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“Senior… Is this the stroke of fate you’re giving me?” asked Dongguo Feng.
The old pawnbroker took a deep breath, forcefully suppressed his anger and unwillingness, then smiled. “Of course. Customer, please go ahead and take it with you. This old man wants to dim the lantern and close for the night.”
Dongguo Feng could tell at a glance that the tiny old man’s smile was forced and rigid; there was no trace of his earlier kindliness or warmth.
What happened? Why did the old pawnbroker’s attitude change so much?
But in the end, he didn’t ask any questions. He was worried doing so would lead to more twists and turns.
“I have done nothing to deserve this reward; I cannot covet such a treasure. Farewell, senior.” With that, Dongguo Feng turned and left.
However, the old pawnbroker seemed frantic. He cried out, “Dear customer, you must accept it! If you don’t, I’ll be in for big trouble!”
As he spoke, he grabbed the bronze box and tossed it to Dongguo Feng. Then, he waved his sleeves.
Dongguo Feng saw stars, and before he knew what was happening, an invisible power wrapped around him. He shot out of the pawnshop, disappearing without a trace.
“This time, I… suffered a huge loss!” The old pawnbroker seemed to deflate. He could no longer refrain from backhanding the steel scale. He was so angry that he wanted to cry, but he had no tears.
The scale’s plate and counterweight trembled, as if incomparably aggrieved.
“Who do you think wants to see you cry, you old profiteer?” A calm voice suddenly rang out.
A tall, upright figure had appeared beneath the eaves, illuminated by the orange glow of the lantern. His hands were behind his back, and he’d come uninvited.
The old pawnbroker was briefly stunned. Then, he rubbed his cheeks, and a warm, delighted smile appeared on his face. “Your Excellency, long time no see!”
His expression was utterly toadyish.
This uninvited guest was none other than Su Yi.
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Earlier, when the bell rang out, the scales and abacus trembled precisely because they’d sensed Su Yi’s presence; it had startled them badly!
This was also the reason for the old pawnbroker’s sudden change in attitude.
Su Yi walked right up to the counter and started fiddling with the abacus.
Perhaps because it was scared, the beads of the abacus quivered, like a person trembling uncontrollably.
Su Yi had long since grown accustomed to strange scenes like this, and he said casually, “If you’re unwilling, let’s use this abacus to settle things. How about it?”
The old pawnbroker jumped, then said bitterly, “Your Excellency, please, don’t make things hard on this old man. When I gave that treasure away, this old man absolutely did so of his! Own! Free! Will!”
Every word was forceful, as if spoken with utter conviction.
Su Yi snickered. “Others might not realize it, but how could I not? I’m sure your heart is dripping blood, you old swindler.”
He then extended a finger and tapped the scale’s counterweight. “Let’s have some wine, little guy. Anything’s fine, but don’t give me something someone else pawned off.”
The weight swayed obediently, as if nodding and bowing.
Then, with a flash of flowing, misty light, a jug of wine, a small cup, a plate of refreshments, and a cup of steaming hot tea appeared before Su Yi.
Even stranger, a chair draped in soft pelts had appeared behind Su Yi.
Su Yi sat down, as if all of this were perfectly natural. He raised the jug, poured himself a cup of wine, and drained it in a single gulp.
He savored its mellow flavor and sighed. “The little scale’s got better eyes than you.”
The old pawnbroker rubbed his hands together obsequiously. He hung his head, and broke into an apologetic smile. “Your Excellency, it’s just been so long since I last saw you that I lost my composure, that’s all.”
“Oh?” said Su Yi, sloshing the wine in his cup as he examined the piled-high shelves. He said distractedly, “Rest assured. I won’t touch any of your wares. Besides, everything you’ve got here is sealed with your mistress’s power; I most certainly don’t want the kind of karmic ties she left here.”
The old pawnbroker inwardly sighed in relief, and he completely relaxed. Out loud, he was all compliments. “Your Excellency, your conduct is just as righteous and noble as before!”
The old man’s eyes flashed, and he seemed to realize something. “Right, what are you doing here? Don’t… Don’t tell me you successfully reincarnated?”
Su Yi avoided the question altogether. “Why are you here?”
The old pawnbroker didn’t even pause to think. “Your Excellency, as you know, this pawnshop belongs to my mistress. It traverses different worlds year-round, searching for those few connected to it by fate, all to offer them an opportunity to do business here.”
He paused, then said, “Our appearance in the Azure Continent is no exception. We were just passing by; not even I would have anticipated that you’d be in this particular plane of existence…”
As he said that last part, he shrunk back fearfully.
“You were just passing by?” Su Yi glanced at the old man. “Would you dare let the Heart-Inquiring Bell confirm that for me?”
The pawnshop’s owner had left behind three treasures.
The first was called the Heart-Inquiring Bell. It could sense every change in the hearts and minds of living things.
The second was called the Scale of Judgment. It could determine the value of any object.
The third was called the Starry Abacus, and it could help the pawnshop draw up contracts, rewards, and punishments.
Each of the treasures had an artifact spirit, and they were all miraculous.
Of them, the Heart-Inquiring Bell was the most crucial to the pawnshop. It was an unbelievable divine artifact.
It was by relying on this treasure that the pawnshop could sift through the endless masses and conduct unimaginable business deals, over and over again.
How did it achieve this? By screening and sensing their hearts!
The old pawnbroker stiffened, then said hurriedly, “Your Excellency, I dare not lie to you. Even if there were hidden reasons behind the pawnshop’s appearance on the Azure Continent, as I’m sure you’re well aware, I’m but a humble employee working on the mistress’s behalf. How could I possibly be privy to such secrets?”
“That so?” Su Yi poured himself a cup of wine, then said, “Heart-Inquiring Bell, come on out for a chat.”
He’d only just said this when a bell rang, but the sound carried a hint of a tremor.
Not far away, a palm-sized copper bell shot out of the corner reminiscent of a dark patch of chaos. It quivered and shook as it approached, looking terrified, uneasy, and uncertain.
Su Yi couldn’t help but rub his nose. “Am I really that scary?”
The copper bell, abacus, and scale all quivered, as if shaking their heads to deny it.
However, their terror was readily apparent.
Su Yi was stunned, and he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
There was nothing for it. Last time he visited this pawnshop, he almost burned the entire place down. It seemed he’d left a deep shadow on the treasures’ hearts…
“Let’s hear it, then. Why did your mistress’s pawnshop appear here?” asked Su Yi.
The Heart-Inquiring Bell shook and said in a timid, nervous whisper, “Your… Your Excellency, I… I don’t know either, but…. Our mistress…. Left behind a letter…”
The bell’s treasure spirit was so terrified that she couldn’t help but stutter. She was obviously terrified as could be.
“Where is the letter?” Su Yi got straight to the point.
The scales were the first to respond. “Your Excellency, please have a look.”
With a flash of misty light, a folded black paper crane appeared on the scales. It was vivid and lifelike.
“Another one of those paper cranes? Who’d have thought a woman as vindictive and cruel as your mistress would love folding paper cranes like a little girl?” Su Yi couldn’t help but sigh.
The pawnshop was deathly silent. The old pawnbroker, the scales, the abacus, and the bell all shrunk back, silent as cicadas in winter.
Su Yi dared brazenly mock their mistress, but they most certainly did not!
Not even if you beat them to death…
Su Yi paid this no heed. He just took the black paper crane and unfolded it into a letter.
There he saw a message written in a bloody script: “Hahahaha, Ol’ Crook Su, Buddhist Master Inkstone Heart, the old bald donkey, already told me you’re probably still alive!”
The first sentence seemed to hit him right in the face. The corners of Su Yi’s lips twitched uncontrollably.
Just as I thought. Even after all these years, that spiteful, insane woman hasn’t changed a bit…
He continued reading.
“Once you’ve opened this letter, I’ll know you’ve returned, you old crook!
“Alas, I’ve already ventured into the stars for a major business deal, and I don’t know when I’ll be back. If I did, I’d come smash your head in myself!”
Su Yi couldn’t help but rub his forehead.
The image of the woman who’d written this letter appeared in his mind. She was so beautiful that it seemed blatantly excessive, but she was temperamental and vicious to the point of madness.
Su Yi shook his head and cast aside his scattered thoughts. “Of course, if you change your mind, lower your head, and admit fault, when I come back, I can give you a chance to turn over a new leaf…”
She went on like this for quite some time; it took up more than half the letter.
However, Su Yi ignored it and continued downward.
“It doesn’t matter whether you successfully reincarnated or not, or which plane of existence you’re on. You’ve got to watch out for your eldest and youngest disciples! They seem to have realized that you aren’t truly dead, and they’ve been searching for leads in secret all this time.
“Also, don’t get full of yourself and think I’m writing this because I  care about you! I just don’t want someone else to kill you. If you’re going to die, I’ve got to be the one to kill you!
“Finally, I’m warning you. If you dare to burn down my pawnshop again, I’ll dare to capture every last woman you’ve been having illicit affairs with!”
When Su Yi finished reading the letter, he flicked his fingers, and it disintegrated into ash.
Then, he sighed. “I’ve always wondered about something. Is there any man in any world who can accept your mistress’s temperament?”
The old pawnbroker and the three treasures remained silent. None of them dared comment.
Only the bronze lantern responded; its light dimmed.
Su Yi took another sip of wine. “When did your mistress venture into the stars?”
The old pawnbroker said respectfully, “About four hundred years ago, she went to the Little Western Paradise to meet with Buddhist Master Inkstone Heart, then proceeded into outer space.”
Su Yi asked, “Who’d she go to do business with?”
The old pawnbroker hesitated, then said, “This old man isn’t entirely certain, but I heard the mistress mention it before she left. She said this particular business deal involved someone who called themselves a ‘jailer’, and that no matter what, she had to go in person.”
A jailer!!
Su Yi’s pupils constricted.
The dim light of the counter’s bronze lamp illuminated his shifting uncertainty.