Flower Stealing Master

Song Qingshu’s eyes narrowed as he swiftly caught a strange golden centipede hook between his fingers. Before he could say anything, a flurry of fine cow-hair needles shot toward him like a storm.

Song Qingshu’s hair stood on end. He knew that such thin needles were specialized weapons capable of penetrating True Qi defenses. Not daring to take them head-on, he immediately summoned all his strength and shifted sideways by a few feet, narrowly avoiding the deadly barrage.

The attacker was clearly shocked that someone could evade her concealed weapons at such close range, causing her to momentarily lose focus.

Taking advantage of the moment, Song Qingshu removed the mask from his face and said, “Stop! It’s me.”

The woman before him had enchanting phoenix-like eyes and delicately arched brows. Her complexion was as smooth and pale as jade, glowing with a soft luster. Her long hair fell gracefully over her shoulders, framing a face of rare beauty. However, the most striking features were her soft, alabaster hands and the ten sharp fingernails painted with pink balsam, a stark and alluring contrast. (G: Balsam is a fragrant, oily, resinous substance that comes from plants.)

This woman was none other than He Tieshou of the Five Poisons Cult. Back when he defeated her at the Golden Serpent Camp, Song Qingshu had secretly approached her, promising to help her become the sect leader of the Five Poisons Cult. He instructed her to wait in Yanjing City. After some hesitation, He Tieshou agreed and had been lying low ever since.

“What kind of concealed weapon is that? It’s terrifying!” Song Qingshu asked with lingering fear as he glanced at the nearby wall, now riddled with holes where the cow-hair needles had struck. The corrosive poison had turned the surrounding area black, making him shiver.

“This weapon is called Innuendo,” He Tieshou said apologetically. “I didn’t realize it was you. But I must admit, the fact that you managed to dodge it is truly impressive.”

Song Qingshu laughed heartily while wiping cold sweat from his brow. “I’ve always been lucky to escape death…”

He Tieshou finally recovered her composure, but her expression quickly turned angry. “You told me to wait for you in Yanjing City, but months passed, and I never saw you. If you hadn’t shown up soon, I would’ve left.”

Song Qingshu gave her an embarrassed smile. “Something came up along the way, and I was delayed.”

“Fine, I’ll let that slide for now. But why did you make me wait in a brothel? Do you think all Miao women like me belong in such filthy places?” He Tieshou smiled charmingly, but her voice carried a sharp chill.

“Don’t misunderstand me,” Song Qingshu quickly explained. “I had you wait here so you could observe how brothels operate on a day-to-day basis.”

“Why would I need to observe that?” she asked irritably. Although He Tieshou exuded a seductive air, she found it unbearable to hear the licentious sounds echoing from nearby rooms every night. She assumed Song Qingshu had arranged this intentionally to humiliate her.

“Didn’t I promise to help you become the leader of the Five Poisons Cult?” Song Qingshu said solemnly. “But there’s no such thing as a free meal in this world. You need to give something in return.”

“Oh?” He Tieshou laughed coquettishly. “Could it be that you’re interested in my body? But that can’t be right. You’ve already tasted it once before. Are you still craving more?”

“Cough, cough!”

Having spent much of his recent time with reserved Han women, Song Qingshu was caught off guard by He Tieshou’s boldness. Flustered, he quickly replied, “You’ve misunderstood, Miss He. I just need you to do something for me.”

“Is it related to this brothel?” He Tieshou asked, seemingly catching on.

“Exactly,” Song Qingshu nodded. “Brothels are places where people of all kinds gather, making them perfect for acquiring unexpected information. I plan to establish a brothel-based intelligence network across various nations. Of all the women I know, you’re the best suited for this task.”

“Han women wouldn’t want to show their faces in a brothel, so you naturally chose a lowly Miao woman like me,” He Tieshou sneered. “But how can I be sure that you’ll keep your promise after I help you? Frankly, I’m not even sure you have the capability.”

“Becoming the leader of the Five Poisons Cult is hardly difficult,” Song Qingshu said with a confident smile. “You know about my relationship with Dongfang Bubai, and you must have heard about my recent alliance with Ren Yingying. Do you still doubt my ability to help you?”

He Tieshou fell silent. She had indeed heard the news of the alliance between the Golden Serpent Camp and the Sun Moon Holy Cult. “Fine, let’s say you do have the ability. How can I trust that you’ll keep your word? After all, you have a pretty cozy relationship with that fox, Lan Fenghuang.”

“Put yourself in my shoes,” Song Qingshu said, chuckling. “Once you control a vast intelligence network, do you think I’d dare break my promise to you? As for Lan Fenghuang, you don’t need to worry. If needed, I’ll help her establish a new sect. I even have a name in mind: the Five Immortals Sect.”

“The Five Poisons Cult and the Five Immortals Sect?” He Tieshou’s eyes brightened. “Alright, you’ve convinced me. I might not get along with that fox, Lan Fenghuang, but if you betray her, I wouldn’t dare trust you either. Very well, I’ll agree to your proposal.”

“Excellent. I’ll provide all the funds you need. As for the details… I have something to handle in the next few days, so I’ll return to discuss this further with you,” Song Qingshu said, clearly excited.

The intelligence network established earlier by Sang Feihong’s Five Lakes Sect was effective, but it had limitations due to their identity. While the network excelled at gathering information about the martial world, it struggled with the affairs of court officials and nobility. High-end brothels, which attracted wealthy and powerful figures, were perfect for obtaining this kind of intelligence.

The combination of these two networks would form a complementary system. However, when he thought about the funds required to maintain them, Song Qingshu couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. With money needed everywhere, it seemed he would soon have to pursue either King Chuang’s treasure or the riches of Mount Deer Cauldron.

“Alright, I’ll carefully observe how this brothel operates over the next few days.” Having failed to secure her position as sect leader, He Tieshou had spent the past few years like a dog without a home. She wasn’t about to miss this chance to turn her fortunes around. Building a powerful intelligence network would naturally come with immense rewards.

“Oh, and one more thing. He Tieshou is far too well-known and unpleasant a name for you to continue using. It’ll hinder your future work. You need a new name,” Song Qingshu said as he turned to leave. “Hmm, since you’ll be running a brothel, how about He Qing?”

He Tieshou immediately frowned. “He Qing? That name is awful. I refuse.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t sound very nice,” Song Qingshu said after a moment of thought. “Then let’s go with He Qing. It’s said to be the name of a peerless beauty. Surely you can’t dislike it.”

“He Qing?” A flash of light danced in He Tieshou’s long, enchanting eyes as she burst into laughter. “I like it.” 

(G: The (青 qīng) in the first He Qing means green or blue or greenish black, while the second (晴 qíng) means clear or fine weather.)

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