Target Completed!

The city gates of Lingyun County were in sight.

Instructor Yang, who was driving, and the wealthy merchant inside the carriage let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.

A sense of exhaustion and relaxation after a long journey washed over them.

Finally, they had reached their destination!

"Sir!"

The wealthy merchant nimbly leaped from the carriage and hurried to the fifth carriage, bowing deeply to Su Xian, who was seated within. His posture was extremely humble.

"After we enter the city, if you do not yet have a place to stay, I would be honored to arrange a quiet residence for you. It is but a small token of my appreciation!"

"No need!"

Su Xian's voice was calm as he flatly refused the merchant's kind offer.

Before his words had even faded, he had already dismounted the carriage like a phantom. His figure flickered, and he merged directly into the bustling crowds of Lingyun County, vanishing into the shadows of the city gate archway in an instant.

Escorting this merchant's caravan was merely a matter of convenience for him.

His true objective was to infiltrate the Black Market of Lingyun County and obtain that fourth-rank Body Refining Martial Skill.

The wealthy merchant watched the figure, as profound and imposing as a deep abyss, recede into the distance. Only then did the tension in his heart truly relax, as if a thousand pounds had been lifted from his shoulders.

Traveling with such a master, whose aura was deep and whose strength was unfathomable, had put him on edge every moment. The invisible pressure had nearly suffocated him.

Fortunately, this "bringer of calamity" was not as bloodthirsty as the notorious Scarred Twin Heroes!

"Move out!"

Instructor Yang shouted, cracking his whip to urge the five loaded carriages forward. They rumbled through the gates of Lingyun County.

Upon entering the city, Su Xian did not act immediately. Instead, he found an inconspicuous inn to rest, using the time to recuperate and discreetly gather information about the customs, local conditions, and power structures of Lingyun County.

The order here was indeed much better than in the chaotic Blackwater County. The County Yamen still managed to maintain some semblance of dignity.

The root cause, he surmised, was likely that this place was far from the Green Dragon Mountains.

The demons in the mountains were too lazy to travel such a distance to cause trouble here, which was why Lingyun County possessed this rare appearance of peace.

The next day at noon, Su Xian had already ascertained the exact location of the Black Market.

However, he did not rush to go there, planning to visit at night instead.

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and dusk settled in.

Su Xian sat alone in a private box on the second floor of a restaurant, leisurely savoring his meal. His gaze, however, swept over the street below.

He saw a group of gaunt, ragged individuals whose eyes burned with an almost fanatical fire. They chanted unintelligibly, repeatedly reciting the strange mantra of "Eternal Mother, Void Homeland" as they shuffled down the long street.

"White Lotus Cult?" Su Xian frowned slightly.

"I didn't expect such heretical cults to be entrenched in this seemingly peaceful Lingyun County?"

He mused inwardly, shaking his head slightly.

As far as he knew, the White Lotus Cult had risen amidst the collapse of the imperial dynasty's order, spreading like a plague throughout the court and the country.

In Su Xian's eyes, their essence was no different from those martial arts gangs fighting for territory, only their methods of bewitching people and expanding their influence were more insidious and swift!

Their reach had long since permeated every corner of the empire's territory.

Even though some in the court wished to eradicate them completely, they were often powerless to do so, lamenting their inability.

Su Xian withdrew his gaze and shook his head. This White Lotus Cult had nothing to do with him!

After paying his bill, Su Xian gracefully left the restaurant.

On the street, he casually bought a black cloth from a small stall, covering his face to conceal his true features, and then proceeded to the Black Market of Lingyun County.

Stepping into this underground world, Su Xian immediately began searching for his target.

The Black Market of Lingyun County was smaller than that of Blackwater County, and its layout was also somewhat cramped.

Perhaps due to the better order above ground, transactions here appeared more subdued, and demand was much weaker.

Su Xian's steps were steady, his gaze sharp as lightning, as he scanned the various stalls.

Not long after, a target locked onto his sight.

Even though the stall owner had changed his appearance and deliberately kept his clothing low-key, Su Xian was already ninety percent certain.

The reason was simple: the various Martial Skills and Cultivation Methods sold at this stall were priced significantly lower than those at other stalls.

This kind of bargain was exactly the same as when they had transacted in Blackwater County.

"Blackwater County, a fourth-grade Body Tempering Martial Skill."

Su Xian approached the stall, his voice calm and even, getting straight to the point.

Upon hearing this, the stall owner's head shot up, and he carefully examined the masked customer before him.

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, which then turned into a smile:

"Same old rules, money first, goods second!"

Su Xian nodded slightly, his long fingers plucking a thousand taels of silver notes from his robes and handing them over.

The stall owner took the silver notes, rubbing the surface with his fingertips, and couldn't help but grin:

"Heh, looks like you've struck it rich recently, kid!"

With that, he nimbly pulled out a yellowed, ancient secret manual from his inner clothing and tossed it to Su Xian with a flick of his wrist.

Su Xian reached out and caught it steadily. His fingers moved like a swift wind, rapidly flipping through the pages.

In an instant, the mysterious Demon Strategy in his mind flashed with light, and it had completely recorded this Martial Skill named Savage Dragon Bone Tempering Force.

It was indeed a fourth-grade Body Tempering Martial Skill!

With just a cursory glance at its essence, Su Xian had already grasped its extraordinary nature!

Among fourth-grade Body Tempering Martial Skills, it could definitely be considered top-tier!

If one could cultivate it to the perfected realm, their physical strength would be enough to contend with early-stage Viscera Nourishing Realm martial experts!

"Good, money and goods are settled."

Su Xian nodded in satisfaction, put the secret manual into his robes, and turned to leave.

"Wait a moment!"

The stall owner's voice rang out again.

Su Xian paused, turning his head to look back.

"Do you need any other Martial Skills or Cultivation Methods, kid?"

The stall owner's eyes gleamed, and he asked in a tempting tone, "Still fourth-grade, same price!"

"Oh?"

Su Xian's eyebrows rose slightly. "Still fourth-grade, and at the same price?"

"Precisely! I have two more hidden gems, both saber skills!"

"How about it? Want to take them both?"

The stall owner nodded repeatedly, his gaze fixed intently on Su Xian.

"Two fourth-grade saber skills?"

Su Xian pondered for a moment, a sharp glint in his eyes.

He was just about to advance his own saber techniques to the fifth grade, and these two items were excellent nourishment, saving him considerable precious Demon lifespan.

Once his mind was made up, he hesitated no longer, reaching into his robes and taking out another two thousand taels of silver notes.

"Hand over the goods."

"What a straightforward person! Wonderful!"

Seeing this, the stall owner laughed heartily and took the silver notes, then pulled out two more secret manuals from his robes, still warm, and tossed them to Su Xian.

Su Xian's hands moved in unison, flipping through the two saber skill manuals at an astonishing speed, and he had already come to a conclusion.

These two saber skills had fierce moves and powerful force, and were considered upper-middle tier among fourth-grade Martial Skills, with considerable might!

Although he still had over six hundred years of Demon lifespan, if he could save it, he would.

If money could be exchanged for a reduction in Demon lifespan consumption, this was an extremely worthwhile deal.

After securing all three secret manuals, Su Xian no longer lingered, turning to leave the Lingyun Black Market.

There was nothing else he needed here, and the prices were inflated. His objective had been met, so he should leave quickly.

"Is this the person who transacted with me in Blackwater County? He feels a bit different!"

"Even though he's wearing a mask, his height and build seem to have changed. It's probably not his real appearance!"

"Looks like he's a Bone Tempering Realm martial artist! Interesting!"

The stall owner watched Su Xian's retreating back, a smile on his face.

"The transaction is complete, and it's not wise to linger here. If I stay any longer, trouble might come looking for me."

He muttered to himself, a flicker of vigilance in his eyes.

He swiftly and nimbly swept all the items on his stall into his belongings, and his figure quickly disappeared into the intricate alleyways of the Black Market.

After leaving the Black Market, Su Xian couldn't help but frown.

He sensed two people quietly following him.

"Are they here again? Never mind, it's the perfect chance to test my Lightning Flowing Fire Slash!"