"Fake, fake goods! Your Jade Pendant is too fake!"
In the middle of the night, suddenly yelling like this above my head—how is anyone supposed to survive?
Shang Shaoyang, holding a lantern, was startled. The flickering candle flame inside the red paper lantern extinguished.
Shang Shaoyang wanted to look up, but suddenly remembered what Elder Feng Er said about the ghost that eats people's eyes.
As long as someone has fake goods on them, the ghost will take the pair of eyes that looked at the goods.
Listening to the mention of the Jade Pendant, Shang Shaoyang was full of doubts, thinking shouldn't you be looking for Xu Qing for counterfeits? He has such a big fake painting on him, maybe the ink isn't even dry yet, why are you targeting me?
Xu Qing wasn't wearing a Jade Pendant, so it was only the one hanging from his own waist at this moment.
The Jade Pendant was just something he casually bought for fifty silver notes while strolling on the Flower and Bird Street a couple of days ago as a decoration...
Xu Qing was equally unprepared, how come this ghost isn't following the rules, maybe his fake painting was so real that even the ghost couldn't tell it apart?
In a flash, Xu Qing spoke, "Don't look up, close your eyes, throw the Jade Pendant to me, then turn back and walk away!"
Throw the Jade Pendant to someone else? What's the difference between that and selling out your friend for glory?
Besides, Shang Shaoyang came here today specifically to catch a ghost, if he leaves just like that, wouldn't it be a wasted trip!
Shang Shaoyang had been rebellious since he was young. When other noble kids were fighting crickets and playing with birds, he was chasing dogs with a wooden sword all over the street, saying he was going to kill corrupt officials.
After he grew up a bit, when other young masters were flirting with maids and visiting brothels, he was venturing solo in and out of bandit camps seven times.
On the New Year, while peers respectfully presented gifts or recited a few festive poems earning them praise from elders,
Shang Shaoyang was different. He visited elders during New Year's with the head of a bandit chief in his hand, ran straight into the hall after dismounting, and without caring for propriety or occasion, tossed the bloody shroud and the head onto the floor.
Then he excitedly said, "We've wiped out the bandits at the Qingfeng Stockade. This year the common folk can finally have a good New Year!"
A nobleman's son from a thousand-year-old noble family, yet always thought of himself as a common person, now isn't that rebellious?
Hearing Xu Qing's advice, Shang Shaoyang only followed half, which was to close his eyes and not look up, but he didn't toss away the Jade Pendant nor did he turn around to leave.
Instead, he drew his sword and decisively stabbed towards the direction where the voice came from above!
In the quiet deep night, a headless Corpse Ghost clung to the high wall holding its head, its ghastly white hands stretched out like noodles, cradling the head, staring unblinkingly at its target prey, just waiting for the Yang Fire on a living person to weaken so it could pluck out their eyeballs to eat.
People have three blossoms of Yang Fire, one on top of the head, one on each shoulder. The headless ghost hugging its head just awaited Shang Shaoyang to look up at it.
As long as the other is frightened and the Yang Fire flickers, it could stretch out its long arm, leaning its head close to the opponent's face and blowing, rendering the person unable to resist. At that time, whether to be killed or skinned, isn't it all up to it?
However, things didn't go as the ghost wished. Just when its ghostly plans were rattling, a cold glint suddenly came face-on!
In the pitch-black alley, the snow-white sword light pierced through the ghost's head, only then did the clarion sound of the Treasure Sword being drawn echo through the narrow alley.
"..."
Xu Qing reassessed the rich second-generation in front of him.
This noble kid is really fearless!
Tucking away the small hot bowl, Xu Qing moved forward.
The headless ghost's head had already fallen to the ground, muffled sounds seeming to come from the other side of the high wall, as if from within an abdomen.
"My head, give me my head back!"
Unbeknownst to Shang Shaoyang, his eyes were already open. In his hand, the longsword was pierced with a ghost's head, smoke streaming from its seven orifices.
"What is this thing?!"
Only then did Shang Shaoyang realize the scare, he almost flung the sword away!
Xu Qing was unable to comment; you say this person is fearless, yet this blind cat really stumbled upon a dead rat, unleashing an unmatched sword intent in a moment of crisis.
The sword had no embellishments, just a straightforward thrust, yet it brimmed with righteousness, channeling all of Shang Shaoyang's spirit and energy onto it.
Even Xu Qing, not far away, felt that aura of a true swordsman.
But if you say he's formidable, then seeing the ghost head stuck on the sword, he's so startled he's stammering and doesn't know what to do about it.
"Brother Xu, look, what is this thing? Why is it smoking..."
"Hand me the sword, you turn around first."
"Oh, oh!"
Xu Qing observed as the other really handed over the sword and then turned around, feeling speechless.
Does this second-generation really not know the dangers of the human heart, or what? Isn't he afraid I might take the sword and stab him in the kidney?
Xu Qing casually flicked the still-smoking head from the sword into a bowl, then flipped over the high wall, promptly pummeling the headless Corpse Ghost wandering about searching for its head.
Hearing the commotion, Shang Shaoyang quickly turned around and jumped over the high wall.
But there wasn't even half a ghostly shadow left!
"Is it gone?"
Shang Shaoyang took back the sword tossed to him by Xu Qing, feeling the thrill and excitement, yet also slightly wanting more.
"Brother Shang, you certainly achieved a great feat this time. When we return, you might even be awarded a big red flower, riding a horse through the streets."
Shang Shaoyang cared little about gaining fame; he just wanted to know where the ghost went and how his newly bought Jade Pendant turned out to be fake? Could someone really dare to cheat him?