Hide in the world of gods and demons

Chapter 37: Like a stuck in the throat
Do you recognize me?

Chen Li became even more wary: "Misunderstanding? Then tell me, where did this misunderstanding come from?"

"Fellow Daoist Chen, please calm down! We are all from the Spirit Tiger Gang, but we don't live on this street and don't usually interact much, which is why you find us unfamiliar. The reason we're here is because we're on a mission," the rogue cultivator said with a fawning smile.

"Oh, a mission? What mission?" Chen Li stared intently at his expression and asked in a deep voice.

"This..." The rogue cultivator hesitated, seemingly troubled, but quickly smiled wryly and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, saying:
“Logically speaking, Fellow Daoist Chen is not from our Linghu Gang, so I shouldn’t reveal anything casually. However, this matter is not exactly a secret, and Fellow Daoist Chen is not an outsider. I believe Chief Qiao will not blame us for this. Today, I will boldly speak my mind. We are here to keep an eye on Fellow Daoist Lin Gui.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Li suddenly realized that this was to prevent Lin Gui from running away.

I was just being too sensitive.

"Oh dear, it was a misunderstanding. Please forgive me, fellow Daoists." Chen Li quickly smiled and let go of the foot, picked up the still dizzy rogue cultivator, handed him the magic weapon, and repeatedly bowed to apologize.

"It's alright, it's alright, it's good that we've talked it out. It's just that we didn't inform Fellow Daoist Chen beforehand."

"Yeah yeah!"

The atmosphere became harmonious, and everyone smiled. Even the rogue cultivator who had just been beaten up by Chen Li tried to smile, his cheek muscles twitching from time to time, as if nothing had happened.

……

Chen Li said a few polite words, then turned around and saw Zhou Hong leaning against the door.

The two went inside and closed the door.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Hong looked at Chen Li with concern.

"There was a small misunderstanding, but thankfully we cleared it up," Chen Li said with a smile. At first, he had a smile on his face, but after taking a few steps, his smile gradually faded, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong.

If you weren't spying on me, why did your eyes look so flustered when you discovered me?

Is it fear of oneself?
Or... is it because of a guilty conscience?
There was just one thing he couldn't understand: if Qiao Guanyuan really sent someone to monitor him, why would he do that?

He never had any conflict with Qiao Guanyuan. Even though he politely declined Qiao Guanyuan's attempts to win him over a few times at the beginning, it was only to comply with Qiao Guanyuan's wishes. After that, they had no further contact and kept to themselves.

Maybe I'm overthinking it?

Chen Li pondered silently, but inwardly he became wary of Qiao Guanyuan.

After thinking for a moment, a smile returned to his face: "Let's not talk about that. You used to go on adventures in the wild often, tell me about the dangers you encountered?"

……

Qiao Guanyuan's residence.

Laughter and cheerful conversation filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.

"We owe this battle to Fellow Daoist Liu. If it weren't for Fellow Daoist Liu's brilliant illusion array, the battle wouldn't have gone so smoothly. It's just a pity that Zhao Ding escaped with his life, and we didn't achieve our goal!" Qiao Guanyuan laughed loudly.

"Not at all, not at all. This is all the little skill I possess. It's mainly thanks to Chief Qiao's strategic planning and brilliant strategies, and the bravery and fearlessness of all my brothers." An elderly man, around sixty years old, smiled and stroked his long beard, saying modestly:

"As for the heavy blow dealt to the Giant Bear Gang this time, I think Zhao Ding's fate is sealed, and his defeat is only a matter of time."

"Yes, once we swallow up the Giant Bear Gang, who in the entire loose cultivator gathering area can compete with our Spirit Tiger Gang? It won't be long before Gang Leader Qiao unifies the market!" a gang member shouted.

"Chief Qiao clearly possesses great wisdom, great fortune, and great luck!" another member exclaimed.

Although he knew these were all just flattery, and although he also knew that the market was a deep and murky place, far beyond the reach of his Spirit Tiger Gang, a rabble of Qi Refining stage cultivators.

But hearing these words still made him feel a surge of pride and immense joy.

He was about to say a few words of modesty when a trusted aide quickly approached and whispered a few words in his ear. ...

"Discovered?"

In a side hall, Qiao Guanyuan listened calmly as two gang members came to report to him.

"Yes, Chief Qiao. Although we were extremely careful, we didn't expect them to be so vigilant. Fortunately, I managed to get away with it by pretending to be monitoring Lin Gui," the leader of the gang said respectfully.

Qiao Guanyuan remained noncommittal, then looked at the other person: "Fugui, what happened to your face?"

"Reporting to Chief Qiao, I was... I was beaten by that man!" He could barely open his mouth as he spoke; his face was swollen like a high-rising steamed bun, and it was red to the point of being purple.

Qiao Guanyuan was displeased, and a flash of anger crossed his face. This wasn't a slap in the face to Fugui; it was a slap in his own face.

This is completely disregarding your own dignity.

Who does he think he is?
“Since it hasn’t aroused suspicion, continue monitoring for the next few days, but be more cautious this time.” Qiao Guanyuan suppressed his nameless rage.

During this period, as his power gradually consolidated and his territory continued to expand, he found it increasingly difficult to tolerate some uncontrollable factors that still existed in his territory, which gradually became a thorn in his side.

"Yes, Chief Qiao."

……

Late at night, in the talisman-making room.

The tiny flame of the oil lamp flickered slightly.

"Bah!"

Another useless talisman.

Chen Li put down his pen, feeling a bit irritable. He couldn't calm down no matter what he did. He managed to draw a useless talisman, but then he couldn't draw any more.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and tried to calm himself down.

The door opened, and familiar footsteps wafted in with a fragrant breeze; Zhou Hong entered.

"Since you can't continue drawing, why don't you take a break?" she advised.

Chen Li opened his eyes, took the tea that Zhou Hong brought and put it aside, then held her soft hand: "It's nothing, I'm just a little upset. This is a skill that will be our livelihood in the future, so no matter how difficult it is, we must master it."

What bothered him wasn't actually that, but the possibility of being monitored, though he naturally didn't want Zhou Hong to worry about that.

"Actually, there's no need to rush. We still have plenty of savings at home," Zhou Hong said with a smile.

After they got together, she lost her former sharp and shrewish nature, and instead showed a gentle and submissive side, appearing soft and compliant in every way.

"You're just sitting around eating away your savings... and you're still wearing this?" Chen Li looked at the hairpin in her hair, which was swaying slightly. He had given it to her not long after he transmigrated, and she had been wearing it ever since.

A hairpin worth two low-grade spirit stones seems rather shabby these days.

"Hmm, the jade hairpin I used before was so old-fashioned, the one you gave me is much prettier."

"Next time, I'll buy you an even better one!" Chen Li said softly.

"Mmm!" Zhou Hong's voice was thick with nasal tone, and her gaze towards Chen Li was tinged with a hint of cloying affection.

The two held hands, and everything was understood without words.

(End of this chapter)