A Love Beyond Time

Golden Lotus Palace

Note: I'd intentionally written this chapter in a disjointed (maybe even incoherent) manner to reflect the chaotic situation and the characters' states of mind.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Warning: this chapter contains descriptions of both sexual and physical violence.

800 years ago—Middle Kingdom, Chang'an (中原, 长安 ）

Gao Rui stood in the middle of the busy street, oblivious to the crowd milling around him or the admiring glances cast his way by the women. His attention was entirely on the resplendent four-story building before him. It was constructed in the classical architectural style of the Tang Dynasty, with elegant lines and smooth curves that created a harmonized effect. Large, elaborately carved lanterns that hung on every corner of the roofs and exquisite murals covering the massive pillars lent the building an ostentatious air. Two large golden lotuses emblazoned on the panels of the main doors of the building were particularly eye-grabbing. Atop the doors was an enormous signboard where three words were emblazoned in a bold calligraphic hand:

金莲阁 (Golden Lotus Palace)

The White Tiger swallowed hard as his gaze remained on the signboard momentarily before it traveled to the wide-opened doors. Countless males of varying ages and looks thronged through those doors; some were in groups, some alone; some appeared nervous and excited, some looked eager; some were sober, some tipsy. But despite their myriad expressions and demeanors, all of them were richly dressed.

Gao Rui knew they were all filthy rich and powerful. Most of them were prosperous merchants, ministers of the Tang Court, or nobility. Yet, their statuses, glamourous appearances, and elegant mannerisms were mere facades. In reality, they were nothing more but depraved beasts beneath those suave, attractive veneers.

And Golden Lotus Palace was the place where they frequented to satisfy their perverted desires.

It was the former Celestial Imperial General's second day in the Hundred Flowers District. It was the most notorious red-light district in the Middle Kingdom, home to the opulent Golden Lotus Palace—the most infamous brothels across the land. It was where he was headed.

To seek someone he had been searching for desperately for the past 800 years. To con—no, dispel—his worst fear that that person was trapped in that building.

Yu-Hu...please...don't let me find you inside. Please, Heavens, please.

Three days ago, Gao Rui had arrived in Chang'an. While having some refreshments in a teahouse, he overheard the male diners at the next table talking animatedly about a male fox fairy courtesan in the capital's most luxurious brothel. Despite his initial disgust, he stayed to listen to their conversation and felt his blood freeze as they continued.

The brothel proprietor had boasted that the fox fairy was a fallen Deity of unsurpassable beauty. According to the former, it was the legendary Celestial Fox whom no mortals had caught sight of to date. Still, somehow, it ended up in the mortal realm as a courtesan who was highly in demand. Though no one could affirm the claims about the Fox's true identity, there were definitely no refutes about its extraordinary looks. Or its—

At this point, the discussion became unbearable for Gao Rui, and he stormed over. Though he itched to slit their throats, he knew he could not let his temper get the better of him. So he forced himself to contain his fury and slipped on his friendly mask to extract more information.

Hence, this was how he came to be where he was.

Gao Rui swallowed again and attempted vainly to wet his dry lips. His entire body was quaking, and he felt rooted in the spot. He was terrified to enter the brothel. For a second, he was tempted to walk away just like the previous night.