Volume 1, Chapter 37 – Oh No, She’s Fairy Hongling (Part 2)

Huang Qi’s nerves instantly tightened. The inn’s door wasn’t so flimsy that just anyone could kick it open. The person outside could only have one of two identities—either a cultivator or… a martial artist.

Martial artists were those without the talent for cultivation, forced to rely solely on physical training to grow stronger. Because this path was exceptionally difficult, most martial artists weren’t particularly powerful, only reaching the level of an outer sect disciple of a cultivation sect.

Unfortunately, Huang Qi was still just a measly second-layer Gathering Spirit Realm novice, so he had no choice but to be extremely cautious.

As the door was kicked open, people filed into the room. Someone held a firestarter, instantly illuminating the space.

By the flickering light, Huang Qi saw that the leader was a man of average height. Though not tall, he was broad-shouldered and thick-limbed, built like an ape, exuding a compact yet formidable aura.

Behind him were four or five lackeys armed with various weapons—tall, short, fat, and thin—each carrying blades, spears, or staffs.

At the same time, the group was sizing up Huang Qi, their eyes gleaming with a faint green light in the dimness.

“Brother Gang, wasn’t I right? This one’s a top-tier catch. No—a top-tier among top-tiers!”

A scrawny monkey of a man beside the brawny leader fawned, clutching a dagger.

“Hah, not bad, Little San. For once, your eyesight didn’t fail you.”

Though Gang praised him, his greedy eyes never left Huang Qi’s body, like a starving beast exuding an overwhelmingly predatory aura. “Never thought we’d run into such a fine specimen in this godforsaken place.”

“But she is wearing a veil. What if she’s ugly?”

A lanky man beside them voiced his concern.

“You idiot! With a body like that, even if her face is a disaster, those rich young masters would still pay top coin. Worst case, we just keep her face covered like now. Tell me, doesn’t she get your blood pumping?”

The scrawny lackey retorted.

“Mhm, mhm, mhm…”

The lanky man stole another glance at Huang Qi before nodding eagerly.

“Tch, as if you’d ever get a chance to touch her, ugly or not.”

Gang scoffed before ordering the scrawny man: “Little San, take her. If we delay, the authorities might catch wind.”

“Yes, sir!”

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Little San obeyed, stepping toward Huang Qi with a revolting grin.

“What do you want?”

Huang Qi frowned.

“Little lady, come quietly with us, and you won’t get hurt.”

Little San leered.

Huang Qi tensed. Though he couldn’t gauge their exact strength, his instincts screamed danger.

‘What do I do? If I lose and get captured, I’m finished—not only turned into a woman but also a breeding tool.’

His heart pounded uncontrollably again.

“Quit dawdling! You want me to get rough?”

Little San grew “impatient”, eagerly reaching for Huang Qi’s delicate, pale hand.

Huang Qi refused to sit idle and prepared to fight for his life.

BANG!

The next moment, Little San’s body was sent flying, crashing into the wall before slumping down like a sack of potatoes—alive or dead, no one could tell.

Huang Qi froze.

Because it wasn’t him who had struck—it was Gang!

Gang had lunged forward, punching his own lackey into oblivion before dropping to his knees in a desperate slide, kowtowing frantically.

“Forgive me! Forgive me! Fairy Hongling, spare me! I was wrong, so terribly wrong!”

For a moment, the room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

“Brother Gang, what the hell? Why’d you backstab your own man?”

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After a beat, the lanky lackey snapped out of his shock, indignation flaring.

“Moron! Get on your knees and beg the fairy for mercy! She’s the Honghua Sect’s Fairy Hongling!”

Gang roared, sweat pouring down his face in panic.

“Fairy Hongling?!”

The lackeys exchanged glances before dropping to their knees in unison, kowtowing and pleading for mercy.

Huang Qi’s mind went blank. It took him a while to process—Gang had mistaken him for Fairy Hongling.

‘Damn it, I thought he’d gone berserk and started killing randomly! Nearly scared me to death!’

He exhaled in relief. Since they’d misidentified him, why not play along? It was his only way out now.

“You know Hong—me?”

Huang Qi steadied himself before speaking, though he nearly slipped up—his acting needed work.

“I’ve had the honor of seeing you once before. Your celestial grace and voice are unforgettable!”

Gang kept his head bowed, not daring to look up.

Huang Qi relaxed completely. “Who are you people? What were you planning, barging into my room at night?”

“Reporting to the fairy, this lowly one is Meng Gang, a martial arts thug in this county. Since I know some fighting, I occasionally act as a matchmaker for wealthy young masters struggling to find wives.”

Meng Gang hurriedly explained.

“And is this matchmaking of yours respectable? I’ve never heard of matchmakers needing combat skills.”

Huang Qi sneered. Of course, that wasn’t the only issue—this man’s skills were too formidable. In the entire Huangtian Prefecture’s martial world, he’d rank as first-class. Why would someone like him stay in this backwater? Plus, he’d earlier said, “Never thought we’d run into such a fine specimen in this godforsaken place”, implying he wasn’t local.

“Well… some brides are less than cooperative, so a little persuasion is needed.”

Meng Gang awkwardly added.

“Like with me just now?”

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Huang Qi gritted his teeth. This scum had the gall to call himself a matchmaker when he was clearly trafficking women.

“My deepest apologies! This lowly one failed to recognize a supreme being!”

Meng Gang panicked, kowtowing repeatedly.

Huang Qi burned with fury, but to avoid complications, he considered just shooing them away. Yet, that might seem suspicious—a peerless fairy from an immortal sect wouldn’t be so lenient.

“Since you recognize me, how should you atone for offending this fairy?”

He coldly demanded.

“I understand!”

Meng Gang was quick. He pulled out some items and placed them at Huang Qi’s feet.

Under the firelight, Huang Qi saw scattered silver pieces—and a banknote, likely worth fifty taels.

“Are you insulting me?”

Huang Qi suppressed his excitement, maintaining an icy demeanor. As a “fairy”, he couldn’t abandon his principles over mere silver.

“I get it! I get it!”

Meng Gang paused before turning to his lackeys. “Empty your pockets! All your silver—offer it to the fairy!”

Who would dare refuse? The lackeys hastily forked over their coins, each contribution small but totaling over ten taels.

Huang Qi was stunned. That wasn’t what he’d meant, but if they insisted on “insulting” him, he’d reluctantly accept.

“Fine. I’ll hold onto this ill-gotten silver for now. You will immediately turn yourselves in at the magistrate’s office. That might spare your lives. Otherwise… don’t blame this fairy for dispensing justice.”

He fought the urge to snatch the money, forcing himself to sound authoritative.

“Yes, yes! Understood!”

Meng Gang obeyed without question—at least superficially.

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Soon, the group carried the unconscious Little San out of the room.

Huang Qi didn’t believe for a second they’d surrender to the authorities. But he truly had no time—or ability—to pursue them. Meng Gang alone would be tough to handle, let alone his gang of lackeys.

“Struck gold! Struck gold!”

The moment they left, Huang Qi’s aloof act crumbled. He greedily gathered the silver, counting it with trembling hands.

“Seventy-three taels! A full seventy-three taels!”

Once he tallied it up, Huang Qi nearly danced with joy. Not because the sum was vast, but because he could finally repay Ruan Lingyu’s debt.’

Meanwhile, Meng Gang and his men descended the stairs, sighing miserably.

“What rotten luck, running into Cheng Hongling in a place like this!”

“Right? Didn’t they say she’d already left her sect and joined another?”

“Guess rumors can’t be trusted. Thank heavens we met her halfway, or we’d have walked right into disaster!”

“Shh! Lower your voices—what if she hears?”

“Right, right, boss!”

Huang Qi’s senses were sharp now, and their whispers faintly reached his ears.

“What? Fairy Hongling left the Honghua Sect and joined another?”

He stiffened, the silver slipping from his hands and clattering to the floor.