Misery: There is a pawn shop here

Chapter 207 Regret for Not Meeting

Inside the Wanhua Tower, the lights shone brightly, and the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments mingled with the clatter of clinking glasses, creating a decadent and warm atmosphere.

Seeing Hen Bufeng proactively approaching him to share a table, Li Xuanxiao merely raised an eyebrow slightly.

All I can say is that you are truly worthy of this; you love across a thousand miles, yet you never find the one you love. Yan Qingcheng, standing to the side, looked at the person who had taken the initiative to approach her with a strange expression, while Jueqing Shu's gaze was even colder.

Hen Bufeng, seemingly oblivious, had already put on a perfectly timed smile, awaiting Li Xuanxiao's reply.

"We've never met before, and this vast Wan Hua Lou isn't without empty tables. Why don't you find another place to sit?"

Being rejected to his face would likely have made anyone else embarrassed or even angry. However, Hen Bufeng's smile remained unchanged, still as warm and friendly as ever. He seemed completely oblivious to the coldness in Li Xuanxiao's words, instead laughing heartily, clasping his hands in a respectful gesture: "If that's the case, then I was being presumptuous. I won't disturb your enjoyment any longer; farewell." Having said that, he truly said no more, turning to find an empty table nearby and sitting down. From beginning to end, he didn't glance at Li Xuanxiao again, as if his earlier conversation had been merely a spur-of-the-moment thing.

"At this point, Hen Bufeng is still a human being," Manager Li simply commented.

As they stepped out of the brothel, the night breeze was exceptionally cool, dispersing the lingering scent of perfumes and cosmetics. Yan Qingcheng, finally unable to contain her curiosity, turned to Li Xuanxiao, who was walking beside her with his hands behind his back, and asked, "So, the purpose of your trip, Manager, was for that person from earlier?"

She simply couldn't understand why Li Xuanxiao, given his status, would pay special attention to a wandering rogue.

"Yes." Li Xuanxiao did not stop walking, but simply responded. Then he looked up at the deep night sky, a complicated light flashing in his eyes. "But now it seems that the fluctuation of the life string has made the existence that should have intersected become parallel. It is both a lucky and unlucky thing."

"The fluctuation of the life string? Parallelism?" Yan Qingcheng frowned, these mysterious terms puzzled her. "What does this mean?"

Li Xuanxiao turned his head and gave her a meaningful smile, a smile that seemed veiled in a thin mist, making it difficult to see clearly: "It's nothing, just a little something."

Manager Li had no intention of explaining further. He abruptly stopped and looked up at the sky. His gaze narrowed slightly, as if piercing through the deep night to see what ordinary people could not. A profound and unfathomable smile slowly curved his lips. "Interesting. It seems that the appearance of the five divine artifacts has finally made you restless. So, will you still follow your previous plans?"

His words seemed disjointed and nonsensical, as if he were talking to himself. Yan Qingcheng, seeing his deliberately mysterious demeanor, felt her doubts snowball and couldn't help but ask again, "Shopkeeper, what do you mean by that?"

"Like I said, it's nothing special, just a token gesture." Li Xuanxiao repeated his usual words, his tone relaxed yet authoritative. He withdrew his gaze, looked at Yan Qingcheng and Jueqingshu, and smiled, "Let's go, we still have plenty of time, perfect for a stroll and a look around." With that, he took the lead and walked along the street, his clothes fluttering gently in the night breeze.

Yan Qingcheng and Jueqingshu exchanged a helpless glance. They knew Li Xuanxiao's temperament; once he didn't want to talk, further questioning would be futile. The two said nothing more and silently followed his steps, the three of them gradually disappearing into the night-lit streets.

……

……

"You don't need to waste your breath talking about nothing."

The atmosphere within the Zigong family was unusually heavy at this moment.

The Zi Gong family, which was just an ordinary clan in the martial arts world a little over a hundred years ago, rose like a comet under the iron-fisted leadership of its matriarch, Zi Gong Tong Lin. In just a century, it became an extremely powerful force, and its assertive style earned it the nickname "Imperial Family" among the martial arts community. Their mansion was magnificent, with vermilion walls and golden tiles, exuding an extraordinary aura and showcasing the family's prosperity.

To break the deadlock of Lei Yang, Tan Wuyu, following Li Xuanxiao's guidance, went to the Zigong family to try to persuade them with righteousness, but unexpectedly, he was met with strong opposition from the Zigong family. "The Feng Shui Mirror is related to the fortune of our family, and it is the lifeblood of our family. For many years, we have kept it in place, which has allowed our family to live in peace in the martial arts world. Once it is destroyed, how can it not harm our family?"

The speaker was an elderly woman, dressed in a magnificent brocade robe with dark patterns. Her full head of silver hair was meticulously combed and secured with an exquisitely carved jade hairpin. She held a dragon-headed cane, and despite her advanced age, her back was ramrod straight. Her eyes were sharp as an eagle's, exuding the majesty of someone who had long held a high position and an unquestionable dominance. She was the matriarch of the Zi Gong family, Zi Gong Tong Lin.

Seeing this, Tan Wuyu sighed helplessly, but still tried to persuade them, saying, "The feng shui mirror is not immovable. If the method is appropriate, it will not only not cause harm, but can also enhance the fortune of the family. I am not very talented, but I have some understanding of the feng shui mirror. As long as the family is willing, I will do my best to assist them in finding a way that can achieve the best of both worlds."

"Ha." Zi Gong Tong Lin sneered at Tan Wu Yu's words. "Who doesn't know your reputation as a transcendent fairy? How can you arbitrarily disturb feng shui objects? If it really affects our clan, even ten Tan Wu Yus could not make up for the loss of our clan. You don't need to persuade me anymore. Please leave."

Seeing that the old lady was determined, Tan Wuyu knew that he would return empty-handed this time. He could only bow and complete the formalities, saying, "Alas, well, I will come again. Farewell."

Stepping out of the Zigong family, Tan Wuyu found himself in a predicament.

The Zigong family remained resolute. As for the other two locations—the Heavenly Desolate Immortal City and the Mysterious Age Longevity Palace—they were merely places recorded in martial arts legends. Moreover, even if the locations were found, the other party might not be able to cooperate in resolving the Tearful Sun crisis. It now seems that another method is needed to end the Tearful Sun scourge.

Just as Tan Wuyu was returning to Wuyutian, a rainbow appeared in the sky, illuminating the path ahead. Tan Wuyu paused briefly and looked ahead again, only to see a golden bridge faintly visible within the sea of ​​clouds, and two figures quickly descending from the golden bridge.

"The mountain dweller, with a heart as still as the stars and moon, is compassionate and courteous."

"A hermit walks through the clouds and stars to reach the South Pole."

"Hmm?" Tan Wuyu looked at the two people walking down from the Rainbow Bridge, sized them up, and then greeted them, saying, "You two are distinguished and extraordinary, you are both highly accomplished cultivators."

Tai Cixin shook her head. "My cultivation is too shallow to be worthy of the word 'profound.' I have come here on the orders of my lord to convey a message to you."

"Hmm? May I ask who your esteemed master is?" Tan Wuyu asked.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. Tai Cixin and I both come from the Six Extremes Heavenly Bridge."

Upon hearing the identity announced by the visitor, Tan Wuyu quickly searched his memory.

"In the legends of the martial arts world, the highest and most mysterious place is only accessible through the Six Extremes Heavenly Bridge, where only those with higher levels of cultivation and temperament can enter. I never expected to meet you two in this desolate wilderness," Tan Wuyu said. "You two have come to me of important business, so please speak freely."

Tai Cixin shook her head: "It's not that we two have anything to do. This time, we are here on the orders of our lord to invite you to ascend the Six Extremes Heavenly Bridge for a while."

"Oh?"

Tan Wuyu's eyes lit up upon hearing this; it seemed there was probably more to the story.

(End of this chapter)