The scene shifted.
In the Southern Region, inside an abandoned mine.
This was an underground Black Market intelligence hub, beyond the control of the major sects.
The people who came and went were a mixed lot: Rogue Cultivators, demonic cultivators, sect disciples, and even information brokers who made their living selling news.
By day, the place lay silent and deserted. Once night fell, lights flickered deep in the mine, and the tunnels filled with noisy voices.
Secret news about the various factions, sect gossip—if you had the money, you could buy it all here.
Lin Hao had changed into an ordinary gray cloth outfit and altered his appearance.
Keeping his head down and his body hunched, he blended into the passing crowd.
He kept his eyes forward the entire way and spoke to no one.
By the dim firelight, Lin Hao scanned his surroundings.
Soon, he spotted an inconspicuous stall in the corner.
It had no sign, just a black stone counter. Behind it sat a middle-aged man wrapped in a black robe, his features hidden from view.
He was the most famous information broker in the Black Market.
Lin Hao walked over and stopped in front of the stall.
The man in black raised his head slightly, his voice hoarse and dry.
"Are you buying information or selling it?"
Lin Hao lowered his voice, his tone icy.
"I have a piece of information to sell. It's valuable. Are you interested?"
The black-robed man shifted slightly in his seat, intrigued.
"That depends on what you've got. Ordinary news isn't worth much."
A sinister smile tugged at Lin Hao's lips as he spoke softly.
"Su Yun, Azure Cloud Sect's number-one prodigy."
"He recently accepted a high-level sect mission and went alone to the Canglang River to slay a River Demon."
In