Chapter 69: I

As soon as Xiaoye was mentioned, Li Qingying's whole body went tense.

She gripped the steering wheel with both hands, stared straight ahead, and after a while she took a deep breath and said, "Xiaoye is the most unscrupulous existence in the Linghai Dragon Clan; he and Seventh Lord are two completely different kinds of people."

Seventh Lord follows the rules, knows when to advance or retreat, treats people kindly, and focuses wholeheartedly on cultivation, whereas Xiaoye… actually I have seen him very few times before.

He's either causing trouble outside or being locked up in confinement; he fears neither heaven nor earth, puts no one in his eyes. I heard that once, when the Dragon King held a banquet, he somehow provoked him, and Xiaoye directly overturned the table…

I never expected Xiaoye to be such an unconventional person.

But I inexplicably feel that someone like him lives with enough abandon, making people envious.

Yes, I envy Xiaoye.

Because I've been cautious and timid since childhood, afraid of causing trouble—let alone overturning tables, I rarely even raise my voice in an argument.

I muttered, "Being able to live that arrogantly shows he has enough arrogance as his backing."

Li Qingying gave a noncommittal response and continued, "Xiaoye keeps a sense of aloofness toward everyone; look at his black robe, he never shows his face. Seeing him frightens me to death. Last time Seventh Lord sent me to fetch something from him…"

Upon saying that, Li Qingying immediately fell silent again.

I was curious, but I had already asked her about this.

She didn't want to talk, so I didn't press further.

The car sped along, and I leaned against the seat, half-asleep.

After all, we'd been tossing about half the night, I was injured, and I could barely hold on.

But just as we entered Wufu Town's territory, Li Qingying suddenly slammed the brakes; I was startled awake and nervously asked, "What's wrong?"

"Someone's ahead," Li Qingying said. "A child ghost."

I quickly sat up straight and looked forward.

In the darkness, at the outermost edge illuminated by the car's headlights, right in the middle of the road, there indeed stood a child.

It was a little boy, about eight or nine years old, with all his hair gathered into a topknot tied with a wooden hairpin.

He wore a dark red long robe, with a white sash wrapped around his waist.

Some characters were embroidered on the sash, but from afar they were hard to make out.

He was barefoot, and there were bloodstains on the ground beneath his feet.

As I was sizing him up, he quickly walked toward the car.

Soon he stood outside my window and politely knocked on the glass.

Although I've been through all sorts of chaotic things, I'm no longer afraid of these.

But tonight is different.

In the dead of night, Li Qingying and I went through a major battle, both seriously injured, and can't endure any more turmoil.

But if we don't open the window, it'll be hard to shake off this child ghost.

"Open it," Li Qingying said. "He seems to have no ill intent."

I weighed it and still lowered the window.

The child ghost immediately asked, "Sister, can you lend me 33 silver dollars?"

Silver dollars?

They're rarely seen nowadays.

I have a few in the pawn shop for collection; I certainly wouldn't carry them around.

Besides, 33 is far too many.

I shook my head: "Sorry, I don't have any."

The child ghost was a bit disappointed but not discouraged, then turned to Li Qingying and asked, "Sister, can you lend me 33 silver dollars?"

Li Qingying also refused: "I don't have any."

The child ghost gave an "oh," then slipped to the side of the road.

Li Qingying pressed the accelerator and the car shot forward.

I couldn't help but look back and saw the child ghost still standing quietly by the roadside, as if waiting for the next vehicle.

He really had no ill intent.

But why is he so insistent on borrowing 33 silver dollars?

Is this some kind of obsession from his life?

Looking back, I couldn't help but mutter, this stretch of road upon entering Wufu Town is truly sinister; I've already run into trouble here several times.

The first time, I hitched a ride on Huangxian's wind‑blown carriage and was rescued here by the Fox Lord.

The second time, on this stretch of road I was shot with an arrow by a girl who resembled Ali.

The third time, I encountered this child ghost again.

This road… might have been unclean in its past.

After finally making it back to the pawn shop, Li Qingying and I rushed to take a shower, cleaned up, then applied medicine to each other, and only after lying down on the bed did I inexplicably feel a bit down.

I had thought I'd be able to see Liu Junyan as soon as I got back.

But upon second thought, I started to worry.

Xiaoye was able to rush to Jiyu Si in time to save us because Liu Junyan asked him to.

Could it be that they made some kind of deal between them?

Liu Junyan… is he alright?

After thinking, I got up from bed again, took that piece of golden scale, and went to the main hall.

I placed the golden scale on the main hall's altar, lit three sticks of yellow incense, and bowed before the black coffin.

Before I could leave, a gust of yin wind rose in the main hall.

Immediately I saw black energy coiling around the golden scale, emitting a faint fishy odor.

I frowned, and that Second Master Liu's cultivation path was indeed not clean.

This piece of Golden Scale fell into his hand, actually stained with so much yin and evil qi.

However, the black aura on the Golden Scale was soon devoured clean, leaving only a layer of Golden Light coiling around.

I closed the door of the main house and went back to sleep with peace of mind.

The next morning, when I came back to the main house, I saw that the Golden Scale on the offering table had disappeared.

It must have been taken away by Liu Junyan.

Li Qingying and I rested at home for two days, and our injuries recovered quite well.

On the third day at noon, I received a call from Jin Wuya, who invited us to tea at a teahouse.

This time, Li Qingying and I went together.

It was still that private room; Jin Wuya seemed in a good mood, today he not only ordered clear tea, but also thoughtfully ordered several desserts.

Li Qingying and I sat side by side, and Jin Wuya briefly told us about the follow-up handling of Jiyu Si, as well as Master Huichuan's help in performing rites for his master.

He praised Master Huichuan without cease.

"The boulder that had weighed on my heart for over twenty years has finally been moved; I've never felt this light." Jin Wuya laughed, "This is also thanks to Xiao Jiu Zhanggui."

Li Qingying raised her eyebrows and gave a light cough.

Jin Wuya immediately tried to please, saying, "Of course, it also wouldn't have been possible without Miss Li's strong assistance."

Li Qingying nudged me under the table without changing her expression.

I understood her meaning; she wanted me to strike while the iron was hot and bring Jin Wuya into the pawnshop.

But Jin Wuya still arranged to meet me at this teahouse today—doesn't that already make his position clear?

He wouldn't even step through the pawnshop's door; he simply didn't want to get involved in this muddy affair.

Li Qingying saw I had no response, grew a bit anxious, and said to herself, "Jin Wuya, this cooperation has been pleasant; you're also a lone soul now—would you like to come work at our pawnshop?"

Jin Wuya blinked, then gave an embarrassed smile and said, "Miss Li, I appreciate your kindness; as you said, I'm a lone soul, used to being carefree, I dislike restraints, so I still won't take a position at the pawnshop—but for any matter in the pawnshop where I'm needed, I will not shirk responsibility."

I patted Li Qingying's hand under the table, telling her to stay calm.

Such a promise is already enough.

Jin Wuya said, bending over to lift a box from the inside and pushing it toward me, saying, "Xiao Jiu Zhanggui, this contains two million; the pomegranate carving and the 'Jie Lie' plaque have already been sold—this is your share of the profits."

Two million!

Back then we agreed that when the items sold, the proceeds would be split fifty-fifty.

In other words, he sold those two items for four million!

That's too impressive, right?

Before I could even praise him, Jin Wuya pushed two cloth bundles toward me and Li Qingying, saying, "These two items are my long‑time treasures; I give them to you both as thanks for your various help over this period."

He really is too polite.

Under Jin Wuya's expectant gaze, Li Qingying and I opened the cloth bundles in person.

Li Qingying's cloth bundle contained a bottle of brown liquid, like some kind of oil, presumably for maintaining her whip.

She obviously liked it.

The moment I opened my cloth bundle, I flushed all over.

Inside my cloth bundle was actually a tiger penis.

It was even more……majestic……than the one I had exchanged for from Jin Wuya's hands at the ghost market.