Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 188: Date (Part Two)

Gao Shan was overjoyed.

He had been watching the two young men for a while. Both had smooth skin and trendy outfits, and one of them wore his hair long like an artsy intellectual. At first glance, they looked like pampered rich kids.

When the pair wandered over to the most expensive jewelry counter and started browsing, it confirmed his guess.

What a perfect pair of suckers.

Gao Shan hurried over and spun a few vague and mysterious lines. Sure enough, the one in red took the bait right away.

Now all he had to do was pick out a magic ring to sell them.

Selling shoddy fakes was out of the question. If they found out and got angry, they might come after him. A low-grade magical item would be just right—something that had a little calming effect. That way, he could charge whatever price he wanted. After all, laymen wouldn’t know the difference. 

A trinket that cost just over ten thousand could easily be sold for over a million. If this deal went through, he could take half a year off.

While lost in these pleasant fantasies, Gao Shan maintained an aura of spiritual authority and led the two into the shop where he worked.

It was located not far from the jewelry store and had a refined, antique-style decor that exuded taste. A light incense filled the air in the hall, and the display cases were filled with aged trinkets and various jade and gemstone items.

Fang Xiu quietly scanned the room, raising an eyebrow.

This con wasn’t a solo act. The setup was surprisingly thorough. Rent on a place like this couldn’t be cheap, and the items on display were all genuine. Wealthy clients with an eye for antiques would be more inclined to trust them.

Bai Shuangying took a look around and clearly showed his boredom. He had plenty of similar items piled up in the mountains. These trinkets looked just like the junk heap back home. At least the jewelry from earlier had some modern flair.

“No need to look around. The first floor’s full of common stuff. Nothing truly powerful here,” Gao Shan said mysteriously. “Come on, follow me upstairs.”

He opened a nondescript door, revealing a dim staircase that led to the second floor. The hallway had a subdued luxury to it, like a secret room in a mansion.

Fang Xiu appeared both nervous and amazed. He took a deep breath and obediently followed behind.

The second floor was about the same size as the first, but the shelves here were filled with magical tools. There weren’t even any clerks by the display stands. The space was empty and cold, with a slow, eerie energy seeping up from the floor, making it hard to move forward.

Before, Fang Xiu might not have been able to tell. But now he was the All Phenomena E, essentially the king of magic weapons. Even without understanding the principles behind them, he could sense their strength.

…Most of the tools here were trash.

Not to mention ordinary E’s, some didn’t even match up to ritual talismans.

Still, Fang Xiu stayed in character. He hugged his arms and rubbed at one. “Why is it so cold all of a sudden? It’s spring—are they running the AC?”

Gao Shan laughed heartily. “That’s the aura of these treasures. You’ll feel it for yourself once you touch them.”

He walked to the corner of the room and took out a white jade ring. The stone had a soft, smooth glow, but was icy to the touch.

“This is top-grade white jade. It’s over a hundred years old,” Gao Shan explained. “Its previous owner was a Taoist I know. This ring can clear the mind and calm the spirit. Give it a try.”

Fang Xiu took the ring and looked at Bai Shuangying. “……”

The expression on his face said it all. Other than the color, this ring really didn’t suit him.

“Amazing, my head feels instantly clearer.” Fang Xiu turned back to Gao Shan, putting on a naive smile. “Simple things can be nice too. How much is this?”

Gao Shan clenched his fist in front of him. “One million. Non-negotiable.”

So this was daylight robbery. Bai Shuangying glanced back and forth between Gao Shan and the ring, his expression growing colder.

Fang Xiu coughed twice to change the subject. “Do you have anything else? I’m kind of clumsy. I’m afraid I’ll break it.”

Gao Shan couldn’t tell if Fang Xiu thought it was too expensive, too plain, or just didn’t like the style, so he stuck to the script. “Of course. If you don’t like this one, I can find you a gemstone and have a master craftsman customize it.”

“Custom orders are a bit pricier, depending on your needs.”

Fang Xiu agreed readily. He took the chance to step away from Gao Shan and wandered around the second floor with Bai Shuangying.

Truth be told, Fang Xiu had hoped to see what kind of elaborate scam Gao Shan might pull. But the con was so bland it was almost boring.

And this shop didn’t have anything worth looking at. Bai Shuangying was probably getting impatient, so it might be time to slip away… Huh?

Bai Shuangying had stopped in front of a pendant.

It was fairly new, with a distinctly modern design. A fine gold chain held a pendant inlaid with multicolored gems. At the center of the pendant was a pea-sized white stone. It didn’t look quite like a pearl but more like…

“Porcelain?” Fang Xiu muttered.

The aura was faint, barely noticeable. Given the history of the God of Xushan, could it be that Bai Shuangying had a soft spot for porcelain?

“You two have good taste,” Gao Shan said as he approached. “That’s our specially made multigem pendant. It wards off evil and attracts blessings.”

“All the materials come from our store. If there’s a gem you like, we probably have it.”

Bai Shuangying stared at the white stone in the center of the pendant, then lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Fang Xiu glanced sideways at him. “The white one in the middle.”

Gao Shan launched into his pitch. “That one has quite the origin. It’s not cheaper than diamonds. It’s actually a fragment of a sacred statue excavated near Xushan…”

Fang Xiu’s breath caught. “How much of it do you still have?”

Gao Shan smiled but didn’t answer directly. “It’s not easy to process. You have to refine it and remove the impurities. A special master has to consecrate it before it can be taken.”

Fang Xiu repeated firmly, “How much do you have left?”

“Other than this one, just one more piece. The statue fragments were stolen and resold years ago. We only recovered a few remnants.”

“I’ll take them all,” Fang Xiu said. “Please let us see the other piece.”

Perfect.

Gao Shan’s eyes lit up. This kid had money and was easy to fool. That porcelain shard might have some power, but it also carried a faint, lingering malicious energy. It needed to be paired with plenty of gems to balance it out.

Once the rich kid bought the porcelain, he could sell him more gemstones to neutralize it. Clients like this were rare. He had to play it carefully.

“Of course. If you have time, I’ll take you there right away.”

“But before we go, I’ll need a deposit.” Gao Shan smoothly pulled out a contract. “One piece is 3.6 million. Both together, 6.8 million. For a custom order, we ask for a 20% deposit.”

[No need to buy those.]

Bai Shuangying grabbed Fang Xiu’s wrist. Something cool and silky slipped into his skin. Soon, Bai Shuangying’s voice sounded in his mind.

[That’s just a clay idol humans once used for worship. It absorbed some of my karmic aura and divine faith. But now that it’s shattered, its power is almost gone. Buying it would be a waste of money.]

Fang Xiu gently patted Bai Shuangying’s fingers and nervously said to Gao Shan, “I definitely want both pieces, but with that much money, my family will ask questions.”

“Master, could you add a clause guaranteeing it will expel any evil spirit attached to me?”

Gao Shan wanted to laugh. This rich kid was beyond gullible.

There were no spirits clinging to him anyway. Signing meant nothing. The clause had no legal effect. It was pure placebo.

He cheerfully picked up a vermilion brush and added a small line in tiny script:

[If the seller’s item fails to dispel the buyer’s possessing evil spirit, a full refund will be issued.]

After writing it, he solemnly dipped his finger in cinnabar and stamped it.

Only then did Fang Xiu sign his name and transfer 20% of the deposit.

Bai Shuangying looked at Fang Xiu in puzzlement.

“I’ve figured out what to get you,” Fang Xiu whispered.

……

Three days later, Gao Shan personally drove a luxury car and brought them to the outskirts of Xushan.

The place was no longer the village mentioned in the records of the Immortal Encounter E. Centuries of wind and rain had altered the terrain. They were several miles from the site of the old temple to the God of Xushan, surrounded now by wilderness.

In that wilderness stood a formation marked out with talismans. Eight peach branches were strung together with neat red threads, covered in yellow paper charms. Despite the cold wind, the papers didn’t move at all.

Four Taoist priests were stationed at the cardinal points, burning some unknown substance that gave off faintly red smoke. One of them, an old man with a long beard, stood chanting continuously.

Looking at his posture, it was clear he was a black Taoist.

The setup looked impressive—definitely worth the price they had paid.

Fang Xiu stepped closer and saw that the center of the formation held a shard of white porcelain, about the size of a bottle cap.

“Master, these are Mr. Fang and Mr. Bai,” Gao Shan introduced them with a smile. “They’ve purchased the two sacred porcelain shards and want to have them made into rings.”

The old Taoist gave them a glance and grunted noncommittally.

He looked even less respectable than Gao Shan, with slanted, pale, three-white eyes and a naturally hostile look.

“The consecration will be completed today. Mr. Fang and Mr. Bai can take them home with more blessings.”

Gao Shan tried to keep the mood light. “Later, if you all have time, please help Mr. Fang with a spirit cleansing.”

“Spirit cleansing?” the old Taoist raised his eyes.

“Aren’t you the best at that? Let’s not charge this time. Consider it a free service for our valued clients.”

“Sure. You said they’re important clients,” the old man clicked his tongue, giving Fang Xiu a look like he was a product on display.

“All right, everyone. Rest for half a stick of incense. We’ll do the spirit cleansing afterward.”

As he finished, he pulled out a talisman and began to write complex symbols. Bai Shuangying’s eyes followed the tip of the brush, and the corner of his eye twitched.

Part of his true form slid into Fang Xiu’s mind.

[That charm won’t dispel evil. It only clouds the mind.]

[If a normal person drinks the charm water, they’ll be tricked into feeling awe and trust for the caster.]

Of course Fang Xiu wouldn’t be affected, but Bai Shuangying still didn’t want his human drinking something so suspicious.

Fang Xiu’s mouth twitched.

So that was their game. These charlatans wanted him dazed and worshipping the master, ready to hand over his fortune.

Judging by the old man’s practiced skill, this probably wasn’t his first time.

“Oh, I couldn’t trouble you,” Fang Xiu blinked and said politely. “There’s a villa near my home. Let’s have some tea there and perform the ritual indoors.”

“Please follow me.”

---

The author has something to say:

This was the boss’s direct capture attempt (?

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>