Luo Xin continued exchanging poetry and scholarly discourse with the assembled nobles. Ye Fan simply sat at his table, focused solely on eating and drinking, utterly indifferent to the proceedings. Having left the Third Prince's banquet unfed, he saw this as the perfect opportunity to replenish himself.
At Ye Fan's signal, Ye Gui and Ye Can joined him. Neither held back upon learning the lavish spread cost fifty taels of gold—and that Beigong Qingtian was footing the bill. They ate with gusto.
Beigong Qingtian watched the trio prioritize food over beauty, shaking his head in disbelief. While Ye Fan and Ye Can were merely uncouth, Ye Gui devoured his meal with bare hands, utterly discarding decorum. The spectacle drew uneasy glances, especially when Luo Xin's gaze drifted toward their table. Flustered, Beigong Qingtian subtly distanced himself.
Across the room, Beigong Xue studied Ye Fan intently. Unlike the performative nobles, his bluntness felt refreshing—a jarring contrast that piqued her curiosity.
Finally, Luo Xin withdrew. No suitor had captured her favor. Beigong Qingtian sighed, crestfallen.
Ye Fan suppressed a laugh. A prince, obsessed with a pleasure-house woman? If you desire her, seize her. He dissected the possibilities coldly:
If she's trapped here: Buy her contract. Take her home.If she chooses this life: She's no saint. A million taels of gold to the madam would deliver her to your bed tonight.
For Beigong Qingtian, the chase mattered. For Ye Fan? Only the outcome.
Li Xiangyu swayed onto the stage, her smile dripping with practiced allure. "A pity—Luo Xin found no true match. But take heart, gentlemen! Some left impressions on her heart. Tonight, all pleasures at Fragrance Pavilion are twenty percent off!"
Suddenly, a brazen voice cut through the murmur:
"Madam Li, will you entertain privately tonight?"
All eyes snapped to Ye Fan. He fanned himself lazily, the characters "I Am a King" glinting arrogantly on the silk.
Beigong Qingtian stared in awe. Not just a peer… a legend.
Beigong Xue's brief interest curdled into revulsion. A vile pervert.
Others whispered. Though past forty, Li Xiangyu maintained bewitching allure. Many had hinted at private engagements—but none dared be this direct.
Li Xiangyu's smile deepened, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "You flatter me, young master. This fading flower has long retired from the pleasure trade."
"Nonsense." Ye Fan tapped his fan meaningfully. "Cultivators age like fine wine. Observe my fan closely."
Murmurs of disdain rippled. Is he threatening her with his title?
Li Xiangyu's gaze sharpened. Recognition flashed. "Since a King graces us… this humble servant obeys."
With a curt dismissal of the crowd, she led Ye Fan toward the rear courtyard. Ye Can and Ye Gui followed like shadows.
Unseen, Beigong Xue trailed them, muttering, "Bullying the weak too? I'll record every depravity! Tomorrow, before Father-Emperor, let's see you explain this!"
Li Xiangyu guided them to a secluded backroom, posted guards, and sealed the door.
Peering through a crack she'd pierced in the wall, Beigong Xue inserted a memory crystal. Three men. One woman. Disgusting. Yet morbid fascination held her.
Inside, Li Xiangyu's demeanor transformed—all business, no flirtation. "Sit."
Ye Fan obliged. She faced him squarely. "How did you know this is a branch of Cosmic Commerce Guild?"
The Guild operated covertly. Only the Chu Emperor knew Fragrance Pavilion's true purpose—a symbiotic deal: Imperial protection in exchange for intelligence and resources from the Guild's vast Central Spirit Realm network.
"My master told me," Ye Fan stated flatly, snapping his fan shut. The concealed Guild emblem vanished beneath layered mountain art.
Li Xiangyu nodded. Those privy to Guild secrets were, at minimum, Nascent Soul monsters—beings of mercurial temperaments. She wouldn't pry. "What do you purchase?"
"Weapons. Herbs. And slaves."
"Grades?"
"A sword. A saber. Both forged from Godfall Iron—capable of evolving through spiritual energy nourishment." Ye Fan's voice hardened. "Plus three hundred slaves. Equip them with masterwork blades—steel-severing quality."
He slid a list across the table. "Specifics: Slaves must have no blood feuds. Cultivation talent: Earth Tier or higher… but crippled dantians. Either destroyed… or born inert. And fifty sets of these herbs and materials."
Li Xiangyu scanned the list, stunned. The Godfall Iron weapons alone represented astronomical value. The slave request, however, was peculiar yet simple—talented cripples were cheap liabilities.
She met his eyes. "This is no petty trade. Godfall Iron transcends gold. What can you offer the Guild?"