Preparation

Tianyuan World, Black Market.

After dealing with the matters concerning Blue Star, Su Jie used the ancient mirror to return here, preparing to purchase the last batch of supplies for his upcoming mountain patrol.

The Black Market was far livelier than usual.

Many Ghost Ridge Palace disciples had the same idea as Su Jie: exchange their stored Blood Marrow Crystals for combat power.

Taixu Pavilion!

Su Jie looked up at the seven-story building, one of the most prominent in the Black Market, then lifted his leg and walked inside.

Taixu Pavilion specialized in selling talismans and magical artifacts. It was divided into the Talisman Hall and the Artifact Palace.

The talismans here were basically the kind used by orthodox cultivators from outside Ghost Ridge Palace. Demon cultivators could use them too, but they were not quite as convenient.

Taixu Pavilion was also rather famous in the outside world, with an Attendant from the Secret Treasure Realm stationed there.

"Master Su."

As soon as he entered, a woman came over. She had an outstanding figure and appearance, wore an ornate palace dress with a long, five-colored palace sash tied around her waist, and had full, round hips and plump, warm lips. She wore no makeup and looked to be around thirty, with the rich charm of a young married woman.

"Sis Cai, it's only been a month since we last met, and you're even more beautiful and captivating now."

Su Jie raised his brows and spoke with a smile.

The woman before him was named Cai Chun'e. She was the manager of Taixu Pavilion and was rather famous in the Black Market for her beauty.

Su Jie had purchased talismans from her before, and had also sold her several batches of Poisonous Insects acquired by Taixu Pavilion, so they had dealt with each other a few times.

"Master Su, you're really good at joking."

Cai Chun'e covered her lips and giggled coquettishly. "You never visit the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. What have you come to purchase today?"

"I want to buy some talismans—defensive ones."

Su Jie explained that he was not lacking in offense now, but his defenses were still a little weak.

He had only one life, so he could never be too careful.

"Come with me."

Cai Chun'e gave a slight nod and led Su Jie upstairs to the second floor.

As she climbed, her half-length palace dress revealed her jade-white legs. Her buttocks swayed lightly as she walked, exuding a captivating charm.

Cai Chun'e seemed to notice his gaze and reached back to press down her skirt.

When they arrived on the second floor, dozens or even hundreds of talismans were displayed on racks protected by tightly sealed arrays and restrictions. They glimmered with spiritual radiance, making anyone who looked at them feel dazzled.

Su Jie was also extremely eager for these talismans. In the Tianyuan World, whether one was a talisman master, an alchemist, or an artifact refiner, anyone talented enough to master their craft was a first-rate rich person.

"This low-grade, basic Golden Whirlwind Talisman can create a deflecting spiritual-force field that diverts incoming long-range attacks. It costs twelve Blood Marrow Crystals. The low-grade, basic Divine Speed Talisman can stimulate the spiritual meridians in your legs, greatly increasing your speed for one minute. It costs ten Blood Marrow Crystals. And this low-grade, intermediate Heavenly Escape Fire Talisman can condense a high-temperature fire shield to protect your entire body. It costs fifty Blood Marrow Crystals."

Cai Chun'e introduced the talismans to Su Jie in great detail. However, she did not explain the low-grade advanced talismans much. Their prices started at over a hundred Blood Marrow Crystals, which ordinary outer disciples could hardly afford.

"Have the prices gone up? I remember the Golden Whirlwind Talisman used to sell for ten Blood Marrow Crystals. The other talismans are rather expensive too."

Su Jie frowned slightly. All these prices had risen compared to before.

"Because the trade routes have recently been harassed by Strange Ghosts so frequently, our procurement costs have increased. To barely keep from losing money, we had no choice but to raise the prices a little."

Cai Chun'e seemed to have heard similar complaints many times. She did not panic at Su Jie's words in the slightest.

What a profiteer.

Su Jie cursed inwardly.

But then he thought about the kind of merchants who dared enter the Black Market to do business with Ghost Ridge Palace. It was hardly surprising that they would hoard scarce goods and drive up prices.

"I'll look around at the other shops first."

Although Cai Chun'e was exceptionally alluring, this concerned his purse. Su Jie still had to compare prices among several stores. He could not let beauty cloud his judgment.

Cai Chun'e smiled, completely confident. "Please do, Master Su."

Su Jie left Taixu Pavilion and headed for other shops that sold talismans.

There was no such thing as intellectual property for talismans. Low-grade talismans in particular were produced in the greatest quantities and sold the best, so many shops carried them.

However, after making a full circuit of the Black Market, Su Jie's face had turned dark.

Compared with Taixu Pavilion, the other shops had raised their talisman prices even more viciously.

It was not just talismans. The prices of all kinds of combat-related materials had shot straight upward, making Su Jie's brows twitch repeatedly.

An hour later, Su Jie returned to Taixu Pavilion.

Cai Chun'e was waiting at the entrance. Having expected him to come back, she smiled sweetly when she saw him. "Master Su, our prices at Taixu Pavilion are the most sincere in the entire Black Market. You can buy with confidence."

Su Jie was speechless because everything Cai Chun'e said was true.

"Give me two Golden Whirlwind Talismans and one Divine Speed Talisman."

Su Jie did not haggle any further and told Cai Chun'e what he wanted to buy.

He had spent ten Blood Marrow Crystals on the Tiger Roar Fist martial art some time ago, so his entire fortune now amounted to only thirty-five Blood Marrow Crystals. Even that had come from selling Peng Shiwen's corpse. Otherwise, Su Jie would have been even poorer.

"Thank you for patronizing us, Master Su."

Cai Chun'e handed the talismans to Su Jie and collected thirty-four Blood Marrow Crystals from him.

"May I ask if you need anything else? Would you like to take a look at magical artifacts?"

Perhaps because she saw that Su Jie was fairly wealthy among the outer disciples, Cai Chun'e continued promoting her wares, hoping to sell him more.

"I'm out of money. If Sis Cai is willing to give me one, I certainly won't object."

Su Jie turned out his completely empty pockets. How could he not want to buy a magical artifact?

But unlike talismans, which were disposable items that vanished after use, magical artifacts could be used continuously as long as they were not damaged. Thus, even the cheapest low-grade, basic magical artifact cost over a hundred Blood Marrow Crystals.

It was not that he did not want to buy one. He was simply too short of cash.

Cai Chun'e pursed her lips and gave Su Jie a coquettish, flirtatious look. "I would be willing, but Taixu Pavilion isn't mine to give away. I can only welcome Master Su to come shopping again next time."

Su Jie spread his hands and curled his lips. "At these prices, I'm afraid I can't afford to buy anything."

Following this trend, if the Strange Ghost problem could not be resolved in the short term, the prices of these combat-related goods would certainly continue to rise with the tide.

After purchasing the talismans, Su Jie did not linger.

The moment he walked out of Taixu Pavilion, his ears twitched. He heard a burst of commotion.

On the street, a group of disciples were pushing a flatbed cart through the market with great fanfare.

Lying on the flatbed was a humanoid creature with pale skin, standing over three meters tall, claws sharp as steel blades, eyes scarlet as blood, and an utterly terrifying appearance.

It was a Strange Ghost—but one that was already dead.

A huge hole had been blasted through its heart, and all its internal organs could be seen, crushed to pieces.

Several disciples stood beside the cart, looking around with faces full of pride.

A crowd of merchants surged forward, surrounding the disciples and showering them with endless flattery.

"You actually managed to kill a Strange Ghost! You gentlemen are truly remarkable."

"How about selling this Strange Ghost to our Mingguang Tower? We're willing to pay a high price—three hundred Blood Marrow Crystals."

"Our Chen Family Chamber of Commerce is willing to offer three hundred and fifty Blood Marrow Crystals."

"We'll offer—"

The merchants crowded around the flatbed and bid enthusiastically, while more and more merchants continued joining in.

From behind Su Jie, Cai Chun'e also hurried out of Taixu Pavilion. Lifting her skirt, she rushed straight into the bidding crowd.

The scene of fierce bidding left the disciples throughout the Black Market street green with envy.

Su Jie was also somewhat tempted. The materials from a Strange Ghost were extremely precious. Its skin and flesh were worthless, but its bones were another matter entirely.

After the Strange Ghost's bones were ground into powder and added during the forging of a magical artifact, they could greatly increase the success rate and quality of the forging. That was why the merchants were bidding so excitedly.

I wonder how great a price they paid.

Su Jie glanced at the disciples around the flatbed. Most of them were covered in blood. Strange Ghosts possessed terrifying combat power; injuring one required the cooperation of several disciples, let alone killing it.

Su Jie watched the auction as well. In the end, the Strange Ghost sold for the sky-high price of five hundred and fifty Blood Marrow Crystals.

The merchants who had failed to win the bid dispersed in twos and threes, while Cai Chun'e returned with a disappointed expression.

"Sis Cai, Taixu Pavilion wants a Strange Ghost corpse too?"

Su Jie saw Cai Chun'e return empty-handed, her expression full of disappointment.

With Taixu Pavilion's vast wealth and influence, surely it did not need to go this far.

"The heaven's favored daughter of the Lin Family, Lin Lan, will soon celebrate her eighteenth birthday. Her father is a famous artifact refiner and plans to personally forge a supreme-grade magical artifact for her. It requires a large amount of Strange Ghost bone powder, and the price of that stuff has doubled recently."

Cai Chun'e gave him an explanation. The moment Su Jie heard "Lin Family," he immediately understood.

In Qingzhou of the outside world, the Lin Family was a behemoth. It had been passed down for over a thousand years, and its clan was filled with powerful experts.

Those merchants were probably purchasing Strange Ghost corpses to curry favor with this thousand-year-old Aristocratic Clan.

After explaining, Cai Chun'e continued, "Master Su, you bought those talismans because you're going on a mountain patrol to protect the path, right? If you happen to obtain a Strange Ghost corpse, please consider your elder sister. I'll give you a good price."

"Sis Cai, you think too highly of me. I'm not that capable."

"Not necessarily. I'm pretty accurate when it comes to judging people."

Cai Chun'e studied Su Jie's waist and abdomen thoughtfully. Then she suddenly leaned close to his ear and said with a smile, "Master Su seemed to be very fond of staring at this servant's butt just now. If you can obtain a Strange Ghost corpse, I can let you experience how it feels."

Leaving him with those tempting words, Cai Chun'e swayed her alluring figure and walked back into Taixu Pavilion.

"That enchantress."

Su Jie rubbed his chest, lowered his eyes, and pondered inwardly. Could she have discovered the Thousand-Hand Centipede's condition?

Unfortunately, it would be difficult to question her and verify the matter.

Su Jie could only suppress his doubts for the time being before turning around and returning to the Ghost Ridge Palace station.