Misery: There is a pawn shop here

Chapter 218

As dusk settles, the lanterns of the floating mountain town light up one after another, their orange-red glow casting dappled shadows through the carved window frames onto the bluestone pavement.

The evening breeze carried the damp scent of the mountain stream, mingled with the sweet aroma of street vendors hawking their snacks, drifting over the teahouse by the window on the street corner. Li Xuanxiao sat upright by the window, his fingertips lightly tapping the cool wooden table, his gaze fixed on the figure in a dark purple brocade robe before him.

A magnate paves the way, the dragon god Zi Ze wreaks havoc in hell, but...

Li Xuanxiao's gaze lingered on him for a moment, his heart filled with turmoil.

Before he transmigrated to the Bitter Realm, he knew of two Floating Mountain Cities, each with its own distinct story and background, resulting in vastly different characters and strengths. He originally thought that the fact that the Floating Mountain Cities' treasure was the Euryale Lyre was enough to pinpoint his target, but the presence of this powerful figure, Kai Daoji, seemed to indicate that things were not so simple.

Of course, if we're talking about apprehension, Li Xuanxiao's level of apprehension towards this Zi Ze incarnation was actually quite limited. According to the ranking system of Bitter Realm BOSSes, to truly become a memorable BOSS with the strength to contend with the righteous path and the three religions, one must at least meet one requirement: being able to single-handedly defeat a million-strong army of Yi Ye Shu.

However, even with multiple buffs including the Nine Dragons of the Mortal World, this powerful figure Kai Dao Ji was still no match for Yi Ye Shu, who had returned with the Blood Scripture, and suffered a crushing defeat. No matter how you evaluate the strength of Yi Ye Shu, the power of this Dragon God, Kai Dao Ji, is simply not enough.

Just as he was pondering, the powerful Daoist Ji noticed that Li Xuanxiao had not spoken for a long time. He sensed something, raised his eyes and looked at him with sharp, scrutinizing and wary gaze. Li Xuanxiao's heart stirred slightly, so he decided to be open and honest. His eyes suddenly focused their spiritual energy, like two invisible swords, trying to probe the other's origin.

Just who exactly is this big shot who pioneered this path...?

"Huh?!" Da Wan Kai Dao Ji suddenly felt a powerful spiritual pressure crashing down on him like Mount Tai, as if an invisible eye had pierced through his flesh and skin and peered into the depths of his soul. He was immediately filled with shock and anger. As an avatar of the Dragon God Zi Ze, when had he ever been subjected to such rude spying?
presumptuous!

With a low roar in his heart, the true essence within Da Wan Kai Dao Ji's body surged like a river, instantly forming an invisible barrier to block the probing force.

However, Li Xuanxiao's spiritual energy was so domineering that even the barrier that the Great Dao Opener Ji had painstakingly constructed was rendered useless in his eyes. In an instant, the Great Dao Opener Ji felt a darkness before his eyes, as if his consciousness had been dragged into a chaotic land. A blurry figure in black robes stood high in the sky, looking down at him with eyes as indifferent as ice, devoid of any emotion, yet sending a chill down his spine.

"Outrageous!" The arrogance of the big shot Kai Daoji was completely ignited. He was the avatar of Zi Ze, and he was always the one looking down on all living beings. How could he have been so disrespected? He suddenly activated his source power, and a deafening dragon roar exploded in the depths of his soul. A dark purple dragon soul burst out of his body, its scales were gleaming, its whiskers bristled, and its majestic dragon might swept out like a tsunami, frantically impacting the black-robed figure.

In Li Xuanxiao's sea of ​​consciousness, the image of that dark purple dragon soul was clearly reflected, and he immediately understood.

It really was him, the world of Fufa, the Dragon God Zize...

But Li Xuanxiao's doubts deepened: if the most precious treasure of this floating mountain city is the Yulu Tianqin, then where did the Great Sage Opening the Dao and the Demon-Swept Hell come from, and is King Zan still in the floating mountain city?

Having determined the identity of the visitor, Li Xuanxiao immediately withdrew his gaze. Da Wan Kai Daoji felt the pressure on his body suddenly ease, and the black-robed figure who had been looking down disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.

Coming to his senses, Da Wan was startled to find that his forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and his gaze toward Li Xuanxiao was filled with fear and wariness.

Who exactly is this person? And what was that oppressive feeling just now...?

"Your Excellency..." the big shot Kai Daoji asked, but he himself did not realize that his tone still carried lingering shock and anger, as well as a trace of barely perceptible fear.

“It is not appropriate for you to sit here today,” Li Xuanxiao interrupted him calmly, his tone serene yet carrying an undeniable authority. “Please leave.”

Da Wan Kai Dao Ji was taken aback, then his anger flared. This person not only tested him in public, but also so ruthlessly drove him away—it was an utter disgrace!
Although he was furious, the terrifying pressure from before still lingered in his mind. The Great Path Master Ji knew that the person in front of him was no ordinary person, and there was no point in getting entangled with him. On the contrary, even he was quite surprised by that powerful force.

"In that case, we shall meet again sometime." The big shot Kai Daoji glanced at Li Xuanxiao with a sinister look in his eyes, his gaze filled with anger, fear and resentment. Then, he suddenly turned around with a flick of his sleeve. His steps seemed calm, but in fact, they were hurried. The jade pendant at his waist made a crisp sound as if he was venting his resentment.

Watching the figure of the big shot Kai Daoji disappear at the top of the stairs, Yan Qingcheng, who had been watching with bated breath, finally breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously asked, "Does the shopkeeper know that person?"

Although her martial arts cultivation was limited, she could still sense the invisible clash between Li Xuanxiao and the big shot just now; the oppressive aura made it almost impossible for her to breathe. However, Yan Qingcheng didn't understand why Li Xuanxiao and the other party were acting this way.

Li Xuanxiao picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and the cool tea soothed some of the chaos in his thoughts. "I know him, he doesn't know me, but..."

As he spoke, Li Xuanxiao looked out the window at the deepening night, "However, one day in the future, I will surely meet him again."

Regardless of how the situation changes in the future, since there is a big shot to open the way, the situation in the Demonic Hell is probably not much different from the world he knows. If things continue as they are, the big shot to open the way will most likely take the initiative to pawn his way out of trouble. After all, given the nature of this Dragon God, even if he has to resort to any means, as long as he can achieve his goal, everything is worth it.

"So you came here just to see the sight of this floating mountain city?" Jueqingshu's voice broke the brief silence. She had been sitting quietly to the side, her eyes now filled with curiosity.

All that he had done and all the people he had met indicated that Li Xuanxiao's trip was not merely for sightseeing, but rather had another purpose.

Li Xuanxiao put down his teacup, his fingertips lightly tracing the rim, and said with a soft laugh, "Yes and no. Since we're out traveling, it would be a pity not to see more of the scenery. Besides, Floating Mountain City has a bit of a reputation; wouldn't it be a shame not to come and see it for ourselves?"

Originally, Li Xuanxiao's purpose was simply to come and see the Floating Mountain City. However, the appearance of the big shot Kai Daoji greatly exceeded Li Xuanxiao's expectations and added a lot of color to this trip to the Floating Mountain City.

Just then, a gentle voice sounded from the side: "I didn't expect Floating Mountain City to have such a reputation now."

Li Xuanxiao looked up and saw a young man standing beside the table. He wore a white cloth headband and a brown robe of fine material, which was not extravagant. A warm jade pendant was tied around his waist, and he carried a bulging white cloth bag on his back. Some of the fabric edges of the bag were sticking out of the bag, which looked like some kind of velvet.

The young man had a handsome face, with a scholarly air about him and clear eyes that also held a profound insight into the ways of the world.

Li Xuanxiao narrowed his eyes. He had just dismissed one person when another came up. So what kind of strange buff did this table have? Why did it always attract such oddities to strike up a conversation?
To be fair, this newcomer was much more pleasing to the eye than the big shot who cleared the way earlier; at least he didn't have that overbearing arrogance. But Li Xuanxiao's interest in him was limited, since this man's role had also changed drastically after the plot shifted, even turning the Nine Dragons of the Mortal World, who were supposed to influence the survival of humanity, into a joke.

"Shi Zhilong?" Li Xuanxiao spoke slowly, his tone calm, his gaze fixed on the young man. The moment he finished speaking, the gentle smile on the young man's face froze, a flicker of shock crossing his eyes. "Shi Zhilong" was his most secret identity, concerning the affairs of the Nine Dragons; apart from a select few, no outsiders knew it. How could this person not be alarmed that he could so readily reveal it?
However, the newcomer quickly regained his composure, clasped his hands in a salute to Li Xuanxiao, and said with a wry smile, "I never expected to find such a master in front of me. I was truly blind."

Li Xuanxiao remained noncommittal, simply saying, "You're too kind, sir."

Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Ji Ji did not press the matter further, but instead smiled and said, "I am Ji Ji. I just heard you mention the floating mountain city. I suppose you are quite interested in this place?"

"Originally, I only came for sightseeing," Li Xuanxiao said, "but now I'm much more interested."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Ji Ji smiled, not caring that Li Xuanxiao hadn't let him sit down yet, and asked directly.

“For example, you,” Li Xuanxiao pointed at Jiji and said, “I have limited interest in the affairs of the Nine Dragons in the mortal world, but if you have such thoughts, I can offer you a little help.”

As they spoke, a pitch-black wooden plaque appeared before Ji Ji's eyes, with the character "当" clearly visible.

when……

"Do you own a pawnshop?"

The well-connected gem merchant knew the identity of the person in front of him almost without thinking. He owned a pawnshop and made a high-profile appearance on the Tongtian Pillar. He stirred up a storm in the martial arts world with the five divine artifacts. Even the various forces of the Otherworld, the Righteous Path, and the Yiliu could only be manipulated by him. Such a power was known even in the remote Floating Mountain City.

"Yes," Li Xuanxiao replied briefly.

Upon hearing this, Ji Ji chuckled and put the pawn token into his sleeve. "What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve this pawn token?"

"The pawnplates at Youjian Pawnshop aren't as valuable as you think. If you really have a wish, even without a pawnplate, the pawnshop will respond to your call. After all, it's a pawnshop; they wouldn't miss out on business right in front of them, would they?"

“What you say makes perfect sense.” Ji Ji nodded. “Since you have given me this gift, I will naturally reciprocate.”

After saying this, he took out two exquisite wooden boxes from the white cloth bag on his back and gently placed them on the table. The wooden boxes were made of sandalwood, with intricate cloud patterns carved on them and fine silver threads inlaid at the edges, making them clearly very valuable.

“These two stones were obtained by chance when I was wandering through the Bitter Realm years ago.” Ji Ji opened one of the wooden boxes and saw a stone the size of a pigeon egg lying inside. It was pure white, but it also had a faint seven-colored halo, as if a rainbow had been crushed and hidden inside. “This stone is called ‘Flowing Light’. Although it has no supernatural powers, it can change its colors with the light, which is quite interesting.”

He then opened another wooden box, inside which was a jet-black stone with a smooth, non-reflective surface that felt warm and smooth to the touch, like jade. “This stone is called ‘Sinking Stone.’ When placed in water, it can make the water flow smoothly without causing any ripples. It is also a rare and precious object.”

Ji Ji closed the wooden box and pushed it in front of Li Xuanxiao. "These two stones are not particularly precious, but they are quite beautiful. They are suitable as ornaments or collectibles. I hope you will accept them."

"You're too kind." Li Xuanxiao smiled slightly and waved his hand lightly.

Ji Ji felt a blur before his eyes, and the two wooden boxes on the table vanished into thin air, as if they had never been there at all. His pupils contracted, and he was shocked: What incredible speed!
He had been staring intently at the wooden box, yet he hadn't noticed a single movement. Such cultivation was truly unfathomable! It seemed he had underestimated the person before him.

Li Xuanxiao put the wooden box into his storage space and said calmly, "Thank you for the gift."

Ji Ji suppressed the turmoil in his heart, cupped his hands and said, "Your ability is remarkable, I admire you."

The presence of a pawnshop owner in a floating mountain city is bound to attract attention...

"I have other important matters to attend to today. I look forward to meeting you again someday."

After saying that, he turned and left without hesitation, his figure quickly blending into the crowd downstairs.

Just as Ji Ji left, a deep and magnetic male voice suddenly rang in Li Xuanxiao's ears, as if carrying some strange magic, directly piercing through the surrounding noise:
"I wonder if Your Excellency would be willing to visit the Great Extreme Palace?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it entered my ears clearly, carrying an invitation that couldn't be refused, yet also concealing an indescribable pressure.

Li Xuanxiao's eyes flickered slightly. The Great Extreme Palace? He looked up in the direction from which the sound came and saw a majestic palace in the distance, faintly visible in the twilight. The glazed tiles on the palace roof reflected golden light under the setting sun, exuding a sense of solemnity and mystery.

That voice could only belong to one person.

"The Grand Supreme Palace, the Dreamless One, a Thousand Years Have Passed Without Realizing It. Is this how you invite guests?" Li Xuanxiao replied in a telepathic voice.

"Inviting you was a sudden decision. I am currently preoccupied with other matters and cannot spare the time. I have already sent someone to invite you. Please forgive my inconvenience. I will make amends with wine and drinks at the Daji Palace."

So humble and subservient?

Meng Bujue's tone surprised Li Xuanxiao, but it also piqued Li Xuanxiao's interest.

Such an invitation to someone who owns a pawnshop... could it be...?

"Since it is Si Tian who has invited me, I shall gladly accept."

(End of this chapter)