Time flowed like water…

  Soon, the willowy sword maiden, with temperament as serene as water, came to break up those taking a mandarin duck bath.

  Xiao Lan’s cool gaze swept around the bathhouse, eventually staying on the broad back of the lone figure chilling in the pool.

  Those sculpted legs spread out like a wall, blocking most of the underwater view on the other side, though the edges of some golden and scarlet fabric still peeked out like an intentional provocation.

  Yet, Xiao Lan remained a placid lake, merely announcing her presence in a crisp, taciturn tone.

  “Dinner is ready. Come up when you’re done.”

  Bubai glanced back and gave her a thumbs up. “Be there in fifteen.”

  Xiao Lan curtly nodded and turned away, soon disappearing out the door like a passing breeze.

  Seeing the main waifu gone, Bubai relaxed and the tension in his body seeped away like heat into water.

  He turned back, just in time to see the a completely soaked mermaid surfacing with side-swept crimson hair draped over a shoulder.

  Water streamed down her face and flowed down from her jade neck that visibly swallowed.

  She then blew aside her drenched red bang, and her eyes snapped open to glare at him. “Satisfied?”

  Bubai grinned and a finger lifted her chin. “Amazing. You can really hold your breath.”

  “Tsk, don’t try to change the topic.”

  “Haha.”

  Bubai stood up and waded up the pool steps.

  A casual chop of his arm repelled all the water droplets from his hand.

  The dry hand then picked up the low-grade pouch sponsored by the smiley face, dipping in to fish out a sheet of paper neatly rolled like a scroll.

  Turning around, he handed them to the mermaid wringing out her long, damp hair.

  “Here. These are the market prices I gathered over the last few months. Just go by these for the first batch in this bag.”

  Miss Hong dried her hands using a pulse of Qi, then reached out to pluck the scroll from his hand.

  She unrolled it, gave it a once-over, then her sharp gaze lifted and pinned him in place. “You still didn’t tell me—how much do I get?

  Bubai blinked. “Seeing your wonderful performance... let’s follow your wish and double it.”

  Her brows knitted together, her gaze falling back to the price list, "Ten percent…"

  Seeing that hesitating look on her face, Bubai pushed for an answer. “I wouldn’t try to push it if I were you. Deal or no deal?”

  Miss Hong shot the impatient devil a glare.

  After a pause, she clicked her tongue and snatched the storage pouch from his hand. “Deal.”

  A smug smile bloomed on Bubai’s face. “Good. Very good. Then let us seal the deal.”

  Before the beauty sitting by the poolside like a mermaid could react, he made sure she understood: he was the dominator! Know her place!

  Morals can’t stop him. Insults won’t stop him.

  Kill gods if they block his path, slay Buddha if he stands in his way!

  Nothing can stop his Piston of Nine Heavens until… Shots fired!

  Once the deal was done, Bubai finally let her go and instructed, “Now, open. Show me.”

  Her face scrunched up in utter disgust, but for the greater good, she obeyed.

  Bubai felt his pride swell at the sight. “Good girl. Now, clean up.”

  The thorny rose shot him a glare enough to draw blood, yet she still swallowed down her anger.

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  Then she finished off the of this deal...

  Sage Bubai smiled and clasped his hand behind his back.

  Merlin’s beard, it felt good... when everything works out.

  Don’t think all of these lemon scenes and deals were just for the heck of it.

  Batbai always has a plan he wants to achieve.

  Here, it really seemed he was losing out. But the truth? Haha.

  Deals weren’t just about winning or losing—they were about control.

  On the surface, giving her a generous commission for selling his stuff was literally handing away his profits for nothing.

  But underneath?

  There’s an old saying: Even to train a dog, there must be both rewards and punishment.

  How to train a cultivator?

  Well, only benefits can move their hearts and interests were the greatest leash!

  What better rope to tie this feisty rose down than with actual benefits!

  She might think she was closing a good deal, earning her due—but in reality, she had already stepped onto his pirate ship!

  And once aboard? Don’t even think about ever getting off!

  Of course, that’s only layer one.

  How can Bubai do anything if it didn’t ultimately serve his own interests?

  Know that having a proxy always came with perks.

  The most obvious benefit? The time saved.

  The stockpile of goodies waiting to be sold was actually quite large.

  Why should he waste his own cultivation time to sit at a stall when there are now far better options?

  Even better, this arrangement will minimize the spy’s presence in his tower. Isn’t that a win-win?

  What’s more? This setup actually adds an extra layer of security around him.

  Letting someone else handle the sales will distance him from all the nuisances and problems that came with selling merchandise.

  Mainly, the origin of the loot.

  Sure, the crime was now water under the bridge and the fairy basically gave him the green light on the appraised items.

  But it’s never wrong to be too careful!

  Don’t give others a handle. Shift the blame!

  Since she will become his proxy, even if anyone found clues in the loot, who will they find at the center of it all?

  That’s right. His partner-in-crime.

  She won’t be able to wash this dirty mud clean even even if she jumps into the Yellow River!

  This was a trap wrapped in gold.

  She’ll eat the profits happily now, but she won’t be able to get rid of the relationship even if she hops off his pirate ship one day!

  And the price for all of this? Just ten percent of the value in spirit stones.

  This cut might seem like a lot, but it actually sat comfortably within his bottom lines.

  It’s only fair a worker gets paid, and only a proper share of profits could get a foundation builder like her to obediently work under him.

  Make no mistake. Don’t think this was unnecessary.

  His stash was worth at least a few hundred spirit stones, if not more.

  Not just any cat or mutt can hold down the scene for such a stall.

  At the very least, a foundation realm cultivator is required, and even then, it might not be safe.

  Fortunately, there are now three foundation builders in this tower.

  Once the sale starts, if trouble comes knocking…

  He, Grandpa Fang, didn’t mind knocking back!

  But that’s for later. Now…

  Bubai gazed at the beauty getting up after finishing her cleaning. “Help me get dressed?”

  The crimson-haired vixen shot him a glare. “Tsk, put it on yourself! I’m going to get changed.”

  Bubai clicked his tongue inside. Merlin, this feisty woman still needed training.

  But that was fine. Plucking the thorns off a rose took time. This was already a good start.

  Seeing the beauty brush past him, Bubai grabbed her wrist and tugged her back, trapping her in his arms.

  The fish on the chopping board immediately struggled. “What are you doing?! Haven’t you had enough?!”

  Bubai chuckled. “What are you thinking? I just remembered—we forgot an important step.”

  Seeing that she can’t break free from the strong arms, the thorny rose gave up. “Tsk, what? Just say it and quit wasting time.”

  “The deal is sealed, but to be safe…”

  A devilish smile appeared on his face, and a thumb went to rub those rosy lips.

  “Let’s swear the heavenly oaths. That way, you don’t have to worry that I won’t give you what you deserve.”

  Miss Hong snorted. “Tsk, you put it so nicely, but aren’t you just afraid I will eat what is yours?”

  “Be obedient. Swear, then we can go up.”

  “Tch.” The rose still wanted to play hard-to-get, but feeling the hard punishment rod pushing her harder and harder, she can only lift a hand to swear obediently.

  "I, Mei Hong, swear upon the heavens that I shall neither take nor consume what is given to me by Mo Bubai to sell and hand over ninety percent of the profits from the sale to their rightful owner."

  "Should I ever attempt to deceive, withhold, or claim more than what is due, may my cultivation stagnate, my meridians corrode, and my very soul be shackled in misfortune. However—"

  She paused, lips curling into a smirk. "—if the rightful owner does not come to collect within a year and a day, all unclaimed profits shall be mine to keep, with no consequence to my fate."

  There was lots of take in, but Bubai easily figured out the ins and outs of that oath.

  It sounded particularly vicious, but most were just superfluous words.

  If no punishment were mentioned, for low-level cultivators in the foundation realm, it’ll still default to the same template.

  The stronger the cultivation realm, the stronger the backlash. As for the weak...

  Even if the oath was more vicious, there’s a limit to how vicious heaven can be towards an ant.

  Crush it? Why bother? At most just draw a circle around the ant.

  Heavens were known to be ruthless, and this... almost sounds benevolent.

  But perhaps there were other mysteries behind those rules? Who knows.

  Anyways, that’s not important right now.

  The important point was the clever leeway this witch left in the latter part.

  He can guess she left a loophole to play hide-and-seek with him and perhaps even hoping he’ll die.

  That way, she’ll be free to eat all.

  But there’s no need to call her out on that. He simply swore his own oath.

  "I, Mo Bubai, swear upon the heavens that I shall provide Mei Hong with ten percent of the spirit stones earned from every sale she makes on my behalf. If I fail to uphold this agreement, may heavenly thunder strike me wherever I go."

  The moment that was done, the arrogant scarlet witch shoved his chest. "Let go."

  Yet the devil only shoved it in harder, and hot breath roasted the wet rose.

  "Two choices. Either you help me get dressed or… help me put out the fire."