Phoenix Butterfly

"What are you putting on airs for?!"

Before long, Liang Yue, who had just entered the Quiet Room in such grand style, shoved the door open and came out, looking rather exasperated.

"You're nothing but a musician who shows her face in public. Do I have to coax you too?" He stood outside and kept cursing for several more lines.

"Oh my, oh my, Young Master Liang, what happened?" Phoenix Madam came hurrying over at the sound and quickly stepped forward to ask.

"What is wrong with the girls here?" Liang Yue demanded. "Have none of them been taught any manners? After just two or three words that didn't go smoothly, she started giving me attitude. Does she think she's some precious young lady from a respectable family?"

"Young Master Liang, please don't be angry. Miss Wen Yuan possesses peerless beauty and exceptional skill, so it is only natural that she has a bit of pride." Phoenix Madam swayed closer, coaxing him. "She has only been here a short while, and her contract is not with our Mystic Sound Pavilion, so it is truly difficult for us to discipline her. Young Master Liang has not spent anything today either, so please give me some face and do not get angry with her. How about I arrange another girl to keep you company?"

"Hmph." Liang Yue snorted indignantly, then said, "For Chen Ju's sake, I won't argue with you. I heard there was once a courtesan here named Phoenix Butterfly. I want her to accompany me."

"Ah... Young Master Liang, Miss Phoenix Butterfly is not feeling very well and has not received guests for several days." Phoenix Madam looked troubled. "How about I arrange someone unmatched in both beauty and talent for you?"

"This one won't do, that one won't do. Could it be that your Mystic Sound Pavilion looks down on people?" Liang Yue immediately glared. "Do you really think I have no money?"

With that, he flung out his hand and tossed a small gold ingot from his sleeve. It struck the ground with a clang.

"If I do not see Phoenix Butterfly today, I absolutely will not let this go!" Leaving behind those words, Liang Yue folded his arms and put on airs.

"Oh my." Phoenix Madam, however, beamed with delight. Smiling, she picked up the heavy gold ingot and slipped it into her sleeve, saying softly, "When was this ever about money?"

"I know it isn't about money either..." Liang Yue took another gold ingot from his sleeve, its gleam dazzling to the eye, and handed it to Phoenix Madam.

"Young Master Liang is Young Master Chen's friend, which makes you my friend, and my friend is Phoenix Butterfly's friend. It is only proper for you to meet. Since Young Master Liang's heartfelt invitation is too gracious to refuse, I shall go persuade her to hold on a little longer. Young Master Liang, please wait in the main hall." Without another word, Phoenix Madam left behind a string of silver-bell laughter and walked away with a sway of her waist.

Liang Yue waited in the main hall, savoring the performance from earlier and privately reflecting that the feeling of smashing people with money was rather nice. When he had been wondering how to find Miss Phoenix Butterfly, Wen Yifan had directly given him the simplest method.

Plant a gold ingot there, and he could see whoever he wanted.

If that did not work, plant another one.

But judging by Wen Yifan's manner, she had taken out two gold ingots without even blinking. He truly did not know whether the Evil Extermination Bureau was rich, or whether she herself was rich.

Perhaps cultivators of the mystic sects simply did not care about such things.

In less than a moment, Phoenix Madam returned to invite him. "Miss Phoenix Butterfly is ready. Young Master Liang, hurry over."

Phoenix Butterfly's Water Ripple Courtyard stood beside a shimmering pond. It was considered the most spacious courtyard within Mystic Sound Pavilion, showing just what status she had once held there.

Before Miss Wen Yuan made her debut, Phoenix Butterfly had likely been one of the strongest contenders for Mystic Sound Pavilion's top courtesan.

When he reached the room's entrance, Liang Yue secretly rubbed the Following Jade Talisman in his sleeve with his left hand, feeling the faint warmth that came from the jade. It was his first time carrying out such a mission, so he could not help feeling a little nervous.

Wen Yifan's clear, cool voice immediately sounded within his Divine Sense. "Don't be afraid. I will be listening to everything that happens between you."

This Following Jade Talisman was one of a Qi Refiner's mystical methods, allowing messages to be sent at any time within a certain range. But Liang Yue had no Qi Refinement cultivation and could not transmit his voice through Divine Sense, so he could only receive messages from Wen Yifan one-sidedly.

Hearing her voice, Liang Yue's thoughts settled somewhat. Then he pushed open the door and entered.

Creak.

The instant the door opened, a warm fragrance rushed toward him. Before him was a broad soft couch, upon which a woman in a scarlet gauze dress lay stretched out. Beneath the thin gauze, a pair of well-proportioned long legs showed faintly. She looked languid and relaxed.

Seeing Liang Yue enter, she chuckled and greeted him, "You arrived at just the right time, young master. I just washed some dates. Would you like to try them?"

"Remember what you went there to do." From the other end of the Following Jade Talisman, Wen Yifan immediately warned him expressionlessly.

"Ah..." Liang Yue closed the door and walked into the room, where he saw a fruit platter containing freshly washed crisp dates, still beaded with droplets of water.

Wen Yifan had definitely misunderstood, but he had no way to send a message back and explain. He could only laugh and say, "Miss Phoenix Butterfly, these crisp dates are washed spotlessly clean. They look plump and full, so they must be fragrant, sweet, and delicious."

The woman on the soft couch was naturally the person he had come to find today, Mystic Sound Pavilion's Miss Phoenix Butterfly.

Her cheeks were long and fair, and she had a pair of curving phoenix eyes. She wore a gold-embroidered chest wrap beneath a gauze robe, looking languid and alluring. When her gaze drifted over, it seemed to carry threads that tugged at one's heart, making it truly easy for one's mind to become like a restless monkey and one's heart like a galloping horse.

But Liang Yue's heart was filled with righteous energy.

He had always been an upright person to begin with. What was more, Miss Wen was monitoring him, so it was absolutely impossible for him to do anything improper.

Mm.

Yet Phoenix Butterfly looked at him and gave another seductive smile. "Why are you standing there in a daze? Didn't you come here to sit? Come over, then."

As she spoke, she lifted her chin and indicated the stool before the soft couch.

"Ahem." Wen Yifan gave a light cough from the other end, reminding him once again to mind his behavior.

"Hehe." Liang Yue smiled and moved closer. "Then I shall first sit on this carved wooden stool with floral patterns and a soft cushion beside your couch."

Wen Yifan: "..."

"You speak in such an interesting way. Madam said you had a bad temper, but why can't I see it?" Phoenix Butterfly asked in a soft, sweet voice.

"Upon seeing Miss Phoenix Butterfly, all my anger vanished." Liang Yue answered with a smile.

"That newcomer is not as good as I am, is she?" Phoenix Butterfly said. "I have not been sleeping well these past two days and have been too lazy to leave my room, so I have not met her. But I heard from the sisters that although she is extraordinarily beautiful, she is extremely difficult to approach and does not speak to anyone at all. If you ask me, how beautiful can she possibly be? No matter how beautiful she is, one still needs to be understanding and charming to be any good."

Just as Liang Yue was considering how to reply, Wen Yifan transmitted her voice from the other end. "You can join her in criticizing me a little. It should bring you closer."

"Indeed!" Liang Yue immediately nodded heavily. "She is good-looking, but she always wears a sour face, without the slightest expression. She always speaks as if she is above everyone else too, like some celestial maiden from the heavens. How could she compare to Miss Phoenix Butterfly's charming allure? Not to mention anything else, just the tone of her voice is ten thousand times worse than yours..."

"That's enough." Wen Yifan added faintly.

Listening to this fellow's tone, she inexplicably felt that it did not sound entirely like an act.

"You understand women, young master." This round of criticism truly did bring Phoenix Butterfly closer to Liang Yue. She twisted her body and rose from the couch. "Let me remove your outer robe, young master. Loosen up first, then we can talk."

"Ah, well..." Liang Yue was about to decline, but Phoenix Butterfly had already reached out. From behind him, she was about to remove his outer robe, and Liang Yue reached to stop her.

In the midst of that tugging and pulling, something fell from Liang Yue's pocket and landed on his thigh.

"Eh?" Phoenix Butterfly lowered her head and asked curiously, "What is this at your waist? It looks black and hard."

"What are you doing?!" Wen Yifan's questioning voice immediately came from the other end as well.

What had this fellow exposed?

It sounded rather alarming.

"This is the charcoal pencil I use for drawing!" Liang Yue hurriedly shouted, then picked up the charcoal pencil. "Miss Phoenix Butterfly, do not touch it. It will leave marks."

"You can draw too, young master... Ah!" Phoenix Butterfly suddenly let out a shriek. "Where are you touching?"

"Mind the limits." Wen Yifan immediately reminded him.

They had agreed before coming that physical contact for the sake of putting on an act was acceptable, but he absolutely had to keep it within bounds and could not anger Phoenix Butterfly.

It was also to prevent Liang Yue's lust from going to his head and affecting the mission.

"I touched the tablecloth, the tablecloth!" Liang Yue shouted. "Miss Phoenix Butterfly, why are you reacting so strongly?"

"You said that thing would leave marks, yet you are still touching things everywhere." Phoenix Butterfly twisted her waist with a faintly reproachful look, went over to fetch him a towel, and had Liang Yue wipe his hands.

"Miss Phoenix Butterfly really likes cleanliness." Liang Yue gave an awkward laugh.

"Of course. Unlike you stinky men, all filthy and grimy." Phoenix Butterfly put the towel he had used back where it belonged, then swayed her waist as she returned to the couch.

"Young Master Liang, you are handsome, generous with your money, and amusing to talk to. I actually have quite a good impression of you." Phoenix Butterfly said charmingly. "Since you think so highly of me, I will not be coy today. I might as well give you one."

"Pfft." Liang Yue nearly sprang to his feet. He hurriedly said, "So soon? Isn't that a little inappropriate?"

That was absolutely not acceptable.

Would this not turn into a live show?

"Hm?" Phoenix Butterfly blinked at him strangely, then took a jade flute from the shelf behind her. "What preparations do you need to listen to a tune?"

"Oh..." Liang Yue breathed a sigh of relief again and chuckled. "So you meant you were going to give me a performance?"

"Yes. What else did you think I meant?" Phoenix Butterfly reproached him softly. "Young Master Liang, surely you did not think I, Phoenix Butterfly, was such a casual woman?"

"Of course not." Liang Yue paused, then asked, "Did Miss Phoenix Butterfly have a lover before?"

"Why ask that?" Phoenix Butterfly raised a brow.

"It is nothing. I was merely curious." Liang Yue carefully chose his words. "I was wondering what kind of extravagantly generous man it would take to win Miss Phoenix Butterfly's heart."

"Heh." Phoenix Butterfly laughed at that. "I do not mind Young Master Liang knowing. I did once have a guest with whom I was truly close, but he could not be called generous. Now, I do not even know where he has died."

A glimmer gradually lit Liang Yue's eyes. "Oh? Did he not give you any gifts?"

"Other than vulgar gold and silver, he truly did not give me anything..." Phoenix Butterfly shook her head as if mocking herself, then said, "Oh, right, there was this too..."

As she spoke, her hand reached toward her left rear shoulder.

"What is it?" Wen Yifan asked from the other end.

Liang Yue's gaze followed her hand. Suddenly, Phoenix Butterfly's entire body gave a violent convulsion. "Hurk—"

"Miss Phoenix Butterfly?" Liang Yue sensed that something was wrong and immediately stepped forward to inspect her, but it was already too late.

"Ah..." Phoenix Butterfly threw back her head and vomited a cascade of black blood. Then her body crashed heavily backward with a muffled thud.

Bang.