Revealing Identity, Bartering Goods

Name: Zheng Tu

Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 9

Talents: Talisman Control (Blue), Lightning Palm (Blue)

Su Hao stared at the information that appeared on the black-robed youth.

It had been a while, and this person's strength had actually broken through to Qi Refining Level 9.

Back then, in the Life and Death Arena, Su Hao was sent flying by Zheng Tu just for standing on the stage for a moment.

Su Hao had never forgotten this humiliation.

He particularly remembered how Zheng Tu had killed He Tieniu, who was one minor realm higher, by relying on a large number of Thunder Talismans.

This person had extremely high talent in talismans, especially lightning-element talismans. It was said he was the only Talisman Master in the Outer Sect capable of crafting lightning-element talismans.

Given Zheng Tu's strength and status, he wouldn't need to be so sneaky and set up a stall in the market.

Su Hao had no background and worried about being targeted for his talent in the Pill Dao or having his transgressions exposed. He could only keep a low profile as much as possible.

But Zheng Tu had no reason to hide his identity.

Who in the Outer Sect didn't know about Zheng Tu's talent in the Dao of Talismans and cultivation, which even surpassed Lin Zhi Shan's?

If he wanted to sell talismans, he would never lack buyers. If he spread the word, many cultivators would rush to his door to buy them.

The way this person was dressed now, along with the special mask, blocked his aura and face.

But it couldn't fool Su Hao.

Among the cultivators Su Hao had encountered on the way through the market, none had managed to conceal their presence from his scrutiny.

"Fellow Daoist, if you're not buying talismans, don't block my business."

Zheng Tu's voice was hoarse. He inexplicably felt annoyed by Su Hao's gaze. Could this person have recognized him?

Su Hao smiled and glanced at the five different talismans displayed on the stall, one of each.

Fireball Talisman, Vine Thorn Talisman, Vajra Talisman, Spirit Settling Talisman, and Sharp Metal Talisman.

Zheng Tu was skilled in lightning-element talismans, yet he was selling talismans of other elements, and they were all introductory talismans suitable for use by cultivators at Qi Refining Level 1 to 3.

Their power was insufficient against stronger enemies.

"Do you have any other talismans?" Su Hao asked.

Zheng Tu replied impatiently, "If I had other talismans, I would naturally display them."

"Senior Brother, I need lightning-element talismans." Seeing this, Su Hao decided to further hint that he had seen through Zheng Tu's identity.

"You..." Zheng Tu's expression changed slightly. "Junior Brother, are you deaf? I already told you, these are all introductory talismans!"

"Haha, Senior Brother, among all the junior disciples in the Outer Sect, only you have the ability to craft them. I genuinely want..."

Before Su Hao could finish speaking.

Zheng Tu had already stood up, realizing his identity had been exposed, his face extremely gloomy. "Junior Brother, this is not a place to talk. Shall we step aside and discuss?"

"Just as I intended." Su Hao nodded.

Zheng Tu quickly packed up his stall and hurried towards a soundproof private room nearby.

These rooms, equipped with sound-isolating formations, were not cheap, costing 3 spirit stones per incense stick's time.

"What is this Junior Brother's name, and how did you recognize me?" Entering the private room, Zheng Tu removed his mask and stared at Su Hao.

"I have my own methods, Senior Brother Zheng need not panic." Su Hao had no intention of removing his disguise.

"You..." Zheng Tu confirmed repeatedly, only sensing a spiritual energy fluctuation of Qi Refining Level 4 from Su Hao.

But if his strength was only this much, how could he dare to expose his identity!

He couldn't help but think of He Tieniu.

He Tieniu's concealment and aura-masking skills were top-notch in the Outer Sect.

And now, there was someone no less capable than He Tieniu?

"Senior Brother Zheng, you must have your reasons, otherwise, you wouldn't be setting up a stall to sell talismans in the market. Those low-level talismans, three to five spirit stones each, how much can you earn? I want lightning-element talismans, please name your price."

Su Hao said.

"You still haven't answered me, who are you! Zheng will not do business with someone whose identity is unknown!" Zheng Tu emphasized.

Su Hao shrugged, "Sorry, I cannot fulfill that request. My strength is meager, far from being as glorious as yours, Senior Brother. In business, you give spirit talismans, I give spirit stones. Why should my identity matter in a transaction?"

Zheng Tu's expression turned grim.

He was indeed short on spirit stones right now, but due to some disputes, he was unwilling to do business with the Sect's shops like Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.

Coming to this black market to conduct business felt beneath him.

He specifically borrowed a magic artifact mask to conceal his aura and blur his features.

He hadn't been here long, yet someone had already seen through him.

Su Hao smiled and placed a pile of spirit stones on the table. "I'm very sincere, it's up to Senior Disciple Brother Zheng whether he's willing. After today, it'll be hard for us to meet again, so you don't need to worry about anything else."

Zheng Tu stared at the table full of spirit stones, pondered for two seconds, and then took out some purple talismans from his storage bag.

"Lightning Strike Talisman, with the power of one strike from a Qi Refining Level 5 cultivator. Heavenly Treasure Pavilion sells it for 30 spirit stones."

"Thunder Fire Talisman, with the power of one strike from a Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator. Heavenly Treasure Pavilion sells it for 50 spirit stones."

He introduced two different types of lightning talismans.

"Senior Disciple Brother Zheng, what's the most powerful talisman you can make? I saw when you fought He Tieniu in the Life and Death Arena, you unleashed a hundred talismans, filling the sky with lightning and thunder. It was so magnificent!

There was even a mysterious treasure talisman called the Crimson Thunder Treasure Talisman, its power rivaling that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. It directly turned the tide of the battle and killed He Tieniu, who was a whole minor realm higher."

Su Hao looked at the talismans, not entirely satisfied.

"The Crimson Thunder Treasure Talisman has limited uses. The last time I used it to kill He Tieniu, it consumed all my remaining spiritual energy.

As for the talismans used in the Life and Death Arena at that time, they were called Heavenly Thunder Talismans. They are difficult to make, and to deal with He Tieniu, I used them as an array formation, which depleted all of them.

I don't have that kind of talisman anymore."

Zheng Tu shook his head, explaining the situation.

Su Hao understood his thinking; he probably didn't want to sell such talismans, rather than not having them.

"Then, how many of these two types of talismans do you have?"

"30 Lightning Strike Talismans and 20 Thunder Fire Talismans," Zheng Tu replied.

"How about 10 spirit stones for each Lightning Strike Talisman and 30 spirit stones for each Thunder Fire Talisman?"

Su Hao tentatively offered a price.

Zheng Tu was so angry he slammed the table. "Junior Disciple, are you joking! I already told you the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's price. Go to Heavenly Treasure Pavilion and see for yourself. Even with spirit stones, you might not be able to order them!"

"Alas, the situation is different. Private sales and shop prices naturally cannot be generalized. You can't just use shop prices to set your own, can you?

If the price is favorable, I'll take them all."

Su Hao said calmly.

The two continued to haggle.

In the end, they managed to cut the price of each talisman by 10 spirit stones, making the Lightning Strike Talisman 20 spirit stones and the Thunder Fire Talisman 40 spirit stones.

The total came to 1400 spirit stones.

"Senior Disciple Brother Zheng, how about I give you 700 spirit stones, and the remaining 700 spirit stones can be offset with pills?"

Su Hao thought of the many Top-grade Pure Qi Pills and Spirit Gathering Powders in his storage bag.

They had little effect on him.

If he exchanged them for spirit stones, he worried about attracting unwanted attention.

However, he could use them to trade with Zheng Tu.

To some extent, Zheng Tu was in a similar predicament to him.

"Pills?" Zheng Tu asked with interest, "What kind of pills?"

Su Hao placed the Top-grade Pure Qi Pills and Spirit Gathering Powder in front of Zheng Tu.

"Top-grade Pure Qi Pills and Top-grade Spirit Gathering Powder?"

Zheng Tu looked at the poured-out pills, his face full of surprise.

"30 spirit stones a bottle," Su Hao said.

"Deal!" Zheng Tu agreed without hesitation. "Junior Disciple, do you happen to have a lot of top-grade pills?"

Su Hao smiled without answering, silently took out 23 bottles of top-grade pills, and then added 10 spirit stones.

After Zheng Tu carefully inspected them, his gaze towards Su Hao became even more fervent.

"Junior Disciple, do you need Heavenly Thunder Talismans?" Zheng Tu called out to him as Su Hao prepared to leave.

"Huh?" Su Hao was taken aback. "Didn't Senior Disciple Brother Zheng say he didn't have any of those talismans anymore?"

"Uh... actually, I still have a few saved for personal use. Seeing as you urgently need this type of talisman, it's not that I can't sell them to you, but I don't want spirit stones. I can only trade them for top-grade pills," Zheng Tu emphasized.