The dining hall had been transformed. Silk banners hung from the ceiling, incense burned in jade holders, and a long table groaned under the weight of dozens of dishes. Alex's mouth watered at the sight of roasted duck, steamed fish with ginger, spiced lamb skewers, and delicate pastries filled with sweet lotus paste.
"This is incredible," Alex breathed, taking his seat beside Jin Hao.
"City Lord Feng really knows how to celebrate," Jin Hao agreed, already eyeing the various dishes with scientific curiosity. "I wonder if any of these ingredients would work in my pills..."
They began eating with enthusiasm, sharing stories of their forest adventure (carefully edited to remove the more embarrassing details). Feng Yuan hung on every word, delighted to hear about his guardian beast's romantic success.
Halfway through the meal, the City Lord clapped his hands. "Now, for the entertainment!"
The hall's side doors opened, and Alex nearly choked on his rice wine.
A group of dancers glided into the room, their silk costumes in shades of deep red and gold that caught the candlelight beautifully. There were perhaps eight young women, all moving with the fluid grace of trained performers.
But it was their costumes that made Alex's eyes widen. The silk garments were cut in traditional dance styles, but far more revealing than anything he'd seen before. Bare midriffs showed toned stomachs, flowing pants sat low on curved hips, and translucent veils barely concealed shapely figures.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" Feng Yuan said proudly. "My city's finest dancers, trained in the classical arts."
The lead dancer stepped forward, and Alex felt his breath catch. She was stunning—perhaps twenty years old, with long black hair adorned with golden ornaments and eyes that sparkled with mischief. Her costume was the most daring of all, with a jeweled top that pushed up her generous curves and flowing pants that seemed to float around her long legs.
"Greetings, honored guests," she said, her voice like honey and silk. "I am Li Mei, and we are here to celebrate your successful mission."
The music began—a sensual melody played on flutes and stringed instruments. The dancers began to move, and Alex discovered what the term "mesmerizing" really meant.
They moved like liquid silk, bodies swaying and undulating in perfect harmony with the music. Li Mei led them in a dance that was part celebration, part seduction, and entirely hypnotic.
Alex found himself remembering his previous world, where he'd occasionally glimpsed similar performances in movies or clubs. But seeing it in person, especially in his current innocent state, was entirely different.
The dancers spun and twisted, their movements highlighting every curve and line of their bodies. When they bent backward, arching their spines gracefully, Alex had to remind himself to breathe. When they rolled their hips in slow, hypnotic circles, he gripped his chopsticks so hard they nearly snapped.
"Brother," Jin Hao whispered, "is this normal for celebrations?"
"I... don't know," Alex whispered back, unable to look away as Li Mei performed a particularly athletic spin that made her costume flutter tantalizingly.
The dance continued, growing more intense and intimate. The women paired off, dancing around each other in ways that suggested things Alex's innocent mind could barely process. Li Mei moved like a goddess of temptation, every gesture calculated to drive men wild with desire.
Then, to Alex's absolute shock, Li Mei approached their table. Her dark eyes locked onto his as she moved closer, hips swaying hypnotically.
"Our hero looks tense," she purred, circling behind his chair. "Perhaps he needs to relax after his dangerous mission?"
Before Alex could respond, she settled herself onto his lap, her soft curves pressing against him in ways that made his brain short-circuit.
"I... I don't... what..." Alex stammered, his face turning bright red.
Li Mei laughed softly, shifting her weight in a way that made Alex's body react involuntarily. She moved against him slowly, and he felt sensations he'd never experienced before—warmth, pressure, and a strange tingling that seemed to spread through his entire body.
"You're so cute when you're flustered," she teased, her breath warm against his ear.
But despite the intimate contact, Alex felt... nothing romantic. It was pleasant, certainly, and his body was definitely responding, but there was no emotional connection, no spark of genuine attraction.
After a moment, Li Mei seemed to sense his lack of true interest. With a disappointed sigh, she moved to Jin Hao instead.
Jin Hao's reaction was entirely different. The moment Li Mei settled onto his lap, his face lit up with delight rather than confusion.
"How fascinating!" he exclaimed. "The way your movements create physiological responses through applied pressure and thermal dynamics!"
Li Mei blinked in confusion.
"And your costume!" Jin Hao continued excitedly. "The silk must be treated with special oils to achieve that sheen, and the dyes—are those made from crushed pearls and gold leaf?"
Li Mei looked thoroughly bewildered by this scientific approach to seduction.
"Here," Jin Hao said cheerfully, pulling a small pill from his robes. "I've been working on beauty enhancement formulas. This should make your skin even more radiant!"
Li Mei accepted the pill with bemusement, swallowing it without thinking. Almost immediately, her already beautiful skin took on an otherworldly glow, as if lit from within.
"Oh!" she gasped, examining her hands in wonder. "How did you do that?"
"Concentrated pearl essence, ground spirit herbs, and a touch of moonstone powder," Jin Hao explained proudly. "I've been perfecting the formula for weeks!"
Li Mei's eyes sparkled with genuine pleasure now. She kissed Jin Hao's cheek gratefully before returning to the other dancers, who gathered around her to marvel at her enhanced beauty.
City Lord Feng Yuan watched this interaction with growing mortification. "I... I must apologize, honored cultivators. I asked for a celebration dance, not... whatever that was."
Alex waved dismissively, his composure finally returning. "No harm done, City Lord. They're skilled performers."
"Very educational," Jin Hao added happily. "I got some excellent data on cosmetic enhancement reactions!"
The rest of the evening passed more sedately, though Alex noticed Li Mei shooting curious glances his way. Her lack of effect on him seemed to puzzle her more than disappoint her.
Finally, they retired to their shared guest room—both young men preferring company to solitude in the strange city.
"Brother," Jin Hao said as they settled into their beds, "can I ask you something personal?"
"Sure."
"When Li Mei was... you know... on your lap... did you feel anything?"
Alex considered the question. "Physically? Yes. But nothing else. It was like... like being examined by a physician. Pleasant but not meaningful." He paused. "What about you?"
"I was mostly fascinated by the mechanical aspects," Jin Hao admitted. "Though I have to say, her reaction to my beauty pill was very encouraging for future research."
They lay in comfortable silence for a while, processing the day's experiences.
Around midnight, Alex was jolted awake by a strange sensation—a gathering of qi unlike anything he'd felt before.
"Jin," he whispered urgently. "Do you feel that?"
Jin Hao sat up, instantly alert. "Something's happening. The qi... it feels cold. Unnatural."
They crept to the window overlooking the manor's courtyard. In the distance, they could see light emanating from what looked like the City Lord's private quarters.
"Should we investigate?" Alex asked.
"Probably dangerous," Jin Hao replied. "Let's go."
They slipped out of their room and made their way through the darkened manor. The strange qi grew stronger as they approached Feng Yuan's chambers, and Alex felt his skin crawling with unnatural cold.
At the City Lord's door, they pressed their ears against the wood. No sounds came from within—an unnatural silence that made Alex's cultivation base tremble with warning.
"Window," Jin Hao whispered.
They crept around to the side of the building where Feng Yuan's bedroom window glowed with pale, ghostly light. Carefully, they peered over the sill.
What they saw made both young men freeze in shock.