Chapter 504

Chapter 504: Deep Feelings, Deep Worries, Heart Tied to Old Bonds
“Xiu Yu…”

Pei Li had just opened his mouth when Senior Ling Long swept him with a cold glance.

She did not say a single word, but the invisible pressure from her was stronger than a thousand words.

She said only one word: “Go.”

Pei Li stayed where he was, staring hard at Ling Long and the others as they walked away.

Only when their figures completely vanished did the corners of his eyes turn blood-red. He pressed down the anger in his chest, turned around, and left the Market District.

After only a few steps, Pei Li suddenly stopped. He took a Messaging Talisman out of his sleeve.

His fingertip tapped lightly on the jade talisman. The jade talisman lit up with a faint glow.

Pei Li let out a cold laugh: “Sui Bian, if you dare to come out and act high-profile, you are asking for death. I will just send you on your way.”

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. Then his figure blurred and vanished into the crowd.

On the other side, Yu Zhao and the others kept weaving through the Market District.

The streets inside the Market District crisscrossed in all directions, and treasures of every kind were on display.

They soon found a few more pieces of Starry Sky Stone. The quality was good, but the rare Jade Core still did not show up anywhere.

“Something like a Jade Core will be hard to find in the Market District,” Senior Ling Long said in a calm voice. “Things that rare usually only appear in hidden trading places, or you can only get them through special channels.”

Ancestor Sui Bian looked around left and right, asking: “Then where should we go to find these hidden trading places?”

Ling Long and Xiu Yu shared a look, then said the same name at the same time: “The underground black market.”

Ancestor Sui Bian and Hei Lao Dao looked at each other in shock.

“The underground black market? There is even a place like that under the Market District of the Myriad Worlds Treasure Fair? How come I have never heard of it?”

“Yeah, we have been here several times. How have we never heard even a whisper about it?”

Xiu Yu smiled as she explained: “The underground black market is hidden by nature. Not everyone can know about it.

“And not just anyone can enter. First, they look at your strength. Second, they look at your wealth.

“If your strength is not enough, you cannot even touch the door. If your wealth is not enough, even if you go in, it is useless.”

Ancestor Sui Bian and Hei Lao Dao both looked embarrassed at once.

When it came to strength, they could barely be counted as somewhat qualified. But when it came to money, Hei Lao Dao was a total pauper. The only valuable things on him, other than the Madam Life-bound Flying Sword, were the new clothes he was wearing, and even those had been a gift from Ling Long.

Ancestor Sui Bian was a little better off than him, but not by much.

The things the two of them had bought in the Market District could be counted on one hand. Naturally, they had never had the chance to learn anything about the underground black market.

Senior Ling Long saw that the two of them were silent. A faint, hard-to-spot smile flashed in her eyes, but it quickly turned into a serious look again.

“The underground black market is indeed a place where you can find rare things,” she said. “But that place is a mix of all sorts of people, full of vicious criminals from all over the Middle World.

“The Market District at least has rules you can follow. The underground black market is a lawless place. Killing and robbing for treasures are daily things there. Even I do not have full confidence that I can bring you all out safely.”

Senior Xiu Yu nodded and looked at Yu Zhao with worry: “Not to mention, we also have Little Zhao with us. The cultivation level of this body is still shallow. If anything unexpected happens, she may not be able to protect herself.”

Ancestor Sui Bian and Hei Lao Dao hesitated when they heard that.

They had traveled outside for many years. They had been to places even more dangerous than the underground black market, so they would not back down just because of that.

What they worried about was Yu Zhao.

Yu Zhao was not just a junior to them.

She was the inheritance of the whole Cultivation World.

They would rather die themselves than see anything happen to Yu Zhao.

Deep feelings bring deep worries; when your heart is tied to someone, you cannot help but care.

From their expressions, Yu Zhao guessed what they were thinking. She lifted her head and said firmly: “Ancestor, Seniors.”

Her voice was still young, but every word was clear and strong: “Even though Yu Zhao’s cultivation level is shallow, I understand that the path of cultivation is one I must walk myself, step by step. If I always hide under the wings of my Seniors, how can I truly grow?”

She paused. Her eyes swept over everyone and finally landed on Ancestor Sui Bian.

“Ancestor, I know you are worried about me. But Yu Zhao is not really a child. I do not want to be a burden to everyone. The underground black market is dangerous, but it is also a chance to temper myself. Please give me this chance.”

Ancestor Sui Bian froze for a moment, then burst out laughing: “Well said. It is this old Ancestor who worried too much! Ling Long, Xiu Yu, take her with us.”

The look in Hei Lao Dao’s eyes, as he gazed at Yu Zhao, held both praise and a faint trace of regret.

He rubbed his smooth chin and suddenly started to think about the possibility of taking Yu Zhao in as his goddaughter.

Senior Xiu Yu let out a light sigh. She crouched down and pinched the little red furball on top of Yu Zhao’s head: “Since you insist on going, Aunt will not stop you. But you must promise me that no matter what happens, you will stay close to me and not act on your own.”

Yu Zhao nodded seriously: “I promise, Aunt.”

Senior Ling Long saw that no one had any objections, so she said in a cool voice: “Then we will go together. But this trip is dangerous. We must be careful and never let our guard down.”

Everyone agreed in unison, then followed Senior Ling Long toward the entrance to the underground black market.

The entrance to the underground black market was hidden at the end of an unremarkable alley.

Before they even got close, they could feel a heavy surge of Yin Qi.

Before the cold air could invade Yu Zhao’s body, the warmth from Senior Xiu Yu’s fingertips spread into her and dispelled it.

Ling Long’s right hand moved quickly. Her fingers formed a spell gesture. Spirit power surged and gathered into a special rune.

The rune fell onto the wall at the end of the alley.

The wall rippled like the surface of water. Then the ripples spread to both sides, revealing a deep stone staircase going down.

The moment the stairs appeared, a wave of cold air, so thick it felt almost solid, rushed out at them.

On both sides of the staircase, the stone walls were set with dim green fluorite. The weak light they gave off made everyone’s faces shift between bright and dark.

Ancestor Sui Bian shivered hard: “This place looks like it leads straight to the Netherworld.”

Hei Lao Dao slapped him: “Quit saying unlucky things! We are here to find a Jade Core, not to die.”

Ancestor Sui Bian knew he had misspoken and shut his mouth at once.

The group followed the steps and walked down, turning and turning.

As they went deeper, the cold inside the passage grew heavier. Beads of water formed on the stone walls on both sides.

From time to time, drops of water fell from above and landed with soft dripping sounds.

Just when Ancestor Sui Bian was feeling chilled all over, they finally reached the end of the stairs.

At the end stood a huge stone gate. On each side of it stood a person in a wide Great Dao robe, one dressed in black, the other in white.

They wore fierce masks, and their eyes were cold and gloomy, like envoys from hell who came to drag souls away.

“New faces? This is not a place just anyone can come to.”

Senior Ling Long did not say much. She simply lifted two slender fingers and tapped lightly.

Then she flipped her wrist and held a token in her palm, showing it to the two cultivators.

The black-robed cultivator stared at the token and checked it carefully. Then he gave a small nod to the white-robed cultivator, and the two of them stepped aside together.

The stone gate slowly swung inward.