Chapter 606: The Troublemakers
Chapter 606: Chapter 605: The Troublemakers
Tingchao Pavilion opened its doors, and the guests were all enjoying themselves.
Qin Ya sat in a corner, drinking alone. Occasionally, a few people who recognized him would come over to say hello, and a good number of others lingered by his side, trying to curry favor.
At that moment, an uproar went through the crowd.
A woman in a palace gown walked in slowly. Her every step was like a blooming lotus, her graceful figure swaying, her every movement filled with a fatal, irresistible charm.
Compared to this woman, everyone else in Tingchao Pavilion seemed to lose their luster.
Among the arrivals were many young prodigies from the Noble Families. As Martial Artists in the prime of their youth, their Life Essence Power was vigorous. Upon seeing such an Era-Defining beauty, their gazes burned like magma, and their hearts ached with the desire to rush forward and pin Fang Mei beneath them.
“Damn, who is this woman? Her charm is unrivaled.”
“I know. She’s the Pavilion Master of this Tingchao Pavilion. I’ve long heard that her beauty is peerless and her charm is impossible to resist. Seeing her today, I can tell her reputation is well-deserved.”
“Tsk, tsk, more than well-deserved. It’s simply to die for.”
“If this were a chaotic era, a woman like her would surely be a nation-toppling demon.”
“The Pavilion Master, heheh. I wonder if she entertains guests personally?”
Suddenly, someone in the crowd blurted out this question, and the excitement instantly reached a fever pitch. One by one, the young men grew as frenzied as if they were on drugs.
“I’ll pay one hundred thousand Primordial Stones for her to accompany me.”
“Pah, a mere hundred thousand Primordial Stones for a peerless beauty like her? What filthy corner did you crawl out of? I’ll bid… five hundred thousand Primordial Stones!”
“Get lost! One million! She’s my type.”
The bidding among the young men grew more and more outrageous, eventually reaching the price of a Spiritual Artifact. Such a scene was likely a first in the history of brothels.
Seeing this, Qin Ya shook his head and sighed, “A beautiful face spells disaster.”
How many men could possibly resist a woman like Fang Mei?
He couldn’t help but have a malicious thought. ‘If these people knew the woman they were fawning over was a Venerable, I wonder how wonderful the expressions on their faces would be.’
“Hmph, what a sly vixen.”
Across from Qin Ya, Bi Xiaoyu snorted in discontent.
Qin Ya just smiled faintly at her words. In terms of looks, Bi Xiaoyu was by no means inferior to Fang Mei, but the latter’s charm was something few could withstand.
He believed that if Fang Mei were to fully unleash her Charm Power, she could command everyone present to die for her, and not a single person would even frown.
It would be just like the scene back in Demon Heart Valley.
Such Charm Power was already beyond the realm of common sense.
“My, my, who are you calling a vixen?”
At that moment, a sweet laugh sounded by his ear. Qin Ya looked up to see Fang Mei’s stunning face right next to Bi Xiaoyu’s ear, her breath as fragrant as an orchid as she spoke.
Bi Xiaoyu turned her face away in disgust, saying nothing.
Fang Mei, however, wasn’t annoyed. She walked directly over to Qin Ya and smiled. “To have Inspector Qin grace us with his presence truly brightens my humble establishment. I am endlessly grateful.”
Qin Ya was taken aback for a second. ‘Uh, weren’t you the one who invited me?’
“Pavilion Master Fang, you’re too kind. I wish you great success with your opening.”
“Then I shall accept Inspector Qin’s auspicious words.”
Seeing the two of them chatting so happily, as if they were old friends, the surrounding men began to grind their teeth in frustration. Pairs of jealous eyes shot toward Qin Ya like arrows, looks that wished they could give him death by a thousand cuts and eat him alive.
“That Qin Ya is so infuriating! How does he get all the good things?”
“Exactly! He got to be the Inspector, he got to enter the Treasure Vault, and now even the peerlessly stunning proprietress of Tingchao Pavilion is giving him special treatment.”
“So what if his Talent is a little better than mine, his strength a little higher, his background a little grander, and his face a little more handsome? Is that any reason to favor the kid so much?”
“…”
Facing so many hateful glares, Qin Ya acted as if he saw nothing and said calmly, “It’s your grand opening. Shouldn’t you be busy, Pavilion Master Fang Mei? How do you have time to keep me company?”
Fang Mei laughed sweetly. “It’s just a few trivial matters. Where would they need me?”
“Well, now, is this Tingchao Pavilion? It doesn’t look like much.”
Just then, a dissonant voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone looked over to see a woman in a gorgeous, iridescent dress with a stunning face leading a group of graceful and uniquely styled beauties into the main hall.
“It’s them! The beauties from Qunxiang Garden.”
“Tsk, the woman in the lead is the top star of Qunxiang Garden. They say she’s a master of the four arts—zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting—and is also proficient in an art of dual cultivation.”
“Heh, the competition has arrived to crash the party.”
“Oh my, I didn’t expect Sister Yun to get here before me.”
At that moment, another voice rang out.
Another wave of dazzlingly beautiful women arrived. It was the Jade Courtyard.
The two major pleasure houses of the main city had both arrived.
Qin Ya said calmly, “Pavilion Master Fang, it seems you have some trouble.”
“These trivial matters can hardly be called trouble,” Fang Mei said with a chuckle.
The top star from Qunxiang Garden, Yun Liyan, held her hand in an elegant gesture, her gaze sweeping over the Dancing Girls on the stage. The corner of her mouth lifted in a disdainful smile. “Such dancing is truly an eyesore. You think you can establish a foothold here with skills like these?”
The people from the Jade Courtyard chimed in, “That’s right. They’re overestimating themselves.”
The two houses were normally rivals, but today, they had formed a rare alliance to deal with Fang Mei. Though they acted nonchalant, they were deeply concerned.
The surrounding onlookers naturally saw the hostility the two houses had for Fang Mei, but they had no intention of meddling. Instead, they settled in to watch the show.
“Well now, if you old aunties aren’t convinced, why don’t you come up and compete?”
Fang Mei slowly stepped forward and spoke with derision.
“Who are you calling an auntie? Watch your mouth.”
“Hmph, to be so vicious with your words is going too far.”
“That’s right. A competition it is!”
Qunxiang Garden and Jade Courtyard certainly weren’t going to back down. Thus, they began a talent competition against Tingchao Pavilion, which was undoubtedly a feast for the eyes of the crowd.
The competition went on for nearly three hours.
They competed in music, dance, beauty…
Everyone had assumed that the newly opened Tingchao Pavilion would inevitably be at a disadvantage, but to their surprise, the result was that the two brothels, Qunxiang Garden and Jade Courtyard, were the ones who fell short.
“How is this possible?”
“How can a brand-new brothel have such a deep foundation?”
The beauties from the two houses were still in disbelief.
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP…
Just then, a round of applause broke out.
A handsome young man in brocade robes walked out, smiling at Fang Mei. “The beauties under Pavilion Master Fang’s command are truly a sight to behold.”
This man was the backer behind Jade Courtyard, Sima Qun!
Sima Qun was a prodigy among the younger generation of the Sima Family. His cultivation had long since reached the Era-Defying Stage, and his combat power was comparable to that of the older generation of experts.
This man’s greatest hobby was frequenting pleasure houses. Thirty years ago, he had even invested a huge sum of money to establish the Jade Courtyard, which became famous throughout the main city.
“Young Master Sima, you jest.”
“How about this? Why don’t you give up this Tingchao Pavilion and join my Jade Courtyard? I can make an exception and make you the Dean. What do you think?”