Chapter 260

Liu Junyan's natal magic weapon has a total of seven Golden Scales, all of which have been scattered abroad.

We have only retrieved three of them so far.

One piece was taken back from the goddess statue in a ruined small temple; this Golden Scale was inlaid by Liu Junyan onto Feng Wu's bow, and when Feng Wu returned to Cangwu Mountain, the Golden Scale returned to Liu Junyan's hand on its own.

The second Golden Scale was recovered from Jiyu Si.

Another piece was taken back from Ox Tiger Mountain.

These three Golden Scales are now in Liu Junyan's hands; adding this piece from Prosperous City makes four.

Liu Junyan once told me that the seven Golden Scales could not possibly be completely scattered; the remaining ones are likely together… When I heard him say that, I realized something: perhaps Liu Junyan knows… or has guessed where the remaining Golden Scales are.

The reason he didn't go to retrieve them, or even to verify, can only mean one thing: those three Golden Scales are extremely difficult to take back.

Then this Golden Scale from Prosperous City becomes especially important.

It is the only thing we can currently reach.

And that Golden Scale is embedded on the forehead of that black toad, serving as its third eye!

Hui Lao Tai also indirectly confirmed the existence of that black toad; it is a magic treasure in the hands of the corpse demon.

Cooperating with Hui Lao Tai is a must.

I took out the Pawn Ticket and began grinding ink.

While grinding ink, I asked: 'How do you want to pawn this item? Alive or dead? How much money? Or barter?'

"Dead pawn."

Obviously, Hui Lao Tai decided to come to the pawn shop only after careful consideration.

She raised her hand and gently stroked the memorial tablet of Hui Xiao Tiao, saying: 'As for the pawn gold… I want a promise.'

She withdrew her hand, clasped her hands together above the dragon-headed cane, looked at me solemnly, and said: 'I want you to promise that, whether Hui Xiao Tiao is dead or alive, or has become a demon, the pawn shop must forever enshrine him!'

"Hui Xiao Tiao is a kind child; he could never become a demon." I said firmly, "Even if he were trapped in the Nine Heavens Lock Soul Array and fell into inner demons, as long as he lives, I am confident I can pull him back."

A person who harbors kindness, even if they fall into inner demons, will only harm themselves and rarely turn their weapons against innocents.

Hui Lao Tai choked up, yet remained firm: 'I trust you, but I also want your promise! A written promise!'

The ink had been ground; I took a sheet of parchment, dipped the brush in ink, wrote the promise on it, signed and stamped it, after the ink dried I handed the pledge to Hui Lao Tai.

Then I began to write the Pawn Ticket.

The Pawn Ticket was made in duplicate; Hui Lao Tai signed and stamped it.

I filed one copy of the Pawn Ticket and gave the other to Hui Lao Tai.

From then on, this pawn transaction was completed.

Both small doors of Nan Shu Fang were opened wide; Hui Yu Mo walked in and helped Hui Lao Tai up.

Hui Lao Tai leaned on the dragon-headed cane and actually bowed deeply to me.

I hurried forward to lightly support her, asking her to move to the restaurant for dinner.

Hui Lao Tai shook her head: 'I have finished what I needed to do; I'm heading back now. Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, please take care of Hui Xiao Tiao.'

Hui Yu Mo also smiled at me, exchanged a few polite words, then helped Hui Lao Tai into the car.

The black Volkswagen slowly drove out of the alley, soon disappearing into the deep night.

Hui Moqiong chased out to Xijiekou, stood there and gazed for a long time.

Until Li Qingying walked over and pulled him back, he still had a sullen face: 'Just like that she left, and I didn't even bring the clothes I bought for her, sigh.'

They have been separated for so many years; surely Hui Moqiong once thought they were divided by heaven and man?

Now this clever, lively, likable girl appears before him unharmed; he wishes he could keep her.

Hui Yu Mo has her own life.

Hui Moqiong does not insist, yet it does not prevent him from feeling sorrow inside.

Seeing him look as if all his vitality had been drained, I couldn't help but say: 'Leave the room as is; the sister may often come to stay in the future.'

Hui Moqiong's eyes lit up at once; he cautiously asked: 'Xiao Jiu'er, you're not just comforting me, are you?'

"Yes."

I had Li Qingying close the pawn shop's main gate and the small street-facing door of Nan Shu Fang; everyone gathered in the living room, and I recounted in detail what Hui Lao Tai and I had discussed today.

Finally, I looked at Liu Junyan: 'This matter is very difficult; I made the decision without consulting you, which is my fault.'

"What are you talking about!" Hui Moqiong immediately said, "Is there even a choice? If it were me, I would definitely take on this order!"

Li Qingying nodded directly.

Liu Junyan then said: 'Xiao Jiu, you are the manager of the pawn shop; you have absolute authority over all decisions in the pawn shop.'

At this moment, my feeling of being moved could not be increased further.

This feeling of being absolutely trusted, understood, and unconditionally supported by a team is truly wonderful.

Li Qingying said: 'I only ate a little while accompanying my sister; there's a big table of dishes—let's eat and chat.'

I sent Hui Xiaotiao's spirit tablet to the west room; Hui Moqiong pointed to the second slot below his tablet and said, "Put it here—if this kid makes it back alive, I'll watch over him from now on!"

Li Qingying teased, "They've got a hall as big as Chang City behind them—do they really need your protection?"

We talked as we walked toward the restaurant.

Hui Moqiong objected, "You don't know what you're talking about—I've been to that hall; it's big, indeed big, but being big also has its drawbacks."

As for Granny Hui still being alive—as far as I know, in the Hui Immortal Hall there are more than a dozen who can claim a name; under them are even more descendants, each carving out their own territory. If they were as united as we are, do you think Granny Hui would have come begging at our Dang Pu's door?

Hui Moqiong originally intended to go negotiate with Granny Hui, so he definitely needed to do his homework beforehand.

What's more, there's also his sister Hui Yumo.

He knows far more than we do.

That's also right.

With a Hui Immortal Hall that large, if they were united and mobilized everyone, how could they fear a Nine Heavens Soul-Locking Formation?

Hui Moqiong continued speaking: "Hui Xiaotiao has been trapped in the Formation Array for over a hundred years. In that time, it's been enough for his uncles and aunts to greatly expand their own power. By the time he returns alive, even with Old Lady Hui there, can he die a good death?"

"Old Lady Hui…… she's old after all!"

The words are rough but the reasoning is sound; we cannot refute Hui Moqiong's words.

"I'm still looking into one more thing; I haven't reached a definite conclusion yet." Hui Moqiong rubbed his nose and said, "If the clues are correct, that corpse fiend should have been created by his second uncle."

Ah?

Li Qingying and I stared wide-eyed in shock.

Liu Junyan seemed relatively calm; Hui Moqiong must have already told him earlier.

We sat down around the table, and Liu Junyan said: "So regarding the matter of Prosperous City, we cannot rely on Old Lady Hui; tonight she rushed back hastily, likely to purge the entire Grey Immortal Hall before the operation."

Hui Moqiong then realized: "This is a great purge! Will my younger sister be caught up in it?"