672: Chapter 672 Let's Go Together

"Inner beauty?"

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan was slightly stunned and blurted out, "What is meant by 'inner beauty'?"

"Inner beauty is the kind of beauty that transcends appearance, stripping away irrelevant decorations to face every flaw and detail directly—it is the purest and most intuitive form of beauty."

Seeing that Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan looked a bit bewildered, Liu Xuan pointed at the dress she was wearing, "Simply put, I haven't seen whether your inner beauty is beautiful or not yet."

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan looked at Liu Xuan, then at the dress on her body. Her pretty face blushed slightly, and she then laughed, "The rumors are indeed true; you are a lecher through and through!"

"Thank you for the compliment!"

Liu Xuan bowed to her and said solemnly, "Let's discuss the serious matter of the Dao Court dispatching troops."

"Of course! If you want to talk to me about your inner beauty, that's not impossible either."

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan smiled sweetly, "Then let's talk about the serious matter first, and later I will let the Sect Master see my... inner beauty."

Her smile was very natural. Although she was clearly using common seduction tactics, it gave Liu Xuan a feeling of being alluring yet not vulgar, making his heart flutter.

This place was not the Yin-Yang Archipelago, but the Sect residence of the Red Dust Branch—the Red Dust Garden on Bliss Island.

Liu Xuan had been invited over mainly to discuss with Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan the matter of the Dao Court dispatching troops to support the Joyous Union Sect.

He had originally not been in a rush to get too involved with Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan, this Dao Lord, but after spending just half an hour together, he had inexplicably developed a favorable impression of this woman.

The key was that this favorable impression was not based on physical desire, but rather a simple sense of closeness, a desire to interact with and understand her more, and to be friends with her.

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan seemed to have been joking, but suddenly became serious as she began to talk about the situation on the Dao Court's side.

"The Dao Court is not very concerned about the abnormal movements of the Long Whale Palace. The news has already been reported, but none of the great Cultivators who can actually make decisions have expressed their stance."

"The Elder of the 'Tianheng Mansion,' who is specifically responsible for affairs in the four outer regions, gave me a reply stating that he would send people to the Long Whale Palace to inquire about the specific situation and would also send a small number of Cultivators to intervene as a warning. However, before the Long Whale Palace actually enters the territory of the Joyous Union Sect, the Dao Court will not dispatch troops on a large scale to support."

That was the situation. If this were in the past, the Dao Court's approach would have been very reasonable.

But now is a special period of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi fluctuations. The Western Region Buddhist Sect has openly allied with the Southern Border Demon Tribe, and there are signs of large-scale movements from the East Sea Yao Race. The Dao Court's action here seems a bit weak.

"Is the Dao Court not afraid that the Long Whale Palace will destroy the Joyous Union Sect in a very short time, then immediately ally with the Southern Border Demon Tribe and start a world-shaking war?

If the Joyous Union Sect is pushed to a dead end and directly allies with the Yao Race, taking advantage of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi gathering towards the Southern Border, they might very well establish a super-power capable of rivaling the Dao Court in the future!"

The Dao Court's reaction was too lukewarm, and Liu Xuan's tone was a bit aggressive.

"Sect Master, do not be anxious!"

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan said gently, "Although the high-level great Cultivators of the Dao Court have not explicitly stated their position, as far as I know, the 'Xuangang Mansion' has signs of mobilizing a large army of Cultivators, but this will take some time."

"Really?" Liu Xuan felt a surge of joy and pressed further.

The Xuangang Mansion, the strongest institution of the Dao Court for handling internal disputes and matters of insubordination from the four directions, was similar to a Ministry of War.

The Xuangang Mansion mobilizing a large army of Cultivators meant that there were movements among the high-level members of the Dao Court; they just hadn't said anything yet.

The reason Liu Xuan was unhappy was not because of the Joyous Union Sect's situation, but because he couldn't understand the Dao Court's intentions and always felt they were plotting something nefarious.

As long as the Dao Court showed signs of mobilizing troops, which was in line with their expected reaction, Liu Xuan felt much more at ease.

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan found Liu Xuan's reaction very strange. The Xuangang Mansion only had signs of mobilizing troops; what was he so excited about?

If he was so afraid of the Long Whale Palace, why didn't he return to the Southern Border now?

"It is true that the Xuangang Mansion is mobilizing troops, but I haven't been able to find out whether they are reinforcing the Southern Border or the East Sea. I asked a few Dao Lord friends, and none had a clear answer."

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan was not as optimistic as Liu Xuan. From what she understood, the probability of the Dao Court taking action against the Southern Border was higher. Unless the Long Whale Palace formally went to war with the Joyous Union Sect, the Dao Court would not pay too much attention to the East Sea side.

"It doesn't matter!"

"Regardless of where the Dao Court intends to send troops, it is a deterrent to the Long Whale Palace."

Liu Xuan didn't care whether the Dao Court's troop mobilization was slow or not; slow was exactly what he wanted. If they really started fighting immediately, he would be very passive instead.

It would be best if all parties remained in a stalemate, dragging it out for decades or a century; nothing else would matter then.

After the serious business was finished, Liu Xuan's thoughts inevitably drifted towards entertainment.

He looked at Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan and said, "I heard from Xiao Wan that your Red Dust Branch is most adept at the Dao of music, possessing the three melodies: Soul-Calming, Profound-Connecting, and Demon-Suppressing. I wonder if I might have the opportunity to experience them today?"

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan clapped her hands, and immediately a dozen or so beautiful female Cultivators carrying various musical instruments entered from outside the hall.

"These are my twelve prize Disciples. All of them have supreme talent in the Dao of music and the Divine Soul, and their lowest cultivation level is the Early Stage of the Nascent Soul, having mastered the Laws of music."

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan smiled slyly at Liu Xuan, "If the Sect Master wants to listen to music, that is certainly possible, but there is a fee!"

"A fee?!"

Liu Xuan, who was just admiring the twelve beauties, was stunned and looked at Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan, "I am the Sect Master of the Joyous Union Sect. Do I have to pay money to listen to music in my own Sect?"

"Everyone has to pay!" Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan pointed to the twelve Disciples below with their elegant postures, "Our Red Dust Branch earns hard-earned money. Without some benefits, they won't play wholeheartedly."

"Fine!"

"Name your price, I'll pay it!"

Liu Xuan was wealthy and generous; a mere few Spirit Stones were insignificant. What Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan said was also correct; when going out to have fun, as long as one wasn't being slaughtered like a sucker, it was appropriate to spend some money.

Liu Xuan agreed to pay, but Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan suddenly changed her tune, "You are the Sect Master of the Joyous Union Sect; how could I accept your money? What if Sister Jiang takes revenge on me later?"

"Just tell me what you want then?" Liu Xuan was amused by her. This woman clearly had other motives and didn't care about those few Spirit Stones at all.

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan pondered for a moment, then suddenly seemed to have thought of a good idea. Her eyes smiled as she looked at Liu Xuan, "The three famous melodies of my branch are all integrated with both offense and defense. Although they can assist in cultivation, if one is not careful, they can also cause injury. If the Sect Master can withstand my Disciples playing together without your Divine Soul being shaken, then listening to music here will be free for you forever; I will pay them on your behalf."

After hearing this, a smile curled at the corners of Liu Xuan's mouth, and he said indifferently, "What? Do you want to test me?"

"That's right!" Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan nodded without hesitation and said crisply, "Sister Jiang values the Sect Master so much, and I am very curious about you!"

"The Sect Master wouldn't be afraid, would you?" She looked at Liu Xuan with a beaming smile, a hint of provocation in her eyes.

Liu Xuan held up a finger, shook it, and smiled, "It's not fear, but rather that I feel there is no challenge."

"How about this? You come at me with them together!"

Red Dust Daoist Lord Su Qingyan's smile froze, and she seriously suspected that she had misheard.