The shout startled Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang, making them jump.
What kind of ghost was that? Was there someone there?
Soon, figures moved in the forest behind them, and not long after, a person emerged, wearing clothes that Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang found quite familiar.
The attire was tattered and old-fashioned.
The newcomer was surprised to see a person pinned to the tree and Cen Futong groaning on the ground.
This person had a short and thin stature, dark skin, and from the looks of him, one could easily associate him with the Exile Lands.
Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang recognized him immediately.
Wu Jinliang looked back and exclaimed, "Skinny Monkey, what are you doing here?"
The man, known as Skinny Monkey, grinned, showing his yellow teeth.
He nodded, looking quite pleased with himself.
"You guys cleaned me out completely. It's hard for me to get back on my feet. But I've got good fortune; heaven dropped a gift on me. Last night, someone found me, gave me a fortune, and here I am."
These words shocked Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang.
Clearly, someone had come to verify their identities.
The problem rested in the fact that they had just arrived at Sky-Illuminating City yesterday and had only contacted the Graceful Cloud Pavilion around noon.
Yet, that very night, someone had infiltrated the prison and got their acquaintance out.
Such power wasn’t something an ordinary brothel in Sky-Illuminating City could muster.
Considering Feng Chi and Xiang Lan'er's mysterious actions, Shi Chun suddenly realized he might have stirred up something far beyond his understanding.
He instantly regretted his actions, truly regretted them, realizing he had probably offended people of unimaginable influence.
He felt a strong urge to smack himself.
In the Exile Lands, seizing opportunities was a must, but here, he needed to curb that instinct.
He felt helpless.
Who would have thought that handling a sale from a brothel would lead to such trouble? Things in the outside world seemed too complicated.
However, regret was useless.
Just like in the Exile Lands, surviving was the top priority!
Skinny Monkey glanced at them holding a hostage, then exclaimed, "You two, why are you doing your old job out here? I heard that if you get caught, you’d be severely punished. I don’t think you can do anything but rob."
Wu Jinliang snorted, "Spring, this fool doesn’t realize he’s stepped into a pit and is about to be silenced, yet he thinks it’s good fortune."
He deliberately spoke loudly for those far away to hear, proving he could match others in cunning.
Sure enough, Skinny Monkey's face changed, even with his dark skin.
He nervously looked at Feng Chi.
Feng Chi ignored him, asking, "Is it them?"
Skinny Monkey nodding cautiously, "Yes, it's them. Holding the hostage is none other than the former Big Boss of the Eastern Nine Plains, Shi Chun. The tall one with the big knife is Shi Chun's right-hand man, Wu Jinliang. Don’t be fooled by his height; he has the meanest heart in all of Eastern Nine Plains. He’s truly the worst."
Throwing more fuel on the fire, Wu Jinliang cursed out loud, “I’m the worst thing that happened to your mom, creating such a big mess. Spring, I told you we shouldn’t have let him go.”
Shi Chun sighed, “He doesn't make a difference alive or dead. Why bother with a soon-to-be-dead man?”
These words made Skinny Monkey even more fearful, and he glanced at Feng Chi.
Shi Chun shook Xiang Lan'er, asking loudly, “Who exactly are you two?”
Feng Chi didn’t answer.
She aimed to understand Shi Chun's group's deeper motives, deciding how to act.
The situation felt so strange, she worried any rash move could endanger her Lady’s life.
Unlike Shi Chun, reckless enough to reach out without caution, Feng Chi proceeded carefully, asking Skinny Monkey, "Do they have connections with Bowang Pavilion?"
Skinny Monkey nodded repeatedly, “Yes, they're quite close. Shi Chun is courting the daughter of the boss lady, Lan Qiaoyan.”
Recognizing this woman's unusualness, seeing she could reach into a prison to extract someone, Skinny Monkey spilled Shi Chun's story about pursuing Miao Yilan.
He didn’t mention Wu Jinliang's tale of calling someone mom; he truly didn't know it.
Wu Jinliang wouldn't dare tout Lan Qiaoyan's name in the prison, being involved in robbery.
He whispered it privately but never spread it around.
After hearing Skinny Monkey, Feng Chi remained skeptical.
Was it that simple? Why would someone with such connections also head to Wukang Mountain?
Something seemed amiss!
With a swift motion of her hand, Feng Chi grabbed into the air, and Cen Futong, who had been groaning on the ground, was drawn towards her.
The ease of pulling a human over a hundred pounds shocked Shi Chun, intensifying his wariness of Feng Chi.
He couldn’t afford to be complacent.
Any slip could cost him his life.
Her cultivation had obviously reached a stage where killing someone was as easy as snapping fingers.
Thoughts raced for a way out.
Cen Futong, pale, had only just closed the acupoints on his injured leg to prevent further bleeding when he suddenly found himself in Feng Chi's grip.
Feng Chi grabbed him by the back of his neck, demanding, “Why did you attack our young lady?”
In front of others, she wouldn’t use the term Holy Maiden.
Xiang Lan'er's status was a closely guarded secret.
“One hand pays, the other delivers. I came to pick up my goods. He was planning to sell Xiang Lan'er to me…”
Cen Futong confessed without much pressure, pointing at Shi Chun to recount how it all went down.
The revelation stunned Feng Chi and Xiang Lan'er, leaving them dumbfounded.
They actually encountered this kind of situation?
These people masked their faces to snatch Xiang Lan'er and deliver her to Lu Taizhen?
And the only reason Shi Chun got involved was to earn some extra money?
Just newly released from the Exile Lands, they pulled off something like this.
How could they be so brazen?
How could they dare?
Believing Cen Futong, his logic was coherent, especially since Feng Chi did find a bank note worth twenty thousand Sandalwood Gold on him.
These guys truly came for a direct exchange!
Problem was, Xiang Lan'er actually fell into their hands.
Feng Chi found it both laughable and outrageous.
Hadn't they sent someone after them, Xiang Lan'er might've ended up in Lu Taizhen’s bed, though that wasn't truly possible.
“No backbone,” Wu Jinliang spat, not even turning to look.
He was clearly ridiculing Cen Futong.
Glancing back quickly to see the bank note in Feng Chi’s hand, he grumbled, “Spring, that’s our money.”
“Twenty thousand gold…” Skinny Monkey murmured softly, looking at Shi Chun with a newfound admiration.
He was genuinely impressed.
Right out of the Exile Lands, they had pulled off such a grand scheme.
What he did couldn’t compare, losing to Shi Chun was without regret.
Shi Chun's lips curled slightly, recalling Cen Futong’s words, sparking hope for survival.
Calming himself, Shi Chun declared loudly, “Brother Cen, my sincere apologies. I didn’t bring the slave contract. I intended to turn over the person first, have you pay part of the money, then meet elsewhere for the rest, naturally trading the contract as well. Looks like, with Lu Taizhen unable to get the woman from me, neither can I get the money from you.”
He shook the woman in his arms, continuing, “And you can forget entering Wukang Mountain! A brothel origin, but keep yourself virtuous, and there’s much room for redemption. Since you dare to go, you surely have arrangements there.
If my brother and I can’t leave alive, your slave contract will be revealed. No matter what means you use, however much you set up in Wukang Mountain, no one there would let a brothel-born woman enslaved elsewhere enter, let alone Bian Jixiong or even Bian Weikang would agree. You belong to another man.
The heavenly laws state, without the owner's permission, no one dares claim another man's woman! You invested so much in Bian Weikang to utilize his identity to enter Wukang Mountain, wasn’t that his role?”
In his mind, he sneered.
Their thoughts mirrored his own.
It’s why he could swiftly deduce they were after Wukang Mountain; if he couldn’t, his years as Big Boss of the Eastern Nine Plains were for nothing.
“Hahaha!” Wu Jinliang laughed in delight, “Big Boss is wise, right! Try touching us, see how easy it is!”
Hearing this, Feng Chi couldn’t hold back, shouting to Xiang Lan'er, “Miss, didn’t you say the slave contract was destroyed?”
Hoping to discern a reply through her gaze.
Xiang Lan’er, immobilized, could only move her eyes, but they darted randomly, unable to signify clearly, as she couldn’t be certain.
Shi Chun proclaimed, “Destroyed it was, I did it myself, right before your lady’s eyes. Jinliang, where did you use fake ink to forge a fake slave contract, tell the place well, so if we die, they can check it themselves.”
Facing away, Wu Jinliang swung his large knife, grinning, “Seems it's called something like Lin's, specifics escape me, but it's easily found. A stationary shop there sells writing gear. An old white-haired man keeps the shop, a large glass cover sits on the counter, and it's not far from the Graceful Cloud Pavilion. I remember the shopkeeper wanted to see what I wrote, and I casually tossed a piece of Sandalwood Gold, telling him to back away. Spring, was I generous? He should remember me well. Just ask, hahaha!”
(Chapter End)