Chapter 557: The Qin of Qin Jian

"Fine, from now on, I will be inseparable from you."

Qin Jian leaned in close, not only grabbing her hand but also interlacing his fingers with hers.

A faint trace of pink flashed across Xue Qinghe's cheeks and vanished.

"What do you usually do at night?" Qin Jian asked.

Xue Qinghe glanced at him: "What else could I do? Isn't it always cultivation?"

"Cultivation..."

Qin Jian's expression slumped a little: "You aren't planning on cultivating tonight too, are you?"

Xue Qinghe looked at his expression, knowing full well what he was thinking, yet still asked a question to which she already knew the answer: "If not cultivation, what else is there to do? Isn't everyone like this? As a Spirit Master, where is there any time to rest?"

"This is 007... the profession of a Spirit Master is truly exhausting..." Qin Jian was speechless.

"What is 007?" Xue Qinghe asked curiously.

Qin Jian withdrew his hand and tucked it into his sleeve: "007 is a kind of blessing, meaning to enjoy life day and night without rest."

Xue Qinghe looked confused.

"Ahem, it means cultivating every day without a moment of rest," Qin Jian added.

Xue Qinghe then realized, and subsequently said: "Actually, it isn't constant cultivation. I have to handle government affairs during the day and only have time at night. Moreover, a Spirit Master's talent for cultivation is more important; there is no need to maintain high-intensity cultivation all the time. I relax occasionally as well."

"Just like you, I have barely seen you cultivating in this past month. When you have time, you are only researching soul skills, yet didn't you still level up?"

Her expression held quite a bit of amazement: "You were only Level 70 when you left last time, and now you are Level 77. I completely cannot understand how your speed works; this must be the peerless talent of a Million-Year Soul Beast..."

Qin Jian: "..."

You probably don't want to know the real reason...

"You just said you relax occasionally? What do you do?" He changed the subject.

Xue Qinghe looked at him, the corners of her mouth curling into a strange smile: "Relaxing... of course, that means going to find beauties."

"Beau... beauties?"

Qin Jian was dumbfounded.

"That's not right, you don't have any concubines, what beauties are you looking for?" He realized.

Xue Qinghe rested her head on her hand, examining him with great interest: "Qin Jian, you like women so much, yet you don't know about places like brothels?"

Qin Jian was dumbfounded again: "You are the Crown Prince, you go to such low-class places?"

"Where there are low-class ones, there are naturally high-class ones..."

Xue Qinghe suddenly pulled him up, draping an arm over his shoulder: "Let's go, Brother Xue will take you to visit a high-class club!"

Qin Jian: "..."

What is this sense of déjà vu of being "bros" going to visit such a place together...

He has been in this world for ten thousand years, and he really hasn't been to those places that make one's imagination run wild, but...

Why does this feeling feel so strange, being taken by his own target of conquest to go get a "massage"?

"What kind of expression is that?"

Xue Qinghe walked forward with her arm around his shoulder: "Aren't men always full of enthusiasm for this kind of thing?"

Qin Jian was full of conflict: "So, are you actually a man or a woman? Even going to this kind of place..."

"Pfft."

Xue Qinghe couldn't help but burst into laughter: "So you really have never been."

"How did you tell?" Qin Jian was expressionless.

Xue Qinghe's eyes curved: "You'll know when we get there."

The journey was silent.

When the carriage escorting them stopped, Qin Jian was a bit dazed after getting off.

"Is this really the high-class club you were talking about?" He couldn't help but ask.

The building before him was magnificent and grand, with the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments drifting from within. The elegant music cleansed the guests' souls at every moment, giving one a sense of peace.

This didn't look like a place for "that sort of thing" at all; instead, it looked like a perfectly proper gathering place for nobles.

"What else did you expect? Since it's a place frequented by nobles, would it be as crude as a brothel?"

Xue Qinghe held his hand openly and walked in under the varied gazes of the crowd.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

A Maid with elegant attire and a lovely appearance came to greet them, every movement conforming to noble etiquette.

"The usual?" The Maid smiled slightly.

Xue Qinghe seemed very familiar with her, and her tone was very gentle: "Are those three here today?"

The Maid nodded and said: "They are all here. Which one would Your Highness like today?"

Xue Qinghe smiled softly: "Today... I want them all."

The Maid blinked, then quietly glanced at Qin Jian, revealing a look of understanding: "Very well, I will arrange it for you immediately."

"Come, follow me to my private room..."

Xue Qinghe continued to pull Qin Jian along: "Let me tell you, these three are all top-tier performers: Lianyin, who excels at the piano; Xiyue, who excels at the Harp; and there is also one who..."

She glanced at Qin Jian: "Excels at the zither... Qin Qin."

"Zither? Qin Qin?"

Qin Jian asked in surprise: "Has the zither spread this far already?"

Xue Qinghe nodded, looking at him with an interesting expression: "It hasn't just spread; this Qin Qin is also your die-hard fan... did you think her stage name Qin Qin was the 'Qin' from 'sunny day'?"

"Isn't it?" Qin Jian scratched his head.

Xue Qinghe shook her head: "No, it's the 'Qin' from Qin Jian."

Qin Jian: "..."

The two of them were soon led by the Maid to the top floor.

The entire penthouse belonged to Xue Qinghe's room.

Unlike the resplendent decorations outside, there was not much luxury here; instead, it appeared quite simple, yet beneath that simplicity, every detail was executed to perfection, giving Qin Jian the feeling of having returned home.

"Please wait a moment, you two."

Xue Qinghe pulled Qin Jian to sit side-by-side on the soft sofa, and tea was soon placed on the coffee table in front of them.

"These are all things I like; you... try some?"

Xue Qinghe casually picked up the teapot and poured a small cup for each of them.

Unlike the tea Qin Jian had imagined, this was a pale red beverage that smelled of a faint, delicate fragrance.

"This taste..."

Qin Jian was silent for a moment and said, "A specialty of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Star Moon Flower?"

Xue Qinghe's face turned a faint pink for no reason: "I am not intentionally trying to please you; I have always liked the taste of Star Moon paired with water."

Qin Jian laughed softly: "As long as it is a flower that grows in the Star Dou Great Forest, it is no different from my descendants; they all grew up under my watch. This Star Moon Flower is a variety that emerged naturally thirty thousand years ago. It emits a scent that Soul Beasts love, so it is easily driven to extinction. It was only because I demarcated the area that they were able to grow and continue their Inheritance..."

Xue Qinghe was a bit dazed.

The way he said that, it sounded as if she had drunk Qin Jian's descendants...

"I know why you like it; it is because the scent it naturally emits has a hallucinogenic effect. Although it is extremely slight, it can allow you to obtain a moment of relaxation..."

Qin Jian reached out and touched his cheek: "Disguising yourself for twenty years, you must be tired, right?"

Xue Qinghe stared at him blankly, his eyes softening for a moment, but he quickly masked it and continued to smile: "Is this also one of your ploys? Intending to break down my mental defenses?"

(End of this chapter)