Lady Chen Shuang lived in a particular wing of Swallow Phoenix Brothel.
Ever since she became Courtesan Belle a year ago, her popularity skyrocketed. The number of scions that courted her increased greatly. In addition, Chen Shuang’s charm and allure also amplified. She had also dominated both Lady Scented Dress and Lady Clear Autumn! The courtesan, Lady Chen Shuang, was also very famous in the other counties of Jiang Prefecture. There were frequently other distinguished guests that came to Grand Dominance to meet her.
In terms of fame, Chen Shuang was likely ranked fifth among all the renowned courtesans. After all, one had to know that East Sea County, Golden Qin County, and Wusu County were more prosperous than Grand Dominance County. There were even more renowned courtesans in their brothels.
“This brother of yours has truly extraordinary strength. At a young age, he is able to suppress that old monk, Immense Sea. Although Immense Sea might have deliberately gone easy by using a portion of his strength, it’s likely that Qin Yun’s true strength isn’t inferior to Immense Sea.” A seductive red-dressed woman smiled as she looked at a water mirror floating in front of her. The mirror revealed Qin Yun’s domination over the guardians, as well as the scene of him fighting with Reverend Immense Sea.
“Brother Yun began truly practicing his swordsmanship at age eight. At the age of thirteen, he attained one with the sword.” Chen Shuang looked in the mirror and her eyes suffused pride.
“But it seems like he likes the lady behind him,” said the red-dressed woman with a smile as she pointed at Yi Xiao through the mirror.
Chen Shuang looked at it and fell silent.
Following that, she smiled. “I’m also happy for Brother Yun to have someone he likes. Besides, I saw Brother Yun and that lady together a few days ago. They have been in Grand Dominance City for several months now.”
“Don’t try to lie to me. I can tell that you like this brother of yours,” said the woman. “Besides, he can only be considered an adopted brother.”
Chen Shuang nodded in silence. “Yes, I like him but I do not deserve him.”
“There’s nothing about deserving when it comes to cultivators,” said the woman with a smile. “I told you before. As a mortal that the Magus Matriarch Gu pursues, a trip into the Magus Matriarch Cave would ensure that your cultivation advances by leaps and bounds. There would not be any bottlenecks for you to step into the Connate realm. Furthermore, you gained a rudimentary understanding of the mystic arts I taught you in a day. Now, you are close to mastering it. Isn’t the number of people courting and liking you increasing? This is only an ordinary bewitching spell. Your talent in magus arts is extremely high, much higher than mine. It will be a waste if you do not cultivate in magus arts.”
“Besides, you are already twenty this year!”
“The Daoist and Buddhist sects have a saying it would become impossible if one didn’t pass the gate of immortality before they turned twenty. Only our magus lineage allows even an old granny to have a chance.” The red-dressed woman said with a smile. “Among all the sects in the world, other than the Daoist and Buddhist sacred land, there are nineteen other top sects that are scattered across the world. Our Magistress Mountain is the only top sect that remains of the magus lineage. The various magus arts we have are the most complete as well. Even the Daoist and Buddhist sacred lands would not dare to touch our Magistress Mountain. If they offend us, they might die without even knowing why.”
Chen Shuang looked in the mirror and saw Qin Yun flying off together with Yi Xiao while holding her hand.
“If you do not cultivate, in another decade or so, you will lose all your present luster. You will age and when you are wrinkled and aged, your Brother Yun will remain extremely young.” The woman persuaded her. “And if you were to enter Magistress Mountain, you could replace that woman if your Brother Yun separates from her. You will only stand a chance as long as you live long enough and remain young and beautiful.”
“Tell me, do I have a fifty percent chance of walking out of Magistress Mountain’s Magus Matriarch Cave you mentioned alive?” asked Chen Shuang.
“Yes,” replied the red-dressed woman. “You made the Matriarch Gu adore you that much, so the chances of surviving are very high. Although the other Magus Maiden candidates will enter as well, it’s unlikely any one of them can survive. As for you, you have at least a fifty percent chance. Once you survive… you will become the incumbent Magus Maiden. And once you attain the realm of Heaven Magus, you would immediately be known as Magus Matriarch!” persuaded the red-dressed woman.
“Fifty percent chance. That’s probably just you sweet-talking me.” Lady Chen Shuang whispered.
The woman smiled and said immediately, “You have also seen how much the Magus Matriarch Gu likes you.”
“I only have one request,” said Chen Shuang.
“Feel free to tell me,” replied the red-dressed woman immediately. She had found a most suitable Magus Maiden candidate while passing through Grand Dominance. Therefore, she was trying every means possible to persuade Chen Shuang. After all, entry into Magus Matriarch Cave needed to be voluntary.
“Hundreds of people from my escort company and my brother, Xie Lei, died because of East Gong County’s Baili family! I want the masterminds that caused my brother’s death to all die! The Baili family’s patriarch has to die as well,” said Chen Shuang. “Only with them dead will I be willing to go to your Magistress Mountain and enter Magus Matriarch Cave.”
The red-dressed woman smiled. “If it is something this trivial, rest assured! My Magistress Mountain now represents the magus lineage. In terms of strength, we are much stronger than top cultivation sects. A single Baili Qin can be easily killed.”
Chen Shuang nodded. Since she had decided on entering the cultivation world, she asked, “I want to know what the factions are in the cultivation world. Why aren’t fiendish demons eradicated yet?”
“In terms of the strongest factions,” said the red-dressed woman. “We humans naturally have the imperial government, the Daoist and Buddhist sacred lands, as well as the top cultivation sects. My magus lineage was in no way inferior to the Daoist and Buddhist sects in ancient times but now, it has waned. Many of the arts are lost and the cultivation arts of battle magi are gone. But even so, the remaining magus arts remain extremely powerful.”
“As for fiendish demons…”
The woman frowned and said, “Speaking of which, other than the Four Seas Dragon Palace, the fiendish demons are mainly split among the Skydemon Palace and the Nine Lineage Fiendish Demons. Skydemon Palace and humans do good together and favor coexistence.”
“As for the Nine Lineage Fiendish Demons, their cultivation heritage stems from the Other Realm Fiendcelestials,” explained the woman. “They are most vile! Be it humans, the Skydemon Palace, or the Four Seas Dragon Palace, all of them deal with the Nine Lineage Fiendish Demons.”
“Is the Nine Lineage Fiendish Demons so powerful?” Chen Shuang was astounded.
“Very.” The red-dressed woman nodded.
“What about my Brother Yun?” asked Chen Shuang.
“He’s considered a sword immortal.” The red-dressed woman shook her head. “It has to be said that sword immortals are very powerful. Among peers of the same level, their offensive means are the best! However, sword immortals also have an enormous flaw.”
“Flaw?” Chen Shuang was puzzled.
“Yes.” The red-dressed woman nodded. “The Connate Golden Core realm is the limit for the legacies of sword immortals! There are no methods to condense one’s Essence Soul. Since ancient times, no sword immortal at the Essence Soul realm have been produced. How powerful are sword immortals? Their prowess leave fiendish demons crying for their parents but it’s because there was no Essence Soul immortal holding down the fort which resulted in many sword immortal sects being destroyed by fiendish demons several times. Therefore, the sword immortal legacies have been lost. They have tried to renew themselves a few times and of course, the Daoist sacred land, Numinous Treasure Mountain, always has Sword Immortal Legacies stored with them. Whenever there’s an opportunity, they would release them, nurturing new sword immortal sects.”
The red-dressed woman smiled and said, “Of course, we are speaking about an entire sect. How many years does it take to produce immortals that can condense the Essence Soul? And how difficult is it? To attain the Connate Golden Core realm with sword immortal legacies makes one the cream of the crop. They are only slightly weaker than our magus lineage. Our Magistress Mountain still has a Magistress alive. It’s possible to cultivate to the realm of Magistress and that is equivalent to Daoist Essence Soul immortals.”
Chen Shuang nodded. “Brother Yun won’t be able to become immortal?”
“What are you thinking about? With the strength of that brother of yours, he is extremely likely to attain the Connate Golden Core. It will be pretty impressive if you can chase up to him to become a Magus Matriarch,” said the red-dressed woman.
Chen Shuang nodded.
“As for the Baili family, I’ll begin arrangements,” said the red-dressed woman. “Just wait for the good news.”
With that said, she turned and left.
…
Elsewhere.
Qin Yun and Yi Xiao were together. Yi Xiao had a veil across her face as well.
“I was too foolish when I was young.” Yi Xiao said softly, “But after seeing my father this time, he has truly disappointed me. My father actually put up with her calling my mother slut again and again? Perhaps, compared to the feelings he had with my mother, his feelings for Princess Martial Maple is deeper.”
“Perhaps he has his own difficulties,” Qin Yun consoled her.
“Difficulties?” Yi Xiao fell silent before saying, “Regardless, there is no longer a need for me to go to Wusu County’s Windblast Pavilion to wait for him. It is, at least, clear to me now that compared to me, he is more willing to be with Princess Martial Maple! As for protecting me? That Princess Martial Maple will not be able to touch me be it in the Divine Firmament Chapter or in the Yi family’s ancestral ground. If my father was willing to bring me along back then, I would be willing to live in the Yi family’s grounds all my life.”
Qin Yun only provided her companionship.
“Let’s not talk about me any further.” Yi Xiao said immediately, “What’s most important is that Princess Martial Maple must be incensed. The Zhongli family will also feel disregarded.”
“Don’t worry. I took all their treasures at the end.” Qin Yun picked up a Cosmic Bag and poured out the bag. Out came another Cosmic Bag that continued pouring down.
All the spoils of war were revealed.
“That Princess Martial Maple sure is deserving of being a princess. She has so many treasures. It’s enough to match seven or eight Gongye Bings.” Qin Yun said with a laugh. “As for her guards, they add up to match two or three Gongye Bings.”
“Why do you keep mentioning Gongye Bing?” Yi Xiao felt helpless.
“No choice. He’s the only Connate True Core fiendish demon I have ever killed.” Qin Yun laughed as he looked at the treasures. “With these, my Intrinsic Flying Sword can be upgraded by two grades, reaching a fourth-grade flying sword. My Qin family’s array formation can also be upgraded a lot more.”
“You can have it upgraded by two grades?”Yi Xiao was astonished. “My estimates say that it’s not sufficient.”
“Didn’t I tell you that I had a breakthrough in strength? The amount of materials needed to cultivate my Intrinsic Flying Sword has been drastically reduced.” Qin Yun smiled and said, “Let’s not delay it any further. I’ll be going to the Inspector Heavenly Alliance to exchange for treasures in a while.”
Yi Xiao nodded. “Princess Martial Maple and the Zhongli family will need at least a few days to divert manpower.”