Misery: There is a pawn shop here

Chapter 187

Driven by ambition and aspirations, Gui Liang visited a pawnshop across the land. There, he heard the wind chimes ringing out, playing urgent music, as if it were some kind of ominous premonition.

Inside the lobby of Youjian Pawnshop, Li Xuanxiao rested his chin on his hand, watching Gui Liang Tianxia with great interest. For those with ambition, Youjian Pawnshop had always been the most convenient path to achieving their ambitions, and they were often Youjian Pawnshop's most favored customers. For example, Sheng Zong before, and now Gui Liang Tianxia.

"You are the owner of the pawnshop, the black-robed being who revealed his form above the Heavenly Pillar." Gui Liang Tianxia stepped into the hall, his eyes fixed straight ahead as he sat down opposite Li Xuanxiao, a flicker of ambition visible in his eyes.

Li Xuanxiao lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, producing a "tap-tap" sound that created an eerie harmony with the urgent chimes of the wind chimes.

"Yes." He answered with only one word, his tone flat and emotionless, as if the person before him was not a powerful figure stirring up the martial arts world, but merely an ordinary passerby. "Having come to a pawnshop, you must have something in mind. What do you wish to pawn, and what do you seek in return?"

Gui Liang Tianxia leaned forward, pressing his palms against the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white from the force. "I want power strong enough to suppress the martial arts world," his voice suddenly rose, startling the dust that fell from the beams. "I want martial arts skills strong enough to sweep across the martial arts world, I want to become the supreme ruler of the martial arts world! Can Youjian Pawnshop possibly achieve this?" Before he finished speaking, the jade thumb ring hidden in his sleeve had already rubbed a warm mark on his palm.

Faced with Gui Liangtianxia's request, Li Xuanxiao suddenly burst into loud laughter, which echoed in the empty hall and made the wind chimes chime even more rapidly, showing no intention of avoiding Gui Liangtianxia.

Gui Liang Tianxia looked at the pawnshop owner opposite him, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice grew cold: "Is this how a pawnshop does business, mocking a customer's request like this?"

Hearing Gui Liangtianxia say this, Li Xuanxiao's laughter gradually stopped. Looking at Gui Liangtianxia, ​​whose face had turned somewhat cold, he said, "This is not mockery, but admiration. To think what ordinary people dare not think and do what ordinary people dare not do is to achieve what ordinary people cannot achieve. The reason I laughed was to admire you. Since my pawnshop opened, you are the first person to be so frank about your ambitions."

Gui Liang Tianxia snorted coldly, released his grip on the sword hilt, and leaned back in his chair, the chair legs groaning under the weight. "Since I've entered this place, Gui Liang Tianxia has no intention of hiding my desires. I'll just see if Youjian Pawnshop can achieve my goals."

Li Xuanxiao looked at Gui Liangtianxia and shook his head. "Although I admire what you have done, your worth alone is far from enough to achieve your goal."

"Ok?"

"A pawnshop's promise is worth a thousand calamities. Whatever you desire, the pawnshop can fulfill it. However, the price the pawnshop demands is beyond your ability to pay."

"Hmm?" Gui Liangtianxia uttered a questioning sound in his throat, his fingers unconsciously stroking the jade thumb ring. "How would I know if this is just an excuse you can't do?" He narrowed his eyes, trying to find a flaw in Li Xuanxiao's face, but only saw an unfathomable calm.

"Ha, you certainly speak your mind. You're the first person to say such a thing among all the traders who have entered Youjian Pawnshop." Li Xuanxiao patiently explained to Gui Liangtianxia, ​​"The matter of becoming the supreme martial arts master is of great importance, but your destiny simply doesn't allow you to achieve it. Even if it's a pawn transaction, your value alone is not enough to bridge the gap. Pawnshop transactions are always based on value. You can't even handle Yama and Hanba, yet you claim you can sweep through the martial arts world. If such a transaction were to actually happen, wouldn't the pawnshop suffer a huge loss?"

"Then what can you give me?" Gui Liangtianxia asked directly, without beating around the bush.

“I greatly admire your ambition. Since you wish to defy fate, I can make a deal with you for an opportunity, an opportunity that will allow you to achieve your goal.”

"Speak frankly."

“Before you, sir, the pawnshop recruited people in two ways. One was like Bei Chenyin, dedicating everything to the pawnshop and becoming its servants. The other was to wield some power within the pawnshop, allowing them to trade with others under certain conditions and then exchange what they needed within the pawnshop. As for you, I think perhaps you could try a bolder approach.” “What approach?”

"With full agency, you can trade with anyone you encounter, and I will facilitate your transactions. At the same time, I will have requirements regarding the number of transactions and your gains, but similarly, you will gain more. Through each transaction, you will gain power that brings you infinitely closer to your goal in your dealings with the pawnshop."

"What if my goal is the Five Divine Artifacts?" Gui Liang Tianxia asked upon hearing this.

Upon hearing Gui Liangtianxia's purpose, Li Xuanxiao shook his head. "The Five Divine Artifacts originated from the pawnshop. As long as you bring enough benefits, the pawnshop can provide you with benefits far exceeding those of the Five Divine Artifacts. However, to be honest, I have no demands for you to obtain such trading privileges."

"any request?"

“A small deposit.” Li Xuanxiao even lifted his leg, looking lazily at Gui Liangtianxia. “Your soul, as well as your family and lifespan.” He paused, and when he turned around, his eyes were filled with ghostly flames. “When you fail to fulfill the requirements I have given you, these three will diminish—first your family, then your lifespan, and finally, your soul.”

"I?"

Gui Liangtianxia met Li Xuanxiao's gaze, and even with his composure, he couldn't help but hesitate for a moment.

He viewed brotherhood and kinship as something he could exploit, but when it came to his life and soul...

"Well, for your grand ambitions, are you willing to take the gamble?" Li Xuanxiao's voice seemed to come from the deepest hell, carrying both temptation and coercion.

The hall was deathly silent, save for the tireless chiming of the wind chimes. Gui Liang Tianxia closed his eyes, countless images flashing through his mind: the scene of martial arts heroes bowing in submission, his own glory wearing the supreme crown, and... the fate of being annihilated if he failed.

However, Gui Liang Tianxia was still Gui Liang Tianxia after all. Although he hesitated for a while, it was not long. After a short while, Gui Liang Tianxia had already made his own choice.

……

……

The passage reopened, and a sudden gust of wind rose within the Stone Cave, placing Gui Liangtianxia back inside. Upon hearing the commotion, his subordinates rushed over and immediately knelt before Gui Liangtianxia.

"I have met the Lord!"

This time, Gui Liangtianxia did not ask them to get up immediately. Instead, he looked at them and slowly asked a question: "Do you yearn to become stronger?"

(End of this chapter)