Chapter 117

This booklet should also be a type of spiritual artifact, with particularly powerful functions.

She did not rush to open the thick booklet but instead continued following the old turtle servant further inside.

She was likely still in the reception hall. Aside from her and the old turtle servant, there were only a few scattered attendants dressed as servants. After stepping over a certain threshold, a mist spread out before her. A few seconds later, the mist cleared, and the true Mingyue Tower was revealed before Ning Xu.

Ning Xu’s steps unconsciously paused slightly.

The old turtle servant respectfully said, “Welcome, Daoist Ning, to Mingyue Tower.”

At first, Ning Xu had thought that the so-called main building of Mingyue Tower would be similar to the brothels seen in television dramas, but that was not the case. The exterior of Mingyue Tower was merely a facade.

The true Mingyue Tower was likely built within a mustard seed space. Rather than calling it a pleasure establishment, it would be more accurate to call it a hidden paradise.

Within this mustard seed space, there were pavilions and terraces, carved railings and painted beams, mountains and flowing water, waterfalls and pools—everything one could ask for. There were countless delicacies and breathtaking scenery.

Everywhere, one could see well-dressed, beautiful male and female cultivators.

The old turtle servant introduced, “Those whose clothing is embroidered with a crescent moon pattern are the gentlemen and ladies of Mingyue Tower.”

After saying this, he bowed and took his leave. “I wish Daoist a joyful and fulfilling time here.”

As soon as the old turtle servant left, the Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue twice and commented, 【The owner of Mingyue Tower really spared no expense. This mustard seed space is actually a semi-immortal artifact that can grow and evolve. It has many potential uses, such as cultivating high-grade spiritual herbs or serving as a secluded training ground. And yet, the tower owner only uses it as a pleasure house. Truly talented—absolutely remarkable!】

Ning Xu glanced around.

She saw pairs of cultivators everywhere, engaging in romantic conversations. Some sipped tea amidst picturesque scenery, while others strolled leisurely across grassy fields.

Ning Xu found an unoccupied spot and opened the booklet.

The first thing that caught her eye was an image of a clean and fresh-looking male cultivator.

Beside his image were details such as his stage name, age, personality, number of completed orders, customer rating, and pricing.

Among all these details, what intrigued Ning Xu the most was not his appearance or personality but the so-called pricing standards.

She was silent for a few seconds before speaking. “Fifteen minutes costs 10,000 low-grade spirit stones?”

Upon seeing this price, the Melon-Eating System also fell into silence.

Good heavens, it had seen profiteers before, but never one this outrageous.

It already considered itself quite unscrupulous, but it had never expected to find something in the cultivation world even more shameless than itself.

And yet, the worst part was that this ultimate profiteer had actually managed to earn money from its host. This was even more unbearable than the system losing money itself.

The Melon-Eating System growled fiercely, 【Host, I realize now that I’ve been too kind before. I should have been even more ruthless!】

Ning Xu: …

System, do you perhaps have some misunderstandings about yourself?

She replied in an unhurried manner, “No need, no need. You’re already quite good as you are.”

There was absolutely no need to be any more ruthless.

As the two continued their conversation, the little artifact spirit was already growing excited. It frantically pointed at the words “Available—Tap Here” with its tiny cat paws. If its paws weren’t so short, it probably would have already clicked on it.

Ning Xu stroked its small paw and said, “Don’t rush. Let’s look at the rest first.”

As she flipped further into the booklet, Ning Xu realized she had been too naive.

The ones listed at the front of the booklet were the cheapest. The deeper she went, the more outrageous the prices became.

Among the hundred male models listed, the majority displayed a status of “Busy,” while only a small portion showed “Available.”

Ning Xu sighed. “There really are too many wealthy people in the cultivation world.”

Which meant she needed to work even harder to earn spirit stones.

After quickly skimming through the first few pages, Ning Xu soon reached the later sections.

Since she was already here, she naturally had to select the most popular ones.

She started by looking at the cultivator ranked tenth.

The male cultivator ranked tenth among Mingyue Tower’s male models had an appearance similar to those at the lower end of the rankings. Yet, the fact that he had reached the top ten was proof of his skills and emotional intelligence.

Ning Xu noticed that his approval rating was 100%. Upon selecting his profile, she could even view customer reviews.

“Xiao Xiu is so thoughtful, truly considerate.”

“I don’t care. I like Xiao Xiu the most!”

“How is Xiao Xiu only ranked tenth? Do you all have no taste? Such a wonderful Xiao Xiu, and you can’t even appreciate him?”

“Although Hu Yao is truly stunning, I still love Xiao Xiu the most.”

Ning Xu understood now. This male cultivator might have an average appearance, but his high emotional intelligence allowed him to provide emotional value, which placed him among the top ranks.

She continued flipping through the pages.

The further she went, the more excited the little artifact spirit became. Its tiny paws never stopped moving. Seeing that Ning Xu still hadn’t made a selection and that neither she nor the old ox had reacted much, the little artifact spirit was about to die from impatience.

The Melon-Eating System cackled wildly, 【Ignorant little artifact spirit, falling in love with every new face it sees.】

The old yellow ox leisurely chewed on grass, slowly mulling over the thought that the owner of Mingyue Tower truly had remarkable means—there were hardly any ordinary male cultivators here.

The male models ranked ninth to fourth each had their own unique appeal.

However, Ning Xu was accustomed to seeing handsome men in her daily life, whether it was an Innocent Cultivator or an old sword cultivator dog, all of whom were quite good-looking. As a result, she had a rather indifferent reaction upon seeing these male models.

Her visit to Mingyue Tower this time had two purposes: first, to experience the most popular pleasure establishment in the cultivation world, and second, to contract the artifact spirit of the Mountain and River Scroll effortlessly.

Therefore, her personal opinion wasn’t the most important thing—what mattered was which one the little artifact spirit favored the most.

Whichever the little artifact spirit liked, she would select.

Before long, she flipped to the third-ranked male model.

Once she reached the top three, it suddenly felt like there was a qualitative leap in appearance?

The Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue twice. 【This one ranked third—his looks aren’t any worse than Elder Wu’s.】

Elder Wu of Wenxin Sect was widely acknowledged for his handsomeness, but this male model carried a touch of wildness alongside his striking features. His sharp brows and spirited gaze exuded unrestrained confidence, as if his audacious energy was about to burst out of the booklet.

After watching the scene unfold for a moment, the Melon-Eating System commented, 【Yet another powerful cultivator here for the “life experience.”】

【He follows the Dao of Carefree Wanderings, has a bone age of over three hundred years, and has already reached the Tribulation Stage.】

Ning Xu: …

So this is how one experiences life?

No wonder he dared to charge 660,000 low-grade spirit stones for five minutes.

She then looked at the second-ranked male model.

This one had the demeanor of a refined gentleman, with gentle eyes and a single tear mole at the tip of his nose, adding an extra layer of charm to his warmth.

She pressed down on the little artifact spirit’s eager paws and reassured it, “These two are busy at the moment, let’s keep looking.”

The Melon-Eating System evaluated, 【This cultivator… has pretty good luck.】

【He has consumed Heart Grass, one of the few remaining ninth-grade spiritual herbs. This type of grass is incredibly rare, and ingesting it enhances a cultivator’s affinity with others. He must have taken more than one. When cultivators interact with him, they naturally feel wrapped in warmth.】

【Who could possibly resist warmth? Who wouldn’t willingly surrender to it?】

【No wonder he’s ranked so high.】

【Tsk, tsk.】

Finally, they reached the top-ranked male model of Mingyue Tower—Hu Yao.

The beastkin in the album had delicate and handsome features. Though his appearance was naturally elegant, the red tear mole at the corner of his eye added a touch of sultry allure. Two small, snow-white fox ears sat atop his head, looking incredibly soft to the touch.

Unlike the other male models, he showed no expression in the booklet—not even a single smile.

Ning Xu instinctively tapped open his reviews.

“Sisters, I swear, in all of Mingyue Tower, Hu Yao has the worst attitude, is the most arrogant, and has the least patience. But what can I do? I’m just obsessed with his face—I still love him the most!”

“I scrimped and saved for over a hundred years and finally afforded three minutes with Hu Yao. Those three minutes passed in a flash, and he wore a scowl the whole time, not even sparing me a proper glance. But still, I have no regrets—those spirit stones were worth it!”

“Hu Yao’s face at close range is a total critical hit! If only he would smile more.”

“My baby! You’re going to be the death of me!”

Ning Xu: …

Sure enough, no matter the era, looks were always the biggest deciding factor.

Hu Yao’s fee was 1 million low-grade spirit stones per minute.

In comparison, the initial price of 10,000 low-grade spirit stones for fifteen minutes seemed incredibly generous.

The Melon-Eating System grumbled, 【This is daylight robbery, an absolute scam—this place is basically a black market rip-off!】

【One million low-grade spirit stones per minute—how does he have the audacity?】

【If I had a physical form, I’d charge at least ten million per minute, minimum.】

Ning Xu was certain that if the Melon-Eating System had a body, it would genuinely follow through with such a scheme.

Of course, whether anyone would actually pay for it was another matter entirely.

The old yellow ox chewed on grass with a knowing smile.

If he managed to cultivate a human form one day, perhaps he could charge a million spirit stones per minute too.

His original form was so mighty—surely his human form wouldn’t be inferior to this fox, would it?

At that moment, Ning Xu picked up the little artifact spirit and asked, “Which one do you want? Pick for yourself.”

After all, she was a wealthy woman now—she wasn’t short on money. The little artifact spirit could choose freely.

As soon as she finished speaking, the little artifact spirit unhesitatingly used its chubby, paw-like hands to tap on all three of Mingyue Tower’s top-ranked male models. Just then, the second and third-ranked ones happened to become available.

Ning Xu was slightly taken aback and remarked, “You’ve got quite the eye.” Picking only the most expensive ones.

Since they were already here, Ning Xu simply booked each of them for fifteen minutes.

Such a large order even alerted Mingyue Tower’s manager.

The woman came over to confirm, “You’re booking Hu Yao, Wen Ling, and Xiao Yao for fifteen minutes each?”

Ning Xu gave a firm response. “Yes.”

The manager’s smile became even more radiant. “That will be 19.62 million low-grade spirit stones.”

Ning Xu handed over twenty thousand mid-grade spirit stones directly. “Keep the extra as a tip.”

The steward had never encountered such a wealthy and extravagant customer before. This bold display of throwing money around even left her stunned. Her attitude became even more respectful as she said, “Thank you for your generous tip. Hu Yao, Wen Ling, and Xiaoyao will be here shortly. Please wait a moment.”

The Melon-Eating System commented, 【Host, the way you just threw money was really handsome.】

Ning Xu felt the same way.

Come to think of it, she owed it all to her auction house and the employees who continuously provided it with auction items. Without them, she wouldn’t be able to spend so freely right now. She was grateful to the diligent employees who managed her auction house so well!

If she had the chance, she could take them to Mingyue Tower three thousand years later for a treat.

In just a few minutes, three exceptionally good-looking male cultivators walked toward Ning Xu.

The one in the center was Hu Yao, whose face was expressionless and filled with impatience. His clothing was luxurious, but no matter how opulent his attire, it still paled in comparison to his striking appearance. Walking to his left was Wen Ling, and to his right was Xiaoyao.

As soon as the three of them arrived, the most approachable of the group, Wen Ling, was the first to speak gently. “Good afternoon, fellow Daoist. May I ask how I should address you?”

Ning Xu waved a hand and said, “The one who requested you isn’t me—it’s my… cat.”

Hearing this, even the most indifferent Hu Yao looked at her with a hint of surprise. “What?”

Ning Xu stated concisely, “You don’t need to pay attention to me. The only one you need to entertain is my cat. You may call it Tu Tu.”

Upon hearing its name, the small artifact spirit grew even more excited. It could hardly wait any longer.

Wen Ling and the others were still a little dazed.

A cultivator actually spent 200,000 mid-grade spirit stones just to find some entertainment for their cat?

Was this person really that wealthy?

Were they serious?

None of them had been in this line of work for very long, but they had dealt with many clients.

Yet, they had never encountered someone like her before.

As soon as Ning Xu finished speaking, the small artifact spirit excitedly pounced into Xiaoyao’s arms, stepping on his face with its paws before rubbing its fluffy face against his chest.

Xiaoyao was momentarily stunned. A few seconds later, he slowly said, “Fellow Daoist, your cat… is quite special.”

Indeed, it was special.

Specially flirtatious.

And particularly… fair in its affections.

After spending five minutes in Xiaoyao’s arms, the cat moved on to Wen Ling’s embrace. Wen Ling fed it some water and fruit, then gently stroked its fur. Five minutes later, the cat pounced into Hu Yao’s arms.

In short, it didn’t leave anyone out.

After fifteen minutes, the service ended, but Hu Yao and the others didn’t immediately leave.

Today’s spirit stones had been earned far too easily.

They were supposedly there to accompany a cat, and its owner truly didn’t say a single unnecessary word.

She didn’t seem particularly interested in them, either.

Hu Yao could tell—she genuinely wasn’t very interested in them.

Compared to her, her cat was far too enthusiastic. Its little paws hadn’t stopped moving for a single moment.

If Hu Yao weren’t a demon himself and thus able to sense a fellow creature’s aura, he would have thought this cat was actually a demon in disguise, deliberately taking advantage of him.

Ning Xu gave the three of them a polite smile. “You may leave now. If needed, I will request your company again.”

Since she had clearly given them leave, the three of them had no reason to linger.

However, as they departed, they couldn’t help but wonder about her identity.

Why make such a big spectacle? What was her purpose? Did she have some other motive for being here?

Motive? Purpose?

Of course—it was to form a contract with the artifact spirit!

As soon as the three male cultivators left, the cat affectionately snuggled up to Ning Xu.

As it drew close, a refreshing fragrance wafted over. Ning Xu sniffed and asked, “What’s that scent?”

The Melon-Eating System responded, 【It’s Hu Yao’s scent. Tsk tsk tsk. Such an unprincipled cat.】

What the cat had done just now—both the Melon-Eating System and Old Huang Niu couldn’t bear to watch.

Just as Ning Xu was about to comment that the scent was rather unique, the cat pulled out the booklet and prepared to request the three men again.

Fifteen minutes was far from enough.

How could just a few days be sufficient?

Ning Xu immediately stopped the little artifact spirit’s action.

The cat looked at her with a face full of accusation.

Ning Xu coughed lightly and said, “It’s not that I don’t want to request them for you, but… you do know how much it cost just now, right?”

“The Ice Mountain Lotus is indeed valuable, and you did help me find quite a few of them.”

“But even with all those Ice Mountain Lotuses, at most, I could only sell them for 200,000 mid-grade spirit stones.”

“But here’s the problem—those 200,000 mid-grade spirit stones have already been spent.”

Hearing this, the cat became anxious.

How were they already gone?

Why did spirit stones disappear so quickly?

If Ning Xu could hear the cat’s thoughts, she would tell it that the problem wasn’t the spirit stones disappearing too quickly—it was that Mingyue Tower was too extortionate.

At these prices, the average cultivator couldn’t afford them at all.

Even Ning Xu hadn’t yet reached the point of financial freedom when it came to Mingyue Tower. Didn’t it see the reviews? Some cultivators had saved up spirit stones for over a hundred years just to be able to book a fox demon for three minutes.

Three minutes—not even enough time for a proper conversation—already cost three million low-grade spirit stones.

In Mingyue Tower, money really did flow like water.

Seeing the cat growing so anxious it was practically running in circles, Ning Xu slowly revealed her true purpose for coming today.

“Although the Ice Mountain Lotus is only worth 200,000 mid-grade spirit stones, I do have plenty of spirit stones left.”

Upon hearing this, the cat looked at her expectantly.

Ning Xu spread her hands. “I do have money, but why should I spend it on you? You’re not even my cat.”

The moment Ning Xu finished speaking, the cat suddenly spoke in human language, “I can form a contract with you! I can become your cat!”

Hearing this, Ning Xu was momentarily stunned.

The cat was really that eager?

If it had hesitated even a little, she wouldn’t have been this surprised.

Wasn’t this progressing a little too smoothly?

This was the artifact spirit of the Mountains and Rivers Diagram, ranked third on the divine artifact list, yet it so easily offered to form a contract with her?

The Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue twice and said, 【The artifact spirit has been pushed to the point of speaking directly.】

Artifact spirits could always speak—it just hadn’t wanted to before.

Whether it was an artifact spirit or a spirit beast, the higher their rank, the prouder they were, and the less inclined they were to converse with ordinary cultivators.

But Ning Xu had accurately grasped the Mountains and Rivers Diagram’s artifact spirit’s weakness.

The Melon-Eating System had been right before.

The artifact spirit had indeed ended up crying out to be contracted by her.

What was this called?

This was called: All thanks to the quality of the male companions—the divine artifact practically fell into her lap without effort!

That 200,000 mid-grade spirit stones had been so worth it!