Chapter 28 Dragon Tiger Pill

The old donkey stepped out of the room, emitting a wisp of blue smoke that soared up to the Nine Heavens to report back to the sect and soon received new instructions.

Arriving outside in the courtyard, Zhao Feng, who had been waiting for a long time, rushed up to meet him, "Elder, how did Yu Hua react?"

"She was quite surprised. You've certainly caught her attention."

"Is what you say really true?"

"Would I lie to you?"

The old donkey glared with his big eyes, less concerned about politeness with Zhao Feng, and bluffed, "I have always been acute in judging people. Yu Hua's step has become lighter recently, clearly in a very good mood. That's all your doing."

Of course, it might also be because of that young lad from the Gu family, who knows what love potion he fed our little ancestor, making her climb the wall in the middle of the night to see him.

"These...these..."

Zhao Feng was even more at a loss and asked, "Elder, what should I do next?"

He wasn't entirely clueless, but the other party was an immortal after all—how could ordinary means be enough to win her over?

Asking the old donkey, who was also an immortal and his senior, was naturally the best choice.

The old donkey said, "Our Sanqing Taoist Sect, to relieve the monotony of our disciples' cultivation, generally organizes an outing each spring. Although we can't travel by flying boat into the Starry Sea in Daqian, we can still take a boat and enjoy the river."

"Yu Hua, being a disciple of the Yuqing Sect, should particularly enjoy this. I heard that the Zhao family has a treasure ship; you could borrow it."

"Thank you so much, elder, thank you!"

Zhao Feng's voice trembled slightly, his face flushed red, and he paced back and forth uncontrollably. The old donkey lay on the ground, quite bored, ignoring the other's chatter. He had seen too many similar reactions in different people.

Every new disciple of the Daoist Sect had met it by the mountain gate, and it always enjoyed greeting these young people.

It was not because it liked them—human appearances were not to its taste. But it was about karma, about forming good connections with those who might become great powers in the future.

With the Sanqing Taoist Sect being the sacred land of the Daoist path, every generation featured many extraordinary geniuses, and a continuous stream of True Monarchs.

It was quite normal for young men like Zhao Feng to feel admiration—so common that it made the old donkey want to yawn.

Zhao Feng quickly left and took a carriage to the palace. Although he could commandeer regular boats, since it needed to be done, it should be done best; the best boat in the world was the million-silver worth Vermilion Bird treasure ship constructed by the Lord Emperor.

Passing the Dragon Bridge, a gaze followed them, Gu Wen leaning on the windowsill, watching the royal carriage depart into the distance.

Suddenly a fair, tender hand landed on Gu Wen's shoulder, and a sultry voice whispered in his ear from behind,

"Master Gu, I heard you're seeking the Dragon Tiger Pill. Have you finally become wise to the pleasures of the boudoir?"

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Qianfeng Tower, the largest brothel at the Longqiao.

The madam of Qianfeng Tower, Yang Shanyu, was stunningly beautiful, still in her thirties with a figure that fascinated countless men, known as the "Tigress off the Mountain," her real name Yang Shanyu.

Unlike in past films, the madams of Longqiao's brothels were rarely old and faded women; many were middle-aged beauties like her.

First, a madam was merely a brothel's manager. The real proprietors were always behind the scenes.

Secondly, a brothel was not the same as a whorehouse; those were separate.

The brothel offered high-class transactions of power and sex, designed specifically for the enjoyment of dignitaries. The untouched women here, each skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, poetry, and various silver ornaments craft, were far more numerous than those simply walking down the street.

The Oiran could command gold from across the land, even warrants from the palace.

The brothel was a place where stars of ancient times were made.

"Mrs. Yang, please behave yourself. I am frail; I don't want to die here."

Gu Wen pushed her hand away, the beautiful woman's eyes filled with a resentful charm, but she didn't press further. Going to the table to pour water, she said, "Our girls at Qianfeng Tower are very clean, as you well know. Taught at fourteen or fifteen to scent their baths, touch up their cheeks, move delicately in front of others, learning all the arts of charm through the 'Spring Palace Pictures'."

"We have the gentle and dignified types, the lively and playful ones, and even those pure as ice and jade."

It's great to be wealthy and powerful in ancient times.

Gu Wen shook his head and said, "Qianfeng Tower isn't short of suitors for its ladies, so why bother approaching me?"

"Isn't there a rumor that you're about to become a Marquis?" Yang Shanyu replied softly, "Your Water House brings in hundreds of thousands of silver each year. You recently made a killing in the tooth market as well, and you have no concubines..."

"It's just rumors. I'm without title or capability," Gu Wen replied after a moment's hesitation, rejecting not only because of the hassle but also because he couldn't afford it.

Most women at Qianfeng Tower sold their talents but not their bodies; buying one would mean owning her outright, starting at hundreds of silver.

"But this is Daqian, where a dog in the palace can become a king, let alone a grand figure like yourself?"

Yang Shanyu burst into clear laughter, and Gu Wen couldn't but laugh as well.

This was Daqian, where it wouldn't be surprising for anyone to become a Marquis; it wouldn't be surprising if the country fell the next day.

Getting back to the matter at hand, Gu Wen took a seat at the table and said, "Recently, a distant relative contacted me. He's secured his footing in the south and wants to expand his business. I thought I'd buy some Dragon Tiger Pills to send as a favor."

"Our Qianfeng Tower isn't short on customers for the Dragon Tiger Pill," Yang Shanyu said.

"The market rate is fifty silver per pill. I'll offer sixty."

"Eighty."

"Seventy."

"Deal."

It was a clean business deal, and since they were both Longqiao merchants, Qianfeng Tower still needed to show some respect to Gu Wen, quickly agreeing to the simple haggling. Since the product was limited in supply and sold at a premium, Gu Wen was okay with the twenty-silver increase, as long as she wouldn't overcharge him later.

Gu Wen wanted five thousand silver's worth of Dragon Tiger Pills, and Qianfeng Tower agreed to deliver them in two batches.

Deposits totaling six thousand five hundred taels, an advance payment of two thousand taels, with a balance of four thousand five hundred taels—a grand total teetering on bankruptcy.

After the deal was finalized, Gu Wen was invited to stay for a meal, where Yang Shanyu summoned a group of serving girls to attend to them.

Their service, of course, was limited to pouring wine, playing instruments, and reciting poetry—the ladies of Qianfeng Tower were highly prized and Gu Wen's presence did not warrant hundreds of taels worth of silver gifts. Yet, if he could produce an exquisite poem, it wasn't impossible to win their favor and earn a beauty's affections.

One charming lady, her eyes playful as silk, teased, "I wonder if Marquis Wen is well-versed in poetry?"

"Gu is merely a merchant, a commoner by birth, and only enjoys simple folk songs. Unfortunately, Qianfeng Tower is too cultured for someone as plain as me."

Gu Wen's remark elicited a wave of laughter. Many women covered their faces, giggling without any hint of mockery, albeit inadvertently revealing a slight disdain for the merchant class.

He too laughed, thereby enhancing the harmony of the gathering.

Most of those present were sick with romanticism, having served officials and distinguished scholars, they fancied themselves as part of that elite.

Gu Wen knew many poems by heart, but felt no need for them—it was all just a game of male and female attraction.

If they could offer him cultivation techniques like Yu Hua did, he might have recited a verse or two. However, pretty faces alone couldn't trap him.

For some reason, he felt his mouth dry and his body strangely reactive—could it be his rehabilitated Foundation Establishment was causing his weak, disease-prone body to lose control due to surging hormones?

His gaze grew heavy, and he silently recited a mental mnemonic.

Suddenly, what was initially a tiny spark of desire erupted immensely. Gu Wen paused mid-drink.

As if his body, nurtured and restored by the Foundation Establishment, chose this moment to unleash years of repressed desire. He thought to suppress it with mental methods, but instead, this stirred more stray thoughts.

"The mind is both the source of calamity and the basis of Taoism."

A line from his mental method abruptly surged within him.

Gu Wen understood then—the mind itself is the root of trouble; insufficient mastery of mental methods could lead to deviating disastrously.

Thus, the mental method advised those with shallow practice to keep their desires sparse and to shun worldly affairs, only those with sufficient practice could handle worldly experiences.

Such fleeting desires were trivial compared to the vast journey of cultivation.

Gu Wen crushed his last stray thought and with a calm demeanor, he took one last drink under Yang Shanyu's watchful and slightly surprised eyes.

"I shall not stay the night in this wonderful place."

As he was about to step into his carriage, Yang Yushan called out to him, "Marquis Wen."

"Is there anything else, Mrs. Yang?"

"Be cautious around Yashi Market lately."

"Thank you for the warning."

The carriage departed from the brothel. Yang Shanyu moved to a secluded room in the depths of Qianfeng Tower, where songs sung by countless voices filled the air as if many singers were dancing.

Upon her arrival at the door, all sounds ceased abruptly. Silhouetted against the flickering candlelight through the window, the shadow of nine tails stretched slowly.

Sounds of alluring charm followed.

"Who is that?"

Yang Shanyu kneeled and bowed, replying, "Gu Wen, a merchant, a servant of Zhao Feng, the ninth son of the Zhao family. He has requested many Dragon Tiger Pills, presumably for Zhao Feng."

"His self-control is commendable, see if he can be swayed to infiltrate the Sanqing Taoist Sect. I would indeed like to know what the Taoist Heavenly Girl is searching for in her quest for immortal fate."

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Yu Hua woke to find an unfamiliar roll of jade brocade on the table.

An old donkey entered the room and said, "The Zhao family has agreed to lend us the Vermilion Bird Treasure Ship—that is quite the treasure. It features a Skywater Radiant Pearl among various spiritual woods. Although just a Spirit Treasure Level, it has reached the standard of an ultimate treasure."

"I remember only asking for a simple boat."

Yu Hua's eyes gleamed deeply, her mind stirred by a slight contempt typical of Divine Beasts, coupled with a drowsiness not requiring cultivation, often overcoming their long lives through sleep.

"A simple boat would be far in the future," the old donkey yawned and continued, "The Zhao family initially disagreed to lend us the treasure ship; they set conditions, which the sect agreed to."

"What conditions?"

Yu Hua's tone was calm, yet it masked a deep-seated chill, tinged with unease.

Nothing had proceeded according to the plan set three thousand years prior; the Guardian had been replaced by a worse candidate, the sect ignored her, and there was the unknown factor of the Zhao family.

"It's nothing major, just that after Zhao Feng establishes his foundation, if he can't refine the Jade Pendant, you'll assist him."

The old donkey, sensing something unusual, reassured, "That was originally a secret technique prepared for the Gu family; switching to the Zhao family shouldn't matter much. Although it might shorten your life, it shouldn't be by much unless Zhao Feng's aptitude is shockingly poor."

"But since you've already agreed with the Zhao family, could I really go back on my word?" Yu Hua asked somberly.

Mind swirling like a tidal surge, the old donkey grew more cautious, no longer as composed as before.

He uncertainly said, "I'm not sure; it was decided by the old ones inside the sect. I'm just the messenger. Maybe I should refuse on your behalf, I still have some influence."

The old donkey could clearly sense the unrest in his young charge; he dared not provoke her too harshly, lest he end up on the wrong end of her wrath.

With an immortal mandate, no one in Immortal Land could best her. The True Monarchs were not in Daqian, they surely held no fear, but he resided here, and swapping one for ten would still mean his demise.

"Thank you, elder, but since the sect has made its decision, there is no need to change it."

Yu Hua picked up the jade fabric on the table, sensing the aura of the Daoist Sect.

[The greater picture is what matters, the individual can be sacrificed, the sect itself has life-extending items for you.....]

How ironic, to be so similar to him.

"Yu Hua, as you command."