Misery: There is a pawn shop here

Chapter 12: Heaven-shaking Drum

The setting sun was blood-red, the evening mist thickened, and the wind swept the remaining clouds across the desolate mountain paths. Dead branches and fallen leaves swirled in the strong wind, outlining eerie ghostly shadows among the jagged rocks.

Suddenly, the sound of boots crushing dead branches was heard, and a figure in white scurried along the jagged mountain path, its sleeves fluttering and startling the birds in the forest. Looking at its face, its eyebrows slanted like sharp blades, its eyes like cold stars, gleaming with a chilling light. The drummer, hastily running for revenge, now wore a gloomy expression.

In order to escape from a murder of passion, he felt uneasy because of the existence of the pawnshop, so he had to seize every minute and every second.

Beichen Yuanhuang, Beichen Dynasty, it's time for you to fulfill your promise...

"Um?"

He suddenly stopped, his feet froze, and the dry grass around him turned into powder in an instant.

The drummer's five fingers hooked together, pressing against the human-skin drum at his waist. The copper earrings on his ears jingled in the chilly wind. The fields were empty, and only the fishy wind swept across the jagged rocks, emitting a whimpering sound.

"Who are you, you villain? Show yourself!"

Amidst the furious shouts, the drum master turned his palms and gathered strength, his white robe's wide sleeves fluttering like billowing clouds. The drums spun through the air, and his palms landed like thunder. The drums vibrated, unleashing a surge of immense energy. Instantly, ancient trees within a ten-foot radius snapped, the ground cracked, and rocks collapsed. Amidst the swirling dust and sand, nothing remained.

But the din of dust dissipated, leaving only a faint blue ghostly fire blazing from the void. The drum master's brows furrowed as he realized the world around him had transformed. The sky was pitch black, the galaxy vanished, leaving only nine layers of black iron lanterns suspended in an array, illuminating a deep blue light. At the end of that halo, a seven-story ebony pavilion loomed. Brass bells rang from the eaves, the lanterns shone with a faint glow, and the plaque reading "You Jian Pawnshop" shone in a stream of crimson gold.

"That's... there's a pawn shop!"

The scene before him overlapped with the scene in his dream. A beast-like growl rolled out of the drummer's throat, his knuckles clasped the drumhead, and he struck again with his profound power. The mighty sound swept out, but it was like a drop in the ocean. Looking back, he saw that the darkness around him was spreading continuously like a living thing. Nine Netherworld lanterns lit up one after another, paving a path to the underworld. No matter how fast he retreated a hundred steps, the ghostly pavilion was always close at hand.

The place he had longed for was now before him, yet the drummer felt no joy. Sharp teeth bit through his lower lip, the smell of blood filling his mouth. He vividly remembered the day he had escaped the murder, protected by Qin Juexian and Linghu Shenyi.

If a murder of passion could be transacted in the pawnshop for the first time, it could naturally be transacted a second time as well. Pi Gu Shi had never doubted Qin Juexian's feelings for the murder of passion.

So, is this a path to life, or a path to death?!
Sharp teeth bit through his lower lip, and the smell of blood filled his mouth. Just as the drummer hesitated, the clear sound of a jade chime suddenly pierced the air, and a gentle male voice whispered in his ear: "You are still alive, why do you complain about yourself here? Or are you willing to sit here and wait for death, watching your enemy walk free?"

"Who!" The drummer looked towards the source of the sound, only to see the pawnshop's tightly closed door suddenly open.

In the depths of the lobby, a long desk made of golden nanmu wood can be vaguely seen. In front of the desk sits a man in a black robe, with wide sleeves cascading down like a night waterfall, and the gold embroidery on his robe radiates an eerie glow.

There's a pawn shop!

There was no hesitation, but the black boots could be seen crushing the bluestone. In a flash, he looked up and saw that he had reached the door of the pawnshop. The drummer stepped into the hall. In an instant, a strange fragrance filled the air. The gilded candlesticks on the four walls lit up with faint blue flames, and the utensils in the room were reflected with a cold and eerie light.

"Should I call you He Changling, or the Drum Master?" Li Xuanxiao waved his sleeves lightly, and a purple clay teacup appeared on the table. Amidst the rising mist, a leisurely voice echoed, "Don't be nervous, sir. There's a pawnshop that only sells the living, not the dead. Since you're here, it seems we're destined to do business."

"Heh." The drummer sneered in response to Li Xuanxiao. "Did you come here to make a deal before the love killing?" Li Xuanxiao glanced at the drummer and nodded slowly. "Yes."

There was a pawn shop contract, but there was no mention of a confidentiality agreement.

"Hahaha, you're really an idiot!" the drummer taunted him, "As for you, you're just playing tricks. If you have the ability to take my life, go for it!"

The leather drum master roared, and the murderous energy in his body stirred up the surrounding flames. However, the next moment, he suddenly felt that his meridians were empty like a colander, and he could not sense any true energy in his dantian. It seemed as if half of his skills had never existed. Cold sweat instantly soaked his heavy clothes, and he heard the crisp sound of the tea lid tapping on the rim of the teacup.

"Why are you so excited, sir? A pawnshop is a place for exchange, so naturally they don't want to see violence." Li Xuanxiao didn't show any emotion due to the drummer's anger, and remained calm. "The fact that you stepped into the pawnshop today means that you must have something you desire and need. Of course, if you really don't want it, just turn around and leave."

After he finished speaking, the pupils of the drummer suddenly shrank, and hallucinations appeared before his eyes. He saw a man playing the zither with broken strings and burning incense, a man holding a knife and grinning fiercely, and the woman in red clothes that he "thought about day and night" was making love with her, having a great time.

"Bone flute!" In an instant, a beast-like low roar burst out from the throat of the drummer, and the nanmu chair arm next to him was crushed into powder by his strength.

After a moment, the drummer seemed to have regained his composure. He lowered his head and said in a rough voice, "So, I want Fan Qiliang to die, Qin Juexian to die, and Qingsi to die. What do you want?"

Li Xuanxiao smiled as he looked at the drummer and slowly shook his head. "It's still the same old saying. There's a pawnshop that only sells the living, not the dead. If you need it, the pawnshop can provide you with enough strength. We're both three Xuanyin, but without the bonus of the special drum, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to win against the bone flute, right?"

"So you can make me definitely defeat Fan Qiliang?!"

"Heaven-shaking drum."

As Li Xuanxiao raised his hand, the shadow of a giant drum condensed in front of the drum maker. Even though it was just a shadow, the drum maker could tell from his many years of experience in making drums that this drum was definitely not inferior to the stone drum made of human skin or the drum made of the skin of a mythical beast.

"In the past, in Longyuan, a dragon rose up, and heaven and earth shook. This drum is forged from the bones of an ancient thunder dragon, tempered by the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder. Its power is no less than the leather drum you made from the skin of a mythical beast. In the past, the human-skin stone drum of the Geography Bureau was in hand. With the power of a single drum, it could slay an evil figure renowned in the martial arts world. With this, dealing with the bone flute will no longer be a problem for you."

The leather drum master certainly knew that what Li Xuanxiao said was true. Holding a drum that was no less powerful than the human skin stone drum, he was able to dominate the martial arts world.

"So, what do you want?" The drummer looked at Li Xuanxiao. At this moment, his heart was really moved. As long as he could take revenge on Fan Qiliang, he could give up everything at any cost.

"Don't worry, the price isn't high." Li Xuanxiao said leisurely, "I only need something that is of the utmost importance to you."

"what?"

"Your Excellency, love."

(End of this chapter)