Chapter 17 - Leaving Willow City

Xiao Ling stares at a small shop at the very center of Willow City. There weren't many people going in and out of said shop, but there was something inside which attracted Xiao Ling's attention.

The shop looks shabby, dilapidated, and smells worse than the fishes in Willow City. The products inside were no better. Aside from seashells, clams, fishes and other waterborne creatures, the thing that stands out the most was the mermaid.

Yes, a mermaid. Her skin was green, hands were similar to ducks, no nose, gills on the side of her neck, and her eyes were pure red. She should make Xiao Ling afraid, but Xiao Ling seems to notice something wrong.

"Uncle! Pretty Uncle!" Xiao Ling called. "The Ugly Ghost boy is now a fish!" He pointed at the mermaid.

Wei Xiao was discussing some problems with Qin Zuijia, and Qin Zuijia was stating what was in his mind. When they heard Xiao Ling say those words, they turned to look at the mermaid.

Wei Xiao was calm when looking at the mermaid, but his mind was full of questions. Qin Zuijia has his brows lifted and he had the urge to ridicule the mermaid.

Zhao Fu tuned himself in to a half man half fish. He was trying to catch the attention of Qin Zuijia and Wei Xiao. This was the idea he thought of without anyone thinking that he was a Ghost. He turned into something that Willow City would accept and at the same time, weird enough to be noticed.

Qin Zuijia walked towards the shop and stood parallel to the glass container. "How ugly!" Qin Zuijia tapped into the glass.

A man about 70-80 years old came towards Qin Zuijia. "Ah! Young masters. This is our shop's greatest catch!" He patted the glass container. "We plan to advertise this big fish here and make him into stew!"

Qin Zuijia's eyes twitched. His lips curved into a smile, and he exuded a very dark aura that attacked Zhao Fu.

Zhao Fu screamed, shattering the glass.

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Two men, one baby, one ghost stands in front of one burning body.

They cannot burn the body all at once, that would lead the ashes to mix together and not be buried properly.

It took three days to burn each corpse and another three for them to bury the ashes.

Qin Zuijia looks at Zhao Fu. "What about your body?"

Zhao Fu turns to Qin Zuijia, lifting his brows in surprise. "Me?" he pointed to himself.

Qin Zuijia nodded and smiled. "I doubt those women burned your body."

Zhao Fu shook his head. "Most of my body was burned, but both my arms are missing."

"Do you know where they are?" Wei Xiao asked, walking to their direction as he patted Xiao Ling's back.

"East?" Zhao Fu answered. "I heard that the 'Saint' transported my arms to the east. But I'm not sure where exactly."

Wei Xiao and Qin Zuijia looked at each other knowingly. They too plan to go to the east. They would search for Qin Xuan's friend and search for a place to hide. Now, they heard the annoying ghost that his arms are located in east.

"Well." Qin Zuijia turn around. "Good Luck finding your arms. We'll be going."

Wei Xiao followed him.

Zhao Fu's eyes narrowed. "Where are you guys going?"

"None of your business." Wei Xiao and Qin Zuijia said in unison.

"You too are traveling to the east, aren't you?" He flew past and stopped in front of the two. "Take me with you!"

Qin Zuijia patted his head. "Be good." He continued to walk.

Wei Xiao patted his shoulder. "Be good." and followed Qin Zuijia.

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In their journey due east, A ghost would speak non-stop and ask several questions regarding their life.

They arrived at a small tea shop and ordered two cups of tea and osmanthus cake for Xiao Ling.

"Did you guys hear?" A woman said full of ridicule. "The Qin Clan is now dead!"

"Hag! watch what you say. The walls have ears!" A man from another table interjected.

"Don't bother reprimanding her. The Qin Clan is dead." The refined man sitting with the other said.

"Right, Gongzi, It was clan leader Li who stabbed clan leader Qin in the chest." She said in excitement. "So young, yet so powerful!"

"Shut up woman! It's disgusting to see such an old bitch lusting for a young practitioner. Look at the mirror for once!!"

"Humph! you're just jealous of a handsome lad!"

"You're just ugly!"

"Alright now." The refined man said. "No more fighting."

"Ah! sorry gongzi!"

The refined man shook his head.

"Right! I heard that Qin Zuijia, that monster escaped with the young master of the clan. He must have enchanted him!"

"Humph! That person must have had a taste of Qin Zuijia. How else would he run away with him?"

The woman laughed knowingly. "That Gongzi must have had his fill in order to increase in level."

"Qin Zuijia isn't only a demon cultivator, he's also a slu-"

The man was interrupted by the sound of water being spat out, and a hand breaking a table.

The woman and men look at them, clicking their tongues in disgust and anger.

Qin Zuijia was just sipping tea when he heard the discussion of the three people. At first he felt sorry and sad that the Qin Clan is truly gone. He looked at Wei Xiao who still had no expression on his face. He pursed his lips, wanting to apologise, but the words never came out. He couldn't understand what Wei Xiao was feeling at the moment, but even if he knew, he doesn't know how to react.

He continued to listen to the words uttered by the three people, until the time they mentioned about him running away with the young master of Qin Clan. His face turned ugly with their sentences, and when he realized what they meant, the tea that he was sipping was spat out.

Wei Xiao on the other hand, already knew of the death of his loved ones. He felt sad, to the point of being unable to move on, but he can't do anything more.

He remembered receiving a letter from one of his uncle's trusted person. The man had a very similar lonely expression the Wei Xiao now has. He left immediately to hide after handing the letter.

There was nothing superfluous with the letter. It was a simple report about what happened during the battle between the Qin Clans and the Four Great Clans. At the beginning, the Ran clan came directly towards Qin Xuan's office, forcing him to spit out where he hid Qin Zuijia, but Qin Xuan's mouth were sealed. They dragged Qin Xuan towards a small pond, pushed his head in the water, questioning again and again where Qin Zuijia was.... but when they didn't get the answers, they locked him up into their dungeon.

The next person they asked was Wei Xiayu. They barge into their home, taking his wife away and doing the same thing they did to Qin Xuan.

The letter ended with the date of his family's death... which was the same date when the two would depart.

He listened to the conversation as if they were things that didn't hold meaning. His eyes were unfocused, not wanting to keep listening to nonsense that people are spewing Then the last sentence.

The table was split in half, and two cups of tea was spilled onto them. Qin Zuijia stood up, carrying the half crying Xiao Ling and staring wide-eye at Wei Xiao.

"Apologies. My hand slipped." Wei Xiao said, taking out two gold coins from his pouch. He stood up and left.

Qin Zuijia saw him leaving. He carried the almost crying Xiao Ling and catched up to Wei Xiao.

Xiao Ling was stupefied and felt frightened by the sudden braking of the table. He cried in Qin Zuijia's arm while they walked.

"Wha-why?!!. table brake!!" Xiao Ling cried.

"Sorry, Xiao Ling. Uncle was a bit sad." Qin Zuijia explained to the child. "Don't cry anymore. I'm here."

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Mini theater........ It back!! oh no!

Zhao Fu: Which disguise should I use?

Screaming Children: We are babies, why are you asking us??

Zhao fu: you think if I have friends, I'd stay here??

Screaming children:...... Alexander.

Zhao Fu: aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

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Wei Xiao: We are leaving.

Zhao Fu: Take me with you!!!!

Lemon: Yes me too!!

Qin Zuijia: Why are you here?

Lemon: .... I'm the author, I go wherever I want.

Wei Xiao: Throw her to the basement.

Lemon: noooooo. I'll be good.

Zhao Fu: Who are you??

Lemon: Yah mother!!.

Zhao Fu: My mother is dead.

Lemon: *cold sweat because she killed his parents* Yeeaah...

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Xiao Ling: I've been a good boy, I only ate six bowls of chicken soup, I'm very good. Why did ugly break the table?

Qin Zuijia: He was sad.

Lemon:..... No, He's guilty.

Wei Xiao: *Guilty of being gaei*.. I was sad.