“Let me see!”
Qu Qirong rose gracefully, her seductive figure swaying as she walked with light, lotus-like steps to stand behind him, looking at the paper.
Before her eyes, the pond was covered with layers of delicate, enchanting lotuses. In the center stood a pair of twin lotuses on one stalk, swaying gracefully, a scene beautiful as a poem, as a painting.
Yet, this breathtakingly beautiful lake surface served only as a green backdrop to the noble, mature beauty seated by the lotus pond, with her full, alluring figure.
She was dressed in a simple, unadorned long dress, her long black hair cascading down to her slender waist.
Her eyes held the gentle flow of spring water, her skin lustrous as flawless jade, her fingers like peeled scallion roots, her lips like vermillion. Every smile and glance stirred the heart and soul.
Qu Qirong stared at her image on the paper for a long time, unable to pull herself away.
Deng Tianyu put away his brush and asked, “Aunt Rong, is the painting acceptable?”
“Yes, Aunt Rong likes it very much.”
Her delicate fingertips traced over the paper, a smile gracing Qu Qirong’s face.
Her gaze then shifted to a blank space on the painting, and she looked at Deng Tianyu, parting her red lips to speak: “Tianyu, didn’t you inscribe a poem on the twin lotus painting earlier? Could you write one now as well?”
Deng Tianyu smiled, picked up the brush once more, and began to write elegantly on the blank space.
Qu Qirong’s eyes followed the movements of his brush-wielding hand.
In just a moment, ten large characters appeared on the paper.
【A beauty that outshines any era, even the lotus blushes before her face!】
Deng Tianyu’s calligraphy was merely neat; it couldn’t be considered exceptionally outstanding.
But the verse itself was exquisitely, breathtakingly beautiful.
For a woman, in particular, it was undoubtedly the highest form of praise.
Qu Qirong’s heart trembled, her spirit captured, her expression slightly entranced: “Can such a graceful and perfect verse really be applied to me?”
Deng Tianyu gave a definitive answer: “Using this verse to describe Aunt Rong’s beauty is no exaggeration. One could even say this verse was made for Aunt Rong.”
This wasn’t mere flattery.
Qu Qirong’s appearance, and her temperament, perfectly matched this verse—neither exaggerated nor understated.
Upon hearing this, a deep blush instantly rose on Qu Qirong’s delicate, flawless cheeks. She chided coquettishly, “Sweet talker! Do you often use such words to coax innocent young girls, Tianyu?”
Deng Tianyu gave a wry smile: “Aunt Rong, what are you saying! Where would I go to coax young girls? I can count the women I’m acquainted with on one hand, and that includes you.”
“I was only joking. Why is Tianyu so nervous?” Qu Qirong’s eyes flowed with charm as she gave him a playful glare, the full allure of a mature beauty on display.
As she spoke, she took an ornate brocade box from her storage ring and carefully placed both the twin lotus painting and the portrait inside.
“Drip… drip…”
As expected, Deng Tianyu noticed several more drops of Filial Piety Water credited to his account.
Just then, Qing’er walked over and announced: “Madam, Qu Yun requests an audience.”
Qu Qirong’s brows furrowed slightly. “Take her to the main hall. I’ll be there shortly.”
“Yes,” Qing’er nodded and turned to leave.
Deng Tianyu, ever considerate, turned to her and said, “If Aunt Rong has a guest, please don’t mind me.”
Qing’er hadn’t used a Sound Transmission, so he’d naturally heard.
The guest even shared Aunt Rong’s surname; perhaps they were both from the Tongbao Merchant Guild.
“Then wait here for a little while, Tianyu. I’ll be back soon.” Qu Qirong nodded and left the courtyard.
Meanwhile, in the main hall, a woman in luxurious attire sat leisurely sipping fragrant tea.
Beside her sat a young man with an effeminate, gloomy look, his features bearing a resemblance to the woman.
The young man, Qu Yun, secretly sent a Sound Transmission: “Mother, once this commercial dispute is over, will she belong to me?”
“Yes. The Clan Leader has already agreed to my request.”
“Once you drain her spiritual essence, your cultivation and foundation will rise to a higher level.”
“In the coming martial competition, you’ll surely shine brilliantly and firmly suppress the Mysterious Spirit Sect’s faction.”
“With your talent, and your outstanding performance in the bid for Sect Leader, the position of Young Sect Leader of the future Spirit Treasure Sect will undoubtedly be yours.”
Qu Yun’s eyes glinted with venomous light.
Qu Yun countered, “What if she refuses?”
Qu Yun sneered coldly: “Her willingness is irrelevant. With her cultivation, how could she resist us?”
“Moreover, the Clan Leader has already given me, your mother, the method to control the Heart-Controlling Gu. Even if she has heaven-defying means, she won’t escape the fate of becoming a cultivation vessel!”
When Qu Qirong attempted to take control of the clan’s industries, the clan had already passed their final judgment on her.
“That’s excellent!” Thinking of the other’s full, graceful figure and stunningly beautiful face, a fire of desire burned in Qu Yun’s heart.
To him, this kind of mature noblewoman was far more attractive than any youthful young maiden.
What’s more, Qu Qirong was one of the Peerless Beauties on the Beauty Rankings, and she also held the title of Sect Master’s Wife. With all that combined, there was likely no man under heaven who could resist such temptation.
Just as this mother and son were secretly conversing, Qu Qirong, wrapped in a plain dress, entered the main hall.
Qu Yun and Qu Yun stood up, feigning respect as they bowed: “Greetings, Madam!”
Qu Qirong’s expression was cold and indifferent. Her red lips parted slightly: “What important matter do you have to see me about?”
She did not like these two people before her.
Even though they were all from the Tongbao Merchant Guild.
“I merely came to ask Madam whether you have a strategy in place for the current test question,” Qu Yun stated bluntly, getting straight to the point.
She was the person chosen by the Tongbao Merchant Guild faction for this commercial dispute.
Although she was one of the best in commercial matters and highly valued by the family, compared to Qu Qirong—who had been called a commercial prodigy since her youth—she still fell far short.
Thus, for this dispute, the family had arranged for Qu Qirong to assist her from the shadows.
Qu Yun had assumed that after the Mysterious Spirit Sect’s faction brought out the Youth-Preserving Pill, this rivalry would end without suspense.
She hadn’t expected Qu Qirong to launch several new types of Dharma Robes in succession, and through some unknown means, get that mysterious Qin Fairy to help, thereby generating massive profits from the garment industry.
When Qu Yun heard that the Spirit Stone earnings from both ventures were equal in this commercial dispute, even she was greatly surprised.
Qu Qirong swept her gaze over her: “I already have a plan. Qu Yun, you may return and await orders.”
Hearing this, fury surged in Qu Yun’s heart. Instead of leaving, she sneered coldly: “For this commercial dispute between the two factions, I trust Madam hasn’t forgotten who holds the primary role and who holds the secondary!”
“I am the one representing the family here. Your duty is merely to assist from the shadows.”
Her words were full of sharp confrontation.
With the single statement “I am the one representing the family here,” she directly asserted her domineering stance.
Qu Qirong, still without the slightest agitation, replied calmly: “If you have your own ideas, you are free to implement them yourself. I will simply inform the family that I have done my best in this commercial dispute.”
She did not argue further with the woman.
She knew exactly how crucial this commercial dispute was to the Tongbao Merchant Guild faction.
Besides herself, there was no one else who could reliably suppress the Mysterious Spirit Sect’s faction!
