Dark Market

Pingyin County had a dark market. Chen Fei had only learned of it from Zeng Defang; he had heard that its former location was not far outside Pingyin County's northern wall.

Now, because of the refugees, the dark market had opened directly within Pingyin County.

Chen Fei guessed that this dark market must have official backing. Otherwise, how could the county yamen allow it to operate so openly and aboveboard?

Under cover of night, Chen Fei wore a bamboo hat and a face covering to conceal his features as he entered the dark market.

Far from the furtive scene he had imagined, this so-called dark market was surprisingly bustling. Other than the lack of hawking cries, it was not much different from the night market within Pingyin County.

Chen Fei strolled along, taking in the sights. The stalls displayed all manner of strange and peculiar objects, many of which he had never seen or even heard of.

Whenever he came across such things, Chen Fei would silently stand at the back and listen to the others talk, gleaning bits of information from their conversations.

And sure enough, by eavesdropping like this, Chen Fei truly did obtain quite a few useful pieces of information.

After walking and looking around for a while, Chen Fei stopped before a stall. Many secret manuals were laid out there, but strangely, very few people lingered before it.

"You may browse as you please, but these manuals are only partial copies. If you find one you like, we can discuss the price. At that time, this old man will naturally bring out the complete manual."

Seeing Chen Fei stop, the stall owner glanced at the deerskin gloves on his hands and said with a smile.

"Do you have any movement technique manuals?" Chen Fei asked directly without reaching for any of them.

Chen Fei had given it some thought yesterday. Though he lacked both cultivation techniques and strength, what he lacked most desperately was actually a movement technique. If he possessed a good one, then when danger arose, his first choice would be to run.

As long as he ran fast enough, even if his Cultivation Realm fell short of others', his chances of keeping his life would still be quite high.

"Of course I do. Young hero, take a look at these." The stall owner rummaged through the pile, selected several manuals, and placed them before Chen Fei.

Water Pointing Skill, Swallow Perching on Branch, Green Grass Crossing, Wave Treading Movement.

Chen Fei casually picked one up and began reading. A moment later, he set it down and picked up another.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Chen Fei had finished reading all four manuals, his expression thoughtful.

"These are all basic lightness skill manuals. Do you have anything better?" Chen Fei asked after pondering for a moment.

"Of course I do. But if I give it to you, would you dare practice it?"

The stall owner looked at Chen Fei with a half-smile. "Aside from basic manuals, this old man naturally has better ones. But whether there are omissions in them, this old man cannot say. If something happens because you practiced a manual I sold you, this old man bears no responsibility."

Chen Fei suddenly understood. In the end, his experience was still too shallow.

With cultivation manuals, changing just a few lines was usually enough to make them impossible for ordinary people to detect. If the alterations were made in crucial places, those who practiced them might even suffer qi deviation. Ending up half-paralyzed would be perfectly normal.

The more profound the cultivation technique, the more this was the case. Basic techniques, on the other hand, had simple routes for circulating qi and blood. Even if one made a mistake in cultivation, it would not cause much trouble.

Moreover, as a martial artist's cultivation improved, any real problem in a basic technique could be spotted at a glance. Just like Chen Fei at this moment—though he was only in the Skin Tempering Realm, he had cultivated several techniques to Great Perfection.

When he looked through those four manuals just now, he had found no issues with them. All could be practiced directly.

"How much for these four manuals?"

"Two taels of silver each. How many do you want?"

"I'll take them all." Chen Fei took out eight taels of silver and placed them on the stall.

A smile appeared on the stall owner's face. He took out the corresponding latter halves of the manuals from behind him and handed them to Chen Fei. Chen Fei flipped through them, found no problems, and put the four manuals into the bag on his back.

"Oh, right. Give me a combat technique manual too. Something more profound." Chen Fei thought for a moment.

Chen Fei wanted to see whether the panel had a way to complete manuals that contained omissions or were even incomplete, then allow him to practice them.

The stall owner's brows twitched slightly, but he did not refuse. He searched through the stall, took out a manual, and handed it to Chen Fei. "Immortal Cloud Sword, the exclusive sword art of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect."

"Immortal Cloud Sword Sect?"

Chen Fei was slightly stunned. This sect was far too famous. Within several thousand li, the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect was likely the one that held the bull's ear.

Experts emerged from the sect in endless succession. Every year, countless people wished to join it, yet had no opportunity. Chen Fei's former self had entertained such fantasies back then as well, but unfortunately, his first campaign had ended in failure.

Chen Fei accepted the manual and skimmed through it. His brows alternately tightened and relaxed. Judging by the standards of his Great Perfection Green Mountain Sword, what was recorded in this Immortal Cloud Sword manual did indeed contain some profound principles of the sword.

But even more of it consisted of muddled words that seemed plausible yet were not. It was more like someone had acquired a few sword moves, then, because they were incomplete, stuffed in many of his own interpretations and even fanciful notions.

"How much?" Chen Fei looked up and asked.

"Fifty taels!" The stall owner grinned.

Chen Fei said nothing. He merely looked at the stall owner. Was he slaughtering a pig? He actually dared ask such a price for a manual he had made up himself.

The stall owner did not back down either, calmly meeting Chen Fei's gaze. This was the price. What could Chen Fei do about it?

Chen Fei nodded, set down the manual, and turned to leave. This money had not fallen from the sky. He had only become a little better off, so he had to spend it slowly.

Spending so much money just to test the panel would make him nothing but a fool with more money than sense.

"Hey, don't go. Name a price!" the stall owner called from behind him.

Chen Fei stopped. After considering it for a moment, he said, "Three taels!"

"Fine, deal!"

The stall owner agreed at once, seemingly afraid Chen Fei would change his mind. He decisively brought out the other half of the manual and stuffed it into Chen Fei's hands along with the first half.

Chen Fei was somewhat speechless. So even three taels had been too high a price.

Still, Chen Fei did not go back on his word. He briefly examined the latter half of the manual. It did indeed contain some principles of the sword, so buying this cultivation technique for three taels could not be called a complete loss.

"If you need anything else in the future, young hero, feel free to find this old man. This old man always sets up his stall in this spot." Having made two sales, the stall owner was in high spirits.

Chen Fei waved a hand, put away the manuals, and turned to leave.

Chen Fei wandered around the dark market a few more times and specifically asked about buying pill formulas. But aside from basic pill formulas, the dark market had nothing even slightly more advanced.

As the night deepened, Chen Fei did not linger and left the dark market directly.

After returning to the place he rented, Chen Fei took out the Water Pointing Skill and began studying it carefully.

Half an hour later, information on the Water Pointing Skill finally appeared on the panel.

Panel, simplify the Water Pointing Skill!

Water Pointing Skill simplifying... Simplification successful... Water Pointing Skill → Walking!