The Jadeite Hairpin had only been pawned for three Gold Crystal Coins, but redeeming it would cost a full twenty.
This was clearly another trap set by Hengyu Pawnshop for Su Yuexi, but at the time, she had no choice but to agree because she needed the money.
Gulp...
The shopkeeper swallowed fearfully, then gritted his teeth and said, "Criminal, my Hengyu Pawnshop is protected by the Chu Family. You..."
"Since you know I'm a criminal, do you want to know how I ended up exiled?"
"Because I killed a lot of people."
Sikong Jing's voice was chillingly sinister. Killing intent poured viciously into the shopkeeper's mind.
With a buzz, the shopkeeper dared not threaten him again. Trembling, he said, "I've already sold it. Where am I supposed to find it now?"
"I don't care. The hairpin or your life?" Sikong Jing's gaze was utterly cold.
The shopkeeper was terrified, truly afraid Sikong Jing would cut him down.
In the end, he could only send people to track it down. But the news they eventually brought back was that the person who had bought the Jadeite Hairpin had already left the city.
"Son-in-law of the Su Family, the buyer was a wealthy young woman. From her accent, she seemed to be from Yun Province City."
"This is all I can do. Please spare me!"
After hearing the shopkeeper's explanation, Sikong Jing clenched his fists tightly. The buyer had already left the city. This was going to be troublesome.
Besides, from the shopkeeper's description, she had a carriage. She wasn't someone they could easily catch up to.
His gaze flickered a few times before Sikong Jing asked, "How much did she pay?"
"One hundred Gold Crystal Coins," the shopkeeper replied, trembling.
Sikong Jing nearly cursed. He'd gotten it for three Gold Crystal Coins and sold it for a hundred. What a heartless swindler.
But there was no time to worry about how crooked the shopkeeper was. Sikong Jing held out his hand. "One hundred Gold Crystal Coins. Hand them over."
The shopkeeper's mouth twitched, but in the end, he could only put the money into Sikong Jing's hand.
Then, with a bang, Sikong Jing slammed the shopkeeper's head onto the counter before taking Su Yuexi out of Hengyu Pawnshop.
Looking at Sikong Jing's icy expression, Su Yuexi bit her lip and said, "I've let my sister down. The Jadeite Hairpin is really gone."
The thought of never seeing the Jadeite Hairpin again made Su Yuexi unable to hold back her sadness.
Suddenly, Sikong Jing pulled Su Yuexi into his arms and murmured, "It won't be gone. I'll go get it back right now."
Su Yuexi looked up in shock. "Sikong Jing, the buyer has already left the city!"
He shook his head firmly. "No matter what, I'll get it back."
After making that promise, Sikong Jing called over a carriage and had Su Yuexi ride home first. Then he dashed toward the eastern gate of Yunye City, in the direction of Yun Province City.
Watching Sikong Jing's retreating figure, Su Yuexi lowered her head and murmured, "Why am I always so useless?"
She blamed herself, but a moment later, she cried out, "Oh no, Sikong Jing is a criminal. He can't leave the city!"
But then she gently shook her head, and instead felt relieved.
Yun Province lay on the frontier of the Great Shang Dynasty. The lands outside the city were desolate, crawling with countless vicious monsters.
There was little danger during the day, but the sun was already close to setting. Darkness would soon fall.
Unless they traveled in a group, not even someone at the ninth level of the Bright Realm would dare leave the city alone. It was just as well if Sikong Jing was stopped and sent back.
The Jadeite Hairpin was important, but more important still was... her husband's life.
At the eastern gate of Yunye City, the City Guards stopped Sikong Jing and said brazenly, "Leaving the city? Show us your household registration."
Sikong Jing barely lifted his eyelids. Then his figure flashed past them, and screams rang out one after another.
When he appeared again, he was already outside the city.
As a former Invincible Divine General, he knew perfectly well that exiled criminals weren't allowed to leave the city. He was now marked as a criminal, but that meant nothing to him.
The laws of the Great Shang Dynasty had become worthless to him the moment he was framed and exiled.
Heading in the direction of Yun Province City, Sikong Jing seized a warhorse belonging to one of the City Guards and galloped away.
"Someone's broken out of the city! Quick, after him!"
Watching Sikong Jing ride off on the horse, the City Guards roared in fury. Chaos erupted before the city gates. They immediately reported to their commander, then dispatched a large force from the city to hunt Sikong Jing down!
Night slowly fell. There was no moon tonight, only faint starlight spread across the earth.
All around the wilderness, monsters growled and snarled in disarray.
On the main road, hooves clattered as Sikong Jing rode at a gallop, thinking, "Traveling at night means the buyer of the Jadeite Hairpin is either very confident in her strength or in a hurry."
If it was the former, they wouldn't be moving too fast. If it was the latter, they would definitely be pushing on at full speed.
Sikong Jing rode hard in pursuit for a full three hours.
Around midnight, he spotted a light in the middle of the main road. It came from a lone relay station standing in the wilderness. He also saw an elegant carriage parked at its entrance.
Just as Hengyu Shopkeeper had described, it was the carriage of the person who had bought the Jadeite Hairpin.
He let out a breath. He had finally caught up. The buyer hadn't traveled through the night but was staying at the relay station.
Sikong Jing dismounted at once and entered the station.
The moment he opened the door, the room fell abruptly silent. A multitude of gazes turned toward him. They belonged to adventurers on the road, but those looks lasted only an instant before the room grew noisy again, everyone chatting and drinking.
"Sir, what can I do for you?" the relay station's attendant came forward to ask.
Though the relay stations of the Great Shang Dynasty were established by the authorities, they also accepted ordinary travelers as guests.
Sikong Jing got straight to the point. "I'm not here for a room. I want to meet the owner of the elegant carriage outside. Please inform her for me."
As he spoke, Sikong Jing casually tossed the attendant a Gold Crystal Coin.
The attendant's eyes lit up. He'd been given a Gold Crystal Coin just like that. It was practically a windfall.
He nodded eagerly and immediately went to pass on Sikong Jing's request.
Soon, in one of the relay station's rooms.
A young woman dressed as a maid received the attendant's message. She immediately shut the door and hurried into the room, saying nervously, "Miss, there's a man outside who wants to see you."
Seated before the maid was a beautiful woman dressed entirely in white. She held an antique jade hairpin in her hand.
Hearing this, she looked up, her delicate brows furrowing. "Does the Lei Ying Merchant Guild think so little of me, Luo Ning?"
"They're trying to kill me so openly?"
At that, Luo Ning said coldly, "Then let him in."
"But, Miss..."
The maid cried out in fear, but before she could finish, Luo Ning cut her off. "It's fine. I want the Lei Ying Merchant Guild to know that I, Luo Ning, am not so easy to kill. Even if I die, they'll pay a terrible price."
The maid opened her mouth, but in the end, she went out.
When she returned to the room, she had brought Sikong Jing with her.
Luo Ning raised her brows and scrutinized Sikong Jing from head to toe. Then she gave a cold, mocking laugh. "Lei Ying Merchant Guild, this is who you sent to kill me? Someone at the sixth level of the Bright Realm, here to make me laugh while throwing his life away?"
Before you continue