Chapter 32: Inquiring About Liu Qingyao’s Whereabouts

Hearing this, Lin Xian hurriedly reached out and put it into her pouch, gratitude welling up inside her. She had thought he would offer only a token compensation. Never had she expected Qin Lang to offer such a generous sum; she was caught off guard by this unexpected favor.

Accepting the compensation, Lin Xian gave him an alluring smile.
“Many thanks to you, Young Master Qin. In the future, should you visit the Misty Rain Pavilion and desire the company of any girl, simply say the word. I will see to it that your every wish is fulfilled.”

Qin Lang smiled and gently shook his head. “Sister Xian, you give me too much credit. The loss was entirely my doing.”

“However, Sister Xian, these one hundred and thirty thousand supreme spirit stones are merely my estimate from last night, based solely on observation. I don’t know if it covers all the losses your Misty Rain Pavilion suffered.”

“What? You could estimate such a loss just by looking?” Lin Xian’s face was tinged with shock, her eyes fixed on Qin Lang in disbelief. Was this young man some kind of demon? He had actually gauged the losses by sight alone—what’s more, his estimate nearly exceeded their own calculations!

Flowerful Tower, who stood beside them, was equally puzzled. Could it be that Qin Lang’s estimate matched Lin Xian’s own calculations exactly?

“Well, I don’t have much ability,” Qin Lang said indifferently, “and unlike you, I’m not a cultivator. But I have an excellent memory, especially when it comes to money. I dare say there’s no one in the world better at calculating sums than I am.”

He was not boasting; he was simply speaking the truth. His greatest passion in life was money. No matter what form it took, he never refused it.

Last night, just by observing, he had already estimated the losses at no more than one hundred and twenty thousand supreme spirit stones. He had offered one hundred and thirty thousand, intending to cover even the cost of lives lost…

Lin Xian smiled serenely. “It seems Young Master Qin has a deep affection for money.”

Qin Lang chuckled awkwardly but then grew serious, “A gentleman loves wealth, and takes it in a proper manner. My love for money is simply a man’s nature.”

Everyone knew of his fondness for wealth in the Celestial Prison, yet he remained humble nonetheless. Of all the executioners, he was the wealthiest—so much so that even the three great powers of Tai Xuan Prison marveled at his fortune. All his wealth, after all, came from sharing the spoils; for every criminal immortal executed, their possessions became his. These condemned immortals were always fabulously rich—so wealthy as to inspire envy and resentment…

They spoke for quite some time before Qin Lang, wearing a gentle smile, asked, “Sister Xian, may I inquire about someone?”

“Go ahead. If I know and can tell you, I certainly will.” Lin Xian’s tone was even.

“You’ll definitely know this person.” Qin Lang’s smile was roguish. Seeing his expression, Lin Xian grew more curious—could it be someone she knew well?

“Young Master Qin, who is it you wish to ask about?” Lin Xian asked, puzzled.

“The courtesan queen of the Misty Rain Pavilion—Liu Qingyao,” Qin Lang replied lightly.

At this, Lin Xian’s brows furrowed as she looked at him in confusion. Why would Qin Lang suddenly wish to ask about Liu Qingyao? Did he, too, covet her beauty? But then again, Liu Qingyao was famed far and wide—a voluptuous and enchanting courtesan whom all men adored.

“Young Master Qin, may I ask why you would inquire about Liu Qingyao? Do you also long for her beauty?”

Qin Lang’s face twitched, and he coughed awkwardly. He hadn’t even seen her face—how could he pine for her beauty? He might be a man of desires, but it was only natural to want to see someone first before admiring them. Was he supposed to fancy thin air?

“Sister Xian, I haven’t even seen what Liu Qingyao looks like, nor do I know if her figure matches yours—enchanting and charming as you are.”

Lin Xian laughed gently. “Young Master Qin jests. I am far past the age of catching the fancy of gentlemen like yourself.”

Inwardly, she smiled wistfully, mourning the loss of her youthful years. Once, she too had been a stunning beauty, captivating all who beheld her. But today was not as glorious as yesterday, and her prime had faded, leaving her far less alluring than she once was. Time, indeed, was a cruel butcher’s knife.

Qin Lang merely smiled, saying nothing. Even though Lin Xian no longer possessed her former breathtaking splendor, it was clear she had once been a great beauty.

“Sister Xian, let’s return to the matter at hand,” he said calmly.

“Mm,” Lin Xian replied softly, nodding in agreement. Though she did not know what Qin Lang wished to ask, she would answer his questions truthfully. The young man before her was straightforward, and if he so wished, she would…

“Sister Xian, may I be so bold as to ask when exactly Liu Qingyao left? Who was with her at the time?”

Lin Xian fell silent, lost in thought as she searched her memory. After a while, she seemed to recall something and murmured, “It was perhaps two months ago. One day, a group of mysterious people arrived and redeemed Qingyao for an exorbitant price. After that, they vanished without a trace.”

“An exorbitant price?” Qin Lang’s brow furrowed as he stared at Lin Xian. “Sister Xian, what price did they offer that could persuade you to part with the Misty Rain Pavilion’s top courtesan?”

“Five hundred thousand supreme spirit stones!” Lin Xian replied with a delighted smile, inwardly rejoicing as though a flower had blossomed in her heart. The famed courtesan had been redeemed for such a staggering sum—she had made a fortune. She remembered buying Liu Qingyao for a pittance, only to sell her for a king’s ransom…

Flowerful Tower heard this and frowned, though he didn’t dwell on it since they had already learned in advance that she had left. That was precisely why they had brought Qin Lang along.

“Sister Xian, do you have any clue as to where she went?” Qin Lang asked curiously.

Lin Xian shook her head gently. “I’m afraid I do not. After Qingyao was redeemed by those mysterious people, it was as if they vanished from the face of the earth—gone without a trace.”

“However, before they left, they mentioned a place. As for the name, it was something like... Ling-something-qu. I didn’t quite catch it at the time.”

This left Qin Lang utterly perplexed. What place was Lin Xian referring to? He understood not a word. Still, one thing was certain—Liu Qingyao had already left Cloud Sky City, but where she had gone was known only to her and her companions.

Her absence left him at a loss. He had brought the bait, but if there was no fish in the pond, how was he to catch anything?

Looking at Qin Lang’s disappointed expression, Lin Xian hesitated in silence. But remembering his generous compensation earlier, she finally spoke up, “Young Master Qin, I do have one piece of news about Qingyao. I wonder if you would care to hear it?”