Black Market

After the three of them finished a jar of wine, Ye Xiaofan pretended to be overcome by alcohol and sent the other two away.

He then began to disguise himself, transforming into a middle-aged swordsman with a dark complexion. He then carved a simple mask and headed towards the location of the Black Market.

The Black Market was located within a massive estate in the east of the city – the Four Seas Manor.

While it was outwardly controlled by the Four Seas Gang, its true owner was the most mysterious and powerful figure in Qingyang County, the County Governor.

According to Zhang Ling and the other person, the County Governor had only made two public appearances since taking office in Qingyang County ten years ago. One was on his inauguration day when he summoned the noble families and commanders of the Demon Suppression Division in Qingyang County. The other was when Left Thousand Households Officer broke through to the Ninth Level Body Refinement at the age of twenty. Ten years had passed, and very few people in the entire Qingyang County had seen him.

Ye Xiaofan paused briefly at the main gate before walking straight in.

Seeing Ye Xiaofan wearing a mask and exuding a fiery aura, a guard stepped forward and said, "Go forward a hundred paces, turn left at the corridor, and keep going until you reach the end. Pass through the stone gate, and you'll be there."

Ye Xiaofan nodded slightly at the guard and said, "Thank you!"

Following the guard's instructions, Ye Xiaofan quickly arrived at the stone gate.

Passing through the stone gate felt like stepping into another world, with the temperature dropping several degrees.

Looking around, he saw a brightly lit valley. A path paved with bluestone slabs led straight to a three-story pavilion at the end of the valley.

A large plaque above the entrance bore three large, flowing golden characters – Sihai Pavilion.

On both sides of the bluestone path, cultivators in various attire sat quietly before their stalls. Passing cultivators would occasionally stop at stalls that piqued their interest.

The only commonality among these cultivators was that, like Ye Xiaofan, they were all completely covered, revealing no hint of their appearance.

Walking along the bluestone path, Ye Xiaofan took in everything on the numerous stalls.

Most of them were medicinal herbs and elixirs, demon sinews, bones, and hides, and weapons. A smaller portion displayed strange items and some tattered books.

The further he went, the more precious the items on the stalls became. However, there were no stalls selling cultivation techniques. Instead, a tattered copy of the "Basic Alchemy Technique," with only a few pages remaining, caught his eye.

But the price was so high it made his jaw drop – five hundred taels.

Ye Xiaofan walked all the way to the Sihai Pavilion at the end of the bluestone path. Outside the Sihai Pavilion, several groups of people were gathered, chatting leisurely, but their eyes occasionally glanced towards the interior of the Sihai Pavilion.

When Ye Xiaofan appeared, these people's eyes lit up.

Ye Xiaofan glanced at these people and walked into the Sihai Pavilion.

As soon as he entered, a scantily clad woman, whose certain parts were subtly revealed, greeted him with a smile.

"Esteemed guest, welcome. Do you require any assistance? Our Sihai Pavilion offers all sorts of information, medicinal herbs, elixirs, weapons, cultivation techniques, and demon materials. I can help recommend and introduce them to you."

The woman curtsied gracefully, revealing a terrifying cleavage, and smiled.

"Do you have mid-grade cultivation techniques? How much are low-grade ones?"

Ye Xiaofan hesitated for a moment. He ultimately didn't ask for information about the cause of Ye Tianhe's death, but instead inquired about cultivation techniques.

There were many people inside the Sihai Pavilion. Most of them were accompanied by alluring women, examining items they were interested in at various counters.

"Low-grade cultivation techniques are 1200 taels of silver. They can also be traded for Blood Qi Pills; if you use Blood Qi Pills, it only costs eleven. As for mid-grade cultivation techniques, they only occasionally appear at the monthly fifteenth auction."

The woman, seemingly accustomed to guests like Ye Xiaofan, answered all of Ye Xiaofan's questions in one go.

"Do you buy cultivation techniques here?"

"Guest, if you wish to sell a cultivation technique, I do not have the authority. Please wait a moment, and I will call the shopkeeper over."

The woman maintained her alluring smile, showing no surprise at Ye Xiaofan's intention to sell a cultivation technique.

"Okay!"

Ye Xiaofan nodded and then followed the woman's guidance into a room where calming incense was burning, and waited.

Not long after, "I am the shopkeeper of Sihai Pavilion. Does this esteemed guest wish to sell a cultivation technique?"

A hearty laugh echoed from outside the door. A short, plump, and round man wearing a bronze demon mask and adorned with jewels on all ten fingers walked in.

Only his small eyes were visible, exuding the shrewdness expected of a merchant.

Ye Xiaofan sized up Qian Panghai, inwardly wary. This person had a strong aura and considerable strength, giving him a feeling similar to Sun Wude.

Qian Panghai also sized up Ye Xiaofan. His aura was subtle, with a hidden, dormant tiger-like presence. He concluded that the cultivation technique must have reached a very profound level, and his heart grew a little more solemn.

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"Yes, I do. I wonder how Sihai Pavilion purchases them?"

"Please don't rush, esteemed guest. There are a few matters I need to clarify with you."

Qian Panghai cupped his fists in greeting to Ye Xiaofan and then sat down opposite him.

"My Sihai Pavilion only accepts cultivation techniques that have not been recorded. If it has already been recorded, we will not accept it. Additionally, after selling the cultivation technique to my Sihai Pavilion, you must make a Great Dao oath not to disseminate it further. What do you think, esteemed guest?"

After speaking, Qian Panghai picked up his teacup and took a sip, his eyes never leaving Ye Xiaofan.

Ye Xiaofan nodded, took out two books from his embrace, and tossed them over.

Qian Panghai caught the books, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

The Black Tiger Roaring Mountain Technique, the Black Tiger Saber Technique.

These were Black Tiger Gang techniques. Qian Panghai, as a hall master of the Four Seas Gang, had dealt with the Black Tiger Gang quite a bit and was familiar with these two techniques.

However, with the Four Seas Gang backed by the Qian family, they had no fear of the Black Tiger Gang.

After casually flipping through a few pages and confirming the techniques were fine, Qian Panghai looked up at Ye Xiaofan and said:

"My Sihai Pavilion truly doesn't have these two low-grade techniques. According to the usual purchase price, low-grade techniques are 800 taels each or 8 Blood Qi Pills.

I assume you are a first-time visitor to my Sihai Pavilion, so consider this a gesture of friendship. How about 900 taels or 9 Blood Qi Pills per technique?"

What a rip-off!

That was Ye Xiaofan's first thought. Low-grade techniques sold for 1200 taels, but they only bought them for 800 taels, a pure profit of 400 taels.

No wonder this guy reeked of money; it was disgusting and enviable. If he could just rob him, perhaps he wouldn't have to worry about money.

Seeing Ye Xiaofan lost in thought, Qian Panghai didn't rush. He picked up his teacup and waited quietly.

At this moment, Ye Xiaofan was secretly calculating how to make the most of the transaction to maximize his own strength.

Currently, he consumed two pills per day for cultivation, and as his realm increased, the consumption rate of Blood Qi Pills would only get faster.

18 Blood Qi Pills seemed like a lot, but he estimated it wouldn't last him 9 days.

Another thing was that the Sword Drawing Technique had not yet been simplified, and the Black Tiger Roaring Mountain Technique had not been merged with the Withered Wood Meets Spring Technique. All of this required money.

After some thought, Ye Xiaofan looked up at Qian Panghai again.

"Shopkeeper, I hope to exchange them for 16 Blood Qi Pills and 200 taels of silver. Is that possible?"

100 taels would be used for merging techniques, and 100 taels would be used for purchasing meat after the Blood Qi Pills were depleted.

According to his current cultivation speed, 16 Blood Qi Pills would be enough for him to break through to the Body Refining Third Level. At that point, he would go and participate in the assessment, become an official Demon Suppressing Guard, and take on missions to earn merit and silver.

"Deal!"

Afterward, Ye Xiaofan made a Great Dao oath. The oath was simple, similar to those of the Demon Suppression Division, prohibiting the sale of techniques. Otherwise, his cultivation would stagnate, and he would suffer qi deviation and die.

With the transaction complete, Ye Xiaofan did not linger.

Qian Panghai watched Ye Xiaofan leave, his hands behind his back, lost in thought.

Suddenly, a person dressed entirely in black, wearing a black iron ghost mask, appeared behind Qian Panghai.

"Hall Master, should I follow this person?"

"No. Sell the news that someone is selling Black Tiger Gang techniques to Zhang Dahu."

Ye Xiaofan walked out of the Four Seas Manor at a leisurely pace and then disappeared into a dark alley.

He unleashed the Wind God Steps, which were in the initial stage of mastery. Instantly, he became like a gentle breeze in the night, blending into the darkness.

Not long after Ye Xiaofan left, three people wearing theatrical masks appeared.

"Big brother, he got away."

"Damn it, lucky bastard."

From a dark corner, Ye Xiaofan quietly observed the three.

Among the three, two were at the Body Refinement Second Layer, and one was at the Body Refinement First Layer.

Who gave them the courage to try and intercept him? Was this some brain-dead plot requiring them to throw themselves at him as resources?