Chapter 1 First Encounter

  In the old alleys, the green-skinned pears have long since become a thing of the past. On the dilapidated red bricks and blue tiles, an old magpie occasionally deigns to make an appearance, lingering for a moment before flapping its wings and taking off without any nostalgia.

  A pair of bright red boots came walking, the thick and dense paulownia leaves rustling underfoot, accompanied by the sound of footsteps, crackling and popping. There was no particular melody, but it somehow made people feel a few degrees of desolation and loneliness.

  The dark tail feathers fluttered in the wind, swirling and rushing towards her face. Before they could touch that alabaster-like complexion, a slender jade hand gently swept them away. Against the fading light, the hand seemed almost transparent, with blurry edges and an overall pale blue glow, like delicate glass or jade, beautiful to behold but not to be touched.

  Fang Xiaoling bit her lip, her eyebrows furrowed in a knot. She pinched the small piece of paper that was almost worn out, not knowing how many times she had unfolded it again.

  A few simple words were stared at by her, and they were forced to reveal a flower. One stroke at a time, the characters twisted. When she looked up again, her empty and profound eyes were filled with anger.

  Scammer!!!!!

  She muttered a curse, slowly tearing the crumpled paper in her hand into pieces. White scraps floated and fluttered about, reflecting a hint of golden light, yet unable to melt the icy expression on Xiao Ling's face.

  From heaven to hell, it's often just a moment of enlightenment.

  However, she didn't notice that the blue ink mark was fading away, and what she tore off was just a blank sheet of paper.

  The sun had long since set in the west, and the damp wind carried a chill that poured directly into her collar, causing her to shiver all over. Goosebumps were delighted to settle here, one after another emerging.

  She tightened her windbreaker and adjusted the scarf around her neck, then looked up to carefully examine her surroundings. After all, she had rarely traveled far from home, and everything here was really too unfamiliar to her.

  Although the word "fear" is nonsense to a thousand-year-old demon, the desolation and coldness here have transcended the boundaries of time and species. Fang Xiaoling didn't like it one bit, she stomped her feet, sighed silently that the world was declining and people's hearts were no longer ancient, and decided to end this absurd journey just like that.

  "Hehehe...". The clear and crisp voice of a child floated in, carried by the wind, directly into Fang Xiaoling's ears. She shivered again, claiming she hadn't heard anything, then turned around and walked back with big strides, her small face pale as iron.

  "A Zi, why is this person so interesting? They're already standing at the door, yet they refuse to take another step forward."

  Fang Xiaoling trembled slightly, silently reciting "Don't blame, don't blame, strange powers stir the spirits, all four elements are empty", and yet her footsteps became lighter and more relaxed.

  "It's all your fault for scaring people away with your laughter. Are you still playing? Be careful or the boss will give you another beating."

  Fang Xiaoling slowed down her pace, seemingly hesitant.

  "Who knew she was so fragile, a demon who has lived for hundreds of years, where can you find one as brittle as her?!" The child seemed very dissatisfied and loudly complained.

  Fang Xiaoling gritted her teeth and stopped, staring fiercely at the two children.

  For hundreds of years, she had never stepped out of the mansion, only waiting for his return. But heaven knows whether it was to punish her or what, humans live for a hundred years, but she didn't even get to see him in one lifetime. As she approached the end of her own lifespan without any news from him, she couldn't help but come here to take a gamble, only to be met with such humiliation.

  "Smile, she's angry. You're responsible for bringing her over, if this deal falls through, the boss will definitely reassign you again." The soft-spoken little kid winked and slipped away, leaving behind the disdainful and sharp-tongued little kid who glared at her with wide eyes.

  Fang Xiaoling touched her nose, what was this kid's name again? Xiao Xiao?

  "You, come with me." He smiled and gave her a slanted glance before issuing the command. The black and white clown costume looked somewhat disheveled, the teardrop-shaped mole by his left eye was painted slightly askew, making him look like a failed puppet, evoking both ridicule and extreme sorrow at the same time.

  Xiao Ling couldn't bear to look at Fang's small eyes, hummed softly and skipped forward.

  Before she had taken a few steps, Fang Xiaoling was stunned, and while she was in a daze, Xiao Xiao had already flashed away.

  It wasn't until today that Fang Xiaoling finally understood what it meant to have a different sky. In fact, she had only needed to take one more step forward to reach the Penglai Pavilion she was heading for.

  Penglai Pavilion is hidden in the cracks of various time and space fractures, and it has a great reputation in the world of monsters, also known as the Yinyang Pawnshop. It is said that as long as you receive an invitation, your wishes will be fulfilled, but at the same time, you will lose something equivalent to the value of your wish as an exchange. However, since there are gains and losses, what's the harm in this world where many things are not satisfactory?

  As a result, many monsters flocked to the so-called invitation letter, even sparing no effort to seize it. However, until now, there has been no monster outside the invitation list that can find the rumored Penglai Pavilion, so there is also a saying that Penglai Pavilion is an illusory product.

  Fang Xiaoling really believed it this time, originally thinking that even if there was such a transaction, if the wish was as impossible as returning to hundreds of years ago, it would probably be unattainable.

  In one step, a vast and intricate boundary was laid out, transforming desolation into vibrant life, from the fluttering of old crows to the blossoming of flowers and the songs of birds. What a magnificent stroke! How many people in this world can achieve such mastery?

  Fang Xiaoling's tongue was tied, and she felt like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden, with so much to take in that she didn't know where to look. Just then a black-and-white woodpecker flew onto her shoulder, cocked its head as if curious, and suddenly pecked Fang Xiaoling on the mouth.

  Fang Xiaoling let out a sharp cry and quickly shook it off. What a joke, even if she lived for thousands of years, she couldn't change her original nature as a blockhead. Even wood is afraid of woodpeckers, thinking about the thousand-year-old locust tree in the old Dong family's house next door, which was pecked into holes and dents, making her heart tremble with fear.

  She had lost interest in continuing the tour and walked straight into a red wooden pavilion surrounded by greenery. The signboard made of high-quality pear wood had the two characters "Penglai" deeply embedded in it, with bold and powerful brushstrokes that exuded an aura of majesty. The surrounding clouds floated and flowed, with silver edges, and upon closer inspection, they were actually carved with a knife, also conveying a sense of dynamism. The phrase "cleverly stealing the work of nature" was indeed most apt in this case.

  The room was small and spiritual, originally wanting to find Xiao Xiao, but nowhere could be seen, so she had to give up. Following the faint scent of sandalwood, she walked deeper, getting more and more lost. Logically speaking, she should have called out for the boss, but here, she unexpectedly lost the courage to shout loudly, as if afraid of disturbing something.

  Further in, through the layers of beaded curtains, she vaguely saw a figure, and couldn't help but curiously take a few more steps closer, thus - curiosity killed the cat.

  The young man had already realized, he just straightened up, the sunset behind him cast a warm and harmonious glow, making his whole person appear gentle and mysterious. He lightly put his index finger to his lips, and smiled slightly.

  "Hmph"

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