"Come, come, Lu Xuan, try this aged wine I've been saving for nearly ten years."
In the home of a cultivator with the surname Wu, the two friends were enjoying their drinks.
Lu Xuan shook his silver wine cup, and the golden spiritual wine inside swirled with his movements, releasing a rich and fragrant aroma.
"I never expected that Wang Shan, a patrolman from the Law Enforcement Hall, would be tainted by evil spirits. Luckily, it was discovered early, or it could have affected us neighbors," Lu Xuan said.
Wu put down his cup and felt a wave of fear at the thought of what could have happened. "Yes, if the evil spirits hadn't been found and dealt with in time, those of us living nearby would have had a hard time ensuring our safety."
Lu Xuan nodded in agreement. "Those useless Law Enforcement Hall members have been hanging around here for a while now. It's hard to do anything with them around."
"Not to mention, they couldn't even keep their own people safe from the evil spirits. What good are they to us? They should really investigate their own ranks; they might uncover more issues!"
Wu, clearly a bit tipsy, had a glazed look in his eyes. "Lu Xuan, why don't you grow some spiritual plants suitable for making spiritual wine? If you do, I'll buy as much as you have!"
As the conversation shifted to Lu Xuan, he replied, "I've been considering it, but my spiritual field is too small. There's no extra space to plant other spiritual plants, and I don't have the energy to cultivate more right now."
"If you decide to do that, you must come to collaborate with me," Wu said, raising his cup again.
"By the way, Wu, do you know about the black market in Linyang Market Town?" Lu Xuan asked the elder.
"Black market? What, do you want to go in?" Wu raised an eyebrow.
"That's the plan, but I've never been there before and know very little about it. Since you're skilled and have spent a lot of time in the market, I wanted to ask you for some information," Lu Xuan smiled.
"I have been there a few times, the last time was about two years ago," Wu said, shaking off some of his drunkenness and recalling memories.
"The black market is located in the center of the market town. It's rumored to be managed by a few underground forces, but I suspect there are some major families backing it."
"The market was built on a deserted secret realm, and the black market is hidden in a natural maze. You can only enter by buying a guiding talisman with a few spirit stones."
"Being called a black market means it's very different from the casual cultivator market and those big shops. The things sold there are usually shady, and cultivators often hide their faces or cultivation levels when they enter."
"The goods are similarly dubious. You'll find many treasures that can't be seen in the market or shops, with unclear origins. Some items are stolen or dangerous, and there are all sorts of strange materials, including things related to evil spirits."
Lu Xuan nodded occasionally, absorbing the information.
"Is it safe for ordinary cultivators to enter the black market?" he asked.
"It is safe inside; there are powerful cultivators guarding it, and I rarely hear of trouble happening there," Wu replied.
"As for outside, that's not under the black market's control. Some cultivators coming in and out can be quite dangerous or practice evil techniques, so it's less safe outside. Occasionally, there are incidents of robbery or murder."
"Generally speaking, it shouldn't be a problem. After all, the black market is in the center of the town. I went there multiple times when I was at a low level and never encountered any trouble."
"If you really want to go in, just be cautious. If you're worried, you can go in with familiar cultivators."
"Thank you for sharing this important information, Wu," Lu Xuan said gratefully.
Wu waved his hand dismissively. "It's nothing; you can find this out easily from others."
Since they were just acquaintances, Wu didn't ask Lu Xuan about his reasons for wanting to enter the black market.
After spending a little more time there, Lu Xuan returned home with the Cloud Stepping Leopard cub that had been quietly resting on his shoulder.
He pondered for a moment and decided to visit the black market.
According to Wu, many strange things could be found there, increasing the chances of discovering unknown spiritual seeds compared to the casual cultivator market.
Plus, entering and exiting the black market seemed relatively safe. Lu Xuan felt confident that as long as he didn't expose his wealth or cause trouble, he would come out unscathed.
Moreover, he was very confident in his current strength.
With a cultivation level of six in Qi Training, nearly reaching the master level with the Gengjin Sword Art, a special artifact called the Silver Splitting Blade, two second-grade Sword Qi Talismans, a second-grade flying sword called the Leaving Fire Sword, a first-grade treasure called the Thunder Fire Pearl, and many other talismans...
Even if he faced a higher-level Qi Training cultivator, Lu Xuan felt he could handle it.
The next day, after checking on his spiritual field and ensuring all the spiritual plants were in top condition, he headed to the black market according to the location provided by Wu.
Since the Cloud Stepping Leopard cub was too noticeable and he had no way to conceal it, Lu Xuan left it at home.
When the cub realized it couldn't follow Lu Xuan outside, it stared at him with its bright green eyes, not moving an inch.
Lu Xuan felt a wave of concern as he sensed the cub's fear of being abandoned. It made him feel helpless and scared.
This almost made Lu Xuan soften, but after considering the risk of exposing his true identity, he comforted the cub for a while, left it a pile of dried meat, and set off alone.
About half an hour later, Lu Xuan arrived at the entrance of the black market.
Though the black market was close to the town center, the surrounding area was quite desolate, with no houses or courtyards. Only a few cultivators hurried by, keeping a wary eye on each other.
The entire black market was shrouded in thick black mist, and when Lu Xuan tried to use his spiritual sense, it felt blocked, making it hard to move forward.
Wearing a simple mask, he approached the cultivator guarding the entrance to the black market.
Along the way, he noticed that almost all cultivators were dressed similarly, with most wearing masks or cloths over their faces. A few used special artifacts to conceal their identities, and a handful didn’t seem to care, showing their true faces. However, Lu Xuan couldn't tell if those were their real appearances.
He observed the actions of the cultivators in front of him and handed over three spirit stones to the guard.
In return, he received a guiding talisman marked with black runes, featuring a small, moving black arrow.
As he stepped into the black mist, everything in front became hazy. The black arrow glowed faintly, constantly adjusting its direction to lead Lu Xuan through the mist.
After a while, Lu Xuan felt a refreshing sensation as he passed through the mist and entered the black market.
The black market was more spacious than he had imagined, with about a hundred cultivators in sight. The atmosphere was relatively quiet, with only soft murmurs of conversation.
Above the black market, it seemed to be covered by a heavy black cloud, and around ten black paper kites floated slowly in the air.
These kites appeared to be made from some material, looking like beast skins drifting above.
As they flew over Lu Xuan's head, he felt a wave of malevolent energy wash over him, causing goosebumps to rise on his skin.
(End of Chapter)