Chapter 528: Your treasure has fallen out

I thought it over, and it seems to be this principle.

Yin Dang Hang has reopened for business; Fan Chen's cinnabar spirit bones have all been retrieved; a cinnabar spirit bone of his is buried in Yu Nian's body, directly altering her constitution; he temporarily cultivates using her body, and he will surely make a comeback.

Even if he wants revenge, for such a deep grudge he will certainly do it himself, and he won't need to use me much.

On the contrary, I can use the remaining blank pawn ticket to have him handle things for me.

Furthermore, with Yu Nian present, I expect Fan Chen won't cause any mischief.

Lastly, our enemies are likely the same, and this remains a win-win cooperation opportunity.

Thinking this through, I no longer insist.

Then he wondered aloud: "Since you attained Daoist form and transformation under the lingering grace of the Chenghuang Temple, and you're on good terms with the City God personally, why, after all these years, has the City God never redressed grievances for you or Yin Dang Hang? Didn't you ask him?"

I think, after all, the City God's desire to intervene still falls within his authority.

Fan Chen laughed: "Xiao Jiu, you're wrong. That thing indeed appeared in Yin Dang Hang back then; who can prove it was brought in from outside rather than obtained by Yin Dang Hang's own means? Yin Dang Hang has a hundred mouths but cannot defend itself."

If someone really tries to prosecute this case, the matter will be proven; if mishandled, this blame will ultimately fall on me and Yin Dang Hang. Better to let it remain a pending case, await the right moment, for I still have the chance to personally avenge myself and Yin Dang Hang. Do you understand this reasoning?

I suddenly understood.

From the start, the other side dared to frame Yin Dang Hang, intending to cement this situation; they aren't afraid of Yin Dang Hang causing a fuss—they're afraid it won't cause a fuss.

The City God's turning a blind eye is actually the best protection for Yin Dang Hang and Fan Chen.

Of course, this non-interference doesn't mean the matter is truly closed in the City God's eyes.

Otherwise, on last New Year's Eve, the Cangwu Dark Seal wouldn't have ended up in my hands.

The City God possesses great wisdom.

Having figured this out, I stated my purpose for tonight: "There's also something about the evil bone—I don't know if you've heard of it."

I briefly explained the relationship between the phoenix and the evil bone to Fan Chen; he shook his head: "I'm not clear on that, but if the chance arises I'll ask the City God for you."

Thud—

The door was suddenly knocked on, and someone outside said: "Proprietor, Boss Qu has come, as usual asking to go up to the second floor; if there's something, please help me appraise it."

Fan Chen immediately lowered his voice and said: "Here they come! I knew this old trick was surely aimed at our Yin Dang Hang! They're still greedy, wanting my whole body of cinnabar spirit bones."

I frowned: "If they want the cinnabar spirit bones so badly, why didn't they use them right away after obtaining them?"

"The timing wasn't ripe back then." Fan Chen said, "Moreover, I reckon they discovered that simply using the bone couldn't achieve the desired effect, so this time they intend to abduct the whole person."

I suddenly understood: "So the patchwork monster they previously sent into the abyss before Yin Dang Hang was an experiment to imitate your birth?"

Fan Chen nodded: "Trying to imitate me with such an ugly thing is both disgusting and utterly absurd."

Outside, the assistant repeated what had just been said.

Fan Chen muttered something quietly to Yu Nian, who then took control of this body and replied: "Please have Boss Qu wait below; I'll go down right away."

The assistant said: "Boss Qu says the items he brought today are very precious; downstairs there are many people and mixed eyes..."

Yu Nian didn't let the assistant finish speaking, interrupting: "Just do as I say."

The assistant acknowledged with a sound and turned to go downstairs.

Yu Nian stood up and said: "Xiao Jiu, the show is about to begin; come down with me to take a look."

I certainly couldn't ask for more.

I actually want to see what old trick this is, worth them playing a second time.

"Wait a moment for me."

Yu Nian said, turning to the rear wall, she moved a few panels on the wall; with a boom, a door opened in the wall.

There's a hidden chamber!

Yu Nian entered the hidden chamber, took out a dark-colored box from inside, closed the door, and everything returned to its original state.

Then she called to me: "Xiao Jiu, let's go."

I really wanted to ask what was inside the box, but Yu Nian didn't say; surely she has her purpose.

As we went down the stairs, I heard arguing voices from below.

"I'm a regular customer of Yin Dang Hang; I've come many times, each time going up to the second floor to trade face‑to‑face with the proprietor. Why can't I do that this time? And what is this? It never happened before—you're discriminating!"

"Yin Dang Hang has just reopened, and we have a new proprietor; naturally there are new rules—this is our new rule, please understand, Boss Qu."

Lao San's temper today is really good to an unbelievable degree.

No matter how the visitor causes a fuss, he explains calmly without arrogance or impatience; if this were before, his long sword would probably already be at that person's neck.

By the time we reached the stairwell turn, I saw clearly that about one and a half meters inside the Yin Dang Hang entrance, a transparent barrier protected it.

When customers want to go upstairs, Lao San simply does not withdraw the barrier; Hu Yulin stands with arms crossed leaning on the doorframe, watching the show.

It's obvious that Yin Dang Hang has reopened; everyone knows the proprietor has changed, but they don't know that the proprietor's body still harbors a native spirit.

This is the fundamental reason they dare to repeat their old tricks.

Lao San is a confidant and a capable aide; he has a role in this play and was trained in advance.

According to Fan Chen's account, the other side's target this time is whoever possesses the cinnabar spirit bone, and Yu Nian is exactly their target for this operation.

I stood in the dark corner of the turn; Yu Nian went downstairs, withdrew the barrier, and scolded: "Lao San, visitors are customers, and Boss Qu is an honored guest of our Yin Dang Hang; our new rule is to restrain those with ill intent, not to stop honored guests like Boss Qu—do you understand?"

Lao San nodded in agreement.

Boss Qu immediately exclaimed proudly: "Proprietor, I've just obtained a fine treasure; let's talk upstairs."

He turned sideways, eager to go upstairs first, and bumped into Yu Nian.

With a thud, something fell to the ground.

I stared wide‑eyed in astonishment.

Boss Qu was too anxious, intent on going upstairs, perhaps not noticing anything yet; but I stood at the stairwell turn between the first and second floors, looking down, and saw everything clearly.

At the instant Yu Nian collided with him, a reddish‑dark little hand reached into Boss Qu's pocket and pulled out a box.

The next moment, an identical box fell to the ground.

It is clearly the one that Yu Nian just took out from the dark room.

The box hit the ground, and its lid opened a crack.

Yu Nian cried out: "Boss Qu, your treasure fell out."

Boss Qu instinctively bent down to pick it up.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside.

Nether Realm netherworld official handling the case, all idle people step back...

As the words fell, another neat, uniform footsteps sounded.

Soon, another netherworld official holding a token stood at the gate of Yin Dang Hang, with the same words: "Nether Realm netherworld official handling the case, all idle people step back..."