Chapter 115: The Black Market, Ancient Bamboo Slips, and the Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp Acquired

Night had fallen.

It was at this hour that Zhou Changwang stepped out of his home, draped in black robes and wearing a bamboo hat pulled low over his head. He looked markedly different from his usual self; he appeared thinner and shorter, his back slightly hunched, resembling a down-and-out middle-aged cultivator.

In the dead of night, the bustling marketplace was nearly deserted. Zhou walked steadily, soon arriving at the plaza where the rogue cultivator market was held. A month ago, a traveling performance troupe had arrived at Fengmingwu Market; their promotional flyers had caused quite a stir at the time. Zhou had not expected that the black market organized by the Green Leaf Alliance would be hidden within this very troupe—specifically, inside the enormous tent before him. He was also surprised to find that the troupe had yet to depart, and that most of its members were affiliated with the Green Leaf Alliance.

The troupe performed on days ending in zero. Today happened to be the thirtieth, the end of the month, and a performance was currently underway; even from a distance, one could hear the periodic bursts of cheering.

Upon approaching, Zhou took out his Green Leaf Token and channeled a flicker of spiritual energy into it. A subtle, guiding light immediately emerged from the token.

"Backstage?"

Zhou glanced at the main entrance, where two cultivators stood guard, and then made his way around to the rear. The back was shrouded in darkness. Guided by the Green Leaf Token, he knew the black market was located near the back entrance. He scanned his surroundings and couldn't help but activate his Spirit Vision. Suddenly, he spotted a faint, concealed glimmer of light at a corner and hurried toward it.

As the Green Leaf Token flashed, the light parted to reveal a hidden door. It was clear that the space behind this door was where the black market truly resided.

"This is a sophisticated formation, specifically designed so that only those with a Green Leaf Token can pass. It must be at least a second-grade formation."

Though these thoughts crossed his mind, Zhou did not hesitate and walked inside. He entered a long corridor, and at its end, he turned a corner to reveal a spacious room. There were already a dozen or so cultivators inside. Most of them were masked, and their attire was motley and varied, all chosen to conceal their identities; at the very least, it was difficult to discern their true appearances.

The group showed no surprise at Zhou’s arrival. They simply sat in corners, minding their own business. Zhou followed suit, finding a spot to sit down in silence.

As time passed, more people entered the room. Some carried faint auras, while others made no effort to hide, though most were at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining. There were, of course, late-stage Qi Refining cultivators as well. One man, despite using a breath-concealing technique, was clearly only at an entry-level proficiency; Zhou could sense a spiritual pressure from him that was a cut above even Shen Xinyue’s. A ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator! Besides him, there were two others who were at least at the seventh level: a female cultivator in purple robes, her face obscured by a purple veil, and a thin, frail-looking man in loose Daoist robes.

Suddenly, three figures emerged from the rear. They did not bother to hide their appearances. They were the primary performers of the troupe: "Flying Mouse" Wu Yuntian, "Moon-Clear Fairy" Zhao Yueqing, and the beast tamer Zhuge Hongyu.

Of the three, Flying Mouse Wu Yuntian was at the ninth level of Qi Refining, while Moon-Clear Fairy Zhao Yueqing and Zhuge Hongyu were both at the seventh level. As they appeared together, everyone turned their eyes toward them.

"Everyone!" Wu Yuntian, the leader, spoke in a low voice. "I will be presiding over this black market trade fair. The rules are simple. One by one, present the treasures you wish to sell, or state what you are looking for. If there is interest, you may negotiate privately. If two people desire the same item, you may bid or reach an agreement—it is entirely up to you. I will ensure everyone’s safety within this room, but once you step outside, it is no longer my concern. However, we are within the market, and since you are all members of the Alliance, I trust no one would be foolish enough to strike at their own kind."

Wu Yuntian swept his gaze across the room. No one spoke, their expressions noncommittal.

"Very well. Since I am the organizer, I shall begin. This is a top-tier magic weapon flying sword, the Raven-Green Sword. It is fully intact, peerlessly sharp, and possesses a 'gravity' property. When activated, it can suddenly induce gravity, allowing for surprise effects. I wish to trade it for a Foundation Establishment spiritual item or thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones. Anyone interested, please contact me!"

He looked at the crowd with expectation. However, who among the Qi Refining cultivators did not covet a Foundation Establishment spiritual item? Even if someone possessed one, they would not be willing to trade it away. And thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones was no small sum. While the sword was indeed valuable, and the gravity property made it worth nearly that much, few carried such a large amount of currency on them.

In the end, it was the woman in the purple robes who offered several treasures in exchange. After using a sound-dampening barrier to negotiate, she successfully secured the Raven-Green Sword. Zhou glanced at her, but decided against drawing further attention to himself.

At that moment, the thin, frail-looking late-stage Qi Refining cultivator in the loose Daoist robes stepped forward. He reached into his storage bag and produced a massive humanoid puppet.

Zhou’s eyes flickered. He recognized this as the mid-grade sword-master puppet he had seen during his first visit to the Bai Firm.

The man spoke: "This is a first-grade mid-tier puppet. Its exterior is forged from black-gold steel, and the sword in its hand is also a large, formidable mid-grade magic weapon. The puppet’s combat strength is equivalent to a sixth-level Qi Refining cultivator. It is easy to control; once refined, it can be commanded with one's divine sense as easily as moving one's own arm. It is an essential item for any cultivator venturing into the wilds. I am asking for twenty thousand low-grade spirit stones, though I am also open to trades for magic weapons or materials. Furthermore, I am a puppet master myself; if you have needs, you may contact me privately to place an order. As long as the price is right, I will not disappoint you."

"It is indeed him, the first-grade mid-tier puppet master, Cao Youde." Zhou narrowed his eyes, confirming the man's identity as the same puppet master who had pestered him with sales pitches at the Bai Firm. He hadn't expected the puppet to remain unsold and to be hawked here in the black market.

While a humanoid puppet for twenty thousand low-grade spirit stones was tempting, few were truly willing to part with that much wealth. After waiting a while, the puppet remained unsold, though two cultivators approached him later, clearly interested in ordering custom puppets.

Other cultivators stepped forward to present their wares: magic weapons, formation flags, exotic fruits, and jade slips. Some were "Ancient Slips"—jade slips recovered from ancient sites. These were protected by special seals, and only by breaking the seal could one discover the contents. They could contain ancient inheritances, secret techniques, cultivation experiences, or biographies, but they could just as easily be blank, or contain nothing but trivial letters, descriptions of environments, or low-level spells of little value.

As long as the seal remained, no one knew what lay inside. The *Pure Yang Five-Element Art* that Zhou practiced was one such ancient slip. A cultivator announced he had three such slips for sale at one thousand low-grade spirit stones each. It was worth noting that even if one obtained a slip, there was no guarantee of success. Breaking the seal was a form of formation manipulation. If the seal was too powerful or the breaker’s technique too crude, it could trigger a backlash, destroying the slip entirely. Thus, opening these was a risky endeavor; one might end up with nothing but lost spirit stones and a shattered jade slip.

Yet, there was no shortage of adventurous souls present. Though one thousand spirit stones was a significant amount, everyone there was at least at the fourth level of Qi Refining and possessed some wealth. The three slips were quickly purchased.

Next, Zhuge Hongyu, the scarred member of the performance troupe, stepped up. "I have no treasures to trade, but I am looking to purchase a bottle of second-grade Illusion-Spirit Pills, or any second-grade pill capable of restoring divine sense or mental energy."

Regrettably, second-grade pills were of little use to most Qi Refining cultivators, and few kept them in stock—especially rare mental-restoration pills.

"You might consider attending the upcoming Bai Firm auction," a cultivator suggested. "That is the only place in the market where such pills might be available."

"Very well. Thank you," Zhuge Hongyu replied, though she said nothing more. Zhou had his suspicions; she was clearly seeking medicine for someone’s illness. The reason their troupe could stay in the market was due to the Chen family, and the Bai family’s auction would certainly not invite those labeled as "Chen family" associates.

Several others stepped forward to sell their goods. Zhou was interested in a few, particularly a third-grade spiritual fruit called the Seven-Colored Lotus Seed, which was said to improve a cultivator's spiritual root aptitude. Zhou joined the bidding, but stopped at three thousand low-grade spirit stones; his own funds were limited, and he needed to save them in case "Brother Xiu" could help him win the *Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp*. The price for the seed eventually soared to eight thousand low-grade spirit stones before the bidding ceased, and it was purchased by a cultivator in black robes.

When the previous seller stepped down, Zhou stepped up.

"I have some finished spirit talismans: Lightning Talismans, Fireball Talismans, and Golden Shield Talismans. They are not high-grade, but they are useful in combat. The Lightning Talismans are twenty-five low-grade spirit stones each, the Fireball Talismans twenty, and the Golden Shield Talismans eighty. Anyone interested may contact me."

Zhou spoke in a gravelly voice and stepped down. Naturally, those in need approached him. Most sensible cultivators realized the danger brewing in the market and wanted to stock up on talismans. In a short time, his stock was sold out, including the standard refined talismans, which were bought up in bulk. When others approached, Zhou could only shake his head.

In total, he had earned over two thousand one hundred low-grade spirit stones. Combined with the three thousand he already had, he finally reached his goal of five thousand.

"Do you take orders? I require a batch of talismans as well," asked Moon-Clear Fairy Zhao Yueqing. When Zhou told her he had no more, she asked, "Are you willing to provide them?"

"Orders? I cannot guarantee I will have more to sell. I think you are aware that Fengmingwu Market is no longer safe," Zhou replied, shaking his head. He dared not guarantee he would still be in the market when the next black market session was held. The Fairy nodded in disappointment.

As the last person finished their presentation, the trade fair concluded. Wu Yuntian then distributed jade slips containing tasks from the Green Leaf Alliance. Members were required to complete tasks regularly; failure to do so for three years would result in expulsion.

Zhou examined his slip and found a variety of tasks. There were three large-scale tasks: submitting a Foundation Establishment spiritual item, retrieving the horn of a One-Horned Red Python (a Foundation Establishment level beast), and an assassination task. There were many medium-sized tasks involving gathering materials, seeking techniques, or assisting with formations. The small tasks were relatively simple, and Zhou found that he could easily handle most of them without even leaving the market, which relieved him greatly.

With the black market concluded, Wu Yuntian announced that everyone could leave or stay to watch the troupe’s performance. Zhou chose to watch the performance; it was safer to blend into the crowd than to risk being targeted by other cultivators upon leaving.

On stage, Moon-Clear Fairy Zhao Yueqing danced gracefully, weaving various spells into her performance. The lights of the spells flowed around her, making her appear like a celestial being. Zhou observed her performance and realized her spellcraft was at least at the 'Small Success' stage, if not 'Great Success.'

...

Under the moonlight, Zhou returned to his small courtyard and entered his cultivation chamber to practice the *Pure Yang Five-Element Art*.

The following afternoon, he heard a knock on his door. Expecting Brother Xiu, he opened it to find him waiting.

"I did not fail you! The *Five-Element Glazed Heart Lamp* has been secured," Brother Xiu said with a smile, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"Thank you, Brother Xiu. How much did it cost?" Zhou asked solemnly, bowing in gratitude.

"One thousand seven hundred low-grade spirit stones," Xiu replied.

"So cheap?" Zhou was stunned. He recalled that the *Pure Yang Five-Element Art* had cost fifteen thousand. Then he realized: spells were not as expensive as cultivation techniques. Even high-tier first-grade lightning spells were only seven hundred and fifty. Though the *Glazed Heart Lamp* was rare, the price was reasonable.

"Indeed. Techniques that purify spiritual energy are often expensive because they aid in the Foundation Establishment process. However, because this is a five-element spell, it is only suitable for cultivators with five-element roots. Most cultivators at the auction possess three or four roots at most, so the competition was low. It started at one thousand two hundred, and I only had to raise the price twice," Xiu explained.

Zhou handed over the spirit stones along with two finished talismans—a Lightning Talisman and a Fireball Talisman—as a token of appreciation. Xiu accepted them happily and handed over the jade slip along with the method to break its seal.

"It is settled, then. Our business is concluded, and I shall be leaving soon," Xiu said, his tone shifting. "I could have kept your seventy stones, but as a broker, I value integrity. I can see you have great potential, and I would be happy to call you a friend. If you ever come to the territory of the Qingyuan Sect, look me up, and we shall share a drink."

With a final bow, Brother Xiu turned and left.

"A friend?" Zhou mused, watching him go. Friends in the cultivation world were rare, and the path to longevity was a lonely one, paved with the bones of the past.