Volume 4, Chapter 232 – If I Don’t Go Back, I’ll Be Beaten to Death

Qi Huang recognized both groups trailing behind her. The first group belonged to Duan Feng, their leader was none other than the bodyguard the old man had once recommended to her, a man named Ah Biao. As for the second group, she had no idea who they were.

“Why are they following me even though I already rejected Duan Feng? Could it be that the old man is worried about my safety?”

Qi Huang speculated, her inherently kind nature leading her to assume the best in people.

“I don’t recognize the second group, and they’re acting suspiciously. Could they be the ones responsible for killing the consignors?”

She pondered further.

“If that’s the case, then those murderers must have already noticed the people Duan Feng sent to secretly protect me. That old man’s good intentions might have backfired!”

Qi Huang was exasperated. As the saying goes, “To catch a thief, you must catch them with the stolen goods; to expose adultery, you must catch the pair in the act.” Everything required evidence. She couldn’t just round up the second group based on mere suspicion. What if those villains fled upon realizing they were being watched? That would ruin her entire plan.

A flicker of worry crossed her mind, but after observing for a while, she noticed that the trailing group of “bad guys” were surprisingly persistent, even knowing there were protectors ahead, they still doggedly followed.

“Now these are some professional villains!”

Qi Huang couldn’t help but feel a grudging respect. If she were a villain, she doubted she’d have such dedication to the craft.

And so, Qi Huang and Xia Wei bantered as they made their way out of the city. The two groups followed closely behind. Since all of them were martial artists, they couldn’t use divine sense, and the bustling streets provided plenty of interference. As a result, Ah Biao’s group remained oblivious to the tail behind them.

“Young master, where exactly is your home? If it’s too far, I suggest staying in the city tonight and setting out tomorrow morning. Traveling at night is dangerous, even if no one’s out to harm you, wandering spirits in the wilderness are terrifying.”

Despite their bickering, Xia Wei remembered her duty as a bodyguard and offered sincere advice.

“What’s wrong? Scared?” Qi Huang teased.

“Scared? Little brother, you can insult me, but don’t insult my profession! I’m worried about you. I promised my lady I’d escort you home safely.”

Xia Wei bristled defensively.

“Oh? And what does that have to do with me? I have to go back tonight!”

Qi Huang remained unmoved. She had snuck out using Yao Yao’s ability to block divine sense, lingering outside for too long was out of the question.

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“You’re going back tonight? So your home must be nearby?”

“Yeah, not far from the city!”

“Then why did you tell the shop manager it was far away earlier?”

“If I hadn’t, would she have given you to me?”

“You really are a lecher! So young and already so shameless. Men are all the same!”

“What kind of logic is that? If men weren’t lustful, wouldn’t women be the ones suffering? What’s the point of being beautiful if no one fawns over you?”

“I don’t need anyone fawning over me! I’m going to break through the void with martial arts and become an immortal!”

“An immortal woman who’s afraid of a few wandering ghosts?”

“……”

“Stop being so stubborn! If you die, those cat tears will really become relics!”

Xia Wei suddenly remembered her role and quickly reined in her temper, continuing to persuade.

“If I don’t go back tonight, those cat tears will definitely become relics!”

Qi Huang answered with utmost seriousness.

“Do you have some kind of disease that’ll kill you if you don’t go back?”

Xia Wei asked, puzzled.

“No, no, I have a disease where if I don’t go back, I’ll be beaten to death!”

Qi Huang shuddered dramatically.

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As they bickered, the two exited the city gates. Xia Wei, bound by her duty as a bodyguard, had no choice but to follow Qi Huang, though her heart pounded with anxiety.

Behind them, the two groups also left the city, with Ah Biao’s men still unaware of their pursuers.

Meanwhile, fearing that delays might bring trouble, Liu Yingyue immediately spread the news that the Golden Fortune Auction House would auction two vials of Nine Nether Demon Cat tears in three days to build hype.

“Manager Liu, why only three days of promotion? Given how precious these cat tears are, wouldn’t it be better to hype it for ten days or even half a month before auctioning?”

Duan Feng was the first to raise objections.

“Uncle Duan, you know as well as I do how often our consignors have been meeting unfortunate ends lately. Three days is already pushing it. If we don’t sell those cat tears quickly and something happens to the consignor, the auction will be completely canceled!”

Liu Yingyue’s delicate face showed a trace of confusion as she patiently explained.

“But selling them in such a rush means our auction house will lose out on significant profits.”

Duan Feng pressed again—he needed to buy time for his plans. Even if the consignor died, the authorities would still need time to intervene.

“A small loss is better than nothing. You know the state of our auction house—we have to rely on quick turnover now.”

Liu Yingyue stood firm.

“Ninth Miss, what if I disagree?”

Duan Feng refused to back down.

“Uncle Duan, I respect you as an elder in daily life, but in the Golden Fortune Auction House, I am the shop manager.”

Her tone was stern. Too many auctions had been ruined because of drawn-out promotions leading to consignor deaths, she wouldn’t repeat the same mistake.

“Fine. If you insist, I’ll report this to the clan elders!”

Duan Feng threatened.

“Do as you please, Uncle Duan. That’s your right.”

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Liu Yingyue sneered. The Golden Fortune Auction House belonged to the Liu family, not the Duan. As the ninth miss, she wasn’t about to be cowed by an outsider.

Despite the late hour, news of the auction spread like wildfire.

“The Golden Fortune Auction House is really going all out! They just sold a vial of pure Nine Nether Demon Cat tears tonight, and now they have two more?”

“Exactly! Nine Nether Demon Cats are nearly extinct in the cultivation world. Pure tears are priceless, and even diluted ones are rare. Where did they even get these?”

“Who cares? For us cultivators, this is incredible news! At least now, if you have money, you have a chance.”

“Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ve heard the auction house has been plagued with consignors dying mysteriously, causing auctions to fall through.”

“Why would the auction be canceled if the consignor dies?”

“You’re such a novice! If the consignor dies, doesn’t the item become part of their estate? If they have family, it goes to them; if not, it goes to the authorities. Who would dare auction it then? Unless they want to ruin their reputation!”

“Ah, I see!”

“So even if you have the money, it’s useless. Who knows if those cat tears will become relics in three days? It happens all the time at Golden Fortune.”

By nightfall, the entire city was abuzz with speculation. Most believed the cat tears would become relics before the auction, rendering the event void. The hype didn’t have the intended effect.

Unaware of all this, Qi Huang simply carried a torch and led her little bodyguard out of the city.

“Here are two Kinship-grade talismans. They should ward off low-level wandering spirits, but we still need to be careful!”

Xia Wei handed one to Qi Huang.

“Are these yours, or did Liu Yingyue give them to you?”

Qi Huang asked curiously.

“They’re mine.”

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Xia Wei didn’t even turn her head.

“Spending your own money to do your job? Impressive!”

Qi Huang nearly laughed but, seeing how dutiful the woman was, she reluctantly tucked the talisman into her robe.

Soon, they entered the deep mountains. Xia Wei was like a startled bird, glancing back every few steps.

Qi Huang, however, strolled leisurely. As if a cultivator with Divine Realm divine sense would fear a few ghosts! She could march through the Pingshan Mass Burial Ground seven times without breaking a sweat.

Her focus was entirely on the two groups behind her. Finding out who the mole was in the auction house took priority.

Just then, Ah Biao’s group suddenly moved. They donned masks, drew their weapons, and sped forward.

“Strange. Is there danger? Why didn’t I sense anything?”

Qi Huang’s mind raced as her divine sense scanned the surroundings, yet she detected nothing, not even a single ghost.

At the same time, the trailing group also drew their weapons, following closely behind Ah Biao’s men. Unlike them, however, they wore no masks, as if they had nothing to hide.

“What’s going on?”

Qi Huang was utterly baffled.

To figure things out, she deliberately slowed her pace. Before long, Ah Biao’s group caught up.

“Who are you?!”

Xia Wei yelped, shielding Qi Huang like a mother hen.

“Tell us, where did you get those cat tears?”

Ah Biao leveled a massive blade at Qi Huang’s nose and demanded.