.
Gu Qingfeng spoke calmly. "I just told you to keep your mouths shut, and yet it immediately said 'yes' three times. Clearly, it didn't take me seriously.
Let me make this clear one last time: you will obey my orders without uttering a single word. Understood?"
The remaining weasels covered their mouths with their paws and nodded furiously.
"Then what the hell are you waiting for? Go hunt some game!"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Bang!
...
Half an hour later, Gu Qingfeng was feasting on roasted wild boar, mountain pheasant, and rabbit, accompanied by a fine monkey-brewed wine. He watched the dance performance while two weasels fanned him and two paper effigies, transformed into maids, massaged his shoulders and legs.
In this way, Gu Qingfeng's restless, wandering heart found a sliver of solace.
Meanwhile...
In Wutong Prefecture, Li Qianren's expression darkened as he read a secret missive.
"What's wrong? You look terrible," the seductive fox spirit, who had previously fought Gu Qingfeng in the third level of the Demon Prison, asked with concern.
Li Qianren's face was grim. After a moment, he handed the missive to the fox spirit. "See for yourself."
The fox spirit quickly scanned the letter, her face paling in shock.
"What!? There really is a god in this world? And of all things, they happened to step on the barrier of the Jade Dragon Secret Realm while chasing demons?"
Li Qianren's expression was equally grim. "Fortunately, the Dragon Transformation Realm expert tasked with guarding the barrier managed to stabilize it, preventing the realm from collapsing. But because of the god's misstep, the Jade Dragon Secret Realm will emerge earlier than planned. What's worse, that single step drained most of the realm's energy. This might be the last time it opens."
The fox spirit's face turned sorrowful. "It's emerging earlier? But you're not fully prepared yet. What are we going to do? Is this fate's cruel joke?"
"I don't believe in fate!" Li Qianren roared, his face twisted in fury.
At that moment, he resembled a wounded wolf howling in pain, completely devoid of his usual composure.