Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Black Market

On the other side.

After spending a day playing in Wu’an City, Rong Shu returned to the sect with Fu Yong Kang as dusk approached.

She had no intention of going back to Limitless Peak to visit that Second Senior Brother she had never met; instead, she went straight to the Inner Peaks to find Lin Dao.

By coincidence, Lin Dao had just finished handling the mission at the Forbidden Valley and had returned as well.

After meeting him, Rong Shu reported her day’s itinerary. She only skimmed over Yu Ruan Ruan and the others; the focus was the fire-element technique she had chosen.

When he finished listening to her description, Lin Dao said: “In battles below the Golden Core Stage, Blazing Body is a pretty good technique.”

He added: “As for the Forbidden Valley mission, I just went to the Task Pavilion to settle it. These are the rewards for this month’s work.” As he spoke, Lin Dao handed her a Storage Pouch filled with this month’s Spirit Stones.

Rong Shu accepted the Storage Pouch and said: “Senior brother, I’ll go take on a new assignment tomorrow.”

To her surprise, Lin Dao shook his head: “No need to go there for now.”

“Ah?” Rong Shu blinked, taken aback.

“You have practiced the saber for a month now. The several new saber sets that senior gave you, you may have memorized them, but you have not fully digested or mastered them. You do not need to learn new saber forms yet,” Lin Dao explained.

This was not only his idea; it was also what the one in the Forbidden Valley intended.

“Oh, oh.” Rong Shu nodded and said: “Then I’ll just go watch tomorrow’s matches and refine some pills on the side.”

Her dual Fire and Wood cultivation had not advanced much these past days.

In the time ahead, she planned to focus on raising her Fire and Wood cultivation and becoming proficient with the new techniques.

After hearing her plan, Lin Dao pondered for a moment, then said: “Tomorrow you don’t need to watch the selection tournament. I’m taking you somewhere.”

“Where to?” Rong Shu’s eyes blinked with curiosity.

“To a place where you can refine pills as you please.”

He did not say more, leaving Rong Shu itching with curiosity, so she could only take her questions back to the training room on Spirit Nurturing Peak.

The next morning, Rong Shu went to find Lin Dao as soon as she could.

Lin Dao took her out of the sect, and after some detours they arrived at a remote, quiet little city.

Before entering the city, however, he led her off the road to a tavern on the outskirts.

Lin Dao handed Rong Shu a Disguise Pill, while he himself put on a mask.

After swallowing the Disguise Pill, Rong Shu changed her appearance and followed Lin Dao into the tavern.

Inside, she sensed something off.

There was no wine.

“Two, for the black market,” Lin Dao said, tossing a Storage Pouch of Spirit Stones onto the counter.

The tavern’s proprietor checked the Storage Pouch, and once he confirmed it, he drew from the Storage Pouch at his waist two sets of cloaks and two Black Masks, which he passed to Lin Dao.

“Let’s go,” Lin Dao said.

After they had gone some distance, he handed Rong Shu an unmarked Black Mask and a large, hooded black cloak.

“Put these on first. This is the distinctive attire inside the black market. Any cultivator who enters must wear it. It can block divine sense probing from anyone below the Void Refinement Stage.”

He added: “That tavern is the ‘entrance’ to the black market. You have to go there to leave a deposit and receive your cloak and mask before you can enter. When you come out, return the items and you’ll get your deposit back.”

Rong Shu found this all very intriguing. [Black market? What is that?]

“All right,” she said, noticing that Lin Dao had also taken out a black mask and cloak to put on. She finished putting on her own disguise.

Only then did Lin Dao lead her into the small city.

The moment they passed through the city gate, Rong Shu felt as if she had stepped through a formation. The mask on her face resonated faintly with the array, as if confirming identity.

Inside, although the sun hung high outside, the streets were dim. Passersby were uniformly masked and cloaked in black. They moved quickly and spoke rarely.

Shops lined the street, and there were also many stalls set up along the sides. Placards advertised various services and wares. When a cultivator saw something they liked, they paid directly in Spirit Stones.

Lin Dao’s voice sounded in her mind by transmission: “This is the black market.”

Rong Shu’s eyes rippled slightly.

Lin Dao’s transmitted voice came again: “All transactions here are gray and opaque. Everyone’s identity is concealed. You might stumble upon a darling treasure, but you might also be swindled.”

Rong Shu leaned closer and asked in a low voice: “Senior brother, then what are we here to do?”

“You need to refine a large volume of pills to advance to a Second Grade alchemist. If you buy vast amounts of herbs in Wu’an City over a short time, people will grow suspicious.”

He went on: “But here in the black market a hiring chain has formed. Professionals such as alchemists or artifact refiners can hang their shingle in the black market, and cultivators who need pills or tools will bring their materials and payment right to the door.”

Lin Dao suddenly stopped and turned his head.

Rong Shu followed his gaze and saw a cloak-shrouded cultivator with a street stall. The signboard atop it bore two large characters: Artifact Refining. A few cultivators stood in front of the stall, asking about prices and details.

“In the black market,” Lin Dao continued, “when you hire someone to refine pills, beyond the set payment, the alchemist takes half of the finished pills. It is an unwritten rule.”

“If the refinement fails, all losses are borne entirely by the party who provided the materials and payment. The alchemist bears no responsibility.”

Rong Shu’s eyes brightened: “That good?”

Very quickly, she sensed what was off in such a rule. “It certainly favors the alchemist, but buyers do not seem to get any real bargain. One careless step and they will be cheated. Do people really spend Spirit Stones to hire alchemists in the black market?”