Chapter 17

"Brother, I'm so hungry..."

Just then, a little girl's childish voice suddenly sounded from around the corner.

The dagger Luo Qingchen had raised came to an abrupt halt.

Then a little boy's voice rang out. "Xiao Yu, don't rush. Once we get home, I'll cook you something to eat."

A little boy and a little girl emerged from around the corner.

The boy was thin and frail, with a large sack on his back. With his other hand, he held a little girl dressed in flimsy clothes.

They both seemed to be imagining themselves cooking dinner after they got home. Happy smiles appeared on their faces.

Then they suddenly spotted the person hiding around the corner, dagger in hand. Their smiles instantly turned to terror.

The boy hurriedly put down the sack and stretched out his arms, shielding the girl behind him. His eyes darted about in fear, and his body trembled slightly, but he tried to act brave, forcing a stiff, fierce expression onto his face.

Like a little beast baring its fangs to scare off an enemy when danger loomed.

Luo Qingchen looked at the little girl behind him and slowly lowered his dagger. A hint of tenderness emerged from deep in his eyes. "Are you called Xiao Yu?"

The girl looked at him in alarm and nodded.

"Xiao Yu, run!"

The boy immediately picked up the sack and hurriedly pulled the girl along, turning to flee toward the end of the alley.

Luo Qingchen stood there, dazed and motionless.

After a long while, he gazed at the spot where the girl had vanished and murmured, "Xiao Yu..."

"Brother, when we have money someday, let's buy a big house. Just the two of us will live there. We won't have to stay here and suffer Uncle and Aunt's scorn anymore..."

"Brother, when you get married someday, will you stop wanting me?"

"I'm really capable! I can wash clothes and cook, serve tea and pour water, and even help you coax your wife. Hahaha..."

Memories were needles, each one piercing his heart, each one stabbing him with pain.

He left the alley.

He wandered aimlessly along the street, turning over the silver he had left in his mind.

He was still ninety taels short...

He had nothing left to sell.

Before he knew it, he had found himself at Zhao Shi and his father's stall again.

The father and son sat in the cold wind in their shabby clothes, staring blankly into space. He couldn't help but mock himself as he walked over.

"Uncle Zhao, Brother Shi."

He greeted them without beating around the bush and got straight to the point.

"Do you have any spare silver?"

Zhao Shi froze at the question. Before he could answer, Zhao Laosan immediately pulled a long face. "What spare silver? We barely make anything selling vegetables. We're relying on A-Yun to help us out."

Zhao Shi sighed too. "A-Chen, if you need money urgently, you could ask A-Yun. She might have some. She takes customers every day..."

Before he could finish, Zhao Laosan discreetly nudged him with an elbow.

Zhao Shi gave an awkward smile and stopped talking.

"It's all right. I'll ask someone else."

Luo Qingchen said no more. He thanked them and took his leave.

Behind him, Zhao Laosan's low scolding voice sounded. "You idiot! If A-Yun lends him silver, what are we supposed to do? He's a cultivator now. If he refuses to pay us back, would you dare ask him for it?"

Zhao Shi muttered, "Father, A-Chen isn't that kind of person."

Zhao Laosan lowered his voice again. "Hmph, you can know a person's face but not his heart. People change. Didn't you hear what A-Tian said that day? That brat killed his own sister with his bare hands. He's just as ruthless as Little Mute!"

Luo Qingchen pretended not to hear and left.

He wandered along the street for a long time. As the sky began to darken, he had no choice but to turn toward the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion.

Tonight was his first night patrol. He couldn't be late.

I'll just get through tonight. I'll figure something out tomorrow.

When he reached the entrance to the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion, he saw two men in gray being led inside by Sun Ping, the pavilion's steward.

It was the first time he had ever seen customers at the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion.

Just as he was about to enter the courtyard, the corner of his eye caught sight of something lying around the corner not far to his right.

He looked closely. It was a gray money pouch!

The pouch looked stuffed, as if it held quite a lot.

His heart gave a jump. He looked around, saw no one nearby, then hurried over, picked it up, and slipped it into his clothes.

After entering the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion, he went straight to the back courtyard.

Just then, Chen Ju happened to come out of his room. Seeing him, he greeted him warmly as before. "Brother Luo, I'm going to grab something to eat. I'll come back and call you in a bit. Oh, and I've already put the Demon Stones and medicinal herbs you need for this month's cultivation in your room. Check them when you get in, and make sure nothing's missing."

Luo Qingchen thanked him.

Chen Ju smiled and waved a hand, then hurried away.

He put them in my room? Which room?

Luo Qingchen watched him disappear into the distance, then turned and entered the second room.

Sure enough, a bundle of things sat on the table in the corner.

Instead of checking the herbs first, he took the gray money pouch he had picked up outside the Hundred Fragrance Pavilion from his clothes. He quickly opened it and poured everything onto the bed.

"Clatter, clatter..."

It was all silver!

But it was all in tiny pieces, without a single chunk of any decent size.

Some of the pieces were even stained with black grime.

Clearly, the owner had saved up these bits of silver one by one.

Luo Qingchen weighed them carefully and found there were about forty taels in all.

Faced with this unexpected windfall, delight filled his heart. He carefully put the silver away at once.

"I'm still about fifty taels short..."

He decided to look for a solution tomorrow.

After putting the silver away, he went to the table and opened the paper package. Inside lay a black stone about the size of an egg, along with some dried medicinal herbs, roots and all.

"Is this a Demon Stone?"

He picked up the black stone and examined it closely.

When Tian Feng had boiled medicine in the cave, he had seen the herbs, but he hadn't once seen a Demon Stone.

Why did Demon Stones react to blood?

He wondered about it in secret.

Most of the Demon Controlling Sect's disciples probably had the same question.

Once I've settled my sister's affairs, I'll start cultivating. Only by breaking through to the Blood Changing Realm can I completely escape the identity of a Blood Medicine, forever at the mercy of others.

He held the Demon Stone in his palm and thought to himself.

After putting away the Demon Stone and herbs, he took out the Bone-Strengthening Mountain-Opening Fist he had gotten from Zhang Dashan and began reading it carefully, page by page.

Outside the window, the sky soon darkened.

As he studied the fist manual, lost in thought, a knock sounded at the door, followed by Chen Ju's voice. "Brother Luo, it's time. We should go on patrol."

Luo Qingchen put away the manual and went over to open the door.

Chen Ju glanced into the room and said with a broad smile, "Brother Luo, did you check the herbs? Was anything missing?"

"Everything's there. Thanks, Brother Chen."

Chen Ju smiled. "Come on. Let's take a lap outside first, then head into the pavilion. There aren't too many customers tonight, so I doubt anyone will cause trouble."

Luo Qingchen followed behind him, listening as he talked about the pavilion.

"Most of the people who come here to spend money are poor. Most aren't here for fun, but to satisfy their bodily needs. The girls here charge little, and the tea and pastries are free, so naturally, people like coming here."

"But the poor, once they've had a drink, love to brag and start trouble. Sometimes they even beat the girls. Unless they go too far, we don't need to interfere..."

"If they hurt a girl or damage something in the pavilion, as long as they're willing to pay, we can work it out."

"Of course, if they want to eat without paying, then it's fine to beat them to death."

As he spoke, Chen Ju led him out the front gate and into the darkness to the right.

Luo Qingchen glanced at the cold, gloomy darkness. He paused, falling a step behind.

As soon as the two of them entered the darkness, Chen Ju suddenly turned around with a smile. "Brother Luo, did Head Zhang tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Chen Ju smiled broadly and enunciated each word. "After dark, you mustn't go outside."

Luo Qingchen's heart skipped. He stopped in his tracks.