The madam stood just outside the room, tilting her head to listen. Truth be told, she couldn’t hear anything at all inside. And that was exactly what puzzled her the most.
Both of the girls were trained in martial arts, their hearing sharper than the madam’s. If even they couldn’t pick up a sound, what chance did she have?
It really was strange. Two grown men, coming to a brothel, then making the girl wait outside while they shut themselves in for who knows what. And for such a long time at that. If they were sworn brothers, fine, but there wasn’t the slightest noise. It just didn’t make sense.
A few bouncers rushed up behind the head pimp, armed with knives, swords, and clubs, all yelling and making a racket.
“Madam, what’s going on?” “Where are the troublemakers?” “Daring to stir up trouble in Phoenix Perch? They must be tired of living!”
The madam glared at them and hissed under her breath, “What are you doing? Those are two immortal masters in there. You think the likes of you could lay a hand on them?”
The head pimp spun around and headed back downstairs. “I’ll go notify the market steward and ask the sect’s immortals to come take them.”
The madam stopped him. “Wait! They haven’t caused trouble, and they’ve paid in full. Let’s give it a little more time!”
So they waited. Another hour passed, until the madam just couldn’t hold back anymore. She raised her hand and knocked on the door.
“Honored guests, respected immortal masters, the girls have been waiting quite a while. Might I ask—”
Suddenly the door swung open. Liu Xiaolou leaned weakly against the frame, pale-faced, swaying with the door. In a faint, breathless voice, he said, “Come in.”
The madam froze for a moment, then waved her hand, and the two girls stepped inside. The door slammed shut behind them.
The madam and the head pimp pressed their ears to the crack, listening. From within came a sudden howl, followed by the girls’ giggles: “Heehee, no need to rush, dear guest, let me handle it myself…”
Only then did the two straighten up. They exchanged a glance, then both chuckled and shook their heads.
“Nothing wrong.” “They’re not here to cause trouble.”
The head pimp waved a hand to the guards. “Back downstairs.”
The crowd outside scattered in an instant. The madam went back alone to the main hall, dropped into a chair, and leaned against it, staring blankly out at the street. Business had been bad these past few months. far fewer customers than before. She wondered if things might pick up in the summer.
But if spring was already this slow, would summer really be any better?
As dusk approached, the two girls finally came downstairs. One was limping, the other hiding a laugh behind her hand.
The madam hurried up to ask what had happened. The limping one was too drained to say anything; she just gave a little wave and went off to find an empty room to sleep. The other girl sat down beside the madam. She giggled for a bit, then let out a soft sigh.
“What is it?” asked the madam.
“That older one was too fierce to handle. But the younger one... he just couldn’t manage at all. Kept making excuses, saying his spiritual energy was all used up or something. But he was perfectly fine when they came in, and they hadn’t even done anything yet. How could he be drained already? Liar…”
The madam gave her a look. “You’ve taken a liking to him, haven’t you? He is a handsome boy, I’ll give you that.”
“What good is handsome? He's all show and no go. Went on about some marvelous dual-cultivation technique, but in the end, couldn’t pull off a single move.”
“It’s fine, girl. The silver you’re owed, he won’t get away without paying a single coin. Others have to lie down to earn their money. You didn’t even have to lie down, and you still got paid. Isn’t that enough? When are they coming down? Do they need a meal sent up?”
“Who knows?”
Upstairs, Liu Daoran and Liu Xiaolou had lost their appetite for food. The energetic Daoran was eagerly asking the listless Xiaolou for advice on his formation techniques.
“Brother, this illusion formation of yours is truly profound. Almost beyond the word ‘illusion.’ It feels so real, as if one were truly there. What’s the secret behind it?”
The secret was actually quite simple: when refining the formation plate, he had added the Sanxuan Sect’s special Bewitching Fragrance. But Liu Xiaolou wasn’t willing to say. He waved it off instead. “Brother Daoran, you flatter me. Just a petty trick, nothing worth mentioning. What really matters is the art of dual cultivation…”
Liu Daoran shook his head. “Brother, I know what you’re getting at. You want to learn my sect’s Heaven’s Origin, Beginning to End, don’t you? I can teach it. All I ask is that you share the secret behind your illusion formation, and I’ll pass the method on to you.”
Liu Xiaolou replied, “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, Brother Daoran. It’s just that even if I did, it wouldn’t be of much use. My method relies on external aids.”
Liu Daoran pressed him. “It’s no matter, brother. Just tell me, and once I return to the mountain, I’ll pass you the Heaven’s Origin, Beginning to End.”
Liu Xiaolou had no choice but to give in. “All right, all right, Brother Daoran. The truth is, I used an external aid in refining the formation disk. My Sanxuan Sect’s secret incense. Mix it into the process, and it creates that lifelike sensation.”
“What incense is it?” asked Liu Daoran.
Liu Xiaolou pinched off a short piece, about an inch long, from his wrist. “This one.” He handed it over for Daoran to inspect.
The Bewitching Fragrance was a life-saving treasure unique to the Sanxuan Sect. For the sake of gaining the Heaven’s Origin, Beginning to End Method, Liu Xiaolou had grit his teeth and offered the genuine article. Fortunately, even if Daoran exhausted every method under the heavens, at best he could only deduce seventy or eighty percent of its ingredients. The complete formula was nearly impossible to uncover.
And even if, by some miracle, he did piece it together, without the Sanxuan Sect’s exclusive True Mysteries Cultivation Method to refine it, the result would never compare. At most, he’d capture a third of its true essence.
Still, bringing out the real incense at all was proof enough of Liu Xiaolou’s sincerity.
Liu Daoran lifted it to his nose and took a sniff. Not surprisingly, he couldn't smell a thing.
“Disperse your true qi into it,” said Liu Xiaolou.
Liu Daoran did as instructed, and after just a few breaths his expression changed completely.
Whenever Liu Xiaolou had used the Bewitching Fragrance before, it was always for a sneak attack. At the very least diffusing it from three or five feet away. He had never let anyone take it right under the nose. With Daoran inhaling so directly, how could he possibly withstand it? His eyes flushed red, and in a daze he felt parched, short of breath, and burning with restless fire.
Seeing him in that state, Liu Xiaolou hurried out to fetch the madam, who soon led a girl inside.
The girl struggled with all her might, crying out, “You two… absolutely not…”
Liu Xiaolou urged her, “Just hold on. I’ll be leaving right away.”
Flustered, the girl protested, “No… that’s not what I meant. Not unless you add another ten taels of silver!”
Liu Xiaolou couldn’t be bothered to haggle. “Fine, fine. Whatever you say.”
Relieved, the girl stopped resisting and let Liu Daoran have his way.
As for Liu Xiaolou, whether he even had the strength left was one thing, but truthfully he had no interest in that kind of clumsy fumbling. Instead, he pulled up a chair, sat down to wait patiently, and kept an eye on the fierce “battle” playing out on the bed—studying the exchange, drawing lessons from live practice, and testing it against the great principles of the Yin-Yang Scripture.
After an hour, Liu Daoran rolled over and sat up, rubbing his head as he complained, “Too overwhelming… and that was after just a few breaths…” Then his spirits lifted again. “But it really is a treasure. Brother, if you’d be willing to pass me this formula, just name your price!”
Liu Xiaolou said, “I already told you… You can leave now. Oh, your clothes? Forget it, just wrap yourself in the quilt and go out like that… Don’t worry, you’ll get every coin you’re owed…”
Liu Daoran urged her as well, “Go on, go on!”
The door slammed shut. Liu Xiaolou continued, “Like I said earlier, telling Brother Daoran won't do any good. This incense relies on my sect’s secret method. My master passed away suddenly five years ago, when I was only seventeen. What can I do?”
Liu Daoran sighed in frustration. “Such a secret art… what a pity.” After a moment’s thought, he said, “Brother, would you at least give me this stick of incense? I’d be willing to trade you the Heaven’s Origin, Beginning to End Method.”
Liu Xiaolou waved his hand dismissively. “Just take it. You and I are brothers. No need for bargaining. Think of it as swapping tips, nothing more.”