Green Forest Black Market

"This Black Market isn't anything special."

"After all, wherever there are people, there is a Jianghu."

"There will always be trades that must be conducted in the shadows."

"Scarce resources like Exotic Beast Meat are hard to buy openly; they are monopolized by martial arts halls and various factions. Only in the Black Market can one try their luck."

Zhang Meng picked his teeth while holding forth.

"Then, Senior Brother, could you take me to see this Black Market?!"

"Not these few days. Ram City is too small, and the Black Market only opens once every half month."

Zhang Meng counted on his fingers.

"The next time should be in September, in... five days. I'll take you then."

"Great! Many thanks, Senior Brother."

Time flew by, and soon it was September.

Tonight was the day Li Beichen and Zhang Meng had agreed to go to the Black Market together.

Zhang Meng had warned him in advance that murder and robbery were common occurrences in the Black Market.

He told him to be careful and keep his identity hidden.

Li Beichen put on the Tiger-Head Mask he had used the night he killed Zhou Zhongru, draped himself in a black cloth cloak, and smeared himself with grass juice to mask his physique and scent.

With the [Hunting] skill under his belt, even though he hadn't gone into the mountains for some time, the craft had not grown rusty.

He was also adept at concealment and stealth.

Furthermore, beneath his cloak, Li Beichen was well-prepared with a supply of specially crafted Locust Stones.

He also tucked a Refined Iron Dagger into his belt.

Clutching five hundred taels in silver notes, he arrived at the meeting spot agreed upon with Senior Brother Zhang Meng.

Just then, a familiar figure, as sturdy as a black bear, emerged leisurely from the shadows wearing an Ox-Head Mask.

That Ox-Head Mask was the very one that had sat beside the Tiger-Head Mask in the Hundred Flowers Pavilion when Zhang Meng had shown them to him.

"Senior Brother?!"

Li Beichen called out in a low voice.

"Old Seven, follow me."

A familiar voice came from beneath the Ox-Head Mask.

"Right!"

Li Beichen followed Zhang Meng, heading east.

Before long, the gates of Ram City appeared before them.

At this time, there was still over an hour before the city gates closed.

"Senior Brother, is the Black Market not inside Ram City?"

"Naturally. The martial artists in the Black Market are a mixed bag of all sorts; it's perfectly normal for wanted criminals to be among them."

"They, of course, have no desire to trade within Ram City."

"I see..."

The two chatted in low voices, their pace never slowing.

They were soon out of the city.

As the night grew thicker, another thought occurred to Li Beichen.

"Then, Senior Brother, will we be spending the night outside? We could go to Clear Creek Village; I still have a thatched hut there where we could make do for the night."

"No need. Someone will leave a door open for us tonight."

"Whenever the Black Market is held, the East Gate of Ram City is only left ajar, so we can slip back in."

"It has developed to this extent..."

"That is only natural. Every martial artist in Ram City above the Eighth Grade knows of the Black Market's existence, and they have connections among both officials and merchants."

"Leaving a door ajar for convenient travel is, naturally, a simple matter."

Li Beichen nodded.

One could see the whole leopard by catching a glimpse of a single spot.

Ram City was considered one of the key towns of the Jiangnan Circuit, yet the city defenses of such a place would be left ajar all night just to facilitate the Black Market.

This was a grave crime punishable by the destruction of one's family and clan.

In the prime of the dynasty, such a thing would have been absolutely impossible.

But now, this had become a common occurrence.

It showed that the Liang Dynasty's control over the Nine Provinces had reached an all-time low; if even Ram City, a vital hub in the fertile Jiangnan region, was like this, then the remote regions were surely far worse.

The sense of urgency in Li Beichen's heart had never faded.

He paid close attention to these details in his daily life.

Because they represented how much longer he might be able to live in peace.

Li Beichen did not care whether the Liang Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, nor could he worry about the fate of the millions of commoners.

Although he possessed memories of two lifetimes, his previous life was already like smoke drifting past, and in this life, he had long been left all alone.

His parents and closest kin had all perished in agony during times of famine and hardship.

Li Beichen did not want to experience such things a second time in this life.

Yet in these chaotic times, if an individual wished to live with dignity, they could only rely on their fists and their blades.

To live—to live with dignity, unfettered and free.

This conviction had been the consistent support that sustained Li Beichen ever since he began practicing martial arts.

The night deepened, but the weather remained clear.

A crescent moon hung in the high heavens, and the starlight was exceptionally brilliant.

With the aid of the moon and stars, the surrounding paths were faintly discernible.

Li Beichen followed Zhang Meng through the darkness for about half an hour.

Then, he saw specks of light appearing in the dense forest ahead.

At this moment, Zhang Meng's voice suddenly rang out.

Muffled by his mask, it sounded somewhat nasal.

"Old Seven, we're almost there. It's right ahead."

"This patch of woods is the largest gathering point for the Black Market in Ram City over these past few years."

"Friends in the martial world call this place the Green Forest."

Beneath his Tiger-Head Mask, Li Beichen raised an eyebrow.

"Green Forest, Black Market."

"They certainly complement each other well."

As they spoke, the two of them truly entered the Green Forest Black Market.

Li Beichen cast a glance around.

He saw that most of the trees within the Green Forest had been felled, making the area quite spacious.

Lanterns were hung upon the few remaining trees, serving as streetlights.

The ground had also been leveled off quite neatly.

The vendors trading goods in the Black Market had each chosen a tree stump to sit upon, spreading their wares out before them.

They waited quietly for those destined to buy.

At this hour, the place was already bustling with people.

Some, like Li Beichen and Zhang Meng, wore masks, while others had their faces covered with scarves.

Most kept their true appearances hidden.

However, there was not a single frail person among them.

Every one of them was tall and sturdy.

They all appeared to be martial artists.

"Old Seven, are you coming with me, or will you wander on your own?"

"Senior Brother, I'd like to look around by myself first."

"That works. If you run into trouble, just shout, and I'll be there in an instant."

"We don't go looking for trouble, but we don't fear it either."

"Your Senior Brother can handle things in this Black Market."

Although this Black Market was the largest gathering place in Ram City, it only stretched for about a mile.

If Li Beichen were to shout, Zhang Meng could arrive in no time at all given his speed.

Therefore, Zhang Meng felt at ease letting Li Beichen go off on his own.

As a Senior Brother, Zhang Meng was quite competent.

He had brought the man out, and he would do his best to ensure Li Beichen's safety.

Li Beichen could naturally feel this as well.

"Understood, Senior Brother!"

"Go on then. Remember this old elm tree with the two lanterns hanging from it; we shall meet back here in an hour."

"Wait, there is also a premium auction later. I will take you to see it and broaden your horizons!"

"Everything out here is just an appetizer; the real treasures are all inside!"

Hearing Zhang Meng's instructions, Li Beichen had not expected such a pleasant surprise.

He nodded hurriedly and parted ways with Zhang Meng.

Li Beichen's primary goal this time was to purchase Exotic Beast Meat.

Everything else was secondary.

He kept a close eye on the surrounding stalls as he walked.

He discovered that all sorts of bizarre and strange items could be found here.

From cultivation manuals and burial artifacts dug out of tombs to animal bones—there were even women's undergarments on display.