Chapter 544: Zhang Gunli and Huang Zenan

Sun Tiecheng told Gui Jianchou to move the abacus farther away. As soon as it was more than ten meters away, Zhang Gunli's spirit stopped moving. This definitely wasn't Zhang Gunli, but whose spirit was it?

Sun Tiecheng said to Gui Jianchou, "Call your dream and painting ghost servants." Gui Jianchou turned and said, "A Chun, A Se, go to the City Lord."

Two pretty women approached Sun Tiecheng. Sun Tiecheng instructed the dream practitioner, "Make this person half-asleep and half-awake in a moment." A Chun nodded. Sun Tiecheng then told the painting practitioner, "My memory isn't very good. In a moment, write down everything you see and hear for me!" A Se quickly prepared her drawing brush.

"Give me the abacus." Sun Tiecheng beckoned to Gui Jianchou, who brought the abacus back. Once the abacus was in Sun Tiecheng's hand, and he drew closer to Zhang Gunli, Zhang Gunli slowly opened his eyes. As a departed spirit, Zhang Gunli's features had been somewhat indistinct, but now they slowly became clear. He stared intently at Sun Tiecheng, his eyes widening.

A wandering spirit under Gui Jianchou's command shouted to him, "Not good! Danger! Quick, run!" Gui Jianchou didn't forget to warn Sun Tiecheng, "City Lord Sun, stay away from that spirit."

The spirit's eyes bulged, its forehead swelled, its cheeks sank, and its entire form twisted. Sun Tiecheng calmly said, "You are a living person. A living person must live well. How can you just explode?" The spirit's twisting slowed, but there was still a force within its body that could erupt at any moment.

Sun Tiecheng brought a bowl of tea and poured it into the spirit's mouth: "Thirsty? Have some water first. It's much more comfortable with water, isn't it? If you can drink water, then you're a living person. Living people shouldn't explode; living people must live well. Drink all this tea, and after that, we'll eat something."

Regardless of the spirit's origin, any living being possesses the desire to survive. It wanted to live. Leveraging this desire to live, Sun Tiecheng created an opening, and the spirit's distorted form gradually returned to normal.

Sun Tiecheng told Gui Jianchou to prepare incense and candles, and also had his subordinates prepare a plate of salt-baked chicken. The spirit ate the chicken while consuming the incense, which not only satisfied its craving but also filled its stomach.

Seeing the spirit recover about 70-80%, Sun Tiecheng asked, "What is your name, exactly?" The spirit replied, "I'm Zhang Gunli, Sun Tiecheng. You owed me money back then too. How could you not remember?"

Sun Tiecheng smiled, "You remember things from so many years ago. How much did I owe you, exactly?" "Three hundred and sixty-three silver dollars! You owed me money and never paid me back!" Sun Tiecheng took a sip of tea and carefully recalled the past: "Why wouldn't I pay you back? I shouldn't have been short on that much money, right?"

"How could you not be short?" the spirit scoffed. "Back then, you weren't a City Lord. Our cultivation levels were all basic. If I hadn't lent you three hundred silver dollars, what would you have used to start your business? What would you have used to open restaurants, inns, and brothels? How could you have built a Fool's City?"

Sun Tiecheng was very angry: "You lent me three hundred silver dollars, and you want me to pay back three hundred and sixty-three?" The spirit also got angry: "Are you kidding me? Don't I charge interest? What am I supposed to eat?"

Sun Tiecheng was unconvinced: "You must be mistaken, right? Someone as smart as me would need to borrow money from you to start a business? I remember having a considerable family fortune before I joined the Daoist sect."

"What family fortune?!" the spirit sneered repeatedly. "Old Sun, all these years you've been so busy deceiving others that you've deceived yourself, haven't you? Others might not know you, but I do! Before you entered the Dao, you were a hunter, roaming the mountain valleys every day, honest and timid, afraid to talk to people. All the game you caught went through my hands for sale. It wasn't until you were sixteen, the first time you went to the market in town, and saw the girl selling cotton, that you were so smitten you couldn't sleep for three days. I haven't gotten that wrong, have I?"

"No, you're trying to trick me," Sun Tiecheng waved his hand. "I remember being born into a wealthy family." "Wealthy family, my foot! Your father was also a hunter, and he never touched a woman his whole life." "Nonsense! If he never touched a woman, how could I exist?" The spirit snorted, "He picked you up from a mountain gully!" Sun Tiecheng angrily retorted, "You're talking nonsense! Before I was born, I was a young master in a wealthy family!"

The spirit laughed, "You're even talking about before you were born now! Old Sun, you've really been deluded by your own lies, constantly trying to glorify yourself." "If you're not glorifying yourself, is your background better than mine?" "I didn't say my background was good. My father herded sheep for rich people, and I had to follow him to herd sheep as soon as I was old enough to understand. I was poor. If I hadn't secretly sold the master's sheep, I wouldn't have been able to start anything! I know I came from a difficult background, but we don't boast. Hardship is hardship, and we admit it!"

Sun Tiecheng waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about childhood. Let's talk about before you were born. I knew you before I was born. I remember your nickname was 'Ha'." The spirit shook its head and said, "Don't talk nonsense. There's no such thing as 'before birth'." "Why not? Before I was born, I was a young master, and I always called you 'Ha'. You even had a sweetheart named 'Rabbit'." The spirit sneered, "I think you've gone mad. Who can remember things from before they were born?"

Sun Tiecheng said very seriously, "I can remember! If you can't, then you have to listen to me. You were 'Ha' before you were born." "I am not 'Ha'!" "You are a toad!" "Why do you say I'm 'Ha'!" "I saw you with my own eyes; you were 'Ha'!" The spirit furiously retorted, "You're mistaken! 'Ha' is Ge Jun; he's not me at all!"

At this, the spirit suddenly froze, muttering, "Who is Ge Jun? I seem to have seen this person..." Sun Tiecheng said, "Let's not talk about Ge Jun for now. Let's talk about you. Are you 'Ha' or not?" The spirit's expression became blank at intervals, and it mumbled, "I'm not 'Ha'. Ge Jun is 'Ha'. I'm most afraid of Ge Jun." Its voice changed, no longer like Zhang Gunli's. It was sharp and piercing, and the tone was somewhat erratic.

Sun Tiecheng said, "Why are you afraid of him? We're good friends. If he bullies you, we'll beat him together!" "Can't beat him, can't win against him," the spirit turned to Sun Tiecheng, "Who are you, anyway?" Sun Tiecheng said, "I'm your good friend, your good friend from a hard background!"

"A good friend from a hard background," the spirit fell into thought. "Do I have friends? Don't all of you look down on me?" "I respect you. I truly consider you a friend!" "It's useless for you to consider me a friend," the spirit kept shaking its head. "I am a lower-caste person. I will be a lower-caste person my entire life."

Gui Jianchou was stunned, so stunned he forgot what he was supposed to be doing. In the blink of an eye, the spirit transformed into another person. From Zhang Gunli, it became someone of unknown identity. Zhang Gunli came from a poor background, transitioning from a shepherd to a moneylender. Those who knew him often made fun of him for this. But now, it claimed to be a lower-caste person. "Lower caste" is a term used in Neizhou. How did it become a Neizhou person again?

Sun Tiecheng continued to chat with the spirit. They spoke candidly, as if they had been friends for lifetimes. "What's wrong with being lower-caste?" Sun Tiecheng punched the spirit. "I'm also lower-caste, and I don't feel like I live a debased life." "You don't think so?" The spirit laughed. "Do you think it matters? Do the upper-caste people even look at you properly?" Sun Tiecheng retorted, "Do I care if they look at me properly?" "You don't care, but I do! I'm the strongest fighter among my peers. Why should I let them look down on me? I want to be an upper-caste person! I must be!"

Sun Tiecheng snorted, "You want to be an upper-caste person? How are you going to change your bloodline?" "I can, I did! You don't know, do you?" The spirit looked at Sun Tiecheng and said, "I've already changed my bloodline! I'm not Huang Ze anymore; I'm not that grasshopper from before. My name is Huang Zenan! I'm an upper-caste person now!"

"Hmph, hmph, hmph!" Sun Tiecheng looked at the spirit with contempt. "You change your name, and you're an upper-caste person?" The spirit shook its head repeatedly, leaning closer to Sun Tiecheng and saying very seriously, "It's not just changing my name; it's changing my kind. I changed my bloodline!" "Can bloodlines be changed?" "Yes, they can! But I have to do something big. If I can't achieve it, then I'll have to be changed back." "What big thing?" The spirit lowered its head and said, "I can't tell you."

Sun Tiecheng clasped his hands, squatted beside the spirit, and said, "Weren't we childhood friends? As close as brothers! I only started my business because you lent me three hundred silver dollars!" The spirit looked at Sun Tiecheng blankly, two sets of memories churning in its mind. There had been a clear boundary between these two memories, but Sun Tiecheng seemed to be using a spoon to slowly stir them together.

"Are we really good friends?" The spirit looked at Sun Tiecheng. Its tone changed again; it wasn't as steady as Zhang Gunli's, but it wasn't as erratic either. "Yes, you herded sheep, and I hunted!" Sun Tiecheng nodded repeatedly. "Yes, we are good friends." The spirit also nodded continuously, and the two sets of memories merged within a reasonable range.

Sun Tiecheng said, "If you become an upper-caste person, won't you give me a hand? What exactly did they make you do? Can't you point me in the right direction too?" The spirit's voice began to become erratic again. It said mysteriously, "I'll tell you this one thing, but you must not tell anyone else: to become an upper-caste person, you first have to put your body into a furnace and burn it." Sun Tiecheng listened carefully: "And after it's burned?" "After it's burned, it turns into water, and then it's recast." "And after it's recast?" "After it's recast, you become different; you become another person. Then you burn your soul again, just like your body. I fainted from the pain. When I woke up, I was another person. I became Zhang Gunli, and I remember all his affairs, truly, as if they were my own."

Sun Tiecheng then asked, "Do you still remember your own affairs?" "At first, I did. But then an upper-caste person named Luo Shigang came. You know the Luo family; they're upper-caste, with very high status. He gave me medicine, and after I took it, I forgot everything. I couldn't even remember my own name." "And then?" "Then I remembered. My name is Zhang Gunli. I'm a moneylender. I'm from Puoluo Prefecture. At first, I thought people from Puoluo Prefecture lived debased lives, but then I didn't think so, because I am from Puoluo Prefecture; I've been one since I was little. I went out to lend money, counting my loan slips one by one, making them pay me back. Other people's money isn't important. I must find a way to get Feng Chongli's money back. I must get his money back." The spirit's tone began to stabilize, seemingly becoming Zhang Gunli again.

Sun Tiecheng said, "Is his money special in some way?" The spirit said very seriously, "Special. His money is the most special. If he can't pay it back, he has to introduce me to Xuehua Pu. Once I'm in Xuehua Pu, half the big task will be done. Then I'll find out all the information about Xuehua Pu, call our people, and destroy Xuehua Pu. Then I'll have made a great contribution, and I'll be an upper-caste person from then on!"

Sun Tiecheng sighed, "So that's how it is. Did you get into Xuehua Pu?" "Couldn't get in. I hadn't even met Feng Chongli yet. I met Shen Rongqing first. She, she was truly..." Sun Tiecheng asked, "What about her?" "She was beautiful!" The spirit fell into a reverie. "She was truly beautiful, and not just beautiful, but also talented, just like Luo Lijun – unforgettable after one look. I advised her, I couldn't bear to see her, I told her not to borrow high-interest loans. What woman who borrows money from me manages to escape without debt? But she wouldn't listen. She insisted on borrowing cultivation power from me; she insisted on seeking revenge on Ma Junyang. I took her seriously and lent it to her. I knew she couldn't pay it back, and if she couldn't, she would be mine! Someone like Luo Lijun, I could never reach her in this life, but Shen Rongqing would be mine. Actually, she wasn't any worse than Luo Lijun! She was even more talented than Luo Lijun!"

Sun Tiecheng said, "So you fell for it and were tricked by He Jiaqing and Feng Chongli?" "What are they?!" The spirit scoffed. "Others might not know me, but don't you? I can't beat you, but can't I beat them?" Sun Tiecheng said, "The key is that Gui Jianchou and Mu Yuejuan were also there!" "I'm not afraid of them either! The only thing I'm afraid of is that I lost my walnut, and I have no weapon to use."

Sun Tiecheng held up the abacus and said, "Don't you still have this?" "That can't be used!" The spirit tried to snatch the abacus back, but Sun Tiecheng pulled his hand away, and the spirit failed to grab it. "Why can't this be used?" Sun Tiecheng asked. The spirit pointed at the abacus and said, "This, this abacus, it's mine, it's my life. If this abacus is gone, my life is gone. If my abacus is taken by someone else, I, I, I will—"

As it spoke, the spirit's eyes bulged out again. Sun Tiecheng quickly persuaded it, "Don't explode, you can't explode. A perfectly fine living person, how can you just explode like that? You absolutely cannot explode..." "Who are you?" The spirit's tone changed. The memories that had been mixed together were now separated again. "I don't know you. Who are you? Give me back the abacus!" The spirit lunged to snatch the abacus, but Sun Tiecheng didn't give it a chance. "Brother, think carefully again. I'm the hunter!" "I don't know any hunters."

No matter how Sun Tiecheng tried to persuade it, the spirit's tendency to twist and deform didn't change. This time, it truly couldn't be held back. Sun Tiecheng said, "Don't rush, brother. Live a little longer. Living isn't easy, and living longer is always good. It'll be hard for me to see you go; I'll have to cry a little!" While crying, Sun Tiecheng ordered his two ghost servants to retreat. With a wave of his hand, he had everyone in the entire residence evacuate.

Outside the mansion, Gui Jianchou heard someone shouting from inside: "I am Huang Zenan! I am an upper-caste person! I am Zhang Gunli! I am a rich man! I can summon wind and rain! I am a great person! Luo Lijun followed me! Shen Rongqing is also mine! They are all so beautiful! And they'll all be mine from now on—" The spirit's voice was first piercing, then gradually became deep and hoarse. The spirit swelled up, like a mass of foam, filling the entire hall.

Sun Tiecheng, holding the abacus, said to the spirit, "Brother, it's all yours! If you die, I'll burn a few more paper figures to accompany you. If you die, I'll give you this whole mansion as compensation. You can only explode inside this mansion, not outside!" After saying that, Sun Tiecheng, still holding the abacus, left the mansion. Without the abacus, the spirit seemed to lose consciousness. Its spirit continued to swell, then exploded into fragments with a shattering sound.

Sun Tiecheng's mansion was leveled, with dust and smoke everywhere. Gui Jianchou stood frozen, still not knowing what had happened. Sun Tiecheng ordered, "A Gui, cry! Tell all your ghost servants to cry for me!"

Why cry? Since Sun Tiecheng had ordered it, Gui Jianchou dared not delay. He wailed, "Our house!" Sun Tiecheng kicked Gui Jianchou. "Why are you crying about the house? My childhood friend died; aren't you heartbroken?" Gui Jianchou wailed again, "Our childhood friend!" The ghost servants all cried, "The childhood friend is gone!" Sun Tiecheng had his subordinates inform the entire city to mourn his childhood friend. A group of people in the city, not knowing who this friend was, simply cried along as the City Lord had instructed. After crying for over half an hour, dust fell from the sky. The fake Zhang Gunli, the real Huang Zenan, had vanished into thin air.

Sun Tiecheng looked at A Se and asked, "Have you drawn everything that just happened?" A Se nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I've drawn it." Sun Tiecheng instructed Gui Jianchou, "A Gui, take A Se and go find Old Seven. Tell him to be extra cautious." "Alright!" Gui Jianchou prepared to leave.

"Wait a moment!" Sun Tiecheng stopped Gui Jianchou again. He took out the abacus and asked, "Do you recognize this?" Gui Jianchou nodded, "Yes, it's an abacus." Sun Tiecheng kicked Gui Jianchou. "Do I need you to tell me that? Don't I know it's an abacus? I'm asking what else this thing can be used for, besides being an abacus?" "It can also be used as a weapon, for both offense and defense. The abacus beads can even be pulled off and used as hidden projectiles; they're very effective!" "What else can it do, besides being a weapon?" Gui Jianchou actually understood what Sun Tiecheng wanted to ask, but he didn't dare to guess about uncertain matters: "That person from Neizhou just said this abacus was his life. What other mysteries are hidden within it, I can't say." "Do you have any craft practitioners under you?" "Yes, A Tie, come here and take a look."

A ghost servant named A Tie took the abacus and examined it carefully for a long time: "There's a special craftsmanship within it, but exactly what kind, I can't say clearly." "Your level is still not high enough," Sun Tiecheng said with a serious expression, asking Gui Jianchou, "How many disciples of Old Train do you know?" Gui Jianchou thought for a moment: "I know most of them, but I don't have much of a relationship with any. If you're talking about someone I'm familiar with, there's a cart-puller in Yaowang Gully..." "The cart-puller won't do. Even if he figures it out, he might not tell you," Sun Tiecheng thought again. "Go to Black Stone Slope, find Tang Shijiang, and show him this abacus. Maybe he can figure something out."

Gui Jianchou was a bit hesitant: "Tang Shijiang isn't easy to talk to. In his territory, I can't force him..." "No need to force him," Sun Tiecheng waved his hand. "Just tell him this item came from Neizhou. He should be able to help. That man knows what's what." "Alright," Gui Jianchou agreed. "So, the matter of finding Old Seven will wait for a bit?" Sun Tiecheng shook his head, "This matter can't wait either!" Seeing Sun Tiecheng in a hurry about both matters, Gui Jianchou turned to A Se and said, "I'm going to Black Stone Slope. You take the drawing and find Old Seven yourself. Be extremely careful on the way."

A Se was displeased. Ghost servants generally didn't act alone. Some demon cultivators worried about losing control of their ghost servants, while some ghost servants worried about being abandoned by their demon cultivators. A Se was a beautiful woman, appearing to be in her late twenties. Among Gui Jianchou's ghost servants, her cultivation wasn't high, nor was her combat strength strong. She belonged to the type who feared being abandoned. When Gui Jianchou told her to go by herself, A Se sniffled twice and burst into tears.

Gui Jianchou frowned, "You foolish woman, I'm sending you on an errand, why are you crying?" A Se said with a wronged expression, "I don't know where to find Li Qi." "First, go look around Greenwater City, then check Xiyao Manor. If you still can't find him, go to He Yuxiu's territory and find Ye Jianhuang; ask her to help you figure it out." A Se wiped her tears and said, "You just think I'm useless and don't want me anymore." Gui Jianchou reassured her, "You are useful. Among all my subordinates, you are the most useful. Don't be afraid. I'll have A Chun accompany you."

At the Chu family mansion, Chu Huaiyuan was sitting in a chair, doing her makeup. Her makeup was still very heavy, especially her eyeshadow, which was applied very darkly. After finishing her makeup, she took a top hat from her dressing table and put it on. The brim dipped low, casting shadows over her eyes and nose, only allowing others to see her chin and lips.

Xiang Fenglan watched from the side and chuckled, "You went to all that trouble putting on eyeshadow, and now it's completely covered by your hat. Wasn't that all for nothing? Who are you doing your makeup for?" Chu Er didn't respond. Looking at the necklace around Xiang Fenglan's neck, she asked, "Who gave you this?" "I saved up money and bought it myself." "Do you know how much this jade on the necklace is worth?" Xiang Fenglan snorted, "None of your business!" Chu Er picked up the jade pendant and looked at it for a moment. Through the refraction of light, she saw the character "Wu" (Five). "Did you go to see Ma Wu?" Xiang Fenglan, blushing, said, "No." "Still being stubborn!" Chu Er said viciously. "Just wait until I tell Grandma; she'll beat you to death, you brazen hussy!" Xiang Fenglan angrily retorted, "You're not brazen? Who gave you that hat you're wearing?" Chu Er smiled smugly, "Grandma allows me to be brazen with him; Grandma hopes I'll be brazen with him. Isn't that just infuriating you?"

Just as they were speaking, Yang Yanzheng entered the room: "Second Miss, Young Master He Jiaqing requests an audience." Chu Er was surprised: "What is he here for?" "He said he has some business matters to discuss with you, Miss." "Have I ever had business dealings with him?" Yang Yanzheng shook his head; there truly hadn't been any. Chu Er had heard that Li Qi and He Jiaqing were at odds, so she said without hesitation, "Tell him I'm ill and unable to receive visitors." Yang Yanzheng nodded and was about to leave to deliver the message when he saw He Jiaqing, dressed in a white long gown and holding a folding fan, standing at the top of the stairs.

Chu Er glanced at Xiang Fenglan, who had already drawn an arrow from her waist. Yang Yanzheng called for Wen Hongyan, then turned to He Jiaqing and said, "Young Master He, this is a bit out of line!" He Jiaqing fanned himself, smiling, "Everyone, please don't be angry. I'm here to discuss an important matter with Miss Huaiyuan. I assure you, there's no ill intent whatsoever." Chu Huaiyuan said, "Whatever it is, you can just say it from the stairs." He Jiaqing looked left and right: "Isn't that inappropriate? What we need to discuss involves secrets." Chu Er shook her head and said, "There are no secrets between you and me. What you say to me, they can all hear. What they cannot hear, you don't need to tell me."

Seeing Chu Huaiyuan's firm attitude, He Jiaqing had no choice but to state his intention: "I want to buy out the Hundred Pleasures Gate." Chu Er lifted her hat brim, looking up at He Jiaqing with her eyes, and said, "What did you say?" "Don't rush. I know you value Hundred Pleasures Gate highly, but you need to do the math carefully. You previously exhausted your family's fortune. What was your true purpose in wanting Hundred Pleasures Gate? Do you genuinely like the business of Hundred Pleasures Gate that much? In essence, Hundred Pleasures Gate is just a dance hall, restaurant, and hotel combined. There are plenty of such places in Greenwater City. Hundred Pleasures Gate isn't the largest, nor is it the best. What you value is its reputation, because Hundred Pleasures Gate is Greenwater City's landmark. But think carefully, is Greenwater City's landmark still Hundred Pleasures Gate? This year, over a dozen song festivals were held; Xiyao Manor accounted for half, Peace Building for thirty percent, and Hundred Pleasures Gate less than twenty percent. Can this landmark still stand? All your singing queens have left. Hundred Pleasures Gate doesn't even have anyone who can draw a crowd now. Even if you really wanted to host a song festival, wouldn't you still have to find a way to borrow people from Ma Wu?"

What He Jiaqing said was true. They were usually friends, that much was true, but in business, Ma Wu was ruthless. Over the past year, Hundred Pleasures Gate had been severely squeezed out by Xiyao Manor. However, it was not He Jiaqing's place to dictate. Chu Er said expressionlessly, "What does that have to do with you?" "It has nothing to do with me," He Jiaqing closed his fan. "Everyone does business to make money, Huaiyuan. With Hundred Pleasures Gate in your hands, not only will you not make money, but you'll also end up losing your own family fortune."

He wasn't wrong. Hundred Pleasures Gate had been losing money for the past two months. The business in Seven Autumn City had improved and made a lot, but all the profits were used to fill the financial holes of Hundred Pleasures Gate. But Chu Er's attitude wouldn't change. She still looked up at He Jiaqing with her eyes, asking, "Does whether it makes money or not concern you?" Opening and closing his fan, He Jiaqing slowly said, "Huaiyuan, we're old acquaintances. I truly came here to help you this time. You hold fifty percent of Hundred Pleasures Gate. Transfer thirty percent to me, sell it to me, and give me the operating rights as well. Within three months, Hundred Pleasures Gate will definitely improve, and you'll just wait for your dividends."

"Are you finished?" Chu Er looked at Yang Yanzheng. "Old Yang, see him out." He Jiaqing said, "Huaiyuan, I truly want to help you." Yang Yanzheng said, "Young Master He, please." He Jiaqing shook his head and said, "Huaiyuan, if you don't agree, I won't leave." Chu Huaiyuan's eyes flashed coldly, "What do you think this place is? You say you won't leave, and you won't leave? Who do you think you are?" He Jiaqing, holding his fan, gestured for Chu Huaiyuan to make a move. This was an invitation for Chu Huaiyuan to act.

The lead attendant, Wen Hongyan, a five-level body cultivator, rushed forward first. A praying mantis arm slashed towards He Jiaqing's neck. He Jiaqing stood still. Wen Hongyan circled halfway around, but didn't touch He Jiaqing. She didn't know how she had missed. Before she could react, Wen Hongyan herself fell down the stairs from the second floor, landing unconscious in the ground-floor hall. Yang Yanzheng took a step and approached He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing moved slightly, appearing behind Yang Yanzheng, and grabbed something. "Wandering cultivation technique, I'll take it." With that, He Jiaqing waved his hand, and Yang Yanzheng also fell down the stairs.

Xiang Fenglan shielded Chu Er behind her and threw the arrow in her hand. The arrow flew incredibly fast, but He Jiaqing reached out and firmly caught the arrow shaft. Xiang Fenglan shouted, "Disperse!" The single arrow split into over a hundred, flying towards He Jiaqing. He Jiaqing reached out to catch them, caught one, threw it downstairs, and continued to catch them one by one, throwing all hundred-plus arrows down. Not a single arrow harmed He Jiaqing.

Xiang Fenglan drew a second arrow, turned to Chu Huaiyuan, and said, "Run!" Seeing his skills, Xiang Fenglan knew clearly in her heart that she couldn't defeat He Jiaqing. Even if two more Xiang Fenglans joined her, they wouldn't be able to harm He Jiaqing. Now there was only one way out: she would buy time while Chu Huaiyuan made a swift escape.

Chu Huaiyuan refused to leave. She summoned the magical treasures in the room, intending to fight He Jiaqing to the death, when suddenly the hat on her head spoke in her ear: "Don't go. Going means death!" This was the top hat Li Qi had given her. After accompanying Chu Huaiyuan for a month, it began speaking to her, though it spoke very little, and its voice resembled Li Qi's somewhat. Chu Huaiyuan listened carefully to the hat, but with her family's lives at stake, she couldn't abandon them. As she hesitated, He Jiaqing spoke, "Huaiyuan, don't do anything foolish. Hundred Pleasures Gate is truly useless in your hands. Let me have it, and everyone will be happy. Why not? Honestly, I feel quite sorry for you. You can't do business, yet you insist on saving face. But if you're not going to give me face today, then I have no reason to accommodate you. I've said all the nice things I can. If you still don't know what's good for you, then I'll—"

A gunshot. He Jiaqing quickly ducked. The bullet grazed the back of his head, tearing off a piece of scalp, and blood flowed out. Who was that? Such a sudden shot? He Jiaqing's figure flickered, and he appeared downstairs. Another gunshot was heard, and a bullet shot towards his back. He Jiaqing determined the bullet's trajectory, caught the bullet head with his bare hand, and discarded it. "Who fired that shot? Come out and speak." There was no response from the other side. He Jiaqing only heard the sound of the opponent loading a bullet. The sound of loading the bullet was different from the bullet's trajectory. The opponent had changed position. Only two shots were fired, but the opponent had actually fired six; four of the bullets had misfired.

The top hat whispered, "He's here." Li Qi! Chu Huaiyuan's heart was filled with wild joy, but she remained silent. He Jiaqing fanned himself, a relaxed expression on his face, and said, "You intend to kill me with this gun? Isn't that a bit childish?" Li Qi replied, "Want to bet?"

He Jiaqing looked around. Yang Yanzheng and Wen Hongyan lay on the ground, while Xiang Fenglan and Chu Huaiyuan stood by the banister. "What do you want to bet with me?" He Jiaqing smiled. "The lives of everyone in this room?" "Do you dare to bet?" Click! Li Qi cocked the hammer. He Jiaqing heard the sound, but still couldn't pinpoint the opponent's location. This was critical; with a thief cultivator's perception, not being able to sense the opponent's location made He Jiaqing abandon the idea of betting and rush directly out of the mansion.

Li Qi immediately pursued him. The street was bustling with people, and the two weaved through the crowd, their figures unseen by anyone. Turning a street corner, He Jiaqing stood quietly by the wall of a cafe, waiting for the other person to approach. Li Banfeng stood by the other wall of the cafe, silently listening for the other person's movements. He Jiaqing dared not act rashly. He didn't know who was coming from the other side. Li Banfeng also didn't make a rash move. He wasn't sure if the person was He Jiaqing.