CHAPTER 330: 0209 MUYU PEAK IS A DANGEROUS PLACE (2-IN-1)_2

"You’ve lived in Beisang City for a while, and you’re an Inner Disciple of Muyu Peak, how could you not know that this is merely a common elixir? It’s just a flavor enhancer for the mundane life of the women, at most to relieve boredom... certainly not any lewd effects," Qinling said helplessly. She thought Xu Chang’an knew everything.

"... Huh?" Xu Chang’an blinked.

"In Beisang City, even the simplest rouge shops sell them," Qinling reminded. "On Muyu Peak, quite a few use these elixirs as rouge."

"Junior Master... are you... serious?" Xu Chang’an widened his eyes.

This thing can also be used as rouge?

"Look at that uninformed look on your face," Qinling shook her head, then thought for a moment and said to Xu Chang’an, "Come with me, let me explain it to you... You have to bring your sister up the mountain, you can’t be this naive and make jokes."

Mentioning Yun Qian, Xu Chang’an became more serious, setting aside his "disdain" for elixirs with gilded rouge, and followed Qinling into the house.

He waited in the hall for a while until Qinling brought out a treasure box and a painting, unfolding them in front of him.

"Take a look," Qinling opened the painting.

Xu Chang’an looked over and found it was a promotional image from a rouge shop’s entrance; he’d seen similar ones outside rouge shops in Beisang City, but didn’t know where Junior Master Qin got this collection from.

The picture finely depicted carved buildings, painted eaves, rock gardens, and ponds, and among the clusters of flowers was a young girl dressed in elegant, luxurious clothes.

Her face looked like a morning crabapple, with a hint of elusive, gentle blush on her face, making her appear all the more charming and graceful.

Having such a picture hung above the rouge stand was to tell others how the rouge, when applied to a girl’s delicate and fair face, could outline allure?

The so-called rouge...

Xu Chang’an realized something.

"Look, it’s this," Qinling opened the box, took out a packet, and after layers of paper, revealed a pale red, semi-transparent gel-like substance that shimmered beautifully under the lamp.

"I’ve heard that Miss Zhu uses it too. I had someone buy it from Beisang City."

Xu Chang’an nodded. Having knowledge of medicine, he sniffed it... and understood what this jelly-like Honghua Ointment was.

The effect was minimal, it wouldn’t harm the body, but still exuded a certain coquettish charm.

"For girls, it serves merely to uplift the mood, much like rouge... It’s something that can make people appear more beautiful," Qinling calmly explained. "Eating it makes the face flush, and the eyes more moist, so it’s quite good for enhancing the ambiance."

Xu Chang’an: "..."

Using coquettish charm as rouge to make one’s face flush, Xu Chang’an was lost for words.

After briefing Xu Chang’an, Qinling regrettably said, "This Red Lotus can be eaten directly, but it’s said that swallowing it in too high a concentration can be uncomfortable, so the girls at the brothel eat it by spreading it on snacks or mixing it with red tea... Miss Zhu certainly ate this at Flower Moon Building... It’s unknown how it tastes."

After saying this, seeing Xu Chang’an’s bewildered look, Qinling shook her head helplessly, "It’s just something for a little boost, no different from mugwort... Of course, it’s great for setting the mood, so it’s a staple at tea parties; naturally, it’s also good as rouge in certain settings since... after eating it, the girls look quite lovely."

She gave Xu Chang’an a deep look and gently said, "So, on Muyu Peak, where the Six Arts for Women are studied... this Red Lotus is very common and essential for tea parties. However, because their cultivation is so high, ordinary medicine has no effect, hence these elixirs refined from spirit grass."

"Xiaochang’an, you’re the steward of Muyu Peak, and you didn’t know that those women casually eat coquettish things as if they were their daily meals?" Qinling put away the Red Lotus, smiling, "The women of Muyu Peak often compete with each other in appearance, and this thing is indispensable."

After all, no matter how good the rouge applied to the face, it cannot compare to the natural blush and moist eyes of a girl, so this kind of coquettish product is really common on Muyu Peak.

Xu Chang’an: "..."

After a moment of silence, Xu Chang’an said truthfully, "Usually... I don’t pay attention."

Even if they did, seeing the girls eat snacks, he didn’t know their specific effect.

"Apparently... those women do possess a sense of shame; something they might not want you to see," Qinling was taken aback but then realized that Xu Chang’an, in those women’s eyes, was an innocent ’treasure’ beyond measure. Naturally, they wouldn’t let him know even a hint of anything ’bad’.

"It’s my fault then," Qinling blinked, "I shouldn’t have told you, right? They won’t hassle me, will they?"

She spoke while watching Xu Chang’an’s calm gaze and asked unexpectedly, "After hearing this, why aren’t you ashamed or annoyed?"

Xu Chang’an looked at the painted girl in the promotional image and lifted his head, "As Junior Master said, it’s just an ordinary item."

"I thought you would think that the girls who use coquettish charm as rouge are improper," Qinling said, thinking that coquettish charm is still coquettish charm, even though she herself could accept it, in the mortal world... only girls in brothels would use this as rouge.

Anyone else, if they heard about it, wouldn’t they at least curse a little and spit?

They were living under the title of the Hehuan Sect, so the girls of Muyu Peak didn’t mind these.

"Is this how Junior Master usually sees me?" Xu Chang’an felt helpless.

Although he’s someone who adheres to tradition, it’s not to the point of being unable to understand. Qinling explained it so clearly... It’s just that, as a proper young man, upon hearing that this thing can be used as rouge... anyone would need a moment to get accustomed to it.

The senior sisters are good people, and they won’t turn into bad people because of rouge, that’s a simple truth.

Qinling looked at Xu Chang’an gently, "You’re such a good child in every way."

She liked him very much.

"So, take these elixirs and let Ms. Yun have fun with them. It would be a waste for me to keep them," Qinling said.

Xu Chang’an instinctively wanted to refuse.

He could understand but it didn’t mean he could accept Yun Qian consuming them.

After all, the elixirs still contained a mild stimulating effect, and even cultivators could be affected. Who knows what Miss Yun will be like after consuming them.

"I said I don’t need them, and seeing them every day bothers me, makes my heart ache," Qinling squinted, "If Miss Zhu can use them, but you won’t... are you looking down on her?"

Xu Chang’an: "..."

Noticing the smile in Qinling’s eyes, Xu Chang’an realized she was teasing him.

Nevertheless, since Qinling had spoken to this extent, refusing further would be a slight to the Junior Master’s kindness.

"Chang’an thanks Junior Master for your goodwill," Xu Chang’an reluctantly took the elixir.

"That’s better," Qinling chuckled, "Take it, whether you use it or not is up to you. I just want to tell you, since Miss Yun will go to Muyu Peak in the future, it’s good to be informed, after all... it can’t be avoided."

Though she didn’t fully understand Yun Qian’s nature, she sensed she was a dignified person and felt Xu Chang’an should be reminded.

He shouldn’t have Yun Qian, because of a bit of coquettishness, misunderstand the Senior Sisters of Muyu Peak as being improper, offending them wouldn’t be nice.

"Chang’an will remember," Xu Chang’an became considerably more earnest this time.

"Of course, I believe with that Ms. Yun’s personality, she wouldn’t mind, as long as it’s something given by you, she would love anything."

Qinling gave Xu Chang’an a profound look, "These elixirs I gave you are of excellent quality, not only with coquettishness but also containing purified Spiritual Qi, with effects similar to Strengthening Pills. You should ask Miss Li, she knows these elixirs well."

Xu Chang’an: "..."

Looking down at the elixirs in his hand, an uneasy thought surfaced in Xu Chang’an’s mind but quickly suppressed it.

What neither Xu Chang’an nor Qinling noticed was this:

During their conversation, the wind and rain outside had ceased, the river’s flow had gradually slowed, as if time in the entire courtyard had frozen, with only the shadow of the moon overshadowing Chaoyun Sect.

There was no choice.

The topic they discussed was too terrifying.

What kind of behavior is it to urge Xu Chang’an to give Yun Qian the elixir?