"Mother, you're here," Xiaolian said, slowly opening her eyes upon hearing the movement.
"Xiaolian, what happened to you?" the madame asked, bewildered. "How did you become like this? What were you doing just now?"
"Madame, I had a very pleasant chat with that Daoist friend," Xiaolian replied, a radiant smile, unprecedented in its brilliance, appearing on her face. "He helped me find my life's direction and understand the meaning of living. I feel completely transformed now."
"You... you've been chatting for seven or eight hours straight?" The madame was utterly flabbergasted.
"Madame, this is the redemption money that Daoist friend gave me," Xiaolian said, opening a small box on the table to reveal it was filled with spirit stones.
It was then that the madame noticed the spirit stones on the table, even more than what Shān Jī had given before!
Happily, the madame moved to collect them, but suddenly realized something was amiss. "Redemption money... you're leaving?"
"I no longer hold any resentment for what you did to me," Xiaolian said, gathering her things and walking towards the door. "From now on, we each go our separate ways. Farewell."
"But your cultivation is gone. Where will you go once you leave?" the madame murmured, bewildered.
"To a quiet lamp and ancient Buddha, with scriptures as my companion."
...
By the time Shān Jī and Xiāngjiāo Jūn returned home, it was already noon the next day.
"You're back," Little Demon Girl said, smiling at them. "Had fun?"
"Big Sister, your Shān Jī is finally a man!" Shān Jī declared proudly.
"Oh?" Little Demon Girl seemed to notice something. "Did you really go to the brothel yesterday? How did you break through to the Nascent Soul stage?"
Upon hearing this, Shān Jī quickly checked himself and found that he had indeed reached the Nascent Soul stage!
"Strange," Shān Jī murmured. "Besides playing games with the ladies, I didn't do anything else yesterday. How did I break through so inexplicably..."
"Oh, right, Big Sister!" Shān Jī seemed to recall something. "When I was playing with the ladies yesterday, the demonic energy in my body suddenly started circulating on its own. Do you think that's the reason?"
"It sounds a bit like dual cultivation techniques..." Little Demon Girl pondered. "But those require cooperation from both parties. Yours doesn't seem like that..."
"But other than that, I really didn't do anything else?" Shān Jī scratched his bald head in confusion. "It couldn't have just broken through on its own, right?"
"Some absorption-based cultivation methods are similar to dual cultivation. Yours likely falls into this category," Yè Fán replied from his reclining chair. "It seems you'll need to find more ladies in the future."
Yè Fán felt a sense of utter disbelief.
He had indeed heard of Shān Jī's situation before; it wasn't entirely unheard of.
But the problem was applying this situation to Vermillion Bird, it just felt... unacceptable.
How had a dignified member of the Four Symbols started developing into a mere breeding machine?
It seemed Shān Jī's ancestors weren't exactly proper birds either!
...
"That's great!" Shān Jī became instantly excited!
Improving cultivation by playing with ladies was the most wonderful thing imaginable!
I love this cultivation method!
Cultivation brings me joy!
From today on, I am a cultivation maniac!
"This kind of cultivation cannot be delayed!" Having figured things out, Shān Jī was ready to head out again. "I must seize this opportunity and continue!"
"Your daily cultivation also needs to continue, otherwise, you'll be scrapped," Yè Fán said speechlessly, rolling his eyes.
Good heavens!
He really sees himself as a breeding machine?!
"Alright," Shān Jī said sheepishly. "From now on, I'll cultivate with the ladies for three hours every day, and spend the rest of my time cultivating at home."
"Three hours?" Yè Fán gave Shān Jī a suspicious look, as if to say, 'You're bragging.'
"Actually, I'm doing alright," Shān Jī said, scratching his head awkwardly, then pointed at Xiāngjiāo Jūn. "Brother Jiāo is the one who's amazing. Seven hours straight!"
At these words, Yè Fán and Little Demon Girl were both shocked!
Seven hours?
They must have been completely worn out!
Did the banana spirit have some special talent?
And considering Xiāngjiāo Jūn used to be so afraid of women, how had he suddenly become like this?
Could it be he wanted to "poke" all of them?
...
"Yè Fán, you really don't need to overthink it," Little Demon Girl said, gently taking Yè Fán's hand after the two demons left. "After all, it's not the same species. I won't mind."
Yè Fán: ???
Such speed!
What just ran over my face?
The next day.
After breakfast, Shān Jī again took Xiāngjiāo Jūn out.
The location was still the same brothel as yesterday.
However, there was a slight problem this time.
Despite Shān Jī pleading with all his might, the madame refused to let them in!
"Madame, this is unfair!" Shān Jī said indignantly. "My brother and I haven't not paid. Why won't you let us in!"
"Ask him!" the madame cried out miserably, pointing at Xiāngjiāo Jūn. "Yesterday, he chatted with my girl for seven or eight hours straight. After chatting with him, my girl went off to become a nun! If you let them in a few more times, how can I continue my business!!!"
Shān Jī was completely stunned!
"No..." He looked at Xiāngjiāo Jūn in shock. "Brother Jiāo, you were chatting with the girl the whole time yesterday?"
"Yes," Xiāngjiāo Jūn nodded. "We both enjoyed the conversation very much. This brothel is indeed a good place."
Brother Jiāo, you're amazing!
I have nothing more to say...
Then, Shān Jī dragged Xiāngjiāo Jūn away dejectedly.
They definitely couldn't come back to this place; they had lost too much face...
Half an hour later, Shān Jī brought Xiāngjiāo Jūn to another brothel.
"Brother Jiāo, my dear brother!" Shān Jī sniffled. "When we go in later, don't chat with the girls like that again, please? I'm begging you!"
"Why?" Xiāngjiāo Jūn asked, confused. "It was a very enjoyable experience for everyone, wasn't it?"
Shān Jī: ...
Shān Jī's spirit stones were exchanged for extreme enthusiasm from the madame, and the two of them successfully entered the main hall.
"You two have finally come to see us," the madame said warmly. "Today is a grand occasion for our Miss Xīnníng to be initiated!"
What followed was a scene of competing for the courtesan of the night at the brothel.
Initially, the highest bidder was a cultivator at the fifth level of Nascent Soul.
With his deep pockets, he easily defeated the other competitors.
Unfortunately, today, a more affluent Shān Jī had arrived...
"Kid, you have guts!" the defeated cultivator glared fiercely at Shān Jī. "We'll see about this!"
Shān Jī completely ignored such a mild provocation.
Considering the girls' tolerance and his own enjoyment, Shān Jī this time ordered twenty girls at once.
"Oh, and Madame," Shān Jī instructed specifically before entering the room. "Find me your best conversationalists later, to keep my brother company and let him chat to his heart's content!"