A mountain of gold was placed abruptly before people's eyes. The gold ingot at the very top rolled down uncontrollably, landing right in front of Young Master Yunxuan's boots.
The latter looked at Xu Mu, his face somewhat shocked.
"Is this guy crazy? He just added twenty million! Isn't he afraid of it all going to waste?"
The disciple from the Hun Tian Sect stared at Xu Mu in disbelief, never imagining that the brat he had looked down upon from the start could produce several times his own wealth.
Everyone else was equally stunned. Forty million. This price was already approaching the historical highest consumption price for the Tide Listening Pavilion. The last people to bid this much were a certain military big shot and a bankrupt rich merchant. Who was this kid?
"I'm asking you, are you adding or not!" Xu Mu tilted his head and took a swig of wine. He stepped forward, unceremoniously slung an arm around Xian'er Jiu, and said to Yun Xuan with a drunken breath, "From now on, for every million you add, I'll add five million!"
"If you don't add, I'll take her away!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place fell silent again. Even Xian'er Jiu couldn't help but glance at Xu Mu, her delicate yet alluring eyes fixed on him, as if trying to see through the true nature of this drunkard hidden beneath his outward appearance.
But after a moment, she revealed a look of astonishment. She clearly saw nothing, as her soul ability had been intercepted by Xu Mu just outside the reach of her consciousness.
"Do you have any treasure to protect your sea of consciousness?"
Xian'er Jiu frowned slightly and then looked at Yun Xuan.
At this moment, Yun Xuan's expression was extremely grim. He had come to find Xian'er Jiu not just to board that flower boat for a night of pleasure, but to convey a mission from the Zhi Tian Pavilion.
He had thought that after the lessons from previous times, no one would compete with him tonight, so the higher-ups had only approved over twenty million in funds for him. But unexpectedly, a drunkard had appeared midway!
"Since you're not speaking, let's board the boat. Don't waste time here." Xu Mu stared at Xian'er Jiu with a lewd grin. The plump woman beside him was also somewhat dazed, unable to believe that Young Master Yun Xuan hadn't bid yet.
Others were also excited. Was Young Master Yun Xuan's undefeated legend about to be ended by a drunkard tonight?
Seeing that Xian'er Jiu made no move, Xu Mu's heart tightened. He was indeed afraid that Young Master Yun Xuan would bid again because he had no more money. This forty million was all he had, and that was after exchanging it from the roots of the Other Shore Flowers.
"You win!" After exchanging a glance with Xian'er Jiu, Young Master Yun Xuan's expression changed slightly. He then let out a cold snort and, as if unable to bear the humiliation, angrily left the stage, descending the steps from the eighth floor.
"I'll help you board the boat." Xian'er Jiu smiled slightly and, supporting Xu Mu, left from another side of the octagonal building.
Everyone in the room watched Xu Mu's retreating back with envy and jealousy. Who would have thought that the mysterious and immensely wealthy Young Master Yun Xuan would lose tonight to a rash young man? However, more people still leaned towards the idea that Yun Xuan hadn't gone all out.
After all, he had been on the flower boat five times already, and spending such a large sum for another trip wasn't worth it. If Xu Mu had encountered Yun Xuan when he was on his first trip, the outcome would have been uncertain!
But regardless, Xu Mu had won tonight.
...
The Tide Listening Pavilion was named so because behind the octagonal building lay a vast lake as expansive as the sea.
Xian'er Jiu's flower boat would drift on this lake for a night, completing one round trip, which equated to one night.
On the enormous lake, there was only this one flower boat throughout the entire night.
Xu Mu, staggering from drunkenness, was helped down the stairs and, under the watchful eyes of rows of maidservants and attendants, boarded the large flower boat adorned with lanterns.
Naturally, only he and Xian'er Jiu were on the boat.
"Young Master, would you like to listen to music or play a game?"
In the pink-colored dock, Xian'er Jiu helped Xu Mu onto the soft bed and then slowly sat down beside him, gazing at Xu Mu affectionately as she asked.
She planned to pacify Xu Mu first, and then, whether it was a game or music, she would subtly use the potent aphrodisiac incense in the room to incapacitate him.
But Xu Mu clearly wouldn't fall for it. Thinking of the forty million he had thrown away made him ache. He now just wanted to push Xian'er Jiu onto the bed and cover her with a blanket.
Then, he would roughly force her to reveal who the mastermind behind the Zhi Tian Pavilion was!
But nothing could be rushed. He had to act flawlessly, especially since the flower boat had just set sail and was still close to the shore, making him fear that others might hear any commotion.
"My beauty, you don't need to do anything. Just come and give me a shoulder massage." Xu Mu sprawled on Xian'er Jiu's soft bed, drooling, and said lewdly.
Xian'er Jiu saw this and, forcibly suppressing her discomfort, stood up and paced in front of Xu Mu. Just as she was about to extend her hands to massage his shoulders, Xu Mu suddenly turned and pounced on her, knocking her onto the bed.
"Ah, my beauty!"
Xu Mu lewdly embraced Xian'er Jiu's slender waist, using his body to pin down her jade legs.
"Master, what are you doing? It's not time yet!" Xian'er Jiu was surprised by Xu Mu's strength. After trying to break free a few times without success, she lay on the bed pitifully, her hair disheveled, and said.
"My beauty, let me see what you look like." Xu Mu pressed Xian'er Jiu beneath him and then lewdly lifted the veil covering her face.
Then, he saw a face that was incredibly unreal, pitiful, yet so stunningly beautiful that it was beyond description, like that of an elf.
Xu Mu's body suddenly stiffened.
He had seen elves when he was in Alfheim. Although elves resembled humans very much, there were subtle differences in their facial features. For example, elves all had pointed noses and ears, which invisibly added a touch of exotic beauty to them.
And Xian'er Jiu's appearance gave him the feeling of an elf.
Seeing Xu Mu stunned, Xian'er Jiu thought he was mesmerized by her beauty and felt a surge of pride.
"Young Master, be good. Let Jiu'er play a song first, and then we can have our intimate moments on the bed, alright?"
Xian'er Jiu extended her jade legs from beneath her skirt, bending them to her knees, and gently pressed against Xu Mu's abdomen. Then, she held Xu Mu's arms with her hands, trying to push him away.
But who was Xu Mu? His physical body was incredibly strong. How could a woman possibly move him?
"Heh heh, my beauty, stop struggling." Xu Mu looked at Xian'er Jiu and said lewdly, his eyeballs almost bulging out.
At this moment, Xian'er Jiu's bewitching face, paired with her pure and pitiful eyes, her fair and tender body faintly visible beneath the pink gauze, her curves undulating like dripping water, and her black hair blooming like flower stamens on the bed, made Xu Mu's heart pound faster and faster.
His current state was only half an act; the other half was genuinely being enchanted by Xian'er Jiu's present appearance, because she was too beautiful, so beautiful it was heart-stopping!
"My beauty, a kiss!" Xu Mu puckered his lips and, with a lewd grin, leaned in to kiss Xian'er Jiu below him.
At the same time, a thunderous energy began to accumulate within Xu Mu.
His thoughts were simple. He was already on the flower boat, so no matter what he did, Xian'er Jiu would definitely comply, even if she was unwilling.
He just needed to play the part of a lustful man driven mad by wine and women. The moment he kissed her, Xian'er Jiu would surely give up resisting, and then he would strike with the force of thunder, instantly subduing her.
But he never expected that Xian'er Jiu had no intention of giving up resistance at all.
Looking at Xu Mu's slowly descending lips, she could no longer bear the disgust in her heart. Her soul suddenly erupted with an extremely powerful surge, stirring up a disorienting soul storm within the room, with Xu Mu at its center!
"You, you, you!"
Xu Mu's face was filled with terror. Before he could even utter a complete sentence, he was knocked unconscious by Xian'er Jiu's soul storm and then fell onto the bed with a look of shock.
However, the moment he fell, his expression turned into a lewd grin, because in the dream Xian'er Jiu wove for him, they were engaged in carnal acts, making him desire death and to live again.
"Disgusting man."
Xian'er Jiu glared at Xu Mu with utter disdain, then stood up from the bed and tidied her clothes.
In fact, she was still a virgin.
Yes, all the men who had been on the flower boat with her before, those memories of ecstatic pleasure were merely illusions she had created. Xu Mu having his way tonight was already the limit of her tolerance!
"He's unconscious, come in."
Xian'er Jiu heaved a sigh of relief and then said plainly.
The curtain of the flower boat was lifted, and Young Master Yun Xuan walked in. His face was grim as he stared at Xu Mu sleeping soundly on the bed, a flicker of killing intent in his eyes.
"Tell me about the mission, and don't cause unnecessary trouble." Xian'er Jiu also glanced at Xu Mu, then said in a calm voice, "Since he has such financial resources, his backing is likely not weak. We shouldn't cause trouble for His Highness at this time."
"Hmph! If it were any other time, I, this prince, would surely tie him up and throw him into the lake to feed the fish!"
Young Master Yun Xuan said this, angrily removed his mask, and his voice changed from the gentle tone of a refined young master to a slightly hoarse, yet noble, young voice.
"This is..."
Xu Mu, pretending to be asleep on the bed, heard the voice of this Young Master Yun Xuan and felt it was very familiar. So, he quietly summoned his shadow ability and attached it to the curtain behind the bed.
Xu Mu looked at Young Master Yun Xuan.
The latter had already removed his mask.
His face was very familiar, so familiar that Xu Mu felt he would never forget this face.
Because he had almost died in the Sword Pavilion at the hands of him, or rather, the summoned Emperor of the Great Zhou he had crushed and summoned!