Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 904 - Doll

Ever since being reborn, Lei Xiaoyu’s love for life had been fully activated. She didn’t want to waste her days cultivating…that’s right, she thought it was a waste. If it weren’t for the fact that cultivating was able to reduce the pain in her body she wouldn’t have wasted so much time doing it.

Lei Qianjun smiled at her choice and approved it with a wave of his hand. But an agreement was made between the father and daughter. She had at most three days of freedom and bliss, and then after that she would have to enter a mystic realm to cultivate until she broke through to the God boundary.

As for what mystic realm it was, Lei Qianjun only told her it was a secret.

Upon receiving this pardon, Lei Xiaoyu began to play. Each day she would run out of the City Lord Mansion. Besides the experts who protected her in secret, she was like an ordinary girl, dragging her group of friends everywhere with her.

Today’s activities were arranged by Shen Xing. She said that there was an absolutely amazing place they had to visit, so Lei Xiaoyu’s interest reached new peaks. The young men and women chatted as they hurried along.

Suddenly, Lei Xiaoyu’s eyes flew open. She jogged forward and ruthlessly slapped the shoulder of a passer-by. “Qin Yu, what are you doing here?”

At this moment, she really thought that all the shadows in her life had been scattered. All that was left was sunlight and warmth.

Otherwise, why would this person whom she had been seeking for a long time suddenly appear in front of her after her illness was healed?

Were the heavens compensating her for her suffering? Yes, that had to be it!

As her thoughts raced around, her smile grew brighter and her cheeks flushed red. She fixed her eyes on Qin Yu.

Shen Qing and Cao Yaozong had once seen Qin Yu. They watched from behind, a cold intent in their eyes.

There were millions of cultivators in the vast Roc City. Their group had concealed their status as they mingled in the endless crowds of people, so why would they meet him here so coincidentally?

It seems like Lei Xiaoyu’s previous search she had conducted with so much effort had been discovered. This Qin Yu should know of Lei Xiaoyu’s identity.

Disregarding all else, there was one thing they were sure of. This was not a chance encounter; Qin Yu had been waiting here all along.

Qin Yu originally believed he had a formidable enough heart, but now that he faced Lei Xiaoyu’s happy expression he couldn’t help but feel some guilt.

On that day, he chose not to save her. But today, he was going to use her…although he had his reasons, such behavior was not glorious or heroic no matter how he considered it.

He paused and nodded at her. “It’s been a while.”

The subtle changes in his expression and his dry words caused Shen Qing and Cao Yaozong to become increasingly sure of their original thought. Their eyes became colder.

A toad wishing to eat swan meat…this boy was really courageous!

“Hahaha, isn’t this the person that Xiaoyu was searching for some time ago to thank? Since we’ve met, how about we go and play together? Things will be even livelier.” Cao Yaozong smiled as he walked over.

Lei Xiaoyu’s eyes brightened. She looked at Qin Yu and asked, “Do you want to come?”

Facing her expectant eyes, for some unknown reason, Qin Yu couldn’t commit to his plan of playing ‘hard to get’.

After a brief silence he nodded and said, “Alright.”

Shen Qing walked over, grabbing onto Lei Xiaoyu’s hand and going ahead. “Hurry, hurry, if we delay any longer there will be too many people. I don’t want to wait in line!”

Several women smiled and crowded Lei Xiaoyu within them. She only had time to glance at Qin Yu before she was dragged to the front.

Cao Yaozong smiled. “Xiaoyu is a great girl, right?”

Qin Yu glanced at him.

Cao Yaozong turned his head, “But not all people have the qualifications to stay around such a great girl. No matter what your thoughts are, you had best put them away, otherwise you will regret it.”

After finishing speaking, he patted Qin Yu’s shoulder and followed behind everyone else.

The place Shen Qing brought everyone to was a lively night market. Although night had just started to fall, streams of people were already here.

In addition to all kinds of food there were also many interesting stalls. The liveliest one with the most people was a little game called ‘Treasure Watch’.

The rules were simple. The vendor would put out reward items and the player would need to put a personal item in the middle of the wooden table as required. Nine wooden bowls placed on the tabletop would immediately be flipped over and the player’s item would be placed under one of the bowls.

Within a specified time limit, the player would need to find their item.

Finding it in ten breaths of time was excellent and one could choose any of the vendor’s reward items. 20 breaths of time was average, allowing one to take back their own item. If it took more than 30 breaths of time, the dropped item would go to the vendor.

It was an interesting kind of gamble.

Of course, in the end this game tested a cultivator’s cultivation. As long as their boundary was profound enough they wouldn’t suffer a loss.

But on the other hand, such a formidable powerhouse wouldn’t use such a method to get rich. Even if one or two were encountered, they would usually give up after one or two tries. After all, when it came to things like honor, people with status cherished it all the more.

Shen Qing was excited. “This is it, this really is fun. I lost a hairpin I liked yesterday so now that I’m here today I have to take it back.”

Listening to her, Lei Xiaoyu approximately understood the rules. She glanced over the reward items, eager to try. This was the first time she had seen such a gambling game. However, she immediately thought back to something. She turned around and smiled at Qin Yu who was standing not too far away.

Cao Yaozong saw this scene and briefly smiled before saying, “How difficult can this be? Once I win I will take the hairpin back for you!” He pushed his way to the front of the crowd. After a visitor reluctantly gave up, he loudly shouted, “I’ll come, I’ll come!”

As he spoke he cupped his hands together and bowed at everyone around him. “I told my friend that I would win back the reward she lost. I ask everyone to please forgive me.”

His bearing was elegant and his manners were impeccable. Although some people were secretly dissatisfied, they didn’t show it. Cao Yaozong thanked them again before standing in front of the stall. “Vendor, these are my belongings. You can choose any one.”

The vendor was a quiet man. His eyes were calm as he looked around, “Your items are too precious. My stall has nothing appropriate to match them.”

Cao Yaozong waved his hand. “That’s fine. Just choose any one. But, I want to say ahead of time that if I win, I want to take back the hairpin that miss left behind.”

The man lowered his head and hesitated for a moment. “That isn’t part of the rules…but since young sir wants to play with such sincerity, I will add one more item in the reward section. But I need to state in advance that if any other visitor wants to take it away, they have to come up with something that satisfies me.”

As he spoke he reached into his robes and carefully took out a wrapped cloth bag. He opened it to reveal a purple-gold-colored wooden doll with light spots on its surface. It was carved in the shape of a woman wearing a dress. For some unknown reason, one couldn’t see its face, as if it was a flower covered in fog.

“How beautiful!”

Many women cried out from the crowd.

Now that night had fallen, lights sparkled from all around. The spots of light on the puppet’s long dress seemed like a dazzling galaxy, gorgeous and mesmerizing.

Lei Xiaoyu’s eyes widened. She stared at the doll and subconsciously bit her lips.

Cao Yaozong looked at it several times. “Vendor, you have great taste. But even so, as I said before, after I win I hope you will return the hairpin to me.”

“Of course.” The man pointed a finger. “Then I’ll choose the jade pendant on your waist.”

As he spoke he took a step back and made an inviting gesture.

Cao Yaozong untied the jade pendant and tossed it into the hole in the middle of the round wooden table. It closed with a pop and nine wooden bowls flipped over on the tabletop.

“The time has begun.”

Cao Yaozong stared at the wooden table. After seven breaths of time he pointed a finger, “That one!”

As his voice fell the wooden bowl he pointed to opened, but it was bare inside.

“How is that possible!?” Cao Yaozong was shocked.

Pa –

Pa –

The other wooden bowls opened. The jade pendant was in the third wooden bowl from the left on the first row.

The vendor cupped his hands together. “I thank dear visitor for your patronage. According to the rules, the jade pendant is mine.”

He took back the pendant. Then after thinking for a moment, he took back the doll.

“Hold on!” Lei Xiaoyu suddenly spoke up. “Vendor, I like that doll very much and would like to try it.”

Perhaps it was because they wanted to appreciate the doll more or perhaps it was because they found this group of uncommon youths displeasing to the eyes and wanted them to suffer more losses, the crowd drew backwards.

Lei Xiaoyu walked in front of the stall. Cao Yaozong said, “Xiaoyu, don’t try. Even I lost here. You…”

“It’s fine.” Lei Xiaoyu responded. She looked up, “Vendor, choose something.”

As she spoke, her eyes remained locked on the puppet.

The vendor hesitated for a moment. He glanced at Cao Yaozong and said, “This doll is my beloved treasure and I shouldn’t have taken it out today. But since I have received this guest’s precious jade pendant and since young miss is his friend, I will make an exception one more time. But I have to say that I will only allow this young miss to participate. Afterwards I will put away the doll.”

He reached out a hand. “Miss, you know the rules?”

Lei Xiaoyu nodded. “You may choose anything on me.”

The vendor swept his eyes around. “Then I’ll choose the jade ring on your finger.”

Lei Xiaoyu took off the ring and tossed it in the hole. Nine wooden bowls closed with a ‘pa’. The vendor said, “Time, start!”

She stared tightly at the nine bowls. At the sixth breath of time her eyes brightened and she said, “That one!”

The wooden bowl opened to reveal nothing inside.

The vendor smiled. “Thank you for your patronage young miss.” As he spoke he opened the other wooden bowls and took away the jade ring.

He turned around and picked up the doll.

“Vendor!” Lei Xiaoyu stopped him. “I want to try one more time. You said before that you will only allow me to participate, but you didn’t define the number of times.”

Cao Yaozong said, “Vendor, you should be able to see the value of the jade pendant and ring. Since my friend wants to continue playing, you shouldn’t have a problem with this.”

The vendor thought for a moment. “Alright. Since young miss wishes to play, I will accompany you.” He glanced around, “This time, I choose the button on miss’s coat.”

Lei Xiaoyu tore off the button and tossed it forward. “Continue.”

But what a pity, she also chose the wrong one this time. The button was taken by the vendor.

“Again.”

Defeated.

“Again.”

Defeated.

Cao Yaozong tugged her arm. “Xiaoyu, it’s over. This vendor’s skills are too fierce. Even I am distressed by all the things you’ve lost.”

Shen Xing also said, “That’s right. Let’s go somewhere else. There are still many fun things to play.”

Lei Xiaoyu shook her head, “I want to try again.” She looked at the doll. “Vendor, let’s continue.”

The vendor furrowed his eyebrows together. He cupped his hands together and said, “Miss, how about this. I’ll return half of the things you lost and we’ll consider it over with that.”

Lei Xiaoyu said, “I only want that doll.”

The vendor sighed. “The rules of the Treasure Watch cannot be ruined by my hands. If miss is so insistent, then let’s continue.”

11th defeat.

Lei Xiaoyu lost the last of her personal items. Her complexion paled as she stared at the doll.

The vendor relaxed. “Miss, you no longer have anything that will allow you to participate.”

Cao Yaozong’s complexion was ugly. “Xiaoyu, don’t be sad. Since you really like that doll I will definitely help you find a way to obtain it.”

“No.” Lei Xiaoyu shook her head. “None of you interfere in this. I will find a way myself.”

She looked up. ”Vendor, I like this doll very much. If you are willing to sell it I will surely give you a satisfactory price.”

The vendor forced a smile. “I do not doubt miss’s sincerity. But, the rules of the Treasure Watch do not allow me to sell prizes. Since you have lost 11 times, that can only mean you have no fate with this doll. You should not try to force it.”

Lei Xiaoyu bit her lips. “I want to try one more time.” She lifted a hand. Light surged and a puppet appeared in her palm.

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