Trading Bazaar, Mysterious Black Paper

"Black dress, silver hair, uses a sword, beautiful as a celestial being?"

The human youth manning the stall in the trading zone scratched the back of his head, frowning as he struggled to recall something, only to give up in defeat a moment later.

"Brother Mu Chen, do you know her name?"

This young man held Mu Chen in high regard and was therefore quite eager to help.

"Forget it, thank you."

Mu Chen's lips moved slightly, but in the end, he did not utter the name "Luo Li." He tossed down a spirit beast essence, turned, and walked away.

"You're a generous one, brother!"

The stall owner beamed as he accepted the payment, cupping his hands toward the retreating figure.

And just like that, the Royal Heir's first attempt at finding his wife came to an uneventful end.

The trading zone was vast, gathering nearly all the foot traffic in the entire Sanctuary.

Mu Chen walked along the street, scanning the stalls on both sides at a leisurely pace.

According to the Mu Clan family teachings, when out and about, if you don't pick up a bargain, you've suffered a massive loss!

"Hmm?"

Mu Chen, who had been strolling nonchalantly, suddenly stopped in front of a stall.

The stall was cluttered with the owner's diligent acquisitions: nameless spirit arts, broken beast bones, rare spirit plants, half-weathered medicinal pills, and fragments of divine weapons.

His gaze locked onto a speck of black in the corner.

It was a thin sheet of black paper, metallic in luster and about the size of a palm.

The surface of the black paper bore no text or dao marks, yet it faintly revealed some extremely blurred, mysterious patterns crisscrossing its surface, exuding a silent, archaic mystery.

It had been tossed carelessly into an inconspicuous corner, covered in dust for a long time.

It was clear the owner held it in contempt, discarding it like dirt.

Mu Chen squatted before the stall, picked up the thin black paper, and rubbed it between his fingers, making no effort to hide his interest. "I want this. Name your price."

The veterans of the Spirit Road were all talented individuals.

Every one of them was as cunning as a ghost, each shrewder than the last.

Rather than playing mind games, it was better to lay his cards on the table and negotiate openly.

"If it isn't Brother Mu Chen. I am surnamed Zhou, a pleasure to meet you."

The stall owner, Zhou, clearly recognized the youth who had displayed such formidable power at the city gates the day before.

"I have always admired your prestige, brother. Since you've asked, how about this number?"

Zhou had a good impression of Mu Chen and immediately gestured with his hand.

Some newcomers to the Spirit Road thought they could snag a bargain, either by pretending to pick up their desired item casually or by feigning interest in other goods before using their true target as a throw-in.

Then they would try to drive the price down—were they kidding?

Under the discerning eyes of someone like Zhou, who could pull off such a trick?

By comparison, this Brother Mu Chen was very straightforward!

"Five intermediate spirit beast essences? So cheap? I'll take it!"

Mu Chen looked at the five fingers the stall owner had spread, nodded immediately, took a low-level storage bag from his robes, and tossed it over, sighing at how cheap it was.

"Intermediate spirit beast essences? No, I meant five low-level ones..."

Zhou opened his mouth, instinctively catching the storage bag, but then wisely shut his mouth, his heart filled with wild joy.

I didn't even want to sell it, but he offered way too much!

Young man, you have no idea what you've just lost.

Mu Chen noticed the stall owner's joy and smiled without a word.

You might think you've made a killing, but I never lose.

With a chuckle, he tucked the mysterious black paper into his robes.

"Hold it, kid. I've taken a liking to that item as well."

Suddenly, a voice rang out from afar.

The crowd parted as a group of people approached, acting with arrogant, overbearing postures.

The man in the lead was a burly, sturdy youth.

His head was completely bald, his gaze was cold and sharp, and an oppressive aura radiated from his body.

As he arrived, those nearby who sensed the situation immediately scrambled to get out of the way.

"Brother, I, Shi, have also taken a liking to that thing. Name your price."

The burly youth walked up to the stall, baring his teeth in a grin, his tone indifferent.

Mu Chen naturally could not hand over the rare treasure he had just obtained.

He brushed the dust off his knees and stood up of his own accord.

The newcomer did not seem truly interested in the treasure; he had another purpose in mind.

"Kid, our boss is talking to you. Are you deaf?"

One of the burly youth's lackeys, unable to stand the sight, immediately barked.

"Sigh, do not be rude."

The burly youth seemed to have a decent temper; he waved a hand to stop his lackey's outburst, then turned his head to ask the stall owner, "Brother, would you be willing to sell that page of black paper to me?"

"No matter what price he offered, I, Shi, will pay double."

"The transaction between me and Brother Mu Chen has already been settled."

"Since the black paper belongs to Brother Mu, you should be asking him for it."

The stall owner, Zhou, refused without a second thought. After speaking, he looked the youth up and down and chuckled, "Also, are you sure you are willing to pay double?"

"Just now, Brother Mu paid five intermediate spirit beast essences."

The burly youth, who had been about to flaunt his wealth, froze mid-motion, unable to believe it.

Is he sick? Paying so much for a piece of trash blueprint of unknown origin?

Five intermediate spirit beast essences were worth at least twenty points; double that would be forty.

It was not that he could not afford the price, but rather that it simply was not worth it.

Furthermore, he had never intended to buy it in earnest; it was just a gimmick.

"Heh, since that is the case, I shall not deprive you of what you love."

Plagued by poverty, the burly youth gave an awkward laugh and stiffly changed the subject, then shifted his tone, "Mu Chen, is it? I, Shi Hao, will stop pretending. Do you dare to fight?"

Mu Chen smiled in realization.

He had been wondering why this person's behavior had been so strange and uncoordinated from the start, even harboring faint hostility. So, he had come for him.

Also, Shi Hao? I wonder if you have a nickname called "Huang."

"Shi Hao? So it is him, one of the newly emerged king-tier figures."

"I heard he has a brother born of the same mother named Shi Jingtian, who is also a level-six spirit body and a candidate for king. Two kings in one family!"

"If both brothers can reach the end of the Spirit Road, it would certainly be a fine tale."

"Where is the other king from the Shi family? Is he watching from the shadows?"

The crowd whispered, revealing the background of the youth surnamed Shi.

Hearing the various praises, Shi Hao could not help but show a look of self-satisfaction.

He and his brother hailed from a high-level continent. Their cultivation talents were astonishing, earning them the title of "Twin Stars," and the family behind them was the absolute ruler of that continent, wielding immense power.

Having been selected for the Spirit Road and becoming a king-tier seed, he naturally had the capital to be proud.

After all, looking across the Spirit Road, level-six spirit bodies were few and far between.

Naturally combative, he had heard of Mu Chen's exploits and felt unconvinced. He had specifically left his brother behind and led a group of lackeys to this Sanctuary, intending to test his strength.

"I have heard of your battle record."

"A month ago, in the Qiyun Mountain Range, you defeated three level-five spirit bodies simultaneously. You are suspected to be at the late stage of level five."

"The day before yesterday, you even defeated Chu Qi, who was at the peak of level five. I fear you are already at the half-step level-six. I hope you do not disappoint me."

Shi Hao stood with his arms crossed, reciting his opponent's intelligence one by one.

I know your roots clearly, while you know nothing of me.

Kid, what do you have to fight me with!