How Much Is Your Life Worth?

Sikong Jing was startled, his gaze falling on the jade hairpin in Luo Ning's hand. According to Su Yuexi's description, this was indeed the Jadeite Hairpin, and the woman before him exuded the aura of a sixth-level Dark Realm cultivator.

But she was injured, and at this moment, her combat power was far from what a sixth-level Dark Realm cultivator should possess.

With just a glance, Sikong Jing had assessed Luo Ning's situation clearly and thoroughly.

Shaking his head, Sikong Jing replied expressionlessly, "You've misunderstood. I'm here to retrieve the Jadeite Hairpin from your hand."

"Hmm?"

Luo Ning was slightly taken aback, then scoffed again, "A low-level tactic. Are you trying to distract me?"

Sikong Jing was surprised again. It seemed this woman was highly vigilant, but he could understand that, after all, someone wanted to kill her.

With that thought, Sikong Jing produced the paper contract signed by Hengyu Pawnshop and Su Yuexi.

After waving it in his hand, Sikong Jing gently tossed it over, saying, "The Jadeite Hairpin in your hand was pawned by my wife. The pawnshop breached the contract and sold it to you before the redemption period expired. I'm here to reclaim it."

Sikong Jing cared nothing about this woman's affairs; he only wanted to redeem the Jadeite Hairpin.

However, Luo Ning didn't even catch it, letting the paper contract fall to the ground as her eyes remained fixed on Sikong Jing.

At this moment, Sikong Jing took out the one hundred Gold Crystal Coins he had seized from Hengyu Pawnshop and said again, "This is the money you paid for the Jadeite Hairpin. I'm returning it to you in full now, hoping you'll return the hairpin."

After speaking, he tossed the one hundred Gold Crystal Coins over as well.

But Luo Ning still didn't take them. The scoff on her face intensified, and she even mocked, "It seems I overestimated the Lei Ying Merchant Guild. Not only are their methods crude, but after tracking my movements, they actually use such a ridiculous excuse to assassinate me."

In her eyes, all of Sikong Jing's actions were merely attempts to distract her.

Sikong Jing's brows furrowed tightly. This woman left him speechless.

"Did Lei Shuang send you?"

"The pawnshop, the hairpin, and the contract. And then you send a martial artist at only the sixth level of the Bright Realm to lower my guard, so you can make your move?"

"She didn't even consider that traveling from Yunye City to the post station is not something a cultivator below the Dark Realm would dare to do alone at night."

Luo Ning's true qi circulated throughout her body as she confidently exposed Sikong Jing's little trick.

"Still within the redemption period? How could Lei Shuang think I would believe that?"

"A man at only the sixth level of the Bright Realm, traveling overnight to retrieve his wife's hairpin, the reason is too flimsy."

Luo Ning said self-righteously, completely unaware of how important the Jadeite Hairpin was to Su Yuexi.

The corners of his mouth twitched. Sikong Jing stared at Luo Ning before him, even more speechless. Finally, he explained, "I don't know who Lei Shuang is. And is it strange for a man at the sixth level of the Bright Realm to travel overnight for his wife?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Ning's expression turned as dark as water, "Either get lost and report back to Lei Shuang, stop playing games, or I'll kill you right now."

She simply didn't believe Sikong Jing's words. Traveling alone in the wilderness at night at the sixth level of the Bright Realm was a near-certain death.

Who would believe that someone would risk so much for his wife's hairpin?

In this world, where could such a devoted man be found?

In Luo Ning's eyes, all these actions were flaws in an assassination attempt against her.

Sikong Jing's eyes suddenly turned cold. He stared intently at Luo Ning, then took a deep breath and said, "If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't need any tricks. Your vigilance would be useless."

"Hmm?" Luo Ning froze. The next second, a wave of overwhelming killing intent washed over her.

Boom!

Sikong Jing's figure shot out like a thunderclap, appearing before Luo Ning in an instant. His true qi was still at the sixth level of the Bright Realm, but it was several, even dozens, of times more ferocious than any cultivator of the same level.

Just as Luo Ning instinctively prepared to react, Sikong Jing unleashed a punch, striking her true qi's weak point.

A second punch followed, hitting her injured right shoulder. The third punch transformed into a palm blade, which sliced through Luo Ning's already compromised true qi shield with a swish, reaching her flawless white neck.

The palm blade faintly emanated a sharp true qi glow. With just a slight increase in force from Sikong Jing, blood would splatter, and her head would roll.

The scene froze at that moment, the air in the entire room seeming to congeal.

Sikong Jing's palm blade stopped silently at Luo Ning's neck, and he spoke in a low voice, "Miss, do you believe me now? I'm not here to kill you. If I wanted your life, I could take it at any time."

"Young Miss..."

The maidservant shrieked but dared not approach, frozen in fear.

Luo Ning was utterly stunned. She was a sixth-level Dark Realm cultivator. She had been on high alert from the very beginning, yet in the blink of an eye, she had fallen into the hands of this man, who was only at the sixth level of the Bright Realm.

What a joke, how was this possible?

Even with her injuries, it shouldn't be possible. The difference between the Bright Realm and the Dark Realm was like heaven and earth.

At this moment, Sikong Jing gently retreated and spoke again, "I apologize. I only want my wife's hairpin back. Please give it to me."

Luo Ning's expression flickered, then she suddenly said fiercely, "I don't believe you!"

With that, her sixth-level Dark Realm true qi erupted.

The next moment, Sikong Jing flashed again. It was still two punches and a palm blade, and Luo Ning's life was once again in Sikong Jing's hands.

"Doing this a few more times will yield the same result. This is a futile struggle."

Sikong Jing's cold voice echoed in Luo Ning's ear.

This time, Sikong Jing's gaze fell upon the Jadeite Hairpin in Luo Ning's hand. He directly grabbed her wrist and twisted it gently. The hairpin instantly dropped from her grasp.

Sikong Jing gave a casual flick of his hand, and the Jadeite Hairpin flew back into his grasp.

Stepping back, Sikong Jing looked at the shocked and furious Luo Ning and said indifferently, "One hundred Gold Crystal Coins are on the floor. I am taking the hairpin. If you feel you have been shortchanged, go settle your accounts with the Hengyu Pawnshop."

With that, Sikong Jing took the Jadeite Hairpin and turned to leave.

The matter was actually somewhat complicated; Luo Ning likely felt the hairpin was worth more than one hundred Gold Crystal Coins, and since she had purchased it, she had her reasons for not wanting to sell.

The true party at fault lay solely with the Hengyu Pawnshop.

When Sikong Jing entered the room, he had even prepared himself for the possibility of haggling with Luo Ning or her adamantly refusing to sell.

But since she was being unreasonable, Sikong Jing couldn't be bothered with courtesy; he would just take it by force.

Luo Ning stared blankly at Sikong Jing's retreating back, completely stunned.

Twice now, she had been rendered powerless by a mere man at the sixth level of the Bright Realm, and she had even had the hairpin forcibly snatched from her.

What made her feel even more ashamed was that she had truly misunderstood him; he had simply come to retrieve the hairpin.

He could indeed have killed her at any moment; being on guard was useless.

Suddenly, a surge of intense frustration welled up in Luo Ning's heart, and she called out to Sikong Jing's back, feeling deeply displeased, "Wait a moment."

Sikong Jing stopped in his tracks and turned his head to ask, "Is there something else?"

"I bought the hairpin from the Hengyu Pawnshop, so it is my property. If anyone should be settling accounts, it should be you going to the pawnshop."

"I am not selling it for one hundred Gold Crystal Coins."

Luo Ning glared at him with slightly reddened eyes, her voice sharp.

She was having such terrible luck; she had to deal with the pursuit of the Lei Ying Merchant Guild, and now she was being bullied by a man at the sixth level of the Bright Realm.

Sikong Jing sighed inwardly; the woman had finally realized what was happening.

"I admit I misunderstood you just now, and I apologize, but I really do not want to sell this hairpin."

Luo Ning refused to let the matter drop, clenching her delicate fists as she stared at Sikong Jing.

Sikong Jing stared back at her and asked, "How much money do you want?"

"I don't want to sell it for any amount of money," Luo Ning replied, looking stubborn.

After a moment of contemplation, Sikong Jing suddenly glanced outside the room and asked again, "To be precise, how much is this hairpin worth in your eyes?"

Luo Ning did not know what Sikong Jing meant by this question, but she still answered earnestly, "I haven't had the hairpin appraised yet, but the material alone is worth at least one thousand Gold Crystal Coins, but I just..."

"And how much is your life worth?" Sikong Jing suddenly interrupted to ask.