Because of Qu Xiangxiang’s loud shout, the noisy inn instantly fell silent. Every gaze turned toward her—including Sui Yu’s table.
Qu Xiangxiang? He frowned in distaste. If not for his elder’s orders, he wouldn’t have come near Cangxuan Mountain at all. Seeing this woman again, remembering how shamelessly she had once clung to him, made him sick enough to lose his appetite.
Qu Xiangxiang had no idea what he was thinking, nor did she care. To her now, Sui Yu was nothing more than a stranger—less significant even than Mu Hanzhang. She leapt forward, landing before the burly man. Looking at the girl whose eyes were swollen like two peaches from crying, her heart softened. “I said, let her go!”
The man’s hairy hand clamped tightly around the girl’s thin arm. He glared at Qu Xiangxiang, barking, “Little brat, what business is this of yours?”
“You’re selling her to the *wazi* just for money, aren’t you?” Qu Xiangxiang lifted her chin, trying to look proud. “How much does she owe you? I’ll pay it. Let her go.”
“You’ll pay? Fine.” His eyes roved over her fine clothes and jewelry. He named a price. “Five hundred top-grade spirit stones. Hand them over, and I’ll release her immediately.”
“Five hundred top-grade spirit stones?” That was no small sum. Qu Xiangxiang turned to the girl. “How did you owe him so much?”
The girl shook her head desperately, tears streaming, her already messy hair coming undone. “It wasn’t me—it was my father… And it wasn’t five hundred, only fifty third-grade spirit stones…”
Qu Xiangxiang had money, but she wasn’t a fool to be cheated. She couldn’t produce that much on the spot anyway. Clearly, this brute was trying to swindle her. “Fifty third-grade spirit stones. I’ll pay that.”
“Five hundred top-grade spirit stones. Not a coin less!” The man sneered. “If you can’t pay, get lost. Don’t waste my time!”
Qu Xiangxiang raised Zhuoyue Whip, pointing it at him. “I won’t let you take her.”
“N-no…” The girl sobbed, gasping for breath, her swollen eyes filled with despair. “Thank you… no one’s ever spoken for me before, but I’m not worth it…”
Qu Xiangxiang thought she was simply terrified. She tried to reassure her. “Don’t be afraid. I won’t let him take you.”
But the girl only cried harder.
The brute yanked her hair, forcing her tear-streaked face up. “Look closely at what she is. Hah! Just a filthy half-breed—half cultivator, half demon. If you can’t pay five hundred spirit stones to redeem her, she’ll earn far more than fifty third-grade stones in the brothel. Don’t think you can buy her freedom with beggar’s money!”
Bloodline prejudice—how vile.
Suddenly, Qu Xiangxiang thought of Mu Hanzhang. She remembered the first day she crossed into this world, his forehead bleeding, his clothes spattered with blood. A surge of genuine anger rose in her chest. She lifted her whip, but Lin Zheng grabbed her wrist. “Xiangxiang, she’s just a half-demon.”
The implication was clear. A half-demon wasn’t worth fighting for.
Everyone in the inn stared coldly at her, their indifference stabbing into Qu Xiangxiang’s heart. For the first time, she truly felt Mu Hanzhang’s pain. To these people, both he and this sobbing girl weren’t even considered human. At least in sunless Shiling Village, they had still been treated as people. No wonder Mu Hanzhang had grown so cold, so twisted.
Qu Xiangxiang shook off Lin Zheng’s hand. Word by word, she said, “Lin Zheng. That’s a brothel.”
Lin Zheng didn’t care about brothels, nor about half-demons. She hesitated. “Is this… because of Mu Hanzhang?”
Qu Xiangxiang paused, then nodded. “Partly because of him.”
“I understand.” Lin Zheng stepped beside her, drawing her sword and pointing it at the brute. “Ugly bastard, let her go—or you’re finished!”
Qu Xiangxiang looked at her in delight.
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not doing this for that useless Mu Hanzhang.” Lin Zheng glanced awkwardly toward Sui Yu’s table. “I just don’t want you to lose face in front of them.”
Qu Xiangxiang quickly used the sound-transmission spell she’d just learned under Qu Weiran’s pressure the night before. “Zheng Zheng, I’ll strike his arm holding the girl. You pull her aside and protect her.”
“No!” Lin Zheng protested. “You can’t handle him alone. I’m worried about you.”
Qu Xiangxiang herself wasn’t entirely confident, but she didn’t want to drag Lin Zheng into danger. “Trust me. I’ll take care of myself.”
With that, she spun sideways, leaping forward. Before the brute could react, she kicked his arm that gripped the half-demon girl. He cried out in pain, flinging the girl aside. Lin Zheng, quick as lightning, pulled her to safety. The brute roared, conjuring a massive black axe, and swung it furiously at Qu Xiangxiang.
“Zhuoyue…” Qu Xiangxiang’s hand trembled as she gripped the whip. It seemed to sense her fear, glowing softly, trying to give her courage. She drew a deep breath, bracing herself in a defensive stance. At this point, she chose to trust Zhuoyue.