The vendor was still enthusiastically and tirelessly trying to persuade them, but the gaze of the person beside her was becoming increasingly sharp.

Zanxing was afraid this person would anger Gu Baiying and they would start fighting in broad daylight, so she hurriedly took out a handful of magic pearls and handed them over: “Here, I’ll pay for ten locks, but I only need one.” She picked the largest one from the tree branches: “This one.”

“I understand.” The vendor glanced at Gu Baiying beside Zanxing and moved closer to whisper: “Your little lover has a big temper, and since he’s fond of you now, naturally, you need to humor him. But I, Silver Lady, am not one to take advantage of you. Miss, since I’m setting up a stall here, I’ll help you store the remaining locks. Whenever you want them in the future, just come to Silver Lady to get the remaining nine!” She then pulled out a small key from her pocket, raising her voice: “Here, after writing the names, remember to lock it. Don’t throw away the key – if someday the romance ends and you want to change to someone else, just unlock it. Understand?”

Gu Baiying couldn’t bear it anymore and stepped forward with his embroidered bone spear: “What nonsense are you spouting? Is this how you do business?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Demon women had always been fierce. Hearing this, she only sneered: “When people meet, if they like each other they get together, if they can’t get along they separate – isn’t that perfectly normal? Do you think being with one person means staying together for life? How pathetic! Young man, I can see this lady beside you is beautiful and surely has many suitors. Right now, she fancies you because of your handsome appearance, but when you’re old and ugly in the future, would you tie her down and not let her find her next romance? Such selfishness, and you call it love!”

“I’m selfish?” Gu Baiying looked at her in disbelief.

“Isn’t this called selfish? When someone has better options, what you should do is give your blessings!”

“Complete nonsense!”

“Alright, alright, alright, why are you two fighting?” Zanxing had a headache. The mating philosophies of humans and demons had collided dramatically at this moment. Zanxing put the silver lock and key in her bag and quickly pulled Gu Baiying forward: “People in Heishi City always talk like this – it’s all joking. Why are you taking it seriously?”

Gu Baiying was quite angry and walked with a cold face without speaking.

Zanxing was about to persuade him further when she heard someone calling her from ahead: “Junior Sister!”

Tian Fangfang was standing in front of a small stall, holding a large pile of oil paper packages in his arms. Mendong followed beside him. Since neither of them had dao companions or romantic interests, they were truly here just to browse the night market.

“Junior Sister,” Tian Fangfang waved at her, saying, “The food here tastes much better than what we eat on Gufeng Mountain. I just exchanged for quite a few magic pearls. What do you want? I’ll get some for you while I’m at it, in case you get hungry tonight and need a late-night snack.”

Heishi City’s taste was heavy with oil and spice, completely different from Gufeng Mountain’s light and healthy cuisine. Zanxing wasn’t polite with him and only said: “Thank you, scallion oil chicken, without the scallions.”

“Sure thing!”

Hearing this, Gu Baiying seemed to think of something. His previously cold expression softened a bit, and he suddenly smiled.

Zanxing asked: “What are you smiling about?”

He said slowly, “Your taste hasn’t changed.” In the past, on Gufeng Mountain, she didn’t eat scallions, and now, coming to Heishi City, she still didn’t eat them.

“My tastes have always been very devoted,” Zanxing said.

As they were talking, they saw two familiar people standing in front of another small stall ahead – Meng Ying and Mu Cengxiao. The small stall where they stood wasn’t as lively as the others, appearing somewhat quiet. When Zanxing walked closer, she saw that this stall displayed various jewelry and hairpins.

The demon clan’s aesthetic had always been bold, so naturally, their jewelry was especially flashy. From among all the colorful gems, Mu Cengxiao picked out a pink bead chain.

This chain looked very crude, with an especially exaggerated pink color. So exaggerated that if you put this chain anywhere, no one would actively pick it up to look at it, yet Mu Cengxiao had picked it up. He examined the bracelet for a long time, hesitated for a moment, then asked Meng Ying beside him: “Senior Sister, what do you think…”

“Sir has excellent taste!” The vendor was a middle-aged man in silver robes with hair braided into small pigtails, his hands and wrists wrapped with colorful bead strings. He smiled: “This is a red-veined stone peony, a pink phantom snowflake mica bracelet. This is the very last batch. If women with poor romantic luck wear it, within three days they’ll surely have peach blossoms come to their door – it’s very effective!”

Gu Baiying raised an eyebrow, his tone critical: “If it’s so effective, how come you haven’t sold a single one?”

There was a large pile of these pink bracelets, and his business was quite deserted, so they indeed didn’t seem popular. The man with small braids didn’t seem to care much, only saying: “Can’t help it, this is Heishi City. Demon women never lack peach blossoms, so naturally, they don’t sell well. But if this were in human territory…” He chuckled with the look of a crooked merchant: “They’d be snatched up in half a moment!”

Zanxing coughed lightly: “But with my Senior Sister’s appearance, she probably doesn’t need this bracelet either.” Meng Ying wasn’t lacking in suitors – a few more and the Taiyan Sect’s threshold wouldn’t be enough for them to step on.

Seeing his business about to slip away, the man immediately changed his tune: “This bracelet isn’t just for women – men can use it too. The effect is the same.”

Gu Baiying said impatiently: “What man would buy such a thing?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Cengxiao pulled out a handful of magic pearls: “I’ll buy this.”

Zanxing, Gu Baiying, Meng Ying: “……”

Facing everyone’s surprised looks, Mu Cengxiao said calmly: “I want to buy it to take apart and see if the red-veined stone inside can be used to refine pills.”

The vendor hadn’t expected his nonsense would fool someone into buying, and he looked at Mu Cengxiao with quite complex eyes. While collecting the magic pearls and handing over the item to Mu Cengxiao, he laughed dryly: “Sir has… excellent taste.”

Zanxing was speechless for a moment, thinking that sometimes the difference between people’s tastes was greater than the difference between people and dogs.

Just as the group was about to move forward, the vendor called out to them again: “Hey, everyone, today is Qixi Festival – buy jewelry and get a fortune slip.” He pulled out a black fortune cylinder from under the table and placed it in front of everyone: “Draw one, who wants to try?”

Both Meng Ying and Mu Cengxiao shook their heads. Zanxing looked at Gu Baiying, who looked at her with an indescribable expression: “You’re not going to make me do it, are you?”

Zanxing asked: “Go ahead and draw, let’s pray for good luck.”

Gu Baiying stared at her for a moment with furrowed brows, but finally gave in. He stepped forward reluctantly. The fortune cylinder didn’t look big, but when lifted, it was quite heavy. Gu Baiying lifted it and shook it vigorously several times. With a “clap,” a black iron fortune stick flew out.

The man asked: “What are you asking about?”

Before Gu Baiying could speak, Zanxing quickly said: “Romance, ask about romance!”

Gu Baiying glanced at her without saying anything, bent down to pick up the iron stick from the ground, and read the words on it: “…Only the spring garden moon is sentimental, still shining on fallen flowers for the departed…”

At the very top of the iron stick, written in red ink, were the large characters “Worst Fortune.”

This was the worst fortune slip.