54: Chapter 54 Half River Green, Half River Red

As dusk approached.

Fatty Wang walked into the Funeral Shop humming a little tune, holding two boxes of piping hot roasted goose and meats.

"Ye-zi, time to eat! I queued for half an hour for this roast goose today—it's as authentic as it gets!"

Fatty set the food boxes on the Eight Immortals table, impatiently snapping off a roast goose leg and stuffing it into his mouth.

Lin Ye stepped out from behind the counter, pulled out a chair, sat down, and casually tossed the black invitation onto the table.

"Fatty, I'm taking you out to broaden your horizons tonight."

Fatty's sharp eyes caught it; he picked up the ice-cold invitation, took a glance, and instantly shivered.

"Holy crap, what is this thing? It feels as cold as an iron bed in a morgue. Ye-zi, what big deal are you pulling off this time?"

Lin Ye briefly explained Young Master Qin's intention.

Hearing that someone was covering a credit line of fifty million, the goose leg in Fatty's hand dropped straight onto the table.

"Fifty... fifty million?!"

Fatty stared with his beady eyes wide open, his saliva almost dripping out.

"Ye-zi, you've completely landed yourself a rich patron now! Count me in on this deal. Brother Fatty might not know feng shui, but carrying bags and calling bids for you is right up my alley!"

Lin Ye nodded. Tonight's auction would attract a mixed bag of people, so taking Fatty along—a guy who was surprisingly meticulous despite his rough exterior—would save him a lot of trivial trouble.

What's more, the fierce boning knife in Fatty's hands would be enough for self-defense at a critical moment.

"Husband, I shall accompany you tonight."

Leng Yue had changed into new attire at some point and was slowly walking down from the second floor.

Lin Ye and Fatty looked up simultaneously, both holding their breath the moment their eyes landed on Leng Yue.

Leng Yue was wearing a dark black backless evening gown.

The cut of the dress was practically perfect, the fabric hugging her proud curves like gentle ripples of water.

From the front, the high-collared design was dignified and elegant, highlighting her slender swan-like neck with even greater nobility.

However, the back of the dress featured a deep V-shaped cutout, exposing a large expanse of snow-white, delicate back skin to the air.

The deep, captivating line of her spine stretched all the way down to her waist.

"This... Sister-in-law's outfit... if she goes to the auction tonight, those bosses probably won't even have the mind to look at the items."

Fatty swallowed hard and quickly averted his gaze, not daring to take another look.

It took Lin Ye a few seconds to calm his churning thoughts as well.

He stood up, walked to Leng Yue's side, and naturally wrapped his arm around her slender waist.

"My lady's outfit is indeed stunning, but in a place with such a mixed crowd tonight, there will inevitably be some blind fools."

Lin Ye raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone carrying a hint of possessiveness.

Leng Yue turned her head slightly.

She didn't resist Lin Ye's touch; instead, she leaned half her body weight against his firm arm.

"Rest assured, Husband. I have used a secret technique to mask my corpse energy. As long as I do not use my origin power, others will only take me for an ordinary internal martial arts master."

Her red lips curled slightly as she lowered her voice, whispering in a volume only the two of them could hear.

"If any suicidal fool dares to offend Husband... I will be sure to teach them the meaning of grinding bones to dust."

"Ahem."

Lin Ye coughed twice to hide the fiery passion in his eyes.

He turned to look at the curtain leading to the backyard. "Where is Frost Star?"

"That girl drank a bowl of sinkwood ginseng soup I brewed and is sound asleep inside that big iron box. She is at a critical period of fusing the Yin Python's inner core, so it is not suitable for her to wander about tonight," Leng Yue replied.

Lin Ye nodded. Leaving the little girl at the Funeral Shop with the Yin-Gathering Array protecting her would be completely safe.

...

At seven-thirty in the evening.

A stretched Lincoln parked discreetly at the entrance of Taiping Old Street.

Lin Ye changed into a tailored black suit sent over by Young Master Qin.

The well-fitted suit complemented his tall, straight physique, making him look even more handsome and imposing.

He already possessed striking sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, and together with the masculine aura granted by the Pure Yang Dao Body, he exuded a steady, reserved, and grand presence as grand as mountains and rivers.

Leng Yue held his arm, looking like a truly cool and captivating noble lady.

Fatty Wang had put on a tight-fitting suit, looking just like a bodyguard for a newly rich nouveau riche who had just arrived in the city.

The three got into the car and headed straight for the abandoned pier south of the city.

In Jiangzhou City at night, neon lights flickered.

But the river surface south of the city was shrouded in a heavy layer of water vapor.

The Lincoln pulled over by a riverbank overgrown with wild grass.

Not far ahead, a massive three-deck luxury cruise ship rested quietly on the river.

The ship had no bright lights turned on; only a circle of paper lanterns emitting a ghastly green light hung around the deck, swaying in the river breeze and giving off an eerie, ghostly vibe.

This was tonight's venue: the Mingyue Cruise Ship.

Young Master Qin had been waiting at the boarding entrance for a long time.

Seeing Lin Ye and Leng Yue step out of the car, he hurried over to greet them.

"Master Lin, Sister-in-law, please follow me."

Before the boarding gangway stood four burly men dressed in black.

Lin Ye glanced over them and immediately determined that these four were definitely no ordinary bodyguards.

Their breathing was long and steady, their temples bulged high, and a faint earthy odor lingered around them—clearly, they were tomb-robbing Mojin Captains who worked underground year-round.

Young Master Qin handed over the black invitation card.

The head man took the invitation, verified it, but didn't let them pass immediately. Instead, he raised his eyes to size up Lin Ye and suddenly spoke, blurting out obscure martial arts underworld jargon:

"The Heavenly Gate opens in the northwest corner. May I ask which tomb-robbing lineage you hail from? Which temple do you worship, and how many inches of incense do you burn?"

This was checking his background credentials.

Young Master Qin was an outsider, so he instantly froze on the spot, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

If he couldn't answer this secret code, even with an invitation, they would be treated as fat sheep to be fleeced and kicked off the ship.

Fatty Wang was completely clueless, his hand already pressing against the boning knife at his waist.

Lin Ye's expression didn't change as he pulled Young Master Qin behind him.

With his hands tucked into his suit pockets and his spine straight, he looked straight at the big man. His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried heavy weight:

"I worship neither gods, Buddhas, nor immortals; I act as a broker through half a Funeral Shop, holding the scales of Yin and Yang in hand, walking the path to the Netherworld."

"I earn my living through speaking the truth of the dead, and I light the guidance incense."

As soon as these words came out, the expressions of all four men changed simultaneously.

A flash of awe and respect passed through the head man's eyes, and he immediately cupped his hands in greeting, bowing deeply:

"So it's a master who eats the bread of the Netherworld! My apologies for my poor judgment earlier. Sir, please come inside!"

Lin Ye gave a slight nod and, walking alongside Leng Yue, stepped onto the cruise ship deck under the respectful gazes of the four men.

The interior decoration of the cruise ship was exceptionally luxurious.

Giant crystal chandeliers cast soft light, and thick Persian carpets covered the floor underfoot.

The hall was filled with glamorous, elegantly dressed crowds gathered in small groups.

Among them were wealthy businessmen in suits and leather shoes, elders in Tang suits, and even a few outsiders in Daoist robes.

Just as Lin Ye led everyone into the venue,

a voice dripping with heavy sarcasm and disdain abruptly rang out from a corner of the hall.

"Yo, isn't this the eldest young master of the Qin Family? I heard you crossed paths with evil at the old house on Linjiang Road a while ago and almost had all your Yang energy drained dry by a female ghost..."

"What's wrong? Instead of lying in a hospital bed today, you came here to join the fun?"

Accompanied by the voice, a young playboy wearing a custom white suit and waving a folding fan strutted over with several attendants.

Young Master Qin saw clearly who was coming, and his expression instantly darkened.

"Gu Changfeng, drop your sarcastic talk," Young Master Qin growled through gritted teeth.

This playboy in the white suit was named Gu Changfeng, the second young master of the Gu Family in Jiangzhou.

The Gu Family and the Qin Family had always been arch-rivals in the business world.

Relying on his family background, Gu Changfeng was extraordinarily arrogant and domineering in his daily life.

It was said that behind the Gu Family stood a powerful Daoist family backing them.

Gu Changfeng walked up, completely ignoring Young Master Qin's anger.

His gaze swept over Lin Ye and Fatty Wang, finally locking onto Leng Yue.

In that instant, an undisguisable look of awe and greed burst from Gu Changfeng's eyes.

But he quickly retracted his gaze, turned to Young Master Qin, snapped his folding fan shut with a "pa", and pointed at Lin Ye with a sneer:

"Young Master Qin, even if you want to find someone to appraise items for you, at least invite an elder from a prestigious righteous sect. Bringing a wet-behind-the-ears gigolo and a fragile woman to this Yin-Yang Ghost Market... do you take this place for an amusement park?"

He looked down at Lin Ye from a high posture, his tone contemptuous:

"Kid, the water runs deep here. If you know what's good for you, take Young Master Qin's money and get the hell out. Otherwise, when the auction starts later and some sinister malefic item comes out, don't wet your pants!"

Facing this blatant provocation, Fatty Wang was so furious he was about to roll up his sleeves.

Lin Ye reached out and stopped him.

"Fatty, why bother arguing with a dog? If a dog bites you, can you bite back?"

Lin Ye patted away nonexistent dust from his sleeve and, without giving Gu Changfeng another direct look, turned to Young Master Qin and said:

"Let's go to our private box. The good show tonight is just getting started."

Being publicly called a dog, Gu Changfeng's face instantly turned livid.

Just as he was about to blow up, Leng Yue turned her head, giving him a cold glance with her deep red eyes.

From just that single glance, Gu Changfeng felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, the blood all over his body seemingly freezing in an instant.

His open mouth froze mid-air, unable to utter a single word, leaving him to watch helplessly as Lin Ye's group headed toward the VIP private boxes on the second floor.

"Second Young Master, what's wrong with you?"

Seeing his state, the attendant beside him quickly supported him.

Gu Changfeng gasped heavily for air, staring intensely toward the second floor, malicious hatred gleaming in his eyes.

"Go, notify Elder Sun! There's definitely something weird about that kid. At tonight's auction, no matter what he takes a fancy to, jack up the price for me as hard as you can! I want to utterly humiliate him!"

The cruise ship's horn sounded a deep, long blast.

The Mingyue Cruise Ship slowly departed from the pier, heading straight into the thick fog in the middle of the river.