Chapter 25 Why care? Why bother with people who aren't worth it...?
As soon as Fu Ming took off his mask, the mournful cries faded away, but his heart still pounded.
He noticed that the brother and sister were familiar with the shopkeeper, and thought that no matter how ruthless she was, she wouldn't harm such a young child.
He was careless.
What happened to you just now?
Xiao Huaiyuan placed his hand on Fu Ming's shoulder. The latter straightened his back and his fingers unconsciously moved to the hilt of his sword. Based on Xiao Huaiyuan's understanding of him, this was a posture of extreme vigilance.
Fu Ming, who quickly stood up from Xiao Huaiyuan's embrace, simply waved his hand.
"Let's talk outside."
Just then, the only monk in the temple approached them and handed them an empty bowl for begging: "Benefactors, according to the temple's rules, you two need to pay some incense money, two hundred high-grade spirit stones."
It's robbery! What sucker would give that much money?
As Fu Ming was thinking this, he saw two silver notes worth one hundred spirit stones float into the bowl, and Xiao Huaiyuan generously paid the bill.
Yes, there really is.
The old monk smiled broadly and clasped his hands together, saying, "If you hear any nonsense, please don't pay any attention to it. They are just wandering ghosts from the neighborhood, and they will disappear within a night."
The old monk's words seemed to have come true. After Fu Ming put the mask back on, the crying in his ears suddenly became faint, and after a scream, it all fell silent.
He only vaguely heard Fang Xiaohui's last words: "Where are you going to sell me to..."
Sell? Was she sold by human traffickers in the ghost market? But there are countless frail orphans like her everywhere, and half-demons have always been despised by the world. What is there to buy or sell?
Fu Ming frowned and immediately used his lightness skill to pull Xiao Huaiyuan up to the top of the Ghost Market.
A light crimson veil fluttered through the crowd. As night fell, palace lanterns lit up, illuminating two graceful figures that drew the attention of passersby.
Their steps were light and agile, but their movements were quite strange. They browsed through all the open-air stalls, glanced at them briefly, and then left.
"This isn't the place that sells magic robes. What's the point of designing a Heaven-Rank Fire-Type Defense Magic Robe like a bellyband?"
"This isn't the place that sells elixirs. Why is the stall owner actively trying to sell me this 'Hehuan Powder' that makes my tongue glisten with juice when I put it in my mouth?"
"Selling spirit ore? This is finally a legitimate spirit ore. Hey, this thousand-year-old black gold ore crystal was smuggled out of your Tianyan Sect, wasn't it?"
...
To avoid being overheard, Fu Ming and Xiao Huaiyuan only communicated through their spiritual senses.
Although they had searched the ghost market twice, they found no trace of the sale of live animals. This made sense, as the cries of the living could not be easily silenced. The only thing left to investigate were the buildings perched on the cliff face.
Xiao Huaiyuan: "I know you're anxious, but we still need to be careful. Since arriving here, I haven't detected any spiritual energy fluctuations from anyone."
Fu Ming, who was experienced in many battles, naturally noticed this as well: "It's the strange thing about this mask."
Looking around, everyone in the ghost market had their faces covered with gray-white masks, making them look like vengeful ghosts who had died violently. He had just secretly taken stock of the market, which sold a wide variety of demonic products, including the Infant Corpse Fruit and Human Head Ore, which were only produced in the Demon Abyss. There must be high-level demonic cultivators hiding here, but he couldn't sense any demonic energy at all.
Ordinary incense ash has no such effect; it must be something invented by the inventive Lord Yun, which is probably even more troublesome to deal with.
The warm, starlight-like light stretched all the way to the top of the cliff, and the evening breeze made the lanterns sway incessantly, like a long, swimming snake.
Fu Ming climbed the steps along the boardwalk, and Xiao Huaiyuan, who was following behind, gently lifted the hem of his skirt for him.
The higher they went, the fewer people they saw, and the more intense the air of extravagance became. Fragrant breezes wafted through the air, and soft laughter rang out like bells, but to Fu Ming's ears, it was a completely different story.
"Waaah..."
Unfamiliar laughter and sobs mingled together, and he could no longer tell whether it was the wind echoing in the empty valley or a low wail.
Fu Ming picked up his sword again; he was very agitated.
The auction house was the noisiest, while the other place, a guarded pavilion, was the noisiest.
After Fu Ming briefly explained his plan to infiltrate the auction house, Xiao Huaiyuan, who had been working tirelessly for him and practically becoming his servant, suddenly asked, "Why are you so concerned about those two siblings?"
Fu Ming's lips, with most of the lipstick smeared off, opened and closed repeatedly, hesitating for a long time but unable to come up with a suitable explanation.
Yes, why should he care so much? In the end, isn't it just a task imposed on him by the system?
Perhaps the soul of a modern person still resides within him, unable to bear seeing weak children suffer?
Before he fell into demonic ways, he still had such a presumptuous kindness, but after that, has anyone remembered his good deeds?
“I didn’t pay any attention. I suspect that Yongcheng’s large-scale arrest of low-level demonic cultivators has another purpose. They are just a breakthrough for our investigation.” Fu Ming casually played with the sword given to him by Xiao Huaiyuan, drawing it out and putting it back, creating a crisp sound of metal colliding.
But to someone as shrewd as Xiao Huaiyuan, such a reason was clearly far-fetched. Moreover, Fu Ming's feelings were always written all over his face; he couldn't hide them.
Senior brother, why do you always waste your energy on people who aren't worth it? Why can't you just look at me...?
His expression darkened again, but no one noticed in the dim night.
"Since we can't force our way into the small building, the only place we can go is the auction house. Elder Chen's invitation might help us sneak in."
Fu Ming was completely unaware that someone was eyeing his soul and body, and continued to talk incessantly about his battle plan.
At that moment, a warm yellow light shone on Fu Ming's face, making the illegal brass structure above his head gleam.
From the other side of the light, several women, chatting and laughing, walked gracefully towards them carrying lanterns, their faces not covered.
Anyone with eyes could see that the crimson dresses they wore were the same style as the one Fu Ming was wearing.
It turns out that this outfit is actually the uniform of Tianxianglou.
Wait a minute, if they have a good working relationship, wouldn't they recognize that you're an imposter?
That would be too awkward.
There was no time to dig a hole and crawl in. Seeing the women in scarlet clothes approaching them, Fu Ming immediately grabbed Xiao Huaiyuan, pulled him against the railing, and pretended to be gazing at the moon.
Xiao Huaiyuan reminded him, "There's nothing there where you're looking."
Fu Ming was somewhat annoyed: "Don't worry about these details, it's just to block it."
"Do we absolutely have to go?"
"...I heard that Lord Yun will be appearing at the auction house today."
"Sigh, if only he could choose me, I can't live like this anymore..."
Fu Ming listened intently until a lantern shone down on him from the side.
A gentle female voice whispered, "Which sister is hiding here?"
This person moved without a sound, truly no different from a ghost. Fu Ming froze, then slowly turned around.
His face was pale and striking, yet it inexplicably exuded a defiant and heroic spirit.
The woman who called out to Fu Ming was so startled that her wrist trembled violently, and the lantern fell to the ground with a thud, then rolled down the cliff.
"Kouxiang, you're still alive?"
...
This was the reason why Fu Ming and Xiao Huaiyuan parted ways again.
Elder Chen only had one invitation, which allowed him to blend in with the women at Tianxiang Tower and infiltrate the auction house behind the scenes. In this way, Xiao Huaiyuan would be in the open while he remained in the shadows, and even if he couldn't reach an agreement with the so-called Lord Yun, he could still rescue his little sister on his own.
Backstage at the auction house, Fu Ming sat in front of a bronze mirror, waiting for the woman who mistook him for Kou Xiang to fix his makeup. Her technique was quite similar to that of Manager Wu; they were indeed from the same workplace.
"Sister Song, what do we need to do later?"
"Oh, I forgot you used to dislike getting involved in these things. It's nothing much, just giving directions to guests in the private rooms, serving tea and water, or transporting auction items."
As she spoke, Sister Song picked up a brush and drew a few strokes on the flower between his eyebrows. With each stroke, the flower looked exactly like a serpent biting its own tail.
"The most important thing is to please Lord Yun. Go."
It was early winter outside, but the stove inside was burning brightly, making Fu Ming's face flush red and igniting a raging fire in his heart.
—The pattern drawn by Sister Song was exactly the same as the demonic markings on his body.
With a push from Sister Song, Fu Ming stumbled headfirst into a group of beauties. As objects of admiration, they had no right to hide their faces and could only serve others with smiles for a long time.
Sister Song: "Giving directions to our distinguished guest."
Fu Ming and Xiao Huaiyuan exchanged glances and managed to elicit the nickname for the private room, which made Sister Song's lips twitch as she watched.
Sister Song: "Pour tea for our distinguished guest."
Fu Ming skillfully dodged the three groping hands and scalded them with hot tea, earning him public criticism from Sister Song.
Sister Song: "These puppets will be auctioned at the meeting. Although they are not valuable, we still need to be careful."
Fu Ming was much more well-behaved this time, and seeing that he was no longer causing trouble, Sister Song secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He kept his head down the whole way, staring only at the embroidered shoes, seemingly obedient, but in reality...
"Go out and turn left, walk forty feet forward and then turn right, open the door and go down, turn right again and open the second door and go down again. Have you drawn a map, system? It needs to be three-dimensional, and also have an automatic navigation system to calculate the optimal path."
The system wept uncontrollably: "How could you do this to me, host..."
Fu Ming: "After this task is completed, all the merit points from the previous side quests will be transferred to you."
System: "Okay, honey, love you, honey."
With a bang, the last door, forged from black iron, suddenly swung open, releasing a pungent, fishy stench. Sister Song stepped forward with a lantern, illuminating the thick, lingering black fog.
"These are the lower-grade puppets. Go and move them all out," Sister Song ordered them, pinching her nose.
Fu Ming rushed forward and, using the dim light, groped around until he finally found the unconscious Fang Xiaohui in a corner.
After half a day apart, the child had become even thinner, with a thin layer of skin clinging to his bones, covered with dense, dark lines.
It looks somewhat familiar.
Room number 17, Tianzi.
Xiao Huaiyuan sat comfortably in Elder Chen's seat and slowly calculated a divination with his fingers.
The secrets of heaven are obscure and unclear.
Knock knock.
A sudden knocking sound came from outside the door.
Xiao Huaiyuan ignored him, after all, Fu Ming wouldn't knock on the door in a place like this, he would just go in.
Sure enough, it wasn't him who came.
Two figures teleported in directly. He recognized the person hiding behind him; it was the good-for-nothing son of the Yongcheng City Lord.
The other person wore a gray mask, had gray hair, was not tall, and whose cultivation level was unknown. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Xiao Huaiyuan.
Xiao Huaiyuan stood up, taking advantage of his height to be one head taller than the other man: "You must be Lord Yun."
Lord Yun nodded: "That's right, it's me. I've been waiting for you for a long time, Sect Leader Xiao."
What sect leader? What Xiao? That Tianyan Sect guy? Young Master Gu, who had summoned Lord Yun to back him up, was dumbfounded.
Seeing that there was no one else in the room, Lord Yun asked, "Where is he?"
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