Chapter 29: Dignity or Strength (Revised)

"You have brought total disgrace upon Xihua Valley, and you have smashed our reputation to pieces. If I continue to call myself the Xihua Ghost King, will I not be a laughingstock to every other faction out there?"

No sooner had the Xihua Ghost King finished speaking than one of his dim-witted underlings, suffering from a lapse in judgment, asked an incredibly foolish question.

"Lord Ghost King, if we were to broadcast the story of our failures alongside the story of how your front tooth was pulled out, which one would be more embarrassing?"

The moment the words left his mouth, a dense, malevolent aura erupted from the Xihua Ghost King, enveloping the underling before a miserable shriek echoed through the hall. Sensing the danger, the other Ghost Generals dared not make another sound.

"All of you, hand over the Soul Energy points you have on you."

After pooling their resources, the Xihua Ghost King scraped together ten thousand Soul Energy points. Though it was a meager sum, he had to use these ten thousand points as capital to restore the prestige of Xihua Valley.

"Stay here and await my orders. I am going to the auction venue to make some purchases!"

"Prepare yourselves; we are going to fight back!"

Upon entering the auction, the Xihua Ghost King’s pupils dilated.

"This is..."

He rubbed his eyes, and once he saw clearly what it was, he flew into a towering rage.

"Damnation! Huangquan Ghost King! From this day on, we are mortal enemies!"

"You pulled out my tooth and then had the audacity to put it up for auction! This is an intolerable humiliation!"

Though he was seething with fury, once he calmed down, he found himself staring blankly at the starting bid of ten thousand. He only had ten thousand Soul Energy points left; if he used them to buy back the tooth, he would be completely broke. Yet, if he did not bid, and the tooth fell into someone else’s hands, the shame would be absolute.

Does one choose dignity or strength? One had to pick one.

In the end, after careful deliberation, the Xihua Ghost King decided he preferred dignity.

"Bid!"

[A bid of ten thousand has been placed for the Xihua Ghost King's molar. Are there any other bidders?]

[Three... two... one. Clang, clang, clang! Congratulations to this patron for winning the Xihua Ghost King's molar!]

At that moment, in the auction’s public chat area, many onlookers began to post comments—all of them anonymous.

[Holy crap, I can't believe someone actually bid on the Xihua Ghost King's molar?]

[I know, right? I thought no one would want it, but that was completely unexpected!]

[If you ask me, this piece of trash is worthless to anyone but the Xihua Ghost King himself.]

"..."

Watching the comments, the Xihua Ghost King’s fragile pride was wounded once again.

***

It hurt... it really hurt!

"Damn it! If I don't avenge this, I am not a ghost!"

Back at the hotel, Yang Xuan lay on his bed, feeling incredibly satisfied after the ten thousand Soul Energy points had been credited to his account. Life was good!

Just as he was about to rest, Yaoji received a call from their organization.

"Yang Xuan, the organization has assigned us a mission!"

"Something massive is about to happen in the Ghost Realm. You need to come with me now!"

"Come with you? Where?" Yang Xuan asked, looking puzzled. Yaoji’s presence was merely a transaction between him and the Demon Suppressing Talisman; what did the organization's mission have to do with him?

He only trusted the organization and Yaoji about fifty percent, so he had to get the full details before setting out.

"You might not believe it, but you haven't been exposed to this level of the world yet. You'll get used to it. To help you grow faster, I've decided to tell you the truth."

"The Xihua Ghost King is furious and plans to wage a massive war against the Huangquan Ghost King. If things go as expected, the human realm will likely be caught in the crossfire."

"The organization sent us to keep a close watch on them and ensure no ordinary humans are harmed. If necessary, we are authorized to intervene!"

"My superior just sent me the coordinates. We are heading there to stand guard."

To ensure the members of the Yin Opera Troupe wouldn't worry, Yang Xuan gave Uncle Kun instructions before leaving, telling them to stay put for now. Since the hotel bill was being covered by the Demon Suppressing Talisman, a few extra days of lodging wouldn't be an issue.

As soon as they stepped out of the hotel, Yaoji stood blankly at the entrance, motionless.

"What's wrong? Aren't we going to our destination?"

Yaoji turned her head, looking embarrassed and awkward.

"About that..."

"Could you lend me fifty yuan?"

"Fifty yuan?"

Perhaps out of pride or something else, Yaoji didn't explain. She hopped into a taxi, leaving a seat in the back for Yang Xuan. With a sigh, Yang Xuan climbed in.

"Tell me, Yaoji, didn't the Demon Suppressing Talisman say you were a wealthy woman? Why do you need to borrow fifty yuan?"

Yaoji turned her head to the side, sulking.

"Hmph, a fairy's business is none of your concern!"

Half an hour later, the taxi stopped at their destination. Looking at the familiar surroundings, Yang Xuan felt a strange knot in his stomach.

It was the base of the Huangquan Ghost King.

He had just finished taking advantage of the guy, and now he was here to keep watch? Was this really appropriate?

***

"Yang Xuan, I’ll say this upfront: the organization has assigned us the most difficult lookout point!"

"If things go as predicted, it is highly likely that the Xihua Ghost King will come here soon to exact his revenge!"

"If anything happens because of your personal negligence, the organization will not go easy on you!"

Before Yaoji could finish her sentence, a massive surge of malevolent energy erupted from the base. The Huangquan Ghost King’s stronghold wasn't as grand as the Xihua Ghost King's; it was just a tiny village. The buildings looked decades old, with many walls leaning precariously—a single kick might bring them crashing down.

The malevolent energy rushed out, instantly surrounding Yang Xuan and Yaoji.

"Is the Huangquan Ghost King truly this powerful?"

"How were we discovered the moment we arrived? That shouldn't be possible!"

"Yang Xuan! Prepare for battle!"

Yaoji pulled the hairpin from her hair, gripping it tightly, and stared vigilantly at the source of the aura. Yang Xuan, on the other hand, looked completely relaxed; he stretched his arms and let out a yawn.

"Wait!"

Before the malevolent energy could swallow them, a booming voice echoed from the house. A few seconds later, the figure of the Huangquan Ghost King appeared before them.

"Leader! Why are you here?"

The Huangquan Ghost King knelt on one knee, looking utterly flattered.

"Nothing much. I heard that the tooth-pulling incident from before really set the Xihua Ghost King off. I was worried he might come here to retaliate, so I specifically came to check on you!"

"Haha, I didn't expect you to be so concerned about me, Leader! Come, please, come inside!"

Yaoji, left standing five or six meters behind, looked stunned. She couldn't believe that the fool before her was the legendary, infamous Huangquan Ghost King.

But what baffled her most was why the Huangquan Ghost King kept calling Yang Xuan "Leader." What on earth did that mean?

Could it be that Yang Xuan had defected to the Ghost Realm?

Once inside, the Huangquan Ghost King was incredibly attentive, bringing out wine he had treasured for years, along with countless delicious delicacies. As Yaoji ate the gourmet food and sipped the aged wine, she felt as if she were in a dream.

"Yang Xuan, you need to give me an explanation for this!"

"Otherwise, I won't be able to report back to the organization!"

Yang Xuan set down his wine glass, looking at her with a puzzled expression.