NOVPUB
Chapter 312: The Strange Performance
One of the most famous entertainment venues in Larson City is the Flower’s Fragrant Brothel. This brothel specializes in women entertainers and is well-known among men. The three-story building, with its floral fragrance, attracts everyone’s attention and entices them to visit. Even noblemen, such as the young master of the Larson family, are no exception.
Once Clark entered the brothel, he was instantly greeted by the manager. She was a middle-aged woman with a youthful appearance, dressed in revealing attire that stirred men’s fantasies. Holding a fan in her hand, she gave a slight bow toward Clark.
"Welcome to the Flower’s Fragrant, young master. Would you like to meet Elis directly and privately, or would you prefer to enjoy the girls’ performance?" she asked with a warm smile.
"There’s no rush. I’d like to enjoy the performance and take my time here," Clark replied.
"Very well, young master. I hope you enjoy your stay," she said before stepping aside gracefully.
After that, Clark sat at a vacant table that had been prepared for him. The other patrons noticed his presence and had their own opinions about him. However, they kept their thoughts to themselves, not wanting to risk offending him, and chose to ignore his presence.
This part of the brothel was a grand hall on the ground floor, designed for visitors to enjoy performances such as dancing and music. With numerous tables and a platform at the end of the hall, the venue could accommodate hundreds of people, offering everyone a clear view of the performers from their seats.
Before Clark arrived, many people were already gathered, eagerly waiting for the show to begin. As soon as he took his seat, the performance promptly started.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Flower’s Fragrant! I know you’ve all been eagerly waiting to see the performance of our talented ladies. Fret not—you won’t be disappointed! Without further ado, let’s enjoy the first show of the night!" The announcer, standing on the platform, delivered her introduction with enthusiasm.
After her announcement, a group of women in beautiful dancing attire stepped onto the platform.
Leading the group was a woman with a transparent veil and striking silver hair—an uncommon hair color that made her stand out among the others. However, it wasn’t just her hair that drew attention; her irises also shimmered with a silvery hue.
As soon as the audience caught sight of her, the hall erupted with excitement and chatter.
"That’s Miss Elis!"
"She’s like an angel. No wonder she’s the icon of this brothel!" 𝓃𝓸𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
Many in the audience began voicing their admiration for the group leader, who was none other than Elis.
Clark’s eyes brightened when he saw her, and for a moment, he felt an urge to embrace her. However, he restrained himself, knowing it was better to watch her perform.
Elis glanced at Clark briefly, offering him a soft smile before beginning her dance with the group.
Every movement was elegant yet carried an alluring, erotic charm that captivated the visitors. The dancers’ fluid motions and curvaceous figures formed suggestive poses, leaving many in the audience mesmerized and even drooling.
Even Clark, unable to tear his eyes away, felt a surge of desire. His thoughts raced as he watched the sensual performance, particularly captivated by Elis, whose seductive dancing seemed to draw him in entirely.
At one of the tables, Prince Claude watched the performance, silently admitting that the dancers were truly skilled in their craft. However, his gaze eventually focused on Elis, and a frown crossed his face.
"This woman... she’s using a charm technique. It’s like a hypnotic spell affecting these people," he thought.
With his strong soul strength, Prince Claude could easily resist the subtle influence of the technique. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for the other spectators. Many of them, being lower-level cultivators, appeared completely entranced by Elis every movement, unable to tear their eyes away from her mesmerizing performance.
Everyone in the hall seemed completely absorbed in Elis’s dance, their focus solely on her captivating figure, oblivious to their surroundings. However, as Prince Claude observed the audience, his gaze settled on a pair of mysterious individuals seated at one of the tables, seemingly unaffected by the charm technique.
The pair consisted of a man and a woman. The woman had her hair concealed under a hood, making it impossible for him to discern her full features.
At that moment, he finally realized something unusual—he hadn’t sensed this couple’s presence until now! They seemed to be sitting there like ordinary visitors, but there was no way regular people could remain unaffected by the charm technique, which even influenced duke-stage cultivators. There was only one plausible explanation: this couple were experts.
His thoughts were interrupted when the man suddenly glanced in his direction and smiled before turning his attention back to the platform.
"Did he notice me watching them?" Prince Claude wondered, momentarily stunned.
He had already made an effort to conceal his presence, blending in with the ordinary visitors and refraining from releasing any aura. Confident that no one here would notice him observing others, he was caught off guard by the man’s gaze. It made him uneasy.
He suspected that the man and the woman were at least at the king stage, like him. The man’s senses were so sharp that he had detected his gaze.
The dance continued for another fifteen minutes before finally coming to an end. It felt like a cold bucket of water had been poured over the entire hall, as the audience was abruptly shaken awake once the women stopped their performance. For the duration of the dance, it was as if they had been trapped in a dream, with only Elis’s figure in their vision, leaving no room for anything else. They hadn’t even realized how long they had been lost in a daydream until the dance ended.
Afterward, applause resounded throughout the hall as the audience marveled at Elis’s skill. They believed the beauty of her performance had bewitched them, and they were in awe of her ability. Clark, too, emerged from his bewitched state and joined in the clapping, feeling a sense of pride as he watched Elis showcase her dance skills.
"For the next performance, we have a special show by Elis herself. As many of you know, one of her specialties is music. Now, without further delay, please enjoy the performance of our pride, Elis," the announcer said.
The group then stepped down from the platform, leaving Elis behind as a retainer brought a guqin onto the stage. Once the instrument was ready, Elis took her position. Her fingers seemed to hover over the strings, as if feeling their presence, but she did not immediately play. Instead, she looked out toward the audience.
"Elis presents this music for the cultivators in this hall who have bravely left their homes to venture into the outside world, keeping their longing for home in their hearts. With this music, I hope to make you feel as though you are at home again," she said, her soft voice soothing the hearts of the listeners.
She began to pluck the strings one by one. At first, there was nothing particularly special about the sound of the music. Although beautiful, it seemed like a normal tune to everyone present. But as time passed, the sound seemed to come to life. The music enveloped them, and they suddenly felt as if they were being embraced by its melody. It took them back to their childhood memories, playing at home without a care in the world. The sensation was truly marvelous, so real that it felt as if they had returned to that moment in time.
All of the people were experiencing the same sensation, except for a few, including Prince Claude. However, he wore a solemn expression, as he could feel the powerful effect of the music.
"This is a sound technique—truly powerful at that!" he thought. "It can even bring forth inner memories and make all of our senses visualize them. Even my soul is affected by it, forcing me to be swept away by the sound. A truly terrifying technique... Who is this Elis?! There’s no way she’s just an ordinary woman entertainer at this brothel."
He decided to use his cultivation technique to dispel the effect of the sound technique. The fact that he had to resort to this only demonstrated how strong the technique was.
But then, he curiously looked at the mysterious couple from earlier, and to his astonishment, he saw that they seemed completely unaffected.
All of the people in the hall had fallen under the spell of the sound technique, as evidenced by their unfocused eyes and unmoving bodies. However, what he saw in the couple was nothing but expressions of curiosity and amazement. From his perspective, they appeared like bumpkins witnessing something new to them—something they had never encountered before in their lives.
However, this was no ordinary spectacle. The sound technique had even affected his soul, forcing him to use his own cultivation technique to repel the influence.
The music continued for the next fifteen minutes before finally stopping, causing the people in the hall to awaken from their entranced state. Once again, they felt as though they had been lost in their own senses and feelings, unaware that they had been under the influence of the technique. The only thing that lingered in their minds was the beautiful sound of the guqin, evoking memories of home.
The audience began clapping, and the atmosphere quickly turned boisterous. Elis smiled behind her veil, watching the crowd’s reaction. However, for a brief moment, her gaze shifted toward Prince Claude and the mysterious couple.
"There are others who were not affected by my technique," she thought.
