Bihua Peak: The Stocking Production Base

Bihua Peak.

On a winter night, a cold wind blows gently, a crescent moon hangs obliquely in the sky, and a few stars appear and disappear.

The reflection of the stars and moon in the pool was not as stunning as the exquisite, jade-like bodies reflected there.

The women laughing and frolicking in the pool only made the water seem even more serene and tranquil.

This is the flower pool used by the female disciples of Bihua Peak for bathing and soaking in hot springs, but this pool is not formed among mud and bricks, but rather on a giant purple flower.

The stem of this purple flower is as thick as three people could hug, and the crown is nearly eighteen feet wide and more than two zhang tall.

This exceptionally large Purple Ling Flower is a rare variety specially cultivated by the Third Elder. It looks delicate but has an amazing load-bearing capacity. Moreover, when the petals wither, they only decay one by one, and new petals will immediately grow. Therefore, the corolla can be like a bowl being held up all year round.

Every morning, when the female disciples of Bihua Peak routinely inspect the flowers and plants in the mountains, they collect the most precious flower dew of the day and gather it in the corolla of the Purple Ling Flower, forming this special bath.

At night, the female disciples would enjoy themselves here, not only washing away their fatigue but also receiving nourishment from the pure flower dew, which is why the female disciples of Bihua Peak are so fragrant.

"The dew was a little too hot today, Master. Are you used to it?"

Zi Xun gently stroked her jade-like arm, cautiously observing the Third Elder behind the thin mist.

She was the eighth disciple of the Third Elder, and her name, like Purple Ling Flower's, contained the character "Zi" (紫). Naturally, the task of boiling water for the flower pond every day was assigned to her.

The Third Elder lay comfortably on the giant flower petals, most of his body submerged in the pool. Flowers of various colors floated on the surface of the pool, and only a small part of the deep and charming snow-white cleavage below the collarbone of the mature woman could be seen.

"It's alright, it's better to soak it in hot water when it's cold."

The Third Elder let out a comfortable hum.

Her cultivation was exceptionally high, so she was naturally not afraid of being burned. However, the younger female disciples had shallower cultivation and were delicate young girls, so they were naturally more sensitive to temperature.

"If only we had Crimson Immortal Flowers Crimson Immortal Flower, soaking them in water would surely create the most comfortable hot spring in the world!"

The tenth disciple, who looked like a cute twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, dared not complain that her senior sister had boiled the water too hot, and could only indulge in wishful thinking.

As if remembering something, she clenched her fist indignantly and said, "It's a pity there was only one Crimson Immortal Flower, and that You Su took it away."

"Yu Tong, the Crimson Immortal Flower is such a precious plant, something everyone desires but cannot obtain, yet you use it for bathing. Even your master would be reluctant to part with it."

Si Han recalled the shock she felt when You Su plucked the Crimson Immortal Flower that Senior Brother Ye had his eye on right in front of her. Thinking of the boy's face, her rosy cheeks blushed even more tenderly.

These words made the Third Elder, who was enjoying himself with his eyes closed, raise an eyebrow.

What does it mean that the deity is reluctant to part with something?

I really can't bear to part with it!

She had visited Lotus Sword Venerable during this time and naturally discovered that You Su had actually used the Crimson Immortal Flower he had taken from her as a heat source for He Shutong's hot spring.

So, the things you reluctantly gave away became cheap gifts you used to please others?

However, the Third Elder wasn't too angry, since she had obtained an extraordinary treasure from the other party's junior sister anyway.

"Yu Tong, that was a gift from me, not something he took away. If I didn't want to give it to him, he couldn't take it away no matter what."

Yu Tong listened to her master and nodded obediently, "Master is the most amazing and generous!"

The Third Elder gave the little girl an approving look, then turned to his Ninth Disciple:

"Si Han, it's not that I'm unwilling, but rather that I can't bring myself to do such a wasteful thing. Anyone who uses Crimson Immortal Flowers to soak in hot springs is definitely a fool who has no reverence for plants."

Several miles away You Su, who was cultivating his lower abdominal Sword Qi in his room, suddenly sneezed.

He cursed inwardly at his own weakness, wondering if he had caught a cold. He quickly got up and closed the window tightly.

"Master's teachings are correct."

Si Han greatly admires her master and hopes that one day she can become such a great beauty.

The Third Elder nodded in satisfaction and said softly:

"Alright, I'm done soaking. You can take your time."

After saying this, she stretched out her plump, jade-like arms, resembling bamboo shoots, from the water, as if to get up.

Upon seeing this, Zi Xun and Si Han quickly swam over, each supporting one of the Third Elder's jade arms, and gently helped him up.

As the saying goes, true beauty lies in the bone structure, not just the skin.

Three hundred years of erosion had not affected the Third Elder's beauty in the slightest; on the contrary, it had nurtured her into a graceful and charming body, like a ripe peach.

The Third Elder, enjoying the service of his beautiful female disciples, was in high spirits and skillfully rubbed his hands on the smooth, alabaster chests of two of them. The female disciples were used to this and simply lowered their faces in embarrassment.

Immediately, the Third Elder leaped up, the dew on her body instantly vaporizing like mist, and her loose indigo silk dress immediately covered her entire body, outlining her figure which exuded a myriad of charms.

"Master is so beautiful..."

Si Han stared blankly at the Fairy emerging from her bath.

"Yes..." Several female disciples echoed, their eyes filled with infatuation.

The Third Elder beamed with joy upon seeing this.

She didn't usually bathe with her disciples, because she had her own private bath.

She came here tonight for two reasons: first, to show her approachability and check on the recent physical development of her female disciples; and second, to show off a treasure so that these beautiful girls would admire her even more.

She lightly touched the corolla of the Purple Ling Flower with her toes, and moved slowly with graceful steps, stirring up a fragrant breeze.

Bathed in moonlight, as her skirt swayed, a pair of plump, jade-like legs, tightly wrapped in black stockings, gleamed faintly, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

These beautiful female cultivators all noticed the item, their eyes sparkling with interest.

I just couldn't help but wonder how these black stockings could be so magical.

It even added a touch of alluring mystery to the dignified and solemn master, making people want to touch and explore the secrets hidden behind the black veil.

"Master! What new clothes are you wearing?"

Zi Xun urgently called out to the Third Elder.

They are all Fairies who love beauty, so naturally they have no resistance to beautiful clothes and accessories.

The Third Elder was clearly showing off on purpose, but he still pretended to be nonchalant.

"New clothes?"

The Third Elder was initially taken aback, then lifted her skirt slightly, revealing her shapely calves, and feigned surprise, saying:

You mean this, right?

The female disciples nodded repeatedly, as if pounding medicine.

The Third Elder's desire to show off was greatly satisfied, and she didn't keep her in suspense any longer, covering her mouth and chuckling softly:

"I think these are called stockings?"

"Stockings? You mean those hidden and limited edition stockings from the Qianhua Pavilion? They're said to be made from snow silkworm Snow Silkworm Silk from the Northern Ao Continent, extremely rare!"

A female disciple who knew its value exclaimed in surprise.

"Limited edition items from the Qianhua Pavilion? How hard must they be to get? Master must have been trying to get them for a long time."

Zi Xun felt slightly discouraged. There were so many female cultivators in the world; how could she possibly compete with others?

This statement is not entirely true. In reality, not only were the stockings limited in quantity, but even the buyers had to be stunning beauties that even the shop's maids found breathtaking. Ji Lingruo and Wangshu were incredibly lucky that day, as a new batch of stockings had just been produced; otherwise, even if they wanted to buy them, they would have been unable to find them even if they were offered a high price.

The Third Elder's pretty eyes darted around, thinking to herself that as a dignified Venerable One, how could she possibly queue up and wait in line like everyone else to buy things? So, feigning embarrassment, she said:

"These stockings are so precious? I had no idea. The chief craftsman of the Qianhua Pavilion sent me two pairs a few days ago. I thought they were experimental samples for me to try out, but it turns out they are officially released products."

Of course, she was lying; this was clearly a return gift that Ji Lingruo had brought her today.

The chief craftswoman and owner of the Qianhua Pavilion is a female venerable one who is famous for her tailoring skills. She can't even sell enough of these stockings herself, so how could she possibly give them away as gifts? No one needs the favor of Bihua Venerable.

Moreover, this chief craftsman had once rejected the secret advances of Bihua Venerable, saying that she didn't like someone so plump. The implication was that she disliked the Third Elder's weight, and the Third Elder still harbored Resentment Qi to this day.

"I'm so envious of Master! He's so awesome and beautiful, and people even fight over his nice clothes! Waaah!"

Yu Tong was young and had been influenced by her senior sisters to learn a few vulgar words. Realizing her mistake, she slapped herself twice, but her envy was genuine.

The other female disciples echoed her sentiments, their eyes filled with envy.

The Third Elder's vanity was greatly satisfied, and she had already imagined the wonderful scene of her jubilant female disciples embracing her after she revealed her grand plan.

"You guys really think these stockings are that nice? To me, they're not much different from regular stockings..."

"It looks really good! It looks even better on Master!"

Si Han praised her sincerely, and she really wanted to see what it would look like to wear those stockings.

"I've worn these shoes, but I have a new pair. How about... I give them to you?"

The Third Elder's alluring eyes swept over the eight female disciples, each with their own unique beauty, as if she were choosing which one looked better in black stockings and would please her more.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she sighed inwardly: It's a pity He Lan isn't here, otherwise she would have looked the most beautiful in it...

He Lan is the eldest disciple of the Third Elder, who went out to train and has not yet returned.

"I want it! I want it!"

"Give it to me, Master! I guarantee I'll break through to the Feather Transformation Realm within a month!"

The female disciples scrambled and jostled, splashing water everywhere, and the dazzling expanse of white flesh dazzled even the Third Elder.

Even if they had offered a single Crimson Immortal Flower as a gift, there probably wouldn't have been such a fierce struggle.

The Third Elder finally faced the dilemma of having three thousand beauties in her harem and not knowing which one to choose. Fortunately, she was broad-minded and prepared in advance, so she would not be confined to just one beautiful woman.

"You all want them, but these stockings can't be divided into eight portions, and they're also very hard to find. How about this..."

"How is it?" the female disciples asked anxiously.

"I don't think these stockings are that difficult to make; the only problem is finding the right materials. Snow Silkworm Silk is extremely rare, and its thin yet strong properties often mean it's in short supply. But if you don't need that kind of strength, there are actually many other materials you can choose from."

The moment the Third Elder saw this item, she was filled with immense ambition. She was far from satisfied with merely possessing two pairs herself. She wanted all female cultivators in the world to achieve freedom in wearing stockings, so she could truly appreciate the beauty of the female body!

As for whether it's easy or not to break through the barrier, what does that have to do with her? Are you going to fight while wearing stockings?

"What Master means is..."

The third disciple, being the oldest, immediately understood the Third Elder's unspoken meaning.

"That's right. We have natural materials, so we can learn weaving techniques ourselves. Don't you always complain that brewing wine is too tiring? From now on, we'll hand over the winemaking lessons to Qingchen and Shi Yan, and let them take the Outer Disciples to brew wine. You can just spin clothes on the peak. That shouldn't be too tiring, right?"

"That's right! Kudzu, hemp, cotton, mulberry... We don't have mulberry trees on Bihua Peak, but we have plenty of kudzu, hemp, and cotton. We can always find fabrics to replace Snow Silkworm Silk!"

The female disciples were in high spirits. As women, they were naturally more interested in weaving than brewing wine, not to mention making the silk stockings they dreamed of.

"In the future, Bihua Peak will not only sell wine, but also clothing, and we'll sell it even better than wine! We'll start with these stockings! My apprentice and I will join forces to drive down the price of stockings!"

Upon hearing this, the eight female disciples all looked on with eager anticipation, already impatient to take advantage of the promises made by the Third Elder.

"But wouldn't we be considered to be stealing business from the Qianhua Pavilion...? Won't they come after us?"

Si Han was the most timid, so she couldn't help but have some worries.

As is widely known, Qianhua Pavilion strictly prohibits the piracy of its products. Their artisans take great care of their exclusive designs, and will not tolerate any imitation or even piracy.

The Third Elder didn't care. She had always been at odds with the chief craftsman, and now that she had a chance to overturn the Qianhua Pavilion's monopoly, she wouldn't let it go.

As for the so-called infringement issue, she already had a solid basis for her claim:

"It's alright. The stockings they make are no different in style from longer stockings, and they only come in black and white, which is very basic. We can just make some minor modifications and turn them into our own design, right? Even if they question us, they won't have any grounds for complaint."

"For example... turning into purple, gray... or even flesh color?"

As he said this, Zi Xun glanced at the Third Elder's plump thighs, which were partially exposed between her skirts.

If Master were to wear a pair of flesh-colored stockings, smooth and lustrous... the image would be simply...

"Oh no! Junior sister, why is your nose bleeding?"

"Ah?!" Zi Xun quickly wiped her nose and chuckled sheepishly, "I'm fine, maybe I just soaked in the pool for too long... I'll stand up and rest for a bit."

"For example... adding a ribbon to the end of stockings?"

The female disciples eagerly offered their advice and suggestions, one after another.

The Third Elder was all smiles and brimming with confidence.

Heh heh! My Bihua Peak will not only become a holy land for those who love fine wine, but also a holy land for women who love beauty! Stockings are just the first step!

Even if her disciples lack creativity, it doesn't matter. She remembers Ji Lingruo about making her own stockings, the girl excitedly told her that she had many ingenious ideas about stockings that she couldn't realize, and even some styles that weren't stockings at all.

Little did Ji Lingruo know that the ingenious ideas she spoke of all originated from You Su, whose head was full of useless thoughts.

Unbeknownst to him, the Third Elder also became You Su's exclusive stocking supplier.

I wonder what she'll think when she finds out that the stockings she painstakingly made for Ji Lingruo have been turned into equipment that increases You Su's attack speed...

He Kongyue arrived faster than You Su had expected.

On the third day at noon, he waited at the foot of Lotus Peak.

He was not a disciple of the Xuanxiao Sect, but a prodigy who was independently cultivated by the He family. However, with such a distinguished status, it was still very easy for him to freely enter and leave the Xuanxiao Sect.

He gazed curiously at the misty, ethereal mountain, seemingly filled with wonder.

His gaze was drawn to You Su and two female cultivators descending from the clouds side by side.

"Brother You, are we going to eat?"

"Brother He?" You Su, somewhat surprised.

Ji Lingruo frowned, wondering to herself, "Isn't this person surnamed Xiao? Could I have remembered wrong?"

He Kongyue, being very polite, greeted Ji Lingruo and Wangshu goodbye.

Ji Lingruo responded simply, puzzled as to when her senior brother and Young Master He had become so familiar; while Wangshu Fairy acted very coldly, ignoring her greeting, apparently because You Su had taught her last time not to befriend someone just because their aura was familiar.

You Su then realized He Kongyue's aura familiar; it was normal for him and his Mistress's wife, being siblings, to have similar auras. Fortunately He Kongyue didn't seem to mind at all and didn't feel embarrassed at all.

The two briefly recounted their chance encounter in Chuyun City, which explained He Kongyue had come to their door. They both tacitly omitted the details about He Shutong and the Purification Sect.

"Brother You, why don't you move to the He Manor? I have prepared a top-notch banquet, absolutely worthy of the reputation of Ancient Moon Residence."

Before You Su could reply, Ji Lingruo asked, "Why did you invite my senior brother but not us? Do you really think I'm his servant?"

"I have long heard of Miss Ji's reputation, but today my He family has only invited You Su. Next time, we will definitely invite you as well."

He Kongyue was polite and her explanations were never offensive.

Ji Lingruo wasn't really concerned about who was invited to dinner and not her; it was just that despite Young Master He's handsome appearance, she couldn't feel any affection for him.

Perhaps this hostility stems from the fact that their first meeting was in a brothel.

"You won't invite my senior brother to go drinking at a brothel?" Ji Lingruo asked suspiciously.

He Kongyue paused, then hurriedly said:

"What does Miss Ji take me for? I invited Brother You to a banquet at my residence. Besides, Brother You has already explicitly told me that he is extremely averse to brothels, so how could I possibly go against his wishes?"

Ji Lingruo looked You Su up and down, seemingly unable to believe that this blind man was actually quite self-aware.

The girl didn't really want You Su to have much interaction with this overly handsome man, but after all, he was backed by a top Lineage in the Central Yuan Continent, and You Su didn't seem to have any female friends growing up.

If I even interfere with my senior's friendships, won't he think I'm meddling too much?

"Then you must go and come back quickly, and you are not allowed to drink alcohol."

Ji Lingruo gave instructions like a housekeeper, You Su smiled bitterly to himself. After bidding farewell to the two women, he followed He Kongyue down the mountain.

Ji Lingruo, holding Wangshu's arm, whispered:

"Senior sister, did you remember Senior Brother's scent? If he comes back with a different fragrance, please remember to tell me..."

Wangshu nodded obediently. What she didn't say was that her junior brother had been covered in her fragrance earlier...

The pace seems a bit slow; it will pick up speed tomorrow.