The Power of Erotic Literature

Once they left the alley, Xue Qingqiu abandoned her leisurely pace. She swept Xue Mu up by the waist and vanished into the night like a bolt of lightning. Pressed against her soft frame, enveloped in a lingering, delicate fragrance, Xue Mu found his arm resting against a place he dared not name. Even a slight tilt of his head would bring his lips against her cheek, yet he felt no stirrings of desire. He had noticed that Xue Qingqiu's expression was unexpectedly grave.

To think that this fearless, supreme powerhouse could be made to look so solemn...

"Do you know why I dragged you away without a second thought?"

They reached the Hundred Flowers Garden in the blink of an eye. Xue Qingqiu seemed to exhale in relief as she set Xue Mu down before asking the question.

Xue Mu also felt her behavior was strange. Even if she disliked Xiahou Di, they were on the verge of a partnership and on the cusp of rescuing Yin Ye; she shouldn't have been so dismissive of basic social graces.

Xue Qingqiu didn't make him guess for long. She stated bluntly, "Xiahou Di developed an intent to kill you. You possess no cultivation; the mere shockwaves of a clash could end your life. Since we were on her turf and I didn't know the full extent of her capabilities, even with my heaven-defying power, I couldn't guarantee your safety. It was better to leave while we could."

Xue Mu was stunned. Was this Xiahou Di truly a lunatic?

He had shown a bit of his edge, but that was only to bolster her confidence in their cooperation. Why would she decide to kill him?

Xue Qingqiu, conversely, offered a defense for Xiahou Di: "Developing a killing intent doesn't mean she truly intended to kill you. It was just a passing thought; that is not uncommon... How many times have I wanted to kill you? I still think about it often!"

Xue Mu: "..."

Xue Qingqiu sighed. "Taking you away was just a precaution. Even if the probability was one in a trillion, I could not afford to gamble with it."

Seeing her earnest expression, a flicker of warmth stirred in Xue Mu's heart. Perhaps she viewed him as a younger brother, or perhaps she simply relied on his schemes, but regardless, this level of concern was genuine.

Xue Qingqiu continued, "Honestly, if anyone else were in her position, they would likely have developed the same intent. Do you know where the problem lies?"

Xue Mu scratched his head. "Is it that I'm too sharp?"

"No. Our kind toils for a lifetime, all for the sake of earning the world's respect and looking down upon the masses. Why hide one's talent?" Xue Qingqiu said, word by word. "It is because the threat you pose is too great, yet you are too easy to kill. If you could block even half a move from her, she wouldn't have entertained such a thought so easily. But you are simply too weak. It is like seeing a cockroach on the road—you might not bother to step on it—but if you see an ant, you would crush it without a second thought. It is much the same logic."

Xue Mu fell silent.

"If you want to practice martial arts, you must first resolve the strange poison in your body." Xue Qingqiu sighed. "If the poison hadn't reached your marrow, I could have cleared it with a flip of my hand. But since it has, purging it might severely damage your foundation, making any progress in the martial path impossible. This is a troublesome matter."

As they spoke, they entered the Hundred Flowers Garden, and the sight that greeted them left them both momentarily stunned.

At the main entrance, someone was rolling on the ground: "I'm injured! If Miss Qianqian doesn't save me, I'm going to die..."

Xue Qingqiu: "..."

Stepping inside, they saw countless guests surrounding the madam and the attendants, asking, "Where is Miss Qianqian?"

The madam explained with a forced smile, "Miss Qianqian was only just revived; she is currently resting."

Upon hearing she was recovering from injuries, the guests didn't cause a scene; instead, they were all beaming with joy.

The Hundred Flowers Garden, already packed to capacity due to the "uniform temptation" scheme, had been noisy enough, but now it was as chaotic as a wet market.

In contrast, the atmosphere in the main hall was surprisingly tranquil. Many guests who were drinking while holding the girls were actually reading small booklets alongside them. Someone was playing a mournful, winding melody, accompanied by the harmonious, lingering notes of a flute. The atmosphere was peaceful to an extreme.

Everyone's reaction was different. Some read with eyes glowing, biting at the girls beside them; others looked up and sighed, faces filled with melancholy, murmuring, "Miss Qianqian..."

Then, those with glowing eyes would quickly whisk the girls off to the back rooms—what they did there went without saying. Those who sighed at the heavens were coaxed by the girls beside them, only to return to their seats with forced smiles to appease them.

In the various private boxes and booths, the atmosphere was equally quiet; there was virtually no rowdiness. Presumably, they were doing much the same as the guests in the main hall.

Xue Mu's first piece of erotica in this world, after a day of being copied and circulated, was finally revealing the tip of its iceberg. Xue Mu knew this was only the beginning. Later on, Qianqian might become the most famous name in the capital, and if managed well, perhaps even the entire world.

Yue Xiaochan arrived gracefully, her face veiled, and laughed, "Master is back? Hello, Uncle!"

As she spoke, she blinked at Xue Mu, looking incredibly proud and excited. Xue Mu knew what she meant; she had been a participant in this erotica scheme from start to finish, and she felt a sense of shared glory...

He blinked back and smiled, "Starting today, stop using those uniforms. We don't need them anymore."

Yue Xiaochan smiled, "Mm, I'll listen to Uncle."

Her attitude was truly that of a "neighbor's child"—incredibly obedient—yet her eyes still held a mist, carrying a smile that was impossible to fathom. Xue Mu felt a complex mix of emotions; he pursed his lips and said nothing.

Over there, Xue Qingqiu took a booklet from one of the girls and read a few lines. The stern, graceful demeanor she always maintained in front of her subordinates collapsed in an instant. She shot Xue Mu a sidelong glance with a look of helpless amusement, only to see Xue Mu and Yue Xiaochan staring at each other in silence.

She frowned slightly but said nothing. She simply tucked the booklet away and instructed the madam nearby, "Tell Qingqing to see me in the inner chamber."

The group made their way to the underground chamber. The clamor of the brothel gradually faded away, leaving a lingering sense of detachment from the mundane world. The master, the disciple, and Xue Mu all fell silent, making that feeling even more profound and complex.

Soon, Zhuo Qingqing rushed in, breaking the strange, unspoken atmosphere.

Xue Qingqiu studied her disciple for a few seconds before turning to ask Zhuo Qingqing, "Did you find Young Master Zhao?"

Perhaps sensing the odd atmosphere, Zhuo Qingqing felt a tremor in her heart and said in a low voice, "Young Master Zhao did indeed live on the outskirts of the capital. This disciple found his residence, but... he overdosed while testing poisons. He passed away last month..."

Xue Qingqiu: "..."

Qingqing pulled out a book. "This is Young Master Zhao's life's work on testing poisons. His family viewed it as a curse, so when they saw I was interested, they gave it to me without a second thought."

Xue Qingqiu's expression softened slightly as she took the book. Xue Mu leaned in to look; the cover read: Hundred Herbs Record.

Damn, this guy was actually a Shennong-type figure... Xue Mu marveled inwardly. This must be one of the Hundred Schools, right? Now that is what you call truly high-class!

Xue Qingqiu's slender fingers slowly flipped through the Hundred Herbs Record until she paused at a certain page. She frowned in deep thought for a moment, then nodded. "This book should be of some use to Xue Mu."

She paused, then explained to Xue Mu, "The path of poison is not highly regarded because its ceiling is too low. While it is extremely effective against the weak, it is useless against experts. If they were to use everything they learned to poison me, I would treat it as nothing more than a passing breeze. Thus, the various poison sects have gradually declined. Nowadays, there are no sects based solely on poison, though the various branches of the Demon Sect still dabble in it. While my sect has some knowledge, we are not specialists, and I had no ideas for your situation. This Young Master Zhao was perhaps the last of the professional poison masters. He also practiced until his body was filled with toxins, which is somewhat similar to your situation. I will study this carefully tonight to see if I can find a solution for you."

Xue Mu bowed sincerely. "I'm troubling you, Sister."

Xue Qingqiu put away the Hundred Herbs Record, took out Xue Mu's erotica to read for a while, and finally laughed, "It seems it's time to raise Qianqian's price tenfold?"

Xue Mu shook his head. "Qianqian's style is different now. As more and more sentimental martial artists come to visit, she must elevate her own status. She should only see famous masters, burning incense while playing the zither, sitting and discussing the Dao. If she finds someone to her liking, she can choose whether or not to share a night of passion with them; there is no need to charge a fee."

Yue Xiaochan's gaze turned peculiar. "That doesn't sound like a brothel girl anymore... It's more like... like... oh, I can't quite put my finger on it."

Xue Mu laughed. "Don't worry about what to call it. In any case, there will be people who fall for this routine."

"Then Qianqian will stop seeing guests starting tonight." Xue Qingqiu stood up and stretched her back. "Let her go serve Xue Mu tonight."

Yue Xiaochan looked up at her master and smiled faintly. "Master is wise. I've watched Uncle weave through the flowers; some are too strong, some are too young, he's been holding back until he's about to burst."