71: Bai Zhiwei

Liu Manor Peach Garden.

In the peach garden, there was a small pavilion. The scenery here was quite nice, and in his spare time, Liu Xuan liked to stay here for a while to keep his sister, Liu Miao, company.

The last time he returned to the Sect, Liu Xuan had made a special trip to the Spirit Plant Hall to buy a few books on cultivating spirit peaches to bring back.

Right now, Liu Miao was reading a book while bringing a few maidservants along to check the condition of every spirit peach tree.

Cultivating Advanced spirit plants is extremely complex and requires the Cultivation of some specialized Spells.

Fortunately, the spirit peaches in the courtyard were only First-Rank Low Grade, the kind that were particularly easy to care for. After studying a bit, Liu Miao could barely manage them, so they wouldn't end up being neglected to death.

Liu Xuan sat on a stone bench in the pavilion, with the corpse puppet Little Shadow, dressed in a black female Cultivator's robe, standing behind him.

The First-Rank Medium Grade Nether Night Robe could conceal her figure in the dark, cause people to automatically overlook her to a certain extent, and also block some probes from Spirit Eye Spells.

Besides that, Little Shadow also wore a human skin mask on her face—also a Magical Artifact—making her look like a dull, aloof woman.

Now, Little Shadow looked just like an ordinary personal maid and guard for Liu Xuan, attracting no attention.

Across the stone table, She Xiaorong was reporting to Liu Xuan about the affairs of the Yongning Merchant Alliance:

"The Merchant Alliance is proceeding smoothly. Recently, there have been signs of activity from the Robber Cultivators in Yongning, but they are all operating on the periphery. Most of our Merchant Alliance's Families are located near the city suburbs, so they haven't been greatly affected."

"White Crane Lake is also doing very well. With Senior Sister Xiao stationed there, it is very safe. The spirit fish fry have already been stocked, and currently, the Luo Family Clan Chief, Luo Yun, is in charge of it."

"All the Merchant Alliance's industries are progressing smoothly, and there is no need to worry about manpower. As the Robber Cultivators are active on the outskirts of Yongning, some Cultivators who were robbed have fled into the city. After being screened by the Merchant Alliance, we have retained a portion of them."

She Xiaorong's face was full of smiles, and she was full of energy. Now, as the Vice Alliance Master of the Merchant Alliance, her power was countless times greater than when she was the leader of the Flower Snake Gang.

Those Clan Chiefs who previously wouldn't even deign to glance at her now had to discuss matters with her politely. This feeling was absolutely wonderful!

"Oh! That's right."

She suddenly thought of something, looked at Liu Xuan, and said: "These past few days, quite a few more Families have wanted to join the Merchant Alliance. This matter still requires you, Young Master, to make the decision personally."

"I've already said before that you and Xia He should just discuss it; why do I need to make the decision personally?" Liu Xuan asked.

She Xiaorong explained helplessly: "They have all sent over a few women, saying that they will only discuss joining after you have accepted them."

"Uh…"

"There's such a thing?"

Liu Xuan perked up.

"Young Master, your reputation for cherishing delicate beauties has spread throughout all of Yongning. Previously, the Families in the Merchant Alliance all had women by your side. If you don't accept them, they won't feel at ease."

Liu Xuan quickly understood. Although the Merchant Alliance was a loose organization, it involved the foundational industries of every Family.

These newly joined Families were afraid of being ganged up on and cheated by the existing Families, so they were anxious to do this.

"Where are the people? Bring them over for me to see!" Liu Xuan ordered.

She Xiaorong stood up and beckoned outside the peach garden. A former Flower Snake Gang subordinate trotted in. After she gave a few instructions, the subordinate left quickly.

Not long after, a total of fifteen young maidens lined up and arrived outside the pavilion.

"Greetings, Talisman Master Liu!" * 15

Without exception, these women were at least of superior beauty, stunning beauties rarely seen in ordinary times.

'The beauties of the world are as numerous as crucian carp crossing the river!' Liu Xuan couldn't help but exclaim once again.

Having seen so many beauties, Liu Xuan had developed a slight resistance to beauty; ordinary mortal beauties could hardly catch his eye anymore.

"What is your name?"

Liu Xuan's gaze rested on a girl with fair skin and a rather sweet appearance.

He was attracted not because the girl was more beautiful than the others, but because Liu Xuan discovered she was a Qi Refining early-stage Cultivator.

"This little one is Bai Zhiwei, a member of the Bai Family from Ice Blue Valley. My father is Bai Zixuan, a First-Rank Low-Grade Talisman Master."

Bai Zhiwei's voice was a bit cutesy, with a feeling like a cutesy loli voice. Paired with her sweet face, it didn't feel out of place at all.

She Xiaorong supplemented from the side: "The Bai Family is one of the seventeen Qi Refining Perfection Families in Yongning. Previously, they had some entanglements with the Chen Family."

Liu Xuan didn't care about this point. If the Bai Family really had problems, they would have been dealt with by the law enforcement army last time; how could they have survived until now?

Moreover, Liu Xuan had roughly investigated the main reason for the Chen Family's destruction. Besides the Sect needing money, there was another important reason: the Chen Family had ulterior motives, and it was very obvious.

Families in various places, no matter how independent they were internally, would more or less send a portion of their Disciples to the Sect. The Disciples would grow within the Sect, eventually forming a relationship of mutual assistance and mutual restraint.

The Chen Family used to be like this too, but in recent years, seeing that the Red Pine Sect's True Person Xiao was nearing the end of his lifespan, they began to maneuver to break away from their relationship with the Sect, so as to avoid being implicated when the Sect underwent a change.

Originally, this wasn't a problem; most Foundation Establishment Families would make such arrangements at times like this, it was just that they had gone a bit too far.

But the Red Pine Sect's situation was special. True Person Xiao wanted to use all his strength to assist his eldest Disciple, Wang Qiao, in Core Formation, so the Chen Family became the unlucky sacrificial lamb.

What the Sect wanted was Spirit Stones, not that they really had any deep grudge against the Chen Family. Liu Xuan had no qualms about taking over the families that were originally subordinates of the Chen Family.

He waved his hand, "Xiao Rong, you make the arrangements. Keep everyone, and you and Xia He handle the respective Families."

"Yes!"

She Xiaorong had long guessed this result and was not surprised at all.

The cost of keeping maidservants here in Yongning was far lower than in the Sect. Moreover, the various Families would certainly support a portion of their own children. It was a free bargain, so naturally, Liu Xuan would not refuse.

It was just that with fifteen more maidservants all at once, Liu Xuan couldn't take care of them all for the time being.

He beckoned to Bai Zhiwei, "You, come here!"

"Yes!"

Bai Zhiwei left the crowd and walked to Liu Xuan's side, her small face looking somewhat apprehensive.

Recalling her father's instructions when she left the Family a few days ago, a trace of determination appeared on her tender face.

For her father, for her Family, she was willing to sacrifice herself!

"You seem unwilling?" Liu Xuan's calm voice rang out.

"No…"

"No!"

Bai Zhiwei immediately denied it.

"It's fine! I, Liu Xuan, have never liked forcing others. If you have any concerns, you can speak them, and I will send someone to take you back."

"Really… really, there isn't!"

The little girl was so anxious she was about to cry.

Alright! Liu Xuan was just being polite; from the moment he noticed Bai Zhiwei, he had never intended to actually let her go back.

Reaching out and pulling, Bai Zhiwei fell into Liu Xuan's arms. The little girl's fair, pretty face instantly flushed with a layer of red, looking extremely beautiful.

"What a cute little girl!"

"This was something you said you were willing to do yourself; don't regret it later!"

"Wuwuwu~"

Liu Xuan lowered his head, and their pink, tender petals touched—supple and tender, sweet as honey!