Chapter 121: This Hell Is Absolutely Wonderful~

"Lotus? Why are you here?" The madam walked over from a distance, watching the young woman who stood at the doorway staring intently at Baili Mo.

"Oh, that? I—I came to play the pipa for Young Master Zhao," Lotus replied cautiously.

"Young Master Zhao is in the room next door. What are you doing here? Get moving, and don't keep him waiting!" the madam scolded with a frown.

"Yes, yes. My apologies to this young master for the intrusion. Excuse me." Lotus nodded subserviently, seemingly quite afraid of the madam.

"W-wait," Baili Mo started, wanting to say something, but he watched as Lotus hurried off to the next room and disappeared from sight.

"My apologies for the wait, young master. You are so handsome that it really wasn't easy for me to find a girl suitable for you," the madam said, her demeanor shifting instantly; the scolding tone vanished, replaced by a fawning smile.

"Biyue, Xiuhua! Come and attend to this young master at once!" the madam called out to two women behind her, both possessing graceful figures, elegant bearing, and sweet countenances.

Seeing Baili Mo’s extraordinary temperament and handsome features, the two women were stunned, standing there motionless.

The madam was not annoyed; in fact, she would have been surprised if they had reacted any other way. Looking at the young man before her, his dashing and extraordinary appearance made him look like a cultivator. In the past, someone of such noble air would never have stepped foot into this place of red-dust desires.

To see such a person today—even without knowing why this naive lad had wandered into a brothel—was a stroke of luck. Even if she only managed to bask in a bit of his "immortal aura," she could boast to her competitors that an immortal had graced her establishment, which would surely lift her spirits.

"What are you two standing there for? Get over here!" the madam commanded. Only then did the two beautiful women seem to snap out of their trance. These two were the star attractions of the Yihong Pavilion; under normal circumstances, having just one of them appear would be giving the madam immense face.

To summon both sisters at once had left them initially unwilling, wondering what great personage could possibly require both of them.

One had to remember that this was Chang'an, outside the gates of the Great Xia Imperial Palace, under the very feet of the Emperor. Furthermore, it was still broad daylight. The Yihong Pavilion was a reputable establishment, and any person of true consequence would be too concerned about their reputation to visit at such an hour. If such a person did wish to see them, they would usually invite the sisters to their own private residence.

After much hesitation and confusion, they had been delayed, only agreeing to come and take a look because of the madam's persistent pleading. If they truly refused, even the madam could not force them.

Yet, looking at him now, it seemed they were the ones who had gained a great advantage. This face was far superior to the bloated, drunken visages of the corrupt officials they usually encountered, and his ethereal, otherworldly temperament was something no ordinary mortal possessed.

Although Baili Mo was still in his youth, he had never neglected his training. The nourishment of spiritual energy kept him looking robust, neither immature nor boyish.

"My apologies for the wait, young master. My sister and I have delayed you; we hope you will not take offense," the girl on the left, dressed in a white gown, said softly. Her voice was melodious and charming. Along with Xiuhua on the right, she bowed gracefully to Baili Mo.

Being a famous brothel in Chang'an, the head courtesans would not swarm a handsome man like common girls; they possessed the necessary refinement. In this day and age, one could not reach the status of a star courtesan with only a pretty face and no literary talent.

"N-no, greetings to you both, ladies." The naive Baili Mo, having never seen such beautiful girls bow to him so elegantly, hurriedly stood up and returned the gesture.

His junior sister did not count; she was pretty, but she was too fierce and always bullied him, her senior brother...

Seeing this, the madam beamed, clearly delighted. If these two star attractions could successfully win over this lad, her Yihong Pavilion would surely gain immense fame.

Even if she had misjudged him and he was just an ordinary man, she wouldn't lose out—he was handsome enough to be worth it, and the two girls would certainly be pleased.

Quietly exiting the room, the madam cast a meaningful look at the two girls and gently closed the door. One man and two women—and these two were her top stars; she didn't believe for a moment that there wouldn't be some sparks.

Biyue and Xiuhua turned to stare at Baili Mo, saying nothing but smiling, which made Baili Mo blush deeply.

*Master, this 'hell' is truly formidable...* Baili Mo thought to himself.

"Come, young master, let's not just stand here. How about my sister and I play a song for you?" Biyue said, her smile deepening as she observed Baili Mo’s naive appearance. It was highly likely this lad was still inexperienced in the ways of the world—a real catch.

"Oh, yes, alright." Being stared at like that made Baili Mo feel incredibly uncomfortable; he desperately wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

Just as he spoke, a melody from a pipa drifted in from the next room, instantly capturing his attention.

*The large strings rattled like a sudden rain, while the small strings whispered like private secrets. The loud and soft notes mingled, like large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate.*

*The warbling of orioles slid beneath the flowers, like a choked spring flowing over icy rocks. The icy spring froze, the strings grew cold and stopped, and for a moment, all sound ceased.*

"What is that?" Baili Mo could not help but ask.

"Ah, that must be Lotus's pipa performance. We sisters all have a certain mastery of music," Biyue and Xiuhua replied, their expressions turning slightly unnatural. Clearly, the sound of the pipa had stolen the show and wounded their pride.

"Lotus?" For some reason, Baili Mo’s mind was filled with the image of that girl in the green dress, unable to shake it away.

At that moment, the sound of a zither rose, masking the pipa music. Biyue and Xiuhua sat before a long zither, their slender fingers plucking the strings with focused expressions.

*The zither melody drifted through the spring sky, filling the pavilion with white moonlight and pear-blossom winds.*

Baili Mo listened quietly. As Biyue had said, the Yihong Pavilion could stand in Chang'an for a reason; the girls here were no ordinary folk. This performance was more exquisite than that of many professional musicians.

Yet, as Baili Mo listened, he felt something was missing. While the technique was superb and both the zither and pipa were rare musical treasures, to his ears, that pipa melody was far more soul-stirring and resonant.

As the zither piece concluded, Baili Mo closed his eyes, as if savoring the lingering notes. The pipa music next door had also ceased, and the room returned to silence, save for a few soft breaths.

Breaths? Where were those breaths coming from?

Baili Mo opened his eyes to see the charming faces of Biyue and Xiuhua right before him. Their delicate features, accented by light makeup, added to their allure.

With such beauties appearing before him, it would be a lie to say he felt no stirrings. Baili Mo was a man, not a eunuch; just looking at them, his pulse began to race.

"Young master, the song is over. Do you have nothing to say to us sisters?" Xiuhua, dressed in a pink gown, leaned close to his right ear, her breath fragrant, her smile intoxicating.

Baili Mo felt his heart racing, his righteous face replaced by a foolish grin, his hands fidgeting helplessly on his thighs.

"Young master, are you dissatisfied with us?" Biyue sat on his left, gently covering his hand and leaning against his rigid shoulder.

With a pitiful, pouting expression, she looked so tender and soft that Baili Mo felt his body as a cultivator begin to melt. He could not withstand the attack of such a gentle trap—truly, as his master said, this place was hell!

*Oh~ this hell is wonderful!* A suggestive expression began to bloom on Baili Mo's face.