When the shopkeeper saw that it was the same young master from last time, his face immediately lit up with a smile: "Oh, it's Young Master Li! What brings you here? You've come at the right time. We've recently received some new items. Please come in."

With that, he led Li Xi into the shop.

Li Xi smiled slightly, nodded, and followed the shopkeeper inside.

Her gaze swept across the shop, suddenly landing on an inconspicuous stone. She walked over, picked it up, and asked curiously, "Is there anything special about this stone?"

When the shopkeeper saw that Li Xi was interested in the stone, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

He explained with a smile, "This stone may look ordinary, but it's actually a piece of jade that has undergone special treatment. If you look closely, you'll find that its texture and luster are quite unique. This is a new arrival in our shop, and it's very popular."

This is probably a fake, a scam, but to play the part of being ignorant, she bought it anyway, picking out quite a few more, spending nearly five thousand taels of silver, feeling a slight pang of regret.

"Oh, this looks really nice." Li Xi smiled innocently. "I'll take this stone, and wrap up the others too, I'll take them with me."

Upon hearing Li Xi's words, a hint of joy flashed in the shopkeeper's eyes. He knew this young master was generous, and this time he was about to make a fortune again.

So he quickly instructed the waiter to pack the selected items and carefully hand them to Li Xi.

Li Xi took the package, generously pulled out a stack of silver notes, counted them, and handed them to the shopkeeper: "This is five thousand taels, that should be enough."

The shopkeeper took the silver notes, his smile widening even more. He nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's enough, that's enough."

However, she wasn't in a hurry to leave. Instead, she quietly asked, "Shopkeeper, do you still have that thing from last time? But do you have any more powerful ones?"

Just as the shopkeeper was about to see Li Xi off, she suddenly stopped and asked softly, "Shopkeeper, do you still have that thing you mentioned last time? Do you have anything better?"

The shopkeeper was slightly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

But he quickly regained his composure, smiled mysteriously, and said, "Young Master Li is truly a discerning person. May I ask which kind of item you are referring to?"

Li Xi's heart stirred, knowing that the shopkeeper had understood her meaning.

She smiled slightly, pretending to be completely unaware, and said, "It's the kind you recommended to me last time. I think it works pretty well, and I'd like to try something even stronger."

A sly glint flashed in the shopkeeper's eyes, but he maintained his smile and said, "I see. Young Master Li certainly knows how to enjoy life. However, such things are quite rare and expensive. I wonder if Young Master Li would be willing to pay a higher price?"

Li Xi understood that the shopkeeper was testing her limits.

She smiled slightly and said generously, "As long as the product is good, the price is not a problem."

Upon hearing Li Xi's words, the shopkeeper was secretly delighted, knowing that he could make a fortune again this time.

So, he deliberately kept everyone in suspense and said, "In that case, please wait a moment, Young Master Li, while I go and prepare it for you."

He then instructed the waiter to treat Li Xi well before returning to the backyard alone.

"Sir, a generous young master is looking for some excitement, I wonder..."

Upon hearing this, Master Huang's lips curled into a smug smile. He waved his hand, beckoning the shopkeeper to come closer, and whispered, "Go, bring out my newly arrived treasures. This time, we're going to rip him off."

The shopkeeper acknowledged and left, returning to the guest room.

Seeing Li Xi still sipping tea, he was delighted. "Young master, the things are ready. Please follow me."

He respectfully led Li Xi into a dark room, and just like last time, they turned and twisted their way to a mansion.

Under the innkeeper's arrangement, Li Xi lay down in an exquisitely decorated private room, where the innkeeper handed her a pipe...

Half an hour passed, and Li Xi felt her body getting lighter and lighter, as if she might float away at any moment.

But she remained clear-headed, constantly alert to changes around her.

Just then, the shopkeeper suddenly spoke up, "Young Master Li, how are you feeling?"

Li Xi's heart skipped a beat, knowing that this was the moment the shopkeeper was testing her.

She pretended to be dazed and replied, "I'm okay, just a little dizzy."

The shopkeeper smiled slightly, seemingly satisfied with Li Xi's answer.

He continued, "This is a normal reaction; it will be fine in a little while. Mr. Li, rest assured, everything here is the best; we guarantee you will be satisfied."

Li Xi sneered inwardly, knowing the meaning behind the shopkeeper's words.

But she didn't intend to show it; she simply nodded to indicate that she understood.

At this moment, she felt her body completely relaxed, as if she were floating on a cloud.

By the time we left the mansion and returned to the inn, night had already fallen.

Li Xi was utterly exhausted, as if the drugs in the opium pipe had drained all her energy.

She lay in bed, replaying everything that had happened in her mind, and a wave of fear washed over her.

The effects of smoking are extremely strong, and long-term use may gradually weaken one's health.

She was a little careless this time, but fortunately the shopkeeper did not see through her true identity and still regarded her as a gold ingot.

According to the disciples, Huang Er is still in the antique shop today and shows no signs of leaving.

This makes one wonder if he has moved from the secret room to another location, and it seems necessary to go there in person to investigate.

"Two-six, three-seven, you two keep watch at those two spots. I'll be right back." She picked up the spoon around her neck, indicating that they should blow it if anything happened.

After saying that, she slipped into the antique shop in the middle of the night when everyone else was sound asleep.

The shop was pitch black, with only faint moonlight filtering through the windows and casting dappled shadows on the floor.

She was all too familiar with Huang Er's presence, but at this moment, the shop was completely empty.

She went around the backyard and found the shop assistant inside fast asleep; he usually stayed in the shop.

However, to ensure his safety, Li Xi decided to use a sleeping potion so that he could sleep peacefully until dawn.

Then, she moved as lightly as a cat to the entrance of the secret room and gently pushed the door open.

The darkness inside seemed to swallow everything, making it impossible for her to see anything.

With her keen intuition, she found the house in no time.

The courtyard was quiet at this moment; the guests had long since left, and various tobacco pipes were scattered around the house.

A fragrance filled the air, a scent unique to the room.

She took out a luminous pearl the size of a fist from her backpack, and the room was now somewhat lit. She could also see the various kinds of opium paste stored in the storeroom.