The last time Qin Jiuye had heard news of Yuan Shuqing was a long time ago, inside a carriage in the back alley of Hongzhi Quarter.
At the time, she thought she had merely stumbled into the tail end of a martial world bloodbath. She never imagined that this "tail end" would continue to surge and ripple for more than two months.
The auctioneer’s drawn-out cadence lingered within the Treasure Mirage Tower, sounding like a harbinger of something coiling upward from the darkness. Perhaps the end of one chapter was merely the beginning of another.
The figures holding oil lamps froze in place, like wandering fireflies that had suddenly found a place to alight. Anyone with exceptional vision would have seen several figures, previously curled up in inconspicuous corners, slowly standing up.
Qin Jiuye stared at the box, then looked at the unusual reactions of the crowd. After her initial surprise, a heavy shroud of doubt began to grow in her heart.
Judging by Bai Xun’s reaction earlier, he had likely heard rumors about this box long ago. Looking at the posture of the crowd now, it was clear that the Bai family wasn't the only one who had received word.
This was worth pondering.
First, she had just visited the Hall of Listening Winds today and hadn't heard a single whisper about this box. Whether Tang Shenyan had withheld the information because he thought she was too poor to care, or whether the news hadn't come from the Hall of Listening Winds at all but had been intentionally leaked into the city through more secretive channels, was impossible to know.
Second, regardless of whether the information was bought with silver or heard through the grapevine, there were differences between rumors. Why was everyone interested in the same box? It seemed many had come to the Treasure Mirage Tower specifically for this item. Was it because of Fangwai Abbey or Yuan Shuqing, or was there truly some unspeakable secret hidden inside that box?
"You're interested in this box too?" Bai Xun, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke with undisguised contempt. "I advise you not to waste your breath. With the pittance you have, trying to bid would be nothing but a self-inflicted humiliation."
Qin Jiuye ignored his mockery and gave a vague hum of agreement. "I heard about it before. I didn't expect it to be real."
She didn't know much, but Second Master Bai clearly knew a great deal. He rubbed the Wild Fragrance Seeds inside the silk pouch while shaking his head.
"How could it be fake? Everyone knows that when Fangwai Abbey was slaughtered, they were transporting treasures. Not long after the incident at Qingping Road, people went looking for those boxes. They found that out of ten boxes, one had vanished without a trace. It wasn't until a few days ago that rumors surfaced saying the tenth box had fallen into the hands of the Treasure Mirage Tower. I've told you so much; you've really gotten a bargain. This isn't news just anyone can get. It's only natural you didn't know..."
As Bai Xun continued to ramble, Qin Jiuye’s mind momentarily drifted.
Qingping Road? Wasn't that where she had picked up Li Qiao? He seemed to have mentioned something back then about a prescription... Could it be that his insistence on coming to the Qingyang Market was actually because...
Startled by the realization, Qin Jiuye looked back.
The youth still stood in his original spot, gazing toward the stone platform like everyone else. Sensing her gaze, he slowly looked over. There was a lingering trace of surprise in his expression, but otherwise, he seemed normal.
Perhaps she was overthinking it?
In the center of the stone platform, the auctioneer signaled that the final round of bidding was about to begin. Dozens of trails of blue smoke rose from various corners. The unique scent of burning rhinoceros horn grew stronger than ever, enveloping the area like a veil of mist. The air seemed to thin in an instant, making it hard to breathe.
Qin Jiuye’s heart began to thud. This was an instinct honed from years of mingling in places filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers—an instinct for sensing impending danger and chaos.
Not far behind her, Bai Xun had already whispered orders to a servant to extinguish their oil lamp and go up to bid on his behalf. Though he was foolish, even he sensed the eerie danger of this final transaction and refused to step onto the stage himself.
Beyond that, Qin Jiuye noticed that many in the crowd, while highly focused on the platform, did not make a move.
She suppressed her racing heart and carefully considered the implications.
The auctioneer had only said the item was a relic of Yuan Shuqing from Fangwai Abbey. He hadn't said it was recovered from Qingping Road, nor had he confirmed it was the mysteriously vanished tenth box.
There were ten boxes in total, but perhaps only the one that had disappeared held special significance. If that were the case, the buyers entering the fray now had only a one-in-ten chance of getting what they truly wanted. It was a gamble among gambles.
Thus, no one could be certain if today’s centerpiece was merely a "House Rig" set up by the Treasure Mirage Tower. Using an unverifiable rumor to build hype and draw people in, then auctioning off a box that might be worth very little for a high price—such things had happened before.
From the perspective of the Treasure Mirage Tower, this wasn't considered cheating; it was simply a matter of the willing taking the bait. Those who entered the game could only blame their own luck for being fleeced by the house.
Qin Jiuye discreetly glanced toward the exit.
In her pursuit of Bai Xun, she had moved from her initial vantage point to the other side of the building. If something went wrong, she would need to find a way through the crowd and burst out before the narrow entrance became hopelessly congested.
Of course, she could abandon everything today and leave this den of trouble before the bidding ended.
But...
She stole a glance at Bai Xun, who was still fiddling with the silk pouch, and then looked around. In the shifting crowd, everyone’s attention was fixed on the stone platform; no one was paying attention to the corners.
She wasn't willing to give up those ten Wild Fragrance Seeds.
She had come all this way; how could she return empty-handed? As long as there was a chance, she wouldn't give up. She had to wait—wait for the right moment...
Li Qiao leaned quietly against a wooden pillar, the shadows of the beams hiding him in darkness. He observed the expression on the woman’s face and felt strangely dazed.
He was familiar with that look. If there were a mirror before him now, he would see a similar face reflected in it.
A face of endurance laced with longing.
Today was equally important to him, and he too did not know if he would get what he sought.
Lifting his head, he looked up at the wooden beam.
In an inconspicuous spot hung a bronze mirror. It was of the simplest design, but a closer look revealed a slight bulge in the center. It was tied with simple cloth strips, facing the inner arena. This was a common tool used by gambling dens, underground banks, and other shady businesses to allow the owner to monitor every corner of the room.
However, establishments like the Treasure Mirage Tower were rare now. No owner dared to stay rooted in one place, so these venues were often left unmaintained for years.
The bronze mirror was covered in a layer of dust. Observing the scene below through the dim light, one could only see blurry shadows.
But for him, it was enough. He had already memorized the "hunters" who had yet to strike and had identified several potential "prey" for himself. He only lacked the moment to act.
The smoke drifted and figures shifted. If he could find the right blind spot and use the timing to slip into the crowd, he could easily shake off the woman and do what he had to do.
Few in this world were better at hiding their tracks than he. If he wished, he could vanish in broad daylight at any time. If he wished, he could disappear and ensure no one could ever find him again.
A commotion came from the stone platform. The final buyer had taken his place, waiting for the bidding phase. The auctioneer was nearly buried in the center of a cluster of heads; only the two pointed ears of his fox mask could be seen swaying left and right.
The buyers surrounded the stone island in the ink pool, taking turns to perform a final inspection of the copper box to ensure there was indeed "cargo" inside. The crowd below craned their necks to watch, but they could see nothing but a mass of boots and hemlines.
Li Qiao’s gaze shifted, stopping at a spot about thirty feet southeast of the platform. Standing there were several young men dressed inconspicuously with white cloths covering their faces. Though they weren't fully grown, their stances already showed the foundation of martial artists. No obvious weapons hung at their waists, but their expressions held a conspicuous tension. Unlike the others, they didn't seem to be there out of curiosity or for the spectacle.
A careful observer would notice that their positions were very deliberate—a pre-deployed formation. At the center of this formation was an inconspicuous young Taoist cultivator, sitting throughout the event on a low-legged sedan chair made of woven rattan. Even as the final moments of bidding arrived, he did not lean forward.
The youth’s eyes slowly narrowed.
He knew why the other man hadn't stood up. It wasn't because he was indifferent to what was happening, but because he was currently afflicted by a severe illness and could barely support his sickly body.
Indeed, the person on the small sedan was the sole current person in charge of Fangwai Abbey—Yuan Qi, the foster son of Yuan Shuqing, who had previously coughed up blood and fainted in grief and rage.
Li Qiao understood. Since he recognized the man, others in the building surely recognized Yuan Qi’s identity as well.
Everyone understood why Fangwai Abbey would risk coming here. Even the auctioneer had said the item was a relic of Yuan Shuqing.
But the current Fangwai Abbey, heavily wounded, was like a cicada in late autumn. Yuan Qi was still an "unfledged cultivator." Even if he shouted himself hoarse, no one would necessarily spare him a glance. Even if the names of Yuan Shuqing and Fangwai Abbey were engraved on the box, if they didn't provide enough silver, this group wouldn't be able to take the box a single step out of the Treasure Mirage Tower.
There was no such thing as absolute fairness in this world; there were only the unspoken but omnipresent rules of survival.
On the platform, the buyers had taken their positions and begun bidding.
Unlike the earlier caution and hesitation, once the actual bidding started, everyone’s actions were swift and decisive. There was only one round of bidding. In less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, the auctioneer reached a conclusion. He stepped forward and raised one buyer’s right hand high.
"Congratulations to this esteemed guest for winning this fine item!"
The others on the platform sighed, cursed, or showed their frustration before dispersing in a rush. All eyes fell upon the man who had won the copper box.
He was a man of short stature whose age was hard to discern. He had an oval face and crescent-moon eyebrows; his entire being was like a rounded, featureless lump of dough stuffed into a stiff, formal Taoist robe. He looked entirely harmless.
But a moment later, when the sleeve slid down from his raised hand, everyone who had been standing near him gasped.
His ten fingers, which should have been white and plump, were tinged with a black aura. His half-inch-long nails were dyed a dark cyan, and the tips were trimmed into a strange, flat horizontal shape. When he hooked two fingers together, they looked like a pair of eyebrow tweezers from a lady’s vanity case.
Amidst the countless suspicious and startled faces, Qin Jiuye involuntarily took half a step back.
Despite her years of dabbling in shady businesses, she only knew of sect rumors and martial world lore; she didn't actually know many figures of the *jianghu*. But the man before her was a peer—a genius who straddled the two great mountains of pharmacology and toxicology: "White Ghost Umbrella" Teng Hu.
The White Ghost Umbrella was a type of inconspicuous small mushroom. Some were edible and delicious, while others were lethally poisonous to the touch. They had incredible survival skills, capable of lying dormant for years in harsh environments, only to take root in the systems of other plants to drain their nutrients and grow rapidly once the time was right. All of this mirrored Teng Hu’s style in the martial world: ambiguous in alignment, indistinguishable between good and evil.
She had studied many of the prescriptions he had left behind and had been amazed by his pharmacological talent. It wasn't until a few years ago, when she saved a protector who had been infested by blood parasites and had to have his bones scraped to survive, that she first witnessed the terror of the legendary "White Ghost Umbrella."
People of the martial world usually met after a clash; this was especially true for those with some fame. Recognizing people by portraits was something only the government offices did. Qin Jiuye hadn't truly entered that world, so although she had heard many rumors from Tang Shenyan, she had never seen the legendary Master Teng Hu with her own eyes.
But she was a healer. She could recognize those hands.
Those were the hands of someone who frequently handled poisons and played with venomous insects.
Now, those hands were tucked at his waist. Although the final auction had ended, the man remained motionless on the stage. His face was as taut as a freshly stretched drumhead at a magistrate’s gate, and his small, piercing eyes were fixed firmly on the copper box, making the auctioneer standing nearby feel quite uneasy.
Anyone who had worked in this building for a few years wouldn't lack such basic discernment. Sensing the atmosphere was off, the auctioneer took the lead to control the situation.
"This copper box is indeed quite heavy. I shall have my men carry it down for you."
With that, the auctioneer signaled to two grey-clad servants. The two stepped forward, intending to lift the box.
"Wait."
The two servants froze. They didn't dare look up at Teng Hu’s face and could only shift their eyes toward the auctioneer. Seeing this, the auctioneer hurriedly bowed and approached.
"Does the guest have further instructions? Our humble establishment is small and our strength meager; we fear we may not host you well. It would be better to move along first..."
The words were polite, but the intent was to see him out.
After all, who among those who dared to spend a fortune at the Treasure Mirage Tower was an easy character to deal with? If they treated everyone like a deity, the ones to suffer in the end would be the people of the tower. It was better to treat everyone the same from the start and keep the business simple. This tower had been open for many years, and the figures behind it were surely no pushovers. As long as it wasn't a matter of life and death, no one would cause a scene on another’s territory.
Yet the man on the stage seemed entirely oblivious to the subtext. Though he had appeared very experienced during the bidding, he suddenly became ignorant of the rules. When he spoke, his voice was seasoned and overbearing.
"It is but a copper box. Who are you looking down on? Or are you so eager to get rid of it that you're spouting all this nonsense?"
As soon as these words were uttered, the entire Treasure Mirage Tower fell into a deathly silence once more.
No one expected that before the final act could finish, a new drama would unfold. Everyone watched the spectacle in silence.
The auctioneer seemed somewhat stunned. Before he could speak again, the other man dropped a bombshell.
"Where is the key? I've paid the silver; I must inspect the goods."
The moment these words left his mouth, the silence was shattered. Not only the people on the stage but even the crowd below erupted into an uproar.
Since the Treasure Mirage Tower opened, no one had ever dared to demand an on-stage inspection after the item was in hand.
Setting aside the fact that this would break the rules of the Ghost Market, even if the tower made an exception, few were willing to rummage through their own goods in front of everyone. This was a basic rule of the trade and a lesson learned by those who frequented such places over the years.
Today’s situation was clearly unexpected. But thinking of what might be hidden in that box, many were itching with curiosity, hoping to see what treasure the buyer had obtained—or if he had been unlucky enough to fall into a trap.
Who doesn't love a free show?
The person most displeased in the entire hall was likely the auctioneer standing by the stone island. Sweat poured down his face beneath the mask. After a long pause, he gave two fake laughs and spoke.
"The key is naturally for the guest to find a locksmith to make after leaving this place. If you find it too much trouble, you can simply break it open. But please, do not joke with me. You should know the rules of the Treasure Mirage Tower..."
However, Teng Hu had clearly made up his mind and ignored the weak explanation.
"Your rule is that one cannot touch or inspect the item before the deal is struck. I have won the bid and paid the silver; this box is mine. If I want to look at it here, are you going to stop me?!"
Before his voice even landed, two figures flew onto the stone platform—the two young disciples from Fangwai Abbey. One of them struck with a palm like a blade, hitting the lock of the copper box. With a crisp crack, the copper-cast lock actually split apart. The lid of the box was thrown open by the force, followed by a loud *thud*.
Such a clean palm technique was rare among the younger generation of the martial world. But now, no one cared about the disciple who had struck. All eyes were focused on the copper box in the center of the platform.
The candlelight flickered quietly, illuminating everything on the stage. The wide-open mouth of the box was a dark void. There was nothing inside.
After an eerie silence, Teng Hu’s face turned ashen. He was the first to shriek in a high-pitched voice.
"Where is the item?!"
The auctioneer, standing a few steps away, was scared witless. He could only repeat the words in a cracking voice.
"Wh-where is the item?"
His tone and posture radiated sheer terror. It was impossible to tell if he was drawing on ten years of acting experience or if he truly didn't know why the box was empty.
Regardless of his situation, Teng Hu, who had already paid a mountain of gold and silver, had already reached a conclusion. His hand slowly reached into his sleeve.
"No wonder you were being so secretive and eager to see me out. It turns out you were rigging the game to play me. Quite a Treasure Mirage Tower indeed—fobbing me off with a broken box is one thing, but an empty one? Where is the item? Hand it over!"
His movement was subtle, unlike drawing a blade or sword, but seasoned veterans of the martial world had already begun to retreat.
An open spear is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is hard to defend against. In an enclosed space, when facing someone who uses hidden weapons or poison, fleeing is the best policy.
The auctioneer was even faster to slip away. He had somehow retreated into the crowd and began to shift the blame recklessly.
"Perhaps... perhaps someone tampered with it when they approached the ink pool earlier!"
This was a clear attempt to divert the trouble. Before leaving the stone platform, everyone’s clothes had been checked. If there were ink stains, they would have been caught on the spot.
But right now, no one could say for sure what had happened. Teng Hu’s sharp gaze instantly turned toward the crowd below. He loosened the five fingers of his left hand, and a dark shadow "whooshed" into the air—several blue-green beetles, their wings buzzing loudly.
"Whoever touched my things, not even the Heavenly King himself shall leave!"
If the situation was already hanging by a thread, the next moment, some blind fool in the crowd spoke up, snapping the last cord of restraint.
"Where did this brat come from? If your eyes aren't sharp enough, just take the loss. Don't go making a scene!"
This time, it wasn't Teng Hu who moved on the stage.
The young disciple who had previously split the copper lock flipped into the crowd. With another sweep of his palm, several oil lamps were instantly extinguished. Simultaneously, the ear of the man who had just spoken flew off, landing right in a wine bowl held by a spectator in the front row.
"Blood! There's blood!"
Droplets of blood dripped from the young disciple’s five fingertips, revealing glints of cold light. It turned out he had thin shards of cold iron embedded in his fingernails.
Was Fangwai Abbey truly a righteous sect? Why did they all look like practitioners of the demonic path? And when did the White Ghost Umbrella become one of their people?
These questions swirled in the minds of every unlucky bystander, but none of that mattered now.
What mattered was that the Treasure Mirage Tower, which hadn't seen trouble in a long time, was about to witness a fierce battle.
According to the rules of the martial world: close the doors to talk business, step outside to settle accounts. Whether the guest started the trouble or the host broke the rules, the "table" where business was conducted was never supposed to be overturned on the spot.
If there had been some room for maneuver earlier, now that the "table" had been flipped, things were beyond explanation.
The chaos spread like a drop of ink on rice paper. Qin Jiuye knew her opportunity had come.
She urgently grabbed the youth’s sleeve behind her and lowered her voice.
"How many people can you handle?"
Her eyes were glued to Bai Xun and his guards, but Li Qiao’s gaze was on the martial experts brawling near the stone platform.
He paused, then said honestly, "Hard to say."
Hard to say? What was there to be unsure about! Weren't they just a few house guards? Could they be more terrifying than Yuan Shuqing?
Qin Jiuye felt an unprecedented surge of dissatisfaction and disappointment toward the man she had personally selected.
In the time it took for that brief exchange, the terrified Second Master Bai finally snapped out of it under his guards' reminders. He prepared to retreat in a panic, completely forgetting the "Yang Yuanzhi" he had just met, let alone the deal for the Wild Fragrance Seeds.
But while he didn't care about that "wild weed," she was determined not to let him trample over her.
Perhaps infected by the intense atmosphere of the fight on stage, Qin Jiuye suddenly found a burst of strength from somewhere. She lunged and grabbed Bai Xun’s expensive white fox fur coat. With a hard tug, she ended up with several tufts of fox fur in her hand.
Bai Xun was furious. He began to struggle and curse loudly.
She didn't give the guards time to step forward. Aiming at his backside, she delivered a fierce kick, leaving a muddy footprint on the snowy-white fur.
Bai Xun cried out and fell forward. The silk pouch dropped from his hand. Qin Jiuye’s thin, reed-like frame also flew forward. Fortunately, someone behind her caught her, preventing her from falling flat on her face.
The Bai family guards were shocked and momentarily ignored her as they rushed to their master’s side. Qin Jiuye took the chance to swiftly gather the scattered Wild Fragrance Seeds from the ground, then grabbed the youth behind her.
"Run!"
Behind them, Bai Xun’s frantic, enraged voice drifted intermittently. The woman gripped the youth’s hand tightly and dove into the crowd without looking back.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
元岐 | Yuan Qi | Foster son of Yuan Shuqing and current head of Fangwai Abbey.
滕狐 | Teng Hu | A master of medicine and poison known as "White Ghost Umbrella."
白鬼伞 | White Ghost Umbrella | A type of mushroom; also the nickname of Teng Hu.
杨远志 | Yang Yuanzhi | The alias used by Qin Jiuye (likely based on the herb Polygala tenuifolia).
东家局 | House Rig / Host's Trap | A scam or setup orchestrated by the owner of an establishment.
寒铁 | Cold Iron | A special type of metal often used for weapons in wuxia settings.
