Chapter 32: The Jade Blossom Pavilion

Upon hearing that soft, melodic voice, Ye Xiao and his two companions were taken aback. Du Mao and Ye Xiao both cast their gazes toward Mu Bai, their faces etched with confusion and a hint of peculiarity. Mu Bai himself wore a look of utter bewilderment.

"Who—who is it?"

Unable to bear their stares, he rose to his feet and strode to the main entrance, peering out through a crack in the door. He saw a woman standing outside dressed in a long gown. The gap in the door was too narrow to make out her features clearly, but her graceful, curvaceous figure was impossible to miss. Mu Bai swallowed hard, slowly pulled the door open, and stepped back a few paces.

Under the puzzled gaze of Ye Xiao and the others, a young woman walked slowly inside.

"Who—who are you?" Mu Bai asked directly.

The woman smiled radiantly. After glancing at Mu Bai, she turned her attention to Ye Xiao and the others, then said in a soft, gentle voice, "May I ask, which of you is Mu Bai?"

Ye Xiao and Du Mao both pointed at him simultaneously, causing Mu Bai’s face to stiffen. Seeing his awkward expression, the woman covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Young Master Mu Bai, a gentleman has asked me to inform you that he would like you to visit the Cuihua Pavilion."

"Cuihua Pavilion?" Du Mao exclaimed before Mu Bai could even respond.

Having lived in Willow Leaf Town for quite some time, he was well aware of the Cuihua Pavilion. It was the largest establishment in the entire town—and, of course, the most prominent place for carousing. It was not a place for the average person, as a single night of entertainment there cost at least a thousand taels of silver.

The woman tilted her head and cast a flirtatious glance at Du Mao, radiating charm. "So, this young master knows of our Cuihua Pavilion as well. Why not... come along and join the fun?"

Upon hearing this, while Du Mao remained indifferent, Mu Bai’s eyes lit up. He knew of the place, but being summoned there so abruptly made him uneasy. However, if Du Mao were to go as well, things would be different.

Du Mao frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "I—I have no money!"

The woman was stunned. She hadn't expected such a blunt reply from Du Mao, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond.

Ye Xiao, the most sober-minded of the group, looked at the woman with guarded eyes. "Who sent you to summon Brother Mu Bai?"

The woman looked at Ye Xiao and shook her head. "I am sorry, I cannot disclose that for now. Young Master Mu Bai will understand once he arrives."

Seeing that the woman was unwilling to reveal the truth, Mu Bai frowned as well. "If that is the case, please tell that person that I am busy!"

With that, he ignored her, walked back to his companions, and began sipping his tea as if nothing had happened. Du Mao glanced at the woman still standing at the door and whispered to Mu Bai, "Hey, it's the Cuihua Pavilion. Haven't you been dying to go there? Why..."

Mu Bai cast a surreptitious glance at the woman and whispered back, "You know nothing. What if I go and that 'gentleman' doesn't pick up the tab? What then?"

Du Mao replied, "You have no money? I find that hard to believe."

"Nonsense!" Mu Bai hissed. "You know perfectly well whether I have money or not. Besides, how much could we possibly have between us?"

At this point, the two fell silent and instinctively turned their eyes toward Ye Xiao, who was sitting to the side, sipping tea and watching the drama unfold.

The teacup in Ye Xiao’s hand froze in mid-air. He looked at them, feeling awkward, and stammered, "W-what is the meaning of this?"

Mu Bai looked at the woman, then exchanged a glance with Du Mao, and flashed a sly grin. "Junior Brother Ye Xiao, tell me... is that woman beautiful?" He gestured with his eyes as he spoke.

Ye Xiao turned to look and nodded; the woman was indeed beautiful.

"Then wouldn't you like to go to the Cuihua Pavilion? There are plenty more beautiful women waiting there."

Ye Xiao’s expression changed, feeling speechless. Seeing the looks on Mu Bai and Du Mao's faces, he couldn't help but find it amusing. So, after all that, they wanted him to be the sucker who paid the bill?

"Well, you two go ahead. I still need to cultivate," Ye Xiao said with a straight face.

Mu Bai grew anxious but couldn't think of what to say, so he frantically signaled to Du Mao with his eyes. Du Mao caught on, rolled his eyes, and smiled. "Alas, Junior Brother Ye Xiao, that’s not the right way to think! We've been traveling for so long; trying to cultivate now will have no effect at all. It’s said that one must balance work and rest; a little relaxation can actually aid your cultivation."

"Is that so?" Ye Xiao turned to look at Mu Bai, his eyes full of inquiry.

Mu Bai reacted quickly and nodded immediately. "Of course! Excess leads to the opposite result. If you push yourself too hard, it’s counterproductive! On this point, you must trust Senior Brother Du!"

Watching the two of them perform this duet, Ye Xiao finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Since you two brothers are in such high spirits, then... shall we go?"

Hearing this, the eyes of the two men lit up. "Yes, yes, yes! Let’s hurry!"

And so, accompanied by the laughter of Ye Xiao and the woman, the group left the courtyard and headed for the Cuihua Pavilion in the heart of Willow Leaf Town.

The moment they arrived at the entrance, Mu Bai and Du Mao’s eyes widened. Young women were everywhere, some revealing glimpses of fair skin, swaying their slender waists as they moved about.

"Young Master Mu Bai, shall we go up and find the gentleman now?" the woman said softly.

Mu Bai looked at Du Mao, but the latter simply waved his hand and said, "You go ahead. Junior Brother Ye Xiao and I will find a place to enjoy ourselves!"

Mu Bai rolled his eyes, but since he was already here, he felt he had to go up and see who this person was that commanded such influence.

After Mu Bai left, Du Mao and Ye Xiao were led by another woman into a private room. The room was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood, and on the tea table in front of them sat not only fine wine but also a spread of fresh fruit.

Once they were seated, the woman knelt opposite them, poured them drinks, and asked softly, "Gentlemen, do you have any preferred ladies?"

Du Mao looked at the delicate, water-like woman before him and, lacking any restraint, swallowed hard. Ye Xiao, however, remained unmoved. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with him; it was simply that his heavy grudge remained unavenged, and he truly had no mood for such things. Had it not been for Mu Bai and Du Mao, he would have likely been practicing his cultivation right now.

"Senior Brother Du, she’s asking you."

Du Mao came to his senses, awkwardly picked up his wine cup, and took a large gulp. "Cough, cough! Well, we are waiting for someone, so just find two ladies for us!"

The woman smiled and nodded in agreement.

Just as Ye Xiao and Du Mao were drinking and watching the two ladies dance, a commotion broke out outside. Suddenly, a loud crash echoed, as if something heavy had been thrown from the second floor, triggering a chorus of gasps!

Ye Xiao and Du Mao’s expressions shifted, both sensing that something ominous had occurred. They exchanged a look.

"Let's go! Let's go see what happened!"