Misery: There is a pawn shop here

Chapter 160 The Blood Pact of the Yellow Sands

In the Central Plains, the righteous heroes, having gained the insight of Anaru, are secretly plotting and strategizing, contacting heroes from all sides, intending to wipe out the otherworldly demon realm in one fell swoop; while within the demon realm, defenses are also heavily guarded, and offensive and defensive strategies are being quietly deployed in silence.

Meanwhile, in the vast desert, the setting sun bleeds like blood, and on the western desert, sandstorms rage, obscuring the sky and the sun, with only the sounds of clashing swords and galloping horses echoing endlessly.

Xuanxiao, Xiao, and Yan Qingcheng walked on the sand, their clothes fluttering, and had reached the heart of the Western Regions. Ahead, they saw yellow sand swirling and the sounds of battle shaking the heavens, as a fierce battle was unfolding.

“Kill, kill!”

"The strategist has ordered that the swordsman be captured alive, and the reward be a thousand gold pieces and a noble title."

……

The yellow sand stretched endlessly, accompanied by the incessant shouts of battle. A man with a severed arm staggered through the sand, his blood dripping onto the ground only to be swallowed up by the sand moments later. Behind him, the footsteps grew ever closer, along with the sound of arrows piercing the air.

"Damn it, I never thought I'd be dying again when I returned to the martial world." Qiu Daitian was covered in blood and exhausted. He turned around and swung his sword to deflect the incoming arrows, but as he stopped, he was overtaken by the soldiers. At the command of the leading general, they swarmed forward. Qiu Daitian's true energy was depleted, and his body was exhausted. He could only struggle to swing his sword to fight back. Although the Death God Sword Technique was still exquisite, without the support of true energy, it was difficult for Qiu Daitian to break through the encirclement. If it weren't for the leader's determination to capture him alive, Qiu Daitian would have already died under the sword. But even so, it was only a matter of time before he was captured alive.

"You think you can catch me?" The dying tiger swung his sword, piercing the throat of the man before him, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.

I should have exchanged more with that person; who knew that cunning fellow would be so difficult to deal with...

Just as he was about to exhaust himself, a clear ticking of a clock rang out, like the sound of a clear spring dripping, echoing across the sea of ​​sand. Qiu Daitian felt his whole body freeze, and everything before him suddenly came to a standstill: the splattered blood droplets hung in the air, sparkling like rubies; the pursuers' weapons stopped in mid-air, and the soldiers' expressions were frozen in a ferocious moment. He was horrified to discover that he himself was also unable to move an inch.

"Sir, do you need help again?"

A soft laugh rang out as Li Xuanxiao strode in, his robes fluttering without wind, followed closely by Xiao and Yan Qingcheng. Li Xuanxiao raised his hand and waved it lightly, causing the flow of space to slow abruptly, like a still lake. Then, he flicked his fingertips, producing another crisp sound. Qiu Daitian felt a sudden release, regaining his mobility, and the pain in his body seemed to have temporarily vanished.

"It's you again?" Qiu Daitian's gaze lingered on Xiao and Yan Qingcheng for only a moment before turning his attention to Li Xuanxiao. His injuries had healed in an instant, which made Qiu Daitian's gaze towards Li Xuanxiao even more cautious.

Li Xuanxiao smiled and said, "The world is a cycle of cause and effect; every request will be answered. Your obsession burns like a raging fire, and a pawnshop should respond. However, this path of revenge seems to be facing difficulties."

"Sand Dissolving Divine Technique, the information you provided is accurate. That person is indeed the murderer in the Wrong Sand City incident. Damn it, I didn't expect him to be so troublesome."

"Whether it's academics or martial arts, I'm afraid you're no match for him. How about we make a deal?"

"Hmph, just what I wanted. Since you're similar to the Grim Reaper, you must be able to give me the ability to kill that scoundrel. Just tell me what you need to give in return."

Having made a deal with Death in the past, Qiu Daitian was now quite adept at such transactions. Moreover, judging from their first encounter, this young man was clearly more reliable than any deal made with Death. "Hmm? If I hadn't appeared here today, your life would have been in danger. What you can offer as a bargaining chip is indeed quite limited. However, I have a method."

As they spoke, Li Xuanxiao raised his hand and a sand hourglass appeared out of thin air between the two of them. The sand in the hourglass looked as if it were soaked in blood, exuding an ominous aura.

"What is this?"

"By signing this contract, you will only have three days to live. After that, you will need to rely on continuous transactions to extend your life and enhance your strength until you avenge your great grudge. The only people you can trade with are those who harbor grudges but find it difficult to avenge them. The gold will be limited to cultivation techniques and pills that increase your power. How about it?"

"You want me, Qiu Daitian, to be your dog!" Qiu Daitian's brows furrowed in a menacing expression.

"Isn't this giving you a chance to fulfill your dream with someone else?" Li Xuanxiao remained calm in the face of Qiu Daitian's extreme words. "But if you are unwilling, you can pawn your soul to give you a chance to improve your skills and fight Fang Chengzi. However, the power I give you can only mean that you can defeat him, but I cannot guarantee that you can kill Fang Chengzi. The Sand Dissolving Divine Technique is extremely difficult to master. Although Fang Chengzi's skill is not yet fully mastered, killing him is not an easy task. You can consider it carefully. I will give you half an incense stick's time, and you only have one chance to make a choice."

"Hmm?" Qiu Daitian looked at Li Xuanxiao. The temporary cessation of his injuries allowed Qiu Daitian's mind to clear briefly.

Although he was furious at Li Xuanxiao's nonchalant attitude, his mind kept urging him to accept the first condition. Was he genuinely unwilling, or was it the thought of living a life of ignominy that was driving him? Qiu Daitian could not answer this question.

Sand-dissolving divine technique...

"If we increase our strength, will we be able to obtain the method to break the Sand-Dissolving Divine Technique?" Qiu Daitian asked.

"Every transaction accumulates points, which can be exchanged for cultivation techniques and secret manuals. As long as your determination remains unwavering, your strength will naturally increase day by day," Li Xuanxiao said. "So, have you made your choice?"

"Damn it, okay, I promise you!" After a brief hesitation, Qiu Daitian agreed, and Li Xuanxiao was not surprised at all by Qiu Daitian's choice.

Given his obsession, how could he possibly give up if he couldn't kill Fang Chengzi? As for how much of that desire was actually a desire to live, who can say for sure?
Even if the original Qiu Daitian was willing to die to kill the Grim Reaper, he was still Qiu Daitian who couldn't get out of the pit. After seeing the light and escaping death, it's not unusual for him to value life more.

"In that case..."

Li Xuanxiao nodded slightly, and appeared out of thin air, hovering in front of Qiu Daitian. Without saying a word, Qiu Daitian picked up his brush and wrote down the words. The next moment, the hourglass emitted a scarlet light and merged into Qiu Daitian's body. A chain pattern similar to Tan Wuyu's wrist also appeared on Qiu Daitian's wrist, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to be different.

A series of messages suddenly appeared in Qiu Daitian's mind.

“The life you are using now is a temporary loan. You need to make a suitable transaction within a day to repay the life you owe. If you fail to do so, your soul will belong to the pawnshop.” Li Xuanxiao watched the contract turn to ashes and disappear, and slowly said, “The compass in your mind will guide you to find a suitable trader. Now, cherish this temporary life of yours.”

(End of this chapter)