Thirty-some young women stepped lightly, dancing gracefully into the center of Yixiang Pavilion.
Their dresses displayed a riot of colors, blooming like breathtaking flowers, each unique and dazzling to the eye.
Even so, the top courtesan named Xiangqin still stood out like a crane among chickens, surrounded in the center of the beauties.
Xiangqin wore a light, breezy gown of pale red gauze, her fragrant shoulders half-bare and skin like congealed fat.
Beneath her slender, jade-like neck, a proud, snow-white cleavage was faintly visible.
As Xiangqin lightly plucked the wooden zither with her jade fingers, the other girls of Yixiang Pavilion sang and danced in unison.
At first, the music, song, and dance were gentle and calm, like newly sprouted shoots.
Moments later, the rhythm gradually swelled, like flowers about to bud.
Just as the entire hall fell silent...
Suddenly, the tempo became rapid and sharp, like the cries of phoenixes and cranes, or large and small pearls cascading onto a jade plate.
In that instant, it felt as though true flower buds had burst into bloom, a spectacle of competing splendors!
Song, dance, and zither music all reached their crescendo.
Dancing figures spun and circled around Xiangqin, mesmerizing all who watched.
“Splendid!”
No one knew who cheered first, but in the next breath, thunderous applause erupted within Yixiang Pavilion, accompanied by wave upon wave of cheers.
“As expected of Miss Xiangqin! How many in the entire Imperial Capital could reach such mastery on the zither?”
“I'm afraid this isn't even the climax yet. After all, Miss Xiangqin hasn't danced herself.”
The spectators in Yixiang Pavilion grew wild with excitement, tossing silver down one after another.
“Splendid! Worthy of a reward!”
Murong Yu suddenly began clapping as well, even joining the others in tossing ten taels of gold down below.
“What are you cheering for...?”
Chen Ning shot him a helpless look.
This was an assessment for the Noble Scholar Realm. Water Cloud Academy wouldn't have sent them to Yixiang Pavilion to watch a performance for no reason.
Taking advantage of watching the dance, they should at least figure out what the academy's Grand Confucians actually wanted to test.
“Ahem, right, time to get serious. Otherwise, if I lose my annual stipend of three thousand taels, I won't have any money left to visit this place...”
Murong Yu unfurled his folding fan, instantly looking solemn.
Beside them, Qin Heng felt no mental burden whatsoever, his eyes practically glued to the spectacle.
Right at that moment, the scene suddenly shifted.
Xiangqin handed the wooden zither to another girl, lightly lifted the hem of her crimson gown, and stood up gracefully.
The entire hall abruptly went silent.
The next second, a shower of flower petals drifted down gracefully from above.
Melodious zither notes drifted through the air amidst fluttering petals.
As Xiangqin danced with unparalleled grace, a faint pink mist somehow began to swirl around slowly, making the place feel like a fairy realm.
As expected of the top courtesan, even her stage presence was on a completely different level.
“Strange...”
Chen Ning, however, sensed something amiss.
Even before Xiangqin had taken the stage, her zither play alone had drawn thunderous applause. Why had everyone suddenly fallen so strangely quiet now?
“Miss Xiangqin, I never expected you would choose me.”
“Xiangqin, I will love you forever...”
Glancing around, many guests had entranced, infatuated expressions, murmuring deliriously to themselves.
Chen Ning quickly realized the reason.
It seemed this woman was using her dance as a cover.
Once everyone's excitement reached its peak and their psychological defenses dropped, she cast a charm technique.
This charm technique was quite potent; nearly everyone in Yixiang Pavilion was completely immersed in the illusion. Only Qin Heng and Murong Yu had not succumbed entirely.
The two were struggling mightily against the illusion, but still could not break free in the short term.
In stark contrast, Chen Ning was almost entirely clear-headed.
The reason was simple: he had a stunningly gorgeous fox demon maid at home.
Just through her everyday pampering and coquettish acts, Qing Yan constantly exuded an enchanting, kingdom-toppling demonic allure.
Compared to her, the power of these minor demons was far too lacking.
“Sleep now. You will all have a sweet dream.”
Meanwhile, with a gentle flick of Xiangqin's finger, everyone trapped in the illusion lowered their heads and fell into a deep slumber.
Xiangqin's gaze was soon drawn to the three anomalies.
Qin Heng and Murong Yu were slightly furrowing their brows, clearly not completely hypnotized.
If practitioners of their level broke out of the illusion, things would get troublesome.
Xiangqin hurriedly approached and lightly waved a hand toward the two.
“My lords, please sleep as well.”
As her seductive voice drifted into their ears, Qin Heng and Murong Yu's subconscious soon surrendered all resistance.
Finally, Xiangqin's gaze landed on Chen Ning.
This scholar looked refined, handsome, and extraordinarily dignified, actually stirring a rare flicker of goodwill toward a human man in her heart.
Yet Xiangqin knew she had no choice; she had to absorb these humans' vital essence.
Under her control, strands of vital essence were already converging into a wooden box floating high above Yixiang Pavilion.
Everyone would experience a grand dream, and after leaving Yixiang Pavilion, they would mistake what happened in the dream for reality.
Their vital essence would also be severely drained, leaving them listless and unable to recover for nearly a month.
“Strange, he still hasn't entered the dream.”
Xiangqin soon noticed the anomaly.
Although Chen Ning feigned grogginess on the surface, there was no sign of him being entranced, nor was any vital essence flowing out of him.
“How can a scholar have such strong resistance...?”
Xiangqin found it hard to believe.
In that case, she had no choice but to deepen the charm.
Stepping forward with lotus-like grace to Chen Ning's side, Xiangqin smiled enchantingly, her voice dripping with sweetness:
“Does Young Master feel half-asleep and half-awake right now, with a beautiful dream right before you that you are reluctant to enjoy?
“This humble one knows Young Master has a firm heart. But the spring night is short, and joy should be seized in time. Young Master should let down your guard and thoroughly enjoy yourself in the dream~
“Trust this humble one, it will feel wonderful~”
How can this be? Is there still no effect...?
Seeing that her words still seemed to have no effect, Xiangqin was slightly startled.
She made up her mind completely, leaning her delicate body softly against Chen Ning, her cherry lips pressing near his ear as she exhaled a breath like orchids:
“Go to sleep, Young Master. For you to ignore this humble one so thoroughly, it can't be that you've met someone more beautiful than me, can it?
“If that were true, this humble one would be truly heartbroken.”
Xiangqin pouted aggrievedly, her words pitiful, lovely, and brimming with seductive charm.
At that moment, Chen Ning suddenly let out a cold laugh:
“That's right. You guessed correctly.”
“What?”
Xiangqin's expression instantly paled with shock.
She had thought this scholar was merely in a half-dreaming, half-waking state.
However, someone half-asleep could never speak with such clarity. That meant...
He hadn't been affected by her charm at all and had been wide awake the whole time!
How could this be!
Xiangqin's pretty face turned pale, and she hurriedly tried to retreat in panic.
Chen Ning, however, snapped his eyes open, seizing her wrist before she could move, his surrounding Noble Righteous Qi imposing and commanding without anger:
“Bold monster, I could tell at a glance you weren't human!”
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