However, a confident smile graced Zhao Ziran's pretty face. She wasn't unfamiliar with the Ninefold Divine Child—they had met once during Li Dong's world tour, on their trip to Shikijima.
Even later, when Li Dong came to Shikijima to accomplish something, some untold "stories" occurred between him, the Ninefold Divine Child, and Yoshiwara Tsubaki-hime. Of course…
She was fully aware of these things, but Ziran knew that a man's heart couldn't be forcibly bound, so she "acquiesced" to some matters.
But this didn't mean Ziran knew nothing.
Regarding matters concerning Li Dong, she believed the Ninefold Divine Child wouldn't choose to stand idly by.
The automatic rickshaw wound its way past more shrines and alleyways, the surroundings becoming increasingly antique, then along a clear river adorned with countless lanterns and lined with rows of willow trees, until they reached the Yanagawa River, arriving at Yoshiwara, a red-light district with a history spanning hundreds of years.
Compared to other parts of Edo, Yoshino retains more of its traditional, antique charm. However, convenient automated facilities, 3D projections for advertising, flashing neon lights, and colorful pavilions and towers, along with wind chimes and tassels, all intertwine and add to its allure.
The "Zhang Jianse" booths, where courtesans display themselves, still exist, lined up along the roadside…
But inside, the courtesans are no longer dressed in heavy, ornate kimonos with pale makeup. Instead, they wear outfits such as Lolita uniforms, police uniforms, maid outfits, and shrine maiden costumes, along with black and white stockings. Some even go so far as to use sheer lingerie—half-naked, breasts partially concealed, and thighs barely visible—as their seductive selling point.
Among them were courtesans dressed in modified kimonos that revealed more of their fair skin, creating a stunning sense of temporal displacement. These establishments lined the long street, brothels clustered together, neon lights shimmering, a sea of alluring women, teeming with people, exuding a strong sense of erotic temptation. It truly lived up to its reputation as the most prosperous and sought-after red-light district on Shikishima, a place coveted by scholars throughout history.
"The Ninefold Divine Child is actually here?"
Tang Shuyi's face showed a hint of disbelief. Having once mingled in the supernatural world, she knew all too well that this was the headquarters of Shikishima's two female strategic leaders, Yoshiwara Tsubaki and the conservative representative who controlled the shrine's power.
And her relationship with the Ninefold Divine Child, who controlled the shrine's influence and represented the conservative faction, wasn't exactly good. Zhao Ziran bit her red lips, a strange blush flashing across her face…
Indeed, logically speaking, the Nine-Headed Divine Child shouldn't be here. Her actions weren't opportunistic or threatening Yoshiwara's safety; quite the opposite, she protected Yoshiwara from any threat while Yoshiwara Tsubaki was away.
Logically, that's how it is, but… what if the two were "good sisters"?
As the first women to encounter the burgeoning "Star," their choices were strikingly similar. Yoshiwara Tsubaki only wanted a child of the Star, while this enigmatic fox, the Nine-Headed Divine Child, wanted much more.
Therefore, Zhao Ziran wasn't overly wary of Yoshiwara Tsubaki, but was extremely wary of the Nine-Headed Divine Child.
If there hadn't been no faster alternative, Ziran wouldn't have bothered seeking out the Nine-Headed Divine Child at all.
Upon arriving at "Chōsakura-rō," the highest-class brothel in Yoshiwara that catered to virtually any customer, Zhao Zhiran and her group, after identifying themselves, unsurprisingly encountered Kūjō Shrine Maiden.
Two beautiful girls in white stockings and thin kimonos led Zhao Zhiran, Tang Shuyi, and Luo Ming, who followed behind, seemed somewhat distracted.
His gaze lingered on Tang Shuyi's slender waist and shapely hips, then shifted to Zhao Zhiran's graceful back, a strange anticipation and smile playing on his lips.
"Snap..."
The two kimono-clad girls knelt before a paper door, their heads bowed, their black hair styled in buns. With small hands, they pulled open the paper door, embroidered with layers of cherry blossoms. In the center of an antique-style tatami room, beneath a silk screen, sat a woman dressed in a grand and ornate courtesan's robes, her pink hair styled in a graceful yet flamboyant way.
Her long, slender, snow-white legs, outlined in alluring curves beneath the skirt, revealed a pair of exquisitely beautiful, bare feet, white as snow and rosy as jade, peeking out from the smooth silk.
She was none other than the Ninefold Divine Child, one of the women standing at the very pinnacle of the extraordinary world of Shiki Island.
"Ara, what is it that brought you all to where I am?"
(Oh my, what is it that brought you all to my place?)
As if adapting to local customs, the venerable Kujukami, who always appeared in a pure white priestess's robes, with a clean and sacred demeanor, was now pregnant with a beautiful courtesan in a Yoshiwara brothel, and even her speech had changed to the so-called "Yoshiwara dialect."
"Alright... you vixen, you can probably guess why I've come."
Although she understood the Shikijima language, Zhi Ran had no interest in playing these roundabout word games with the Ninefold Divine Child. When it came to seeing through people's hearts and manipulating others, probably no one on Shikijima could compare to this high priestess, whom everyone ostensibly regarded as a living "god," but in reality, the vixen Ninefold Divine Child.
Facing her, being direct and getting straight to the point was the right approach.
Upon hearing Zhi Ran's words, the Ninefold Divine Child's beautiful face hardened, and her slender, graceful figure slowly straightened. Adopting the most formal sitting posture of Shiki Island, she gave Zhao Zhi Ran a slight nod, her cherry lips parting slightly:
"I have heard a little about it."
"I want to know where Arrogant Simon is hiding."
The Ninefold Divine Child's clear, watery eyes, with a hint of alluring pink in their pupils, lightly swept over the crowd. Zhao Zhi Ran, seemingly as calm and composed as ever, had a slight shift in her gaze. Tang Shuyi, and Luo Ming, whose eyes held a hint of wicked lust, suddenly covered their lips and chuckled, "Simon only arrived at Shiki Island yesterday. As for the location..."
She glanced westward through the wall and said, "Naturally, it's beside that stupid whale."
Zhi Ran bit her lip lightly. The location the Ninefold Divine Child mentioned...
It was exactly as she had predicted. Of the Seven Deadly Sins, the most powerful, the closest to the level of "Cataclysm," was the whale named Gluttony.
And Simon had the ability to control this terrifying whale. If Li Dong had been taken there... it seemed that without the Ninefold Divine Child's help, there would be no way to retrieve "Li Dong."
Seeing Zhao Zhi Ran lost in thought, a strange smile curved beneath the Ninefold Divine Child's covered lips.
As the culmination of Shinto worship, the Nine-Tailed Priestess, the Ninefold Divine Child, could monitor every move on Shikijima through the Jizo statues, torii gates, and other religious artifacts scattered throughout the island, even though the location of the Seven Deadly Sins whale was practically a bottomless abyss.
Simon was also difficult to monitor, but she was certain of one thing—
that Simon had returned to Shikijima in a disheveled state, and alone.
Her pink-tinged eyes fixed on Zhao Ziran…
Years ago, she had almost managed to keep Hoshi on Shikijima forever, by her side. Without Zhao Ziran's scheme, she would have succeeded long ago.
And defeating Zhao Ziran, who had always acted as Hoshi's strategist, like a shadow "standing" behind her, was beyond her intelligence. Yet now, Zhao Ziran was standing right before her.
Moreover… the Ninefold Divine Child's gaze subtly swept over the other two, as if she could…
go with the flow.