The courtesan who left men intoxicated

Before long, Lu Changsheng arrived in Cangyun City.

The streets bustled with life, crowds milling along the roads and hawkers calling from the roadside. Every so often, children ran past at play. Young women picked out rouge and powder at stalls, married women wagged their tongues, and old men boasted.

The bustle of everyday life was everywhere here.

Lu Changsheng was in no hurry, strolling down the street and admiring the sights along the way.

A month ago, the Ning Household had already sent word that they would send Ning Yuxin to cultivate on Qingyun Peak for a while.

Zhou Qingyu was wholly devoted to the Dao and had no interest whatsoever in dealing with such matters. He always left them to Lu Changsheng.

Lu Changsheng saw right through it, though, and murmured leisurely.

"These days, even the richest man's daughter has trouble finding a husband!"

"All this talk of coming to cultivate for a while-isn't it just to let the two of them develop feelings for each other?"

"But then again, Eldest Senior Brother is so indifferent. Could it be that he doesn't like women?"

Talking as he walked, he arrived outside a restaurant.

It was called the Drunken Immortal Tower, renowned for a thousand miles around, but the Ning Household had booked the entire place today.

"Immortal Master Changsheng, you're here!"

Inside the restaurant, the proprietor came forward to greet him.

Guards stood all around, all of them from the Ning Household.

Lu Changsheng followed the proprietor upstairs to a private room.

The moment the door opened, Lu Changsheng saw several maids standing at the back and a young man of sixteen or seventeen seated there.

At the sight of Lu Changsheng, the young man rose. "You must be Senior Brother Changsheng!"

"And you are?"

"I'm Ning Yuchen, Ning Yuxin's younger brother. I came to accompany my sister. I was also the one corresponding with you earlier!"

"Oh, so it was you!"

Lu Changsheng stood on no ceremony. He walked in, and the two sat down.

They had exchanged several letters before and were reasonably familiar with each other.

Ning Yuchen cut a graceful figure and had a gentle manner. From the look of him, his family upbringing was strict; he was no wastrel.

Once seated, Lu Changsheng said, "Junior Brother Ning, there's no need to be so courteous. You could have gone straight to Qingyun Peak. Why invite me here specially?"

Smiling, Ning Yuchen looked Lu Changsheng over.

With those looks and that bearing, had he not heard of Lu Changsheng's reputation, he would have thought this was the legendary Little Sword Immortal Zhou Qingyu.

"We've come to impose on you, so we ought to treat you to a meal by way of apology!" Ning Yuchen said.

Lu Changsheng glanced around but said nothing more, while Ning Yuchen kept him company.

Soon, dishes were brought out one after another.

Seeing this, Lu Changsheng said, "Junior Brother Ning, if you have something to say, just say it. We'll all be family in the future. There's no need to beat around the bush!"

At that, Ning Yuchen leaned closer.

"Senior Brother Changsheng, I hear you understand Senior Brother Qingyu better than anyone, so I wanted to ask you about a few things!"

At those words, Lu Changsheng glanced at the young man beside him, already having a rough idea.

There was a marriage agreement between the two sides, and the Ning Household was keen to bring them together.

After all, his senior brother was a rare young talent in Cang Province, already on the verge of Core Formation at such a young age. Who wouldn't covet him?

It wasn't as though other sects lacked geniuses like him, but he alone had cultivated sword intent to the sixth level.

Without any false modesty, Zhou Qingyu was practically someone the entire younger generation of Cang Province looked up to. He had never tasted defeat since making his debut.

In fact, as Lu Changsheng saw it, in terms of excellence, Eldest Senior Brother was second only to himself.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Junior Brother, ask whatever you like. I understand!"

Ning Yuchen brightened. "May I ask what Eldest Senior Brother usually likes?"

"Spirit Stones!" Lu Changsheng answered, his words ringing out without the slightest hesitation.

"Spirit Stones?" Ning Yuchen froze.

Lu Changsheng said with certainty, "That's right. Spirit Stones. Piles and piles of Spirit Stones!"

Ning Yuchen was a little dazed. He felt he had never heard that before. As Cangyun Little Sword Immortal, shouldn't Zhou Qingyu like treasured swords?

Lu Changsheng explained, "Naturally, other people wouldn't know a little secret like this. Of course, famed swords, sword instructions, and the like will do as well!"

"So that's how it is!"

Ning Yuchen thought it over carefully. It seemed reasonable enough. Cultivators needed enormous amounts of Spiritual Qi to support their cultivation.

If they couldn't draw enough from their surroundings, they had to rely on Spirit Stones. Put that way, there was nothing wrong with liking Spirit Stones.

He immediately looked at Lu Changsheng. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother!"

"You're welcome!" Lu Changsheng glanced at the sky and said, "Since there's nothing else, I'll be off. I'm usually on the mountain, so just come straight over!"

"It's still early. Where are you going, Senior Brother?"

"The Drunken Moon Pavilion!"

"A brothel?"

"That's right!"

Lu Changsheng made no attempt to hide it. He had already arranged to meet the Drunken Moon Pavilion's leading courtesan.

He didn't care, either. His reputation was what it was, anyway.

For a moment, Ning Yuchen had an idea, but just as he was about to speak, Lu Changsheng had already left.

Once Lu Changsheng was out of sight, he felt somewhat regretful.

Meanwhile, inside the restaurant, a young woman frowned as she watched Lu Changsheng's departing figure.

She was seventeen or eighteen, with beautiful features and an understated elegance.

She was Ning Yuxin.

She had heard the earlier conversation clearly and couldn't help speaking.

"Qingyun Peak is such an immortal mountain, and Senior Brother Qingyu is such a genius. How could they have raised a junior brother like this?"

After arriving in Cangyun City, they had made inquiries everywhere and heard a little about Lu Changsheng as well.

But even hearsay was enough to make people shake their heads. What would happen if they looked into him more deeply?

An old servant beside her said, "Miss, you came for Young Master Qingyu. What Lu Changsheng is like is of little consequence!"

Ning Yuxin thought that made sense. Saying no more, she began preparing things, ready to head to Qingyun Peak tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng had already arrived in a bustling district.

Everywhere he looked were lovely women, with music sounding all around. People hurried to and fro, and this was the Drunken Moon Pavilion!

Before he could enter, someone had already come forward to greet him.

"Immortal Master Changsheng, Miss Muyue is already waiting for you!"

"Good!"

Lu Changsheng answered and followed the person inside.

Passing waterside pavilions and terraces, he arrived upstairs in a pavilion.

Looking over from afar, Lu Changsheng saw a woman leaning against the railing, her eyes gentle. As she looked at him, a smile touched her lips, soft as water.

"Young Master Lu, it's been some time since we last met. Surely you haven't forgotten me?"

The woman was none other than Su Muyue, who looked at Lu Changsheng and teased him.

Lu Changsheng walked over and replied, "It couldn't be helped. Lately, I've been so absorbed in cultivation that I couldn't tear myself away. I'm hoping to ascend soon and behold the Great Dao!"

As he spoke, he slowly sat down.

Su Muyue smiled. "What sort of joke are you telling me, Young Master Lu? How could someone as carefree and unfettered as you become absorbed in cultivation?"

"You really do understand me. I just haven't had the money to come lately!"

"Hehe!"

Su Muyue chuckled and sat opposite him.

"I've come this time to ask on my senior brother's behalf whether any secret realms have manifested lately."

"You really never come unless you need something!" Su Muyue shook her head. "But your senior brother has been entering secret realms rather frequently!"

"Who doesn't know he's a cultivation maniac? Tempering himself through experience is essential!"

Lu Changsheng was helpless about it too. A few years ago, he had happened to pass this place and been dragged inside, where he had met this courtesan by chance.

Later, he discovered that there was more to her identity than met the eye, though he didn't know what her purpose was.

Still, they got along very well, and he had asked her to help find many secret realms.

After all, he needed far too much Spiritual Qi for the outside world to satisfy him, and Spirit Stones weren't so easy to earn. He could only spend his days burrowing into secret realms.

The two chatted congenially, but as they talked, a commotion arose outside.

Several figures ignored the attempts to stop them and headed straight toward them, disrupting the atmosphere.