Xing emerged from the hole, not encountering the worst-case scenario he had anticipated—a frenzied swarm of newly transformed, zombie-like blood slaves closing in.
This brought a quiet sense of relief. Xing didn't care about Simon escaping from sight, as his martial spirit, almost a divine consciousness, remained firmly locked onto Simon, who was now fleeing rapidly along the sewers towards the sea…
Clearly, under the immense pressure of "God," arrogance was no more than that of a rat scurrying through the sewers.
Catching Simon again was merely a matter of time; the real problem for Xing now was that "time" was running out.
Catching him was only a matter of time, but the main problem now was precisely that "time" was running out.
And…
Xing sighed softly, looking at the only figure blocking his path—a beautiful woman in a cherry blossom kimono, tall and graceful.
Her long, jet-black hair, styled like that of a courtesan, cascaded down her shapely shoulders. Two delicate dimples peeked from her small collarbones, and her flat chest revealed a large expanse of snow-white skin, almost entirely exposed by her cherry blossom-patterned kimono, which covered her shoulders and half of one breast.
It appeared as if her full breasts were supporting the heavy kimono, yet these rounded, perky, and snow-white mounds showed no sign of being weighed down; they remained proudly erect, and the deep cleavage between them could almost draw any man's gaze in!
This was none other than Yoshiwara Tsubaki, the Cherry Blossom Queen of Shikijima.
Her beautiful, watery eyes gazed at the man before her with a complex expression. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and she slowly said, "It's been a long time, Master Martial God."
Hoshi saw a hint of eerie red gleaming deep within Yoshiwara Tsubaki's clear, jet-black eyes. He shook his head and said, "You should protect yourself."
Yoshiwara Tsubaki's eyes reddened slightly. She instinctively covered her delicate nose with her wide, cherry-scented sleeve before shaking her head, her expression tinged with melancholy: "If I were to retreat to protect myself, countless sisters behind me would..."
The sisters she spoke of were the countless geisha and courtesans who resided in "Yoshiwara."
Since the "Treasure Ships Opening the Nation" incident during the Yongle reign, Edo Castle on Shikishima Island became a vital trade hub between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Later, even King Tokugawa Ieyasu of Shikishima moved his capital there from Kyoto. After more than 500 years of development, it became an international metropolis combining modernity with classical Tang Dynasty aesthetics, even being jokingly referred to as "Tokyo" because while the Ming Dynasty had Beijing, Nanjing, and Xi'an, it lacked a modern capital.
This demonstrates Edo's unparalleled prosperity, making it a must-visit destination for Ming Dynasty literati.
As for "Tokyo," Yoshiwara was a bustling red-light district.
It housed thousands of courtesans and prostitutes, remaining prosperous for centuries and still Shikishima's largest red-light district, a "holy land" for men visiting Shikishima.
Yoshiwara boasted many "koi" (female courtesans), among whom the most prestigious was the Sakura Queen, Yoshiwara Tsubaki-hime. Thousands upon thousands of courtesans, and the "queens" of the tourists, wielded influence across almost the entire island of Shiki, reportedly commanding the respect of even the Tokugawa family, the island's rulers.
Yoshiwara, however prosperous, was constantly on the verge of collapse under the control of Simon, one of the seven deadly sins—the "Gluttonous Whale," a colossal beast capable of unleashing tsunamis at any moment.
Moreover…
Yoshiwara Tsubaki had already been repeatedly corrupted by the "poison" of arrogance in the bedroom. While arrogance itself wasn't enough to transform Yoshiwara Tsubaki, a fellow strategic-level superhuman, into an "Apostle," even the most persistent efforts can wear down something, especially after repeated, intense acts of pleasure.
Thinking of those things, a hint of melancholy and a blush flashed across Yoshiwara Tsubaki's pretty face. She took two steps forward with her snow-white lotus feet, clad in high-toothed wooden clogs, and gracefully bent her slender waist. Her long, glossy black hair cascaded down, and she performed a solemn "dogeza" (a deep bowing gesture) in the chaotic street, a gesture of utmost importance in Shikishima etiquette.
Her beautiful, dark hair slid from her snow-white shoulders to the ground, her forehead resting on her soft hands, her round, full buttocks settling on her calves and ankles. "Simon said if he lets you catch up, he'll make that whale roll three times in Yoshiwara."
Hoshi was startled. If such a thing happened, it would be nothing short of a global catastrophe. Even the United States would probably no longer dare to protect the Seven Deadly Sins. Simon wouldn't consider it unless absolutely necessary—but now, it was a moment of desperation.
"I'm sorry, I can't let Pride get away with this."
If he didn't kill Pride now, once he returned to his "normal" state, he might be outmaneuvered by Simon, since his martial spirit and a portion of his memories were firmly sealed.
He probably wouldn't be a match for the Seven Sins Sect.
Xing shook his head. He absolutely couldn't let Pride get away… but then he raised his head and glanced into the distance. His martial spirit was still firmly locked onto Simon's location.
In fact, unless he escaped Shen City within half an hour, his martial spirit could keep track of him, so there was no need to waste time searching.
He sighed, and barefoot, he suddenly walked to Yoshihara Tsubaki, then pulled her into his arms. Her full, round breasts were squeezed against his chest, while his hand moved from her rounded buttocks to her slender waist.
With a "whoosh!" he ripped off the moon-white silk ribbon.
Suddenly, her cherry blossom kimono parted at her pert breasts, and Yoshiwara Tsubaki cried out, "Ah!"
With a soft cry, her breasts sagged, revealing their full, rounded shape and pert white skin. While not large, they were exquisitely smooth and firm, shaped like perfect teardrops.
Two small pink cherries nestled in her pale areolas, like two small, alluring buttons…
Yoshiwara Tsubaki's face flushed crimson. She instinctively covered her breasts, but her slender waist remained completely exposed, even the dark pubic hair between her legs and her full, rounded mounds were fully revealed to the man's gaze.
"Lord War God…" the beauty murmured. Aside from their one night of passion five years ago, she had never had any intimate contact with Hoshino. In fact, this "battle-hardened" woman found herself involuntarily shy. Hoshi's hands were warm and strong. He grasped her wrist and pulled her arm completely apart. Yoshihara Tsubaki let out a soft moan, and her beautiful nipples were already slightly erect from their pink areolas. Without hesitation, Hoshi lowered his head and kissed the alluring rosy nipple, then wrapped his arms around Yoshihara Tsubaki's slender waist, pulling her into his embrace.
"Where's your Sakura Miyo...? Use it."
Yoshihara Tsubaki buried her burning cheeks in Hoshi's fiery chest. Hearing this, she looked up, her snow-white face flushed, a delicate and captivating blush.
She glanced around at the messy surroundings, then instinctively understood what the God of War meant—this was indeed not a place for lovemaking.
Her pretty face flushed red as she murmured something. A moment later, a vibrant color began to spread from where they stood, like a brushstroke, rapidly transforming the surrounding scenery from chaotic streets to a landscape of fluttering cherry blossoms and lush green grass.