Chapter 61: The Top Floor

I scanned the gambling den with my Heavenly Eye, yet found nothing within that could have harmed Liu Qingqing.

Without lingering a moment longer, I headed straight for the fourth floor.

I had to hurry; the club owner had not given me much time!

As soon as I reached the fourth floor, I felt an intense wave of Yin energy surging toward me.

Although I was somewhat prepared, the impact of this Yin energy still caused a sharp, agonizing pain deep within my internal organs.

A wave of lingering fear washed over me. Had I insisted on acting recklessly and throwing my weight around in this women’s club, I would likely be nothing more than a corpse lying out on the street right now.

The terrifying nature of this women's club far exceeded my imagination.

Luo walked ahead of me and waved her hand outward.

I knew not what secret technique she employed, but the torrential Yin energy rushing toward me vanished instantly.

With the disappearance of the Yin energy, the scene before me finally came into clear focus.

In the rooms of this fourth floor, numerous male technicians and attendants lay resting peacefully and docilely.

Using my Heavenly Eye, I was able to see their true condition at that moment.

Clinging to the neck of every single one of them was a Yin infant bound with a red cord. It appeared as though these men’s bodies were being used as sacrifices to perform some kind of special ritual.

I asked no questions, knowing that even if I did, Luo would not tell me.

This woman had been harboring a grudge against me ever since I attacked her earlier.

Yet, even without her speaking, I now understood why those influential and wealthy matrons flocked here in an endless stream.

The male technicians in Luo’s club really could captivate wealthy women by borrowing the power of these minor spirits clinging to their necks.

The benefit of doing so was that it slowed the aging of their skin and preserved their youth forever.

To any woman who desired beauty, such an effect held a truly fatal temptation.

However, these Yin infants possessed exceptionally docile temperaments; they lacked the capability to make that kind of mark grow on Liu Qingqing.

What on earth could it be?

At this moment, my mind was entirely blank, and my nerves were strung to their absolute limit.

I continued up the stairs, knowing full well that I had to quicken my pace. Once the time limit expired, the club owner would surely drive me out of the premises.

I had already experienced a glimpse of her strength. If I dared to act presumptuously with her, I would undoubtedly meet a miserable end!

Soon, I reached the top floor of the club.

To my bewilderment, however, the iron door leading out to the rooftop was locked, and a Soul-Suppressing Talisman was pasted directly across it.

Judging by the circumstances, some formidable peril seemed to reside on this rooftop.

Yet, such a talisman was by no means difficult for me to handle.

Moreover, the existence of this rooftop gave my tightly wound anxieties a faint direction to follow.

If my guess was correct, the infant-spirit mark on Liu Qingqing's forehead was definitely related to this rooftop.

I clenched my fists, preparing to smash the door open and force my way in.

Just then, Luo, who had been standing silently behind me, suddenly called out:

"You cannot enter here!"

Luo’s voice was direct and resolute.

However, for me, with the arrow already notched on the bowstring, her words were entirely useless.

"I must go in!"

I retorted with a solemn expression. This place concerned Liu Qingqing’s life and death; I had to get involved!

Even though the arranged marriage between us no longer bound us, my damn savior complex still compelled me to look after her.

Luo had not expected me to speak to her in such a manner.

She cast a freezing glare at me, then declared with absolute determination:

"Chen Qiyue, let me give you a piece of advice: do not take yourself too seriously. The owner has already shown you immense grace. If you push your luck any further, you truly will have no shame left."

"Here is my final warning: this is not a place you can enter! Get lost right now. Stay as far away from our club as possible, the farther the better!"

Seeing the deep hatred in Luo’s eyes as she glared at me, a strange and inexplicable excitement surged within my heart.

Her expression was proof enough that I had come to the right place.

Beyond this door might truly lie the origin of the infant-spirit mark that had grown on Liu Qingqing's forehead.

"Manager Luo, step aside. Your owner told me herself that she was giving me thirty minutes. My time is not up yet, and I can go wherever I please. Are you claiming to hold more authority than your owner?"

Provoked by my words, Luo grew somewhat frantic, but restrained by the fact that I was their owner’s guest, she dared not lay a hand on me.

"Chen Qiyue, you are going too far. This rooftop is a forbidden zone of our women's club, and everyone who enters it dies! That is an indisputable fact. If you are not afraid of death, feel free to go in. I will not stop you!"

"Just make sure you have thought it through. If you die inside, no one will go in to save you."

Luo stared at me with a cold sneer, her expression not looking at all like she was merely trying to scare me.

Yet the more she said this, the more determined I was to go inside and see for myself.

I wanted to find out what kind of monstrous entity could cause Liu Qingqing to fall victim to it without her even realizing it.

If all this was true, then whoever was behind it possessed terrifyingly potent methods.

"Manager Luo, life and death are decreed by fate, and wealth is in the hands of heaven! You need not worry about my survival. Since I dare to enter, it proves I am not afraid of whatever lies within."

I spoke to Luo with earnest sincerity, though this woman kept pouring cold water on me at every turn.

"Hmph! Since that is how you want it, I will say no more. Do as you please."

With that, Luo retreated toward the stairwell, clearly unwilling to take the risk alongside me.

Soon, however, her expression turned grave. She covered her ear with one hand in a gesture of utmost respect, seemingly receiving instructions of some kind.

"Understood, Owner. I comprehend. I will convey the situation to him, please rest assured!"

Having said this, Luo withdrew an earphone and handed it over to me.

"Chen Qiyue, our owner has something to say to you."

With lingering suspicion, I took the earpiece from Luo and pushed it into my ear. Moments later, the familiar female voice I had heard earlier echoed through it.

"You certainly have a lot of nerve, Chen Qiyue. Do you have any idea what is inside the place you are about to enter? With your meager cultivation, you might very well die in there."

"As an old friend of your grandfather, it is my duty to remind you: the probability of you walking out alive after entering is nearly zero. Of course, miracles can never be entirely ruled out."

"However, let us make our terms clear beforehand. I can let you in, but if anything happens to you inside or if you lose your life there, it has nothing to do with our women's club."

"Naturally, I, Chen Qiyue, shall bear the consequences of all this entirely on my own!"

I shouted immediately, and then moved to open the door.

"Since you say so, go on in then. But how you enter and how you exit are entirely your own business. Our women's club will not interfere."

"There is one more thing I must warn you about, or rather, demand of you. You must not damage a single one of the inscriptions and spells on this iron door, and you especially must not harm that Soul-Suppressing Talisman."

"You are a Feng Shui master; you should be able to see that the expert who drew that Soul-Suppressing Talisman possesses extraordinary skills. I do not wish to owe anyone favors, so I demand that you leave them intact. Otherwise, you will be leaving your life here!"

Though the female club owner's voice was calm, nearly every single sentence was laden with murderous intent.

I knew with absolute certainty in my heart that if I violated even a single condition of my agreement with her, she could easily and effortlessly dispose of me.

In her eyes, I was merely an instrument she was using to repay a favor owed to my grandfather.

With no other choice, in order to save my ex-girlfriend Liu Qingqing, I could only agree. I then signed a special protocol with Luo.

The protocol stipulated that no matter what happened to me, it would have nothing to do with the women's club, and I would bear all consequences and my own life and death solely upon myself!

Once this protocol was signed, my curiosity about the club owner reached its absolute peak.

It seemed she still harbored a trace of lingering affection for her old friendship with my grandfather.

Handing the signed protocol back to Luo, I finally stepped directly before the rooftop door bearing the Soul-Suppressing Talisman.

"Step back. This Soul-Suppressing Talisman is extremely powerful. Breaking the seal might injure you!"

I called out to Luo behind me, but from her icy gaze, I felt as though my good intentions had been completely ignored.

It seemed my warning had been entirely superfluous!

I paid her no further heed and focused all my attention on breaking the seal before this great door.

Though I put on a confident front, deep down I knew all too well: this talisman was far from simple!

And the entity locked away on this rooftop was undoubtedly just as formidable!