Nothing to Do Tonight but Listen to Songs at the Pleasure House

Night fell.

The Dao-Seeking City was ablaze with lights and bustling with activity.

Chu Feng admired the night scenery of this era as he walked through the Dao-Seeking City, and before he knew it, he had reached the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties.

"Young master, come and have some fun!"

"Young master, it's been so long! I've missed you to death."

"..."

Inside the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties, countless lovely women were soliciting customers.

Looking at the scene before him, Chu Feng could not help murmuring, "Nothing to do but listen to songs at the pleasure house. This life really isn't bad!"

Swish!

He opened the folding fan he had bought at the market that day and sauntered into the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties, waving it.

As soon as he entered, a beautiful woman came up to greet him.

"Young master, you look unfamiliar. This must be your first visit to our Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties, isn't it?"

Yuan Shuxiao spoke with a smile, a palm-leaf fan in her hand.

"Sharp eyes, sister."

Chu Feng let her take his arm affectionately, but his gaze searched the crowd for Kuang Sandao and Ling Zitong.

Although he had considered taking one of the two as his disciple, he still needed to examine their character.

After all, his disciple slot was precious and could not be wasted.

Yuan Shuxiao keenly caught the direction of Chu Feng's gaze. "Young master, are you here to look for friends?"

"No."

Changing the subject, Chu Feng asked, "If I may ask, where are Kuang Sandao and Ling Zitong?"

As soon as Yuan Shuxiao heard this, she understood why the young master before her had come.

To be precise, quite a few people had come to the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties tonight hoping to see the two men for themselves.

After their battle at the Life and Death Arena that day, their names had once again spread far and wide.

Many people were saying in private that the two would soon catch the Dao-Seeking Academy's eye and be granted exceptional admission.

This was a fine chance to get closer to them, so Yuan Shuxiao had made a point of arranging excellent seats for them today.

"There, they're sitting over there."

Chu Feng looked in the direction she pointed and saw Kuang Sandao and Ling Zitong seated at a table, surrounded like the moon amid a host of stars.

Quite a few people were raising toasts to the two of them.

He glanced around and saw that all the nearby tables were occupied. Then he looked up at the private rooms on the second floor, half enclosed by screens, and asked:

"Are there any seats upstairs?"

Yuan Shuxiao did not care what he intended. Since money had come to her door, she would be a fool not to take it. "Yes, of course. How many are in your party, young master?"

Chu Feng said, "Just me. Find me a private room."

"Very well. Please follow me, young master."

With that, Yuan Shuxiao led Chu Feng toward the second floor.

Meanwhile, in a private room on the second floor of the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties, Deacon Han had taken in the entire scene.

He took a sip of wine and thought, It seems Chief Chu intends to take one of these two as his disciple. Unfortunately, I still can't tell which one he wants.

Otherwise, I could earn a little more.

Chu Feng had no idea that someone was trying every trick in the book to snatch his disciple out from under him.

After following Yuan Shuxiao upstairs, he came to a private room of his own. As soon as he sat down, Yuan Shuxiao had someone bring him a picture album.

"Young master, our Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties has everything from courtesans who sell only their art to top courtesans. Just tell me which one catches your eye."

Without hesitation, Chu Feng said, "First, send me two courtesans who can sing, and bring a pot of wine."

"Certainly, young master. Please wait a moment."

Yuan Shuxiao left with a smile.

Before long, two young women entered the private room, one dressed in red and the other in green.

One held a pipa in her arms, while the other carried a pot of wine.

"Greetings, young master."

After entering, both women gave Chu Feng a slight bow.

"No need for formalities."

"Thank you, young master."

After setting the wine on the table, the young woman carrying it poured Chu Feng a cup as well.

Chu Feng accepted the cup without taking the opportunity to feel her up. "What are you good at? Just perform whatever you do best."

"Yes."

After the two women answered, the sound of a pipa and a voice like a lark's song filled the private room.

Chu Feng drank his wine and listened to the music, perfectly at ease, occasionally checking on the two men on the first floor.

In a private room not far away.

Deacon Han thought it over again and again, then summoned a trusted aide and sent word back to the Dao-Seeking Academy that Chu Feng had taken an interest in Kuang Sandao and Ling Zitong.

There were quite a few Dao-Seeking Academy students here. He could only get ahead of them and send his information back first, to see how many spirit stones his superiors would give him.

To obtain a greater reward, he even added a line to the letter: Chu Feng favored Ling Zitong.

Having taken care of everything, Deacon Han continued drinking.

About half an hour later.

Yuan Shuxiao's voice rang through the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties. "Honored guests, Miss Qin has arrived."

At these words, the previously noisy Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties fell silent at once.

Then a rain of flower petals fell inside the pavilion, and in an instant, their fragrance filled the entire place.

The two young women playing the pipa and singing fell silent at once.

Seeing this, Chu Feng asked instinctively, "Why did you stop singing?"

The young woman in red said, "Young master, didn't you come to hear Miss Qin perform?"

"Is Miss Qin very famous?"

Chu Feng asked the question instinctively, and realization dawned on both women's faces. It seemed the young master before them really was unfamiliar with Miss Qin.

The young woman in green, who held the pipa, said, "Sister Qin is the foremost courtesan who sells only her art in the Dao-Seeking City, and she isn't bound by a contract of servitude.

"As long as someone agrees to her conditions, Miss Qin will leave with that person."

Chu Feng asked with interest, "The Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties allows someone like that to stay here?"

The young woman in green said, "They have no choice. If the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties didn't agree, Miss Qin would go elsewhere to play the zither. The pavilion would be the only one to lose out."

The corners of Chu Feng's mouth rose slightly. "Interesting."

As the three spoke, a woman in a flowing white dress appeared on the third floor of the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties, surrounded by a bevy of maids.

Chu Feng looked over curiously. She was a young woman with a graceful figure and a light, delicate bearing.

Her skin was like jade, so delicate it seemed it would break at a touch. Her face was cool and lovely, and her beautiful black hair fell just to her waist.

Although a strip of white cloth covered her eyes, it did nothing to diminish her beauty. Instead, it added a touch of mystery.

Only after Miss Qin sat down at the guqin did the guests in the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties come to their senses and begin talking among themselves.

"I didn't expect to get a glimpse of Miss Qin's beauty today. This trip certainly wasn't wasted."

"Isn't that so? At first, I only came to see Kuang Sandao and Ling Zitong for myself."

"Do you think Miss Qin is ready to accept Ling Zitong? He did pursue her for a long time before this."

"I think he has a chance. After all, Ling Zitong will soon be able to enter the Dao-Seeking Academy."

"..."

Amid the crowd's discussion.

Miss Qin began to pluck the strings, and a melodious, lilting tune rang out.

The entire Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties fell silent once more.

When the piece ended, everyone was still immersed in the music. Even after Miss Qin had left, they had yet to come to their senses.

Chu Feng took a sip of air. "There's more to this Miss Qin than meets the eye."

There had been fluctuations of spiritual power in the piece just now.

The young woman in green said, "Of course. Our Sister Qin is a Dao Foundation Realm cultivator."

"Oh."

Hearing that made Chu Feng a little more curious about the woman.

"Tell me more. Spare no detail."

The young woman in green shook her head. "Yuan Shuxiao doesn't allow us to talk out of turn."

"So you're keeping me in suspense."

Chu Feng did not press the two young women, merely continuing to drink his wine at his leisure.

At that moment, Yuan Shuxiao spoke again. "Everyone, if you wish to hear Miss Qin continue playing, you may begin bidding now."

At these words, everyone present turned to look at Ling Zitong.

They were all regulars at the Pavilion of Fragrant Beauties, so they naturally knew that Young Master Ling was pursuing Miss Qin.

Ling Zitong smiled and raised the bidding paddle in his hand. "One thousand low-grade spirit stones."

When he finished, everyone fell silent. Not a single person made a bid.

After all, Ling Zitong was now one of the most promising Rogue Cultivators in the Dao-Seeking City.

Even though he had lost to Kuang Sandao today, no one would offend him.

Seeing how quiet it had become, Yuan Shuxiao was at a loss for words.

A thousand low-grade spirit stones was not a small sum, but who would complain about having too much money?

Still, if these people would not raise the bid, there was nothing she could do.

Yuan Shuxiao smiled and said, "Young Master Ling has bid one thousand low-grade spirit stones. Are there any other guests who wish to bid?"

The crowd remained unmoved. Just then, a languid voice suddenly came from the second floor.

"Two thousand low-grade spirit stones."