https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-126-Hiring-with-an-Eighth-Grade-Spirit-Herb/12532970/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-128-Xie-Lingfeng-s-Fame-Reaches-the-Unparalleled-Pavilion/12532980/
Chapter 127: The Unparalleled Pavilion on Thousand Star Lake, Tempering One's State of Mind
Chapter 127: The Unparalleled Pavilion on Thousand Star Lake, Tempering One's State of Mind
The old man dared not probe further. Whoever could make such a powerful master work as a coachman must be someone extraordinary; he couldn't afford to offend them.
As for Meng Shushu, he definitely wasn't in the carriage.
"According to the clues, Meng Shushu fled to Tieshan County. Now that the county is under lockdown, let's see how he escapes. But is the intelligence wrong?"
The old man was a bit skeptical.
Tieshan County was a remote and impoverished area. Wouldn't Meng Shushu be seeking his own death by fleeing there?
As Meng Chong drove towards Qinglin City, Meng Shushu, hiding in the carriage, felt a sense of apprehension. The man he had hired was a master.
Moreover, he was the powerful sort.
"Brother Meng, are you a peak master?" Meng Shushu asked cautiously.
He now suspected that Meng Chong might be in cahoots with those people, targeting his treasure.
"You can rest assured, brother. I, Meng Chong, have an excellent reputation. As long as you keep your promise, I won't betray you." Meng Chong patted his chest confidently.
"Ahaha, brother Meng, you've misunderstood. How could I, Meng Shushu, ever doubt you? I'm merely curious about your strength," Meng Shushu hastily explained with a laugh.
The journey to Qinglin City was long and far from peaceful. To avoid exposure, Meng Shushu stayed hidden in the carriage, afraid to come out.
Fortunately, Meng Chong's strength was more than enough to deter anyone from daring to disturb or inspect them, even with just a slight display of his aura.
Whoever could make a master warrior their coachman must be someone extraordinary.
...
As Meng Chong made his way to Qinglin City, Xu Yan bade farewell to Du Yuying, carrying the spirit medicine with him as he retraced his steps back to Lanping County.
He stored the spirit medicine in the Tianbao Pavilion within the county.
"The Seven Stars Academy is known as the holy land of martial arts in the Inner Domain, where countless martial arts from all over the world converge, along with innumerable powerful experts. Moreover, they recruit the proud and talented from all backgrounds and origins.
"The martial arts there must be as vast as the ocean itself. Just as Master said, there are admirable aspects to the martial arts of the Inner Domain. I should pay a visit to the Seven Stars Academy."
Xu Yan now had a new goal in mind.
In addition to continuing to earn spirit crystals and buy more spirit medicine, he also wanted to visit the Seven Stars Academy to explore the martial arts of the Inner Domain, drawing connections and absorbing the essence to enhance himself.
This trip to the Inner Domain had already yielded tremendous gains in a short time.
He had comprehended the true meaning of Dragon's Roar and created a sword technique called 'Mountain River Dragon's Roar'. If he went to the Seven Stars Academy, he would undoubtedly be exposed to even more Inner Domain martial arts.
"However, before that, I must temper my state of mind!"
Xu Yan felt that as his sword technique improved, his mental state had become somewhat unsteady and easily influenced by external factors. Thus, he needed to temper and elevate his mental state.
"In the frontier, I honed my state of mind using Qi Huang's harem, but Qi Huang's concubines were all ordinary people, and even the most beautiful among them lacked a certain charm.
"Du Yuying, on the other hand, is a warrior with considerable strength, an unusual temperament, and a captivating presence. To temper my state of mind, I must go to a place filled with beautiful women.
"Moreover, these women are all warriors with varying postures, each more enchanting than the last, which will better serve my purpose."
With this in mind, Xu Yan inquired about such a place.
The answer he received was always the same.
The Unparalleled Pavilion on Thousand Star Lake in Wan Hu County of the Great Yue Nation was unparalleled in the world.
Countless warriors were said to be entrapped there, unable to free themselves from the allure of the pavilion's dancers and courtesans, each of whom was a breathtaking beauty with exceptional skills and considerable strength.
They ranged from first-rate to ninth-rate warriors, and rumors persisted of the presence of master-level beauties among them.
Regardless of one's preferences, whether it be a woman with a heroic spirit, enchanting charm, gentle cuteness, or literary elegance, one could find their ideal beauty at the Unparalleled Pavilion.
"To think that such a place exists in the Inner Domain! This is far better than a brothel. It's definitely the perfect place to temper my state of mind. By going to Thousand Star Lake, I will surely be able to elevate my mental state.
"With a mind undisturbed by external desires, my sword path will naturally become clearer and advance to the next level!"
Xu Yan was delighted and immediately set out for Thousand Star Lake.
The Unparalleled Pavilion on Thousand Star Lake was renowned as the foremost pleasure ground in the Great Yue Nation.
Not only was it famous throughout the nation, but its reputation also spread throughout the entire Inner Domain.
Countless warriors were said to have fallen into debauchery there, captivated by the allure of the place and neglecting their martial arts.
The beauties of the Unparalleled Pavilion came from all over the Inner Domain. Some had been trained from a young age, others had been purchased from the Teaching and Control Bureau of the Great Yue Nation, and still, others had been captured by enemies and sold to the pavilion.
The background of the Unparalleled Pavilion was shrouded in mystery. Rumor had it that even the princes of the Great Yue Nation had to pay a hefty fee for entertainment when they visited.
Thousand Star Lake was not a single lake but a network of large and small lakes connected like a thousand stars, hence its name.
The lakes were interconnected by man-made waterways, and bridges spanned the water, providing both aquatic and terrestrial passage between them.
The Unparalleled Pavilion was situated right in the heart of this lake network.
From the outer small lakes to the inner larger ones, the pavilion was layered like an onion, and the deeper one ventured, the more exquisite the beauties and the more skilled the dancers and singers became.
Rumor had it that at the very core of Thousand Star Lake, amidst the lavishly decorated pleasure boats and the towering building that rose from the water, there were dancer-warriors of the master level.
Naturally, only those of the master warrior level and above, with substantial wealth, could enter that exclusive realm.
Ordinary masters did not have the financial means to gain access.
Standing on the shore of Thousand Star Lake, one could see the pleasure boats moored on the shimmering waters, with painted barges drifting back and forth, floating atop the ripples or gliding towards flower clusters in another lake.
From these barges would often come the sound of enchanting music, accompanied by the occasional coquettish murmur, arousing envy, jealousy, and hatred from the crowd of less fortunate warriors as they gazed at the barges hidden among the flowers.
Those warriors who could afford to rent a barge from the Unparalleled Pavilion and cruise Thousand Star Lake with their beloved, indulging in the pleasures of the flesh, were undoubtedly those with substantial assets.
Most warriors, however, would head to the moored pleasure boats, listen to the music, watch the dances, and, when in the mood, call for one or two beauties to join them in a private room.
It is worth mentioning that entry to the pleasure boats was free, but the tea, snacks, and alcoholic beverages on board were priced high.
The warriors of the Inner Domain valued their reputation and, despite the free entry, were too proud to freeload.
Thus, upon boarding, they would always order tea, snacks, or both.
To date, not a single warrior who had entered had been bold enough to skip ordering anything at all.
Before Xu Yan's visit to the Unparalleled Pavilion on Thousand Star Lake, he had been worried that he would have to spend the spirit crystals he had painstakingly earned.
However, for the sake of tempering his state of mind, he was prepared to grit his teeth and spend the money.
"I'm so poor!"
The more he learned about Thousand Star Lake, the more Xu Yan lamented his poverty.
What he had not expected was that entry to the pleasure boats was free of charge!
This was an unexpected delight!
Xu Yan had come to the Unparalleled Pavilion to temper his state of mind, to achieve a profound mental state where he could remain unmoved by beauty and undisturbed by external desires, elevating his sword path to a divine level.
He had not come to indulge in the pleasures of the pavilion, and he was determined not to spend a single spirit crystal if he could help it.
The pleasure boats were filled with the sounds of women, the whistles and shouts of warriors, and coquettish laughter. Who among the warriors could remain unmoved by such an atmosphere?
A first in the history of the Unparalleled Pavilion, a freeloader had appeared.
But Xu Yan paid them no mind. At that moment, he was wholly absorbed in observing the dancers' graceful movements, his heart gradually calming.
Gradually, the dances and songs faded into insignificance, becoming insignificant background noise. His mind was clear and detached from the surrounding allure.
"Indeed, they are warriors. Their dance moves, their figures, and their expressions far surpass those of Qi Huang's concubines. But they are no longer enough to stir my heart." Xu Yan marveled inwardly.
The Unparalleled Pavilion truly was an excellent place to temper one's state of mind, and it didn't even cost a thing!
The waiter soon returned with a manager in tow. The manager, upon seeing Xu Yan, found it hard to believe that this young man was the first thick-skinned customer in the history of the Unparalleled Pavilion.
With a smile, the manager asked, "May I ask what has left you feeling that it isn't worth spending a fortune here?"
Xu Yan pondered for a moment before replying, "Your dancers are quite ordinary and fail to captivate me."
The manager was taken aback, eyeing Xu Yan skeptically. Could this young man be a frequent patron of brothels, no longer impressed by ordinary dancers? "This is a public place, and it's understandable if our dancers don't meet your standards, esteemed guest. On this pleasure boat, we have twelve private rooms, each occupied by an unparalleled beauty. Their dance skills, singing, and other talents are extraordinary and will surely satisfy you. However, these ladies do not come cheap."
The manager's implication was clear—it all depended on whether Xu Yan could afford it.
Xu Yan hesitated for a moment, then took out a stack of spirit bills from his pocket. These were the fruits of his labor, earned by defeating numerous Grandmaster warriors.
"I have the money, but how can I be sure that your ladies in the private rooms will satisfy me?" Xu Yan asked, his brow furrowed.
The manager's eyes lit up at the sight of the spirit bills. There had to be at least ten thousand spirit crystals there.
"Rest assured, esteemed guest. Everyone who enters the private rooms leaves satisfied. We guarantee your pleasure," the manager assured him.
"And if I'm not satisfied? If I'm not moved or pleased?" Xu Yan pressed, his expression serious.
"Not a single spirit crystal will be charged, I promise you," the manager vowed.
"Alright, lead the way to the private rooms," Xu Yan nodded.
"But first, esteemed guest..." the manager said.
"If I'm satisfied, I'll pay. How can I pay if I haven't even seen the person? What if your goods don't live up to the hype? If I'm pleased and my heart is unmoved, do you think I'd dare cause trouble in the Unparalleled Pavilion?" Xu Yan asked, his brow furrowed.
The manager considered his words and found them reasonable. Who would dare make a scene at the Unparalleled Pavilion?
Moreover, this young man was in the prime of his youth, his blood boiling with passion. Even if he were a frequent visitor to brothels, how could he possibly remain unmoved by these ladies? Each of the twelve beauties in the private rooms possessed not only stunning looks but also a mastery of the art of seduction.
Such young men were the easiest to entice. Once they gave in to temptation, how could they dare refuse to pay? Did they think the Unparalleled Pavilion was a charity?
"This way, esteemed guest," the manager said, his face wreathed in smiles as he led Xu Yan to the topmost level of the pleasure boat.
They stopped in front of one of the private rooms. "After you, esteemed guest."
Xu Yan nodded and stepped inside.
The room was elegantly furnished, and a stunning woman greeted him. Her movements were alluring, and her eyes seemed to be gazing lovingly at her beloved. Her every gesture was a temptation.
She wore a thin, pink silk dress, and the light from the windows hinted at the delights hidden beneath the sheer fabric.
"Esteemed guest, I've been expecting you," she purred, her voice soft and alluring, as if plucking at the heartstrings.
Xu Yan drew in a sharp breath. "She's much better than those dancers. She can stir my heart a little. Excellent, I can continue honing my mental state."
He sat down and said, "Show me what you've got. Impress me."
"How about a song, esteemed guest?" she suggested, her posture coy and enticing. Her delicate, white hands plucked at the strings of a zither, and as she smiled and swayed, the music filled the room. Her body moved in time with the melody, revealing glimpses of her charms.
(End of Chapter)
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