The tower wall slid aside, opening the way to the bright, peaceful corridor.

  Bubai’s eyes swept around and his heart eased at the absence of broken glass. “Huh, looks like things settled calmly?”

  An easy smile appeared on his face and he strolled forward. “Well, then I can rest easy and take a bath...”

  But when Bubai reached the bathhouse door, one look inside and his smile went stiff.

  Dear Merlin, he spoke too soon!

  Looking at all the cracked tiles and the “X marks the spot” scarring the walls, Bubai almost cried when he thought about the repair fees.

  “By Merlin’s beard... is this what it means to bring back a homewrecker?”

  Alas, it’s too late to cry over spilled milk.

  "Whatever. I can afford it." Probably.

  Sighing, Bubai strolled over to the pool...

  His fingers worked to take off his outer robe, then his inner layers, finally setting aside his pants and storage pouches.

  After wading down the pool steps until he reached waist-deep, Bubai quickly gave his body a good scrub to get off all the smell, sticky sweat, and dried blood.

  Once satisfied, he waded back up and settled down, stretching out lazily on the steps.

  Lazy was king after all he’s been through.

  Fight after fight. Then the stress from the showdown. Finally charging into a marathon…

  It’s been... a long, long day.

  Staring up at the ceiling, Bubai almost melted into the water and can’t help but let out a slow, relaxed sigh. “Ah, finally… my well-deserved rest.”

  But once again, he spoke too soon.

  The soft whisper of a glass door sliding open broke the peace.

  Bubai peered over his shoulder, just in time to catch the homewrecker stepping in with red silk veil trailing from her arms like flaming ribbons licking at the air.

  Matching those accessories was her crimson red hair, now gathered in a bun that bloomed like a cauliflower.

  Even more eye-catching was the gold trimming her provocative, scarlet outfit...

  No, can that even be called an outfit?

  It covered all the important places, yet it left so much bare that it was basically half a bikini!

  Of course, that was no bikini. Bubai knew better.

  That was just the dancer attire of the sect’s palace ladies.

  Honestly, Bubai has never seen this arrogant peacock wear anything but her signature black Qipao or, on special occasions, her birthday suit.

  But now? A new skin got unlocked.

  Two words: hot, sexy.

  Just like the dance she was performing.

  Step by step, she came closer. The hip swayed to the left, to the right…

  Hands went up and the shimmy, shimmy hit the dance floor.

  She danced without a care in the world, as if she didn’t care if he watched or not.

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  But that belly dance… was clearly meant to seduce men.

  And Merlin, did it work.

  Like a moth drawn to flame, Bubai’s eyes refused to budge from that figure.

  His mind was practically screaming: Holy cow, the physics! The holy physics!

  This masterclass in seduction really shook up his cognition on what level a professional dancer can achieve!

  Even the doll’s tribal dance felt amateur in comparison. This was real next level stuff! This was art!

  Looking at her toes ghosting up her exposed leg, rising to her knee then tracing over the rose tattoo blooming on her thigh, Bubai felt his little brother rising along with it.

  Not his fault that his little brother likes living a hard life. It really can’t be helped!

  It wasn’t every day a man gets to witness a steamy dance like this!

  Truth be told, this was way more refreshing and intoxicating than a woman dancing while baring it all raw.

  Flowers were more fragrant when there’s a sense of mystery.

  Hence, teasing was an art, and this rose… certainly knew how to get that point across.

  A twirl, another twirl... like a ribbon caught in the wind, the dancer spun over to the poolside.

  Her crimson silk whip lashed out, caressing his face with a rosy scent then whipping back away.

  Her smile belonged to a seductress who knew the man got hooked, but after that little tease, little twirls took her back just out of reach.

  Her eyes practically said, “Beg me.”

  Bubai sucked in a breath and forced himself to look away. But...

  Some sights could be easily forgotten.

  This?

  Once seen, it can’t be unseen.

  No wonder those emperors in novels and dramas always host banquets with dancing beauties.

  Perhaps the background actors on screen can never quite capture the alluring essence, but in reality...

  Once a true high-class witch performs this… how many men could actually resist?

  Too bad, too bad. This isn’t a palace drama, but a cultivation story.

  Charm alone can’t crack a cultivator’s defense so easily.

  “Amitabha. See no evil. Know no evil.”

  For sage Bubai, ignoring the fire was easy.

  His mind was still as the water he lounged in, until… he felt the ripple caused by the jade foot dipping into the water.

  Then, the siren waded up to his side...

  Her fair hand dipped into the water and the slender fingers traced down his budding abs…

  Then, as if by accident—yet unmistakably intentional—they slid lower...

  “Tch, all you men love acting like a sage, but look how honest your little dirty thing is. Tsk, tsk, you want me... don’t you?”

  After breathing that into his ears, the scarlet witch circled to the front, demanding for “eyes on me”.

  There was no way to avoid the feast appearing in his vision, obviously.

  Bubai can only... let his hungry eyes unceremoniously rake over the wet dancer.

  Then, an oddly slippery smoothness rubbed him the wrong way.

  Bubai knew what he wanted, bad, but he still controlled his urge and put on a serious scholarly face.

  “Do all you palace ladies train dancing to this level?”

  Those rosy lips smiled. “The old master chose me for a reason… How? Am I better than that ice block upstairs?”

  Compared to Xiao Lan?

  Well, his waifu never performs sexy dances like this for him, and yet...

  Bubai still found her sword dance far more beautiful and elegant than this dance could ever be.

  Then again, how can these two be compared?

  One embodied the purity of cultivation, the other… was purely for seducing men.

  The nature differs. There’s really no way to say one is better than the other!

  Even if his little brother currently wanted to voice a different opinion, Bubai wasn’t foolish enough to praise the left over the right just for pleasure.

  That was a trap he won’t fall for so easily.

  The walls have ears. He had no desire to seek death early!

  Besides, if he wanted to ravage her... there was no need for words.

  Simply grab her waist and take the plunge!

  “Hah…” The sexy dancer gasped like a lute string plucked too hard. “Looks like... you agree?”

  Bubai still kept a straight face. “Less of that nonsense. Let’s talk serious business.”

  The serious tone brought the massage to a stop and the thorny rose glared at him.

  She felt the manly reaction, yet the ugly man still stared back with infuriatingly calm face.

  That was like an insult to her charm!

  “Tsk.” Mild annoyance bubbled up inside, but Miss Hong still knew her priorities. “What business?”

  "The deal we spoke about last time. I’ve fleshed out the details."

  “Hmm.” The rose played indifferent but her subtle actions were encouraging him to go on.

  Bubai still kept a straight face. “Market price. Anything over is your bonus. For every item sold for spirit stone, five percent of the price is yours.”

  The massage came to a full stop and the thorns on the rose bristled, even going as far as shoving herself back.

  “Preposterous! You treating me as a beggar?!”

  Bubai met her fury with an icy indifference.

  “It’s just running an errand. Be happy you’re even getting a share. Do you not want it? I can hand this over to Xiao Lan instead.”

  Miss Hong flared up in even more and a palm slapped the water. “Nonsense! What she can do, so can I!”

  She then fiercely glared at him, but seeing that he wasn’t budging, the beauty swallowed her anger and put on a charming, irresistibly sweet smile.

  Like a silk ribbon, she plastered herself to his side and a wet finger drew circles on his chest.

  “My lord, can the price be reconsidered? Xiao Hong is willing to do anything~”

  Bubai shot her a sidelong glance. "Anything?"

  "Anything."

  “Then…” Splash. Bubai stood up.

  By the time the water rolled off his sculpted legs, a flute was already placed against those rosy-red lips.

  A dark grin stretched across his face. “Be a good girl and show some sincerity first?”