489: Chapter 489 Temperament

The Pill Refining Tower was overseen by the Incarnation 'Wang Qiao', while the Artifact Refining Workshop was overseen by Zhou Qingwei.

As long as no problems arose in these two places, no matter how the Liu Clan Merchant Alliance was targeted, no major issues would occur.

All mundane affairs were handled by Shen Yunshu, Xiao Ran, Lvluo, Yun Xian, and others. In terms of high-level combat power, the three Nascent Soul Cultivators—Bai Jie, Yun Yao, and Chen Beiming—stepped forward. The Liu Family looked more and more like a major Sect or a great clan.

Liu Xuan completely ran out of things to do. Indulging in feminine charms all day wasn't a long-term solution either; a single type of enjoyment would eventually become boring over time.

Thus, at Bai Shan's suggestion, a professional song and dance troupe was established in the backyard of the Liu residence to cultivate one's character through art.

Bai Shan was a professional in the arts. While proficient in the local songs and dances of Southern Border, she had also learned many foreign styles from some female Cultivators of the Beast Taming Sect, making her a master of the performing arts.

However, the art of song and dance was always considered a minor, lower-class path in the Cultivation World. It was mostly studied by maidservants with no talent or background.

They followed Bai Shan for two reasons: one was that the funding Bai Shan applied for was substantial, so the treatment in the troupe was very generous; the other was the chance to have close contact with the Family Head, Liu Xuan.

If they were favored by Liu Xuan and taken in as a Concubine, they could immediately turn their lives around and become a mistress of the house. If they were lucky enough to give birth to an exceptionally talented child, they could even elevate their own families to a higher level.

The Liu Family was famously generous. Working for Liu Xuan offered great prospects; almost all of the Liu Family's many vassals had risen to prominence through marriage alliances.

Unfortunately, Old Ancestor Liu Xuan's requirements for taking Concubines were getting higher and higher. Many small families secretly resented not meeting Liu Xuan sooner or wondered why their families weren't within the territory of the Red Pine Sect.

The Liu Family prospered from the Red Pine Sect. Their original ancestral land was just a small county town called Yongning. Almost all the small families in the Red Pine Sect, especially in Yongning County, had benefited immensely from the era's dividends as the Liu Family grew, sparking much envy among others.

Liu Xuan reclined on the treasure throne above, watching the young girls below dancing while cautiously trying to seduce him with their eyes. However, his gaze wasn't on the women; instead, he was somewhat dazed.

Power is addictive!

He had gained a deeper understanding of this phrase. When a casual word from you can decide the rise or fall, life or death of countless people, and when the overall situation is swayed by a single sentence of yours—once you have tasted this sense of control, you will never let go.

It wasn't because of greed, nor because of good or evil, but because this sense of control is a fundamental human need.

“Junior Brother Liu is in such high spirits!”

A charming female voice pierced through the music in the hall, ringing out clearly.

Jiang Nishang wore a red-gold palace dress woven with phoenixes, with wide sleeves trailing on the floor and dark patterns on the skirt flowing like shifting sunset clouds.

She was tall, her face possessing three parts noble elegance and seven parts majesty. Just by walking in, she made the entire song and dance troupe pale in comparison.

Liu Xuan waved his hand to signal the dancers and musicians to withdraw, then stood up to yield the seat of honor.

“Senior Sister Jiang, why have you come?”

“What? Am I not welcome?”

As soon as everyone left, Jiang Nishang immediately revealed her true nature. Casting aside her image, she reclined on the chair just as Liu Xuan had done earlier.

Glamour, charm, and seduction... these qualities blended perfectly within her, possessing a fatal allure for ordinary men.

Having spent much time among flowers, Liu Xuan increasingly felt that the boost temperament gave to a woman's attractiveness was quite exaggerated.

Two beauties with the same facial features but different temperaments could provide sensory experiences that were worlds apart.

Beauty is multi-dimensional and dynamic, while appearance is just a layer of skin.

The tall majesty, dignified atmosphere, and that slight sense of contrast from her seductive glamour—every movement of Jiang Nishang was just right.

Seductive! Actually, Liu Xuan didn't like overly seductive women; if it was even slightly overdone, it became affected and repulsive.

But Jiang Nishang was different. Her glamour was natural, not a flaw, but rather a top-tier temptation!

“Senior Sister, you joke. I meant that if you were coming, you should have notified me in advance so I wouldn't neglect you.”

Temptation aside, Jiang Nishang's Dao Xing was too deep. She was like a rose with thorns, and Liu Xuan didn't want to touch her for the time being.

Currently, Liu Xuan had touched a total of two Nascent Soul women. Peach Blossom was because of the Love Gu, and Yun Yao was a Nascent Soul who broke through later; both were within his control.

No matter how beautiful Jiang Nishang was, Liu Xuan wouldn't do anything he wasn't sure of.

“Why so polite with your Senior Sister? Aren't we on the same side?”

Jiang Nishang stood up and approached Liu Xuan, her stunning face slowly drawing near.

“How boring!”

Seeing Liu Xuan retreat slightly to avoid her, she seemed to lose interest and sat back in the chair, asking curiously:

“Doesn't Junior Brother pride himself on his love for beauties? Why do you avoid me like the plague? Could it be that my charm is insufficient?”

“Of course not!” Liu Xuan cupped his hands and smiled. “Senior Sister's charm is heavenly. This little brother is merely feeling unworthy and wouldn't dare to dream.”

“Nonsense!” The beauty said in feigned anger, nearly hooking Liu Xuan's soul away. “You even dared to touch the Peach Blossom Demon Lord, so why don't you dare to touch me?”

“Feeling unworthy?”

“I think you just don't trust your Senior Sister!”

“You can't just say things like that!” Liu Xuan quickly denied it. “The Peach Blossom Demon Lord is of noble status; this little brother is merely a subordinate.”

“Tch~” Jiang Nishang gave Liu Xuan a white-eyed look. “I'm done teasing you. I came to talk to you about the Pill Refining Tower.”

“Arrange a top-quality Alchemy Room for me. I won't be going to the front lines anymore. I'll stay here and refine pills properly, striving to be promoted to a Tier 4 Alchemy Great Master!”

Not going to the front lines? Liu Xuan understood after hearing this. Jiang Nishang's pill refining was a pretext; she was attracted by the profits and prospects of the Pill Refining Tower and wanted a piece of the pie.

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host on the birth of your 800th child. You have received Low-Grade Spirit Stone * 100]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for reaching eight hundred children. You have received a Tier 4 Peak-Grade Acquired Spirit Treasure: ten thousand soul banner.]

???

Liu Xuan was stunned. He did a quick mental calculation; none of the women in the Liu residence's backyard were due to give birth in these few days.

‘It must be a grandson or granddaughter born over at the Red Pine Sect!’

As his children grew older, the probability of third-generation descendants being born became higher and higher.

Although it was a child without a Spiritual Root, being able to get the reward for eight hundred descendants a few days early was a bit of an unexpected pleasant surprise.

But what on earth was this ten thousand soul banner?

‘I am a dignified Righteous Path Cultivator. Do you really have to force me down an evil path?!’

“Is Junior Brother Liu unwilling?”

While Liu Xuan was lost in thought, Jiang Nishang saw him remain silent for a long time and spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone.

“How could that be?” Liu Xuan snapped back to reality and agreed immediately. “Senior Sister's presence is most welcome. I'll have someone clear out an Alchemy Room tomorrow.”

Liu Xuan didn't care about a bit of profit from the Pill Refining Tower. Jiang Nishang was just difficult to touch for now, but in the future, she would be one of the three thousand beauties in the Liu residence's backyard; giving her some benefits was of no consequence.

“At least you have some conscience!”

Jiang Nishang smiled charmingly and pushed her luck. “Junior Brother's talent in the Dao of Alchemy is supreme. We must exchange insights frequently in the future.”

“No declining! And definitely no being perfunctory with me!”