Chapter 52

Chapter 52

I looked back at the Clerk. A long line had formed at the counter again, and he was processing transactions at a leisurely pace, completely undisturbed by the little episode that had just occurred.

It wasn’t realistic to go back and ask him anything more now.

This wasn’t something that could be settled in one go, anyway. The Clerk was clearly tight-lipped, but there would be plenty of time in the future.

Since I had accomplished what I came for tonight, I planned to head back with Li Qingying.

Before we had gone very far, I suddenly spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.

A moon-white robe, a folding fan in hand, standing with his arms behind his back-who else could it be but the Fox Lord?

Just as I was about to call out a greeting, a girl on the other side approached him affectionately. She wore a black and red archery suit and had her hair tied in a high ponytail. Holding a candied hawthorn stick, she chirped, “Brother Hu…”

The two of them stood very close, whispering about something.

The streets were a chaotic mix of people, and I only caught a glimpse of the girl’s profile. She seemed strangely familiar, as if I had seen her somewhere before.

Li Qingying also saw the Fox Lord. She gave me a tug. “Don’t look. He’s busy.”

I snapped out of it, smiled, and said, “Yeah. Let’s not bother him then. Let’s go.”

As we passed the stall where I had previously traded a Pen for a Tiger Whip, we actually ran into that lean, sturdy stall owner again.

He was packing up his stall; his goods always seemed to be in high demand.

He recognized me as well and immediately called out, “Boss, do you have any good items to trade today?”

I thought about it and replied, “I do, but it looks like you’re closing up. I’m afraid you have nothing left to trade with me.”

The man laughed. “That doesn’t matter. A deal doesn’t necessarily have to be made in the Ghost Market. There’s a Teahouse over there. I’ll treat you both to some tea, and we can chat?”

Li Qingying and I exchanged a look. She nodded, and we headed to the Teahouse together.

The man ordered three cups of green tea, and we found a quiet corner to sit down.

We introduced ourselves.

The man’s surname was Jin, and his name was Jin Wuya.

As soon as we sat down, Jin Wuya said warmly, “What kind of treasures did Miss Xiao Jiu bring into the Ghost Market this time? Could I have a look first?”

I lifted a corner of the black cloth covering the ‘Jielie’ Plaque and the Pomegranate Carvings, letting Jin Wuya catch a careful glimpse before quickly putting them away.

Jin Wuya clearly knew his stuff. His eyes lit up instantly, and he lowered his voice. “If I’m not mistaken, these were taken from a Chastity Arch, right? They must be at least a hundred years old?”

I felt a sense of appreciation for Jin Wuya.

Even if this lean man wasn’t a Guijiang, his sharp eyes alone would make him a powerful asset if I could recruit him into the Pawnshop.

But…

Though I was desperate for talent, it wasn’t the right time for the Pawnshop to hire anyone yet, and Jin Wuya wasn’t the type of person who could be easily recruited.

With that in mind, I changed the subject. “Boss Jin, there’s something I’d like to ask you first.”

Jin Wuya’s mind was still on my two items, so he asked distractedly, “What is it?”

“About that Pen from last time,” I said. “I saw the news. In just one short month, that lawyer named Chen Lu went through such extreme highs and lows. Was it because of that Pen?”

“What could be wrong with the Pen? I refined it with my own hands,” Jin Wuya said, sounding frustrated by the user’s failure. “When I sold it to that woman, I told her everything she needed to know. After owning that Pen, she was only supposed to take on legitimate cases and eliminate evil for the people. Her luck was clearly on the rise, but who told her to be so greedy? She couldn’t resist the temptation of money and went off to help people fight crooked lawsuits. She suffered a backlash. She got what she deserved!”

So that was it.

I asked again, “Then how do you plan to use these two items in my hands?”

Jin Wuya’s mouth twitched, and he didn’t answer immediately.

I understood at once and smiled. “I was just asking. Don’t be nervous, Boss Jin. I’m not the type of person who would arbitrarily hike up the price.”
Jin Wuya finally spoke. “These two items have many uses.

“Pomegranates have symbolized having many children and grandchildren since ancient times; they can be sold to those who have struggled with fertility for years. As for the ‘Jielie’ Plaque, it has even more uses, primarily in helping people stabilize their romantic relationships.

“Of course, both of these items must first pass through my hands for refinement before their true functions can be unlocked. In Shopkeeper Xiao Jiu’s hands, they aren’t worth much at all.”

Li Qingying had told me before that a Guijiang’s craftsmanship was the most valuable thing of all.

Jin Wuya was right. If these two items stayed with me, I could either treat them as antiques and ask Tang Tang to help me sell them-though they wouldn’t fetch much-or I could leave them in the Main Hall to feed those Dirty Things.

But after Jin Wuya’s modifications, they could sell for hundreds of thousands, or even a million. Anything was possible.

I wanted to cooperate with Jin Wuya, but naturally, it wasn’t mainly for the money.

I patted the two items and said, “Boss Jin, I felt an immediate rapport with you when we met, and our last cooperation was very pleasant. I would very much like to give these two items to you.”

Jin Wuya raised an eyebrow and asked, “If Miss Xiao Jiu has any requests, please feel free to ask.”

I pulled a piece of paper from my bag, unfolded it, and pushed it toward Jin Wuya.

On that paper was a picture of the Golden Scale I had drawn in advance.

Liu Junyan’s Lifebound Artifact had once been embedded with seven Golden Scales. Now that I had accidentally obtained one, I had no idea where the other six had ended up.

Even though Liu Junyan told me not to look for them, I knew all too well what a Lifebound Artifact meant to a cultivator.

Without Fengwu’s help, how could I have dealt with those Little Ghosts in the Wu Family mansion?

So, no matter what, I would do everything in my power to help Liu Junyan find them.

Jin Wuya was well-traveled and knowledgeable; I might be able to get some useful information from him.

This was also the reason I had brought those two items into the Ghost Market tonight.

Jin Wuya stared at the picture of the Golden Scale, his brow furrowed. “If I’m not mistaken, this should be… a Golden Scale? From a Dragon?”

From a Dragon?

This was something I hadn’t anticipated.

Before I could answer, Jin Wuya was already shaking his head to himself. “Miss Xiao Jiu, you’re making things difficult for me. Even though I have many friends in this trade, where am I supposed to get a Dragon Scale for you?”

“Boss Jin, you’ve misunderstood,” I explained. “In our transactions, I provide the quality items, and you can exchange them for Pure Yang or Pure Yin objects. Of course, if you have any information regarding the Golden Scales, you can also use that to trade for my items. This offer is valid at any time and over the long term.”

Jin Wuya’s eyes darted back and forth as if he were silently weighing something. After a long while, he finally spoke. “Speaking of this Golden Scale… twenty-some years ago, I actually did see one once…”

My heart skipped a beat. Just as I was about to ask for details, the people drinking tea around us suddenly stood up in a hurry and headed outside.

Li Qingying warned, “Xiao Jiu, the time to leave the Ghost Market is almost up. We have to leave immediately.”

Jin Wuya said hurriedly, “Miss Xiao Jiu, leave your contact information. We’ll get in touch outside.”

I grabbed a pen and quickly scribbled the Pawnshop’s address and my phone number on the drawing of the Golden Scale.

Then, I followed Li Qingying and hurried away.

After exiting the Ghost Market, Li Qingying drove me back to the Pawnshop in her Off-road Vehicle. She was about to turn around and leave immediately.

I repeatedly urged her to be careful and not to come back covered in injuries again.

I watched the Off-road Vehicle drive away. It was nearly four in the morning. I closed the Pawnshop’s main doors and went back to my bedroom to wash up and sleep.

Once I had finished and was sitting on the edge of the bed drying my hair, my eyes swept over the painting hanging in the room.

It was the painting Fengwu had given to Tang Xun, which Tang Xun had then given to me.

Looking at the girl in the painting-wearing a mask, holding a Longbow, and dressed in archery gear-my movements suddenly stiffened.

She looked like her!

She looked far too much like her!

The profile of the girl in the painting was almost identical to the profile of the girl who had been by the Fox Lord’s side tonight…