Chapter 103: Chapter 94: An Old Acquaintance Returns (Part 2)

"What is this? To be displayed here for sale, it surely can’t be ordinary clothing, right?"

The Money Guardian Ghost completely ignored Chu Xuan, the "big customer," but Gan Yun walked over to identify it but eventually shook his head, not understanding it fully.

This made Chu Xuan annoyed, "I want to buy it, name your price."

"Black Feather Crow Garb, twenty-five years of lifespan."

Only when discussing transactions does the Money Guardian Ghost speak, and it didn’t explain at all what use this item had.

Qingqing pondered, "I seem to have heard of this somewhere before?"

"Perhaps from a book. Wearing this garb should let one transform into a Black Feather Ghost Crow, a ghostly creature from the underworld."

Transforming into a crow in black clothes? Chu Xuan recalled a story from "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" titled "Zhu Qing."

It tells of a scholar named Yu Ke, who, after failing the imperial exams and living in poverty, transformed into a crow at the Wu Wang Temple and fell in love with the female crow Zhu Qing.

In that story, Yu Ke turned into a crow after wearing a black robe granted by Wu Wang.

"Is it just turning into a crow?" Chu Xuan asked.

"You can also use the innate divine techniques of the Black Feather Ghost Crow, like seeing through yin and yang, and exhaling ghost mist."

"Actually, this ghost crow is not strong in battle; its only special ability is it can enter dreams, flying into someone’s dream while they sleep."

Chu Xuan’s interest was piqued, and he asked the Money Guardian Ghost, "Can I try it?"

It had no reaction and continued fiddling with the abacus.

In truth, Chu Xuan wanted to try the Black Feather Crow Garb not just out of curiosity but also with a hidden motive:

The Intelligent Stone Monkey’s "Transformation," once he cultivated it to the third level, using the Divine Command would be equivalent to the fourth level, allowing him to transform into various magical beasts and possessing their physical traits and certain divine techniques.

But the prerequisite is having enough knowledge about the respective magical beast; otherwise, any transformation would merely mimic the shape, and wouldn’t even compare to the original in terms of physical strength, let alone divine techniques.

By experiencing the Crow Garb now, Chu Xuan wouldn’t need it in the future, being able to transform at will.

"Since you’re silent, I’ll take it as consent."

He slowly reached out his hand, placing it on the Crow Garb, with the Money Guardian Ghost remaining indifferent. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Chu Xuan finally relaxed, unfurled the long outer coat, and draped it over himself.

Immediately, the black garb emanated a cloud of ghost mist, enveloping him entirely, and within just a breath’s time, the ghost mist rapidly contracted.

When the mist dissipated, Chu Xuan was nowhere to be seen, only a palm-sized, ghostly black crow appeared in his place.

Qingqing was a bit anxious, "Are you okay?"

"I’m okay." The ghost crow blinked its blood-red eyes and uttered Chu Xuan’s voice.

Having experience transforming into birds before, Chu Xuan quickly adapted to this new body, flying around the shop twice, finally landing on Qingqing’s shoulder.

"Feels pretty good, but it’s a pity it’s too expensive." The ghost crow shook its head regretfully.

Qingqing curiously touched the ghost crow’s body, feeling an icy sensation, with a semi-illusory, semi-substantial texture.

Soon, Chu Xuan descended, shaking his body and reverting back to human form.

He took off the Black Feather Crow Garb, carefully folded it, and placed it back onto the shelf, ensuring not a single crease was left.

Chu Xuan was about to see if there was anything else interesting when "bang," "bang" two sounds echoed; the shop’s door was completely sealed by two boards, plunging the shop into darkness.

Their faces changed, quickly grouping together, with Gan Yun hiding fearfully behind the two Immortal Masters.

"What’s going on? Is this old ghost crazy? Isn’t it said that the shopkeeper shouldn’t harm customers?"

Qingqing held a silver-black precious wheel in her hands, puzzled.

At this moment, the Money Guardian Ghost turned around, fixing its gaze on Chu Xuan, with cold hostility surging like a tide. In a dry, hoarse voice, it spoke:

"Twenty-three years of lifespan, pay first, then leave."

Chu Xuan laughed angrily at the old ghost, "Forcing a sale, is that it?"

Only then did Qingqing and Gan Yun realize, earlier when Chu Xuan asked if he could try it, the Money Guardian Ghost deliberately remained silent.

Now after Chu Xuan tried it, the old ghost was forcibly making him buy it.

The reason was nothing more than "it’s dirty," "it’s been worn," or something similar, forcibly selling it without even bothering to explain.

Gan Yun internally regretted, wishing he hadn’t brought the two benefactors here to buy.

Knowing full well this old ghost’s greed, buying something from its hand without being skinned first was impossible.

Chu Xuan gripped his white jade sword, his expression cold, "If you insist on courting death, don’t blame me for being rude."

No sooner had he finished speaking, Gan Yun quickly urged, "Benefactor, no!"

"This old ghost is quite formidable; any ghost entity running a shop on Ghost Street is definitely an aged ghost with some skills, not simply possessing intelligence."

"Otherwise, any ghost cultivator could rob them, and they’d have been bankrupt long ago."

Qingqing’s brows knitted tightly, "Given this old ghost’s greedy nature, we’re definitely not the first customers duped by it, yet it’s still running the shop till now, indicating..."

While speaking, the Money Guardian Ghost stepped closer, its originally shriveled, skinny figure below Chu Xuan’s waist height, but now growing larger and more intimidating.

In no time, it occupied most of the shop, with the abacus’s beads igniting one after another with ghostly fire.