Chapter 264

This question is somewhat tricky; I actually had an answer in my heart before asking, but I still wanted to hear Liu Junyan's thoughts.

Liu Junyan thought seriously for a moment, then said frankly: 'If she can break through her inner demon, smoothly pass this hundred-year soul-piercing tribulation, and truly wishes to return to the pawnshop, I should give her this opportunity, of course there will be a probation period.'

He paused, then Liu Junyan added: 'Xiao Jiu, this world is not simply black and white; I believe that the Copper Coin People gathering the Five Blessings Immortals back then was no coincidence. For the pawnshop and for Wufu Town, each of them could be crucial, even indispensable.'

When Mo Qiong returned, I too had firmly believed that white and yellow must be abandoned, but now, as many things have deepened, my views and thoughts keep changing; Xiao Jiu, can you understand me?

'Āyàn, my thoughts are the same as yours,' I said. 'I also think this world is not black and white; it is a world where cooperation and profit are supreme. If Bai Shulan is useful to us, we will accept her, but the premise is that she must deserve this position.'

Liu Junyan's tightly knit brows finally relaxed; he happily embraced me, saying: 'Xiao Jiu, our hearts are in sync—this is the greatest fortune of my life.'

I let him hold me, and softly said in his embrace: 'Āyàn, after we return from Changshi, find a chance to take Bai Shulan to the west wing.'

Let her meet the Copper Coin People.

Let her release the obsession in her heart.

I think this could be an opportunity for her to overcome her inner demon.

Liu Junyan pondered briefly, then agreed: 'Okay.'

Time passed quickly.

I adjusted my mindset, memorized that list, and then began studying the witchcraft notes left by the Great Witch.

Every day I set aside some time to meditate.

Heat continually filled my lower abdomen—that was inner strength, true qi.

Before returning to Cangwu Mountain, Liu Junyan had taught me a cultivation method, but perhaps due to my deficient spiritual bones, the effect had always been minimal.

On the contrary, dual cultivation worked somewhat better.

It's a pity that we have spent so little time together...

After my mother's inner elixir merged into my body, I felt as if the Ren and Du meridians had been opened, and progress was visible to the naked eye.

Moreover, the rotted spot on my right cheek has grown new flesh and begun to scab.

Everything is improving.

This gives me a feeling that heaven is still favoring me.

The day before preparing to go to Changshi, Liu Junyan returned from the Linghai Dragon Palace once, and I received a parcel brought by my senior sister Yu Nian.

I opened the parcel and found a thick stack of talisman paper, along with some peace talismans.

I can also draw talismans, but compared to Yu Nian, mine are practically child's play.

Yu Nian is the true orthodox inheritor of the Yu lineage.

Her foundation, brush strength, and focus when drawing talismans are beyond what ordinary people can match.

What's even more precious is that she has always had me in her heart.

Knowing I was going to Changshi, she actually prepared so many self-defense items for me; having such a senior sister makes me feel supremely happy.

I immediately called Yu Nian to thank her for the talisman paper; she gave many reminders over the phone before finally hanging up.

I took some talisman paper and peace talismans and gave them to Li Qingying for her to keep for self-defense.

Li Qingying is our strong rear; her safety is also crucial to us.

Fortunately, the pawnshop still has the Red Flag Child and the mystic cat accompanying Li Qingying; if Fu Wan could also fully awaken later... I have witnessed Fu Wan's abilities, and I look forward to her joining.

Liu Junyan returned at dinnertime, actually bringing back a small bottle of dragon bone blood and urging me to drink it.

Once I got busy, I forgot about it.

Fortunately, there's Liu Junyan, who always keeps my affairs in mind.

I asked him: 'Who did you get this dragon bone blood from?'

Liu Junyan replied: 'Xiao Ge.'

I exclaimed in surprise: 'Isn't Xiaoye locked up? How did he manage that?'

'He, even if he makes a huge mistake, in the Linghai Dragon King's heart he is still brave and resourceful,' Liu Junyan said. 'He will definitely be locked up, and punishment will certainly not be lenient, but there will always be a limit; as long as he causes a fuss, he will still get what he wants… except for Zhong Qiuqiu.'

I didn't understand: 'Why? Xiaoye loves Qiuqiu so much, why would he prevent them from being together?'

When I asked that, I was thinking that Zhong Qiuqiu's imprisonment in the Linghai Dragon Clan's forbidden grounds was probably something like being forced apart.

But Liu Junyan's face instantly darkened.

I realized my question might have overstepped; I was about to apologize and change the subject, but I didn't expect Liu Junyan to take my hand, look at me earnestly, and say: 'Xiao Jiu, after we return from Changshi, I will tell you the full story of Zhong Qiuqiu.'

I quickly replied: 'Okay.'

·

The next morning, before dawn, we set out.

Liu Junyan drove while I leaned against the passenger seat back and caught a bit of sleep.

Around six o'clock, my phone rang—it was Hui Moqiong calling; I hurried to answer.

Hui Moqiong's voice immediately sounded: 'Xiao Jiu'er, last night the Hall of Gray Immortals rioted; Gray Elder Two wanted to seize power, and most of the Jiangxiang affair was his doing!'

'Can you contain it?' I suddenly grew nervous, asking, 'Have you intervened?'

Hui Moqiong said: 'That guy is slippery like a loach; although the Hall of Gray Immortals held firm, Gray Elder Two fled. Seventh Lord had instructed that I not intervene at all.'

'Right, you did the right thing,' I said. 'This is their internal affair of the Hall of Gray Immortals; as long as the Gray Elder Matriarch can hold her own, we must not over-intervene.'

The Gray Elder Matriarch is very shrewd; she has cultivated dead warriors in her hands, and Gray Elder Two didn't know, so he suffered a setback.' Hui Moqiong said this with some pride: 'Of course, Yu Mo is also formidable; last night the Gray Elder Matriarch held the fort, Yu Mo took the vanguard, that aura was even more imposing than mine as the elder brother—this child has truly grown up.'

I was not surprised.

Anyone who can make the Gray Elder Matriarch willingly relinquish power couldn't be an ordinary person.

I merely feel relieved that this child, so young, got lost but didn't go astray.

These past few days, Hui Moqiong has been reporting daily to us about events in Changshi; I and Liu Junyan predicted that the Hall of Gray Immortals might riot a day or two before the Jiangxiang tribulation, and indeed it happened as expected.

Gray Elder Two is named Hui Cong, true to his name—very clever. After the incident with Xiao Tiao, he has been helping the Gray Elder Matriarch manage the Hall of Gray Immortals.

If the Jiangxiang affair was indeed done by Hui Cong, then if the Hall of Gray Immortals truly falls into his hands, we don't know what it will become in the future.

I have to say, old ginger is still spicy.

By rights, given Hui Cong's ability, he shouldn't have missed the fact that Hui Lao Tai was keeping dead warriors in her hands.

But he still didn't notice.

This shows that this group of dead warriors had been nurtured by Hui Lao Tai long ago, lying in wait, just waiting for Hui Cong to emerge and bring about his own demise...