Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1000: How Could There Be a Path to Immortality in This World? (8)

There was a hint of surprise, but it wasn’t unexpected. If it was Luo Qiu, he really did seem like the kind of person who would do such things.

The moment Zhang Qianrui felt the still-warm coat draped over her, an old memory surfaced in her mind.

A rainy day after school.

Because she didn’t want too many people to know about her family background, Zhang Qianrui always insisted on going to and from school on her own. But when an unexpected rainstorm hit, she found herself troubled.

Just like this time, an umbrella suddenly appeared above her head.

—"Take it."

Luo Qiu had always been a man of few words. Even if they were the only two people left in the classroom, Zhang Qianrui could immediately recognize his voice. Perhaps it was because he was usually so quiet that whenever he spoke, it left a deep impression.

Her instinct was to refuse or to wonder if he would heroically say something like, "I’m a guy, a little rain won’t bother me," and then walk off bravely without an umbrella.

But no—Luo Qiu simply took out another umbrella from his bag, gave a small nod, and left under its cover, leaving Zhang Qianrui standing under the eaves, dumbfounded.

This time was the same.The coat had come from Luo Qiu’s backpack, not off his back.

Zhang Qianrui couldn’t help but smile. She held the fabric gently, pressing it against her lips, then let out a soft laugh.

She often smiled—gracefully, elegantly, in a way that made people feel at ease. But this was different. It was like the budding of a flower, a smile that left a lasting impression.

"What’s so funny?"

Noticing her unusual expression, Luo Qiu asked curiously.

Zhang Qianrui simply shook her head, blinking. "Nothing, just remembered something interesting from the past."

"Good memories, then," Luo Qiu nodded. "Those are always a wonderful thing."

"Oh no, I suddenly feel so cold too. What should I do?" Song Haoran joked with a playful smile. "And for some reason, I just felt a chill run down my spine."

His spine?

Zhang Qianrui glanced over and saw Song Ying standing right behind him. She was someone who understood people well—at least, that’s what others thought of her.

In an instant, she pieced things together.

But Luo Qiu simply said, "You shouldn’t feel cold. Even if it gets colder, it won’t affect you much. But Song Ying might need it."

As he spoke, he pulled another coat from his bag and offered it. "You can take this first. Put it on if you need it. From what I see, you're tougher than Zhang Qianrui."

One was a well-bred noble lady, the other a highly trained elite from an influential family—the difference was clear.

"You actually have another one… Do you always carry so many clothes when you go out?" Song Haoran looked at Luo Qiu’s backpack in disbelief. It was astonishing how hard it was to catch this guy unprepared.

Seriously—who carries multiple jackets when traveling? It was as if he had foreseen everything that would happen.

"No need," Song Ying said coolly. "I'm pretty tough."

"Let me know if you need it," Luo Qiu didn’t say much more, neatly folding the coat and putting it back into his bag.

They had been traveling for a while now, and the sound of a waterfall could be faintly heard. The legendary pool they were looking for must not be far.

They soon found an abandoned pavilion and took a break there. It was likely built by the people of Song Family's old settlement. Surprisingly, the pavilion had a name—Dragon Gazing Pavilion.

Luo Qiu took out a few bottles of water from his bag and handed them to his companions.

"You really know how to take care of people, don’t you, little Luo Qiu?" Song Haoran chuckled.

"It just makes things easier for myself," Luo Qiu replied casually.

Song Haoran laughed but then had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he started telling tales of his past adventures.

Song Ying had heard these stories too many times and quickly grew bored, resting her chin on her hand as she stared into the distance, lost in thought.

Zhang Qianrui, however, found them fascinating. As she listened, she became completely engrossed.

Luo Qiu recalled what she had once said on the grasslands—that she wanted to be free, to explore, to become an adventurer.

Her expression, filled with yearning, was different from her usual refined demeanor. This was her true self.

Song Haoran was like the blazing noon sun, burning with passion. Zhang Qianrui was the gentle moonlight. And Song Ying? She was more complex, like the vast starry sky.

In a world of black and white, they brought the colors of night and day.

But Luo Qiu’s vacation time was running out.

He wished this moment could last longer.

As he thought about it, everything before him suddenly disappeared.

It was just a blink—one moment, Song Haoran was at the most exciting part of his story, and the next, everyone was gone.

Luo Qiu looked around the pavilion. A mist had started to rise. The air was damp, and he could feel the moisture against his skin.

The fog thickened, blanketing the surroundings in white. Outside the pavilion, something flickered.

A long shadow, like a fish swimming through water, circled the pavilion in the mist.

Luo Qiu glanced at the bottles of water on the stone table, deep in thought.

Then, from within the fog, a long, resonant cry echoed—like the sound of a steam whistle, yet different. It gradually faded into the distance, but the mist remained.

"Looking…"

Luo Qiu followed the shadow’s last known direction.

Then, he suddenly stood up and murmured, "Good times always pass too quickly."

And with that, he stepped into the mist.

---

Fog in the mountains was normal.

It was common to see mist drifting through the peaks, creating breathtaking, dreamlike scenery. But being inside it was a different experience entirely.

"Release some of your Demonic Energy. I’ve already taught you how to sharpen your senses… No, not like that! You've eaten so much, but where is it all going?"

"S-sorry, Sister Dragon! I’ll do my best!"

Luo Pianxian was struggling to channel the surge of Demonic Energy she had awakened recently, trying to use it to sense the way forward.

Ever since Long Xiruo had mentioned it, they had been lost in the fog.

In her childlike form, Long Xiruo only had knowledge—none of her original strength. Of course, she could use Kui Qianyi’s artifact to summon a partial incarnation of her former self, but that required a blood sacrifice. Unless absolutely necessary, she wasn’t about to start bleeding for no reason.

"But Sister Dragon, this mist feels a little strange," Luo Pianxian blinked and looked at the blurry figure of Long Xiruo.

“Mm.” Long Xiruo nodded slightly, biting her finger as she pondered. “Natural changes wouldn’t happen this fast. It hasn’t rained today, and it’s only just past noon… It’s probably because of Hope.”

“You think it’s caused by that transformed dragon’s spiritual vein?”

Long Xiruo said seriously, “I’ve mentioned before that Hope was born with congenital deficiencies, making its intelligence somewhat underdeveloped. Although I eventually helped it undergo dragon transformation, the aftereffects were never fully resolved. So later, to help it complete itself, I set up a seal at its birthplace, hoping to use the power of the spiritual vein to make up for its deficiencies before birth… Its seal might have loosened, and this could be the result of Hope’s power.”

“Sister Dragon, even your seals can loosen?”

In the eyes of the little butterfly demon, Long Xiruo was almost the most powerful being—after all, that was the belief instilled in her since childhood by her late tree demon grandfather.

Of course, later on, the little butterfly demon learned that there was also the formidable Sister Su Zijun, and then an even more terrifying figure—the Boss. Every time Sister Dragon mentioned the Boss, she would get agitated.

Long Xiruo shook her head uncertainly. “It’s hard to say. Lately, the twelve dragon veins of Divine Land have been behaving strangely. I investigated some time ago, but something happened, and I had to temporarily give up. Now… I can’t continue my investigation for the time being. As for the seal I placed, it shouldn’t have any issues under normal circumstances, but external influences can’t be ruled out. Even iron pillars can be worn down into needles, and water can wear through stone—nothing in this world is indestructible…”

Probably because she was getting frustrated, Long Xiruo took out a cigarette and habitually lit it.

But just then, she suddenly realized there was no one around her—within the dense fog, even stretching out her hand, she could see nothing.

“Pianxian? Pianxian?”

Long Xiruo frowned and called out twice, but there was no sign of the little butterfly demon.

“That idiot…”

Frustrated, Long Xiruo flicked her cigarette to the ground and stomped it out before quickly heading into the dense fog. Though she couldn’t see the road, she could still sense the general direction.

However, she hadn’t run far before she suddenly crashed into something—though it didn’t hurt, whatever it was felt immovable, causing her to fall backward.

A tall, shadowy figure stood before her. At the same time, a deep sense of unease washed over Long Xiruo.

She had felt this unease for days, but at this moment, it surged to its peak. Her hair stood on end as if electrified, and her scalp tingled.

“Be careful.”

A voice called out, and Long Xiruo suddenly felt a hand grab her arm, pulling her forward.

Once again, she collided with the figure in the mist.

The moment their bodies made contact, the overwhelming sense of dread intensified, causing Long Xiruo to cry out in shock.

It had nothing to do with willpower or strength—this was pure instinct, like encountering a natural predator. Every fiber of her being rejected and resisted it.

“Are you alright?”

In that instant, Long Xiruo had the urge to cover her ears. She recognized the voice immediately—the voice of the one responsible for her current state.

The Boss of the club… a man even an undefeated True Dragon of Divine Land could not oppose.

Why was he here?

“You… why are you here!?”

The thought and the question left her mouth simultaneously. Long Xiruo quickly yanked her hand free and took two steps back. Without hesitation, she pulled out Kui Qianyi’s artifact, preparing for the worst—though she knew this man never attacked others first.

“I must say, I’m also surprised to see Miss Long here.”

A breeze stirred around the figure, swirling the mist away and clearing a small space where their vision returned to normal.

Luo Qiu was indeed surprised to run into Long Xiruo here, so he curiously asked, “You seemed to be in a hurry just now. Did something happen?”

“No! Nothing at all.”

Long Xiruo denied it outright, firmly adding, “I don’t need anything, and I certainly don’t need any services or assistance. I’m fine, thank you.”

Luo Qiu paused for a moment before chuckling. “I’m on vacation these days. I’m not conducting business, so even if I lend a little help, there won’t be any strings attached. Don’t worry.”

Vacation?

The Boss could take a vacation?

This thought lingered in Long Xiruo’s mind for only three seconds before she concluded—it must be a trap. No, it was a trap!

This guy was after her True Dragon blood and wouldn’t stop until he drained her dry!

“No help needed.”

Long Xiruo subtly adjusted her breathing, but she knew that his presence here was no coincidence. She frowned and asked, “But what about you? What, you had the free time to visit some remote mountain for sightseeing?”

“A little.” Luo Qiu smiled. “At first, my trip was just for leisure.”

Who would believe that?!

Long Xiruo just wanted to get away from this man as quickly as possible. She had a feeling that if she stayed too long, all the blood she had painstakingly recovered would be lost again!

“But I encountered something along the way.”

Just as Long Xiruo’s thoughts were racing, Luo Qiu continued, “Something in the area seems to be causing a disturbance. I suspect it’s related to Hope’s power. It feels very similar to the spiritual vein in our city but slightly different. Hmm… Miss Long, do you know what’s happening?”

“Oh?” Long Xiruo was a bit surprised. “There are things even you don’t know?”

“Of course.” Luo Qiu replied matter-of-factly. “After all, I’m not as old as you, Miss Long, so naturally, I have less experience.”

Mainly, if he could get answers without having to buy information, Luo Qiu was always happy to ask.

Long Xiruo’s eyebrow twitched, and she fell silent.

Who are you calling old, you bastard?!

I’m not even two thousand years old yet!

(End of Chapter)