Undress! Bathe! Sleep!

Entering the bedroom, Du Chen gathered all his movable lotus tattoos onto his backside, concealing them beneath his undergarments. He then shed his robes, a chuckle escaping his lips. "How amusing," he mused, "to think our very first stop on this trip would be a haunted castle!"

"Amusing?! You're a pervert!" Porter gaped as Du Chen removed his outer clothes, revealing a toned physique encased in a small vest. His face flushed, and he quickly averted his gaze.

He then frantically scanned the bedroom's surroundings. It was an ancient, aristocratic chamber featuring a magnificent canopy bed, a sofa set, and a solitary vanity. "Just these three items?" Porter's mind raced. "Am I truly destined to share a bed with Francis tonight!? Oh, heavens, no! This cannot be!"

He had to devise a plan, and quickly, before it was too late!

At this moment, Du Chen, already changed into his sleepwear, pointed to a bathroom door. "Do you want to shower first? Otherwise, you'll be rather uncomfortable sleeping."

"No, I don't need a shower... I mean, you go ahead." Porter's initial refusal faltered as a wave of helplessness washed over him. How could he not bathe? After days at sea and a grueling journey across dozens of miles of dusty roads by carriage, his body felt unbearably filthy. With a lowered head, he mumbled, "You... you go. I'll... I'll wash outside!"

"Outside?" Du Chen casually remarked. "There are lady ghosts out there. What will you do if you leave Captain Brook's protection and encounter one?"

"This... then... fine, I'll go first!" Porter scurried into the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it from inside. He had no desire to use a bathroom previously occupied by another man!

Du Chen leisurely surveyed the room. It too contained a painting, a group portrait of ten young maidens. Its placement was peculiar, hanging directly opposite the grand bed, as if perpetually watching its occupants. "Greetings, ten lovely ladies!" Du Chen waved at the painting. "You are all The Undead, aren't you?"

As he spoke, Du Chen released a single lotus, letting it hover before the portrait. Suddenly, the expressions of the ten maidens in the painting shifted – from serene to terrified, then uneasy. Their gazes, in unison, fixated on the lotus in Du Chen's hand.

Du Chen's voice abruptly turned icy. "I'll give you one word: Scram! I don't appreciate being disturbed by lady ghosts when I sleep!" He then imprinted an invisible Lotus Shield onto the painting. "I can easily eliminate you Undead whenever I wish. So, I'll give you one day to consider. If you wish to reside in my ancient castle, you should at least pay your respects to me, your master, wouldn't you!?"

"Hmph!" Du Chen retracted the lotus. He wasn't merely bluffing; he genuinely possessed the power to back up his words. It was, once again, the unadulterated truth he spoke!

Ghosts? Would a disciple of Master Grape fear ghosts? His Senior Brother had once dismantled the entire Netherworld; surely dealing with a few lady ghosts posed no challenge for him!

"Francis, who were you speaking with?" Porter emerged from the bathroom.

"No one," Du Chen replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Just muttering to Beibei. You finished so quickly?" He couldn't help but chuckle at Porter's appearance.

Though Porter had donned a loose, oversized nightgown, through the gaps at the collar and cuffs, one could clearly see a layer of tight, black undergarments that meticulously covered him from neck to wrist. Porter had also removed his glasses, which he now held, polishing them. Despite his peculiar 'watermelon' haircut, he looked remarkably delicate and handsome, with an androgynous beauty that transcended gender.

"Hey, you don't wear this kind of underwear every day, do you?!" Du Chen stepped forward and tugged at Porter's collar, peering inside. "Such thick clothing, aren't you hot?"

Porter hastily pulled his collar back, murmuring, "No, not hot. I consider it a form of training! That... Francis, you go to sleep first. I want to read a bit more."

"Alright, I'm off to shower." Du Chen began undressing as he spoke. Porter stared blankly at Du Chen's progressively diminishing attire, his toned body gradually revealed. Suddenly, he seemed to realize something and shrieked as if seeing a ghost. "You! Why are you undressing here...?"

Du Chen replied casually, "We're both grown men, what's there to be afraid of?"

Moments later, Du Chen emerged from the bathroom. Seeing Porter still engrossed in his book, he asked offhandedly, "Still awake, brother?"

Porter, in turn, caught sight of Du Chen, who was clad only in a pair of shorts. He let out another shriek. "Why aren't you wearing clothes!?"

"It's more comfortable to sleep like this. You're a man, don't you understand? Are you afraid I'll rape you?" Du Chen was genuinely surprised by Porter's emotional outburst.

"Please, Francis!" Porter's voice trembled. "Please put on your pajamas! Please maintain your noble and gentlemanly demeanor! Please!"

"Such a fuss-pot," Du Chen grumbled with a sigh. "Fine, have it your way." He reluctantly put on his pajamas. "Are you still going to read?"

"Yes, Francis. Please, you go and rest first!" Porter insisted.

"Very well then, I'll turn in." Du Chen yawned, collapsing onto the bed. His gaze fell upon the Painting of Ten Beauties on the opposite wall. Lo and behold, one maiden was missing; only nine remained.

Interesting!

That night passed without incident, at least for the deeply sleeping students, who noticed nothing amiss. However, in a dark corner of the ancient castle, a captivating figure knelt before a portrait, her voice chilling. "Leader, we might be in grave trouble!"

Her face was none other than that of the missing maiden from the painting in Du Chen's bedroom!

"Just now, Francis, the current master of the ancient castle, delivered a warning to our Fourth Squad and demanded negotiations!"

"Francis? What right does he have to negotiate!? Hmph!" A voice, cold as ice and distinctly feminine, echoed from within the wall. "However, that Battle God who just restrained our Third Brother was indeed formidable, even more powerful than myself! He claimed to be a member of the Holy Flame Knights of Sigurd, but that's utterly impossible! He's lying. During the War of Fallen Gods, there were only a handful of such experts in the Holy Flame Knights! A millennium has passed since then; the descendants of Lieutenant General Sigurd would have long degenerated, making it impossible for such an expert to exist among them!"

The voice abruptly grew colder. "Transmit my order: no one is to attack without permission. All personnel are to stand by at their posts!"

"Understood!" The ghost responded with solemn deference, then added, "Leader, I suggest you still engage Francis in discussion. He just demonstrated a sacred artifact of terrifying power before us. The aura emanating from it tells me that Francis possesses the ability to annihilate us with a mere flick of his wrist!"

"What? A descendant of Lieutenant General Sigurd still possesses such a figure!?"

"Yes, Leader. Your humble subordinate is incompetent and cannot precisely identify that aura, but its sanctity is extreme! Across the Three Continents, perhaps only Water's Embrace Holy Radiance can compare! No, although this aura closely resembles Water's Embrace Holy Radiance, it is far, far more sacred! They cannot even be mentioned in the same breath!"

The portrait on the wall remained silent for a long while. The kneeling ghost waited patiently for further instructions.

"How can such power exist!? I understand! Transmit my order: all squad leaders, gather here!"

...

Early the next morning, Du Chen opened his eyes in bed. The Painting of Ten Beauties on the opposite wall still depicted only nine figures. It seemed that particular ghost had indeed spent the night elsewhere!

Porter was curled up on the sofa, still clutching a book, fast asleep. What a diligent and studious student!

He glanced out the window. The sun had not yet risen from the sea, but the eastern sky was already painted with the first blush of dawn. The bedroom was bright enough to see without a lamp. With time to spare, Du Chen idly took out his 'useless' 'Old Five' from his back and shook his head helplessly. "What good are you, buddy!?"

He kneaded and rubbed 'Old Five,' molding it into a cylindrical rod. Then, infusing it with inner strength, he made it expand and contract repeatedly. "Damn! It can't be for 'that,' can it?!" A wicked, shameless, and lewd thought suddenly popped into Du Chen's mind...

After kneading 'Old Five' for a while longer, Du Chen flattened it, spread it out, and then rolled it into a scroll... Du Chen suddenly realized that despite cultivating Celibate Cultivation, he was still a perfectly normal man! Faced with Porter's delicate and androgynous features, he actually experienced a man's characteristic morning impulse. "No way, has this damned cultivation method changed me? Having a reaction to a boy? This..." Du Chen was terrified by his own thoughts.

On the sofa, Porter stirred, nearing wakefulness. Du Chen quickly pressed the rod-shaped 'Old Five' to his back, then rose to the bathroom to wash up and calm his rising urges.

The group gathered in the dining room. Professor Jemison, radiating energy, loudly declared, "Good morning, students! Did you all sleep well last night? Your Professor Jemison slept wonderfully, even dreaming of winning many, many copper coins!"

The students sat dejectedly around the tables. Even with experts providing protection, it would be strange for anyone to sleep soundly in a haunted castle.

"Alright, now eat while Professor Jemison briefs you on your mission!" Jemison continued, munching on his food. "Do you know the Lanning government's three great challenges?"

"I know!" Sem tossed down his cutlery and stood up in the high chair specially provided for him, shouting, "The threat from McAllen, the Newin River floods, and the raids from the South Sea Merfolk!"

"Precisely, Sem, your answer is excellent!" Jemison swiftly swallowed his mouthful of food and stood up. "And what I'm about to discuss is the issue of the South Sea Merfolk! These Merfolk are truly despicable beasts; they frequently raid the Lanning coastline in large groups, leaving the coastal residents in utter misery. Five years ago, His Majesty King Bargnar of Lanning issued a 'clear-the-fields' order, imposing a sea ban in the areas worst affected by Merfolk raids!"

Jason frowned, complaining, "Indeed, with no commoners along the coast, the Merfolk were deprived of their 'tastiest and most delectable food,' forcing them to relocate to other areas. However, Lanning's coastal economy suffered immense losses as a result; several of our family's shipping routes had to be rerouted!"

Annie, surprised, asked, "Lanning is one of the Three Continents' most powerful nations, with countless High-level Battle Gods. How can they not even deal with a few small Merfolk?"

"Annie, you're from the inland, so you don't understand oceanic matters. The Merfolk's aura is indistinguishable from ordinary fish, and they reproduce incredibly fast! They launch guerrilla attacks along the coast, and as soon as a large force attempts to retaliate, these beasts immediately retreat into the deep sea. Relying on their innate aura, they evade all attempts at eradication... Unless the King of Lanning resolves to wage full-scale war against the sea races, even High-level Battle Gods cannot pursue them into the deep to eliminate them!"

Professor Jemison shrugged, a smile playing on his lips. "These political matters are for you to consider after graduation. Alright, according to the academy's intelligence, the vicinity of Newin Port is an area severely affected by Merfolk raids, making it the most suitable place for your training. Now, let's go with Professor Jemison to clear out these Merfolk! They are perfectly suited as opponents for your cultivation!"

Upon hearing this mission, Du Chen's heart stirred. Merfolk were essentially beasts and bandits, savagely preying on humans. Eliminating them would be a significant good deed!

Incited by Jemison's tempting, yet somewhat mincing, voice, the students quickly prepared. They temporarily abandoned their research into the ancient castle's Undead and headed to the coast to eradicate the Merfolk – each ten Merfolk eliminated earned them one academic credit! This was Jemison's enticing bargaining chip for the students.

Just as Du Chen and his companions departed from the ancient castle, several figures suddenly appeared in a dark, subterranean chamber.

"Who is that Jemison? Why would he lead Francis to the Merfolk? Does he not know the secret of Newin Port's Merfolk?"

"Exactly! These students are practically walking to their deaths among the Merfolk. However, with that expert, Brook, they should be able to... Alright, the Leader is here!"

A chilling voice resounded. "Disregard Jemison for now. We must first strategize how to deal with Francis..."