The Desolate Mountain Black Market, Trading Secret Manuals

"Someone ahead."

After traveling half a mile into the desolate mountains, Su Mu, whose senses were far superior to others, quickly detected someone ahead. In the dark, wild forest, human-powered flatbed carts were parked, and figures bustled around them, their hushed whispers carrying on the night air. The cart pullers, dressed in black and wearing masks, made the scene appear somewhat eerie and sinister.

Su Mu continued forward for another ten meters before anyone noticed his presence.

"Do you have a token?"

Sensing Su Mu's approach, a cart puller wearing a Red Ghost Mask spoke in a hoarse voice.

Su Mu remained silent, reaching into his clothes and producing a token, which he waved in front of the cart puller.

"Get on."

The cart puller glanced at the token, gestured for Su Mu to get on, and without hesitation, Su Mu climbed aboard. The cart puller then began pulling the cart deeper into the mountains.

Along the way, Su Mu saw other wooden carts carrying passengers. The people in these carts glanced at him as he passed. It was clear that they, like him, were guests heading to the Black Market that night. They had all disguised themselves beforehand, concealing their true faces and identities.

"We're here, guest."

Before long, the cart puller's hoarse voice sounded again. Su Mu looked closely and saw a village nestled in the desolate mountains. It appeared long abandoned, likely devoid of villagers on normal days, but now it served as the venue for the Black Market.

Following the firelight, a cacophony of noise reached his ears. Along the village paths, scattered stalls were set up. Guests wearing masks, patrons of the Black Market, moved among them. If one didn't know better, it would look like a parade of a hundred ghosts.

Su Mu entered with a degree of caution, avoiding contact and conversation with others at the Black Market. His gaze swept over the various stalls, which displayed a bizarre assortment of items difficult to acquire elsewhere. There were even forbidden items like armor.

Perhaps I can forge some weapons to sell in the future, Su Mu thought to himself.

Besides selling goods, the Black Market also had stalls buying items. Su Mu noticed a small stall displaying a wooden sign that read: "Buying Demonic Beast Blood."

Demonic Beast.

Su Mu's eyes narrowed slightly. He had encountered this term in the manual for the Tiger Subduing Fist. This world not only had martial artists who could cultivate martial arts but also demonic beasts that could cultivate. Demonic beasts were powerful, their strength generally far surpassing that of martial artists of the same realm.

The Tiger Subduing Fist mimicked the fighting style of fierce tigers. The tigers mentioned in the manual were not ordinary forest tigers but demonic tigers.

However, the description of demonic beasts in the Tiger Subduing Fist manual was brief, and Su Mu didn't know much about them. But he was certain that anyone openly buying demonic beast blood was not to be trifled with.

Immediately, Su Mu withdrew his gaze and continued forward.

"Toxin extracted from the Crimson Blood Snake Poison Sac. When coated on weapons, it causes unceasing bleeding and difficult-to-heal wounds for those cut. Priced at fifty taels of silver per jar."

"Armor forged by fusing Fine Iron with Cold Iron. Impervious to water and fire, impenetrable by blades and spears. Priced at three hundred taels of silver per set."

"Blood Burning Bone Forging Pill. After consumption, it can allow a Qi Refining Martial Artist to break through to the Eighth Rank Bone Forging Realm, but it has certain side effects. Priced at two hundred taels each."

The items at the Black Market were astonishingly expensive. Su Mu subtly touched the fifteen taels of silver in his pocket, realizing that it was likely unrealistic to buy martial arts manuals with money this time.

However, Su Mu had come prepared. He had also brought the Tiger Subduing Fist manual. If he didn't have enough money, he could trade items, using manuals to exchange for other manuals.

I need to keep my eyes open.

Su Mu wasn't foolish enough to believe everything on these stalls was genuine. Take the so-called Blood Burning Bone Forging Pill, for instance. The description claimed it could help a Ninth Rank martial artist forcibly break through to the Eighth Rank.

Putting aside whether the effect was real, he knew that the "certain side effects" were probably not simple and might even be fatal.

Otherwise, how could a pill that could create an Eighth Rank Bone Forging Realm expert only cost two hundred taels of silver? Considering that Ninth Rank Qi Refining Martial Artists were rare in the entire Qingshui Town.

There was only one Eighth Rank Bone Forging Realm martial artist, Zhao Xuan, the leader of the Black Tiger Gang, who reportedly broke through the year before last.

This was also one of the reasons the Black Tiger Gang could act with impunity in Qingshui Town, with even the town's authorities turning a blind eye to their actions.

In short, all sales at this Black Market were final, with no refunds or guarantees. Any deception suffered would only be attributable to one's own lack of discernment.

Before long, Su Mu stopped at a small stall at the end of the village. On the stall were various martial arts manuals, displayed openly like common vegetables.

This person's aura is similar to Wu Heng's from that day. He should be a Ninth Rank Qi Refining Martial Artist.

Su Mu judged the strength of the stall owner, who wore an Egret Mask.

"Guest, all the martial arts manuals on my stall are top-notch, reasonably priced, and I guarantee fair dealings."

"If you're interested, you can flip through the first three pages for free."

Noticing Su Mu's gaze, the stall owner chuckled and spoke.

Free to look at the first three pages?

Su Mu's heart stirred. He casually picked up a manual from the stall. The cover read Rock Shattering Fist. It was clearly a fist technique. Su Mu's action seemed casual, but he had deliberately chosen a fist technique manual.

Currently, he had only cultivated the Tiger Subduing Fist and understood fist techniques. He then began to read the first three pages of the manual.

This Rock Shattering Fist should be genuine!

After a moment, Su Mu had a general judgment. He had already mastered the Tiger Subduing Fist and had a certain understanding of Force, human acupoints, Qi, blood, and meridians. The Qi and blood circulation diagrams and the Force exertion methods in this fist technique's outline bore some resemblance to the Tiger Subduing Fist.

This is a Ninth Rank fist technique, but this technique is probably... inferior to the Tiger Subduing Fist. Su Mu mused.

Just then, the stall owner's voice interrupted Su Mu's thoughts. "Guest, you've been reading for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. If you wish to continue, perhaps you should buy it."

The stall owner reached out and placed a hand on the manual Su Mu was holding. A surge of Force emanated from him, and he then took the fist technique manual back from Su Mu.

"How much are the manuals on your stall?"

Su Mu calmly withdrew his hand and asked casually. After examining the Rock Shattering Fist, Su Mu had a general understanding of the quality of the manuals on this stall. Most of them were likely inferior to the Tiger Subduing Fist.

Therefore, Su Mu abandoned the idea of choosing a boxing technique and decided to pick a movement technique.

The scene of encountering the Scarred Man flashed before his eyes. Beneath his mask, Su Mu's eyes narrowed slightly. With a movement technique, if he encountered a powerful enemy he couldn't defeat in the future, he could rely on it to escape, rather than being forced to fight to the death as he had that day.

"100 taels of silver per copy, no bargaining."

The stall owner replied, taking back the manual.

"100 taels of silver..."

Su Mu was a little taken aback. He knew that manuals were expensive, but he hadn't expected them to be so costly. The dozen or so taels of silver he carried were woefully insufficient. Su Mu's brow furrowed slightly.

Seeing Su Mu hesitate, the stall owner clearly grew displeased. This guy had looked for the time it takes an incense stick to burn and then didn't buy anything, delaying his business.

At this moment, Su Mu lowered his voice and said softly, "I also have a manual here. Can we trade?"

Su Mu had long since memorized the Tiger Subduing Fist manual. To be safe, he had even copied a version and left it at home these past few days. With a modern mindset, Su Mu wouldn't hoard his knowledge. In his opinion, martial arts manuals could be copied and traded.

In any case, he wouldn't end up with fewer martial arts manuals, and he certainly wouldn't lose out.

Upon hearing this, the stall owner pondered for a moment. He knew the person in front of him was likely a Ranked Martial Artist, otherwise, Su Mu wouldn't have been able to easily withstand his Force. Someone like that was likely a person of some standing in this area. Perhaps he could give it a try?

"Yes, but I need to check if the manual is genuine."

"Naturally."

Su Mu readily agreed and immediately took the Tiger Subduing Fist manual from his embrace and handed it over.

Seeing the words "Tiger Subduing Fist" on the manual, the stall owner with the Egret Mask trembled slightly, then quickly lowered the manual, concealing its cover in the darkness.

Su Mu's senses were keen, and this small action did not escape his notice. Su Mu became suspicious. Did this Tiger Subduing Fist have some significant background?

The stall owner quickly flipped through a few pages and then closed the manual. "The manual you have is indeed genuine. You can choose any manual from my stall, but you must promise me that you will not sell it in this Black Market afterward."

Su Mu didn't speak but motionlessly placed a hand on the Tiger Subduing Fist manual.

"I can agree to your condition, but one copy isn't enough. You're essentially only giving me a copied manual, and then you'll be able to sell my manuals. This deal is too much of a loss for me."

"How do you want it?"

"Three copies. I want three manuals."

Hearing this, the stall owner immediately shook his head. "No, two copies at most."

Two copies met Su Mu's expectations; three was just a bargaining tactic.

Su Mu then pretended to ponder before agreeing, "Alright, two copies then. But I have one small question I hope you can answer for me."