Chapter 196: Chapter 137: Dance Invitation (Part 2)

"So you’re willing to use your body as bait?"

"Without good bait, how can one catch the big fish in the Jade Ring Pool? I’m not afraid of being ogled by two maids; what I fear is wasting time here without gaining what I desire."

Ji Xueruo raised her teacup again, drinking while feeling startled, not expecting You Su’s awareness to reach such a level:

"It seems you’re blaming me for hindering your plan."

"No, I am very grateful to Miss Ji for helping my plan progress further."

Indeed, Ji Xueruo’s unexpected interruption made the pair of twin sisters more enamored with You Su.

You Su slightly curled his lips, looking like a harmless, gentle youth.

Yet in Ji Xueruo’s eyes, it seemed like a sinister force had donned a fine human skin.

"They’re just ordinary maids; eventually they’ll be gifts to foreign guests. What secrets could they possibly know?"

You Su was taken aback: "Has Miss Ji already questioned those four pale youths in your hall?"

Ji Xueruo was well aware that You Su deliberately emphasized her having four handsome male servants to retaliate for her criticism about him having maids. She secretly cursed him for being petty and narrow-minded and turned to face the lake breeze.

A few strands of dark hair fluttered like willows, and her aggressive aura shifted, becoming an invincible nobility:

"Do you think you’re the only one in this world with brains? Sadly, they couldn’t say anything meaningful, only repeating what the world already knows."

"What did Miss Ji do?" You Su asked curiously.

"Certainly not relying on your despicable tactic of using seduction."

Ji Xueruo glanced at You Su, thinking of the scene where she used a secret technique to make those four youths answer truthfully, feeling somewhat unsure. Her methods seemed not much more dignified than You Su’s.

"My skills are limited; unlike Miss Ji, all I can resort to are crude measures."

"A poor example of manhood," Ji Xueruo sneered.

You Su composed himself, adjusted his collar, and smiled:

"Why did Miss Ji suddenly visit Cyan Wave Hall?"

Ji Xueruo looked somewhat embarrassed. Her purpose was quite straightforward—to catch a cheater. After rendering those four eager male servants unconscious, she immediately envisioned the potential happenings in this palace and rushed over, relieved that the situation wasn’t as dire as she imagined.

"Nothing much, just wandering around and hearing cries for help, so I came to uphold justice."

You Su didn’t reply, revealing his true intentions:

"So Miss Ji, what’s your relationship with my junior sister?"

"What business is it of yours?"

Ji Xueruo stood up, not directly answering You Su’s question but instead asking: "Why did you come to Jade Ring Pool?"

Despite the refusal to acknowledge identity, You Su had already guessed a lot.

"Lotus Heart."

"You’re here for the Lotus Heart too?" Ji Xueruo was startled, "The Lotus Heart is a miraculous healing herb. Are you injured?"

"It’s just a mission from Mr. Bihua of the Profound Sky Sect." You Su wouldn’t mention the fact that his Master was injured.

"Never mind, a mission isn’t worth such a long journey. Luckily, there’s more than one Lotus Heart; otherwise, I wouldn’t yield it to you."

Ji Xueruo wouldn’t be deceived by such a shallow lie. She moved gracefully towards the hall door, her back tall and confident:

"I live next door in Zilan Hall. Be careful; I can see everything."

Before leaving, the young lady left behind a threatening remark. You Su understood that although her words seemed threatening, they actually meant that should anything happen, he could count on Miss Ji for support.

You Su enjoyed the pleasing lake breeze alone for a moment before calling out to the hall:

"Fairies, please come in."

Following his command, two maidens, now dressed in exquisite outfits, gracefully walked into the hall.

They walked to You Su, bowing their heads and bending their waists, humble in demeanor, as if they had already regarded You Su as a master to serve wholeheartedly.

"Mr. You, just call us Yo Meng and Yu Long. We are mere maids, unworthy of the title ’Fairy.’ If the Patriarch hears this, we will be reprimanded."

"I apologize then, you were frightened just now. Miss Ji did not mean any harm. I offer her apologies to you."

With that, You Su wished to bow and offer a courtesy.

Yo Meng and Yu Long stepped forward, both supporting You Su’s firm arm, their faces flushed as they retracted a courtesy.

Yu Long said, "Mr. You, you’re too kind. It was clearly us who overstepped. How could we let you apologize to us? If you keep being so courteous, we would be truly frightened."

In her heart, she thought, Mr. You Su truly is courteous and jade-like, so different from Miss Ji, who, despite her unparalleled beauty, has such a poor temperament that she’s completely unworthy of Mr. You.

"Then we are even. Later at Jade Ring Pool, I will trouble Yo Meng and Yu Long," You Su said with a smile, raising his hand to gesture, "Ladies, please have a seat. I am new here and know little about Jade Ring Pool. Please explain it to me, so I won’t be embarrassed at the banquet tonight in front of the host."

The girls exchanged a glance, did not decline, and after sitting, one raised a cup for You Su, the other poured tea for him.

"What would Mr. You like to ask?"

You Su knew not to rush and replied:

"Let’s start by talking about the patriarchs of Jade Ring Pool..."

...

The night at Jade Ring Pool was starry and moonlit, reflected on the lake, making the area around Jade Ring Pool seem adorned with a shimmering glow.

The buildings around Jade Ring Pool are divided into five rings according to their distance from the lake; the smaller the number of rings, the higher the status of the house’s owner. For example, Cyan Wave Hall where You Su resided was in the very prestigious second ring. Tonight, the Patriarch had prepared a banquet for You Su in a palace called ’Xiao Chi’ in the most exclusive first ring.

The Xiao Chi Palace was unlike the surrounding palaces that aimed to scrape the sky; it was delicate and small, like a modestly standing maiden. Unlike the surrounding buildings of dark green or black, even under moonlight, its eaves glowed with a scarlet hue.

Pure white egrets lined up on the eaves of Xiao Chi Palace. The arrival of You Su, Yo Meng, and Yu Long startled them, and instantly, flocks of egrets took flight, scattered into hiding, leaving behind a few white feathers in the air.

You Su, having come to attend the banquet, was led into the hall by maids and shown to a seat.

Utilizing his Divine Sense, You Su surveyed the surroundings. The guest hall was small, with just two sets of tables and chairs.

According to Yo Meng and Yu Long, all people of Jade Ring Pool bore the surname Yu, with three Void Realm patriarchs: Shenxi, Mr. Cuihe, and the esteemed Mr. Chengtao.

You Su sat upright, quietly awaiting the host. He felt a strange sense of anticipation, having expected a grand banquet but finding instead it resembled a private affair. Yet, he wondered who would be sharing this banquet with him.

Yo Meng and Yu Long stood quietly behind him while the maids serving in Xiao Chi Palace were all beautiful young women. The silence within the palace was soon broken by melodious sounds of string instruments, like the tinkling of a clear spring flowing through the mountains, accompanied by a troupe of butterflies fluttering toward a sea of flowers.

Among these exquisite dancers, each wore sheer dance dress revealing straight, slender legs and gracefully rising and falling jade-like arms. The air was filled with a unique, fragrant feminine scent that was stirred as they danced.

Each of these dancers, chosen individually, was no less beautiful than Yo Meng and Yu Long, such that even masters of poetry and painting at Book Immortal Peak couldn’t entirely capture this astonishing beauty.

While You Su couldn’t visually perceive it, the dance seemed imbued with divine intent, so much so that even through Divine Sense, he could feel the inherent beauty as if he had seen the vibrant spectacle himself.

He was somewhat entranced.

Like a stream met with a falling cliff, the music reached its climax. Seven dancers spun rapidly with the music, their skirts and arms whirling like blooming water lilies. Amidst the ’Seven Lotuses,’ a lotus hidden deep within suddenly emerged.

She wore a pink dress; her exposed skin was of only white and pink hues, even her ankles and elbows matched, resembling the tender heart of a lotus. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Mr. You, would you be willing... to share a dance with me?"

The girl, each step light and graceful, charmingly smiled at You Su and tenderly extended her hand.

You Su sensed that among all the maids and dancers present, this girl was the only mortal without cultivation, yet she was the most beautiful among all the fairies.

This kind of beauty needs no sight, only feeling.

You Su did not understand the girl’s intent, as he did not know how to dance nor wished to, so he furrowed his brows and declined:

"I am clumsy, thus..."

The girl’s beautiful eyes gazed intently at You Su’s eyes.

You Su’s brows relaxed as he smiled brightly, stood straight, and placed his hand atop the girl’s:

"Please, Fairy, show me the way."