Chapter 143

Chapter 143: A Dragon Trapped in the Shallows 2

Boss Shen’s words were not something Liu Hao Tian believed for even a single word. What kind of person in the mortal world could “repair” a Cultivation World storage pouch? But Yu Qing Cheng still looked grateful as she said, “Thank you for taking such good care of us siblings, Boss Shen. The other pouch isn’t urgent. Give it back after it’s fixed. I can actually do mending too, but my skill isn’t good. My brother probably wouldn’t approve.”

Boss Shen enjoyed Yu Qing Cheng’s gratitude. His old face bloomed like a chrysanthemum. Once he confirmed they would not cause trouble again, he said with a smile, “Get ready. In three days, you’ll go to the magistrate’s residence as guests.”

“Yes.”

This time, Yu Qing Cheng answered quickly. She just wanted to send him away so she could take pills.

Boss Shen achieved his goal and did not linger. He turned and left. With two money trees in his hands, he had to plan carefully and squeeze out the most profit.

After he left, Yu Qing Cheng did not rush to open the storage pouch. Only when the moon was high in the sky did she take spirit stones, pills, and a concealment array disk out of it.

By the time she finished, sweat had seeped from her forehead and her face had gone pale. She had squeezed out every bit of spiritual energy she had accumulated over the past few days. Her meridians returned to that empty feeling again.

Liu Hao Tian reacted fast. He supported Yu Qing Cheng as she sat cross-legged on a cushion. Then he also sat down cross-legged. First he activated the concealment array disk and completely hid them, and only then did he take out healing pills. He fed one to Yu Qing Cheng and took one himself, then held a spirit stone and began repairing the damage to their meridians.

Their healing took five days.

Boss Shen was so furious he almost passed out. Because they “disappeared” for no reason, he punished the martial servants guarding the door and turned the entire loft upside down, but still did not find Yu Qing Cheng or Liu Hao Tian. That confirmed he had been tricked.

He immediately guessed the problem lay with that pouch. Before they got it back, the two had stayed obediently in the loft, acting like they were afraid their whereabouts would be exposed. The day after they got the pouch, they vanished. How could he not suspect it?

The brothel madam lowered her voice and said, “Boss, do you think those two might be mountain spirits? Otherwise, how could there be people so unbelievably beautiful? I’ve been in this line for years, and I’ve never seen such otherworldly beauties in Jin Shan County.”

Hearing that, Boss Shen felt even more afraid. He realized he had been too sure of himself. He frowned. “Then should we find an expert to take a look?”

“I heard the abbott of Qian Shan Temple is very capable. Why not invite him?”

The madam immediately suggested.

“Fine. I’ll arrange it.”

He ordered his men to bring heavy gifts to Qian Shan Temple to invite someone, but in secret he did not relax. He also arranged people to search for Yu Qing Cheng and Liu Hao Tian throughout Jin Shan County.

Before long, rumors spread from Qi Xia Pavilion. They said the owner had lost two newly bought beauties, suspected they were taken by monsters, and had already asked the abbott of Qian Shan Temple for help.

There were also rumors that Boss Shen was inhuman, forcing decent people into prostitution and causing deaths, so resentful spirits came to claim their lives and took away his two money trees. They said he was scared now, so he sought someone to catch ghosts. In short, there were several versions of the story.

But the one thing they all had in common was this: Qi Xia Pavilion had lost two peerless beauties.

When Yun Xi and Xia You arrived in Jin Shan County, they heard those rumors.

Xia You’s eyes turned as she said, “Fellow Cultivator Wei… Yun Xi, do you think it’s the two from Hundred Flowers Pavilion?”

Yun Xi nodded. “It’s very likely. Tonight we’ll go to Qi Xia Pavilion and take a look. We might find something.”

“Alright.”

She then raised her voice and ordered, “Find an inn closer to Qi Xia Pavilion.”

“Yes.”

The strategist answered crisply. Along the way, this group of bandits behaved like chicks. It was because they had confirmed again and again that the two beauties were immortals.

Not one bandit had seen them eat or drink. In their minds, only immortals could live on wind and dew, so they became even more cautious.

In truth, the two had been eating fasting pills. Mortal food had too many impurities and was not good for cultivation. It was not that eating it would harm them, but once they returned to the Cultivation World, it would be troublesome to purge the impurities.

After the two settled into Jin Shan Inn, the bandits did not dare wander around. They all stayed in cheap rooms, chewing dry, hard flatbread.

While Yun Xi and Xia You were planning their nighttime move, the abbott of Qian Shan Temple was invited down from the mountain. The abbott declared that he did not come for Qi Xia Pavilion’s heavy reward, but to capture demons and wicked things.

However, the moment the abbott saw the pouch embroidered with orchids, his expression changed. This was clearly something from the Cultivation World. He tried to open the storage pouch, but failed. He immediately stood up.

“Boss Shen, I’m afraid I can’t help you with this. You should take care of yourself.”

Boss Shen felt a sudden panic. He immediately blocked the abbott. “Abbott, what do you mean? Why are you leaving?”

To cut ties as fast as possible, the abbott said sternly, “Boss Shen, you offended someone you shouldn’t have offended. I will have the novice return what you sent to Qian Shan Temple. Don’t waste effort searching for them either. As long as that pouch is still in your hands, they will come looking for you sooner or later.”

With that, he flung his sleeve, swept aside the person blocking him, and left Qi Xia Pavilion as fast as he could.

Only then did Boss Shen realize how serious the situation was.

Meanwhile, Liu Hao Tian, who was meditating to heal, suddenly opened his eyes. Just now, he had sensed someone trying to erase the spiritual sense imprint he left on his storage pouch. A trace of killing intent flashed in his eyes. It had been a long time since he met a cultivator who didn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth.

When the abbott left, Boss Shen chased after him. Many people were watching the excitement outside. Yun Xi, staying across the street, saw everything clearly.

Xia You also frowned.

“That should be Fellow Cultivator Liu’s storage pouch. How did it end up in a mortal’s hands?”

“They must have been badly injured. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have let someone take the storage pouch. But luckily, the spiritual sense imprint is still there. This Boss Shen should know where they are.”

“Then let’s go ask him!”

“Let’s go.”

After speaking, the two of them vanished from the room.

When Boss Shen returned, he found two women in the reception hall, and the pouch was in one of their hands. He immediately cried out, “Who are you? Why are you trespassing in my home?”

Xia You said slowly, “Isn’t this place Qi Xia Pavilion? Since you’re open for business, this doesn’t count as trespassing.”

Yun Xi was even more direct. “Have you seen the owner of this pouch?”

Boss Shen backed away slowly, wanting to call for help.

Xia You flicked her sleeve, and the door slammed shut with a bang. She looked impatient. “Answer whatever we ask. Don’t test our patience.”

Boss Shen jolted in fright. His legs went weak, and he dropped to his knees. “Honored ones, please calm down. I didn’t harm those two. On the contrary, I fed them well and treated them well, and I even helped hide their whereabouts. Who knew that once they recovered, they would disappear?”

“Where did they disappear from?”

Yun Xi continued.

“In Yang Yu Pavilion.”

“Take us to see it.”

“Yes, this way.”

Boss Shen scrambled up and carefully opened the door. He looked like he wanted to crawl on all fours to Yang Yu Pavilion.

Yun Xi and Xia You moved without obstruction all the way to the place where the two had been kept.