First Entry into the Black Market, Dealing with Stolen Goods

Outside Gaoye City, there was more than one underground Black Market, specializing in all sorts of illicit transactions.

Weapons, stolen goods, information, and even some prohibited cultivation resources could potentially find buyers there.

He had previously heard his Senior Brother Shang Yong mention one of the more hidden Black Market entrances.

It seemed to be located beneath a patch of abandoned residential buildings at the junction of the South District and West District.

"There's no time to waste. I'll go explore it tonight."

Wang Yuan made up his mind.

He wrapped the Black Tiger Saber Technique Secret Manuals and the Huang Family Token in oil paper, storing them separately from his loose silver.

Then, he circulated the Turtle Breath Technique again, suppressing his aura to the lowest possible level, like a lurking ferocious beast, quietly regulating his breathing to recover the Blood Essence and energy consumed by tonight's operation.

Deep into the night, the sky was darkening but not yet fully dark.

Wang Yuan changed into a plain grey cloth tunic and applied some simple disguise to his face.

Using soot, he slightly altered his skin tone and eyebrow shape, making him look more like an unremarkable young laborer with a simple, rustic appearance.

He didn't bring his conspicuous Black Dragon Spear. Instead, he hid a sharpened short dagger in his sleeve and tucked the package containing the "goods" he needed to sell into his chest.

Following the vague route Shang Yong had once mentioned, he arrived at the junction of the South District and West District.

This was a long-abandoned neighborhood. Broken walls and ruins were everywhere, overgrown with weeds, and the air was filled with a smell of mildew and urine.

A few ragged beggars huddled in a wind-sheltered corner, their eyes vacant.

Wang Yuan moved calmly, his gaze sweeping over a broken wall marked with a peculiar triangular symbol, confirming the marker.

He walked over to the wall and, as if casually kicking aside some loose stones at his feet, revealed a downward-opening hole, half-hidden by weeds, just large enough for one person to pass through.

A blast of cold wind, mixed with the scent of earth, dampness, and a strange fishy smell, blew out from the hole.

In the shadows by the entrance sat a lean man hugging his arms, drowsily dozing.

Hearing footsteps, he lazily lifted his eyelids, glanced at Wang Yuan, and said hoarsely, "Buying or selling?"

"Selling some miscellaneous goods. Need money for medicine."

Wang Yuan lowered his voice, imitating the tone of a commoner, while discreetly making a gesture common in the Black Market to indicate "goods for sale."

This was something he had subtly learned from his Senior Brother.

Seeing the gesture, the man asked no further questions, merely extending a dirty hand.

Wang Yuan understood and took about an ounce of silver from his chest, placing it in the man's palm.

The man weighed it, tucked it into his pocket with satisfaction, and waved his hand, signaling Wang Yuan to enter.

Wang Yuan hesitated no longer, ducking and squeezing into the dark, deep hole.

Below the entrance was a steep, slippery stone staircase.

After descending about a dozen steps, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a wide underground passage.

Torches, burning with a pungent odor, were stuck into the walls on either side of the passage, casting flickering shadows and creating an eerie atmosphere.

This was the Black Market, also known as the "Ghost Market" by some.

Along both sides of the passage were stalls, some made of rags, others of straw mats, and some simply marked by a cloth laid on the ground.

Most of the stall owners, like Wang Yuan, had disguised themselves.

Some hid their faces with cloaks, others wore masks, sitting silently, rarely calling out.

The customers who came and went also moved with hurried steps, conversing in low voices, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings.

The air was filled with various strange smells: the bitterness of medicinal herbs, the fishy odor of leather, and a faint, lingering scent of blood.

Wang Yuan slowed his pace, his gaze sweeping over the stalls one by one.

He saw weapons stained with dark red blood, strange bones and herbs of unknown purpose, and stolen jewelry clearly belonging to women.

There were even people openly displaying several martial arts secret manuals with blurred covers, their authenticity impossible to discern.

The calls of vendors were also peculiar:

"Heirloom wound medicine, fast-acting, buy three get one free..."

"Freshly forged steel sabers, battle-tested, incredibly sharp..."

"Rare herbs from the south, for nourishing yin and replenishing yang, don't miss out..."

Wang Yuan didn't rush to make a deal. He acted like a genuine buyer, lingering at various stalls.

But in reality, he was observing, looking for suitable trading partners, especially those who appeared to have some strength and seemed like they would deal in "hard goods."

Finally, he stopped at a stall in the middle of the passage, which was slightly larger and displayed several decent pieces of leather armor and weapons.

The stall owner was a burly man wearing a half-iron mask.

But Wang Yuan knew this man was a tough character because he dared to sell armor.

It was known that while the Great Yin Dynasty did not prohibit the carrying of sabers and weapons, the sale of armor was forbidden.

A Martial Artist at the Third Blood Change, coupled with a top-tier set of armor, possesses enough power to resist over a dozen fully armored soldiers.

The burly man's aura was steady, his gaze sharp; he was at least a Martial Artist at the Second Blood Change.

The people lingering and trading at his stall were also numerous, suggesting good credibility and strength.

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"Boss, are you buying?"

Wang Yuan approached, lowering his voice.

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner raised his eyelids and sized up Wang Yuan.

"Show me the goods."

Wang Yuan didn't take out the Secret Manuals and token immediately.

Instead, he first took out the pouch of loose silver and some fragmented jewelry from Steward Huang's money pouch.

"How much for these?"

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner casually fiddled with them and quoted a price slightly below market value, but still fair.

Wang Yuan nodded, indicating his acceptance.

After completing this small transaction, he then asked in a seemingly casual, low voice, "I have a saber technique and a token, are you buying?"

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner's eyes flickered, and he gestured for Wang Yuan to come closer.

"What quality?"

"Black Tiger's saber, Huang Family's token."

Wang Yuan was concise.

Upon hearing this, the Iron-Masked Stall Owner's expression, hidden beneath his iron mask, clearly changed, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He gave Wang Yuan a deep look, was silent for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "This is hot stuff. I'll give you thirty percent less."

"Agreed, but I want clean money, or something of equivalent value."

Wang Yuan stated his condition.

"Follow me."

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner stopped talking, quickly packed up the valuable items on his stall, and gave a few instructions to a person who looked like a shop assistant.

Then, he gave Wang Yuan a look and headed towards a dark side path deeper in the passage.

Wang Yuan felt a sense of vigilance. The Turtle Breath Technique was quietly activated, his aura concealed to the extreme, while a dagger in his sleeve slipped into his palm. He followed without a sound.

He knew that the real transaction was just beginning.

In this Black Market, crisis and opportunity coexisted. A single misstep could lead to losing both person and property.

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner led Wang Yuan into an even darker and narrower side path. After winding and turning, they entered a small stone chamber that could only accommodate two or three people.

There was a ventilation opening at the top of the stone chamber, through which a sliver of dim light vaguely filtered down. A dim oil lamp hung on the wall.

"The goods."

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner turned, extended his rough palm, and his tone was unquestionable.

Wang Yuan did not hesitate. He took out the oil-paper package from his embrace and slowly opened it.

Inside were the Black Tiger Saber Technique Secret Manuals and the golden-yellow Huang Family Token.

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner picked up the Secret Manuals and quickly flipped through a few pages. He then weighed the token in his hand, his fingertips tracing the cloud patterns, confirming its material and craftsmanship.

His eyes gleamed, clearly recognizing the origin of these two items, especially the meaning represented by the token.

"Black Tiger Saber Technique, a decent external skill, but with the tight situation lately, five hundred taels at most."

He first priced the saber technique, then picked up the token, his tone becoming more serious.

"Huang Family's Steward Token... this is even hotter. But melted down, it's worth some gold, or... it can be used for other purposes."

"Five hundred taels."

A total of one thousand taels for both items. After the thirty percent discount, this price was still within Wang Yuan's acceptable range.

He knew the other party was taking a risk and would naturally demand a hefty profit.

"Agreed, but I need untraceable banknotes."

Wang Yuan emphasized.

Physical silver was too heavy, and registered banknotes were easily tracked. Only untraceable banknotes were the most convenient and secure.

The Iron-Masked Stall Owner gave Wang Yuan a deep look, as if trying to discern something from his disguised face.

He took out a stack of specially made banknotes from his怀, counted out ten untraceable banknotes of one hundred taels each, and handed them over.

Wang Yuan carefully examined the authenticity and denominations of the banknotes. Once confirmed, he meticulously tucked them close to his body.

A weight was lifted from his mind; he had finally dealt with these two troublesome burdens.

The transaction complete, the atmosphere eased slightly.

However, the Iron-Masked Stall Owner didn't immediately intend to let Wang Yuan leave.

Instead, he gestured to some items piled in a corner of the stone room and said in a low voice:

"Little brother, your skills are extraordinary, and your courage is remarkable."

"Since you're here, why not take a look at anything else?"

"The goods I have here are absolutely guaranteed in quality."

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