Inquiring for Information

After bypassing several mountains, Song Qingming hurried south for over a hundred li and arrived atop a high mountain.

Once there, Song Qingming took out a black Token, clasped it tightly in both hands, and slowly infused it with spiritual power. Before long, the Token shot out a beam of white light toward an open area on the mountain ahead.

The white light from the Token shone upon the originally empty ground, and a burst of multicolored spiritual radiance immediately appeared. As the radiance slowly faded, a vast stretch of green tents emerged across the once-empty mountaintop.

More than twenty tents lay in an unbroken row across the summit. From above, they looked like a gigantic green python coiled atop the mountain. This was one of the Flying Cloud Guard's temporary encampments in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range.

The Flying Cloud Guard operated deep within the Floating Cloud Mountain Range year-round. To make their work more convenient, whenever they investigated a new area, they would first choose a suitable nearby location to establish a temporary camp for long-term stationing.

This high mountain was also home to a Second-grade Spirit Vein. It had originally been occupied by a Grade 2 Low-grade Fei Ling Tiger. More than a month ago, Song Qingming and the others, led by a Foundation Establishment senior from the Flying Cloud Guard, slew the demonic beast and established their camp here.

Apart from one Foundation Establishment Cultivator who was rarely present, more than thirty Qi Refining Cultivators were stationed in the camp. Every day, these Flying Cloud Guards went out to their assigned locations to investigate demonic beast activity, returning to the camp to rest before sunset.

After two months in the Flying Cloud Guard, Song Qingming had already gained a preliminary understanding of the place.

The entire Flying Cloud Guard numbered over a hundred people, including three Foundation Establishment Cultivators, while the rest were Qi Refining Cultivators. Most had cultivation at the Fifth Level of Qi Refining or above. They were divided into twelve guards, each with more than ten members. After joining, Song Qingming had been assigned by Lu Yunfei to the Eleventh Guard.

About thirty percent of the Flying Cloud Guard consisted of cultivators from the Carefree Sect. Lu Yunfei, who had recruited Song Qingming into the Flying Cloud Guard that day, was an Inner Disciple of the Carefree Sect. Only because his sect had sent him to guard Guiyun Marketplace had he joined the Flying Cloud Guard as the leader of a guard.

Aside from the Carefree Sect cultivators, the rest were Rogue Cultivators hired in Guiyun Marketplace. Every time the Flying Cloud Guard went out on a mission, they followed strict procedures and schedules. Cultivators were forbidden from leaving camp freely without a mission.

New members like him were not assigned too many tasks at first. Today, he had completed his assignment early and returned to camp.

Just as he reached his tent, Song Qingming saw movement in the tent beside his. An old man dressed in black emerged. Seeing Song Qingming, the old man came over with a beaming smile.

"Fellow Daoist Song, you finished your task so early today? I thought I would not see you until later," the black-clad old man said with a smile as he approached Song Qingming.

This old man in black was named Shi Mofeng. Already over ninety years old, he was a Rogue Cultivator who had been in the Flying Cloud Guard for many years. Like Song Qingming, he belonged to the Eleventh Guard, and their tents were close together, so they had naturally met before. Still, since Song Qingming had only recently arrived, aside from Lu Yunfei, who had brought him in, he was not familiar with anyone else.

Seeing that Shi Mofeng seemed to have been waiting for him for quite some time, Song Qingming guessed that he had come with some matter to discuss. He cupped his hands in salute and said, "Senior, did you come to see me today because there is something you need?"

"Last time, I heard Captain Lu mention that you have some mid-grade Divine Movement Talismans. This time, my luck has been rather poor. I ran into several foul-tempered demonic beasts in a row, and all the life-saving Spirit Talismans on me have been used up. Could you sell this Old Man a few? Consider it a favor I owe you." Seeing that Song Qingming seemed to understand his purpose, Shi Mofeng did not beat around the bush and stated his intentions directly.

"Senior Shi is too polite. Since we walk the same path, we should look after one another. It is only that I do not have many Spirit Talismans left myself. I can spare you two, but I hope Senior will not take offense." Song Qingming hesitated briefly before readily agreeing.

"Then this old man thanks you, little friend."

Shi Mofeng accepted the two Spirit Talismans Song Qingming handed over, happily placed them in his Storage Bag, and then gave Song Qingming several Spirit Stones.

Song Qingming did not refuse. After joining the Flying Cloud Guard, he had discovered that because every mission required them to remain in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range for at least three months, they often found themselves short of all kinds of supplies, with no way to replenish them.

When someone like Shi Mofeng had the misfortune of being besieged by high-grade demonic beasts several times, once consumables such as Spirit Talismans were exhausted, they no longer had any protection and did not dare go out to carry out missions.

Fortunately, Song Qingming still had a sufficient number of Spirit Talismans. Selling Shi Mofeng a few would not affect his upcoming missions.

Among the Spirit Talismans Song Qingming had crafted over the past few years at Lingyuan Mountain, support talismans such as Divine Movement Talismans, Earth Evasion Talismans, and Invisibility Talismans had always sold poorly at Caolu Mountain. He had accumulated quite a few over the years. Who would have thought that here, these relatively unpopular talismans had instead become sought-after supplies?

He could turn the Spirit Talismans he had stockpiled into Spirit Stones while also making friends among fellow cultivators. Naturally, Song Qingming was more than happy to see that happen. It was only a pity that in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, he had no way to gather all the materials needed for Talisman Making. Otherwise, he could have made a small profit from this group of more than ten cultivators.

After finishing the transaction with Song Qingming, Shi Mofeng stroked his graying beard. After thinking for a moment, he slowly added another sentence.

"I heard that you have been asking around about the Black Market. This old man has spent many years drifting through the Floating Cloud Mountain Range and happens to know a few things. Does Fellow Daoist Song have time for a chat?"

Song Qingming had been about to return to his tent when Shi Mofeng suddenly said something unexpected.

After arriving at Guiyun Marketplace, Song Qingming had not become acquainted with many people. He had only asked Lu Yunfei about the Black Market. Unfortunately, Lu Yunfei had come to Guiyun Marketplace only a little over two years ago. He had merely heard of the Black Market and did not know its details.

After hearing Shi Mofeng's words, Song Qingming hurriedly invited him warmly into his tent. A veteran Rogue Cultivator like Shi Mofeng, who had roamed the Floating Cloud Mountain Range for decades, surely knew some information about the Black Market. Song Qingming had wanted to ask him about it, but the two had not been familiar before. Now that the old man had come to his door of his own accord, Song Qingming naturally would not shut him out.

After the two entered the tent, Song Qingming poured two cups of Spirit Tea before asking about the Black Market. Shi Mofeng was not particularly slippery, and he was quite enthusiastic toward Song Qingming, telling him quite a bit of useful information.

Only after Shi Mofeng's explanation did Song Qingming learn that the so-called Black Market was a place where cultivators sold illicit or rare items. There were several such places in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, and they were also where cultivators near Guiyun Marketplace disposed of stolen goods.