Black Market Seeks Rat, Sub-Stele Settled

He was clearly deeply impressed by the two guests with extraordinary auras. Seeing them now, he bent over like a shrimp.

"No need for further words," Jing Ke's voice was extremely cold. "We are looking for you on important business. Let's talk outside."

Ground Rat quickly nodded and bowed. "If the seniors command, this humble one will spare no effort, even through fire and water!"

Ground Rat dared not delay any longer and quickly followed the two out of the gambling den, turning into a nearby dead-end alley.

"You two seniors are looking for this humble one. What information do you wish to inquire about?"

"We are from Misty Rain Tower. My Misty Rain Tower is now officially emerging into the world to accept bounties. We need to find a suitable location to house our Misty Rain Tower's bounty stele. Do you know of any suitable places?" Jing Ke's tone was steady, yet carried an undeniable pressure.

"What! Seniors, you are actually people from Misty Rain Tower?" Ground Rat was instantly startled. Although he had previously led Jing Ke and the other to Langya Pavilion, he had not known their identities. Furthermore, Misty Rain Tower had recently engaged in a fierce battle with Qingyun Sect. His own strength was low, and he had not been able to witness the battle, but he had still heard about the situation.

Ground Rat bowed, rubbing his hands as he paced back and forth in the alley. His whiskers twitched slightly with his movements. "Are you seniors looking for a place to place the 'bounty stele'?"

"However, this Black Market already has a mission hall. If seniors were to place a bounty stele, you might offend the person behind the mission hall."

"It matters not! You only need to find a suitable place for us. You don't need to worry about anything else," Jing Ke said, looking at Ground Rat.

Upon hearing this, the fawning smile on Ground Rat's face faltered slightly, then quickly reappeared. "You're looking for a lively place? There's a knack to this—a place where people are numerous and talkative, the kind that 'looks chaotic but no one really cares'.

He led the two towards the center of the Black Market, passing stalls with their incessant cries, and arrived at a square.

"What do you think of this place?" Ground Rat pointed to an empty grocery store in a corner of the square. "People come and go here all day, and news spreads faster than the wind."

Jing Ke nodded, his gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd in the square. Then he turned to Ground Rat and said, "This is the place."

"I'll give you an opportunity. Join my Misty Rain Tower. What do you say?"

"What? Seniors, I really have a chance to join Misty Rain Tower?" Ground Rat exclaimed in astonishment. In this world, who wouldn't want a powerful backing? He never expected that he would be able to join the mysterious Misty Rain Tower.

"That's right! I intend to place my Misty Rain Tower's bounty stele in this grocery store, and you will be in charge of matters related to the bounty stele."

Ground Rat's eyes lit up, and he immediately replied, "This humble one is willing to join Misty Rain Tower!"

Jing Ke glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "Good! From now on, you are one of my Misty Rain Tower's people. But if I ever find out you betray Misty Rain Tower..." He lightly traced his fingertip across his dagger, and a cold glint flashed. "These dark canals of the Black Market can be used to sink corpses."

Ground Rat shivered and quickly nodded. "This humble one understands! This humble one would never dare! Then... shall this humble one go and secure the shop now?"

"Go," Jing Ke took out a storage bag from his embrace and threw it to Ground Rat. "We two will wait for you here."

The storage bag arced through the air and was steadily caught by Ground Rat. He weighed the storage bag, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He quickly tucked it into his embrace, bowing repeatedly. "This humble one will go and handle it immediately. I guarantee I'll be back with your reply within fifteen minutes!" With that, he ran out of the square like a gust of wind, disappearing into the alley entrance in an instant.

Only Jing Ke and Yao Li remained in front of the grocery store.

"Can Ground Rat be trusted? Is it a bit hasty to let him be in charge of the bounty stele?"

Jing Ke shook his head. "No need to worry! Have you forgotten the Blood Slaughter Art that the Lord bestowed upon us earlier? Cultivating this technique can make the practitioner loyal to my Misty Rain Tower."

A cold smile curved Yao Li's lips. "That's right! I had forgotten about that!"

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Ground Rat's voice was heard. "My Lord! It's done! This shop belongs to us from now on!" As he spoke, Ground Rat ran in, holding a string of rusty keys. "These are the keys to the shop."

Jing Ke took the keys and opened the shop, then glanced at Yao Li. Yao Li took out the palm-sized, completely black Sub-Stele from his embrace. Its material was identical to the main stele at the Misty Rain Tower's stronghold, just scaled down several times. The surface of the stele was currently smooth, with no writing on it yet. He walked to the center of the shop and flicked his finger. The Sub-Stele embedded itself into the ground like a nail, standing firmly and fitting seamlessly with the ground, as if it had always been there.

The moment the Sub-Stele landed, an invisible wave spread out from its center, resonating with the Misty Rain Tower's protective formation. Far away in the Misty Rain Tower, within the Guanyu Pavilion, a water mirror beside a sand table suddenly lit up, clearly reflecting the scene inside the grocery store.

"It's done," Yao Li said in a deep voice.

Ground Rat stared at the black stone stele that had appeared out of nowhere, his eyes wide. He reached out to touch it but was stopped by a glare from Yao Li. He reluctantly withdrew his hand, exclaiming, "Good heavens... This stele looks extraordinary. I'm afraid this grocery store of ours will be very lively from now on!"