Through the judgment of the Truth Mantra, Zhao Li confirmed that Fengdie was not lying. He didn't do anything to her, but instead called upon his Soul Ferryman brothers to help search for the young couple. After all, a pair that handsome and beautiful was bound to attract attention.
However, Zhao Li wasn't stupid, and Qiu Xia certainly wasn't an idiot. Knowing his situation might be exposed, Qiu Xia wasn't about to leave things to chance. While traveling, both he and Ren Tingting had carefully disguised their appearances.
Still, fate had a way of bringing people together when it was least expected, no matter how well one hid. That day, Qiu Xia found a small pork shop for a meal. He ordered some pork and pig's head meat for Ren Tingting,
while he personally gorged himself on pork offal, washing it down with occasional gulps of wine. As for Ren Tingting, even though she had traveled from the future, she had no taste for offal, so Qiu Xia ate it all himself.
Just as Qiu Xia was enjoying his meal, a familiar voice drifted in from outside. "Boss! Bring me a bottle of Erguotou, two bowls of pork offal, a plate of pig's head meat, and four trotters!"
"Coming right up, sir! Please wait a moment, it'll be ready soon."
After placing his order, a man sat down nearby, his face twisted in a mask of irritation. He muttered to himself, "Damn it, where did that little bastard run off to? Not a single trace. Did he go into seclusion in some deep mountain forest, or did he flee the country?"
Hearing this, Qiu Xia glanced sideways. Well, well, isn't this Zhao Li?
The old fellow had come up from below again. It seemed the business in the Underworld was finished. Qiu Xia considered whether he should cause more trouble for the guy. However, he had already dealt with most of the local bandits, robbers, and greedy landlords.
He couldn't exactly go around killing innocent people. Besides, his last slaughter and life-devouring spree had only been cleared of side effects because he managed to upgrade his cultivation method. If he pushed it again without enough Origin Power to level up his techniques, he might actually fall into the Demonic Path.
He couldn't use his usual methods to mess with Zhao Li, but hearing the man call him a "little bastard" left him feeling incredibly annoyed. He couldn't just let the man leave in peace.
While Zhao Li wasn't paying attention, Qiu Xia secretly stowed Ren Tingting away into his Small World. He finished the food on the table, placed a few copper coins down, and called out, "Boss, I've left the money on the table!"
As he walked toward the door, Qiu Xia began to mutter loudly, "Sigh, when will I ever be able to marry such a beautiful wife? If only I had a face as handsome as that kid's..."
Zhao Li, who had been stewing in his own anger, suddenly perked up. His eyes brightened as he called out, "Hey, brother! What was that you said about a beauty and a handsome kid? Could you tell me more?"
Qiu Xia stopped in his tracks and turned around. "Oh, it's nothing private. When I first entered the city, I saw a girl who was impossibly pretty following a lad who was impossibly handsome. They went into a residential courtyard.
That little lady looked like a goddess descended to the mortal realm. The boy looked quite good, too. Seeing her made me lose my appetite for tea and foodI don't even feel like visiting the brothels anymore."
Hearing this, Zhao Li stood up excitedly. "Was that boy dressed in white, with a Bagua pattern on his belt and a jade pendant? And was the girl in a cyan dress with a lotus hairpin?"
Qiu Xia paused as if trying to remember. "I think so... how did you know?"
Having confirmed it, Zhao Li rushed out of the shop, looking left and right. "Which way did they go? I'm an old acquaintance looking for them!"
"You're looking for them? They're right in that shop over there!" Qiu Xia pointed toward a restaurant behind and to the side of Zhao Li's head.
Zhao Li instinctively looked in the direction he pointed, but there was nothing there. Before he could turn back, a familiar, agonizing pain exploded through him. He was sent flying into the air.
"Aaaaaagh!"
While he was still airborne, the full weight of the pain caught up to him. Zhao Li let out a blood-curdling scream that sounded like a pig being slaughtered.
After delivering the kick, Qiu Xia gave a cold laugh. "That's what you get for offending me. Hope you didn't want any kids! I'm off to see the sights elsewhere." With those words, Qiu Xia vanished from the shop entrance.
Less than a minute after Qiu Xia left, Zhao Li reappeared at the entrance, his face pale and his legs pressed together in an awkward, pigeon-toed stance. However, his target had vanished without a trace.
"That little bastard ambushed me again! I'm not done with you! Just wait until I catch you, you little bastard!" He cursed for a while, maintaining his pained stance.
Zhao Li gritted his teeth and tried to give chase outside the city, but he hadn't even made it five miles before he clutched his vitals and slumped to the ground. "Damn it, it hurts too much... that kid plays dirty! No, I'll have to find him another day. First priority is to get back to the Underworld and have the Ghost Doctor check if anything's broken."
He fumed as he thought, That guy is too ruthless. Next time, I shouldn't be the one looking for him. I should send some female Soul Ferrymen. He wouldn't use those kinds of tactics against women, would he?
The more Zhao Li thought about it, the angrier he got, and the angrier he got, the more it throbbed. Sitting around wouldn't help; he had to find the Ghost Doctor. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he hurried back to the Underworld.
By the time he arrived, he was at his limit. He contacted Hua Mulan, who quickly escorted him to the Ghost Doctor's clinic.
When the Ghost Doctor began the treatment, the area was already swollen to the size of a coconut. "Brother Li, who did you piss off? They really laid into you. It's a good thing you're a Soul Ferryman; if you were a mortal, you'd probably have to have these cut off..."
"It was that same little bastard from last time!" Zhao Li hissed. "Just like before, he ambushed me. I had just finished a round of guiding souls and was about to eat when he set me up. He waited until I blinked and then... another kick!"
"This guy is truly ruthless," the Ghost Doctor remarked, shivering slightly at the sight.
"Ruthless? Just wait until I get my hands on him," Zhao Li snarled. "I'll pay him back tenfold. Once I'm done kicking him, I'll send him to the 18 Levels of Hell for a few thousand laps!"
Zhao Li hadn't been in the Underworld hospital for a day before news spread. Everyone knew Zhao Li had been ambushed again by the same guy and was hospitalized. Chacha, the Overlord of the Underworld, eventually came by to check on him.
"My Lord A Cha, that little bastard is too vicious and far too cunning. I simply can't catch him. Please, my Lord, send a few female Soul Ferrymen to seize him."
Chacha looked at him suspiciously. "Is he really that difficult to deal with? Zhao Li, you aren't using self-harm to play a trick on me, are you?"
"My Lord A Cha, even if I wanted to use a 'bitter toil' ruse, I wouldn't be this cruel to myself! I truly have no way to handle that little brat. Can I just go to the Ice Mountain instead? Please, find another Soul Ferryman for this."
Chacha studied Zhao Li closely and realized he wasn't lying. She thought for a moment. "Fine. I'll let other Soul Ferrymen handle it. Seeing as you've been busy lately, I will fine you ten years of salary and have you continue escorting souls. I won't send you to the Ice Mountain."
"Thank you, my Lord A Cha!" Zhao Li beamed with joy.
Although he desperately wanted to catch that little bastard and teach him a lesson, he was genuinely terrified after being kicked twice. This time was much worse than the last. If he ran into the kid again and got outsmarted, he'd face another kick.
If the kid used a bit more strength, Zhao Li's lineage would truly be ended. Even though being a Soul Ferryman technically meant he was already "end of the line," he could still use his equipment. He wasn't a living eunuch yet.
If they were gone, the Underworld had spiritual medicines that could regrow them, but the price was astronomical. Zhao Li didn't think he could afford that cost.
Despite his occasional unreliability, Zhao Li was one of the top experts among the Soul Ferrymen. The only one who could truly compare to him was Murong. In a fight to the death, Murong might not even be Zhao Li's match. If Zhao Li could be ambushed, anyone could. To ensure they caught the target, Chacha decided it would be best to send them out in pairs.
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