Everything Forbidden Outside... Is Here!

"Only what?"

Jiang Che asked doubtfully.

"Never mind. Come with me."

With that, Shao Jianbo led Jiang Che to another side room.

This seemed to be Shao Jianbo's bedroom. Its layout was much like the rest of Shao Estate, all in an elegant style.

Only, the shelves held quite a few strange little trinkets.

There were colorful ceramic figurines, thumb-length little swords, miniature house models, and so on.

"Aren't these collectibles...? Looks like Senior Brother Shao likes this sort of thing."

Jiang Che's understanding of Shao Jianbo deepened a little further.

Shao Jianbo walked over to a shelf, took down a silver mask, and handed it to him.

Jiang Che caught it and examined it carefully.

The mask bore the character Xuan, with a tiny number "seventy-two" beneath it.

"Senior Brother Shao, what is this?" Jiang Che asked.

"This is a membership token for Mystic Pavilion. Put simply, Mystic Pavilion is a place for secret transactions. Everything that is hard to buy outside, or forbidden from being sold... is available here!" Shao Jianbo raised his brows and spoke with a mysterious look.

"Isn't Mystic Pavilion a pawnshop?" Jiang Che asked skeptically.

He vaguely remembered Mystic Pavilion being a pawnshop in the Inner City, a grand three-story building.

But he had nothing to pawn, so he had never gone inside, only looked at it from outside.

"The pawnshop is merely its disguise." Shao Jianbo shook his head.

"In truth, it is a secret trading fair jointly initiated by the Five Great Families and several major gangs. It operates by invitation only.

"It only opens on the fifteenth of each month. The next opening will be ten days from now.

"Once inside, everyone must wear masks throughout and may not show their true faces. Everyone addresses one another by number.

"Still, there isn't really anything all that special inside. After going a few times, I found it rather boring."

Shao Jianbo explained.

"So that was it..."

Jiang Che nodded. It was normal enough for wealthy people to run a place like this in secret.

"Take this and use it. They recognize the mask, not the person. Just return it to me when you're done."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Shao!"

The next day, in Shao Estate's study.

As Jiang Che wrote, his expression suddenly froze.

[Calligraphy Major Accomplishment Realm (1/400)]

"Calligraphy leveled up!"

Jiang Che was both startled and delighted.

What had once taken ten days of writing to earn could now be gained in a single day here!

"Let's see what calligraphy at Major Accomplishment Realm can do..."

Jiang Che took out another fresh sheet of rice paper and began writing.

"Hmm?"

Seeing Jiang Che's handwriting suddenly change, Shao Jianbo was somewhat surprised.

Looking more closely, he found that the script carried more imposing momentum than before, as though it had risen another level!

"Was this kid hiding his true skill before, or has he improved again?"

Shao Jianbo was uncertain.

His previous writing had been good, but it still carried a faint trace of immaturity.

It could barely compare with the renowned masters of the Capital City, but against the very best grandmasters, the gap was vast.

Yet now, his writing faintly possessed the bearing of a master!

Shao Jianbo said nothing. He wanted to observe for a few more days.

Over the following days, he found Jiang Che's handwriting growing better and better. It did not seem as though he had been concealing his skill; rather, he truly appeared to be improving at a breakneck pace.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Junior Brother Jiang, you're truly a Calligraphy prodigy. Practicing martial arts is holding you back! Why not stop training and specialize in writing? I'll sell your work for you! Your future achievements certainly won't be inferior to Master Qin's!"

Holding Jiang Che's newly written calligraphy copybook, Shao Jianbo marveled as he examined it.

"Senior Brother, don't tease me. It's truly just a hobby. I feel that writing helps calm my mind, so I've kept up the habit."

Although he had not told his senior brother the full truth, if the world were peaceful, he might truly have become a calligrapher.

Not only would it be easier, it would also earn more money than martial arts training.

But he knew this world was anything but peaceful.

It could be said that danger lurked on all sides; at any moment, the world might descend into chaos.

Only by constantly pursuing higher martial realms could he survive and protect his family.

"Fifty taels is far too little. It's simply an insult to your work! How about this? I'll raise it to one hundred taels!" Shao Jianbo set down the copybook and declared domineeringly.

Ten days later.

Holding ten Gold Leaf notes in his hands, Jiang Che felt as though he were dreaming.

"One thousand taels... Rich young masters' money really is easy to earn..."

He could not help but sigh.

He recalled how he had fought tooth and nail before just to earn a few dozen taels.

Had he not encountered a Black Beast at the Stone Skin Realm, he likely would not even have been able to afford a house. He would still be living in that shabby little house in the south of the city.

Jiang Che wrapped the ten Gold Leaf notes in a bundle and tucked them into the hidden pocket inside his clothes.

He then wrapped up the silver mask as well, placed it in the bundle he carried with him, and headed out.

Today was the day Mystic Pavilion held its trading event. Jiang Che was going to buy martial arts manuals.

Before long, Jiang Che arrived at Mystic Pavilion.

The building had three stories. Compared to an ordinary pawnshop, it was only slightly larger and grander. He had passed by it many times before, never imagining that it concealed such profound mysteries.

Jiang Che entered. The displays and furnishings in the first-floor hall were no different from those of an ordinary pawnshop.

Seeing a customer arrive, a clerk stepped forward and asked, "Sir, are you here to pawn or redeem?"

"I'm here to redeem. Xuan, cabinet number three," Jiang Che said.

This was the code phrase Shao Jianbo had told him. Once he said it, someone would take him to the third floor.

Sure enough, the clerk said, "Young master, this way please!"

Jiang Che nodded and followed him upstairs.

Upon reaching the third floor, he saw a dim little corridor ahead.

"Guest, I won't be going any farther. Once I head downstairs, put on your mask and keep walking inward. That will lead you to Xuanji Secret Market."

After saying this, the clerk went downstairs.

Jiang Che took out the mask and put it on. In an instant, his entire face was covered, leaving only his eyes exposed.

He continued walking inward and soon emerged from the corridor.

Ahead stood a closed door, with a table beside it.

A middle-aged man in a blue robe sat at the desk, copying account records.

When he saw Jiang Che arrive, the man rose to his feet.

"Guest, please stop."

Then he leaned closer to inspect Jiang Che's mask number and the pattern along its edge.

"Seventy-two..."

After confirming that everything was correct, the middle-aged man recorded the time and number in the ledger.

"All right. Once you enter, you will be in Xuanji Secret Market. Take note: no haggling is allowed inside. Every price is fixed.

"Also, whether buying or selling, Mystic Pavilion takes a ten percent commission in the end."

"I understand." Jiang Che nodded.

Shao Jianbo had told him this already.

He could understand that as well.

After all, Mystic Pavilion had expended manpower and resources to keep Xuanji Secret Market running. They certainly were not doing it out of kindness.

Jiang Che walked to the door and gave it a gentle push.

In an instant, Jiang Che felt as though he had stepped into a bustling marketplace.

This was an exceptionally spacious hall.

The hall was packed with stalls selling all manner of goods.

With a casual glance, Jiang Che saw shops selling prohibited weapons, rare Exotic Beast Meat, all kinds of medicinal pills, and more.

There were even more buyers. Almost every stall had people stopping before it to browse.

"I never expected there to be so many people!"

Jiang Che was somewhat shocked. There had to be several hundred people inside.

Whether they were vendors or buyers, all wore silver masks marked with different numbers.

Jiang Che noticed that the highest mask number had even reached the nine hundreds.

His own "seventy-two" was already a rather early number.

However, the size of the number did not signify anything. It merely indicated when one had joined.

Thus, it drew no particular attention.

Jiang Che followed the crowd and browsed the stalls one by one.

Besides martial arts manuals, he also wanted to see whether there was anything else useful.

As he walked, he suddenly spotted a small iron cage on one stall.

Inside the cage was a little black rabbit that gave off faint wisps of black smoke.

"A Black Beast Cub!" Jiang Che was shocked.