Yin Shiren, with the little Emperor Peng perched upon his shoulder, had stepped into the Fickleness Pavilion.
"Welcome, honored guest. Please, take a seat," Auntie Li said.
No sooner had Yin Shiren entered than he was greeted by a welcoming voice.
It belonged to Auntie Li, a bird with golden feathers upon her head and azure plumage upon her body, standing at the entrance to receive guests.
"Good sir, I toast to you!" one young woman exclaimed.
"Good sir, you are magnificent!" another young woman cried.
Of course, these words were not spoken by Auntie Li to Yin Shiren.
Rather, they were the utterances of two young women from separate tables—words plucked from their hearts by Auntie Li's uncanny ability to discern human desire.
Witnessing this, the little Emperor Peng fluttered off Yin Shiren's shoulder and alighted before Auntie Li.
The golden avian before her seemed to strike fear into Auntie Li's heart, for she frantically beat her wings in a desperate attempt to shoo him away.
"Outrageous! Rude! Audacious!" Auntie Li muttered.
But Yin Shiren, who knew the truth, understood—these were not her words. They were Emperor Peng's favorite phrases.
"Enough of this disrespect," Fu Changgui declared.
Just then, a man with a broad face and an air of prosperity approached Yin Shiren, chastising Auntie Li.
"I am Fu Changgui, proprietor of the Fickleness Pavilion. Welcome, honored guest," Fu Changgui announced.
With that, Fu Changgui ushered Yin Shiren inside.
At his words, Auntie Li ceased her flailing.
Seizing the opportunity, the little Emperor Peng sidled up beside her, perching upon the same wooden rail.
Seeing this, Yin Shiren cast a strange glance at the two birds, then at Fu Changgui beside him.
The scene bore an uncanny resemblance to a brothel madam scolding a courtesan into submission—except here, the courtesan was a bird, and the patron was also a bird.
"I do not entertain guests! I do not!" Auntie Li protested.
As if sensing Yin Shiren's thoughts, Auntie Li protested even more vehemently, refusing the Emperor Peng's advances.
"Ah…" Fu Changgui sighed.
Fu Changgui, too, seemed to realize the implication.
"Honored guest, you see…" Fu Changgui began.
He glanced awkwardly at Yin Shiren, for in this brief moment, the Emperor Peng had truly begun behaving like a patron, inching ever closer to Auntie Li.
"Come back," Yin Shiren commanded.
Seeing the Emperor Peng's antics, Yin Shiren swiftly recalled him.
After all, though the Fickleness Pavilion was a house of pleasure, and its women did entertain guests—
—that did not mean its birds should do the same.
Whether the esteemed reader-fathers could stomach such a sight, Yin Shiren did not know. But he himself certainly could not.
At his summons, the little Emperor Peng obediently left the perch and returned to his shoulder.
Under Fu Changgui's guidance, Yin Shiren and his avian companion were led to an empty table.
"Four of your finest dishes, and a pot of good wine," Yin Shiren ordered.
Once seated, Yin Shiren placed his order.
"At once, honored guest," Fu Changgui replied.
With that, Fu Changgui departed to arrange the meal.
Yin Shiren took the opportunity to survey the Fickleness Pavilion's lavish decor.
Alas, Yin Shiren was a man of crude tastes, and neither the Emperor Peng, the Corpse Puppet, nor the two Extinction Realm Spirits were cultured souls.
Thus, his inspection yielded no insights.
Yet, his wandering gaze had not gone unnoticed.
Indeed, the peculiar duo of a man and a bird had already drawn the attention of many patrons.
But it was only when Yin Shiren turned to look around that they truly saw his face.
"What a handsome young master!" one courtesan gasped.
"I've never seen one so fair!" another courtesan sighed.
From two tables, the sighs of admiration rose in unison.
These were the very women whose thoughts Auntie Li had earlier voiced—"Good sir, I toast to you!" and "Good sir, you are magnificent!"
They were not guests of the pavilion, but its courtesans, attending to their patrons.
Yin Shiren heard their words but paid them no mind.
With the memories of the Corpse Puppet and his own modern recollections, he had seen countless beauties.
Yet, unbeknownst to him, beneath the table, the two women were gazing at his silhouette, their thighs pressed tightly together, rubbing faintly.
Their cheeks bore an unnatural flush.
As seasoned courtesans of the Fickleness Pavilion, they were professionals.
But at the sight of Yin Shiren, they had lost control.
Their patrons, far from naive, noticed immediately.
Men who frequented such establishments were no strangers to desire.
And so, recognizing the humiliation, they resolved to take their frustration out on the bird-toting youth.
Ignoring their companions' strange behavior, they rose and strode toward Yin Shiren.
Though Yin Shiren sensed their approach, he did not suspect ill intent.
After all, he had done nothing to provoke them—no arrogance, no posturing.
Why would they seek trouble?
"Hey, kid!" one man barked.
A hand clapped down on Yin Shiren's shoulder.
Only then did he realize their target was him.
Turning, he asked, "Can I help you?" Yin Shiren inquired.
But the moment he faced them—
"So handsome… Ah, I'm dead!" Auntie Li blurted.
"I want to bear his children!" Auntie Li added.
Auntie Li, still at the entrance, blurted out these words.
The two men's faces darkened further.
As regulars, they knew Auntie Li's ability.
These were the women's true thoughts.
Yin Shiren, too, understood.
His gaze flicked to the courtesans—their dazed eyes, flushed cheeks, the subtle motion of their legs.
Have I truly become as handsome as the reader-fathers?, Yin Shiren wondered.
For a moment, he was baffled.
But soon, suspicion crept in.
He admitted he was attractive—though still a step below the reader-fathers—but this reaction was excessive.
Before he could ponder further, the two men, unable to endure the insult, swung their fists at him.
Caught off guard, Yin Shiren did not react.
Their blows landed—
—yet he remained unmoved.
Instead, the two were sent flying, crashing into the wall before they stopped.
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