Chapter 258
Chapter 258
According to Liu Junyan, the Corpse Fiend cultivated after death by continually drawing in and cycling the spiritual energy around it. But since it had been born from a vengeful corpse, it was still a sinister creature steeped in yin and baleful energy.
The ravine itself was a geomantically auspicious place, and Liu Junyan’s Golden Scale had made its spiritual energy even more abundant. Even so… the Corpse Fiend had clearly been under someone else’s control.
Back in the ravine, Liu Junyan had caught one of the people involved, but failed to take them alive. That left us with no lead to follow.
If Old Madam Hui really was behind it, our Pawnshop would have to go up against the Gray Immortal Hall in Chang City, an organization said to be quite powerful.
That would inevitably be extremely troublesome.
But to everyone’s surprise, before we were ready to head to Chang City, someone from the Gray Immortal Hall came to us instead.
Early that morning, Hui Moqiong dragged Li Qingying off to the supermarket for a massive shopping spree.
By late morning, the two of them returned laden with bags.
They had bought all kinds of ingredients, snacks, and fruit, along with several new outfits in styles popular with young women.
Curious, I asked, “Got family coming to visit?”
To my surprise, I’d hit the nail on the head.
Hui Moqiong beamed. “Xiao Jiu’er, my sister should be here around this evening. I’ll clean out the side room across from Yingyingzi’s for her, all right? I’ll cover all her expenses while she’s here too…”
He went on and on, his joy plain for everyone to see.
His excitement was contagious. We all helped tidy up, then spent the afternoon preparing a table full of delicious dishes as we eagerly awaited her arrival.
When the moon rose above the willow branches, a black Volkswagen pulled up outside the Pawnshop.
The rear door opened, and a young woman stepped out. She bore a noticeable resemblance to Hui Moqiong and was tall, slender, and fair, with quick, light steps.
Hui Moqiong had just started forward to greet her when she walked around to the other side of the car and helped out a silver-haired old woman leaning on a Dragon-head Cane.
The moment we saw the old woman, we all froze.
Hui Moqiong had only said his sister was coming. He hadn’t mentioned an elder accompanying her.
Once the old woman was steady on her feet, she swept her gaze across the people gathered at the entrance. She first inclined her head slightly to Liu Junyan in greeting, then fixed her eyes on me.
She studied me intently for quite some time.
Hui Yumo respectfully supported the old woman as they made their way around the car toward us.
Only then did we notice that the old woman was also holding something covered with a piece of red cloth.
Judging by Hui Yumo’s respectful attitude, it wasn’t hard to guess that this old woman was Old Madam Hui, the leader of the Gray Immortal Hall she belonged to.
Old Madam Hui had actually come in person. The excitement that had filled us all afternoon instantly froze over.
Everyone automatically moved aside to clear the Pawnshop’s entrance. I stepped forward and greeted them. “Hello, Yumo. And this is…?”
Hui Yumo gave me a sweet smile. “You must be Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu. My brother is always singing your praises. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. This is Granny Hui, the head of Chang City’s Gray Immortal Hall.”
I moved to help support Old Madam Hui, but before I could offer any pleasantries, she said, “Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu, I’ve come today because I want to discuss a transaction with you. We’d better talk over there.”
With one hand gripping her cane and the other holding the covered object, she tipped her chin toward the Southern Study.
She had actually come to pawn something?
Everyone started toward the Southern Study, but Old Madam Hui waved them back.
“Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu, I will discuss this matter with you alone first. If we come to terms, you can consult them afterward. If we don’t, then simply pretend this old woman never came tonight.”
I nodded and agreed.
This was the Pawnshop — our territory. There was no need for me to be overly wary.
Hui Yumo escorted Old Madam Hui to the Southern Study, then headed to the living room.
Hui Moqiong had been waiting for her and led her to the guest room prepared for her.
Both the Southern Study’s small door facing the street and the one near the living room were shut.
Only Old Madam Hui and I remained inside.
I sat behind the counter while she sat across from me and placed a red cloth-covered object on the countertop.
I began with a polite question. “Is this the item you wish to pawn at the Pawnshop today?”
Old Madam Hui said yes and reached out to remove the red cloth.
Beneath it was a spirit tablet.
It wasn’t the kind of spirit tablet made for the deceased, but one like the tablets enshrined on the shrine in the West Room.
The name of the one being worshiped was written on it — Hui Xiaotiao.
I immediately frowned. This tablet had to belong to a member of the Gray Immortal Hall in Chang City, yet Old Madam Hui wanted to pawn it to us!
This was a hot potato if ever there was one.
If I accepted this transaction, I would have to continue worshiping the tablet from then on.
In other words, I would have to worship Hui Xiaotiao, whose name was inscribed upon it.
“This tablet was originally enshrined in the Gray Immortal Hall. Xiao Tiao is my most beloved grandson. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Gray Immortal Hall in Chang City will be handed over to him one day.”
At last, I understood why Old Madam Hui had cleared the room to speak with me alone.
Hui Xiaotiao was the designated successor of the Gray Immortal Hall in Chang City, yet Old Madam Hui now wanted to pawn his spirit tablet to the Pawnshop. If word got out, it would cause an uproar.
By speaking with me in private, even if we ultimately failed to reach an agreement, the whole thing could be treated as though it had never happened — as long as I kept quiet.
Confused, I asked, “If he’s the successor of the Gray Immortal Hall, why do you want to pawn his tablet to us?”
If I accepted the transaction and enshrined Hui Xiaotiao’s tablet, it would mean that the entire Gray Immortal Hall in Chang City would one day fall under the Pawnshop’s authority.
The idea was simply inconceivable.
Old Madam Hui gritted her teeth. “Because I want to beg Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu to save my grandson.”
My heart lurched. “What happened to Xiao Tiao?”
“I know that you went to Chang City some time ago and disturbed that auspicious site,” Old Madam Hui said. “Yumo’s brother went there again afterward, and I strictly ordered them not to touch that land. You should know about that too.”
“I do, but why?”
“That land must not be disturbed,” Old Madam Hui said. “Seventh Master placed a Seal around it. He must have seen the thing being nurtured inside.”
“He told me there was a Corpse Fiend being nurtured there, and that its fur had already turned white.”
“That’s right. It’s a Corpse Fiend,” Old Madam Hui said. “Corpse Fiends cultivate by absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy, but the auspicious site where it lies was created artificially.”
I asked, “Was it created using that Golden Scale?”
Old Madam Hui shook her head. “No. The Golden Scale was placed there later. The auspicious site was created before the Corpse Fiend was buried, more than a hundred years ago.”
I stared at Old Madam Hui in astonishment, waiting for her to continue.
“That year, Xiao Tiao was approaching his first centenary and had to face a Calamity,” Old Madam Hui recalled. “He went into seclusion in those mountains, but the people excavating the mountain disturbed him. He nearly suffered cultivation deviation and lost his life. A few miners found him. Miners have always treated the rats in their tunnels kindly, and that was how Xiao Tiao narrowly escaped death…”