The Meat and Wine Rot Behind Vermilion Gates

Kong Yuan Divine Mountain is a majestic snow-capped mountain standing atop a vast, desolate plain, as if the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain wilderness was there to highlight its grandeur.

Unlike outsiders who regard the sacred mountain as a piece of gold, the people of the Northern Ao Continent are not stingy with the vast land beneath their feet.

The buildings, built atop the snow-capped mountains, are majestic and enormous, all constructed from black stone and white snow, creating a powerful visual impact.

The mountainside of Kong Yuan Divine Mountain is a clear dividing line; the area below it snows occasionally, while the area above it is covered in snow year-round.

The continuous snowfall on the mountainside prevents people below from ever seeing the world at the summit, which seems to exist only in the imagination of mortals.

Inside a temple atop the mountain, a man dressed in a lake-blue robe gazed out at the wind and snow. The wind howled fiercely high above, and the man couldn't help but cough a few times.

A young man in white quickly walked to his side, bowed, and poured the man a cup of hot tea.

The man took a small sip, as if remembering something:

"Will we never be able to drink that Snow Village Tea again?"

The young man was taken aback for a moment, but quickly realized that the man wasn't nostalgic for the overrated Snow Village Tea, but rather for the profits behind it.

"All our assets in Shuo City were wiped out by that Archimedes Venerable, and Xuexianglou became his target for making an example of us. Snow Village Tea has since disappeared."

The man's eyes were deep and unfathomable as he said slowly, "Our twenty-year-long scheme in Shuo City was completely wiped out in just two days. He's truly a talent."

The young man clenched his fist secretly and said disdainfully:

"In my opinion, he's nothing but a shameless scoundrel. He refuses to cooperate and even leaves behind evidence of killing Black Sea Moon —how is he any different from those who accept bribes and then turn around and accuse others?"

The man chuckled at the young man's words, "How could someone skilled in calculation allow themselves to suffer a loss? Oh well, it's just a Black Sea Moon."

The man spoke casually, but the young man knew how much effort and money they had spent rescuing that particular evil spirit from the Central Yuan Continent.

"However, I am very curious about who entered the Black Sea Moon Illusion in his place. If it weren't for him, and if the Archimedes Venerable had gone in personally, Qi Tai could have done much more than this."

"It seems like someone who escaped from some reclusive tribe," the young man in white replied.

"I specially invited Master Zhai from the Southern Yang Continent. Didn't I ask him to do a divination?"

"Never mind... but I can't figure it out." The young man in white lowered his head slightly.

"It was my oversight; with the Archimedes Venerable by his side, it's still too difficult for Immortal Master Zhai to figure it out."

The man sighed and gently closed the window, shutting out the magnificent snow scene. The movement of raising his hand revealed half of his forearm; the thinning effect extended from his fingers to his arm, becoming increasingly pronounced until it was almost just skin and Root Bone —a shocking sight.

"Just give me your instructions, sir..." The young man in white felt a pang of pity upon seeing this, his eagerness stemming from the heart.

"It's alright." The man shook his head. "Since that Archimedes Venerable is only here for the money, he's no threat. We can just pay him off. Keep digging. I've been waiting for this day... for a long time."

The young man in white looked up upon hearing this, his eyes blazing with intense passion.

Not only had the man waited a long time for this day, but he had too. He firmly believed that only he could rival Mr. in his unwavering dedication to his goal, so he would not let anyone who tried to sabotage his efforts to achieve it get away with it!

Snowflakes are falling outside the window, while spring is in full bloom inside.

"What do you want to say?"

You Su pushed that incomparably beautiful head away slightly.

Qianhua Venerable wiped the drool from his lips, his breathing slightly rapid, but his words remained defiant:

"You Su... did I accidentally flip some kind of switch on you?"

"I said, you should call me—Master."

"Aren't you tired?"

Qianhua Venerable ignored You Su. She squatted down and looked at the spirited You Su, a hint of amazement flashing in her beautiful eyes.

You Su's sitting posture was even more unrestrained, with his legs spread wide apart.

"Isn't this what you expected?"

"That's just wishful thinking on your part."

Although Qianhua Venerable was still being stubborn, in reality, her words were surprisingly soft.

"This is your self-deception," You Su as cold and unyielding as a judge.

Qianhua Venerable was not annoyed, and his hand teasingly caressed You Su's chest again.

"Then ask yourself honestly, when you followed me into the room, weren't you also expecting this...?"

These words caused You Su to pause slightly, and she couldn't help but show a hint of unease.

Having had such abundant yang energy for so long, it's understandable that he would have some fantasies when he suddenly encounters a woman he can take whatever he wants from. But You Su would never admit that he lusts after this wicked woman's body.

Seeing this, Qianhua Venerable knew she had succeeded, and smiled faintly. It was unclear whether she was laughing at herself for seeing through You Su, or at the fact that this seemingly indifferent young man could actually be swayed by her charm.

But she was also very perceptive. Seeing that You Su's anger was rising, she suddenly picked up the cup of tea that You Su had poured for her earlier.

Because of the special material of the teacup, it was exceptionally good at retaining heat. Even though she had been holding the tea in her mouth for quite some time, a misty steam still lingered on the surface.

"After a long separation, I have a gift for you."

Qianhua Venerable put the steaming hot tea into his mouth, then bowed again.

You Su raised an eyebrow slightly; this reunion gift truly warmed his heart.

Now he finally let down his guard a little and just wanted to relax. After being in the Northern Ao Continent for so long, there was probably no safer place than here.

Just as You Su was enjoying herself, there was a soft knock on the door.

"What's up?"

Qianhua Venerable still had time to ask questions.

"Pavilion Master... that young master Xi bought all the clothes at today's fashion show, saying he only wanted to take this opportunity to meet you..."

The maid outside the door spoke in a timid voice. She vaguely guessed that the Pavilion Master might be doing something that shouldn't be disturbed, but she also couldn't afford to offend the young master downstairs.

"He wants to use this opportunity to apologize to you," You Su said, stroking the Fairy's hair beneath her.

"Even if he buys out Qianhua Pavilion, it won't matter. I'm exhausted today; we can discuss anything else tomorrow. Oh, and make sure all the guests are well taken care of. Unless there's something else urgent, don't bother me again."

Qianhua Venerable felt the hand caressing her body becoming increasingly restless, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, a bad premonition creeping in, which made her tone sound somewhat anxious and impatient.

"Yes..." the maid outside the door replied and hurried downstairs.

"It's a celebration day today, you must be busy, don't you need to come downstairs and take a look?"

You Su circled behind the Fairy, savoring the perfect curve of her waist with both hands.

Qianhua Venerable felt somewhat uncomfortable with being toyed with, and frowned, saying, "And then you secretly humiliate me in front of so many people? I'm not that shameless."

You Su simply smiled and lifted the hem of her cheongsam, draping it over the Fairy's back. Qianhua Venerable had always been daring in his clothing choices, and this Black Gold Qipao had a slit that reached all the way up to the upper thigh.

"W-What do you want to do...?"

Qianhua Venerable did not stop her, because she knew it would be useless; she couldn't stop You Su at all, so she could only tremble slightly. But for some reason, her upper body had involuntarily leaned onto the coffee table, as if she had been expecting it all along.

"I don't like to aim too high, so I only ever do what I'm capable of."

Even though he was already at the Water Condensing Upper Realm, he still couldn't break through the Void Glimpse Venerable's defense. But it didn't matter; no one could defend against everything.

"Rumor has it that Qianhua Venerable is fond of men, and I think it's true." This was the first time You Su had heard this wicked woman make such a sound, and he couldn't help but tease her.

Qianhua Venerable's cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were shimmering with tears, yet he still managed to maintain a facade of pride.

"I hate men the most!"

"Hate men the most? Then why do you call that young master Xi Yechun a friend?"

You Su thought of the young man who had made things difficult for him, not only his tone but also his actions unconsciously became more ruthless.

"Oh! What's wrong? Jealous?"

Qianhua Venerable trembled, but his face turned from embarrassment to a smile, and he even had time to turn around and mischievously sized up You Su.

The Fairy had no choice but to confess and beg for mercy, "He was just deluding himself. I was just stringing him Northern Ao Continent on business, so naturally I needed to build some connections... There are free fools coming to my door, how could I not take advantage of it..."

Upon hearing this, You Su felt a chill run down her spine and could no longer concentrate on asking questions.

The master and servant, reunited after a long separation, were engaged in a heated fight on the rooftop, while the shopping area downstairs at the Qianhua Pavilion was packed with people.

Looking at the bustling crowd, the Archimedes Venerable seemed to be realizing for the first time that there were so many wealthy people in the Northern Ao Continent.

He sighed softly, gently patted the head of the little white cat nestled in his arms, and said guiltily:

"Little White, Little White, I'm so sorry..."

He named Bai Ze "Xiao Bai" without thinking.

"My name is Pearl!" Bai Ze was furious, partly because You Su had abandoned it.

"Don't blame your master. He's doing this for you, and now he's working as someone else's dog." The Archimedes Venerable earnestly advised a cat, but there was a strange sense of wicked amusement in his words.

"I told you, he's not my master!" Bai Ze was almost furious, so he simply buried his head and ignored the unruly Flower Daoist.

It didn't quite understand what You Su was doing or what he was going through, but it could vaguely guess that he had made some great sacrifice.

Was it really for me...?

The next day, as dawn broke, the Archimedes Venerable was specially invited to an elegant tea room in the Qianhua Pavilion.

The aroma of tea wafted through the air. You Su and Qianhua Venerable sat side by side, while Archimedes Venerable sat alone opposite them. The atmosphere among the three was subtle and complex.

The Archimedes Venerable gently stirred the tea in his cup, a playful smile playing on his lips, and asked knowingly:

"Da Bang, you disappeared yesterday and never returned, I've been looking for you everywhere. What happened? Were you captivated by the beauty of the Qianhua Pavilion, or were you having such a pleasant conversation with Qianhua Venerable that you forgot the time?"

Upon hearing this, Qianhua Venerable inwardly cursed the old fox's cunning, but on the surface he remained calm, smiled lightly, and said, "Archimedes Venerable is joking. Indeed, I had a very pleasant conversation with You Su, so I kept him as a guest for half a day."

Upon hearing this, the Archimedes Venerable laughed heartily, seemingly unsurprised by the answer.

He smoothly picked up the conversation, saying, "In that case, it's quite a story. To be honest, Qianhua Venerable, besides congratulating Qianhua Pavilion on its 40th anniversary, I have another request to make."

Qianhua Venerable raised an eyebrow slightly. In fact, he had already learned some things from You Su, but he pretended not to know and asked, "Oh? What could possibly concern Archimedes Venerable so much?"

The Archimedes Venerable's expression turned serious. He said, "Qianhua Venerable, although Northern Ao Continent is located in a remote area, it is rich in resources and its people are hardworking. Qianhua Venerable has a deep understanding of the Northern Ao Continent and must have some knowledge of it. I would like to request that Qianhua Venerable establish more basic industries in the Northern Ao Continent, such as garment factories and dyeing factories, to expand their scale and adapt to local conditions. Truly transform Qianhua Pavilion in the Central Yuan Continent into the Qianhua Pavilion throughout the five continents. This is my sincere advice."

The last sentence was beautifully spoken. Upon hearing this, Qianhua Venerable gently put down his teacup, looked intently at Archimedes Venerable, and said:

"Archimedes Venerable, I share your aspirations. However, the conditions in the Northern Ao Continent are obvious to both of us. Investing such a large sum here is no less than a gamble. The foundation of my Qianhua Pavilion is in the Central Yuan Continent. If we invest a large amount of resources in the Northern Ao Continent, it will inevitably affect my business in other continents."

Upon hearing this, Archimedes Venerable sighed softly and said, "Qianhua Venerable, I understand your concerns. However, the future of the Northern Ao Continent also needs business tycoons like you to lead it. If you can establish an industry here, you will not only drive the development of the Northern Ao Continent, but also open up a new world for yourself."

Qianhua Venerable remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.

Seeing this, Archimedes Venerable also looked troubled. He knew that hesitation meant rejection, and often not saying things outright was just to leave room for both sides. It seemed that a suitable male concubine was not as important as the development of the Qianhua Pavilion in Qianhua Venerable's heart. However, failure was already within Archimedes Venerable's expectations.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense, You Su, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, her voice clear and resonant:

"Behind the red gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the roads, frozen corpses lie." You only see those dressed in fine clothes, but you don't know how many people outside are barely clothed.

Upon hearing this, both Qianhua Venerable and Archimedes Venerable were stunned, staring at You Su in shock.

The Archimedes Venerable's eyes gleamed with a strange light, as if he were about to re-examine You Su.

"Qianhua Venerable, if you could grant Archimedes Venerable's request to establish businesses in the Northern Ao Continent, it would not only benefit the local people, but also spread your and Qianhua Pavilion's reputation throughout the five continents. Isn't such an opportunity worth seizing?"

You Su's words of advice were resounding, and Qianhua Venerable seemed to be deeply moved by the vision expressed in his words, his face flushed.

But this flush... looks a little unnatural...