The next day, early morning
At the martial training ground beside the main hall of the Hou Mansion, Hou Yuxiao, with his upper body bare, wielded a black long staff with fierce prowess. At times, he performed the "Yellow Dragon Stirring the Sea," causing leaves on the ground to whirl ceaselessly. At other times, he moved as fast as lightning, the shadows of his staff densely filling the air.
Suddenly, a sound like the cracking of bones echoed. Hou Yuxiao's gaze sharpened, and with a spring in his legs, he leapt high into the air. Holding the staff, he slashed nine times continuously around him, sending nine dark shadows bursting outward like long dragons.
Instantly, nine pits were blasted into the middle of the ground, but watching this scene, Hou Yuxiao's face showed no joy, instead revealing a trace of gloom.
"Nine is the ultimate number; to advance the 'Black Dragon Thirteen Forms' to the Transformative Realm, I must surpass the 'Nine Dragon Staff Shadows.' But this final shadow, no matter how hard I train, I cannot discern its principles. Could it be I really can't cultivate to that realm?"
As he pondered, Hou Yuxiao saw a slender figure approaching, and immediately stopped his cultivation, slowly gathering his energy.
"The Family Head's 'Black Dragon Thirteen Forms' is on par with the old Family Head. It seems the Transformative Realm is within reach soon."
"You too have learned to flatter. By the way, how is that little beggar I brought back last night?"
"After a blood nourishing herb, he's no longer in critical condition. Resting for ten days to half a month should suffice."
Hou Yuxiao nodded. When he performed his morning virtuous deeds to nourish the Divine Lotus, he already knew the little beggar would be alright. His current inquiry was merely to confirm this.
Both the good and evil petals of the Divine Lotus advance in the same way. As its host, he could only perform one evil or one good deed a day. To acquire other energies of virtue and vice, he must influence others to complete them.
In a place like Zhaoyang County, on the borders of the Demon Path, inducing evil deeds was quite easy, whereas performing good deeds was somewhat troubling. However, with Hou Yuduan around, this problem could be managed.
"Oh, right Family Head, on my way here, I saw the Third Miss returning to the Joyful Union Pavilion. She asked me to tell you she needs to see you."
Upon hearing Hou Fei mention the Third Miss, Hou Yuxiao's expression stalled and he asked, "Did she return alone?"
"No, Miss Bai and Miss Gao were both with her."
Hearing this, Hou Yuxiao's eyebrows twitched with displeasure. Seeing Hou Fei's expression turn odd, he glared irritably and barked, "Get out!"
After Hou Fei had left, Hou Yuxiao sighed softly and turned, walking towards the Joyful Union Pavilion in the north.
He had not yet entered the grand entrance of the Joyful Union Pavilion when a strong scent of rouge assailed his nostrils, distinct from the lighter fragrance of Ya Xiang Courtyard, carrying a heavy, worldly aroma.
Just as Hou Yuxiao was about to say something, a sudden, weird squabble filled with jealousy rang from inside, causing him to shiver.
"Sister Yuling, you're back, we've missed you so much!"
"The Third Miss was out for so many days; she must have missed me the most, right?"
"Get lost, Sister Yuling definitely missed me the most~"
...
Why were these jealous squabbles so peculiar? Simply because these coquettish yet plaintive voices were all produced by men lowering their voices.
Hou Yuxiao's eyebrows knitted tightly, and he stepped forward to see a scene in the courtyard that made his skin crawl once again.
Surrounded by a riot of flowers, about a dozen slender men dressed in light pink sheer garments huddled together, vying for attention. All had handsome features, heavy makeup, eyes brimming with flirtation, and their movements were soft. Even when arguing about whom Sister Yuer liked best, they merely pointed fingers at each other.
This scene... this scene... was indescribably bizarre...
Suddenly, those men clad in pink noticed Hou Yuxiao, and immediately their expressions brightened. One of them, seemingly oblivious to the stiffness on Hou Yuxiao's face, excitedly trotted towards him, emitting indescribable noises as he ran.
"Oh dear~ the lord is back, the lord is back, both Sister Yuer and I have missed you so~"
"If you dare come a step closer, I'll slaughter you!"
Hou Yuxiao's face was icy cold, and his voice seemed to squeeze through his teeth, instantly dropping the surrounding temperature to freezing.
Merely looking was unbearable for him; if that man really flung himself on him, he might even wish for death.
The man was immediately frightened by Hou Yuxiao's gaze, standing frozen in place for more than ten breaths. When he snapped out of it, he burst into tears...
"The lord is so fierce... the lord is so fierce, you scared me to death, scared me to death..."
"Everyone, get out, get out!"
Hou Yuxiao, barely restraining himself from slapping all those men in the courtyard to death, roared outloud. It was clear they had seen his temper before, as they didn't utter a word and all slipped out through the garden's north gate.
"Giggle giggle giggle... Big brother, you're too harsh. Every time you come, you scare away my darlings. If you keep this up, I'm going to ignore you from now on!"
A slightly lazy, charming laughter came from a house in the courtyard. Hou Yuxiao's expression slightly eased as he looked up to see a young woman slowly walking out of the room.
The woman, in her twenties, wore a boldly off-shoulder purple dress with a layer of black sheer fabric around her waist. Her skin, visible through the sheer, glowed with a porcelain-like whiteness. The slit in her skirt ran up to the root of her thigh, thoroughly showcasing her fiery, captivating figure.