Listening Wind Tower

Why?

Just why?

She comprehended an Artistic Conception, and so did I.

Is her Intent stronger than mine? Ye Qiu wondered. He knew Intent came in different grades, some stronger than others.

But the Great Serpent shook his head. "Your Intent is excellent. It's no weaker than hers!"

Ye Qiu frowned. "Then has she mastered a Divine Ability?"

The Great Serpent said, "All she used was a simple Cleaving Sword Technique."

"Then why?"

The Great Serpent added, "Because she's achieved Sword Heart Clarity!"

Ye Qiu: "..."

The path of Cultivation involved Body Refining and Law Refining, but Heart Refining mattered even more. The Dao Heart might be more important still.

Only with an unwavering Dao Heart could one streak onward like a rainbow across the sky.

And the Dao Heart affected many other things.

But Dao Heart Clarity... that was far, far harder to achieve than comprehending an Artistic Conception.

In this Academy, never mind the disciples—even among the elders, how many had truly achieved Dao Heart Clarity?

Across all of Southern State, how many were there?

Dao Heart Clarity meant a heart free of impurities. It meant understanding one's own path and finding the way forward. It also sent one's comprehension soaring!

To put it simply...

Dao Heart Clarity was like growing another mind's eye... like having a sudden awakening!

One hell of an awakening!

Something that had once been beyond you might suddenly click. You learned faster, with astonishing efficiency.

With Dao Heart Clarity, one could advance a thousand miles in a day!

All Ye Qiu could think was: Holy shit!

He had only just comprehended an Artistic Conception, and she had gone and grown another mind's eye—an extraordinary one at that.

It made his blood boil!

Ahead, the crowd erupted in uproar. Several people rushed forward at top speed.

They carefully lifted a blood-soaked figure out of the enormous crater.

The Eighth Core looked as wretched as a dog!

"Do you concede?" Lu Li stood calmly, watching the blood-drenched, utterly bedraggled man.

Zhao Yan fell silent, with no answer to give.

Lu Li turned away. "If you can't accept it, go back and work hard. Work like a madman. Come find me whenever you think you're ready. I'll always have time to cut you down."

Zhao Yan's face instantly turned uglier than ever.

She had struck at his heart after defeating him!

As the Eighth of Southern State, he had grown up surrounded by praise and envy, wreathed in glory.

He had been a true figure of renown.

Now he felt as miserable as a dog!

Ye Qiu felt stung too. He clenched his fists, then turned away in a huff.

"Brother Ye..." Wu Xiaokai hurried after him, following him all the way out of the Academy.

Ye Qiu was in a foul mood. What was that girl made of? How was this fair?

Even Heaven's own daughter shouldn't get away with this!

His irritation lingered for a long time. He didn't hear a single word Wu Xiaokai said.

Seeing Ye Qiu like this, Wu Xiaokai figured he wanted to be alone and tactfully said, "Brother Ye, I'll head off first. Take some time to cool down."

He had a vague idea why Ye Qiu was always so gloomy despite having such a beautiful wife.

Most likely, he had no standing at home...

But that was between the two of them. Wu Xiaokai couldn't say much about it.

"Where are you going?" Ye Qiu suddenly asked.

"To unwind," Wu Xiaokai said.

"Take me with you," Ye Qiu said.

The fire in his chest flared up again. So what if she's achieved Dao Heart Clarity?

I caught up to her once. I can do it again!

What am I lacking?

Wu Xiaokai waved him off. "Better not. I'm afraid your wife will give you trouble."

Ye Qiu snorted. "You think I'm afraid of her?"

Wu Xiaokai smiled.

It was a strained smile.

"Lead the way." Ye Qiu turned and strode off. He had a fair idea where Wu Xiaokai was going.

So what?

I'm in a terrible mood!

Sure enough, after dusk fell, Wu Xiaokai led him to a distinctively decorated building.

Listening Wind Tower!

It was one of South Capital's most famous pleasure houses, a place for leisure and entertainment with no shortage of things to see and do.

By now, carriages streamed past its entrance, and the people coming and going were all lavishly dressed dignitaries.

A visit here was anything but cheap.

It was known as a place where gold vanished into a bottomless pit!

Outside, Wu Xiaokai looked at Ye Qiu again. "Brother Ye, are you sure this is okay?"

He was genuinely worried for Ye Qiu. After all, his wife was absurdly powerful.

And judging by the look of him, Brother Ye probably had no standing at home...

How could he dare claim any?

She also had an fiercely protective teacher behind her.

One of them was bad enough.

Getting beaten by both was no joke.

Ye Qiu shot Wu Xiaokai a look, then strode into Listening Wind Tower. Wu Xiaokai paused before following him in.

Ye Qiu's entrance drew little attention, but the moment Wu Xiaokai walked in, heads turned everywhere.

"Greetings, Lord Wu."

"Lord Wu is here!"

Sweet voices rang out all around them. By the looks of it, Wu Xiaokai was a regular here!

Wu Xiaokai greeted them with a smile. Soon he had a woman tucked under each arm and looked thoroughly at ease.

As they went farther in, the heavily made-up madam came toward them, waving a small fan and swaying her slender waist, her smile enormous. "Well, if it isn't Lord Wu! You haven't visited in three whole days."

Wu Xiaokai smiled and tossed her a Storage Ring. "The usual."

The madam's face lit up. "Leave it to me!"

They were led deeper inside and soon arrived at a bustling hall. At the front stood a raised stage, where white mist billowed around supple figures showing off their every dance move.

Ye Qiu and Wu Xiaokai took seats off to one side. Before long, wine, pastries, and rare fruits covered the table.

Two more young women joined Wu Xiaokai, and all four women kept him entertained.

"Brother Ye, want to pick one?" Wu Xiaokai asked. Even surrounded by beauties, he hadn't forgotten Ye Qiu.

Ye Qiu picked up his cup and drained it in one gulp. The wine was good, sweet as nectar. He poured himself another cup before asking casually, "Is there no Courtesan here?"

Wu Xiaokai's eyes lit up at once. He pushed the woman in his arms aside. "Of course there is! And she's one of the ten great beauties on Southern State's Rouge Ranking."

"Her face, her figure, her chest..."

As he spoke, he waved his hands to illustrate, a thoroughly lecherous grin on his face.

"Too bad she only performs. She won't sleep with anyone. And she doesn't come out every day, so seeing her takes luck... Last time, I spent a full hundred thousand Spirit Crystals just to see her once. She wouldn't even let me touch her hand..."

That piqued Ye Qiu's curiosity.

A woman who only performed, here?

Hmph!

They just weren't offering enough money!

He drank his wine, listened to the music, and watched the dancing. He had no interest in the gaudily made-up women pressing close to him.

An hour later, Wu Xiaokai stood up. "Brother Ye, keep drinking. I'm going to the second floor."

Ye Qiu glanced at him. Wu Xiaokai gave a sly chuckle and headed upstairs.

Ye Qiu let him go. He was a man; what was strange about that?

The other tables were crowded with groups of three or five, full of chatter. Ye Qiu sat alone off to one side, conspicuous in his solitude.

More than two hours passed without Wu Xiaokai coming back down. Ye Qiu was growing bored.

The Courtesan wasn't here. There was nothing worth staying for.

He was just about to get up when he sensed someone watching him.

The gaze felt wrong.

Cold.

There was even killing Intent in it!