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Forty-four Dragons (2)
Uncle Zong looked at the children who had grown up by his side for the past two years and his heart softened. “How about this— there’s an auction the day after tomorrow. I need a helper. Help me out and leave after the auction is over.”
Feng understood his intentions and gave him a grateful look, “Thank you, Uncle Zong, but I think today is a good day for us to depart.”
Since he put it that way, there was nothing else Uncle Zong could add. He exchanged looks with Auntie Yun, then said, “Wait a minute.”
He turned around and went into the house. After a while, he came out holding an interdimensional pouch and stuffed it forcibly into Feng’s pocket, “Uncle doesn’t have anything much that’s good. This is just a little token, take it as your travel expenses. If you still remember Uncle in the future, bring Lan’er to the market to see us.”
He touched Lan’er’s head with his big hand, “Will Lan’er forget Uncle Zong and your Auntie Yun’er?”
“No, no I won’t!” Lan’er’s face streamed with tears. She threw herself into Uncle Zong’s arms. “B-but… I don’t want to go…”
Feng squeezed the interdimensional pouch. He couldn’t bring himself to say any words of refusal. He found himself extremely despicable. On the one hand, they had come here today to bid farewell, but on the other, he secretly hoped for some sort of item that could help them in the future from this beastman who was like an elder to them.
Towards Uncle Zong’s kindness, he didn’t feel any humiliation, only self-condemnation.
Feng dragged the crying Lan’er away, took a long look at Uncle Zong and his wife, and left.
He was carrying the ashes of his parents on his back, and by his side was his young sister. Their road ahead was still very, very long.
......
“They’ve already gone far. Stop looking.” Uncle Zong closed the door irritably and pulled Yun’er back. He picked up a Baizhen fruit and handed it to her, “It’s time for your fruit.”
Yun’er rolled her eyes at him. “Go and find out what’s going on. Tell that ungrateful younger brother of yours who’s outside to look after them.”
Uncle Zong scratched his head, “I was going to do that even if you didn’t tell me to. Elder Brother had been kind to us in the past.”
Feng and Lan’er’s father had helped them out before. Even though it was only a small favour, the couple had been secretly helping the siblings for the past two years. However, this time, he had only taken his attention off them for a while, and they were forced to leave.
There was no way he wouldn’t go find out what this was about.
“Mhm,” Yun’er was still in a poor mood. After eating the fruit, she felt tired again. After taking care of her, Uncle Zong went out.
Shortly after the departure of the siblings, temperatures dipped. The continuous days of rain came to an end, and fine, light snow fell from the sky. The auction was held as scheduled. Uncle Zong stood amongst a group of cultivators. He had vigilantly changed his appearance and physique to look more like a wolf clan beastman.
The auction didn’t last long. The wolf clan-looking Uncle Zong walked out with a dark expression and happened to bump into the dragon, Jin Qiang, who was looking very pleased.
“Tch, wolf clan.” Jin Qiang held a beautiful fox clan slave he had just bought in his arms and looked haughtily down at him. “Apologise at once!”
“Master, don’t be angry,” purred the bewitching fox clan slave. Her soft hands pressed gently on Jin Qiang’s chest, dousing his anger and stirring up his lust.
Uncle Zong had been careless just now and didn’t want to cause trouble, “Sorry, Senior, I was blind.”
“Humph.” Jin Qiang kicked him, “Get lost.”
Uncle Zong slipped away immediately. Smugly, Jin Qiang smooched his beauty’s face.
He had to pay an astronomical sum to buy this little vixen, but no matter. Lord Jin Yan’s subordinate was also at the auction today. After he relieved his desires, he would go look for Lord Jin Yan to ask for his reward.
He had done Lord Jin Yan such a huge favour, so shouldn’t he be rewarded for it?
What Jin Qiang thought was very beautiful, but he didn’t have any connections and didn’t think of listening out for intel. So, naturally, he didn’t know that Lord Jin Yan, who he was sure would reward him, had already returned three days ago. He had escaped from a secret realm with Bai Huan of the White Dragon Clan with a body full of abyssal daemon poison and demonic aura.
Inside a residence far from the dragon race’s marketplace, Jin Yan was enveloped in a dark and demonic aura. His skin cracked from time to time, revealing the bloody scales inside. He was in a half-dragon, half-human form, and was utterly wretched.
He was about to die from the pain. His face, which could be described as hale and hearty, was now extremely hideous. He roared, “Where are they?! Not back yet?!”
“My lord, the people who attended the auction are back!” came a delighted maid’s voice from outside. Jin Yan simply couldn’t wait any longer; he rushed out immediately and with a hand that had turned into a dragon claw, pierced the subordinate who attended the auction. “The elixir!”