My Junior Brother is a Hidden Boss

Chapter 5: The Enchanting Courtesan

Soon, Lu Changsheng arrived in Cangyun City.

The streets were a bustling tapestry of mortal life. Peddlers hawked their wares along the roadside, their cries weaving through the laughter of children chasing each other through the crowds. Young maidens browsed vibrant rouges and powders at stalls, matrons traded idle gossip, and graybeards boasted of days long past.

The rich, chaotic smoke and fire of the mortal realm permeated every corner.

Lu Changsheng was in no hurry, strolling at a leisurely pace as he took in the sights.

As early as a month ago, the Ning family had sent word that they would be sending Ning Yuxin to Qingyun Peak to cultivate for a period of time.

Zhou Qingyu, single-mindedly obsessed with the Dao, couldn’t care less about such trivialities, per usual dumping the entire PR headache into Lu Changsheng’s lap.

Lu Changsheng, however, saw right through the corporate maneuvering. He clicked his tongue, murmuring softly to himself.

“Times are tough when even the wealthiest heiress has to be aggressively marketed.”

“Cultivating on the peak for a while? Please. It’s a glorified networking retreat to force a romance.”

“Then again, Senior Brother is so thoroughly checked out… maybe he just isn’t into women?”

Muttering his idle speculations, he arrived before a grand restaurant.

This place was called Zui Xian Lou, a premier establishment renowned for a thousand miles around, but today the Ning family had bought out the entire venue for a private consultation.

“Immortal Master Changsheng, you grace us with your presence!”

Inside the restaurant, the manager practically scrambled forward to bow.

Elite guards lined the perimeter, every one of them bearing the Ning family crest.

Lu Changsheng followed the manager up the lacquered stairs to a VIP suite.

The moment the doors slid open, Lu Changsheng spotted several maidservants flanking a youth of sixteen or seventeen.

Upon seeing Lu Changsheng, the youth stood with impeccable posture. “You must be Senior Brother Changsheng!”

“And you are?”

“I am Ning Yuchen, Ning Yuxin’s younger brother. I am escorting my sister on her journey. We corresponded recently!”

“Ah, my pen pal!”

Lu Changsheng didn’t stand on ceremony. He strode in, making himself comfortable as the two took their seats.

They had already exchanged several letters, establishing a decent working relationship.

The Ning Yuchen sitting across from him was elegant and refined, exuding a gentle, cultured aura. Clearly the product of strict aristocratic discipline, he lacked the obnoxious stench of a typical spoiled young master.

Settling into his chair, Lu Changsheng offered a practiced, welcoming smile. “Junior Brother Ning, there’s no need for such extravagant formalities. You could have just headed straight to Qingyun Peak. Why go through the trouble of hosting me here?”

Ning Yuchen smiled warmly, his eyes respectfully appraising Lu Changsheng.

Observing his flawless appearance and transcendent bearing, Ning Yuchen felt a profound sense of awe. If he hadn’t known better, he would have assumed this immortal figure was the rumored Little Sword Immortal Zhou Qingyu himself.

“We are arriving unannounced to disturb your Sect’s peace. Hosting a humble banquet is the least we can do to express our apologies,” Ning Yuchen said earnestly.

Lu Changsheng gave a noncommittal hum, letting Ning Yuchen play the gracious host.

Soon, a procession of exquisite delicacies was served.

Eyeing the lavish spread, Lu Changsheng leaned in smoothly. “Junior Brother Ning, let’s cut to the chase. We’re practically stakeholders in the same enterprise now. There’s no need to beat around the bush.”

Taking the bait, Ning Yuchen leaned closer, his expression conspiratorial.

“Senior Brother Changsheng, I have heard you are the one who understands Senior Brother Qingyu best. I was hoping to seek your invaluable insight regarding his preferences.”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes flicked over the youth. The angle was obvious.

The two factions had an existing merger agreement-a marriage contract-and the Ning family was desperate to finalize the deal.

After all, his Senior Brother was a blue-chip asset. A rare prodigy in Cangzhou, nearing Core Formation at such a young age. Who wouldn’t want to invest early?

Other Sects had their geniuses, sure, but he was the only one who had cultivated Sword Intent to the sixth layer.

Objectively speaking, Zhou Qingyu was the undisputed idol of Cangzhou’s younger generation, boasting a flawless, undefeated track record since his debut.

In Lu Changsheng’s humble opinion, in terms of sheer market value, his Senior Brother was second only to Lu Changsheng himself.

After a brief, calculated pause, he offered a magnanimous smile. “Junior Brother, ask whatever you wish. Consider me your premium consultant.”

Ning Yuchen’s face lit up with gratitude. “I wonder… what does Senior Brother usually favor?”

“Spirit Stones!” Lu Changsheng answered immediately, his tone deadpan and resolute.

“Spirit Stones?” Ning Yuchen blinked, visibly taken aback.

Lu Changsheng nodded with absolute certainty. “That’s right. Spirit Stones. Mountains of them. Unmarked, high-purity Spirit Stones.”

Ning Yuchen sat in a daze, wondering if he had misheard. As the revered Little Sword Immortal of Cangyun, shouldn’t his heart be moved only by peerless, divine blades?

Sensing the confusion, Lu Changsheng smoothly pivoted. “It’s a closely guarded secret, of course. The public wouldn’t understand. Naturally, if you happen to have a famous divine sword or ancient sword techniques lying around, he’ll accept those as a secondary currency.”

“Such profound truth!”

Ning Yuchen pondered this deeply, enlightenment dawning on his face. It made perfect sense! Cultivators striving for the pinnacle of the Dao required vast oceans of Spiritual Qi to sustain their path.

When the ambient worldly essence was insufficient, they naturally had to rely on the pure essence within Spirit Stones. To say a peerless genius favored Spirit Stones was merely acknowledging the heavy burden of true greatness!

Overcome with respect, he bowed his head slightly toward Lu Changsheng. “Thank you for this invaluable guidance, Senior Brother!”

“Consider it a free sample,” Lu Changsheng waved it off, checking the angle of the sun outside the window. “Since our initial consultation is over, I’ll take my leave. I usually operate out of the peak; just come straight to the front desk when you arrive.”

“It is still quite early, Senior Brother. Where might you be heading?”

“Zui Yue Xuan!”

“The… the brothel?”

“Bingo.”

Lu Changsheng didn’t bother hiding it. He had booked an advance appointment with the top-tier courtesan of Zui Yue Xuan, and he wasn’t about to waste his reservation.

He genuinely couldn’t care less about appearances; his public rating was already thoroughly tanked anyway.

Ning Yuchen opened his mouth, a sudden, complex thought forming in his mind, but before he could voice it, Lu Changsheng had already vanished from the room.

Staring at the empty doorway, the young heir felt a profound sense of missed opportunity.

At that exact moment, hidden in an alcove of the restaurant, a young woman watched Lu Changsheng’s retreating back, her brows knit in deep disapproval.

She was perhaps seventeen or eighteen, possessing a delicate, ethereal beauty that seemed untouched by the mortal dust.

She was Ning Yuxin.

Having overheard the entire exchange through a sound-transmitting formation, she could no longer hold her tongue.

“Qingyun Peak is a sacred immortal mountain, and Senior Brother Qingyu is a dragon among men. How could they tolerate such a crass, degenerate Junior Brother?”

Upon their arrival in Cangyun City, they had conducted their due diligence and heard whispers of Lu Changsheng’s reputation.

Just the rumors alone were enough to make one shake their head in pity. To witness his shamelessness firsthand was simply appalling.

An old, withered servant stepped from the shadows. “Miss, your focus must remain solely on Young Master Qingyu. A weed like Lu Changsheng is of no consequence to your grand destiny.”

Ning Yuxin acknowledged the wisdom in those words. She dismissed the annoyance from her mind, turning her attention to preparing for tomorrow’s pilgrimage to Qingyun Peak.

Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng had navigated his way into the city’s red-light entertainment district.

A sensory overload of silks, perfumes, and drifting melodies assaulted him. Enchanting music spilled into the streets, weaving through the hurried, flushed patrons. This was Zui Yue Xuan!

Before he could even cross the threshold, an attendant materialized to intercept him.

“Immortal Master Changsheng, Lady Muyue has been anticipating your arrival!”

“Excellent.”

Lu Changsheng nodded, effortlessly slipping into the VIP escort flow.

Following the attendant through winding corridors and elegant waterside pavilions, he ascended to the pinnacle of the grand tower.

Through the sheer curtains, Lu Changsheng spotted a solitary figure leaning languidly against the carved railing. Her eyes were deep and soft, and as they locked onto him, a smile blossomed on her lips, as gentle and alluring as a spring tide.

“Young Master Lu. It has been quite some time. Did you finally forget about this humble one?”

The woman was Su Muyue, and her gaze danced with playful reprimand.

Lu Changsheng strolled over without missing a beat. “I had no choice. I’ve been hopelessly addicted to the grind lately. Just trying to secure my early Ascension package and witness the Great Dao, you know how it is.”

Dropping the profound nonsense, he pulled up a chair and slumped into it comfortably.

Su Muyue covered her mouth, stifling a melodic laugh. “Young Master Lu, what absolute nonsense are you spouting? A man as unbridled and carefree as the wind itself… trapped by the tedious chains of cultivation?”

“See, you know my core demographic perfectly. The truth is, I’ve just been dead broke lately.”

“Haha!”

Su Muyue chuckled lightly, drifting over to sit gracefully across from him.

“So, shifting to business,” Lu Changsheng leaned forward. “I’m inquiring on behalf of my Senior Brother. Have any lucrative secret realms popped up on the radar recently?”

“You really treat this place like an intelligence broker!” Su Muyue sighed, shaking her head. “But speaking of your Senior Brother… his turnover rate for clearing secret realms is dangerously high.”

“Everyone knows the man’s a workaholic. High-risk field operations are mandatory for his brand!”

Lu Changsheng felt a flash of internal helplessness. A few years back, he had been randomly dragged into this establishment by passing associates, accidentally making contact with this top-tier courtesan.

He quickly realized her background was highly classified and deeply complicated, though her true operational objectives remained a mystery.

Despite the red flags, their chemistry was undeniable. Over time, he had leveraged her vast information network to crowdsource coordinates for hidden realms.

It was a necessary evil. His own cultivation base demanded a grotesque, astronomical volume of Spiritual Qi. The ambient market supply couldn’t sustain his upkeep, and farming Spirit Stones manually was terrible ROI. His only viable strategy was aggressively looting high-yield secret realms.

The two were deep in a profitable exchange of information when a sudden, jarring commotion erupted in the corridor outside.

Several heavy shadows violently shoved past the protesting attendants, barreling straight toward their private sanctuary and thoroughly ruining the mood.