The Beggar’s Staff of Lao Ba Chapter 28

Chapter 28.6

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“Having your assistance, Fellow Daoist, is truly the best outcome. We just have another companion at the Qingcheng Sect who signed up today. We need to notify him.” Wen Heng smiled warmly.

 

Shen Da shot him a glance before turning to Lian Wushang. “Of course. Please follow me to my humble abode. Once you’re settled, I’ll send someone to fetch your companion from the Qingcheng Sect.” Lian Wushang nodded. “Thank you.”

 

Though no business was done today, they unexpectedly secured lodging. Still… Wen Heng and Gouzi remained undocumented. He was preoccupied with identity papers and Wushang’s hairpin! So anxious—he desperately wanted to redeem that hairpin.

 

“Shen Daoyou, might you have any silver on you?” Wen Heng felt it inappropriate to ask Shen Da, yet he longed to reach the pawnshop sooner. If he delayed, Wushang’s hairpin would be gone forever—finding it later would be nearly impossible.

 

Shen Da walked ahead, but upon hearing the request, he chuckled. “I do. How much do you need?” In Shen Da’s eyes, Wen Heng was nothing but a beggar. He couldn’t fathom what this demon cultivator saw in Wen Heng to keep him so close.

 

“Ten taels of silver,” Wen Heng thought, asking for a bit more. “I’ll repay you when I have the money.” A flicker of disdain passed through Shen Da’s eyes. He waved his hand generously. “Meeting you, Fellow Daoist Wen, is fate itself. No need for such formalities—it only spoils the mood.” He pulled a silver ingot from his pouch and handed it to Wen Heng.

 

Wen Heng bowed his hands. ” I need to visit the pawnshop.” Lian Wushang pursed his lips. Wen Heng proved more principled than he’d anticipated.

 

Lian Wushang’s hairpin had excellent luster. Acquired that morning for a single tael of silver, it was soon snapped up by a man offering fifty taels. The plump shopkeeper hadn’t expected the beggar from earlier to actually return, but the hairpin was already gone.

 

Weng Heng stood before the pawnshop, silver clutched in his hand, feeling utterly lost. Lian Wushang tried to comfort him: “It’s nothing, just a hairpin.” Weng Heng was deeply disappointed: “I shouldn’t have pawned it this morning.”

 

Shen Da, standing nearby, looked at Weng Heng with even greater contempt. To be so distraught over a jade hairpin—this beggar would be like this for the rest of his life.

 

In the end, Wen Heng faced it with optimism: “When I have money, I’ll buy you the finest hairpin.” Lian Wushang could only nod. He felt like he’d taken advantage of Wen Heng, but upon reflection, it didn’t quite feel that way.

 

Emotionally blank, Lian Wushang only later realized, watching his brothers with their wives, that Wen Heng’s tone when speaking to him was exactly how his brothers coaxed their wives. Of course, that was a story for another time.

 

Shen Liang summoned his flying sword, pointing it toward the East Market: “Fellow Daoists, please accompany me to the Shen residence.” Shen Liang had cultivated his flying sword into a life-bound artifact, now radiating spiritual energy and shimmering with divine light. Hovering half a meter above the ground, the sword could accommodate two people standing front and back once he mounted it.

 

Standing on the blade, Shen Liang bowed to Lian Wushang: “Daoist Wu, please.” He deliberately extended the blade to its full width, capable of holding two. He intended to see how Lian Wushang would respond.

 

Invite? What exactly was he inviting him to do? Was he asking Lian Wushang to summon his own treasure, or to board the flying sword? Wen Heng’s gaze toward Shen Liang shifted instantly. This fellow was clearly trying to put Lian Wushang in a difficult position.

 

Lian Wushang suppressed his cultivation, making it impossible for Shen Liang to gauge his true strength. Yet riding the sword would inevitably reveal some spiritual energy. Lian Wushang sought no trouble. Having traversed the Spirit Riding Realm for so long, he’d never once considered entangling himself with its cultivation sects.

 

He understood Shen Liang wanted to test his power. But a mere Shen Liang and his Qingcheng Sect held no significance to Lian Wushang. What troubled Lian Wushang was the clueless Wen Heng. If the boy learned his true identity, who knew what wild notions might take root in his mind?

 

Before Lian Wushang could decide whether to demonstrate his power—or what consequences such a display might bring—Wen Heng had already leaped onto Shen Liang’s flying sword. Shen Liang’s face turned ashen.

 

To make matters worse, Wen Heng bounced up and down a few times, his face filled with amazement. “This sword can actually carry a person!” He looked like a complete bumpkin. Shen Liang felt his flying sword had been defiled. He wanted nothing more than to fling Wen Heng off.

 

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