Counter-Robbery

"This piece of Dragon Blood Wood—ten taels of gold. I'll take it!"

"These packets of Liyang Powder—one tael of gold!"

"Although this copy of Yin Blood Claw only covers the Bright Force stage, twenty taels of silver for a duplicate is fairly cheap."

In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, Wang Sheng had traded away everything on his stall and acquired all the items he needed.

"A Great Heaven Supplement Pill costs one hundred taels of silver each. They say it can make one's inner force progress ten times faster! I hope you don't disappoint me!"

Wang Sheng stroked the brocade pouch at his waist.

The gold he had earned from selling his goods, combined with the gold and silver he already possessed, amounted to a total value of two thousand and fifty taels of silver.

The Great Heaven Supplement Pills, priced at one hundred taels each, seemed viable after Wang Sheng tested a small amount of their medicinal powder. He bought ten at once, spending one thousand taels.

Though the Great Heaven Supplement Pill was highly potent, medicine was poison in three parts, and its side effects were considerable. What Martial Artists feared most was that it squeezed out one's potential, making it difficult to advance in cultivation afterward.

Ordinary Martial Artists still felt lingering fear after taking one Great Heaven Supplement Pill every few months, not daring to consume more than three within a year.

But with Wang Sheng's Heaven Rewards Diligence talent, he could swallow Great Heaven Supplement Pills like candy without issue. His only concern was that taking too many in too short a time would waste their effects.

Meanwhile, the Bone Strengthening Pills that could improve bone quality and were immensely useful to Body Refiners were far too rare. Wang Sheng had spent three hundred taels of silver, paying a steep premium, to buy only two.

Afterward, he bought some supplementary medicines such as Vitality Pills, Blood Gathering Powder, and Detoxification Pills, spending over a hundred taels of silver.

Wang Sheng had originally intended to buy a weapon as well, but worried that a weapon might expose his identity, so he gave up on the idea.

Besides that, Wang Sheng had also seen a remarkably intelligent Four-armed Demon Monkey, a Young Wild Boar King nearly turned into a spirit, Black Snakes as thick as a forearm with horn-like scales, and other rare exotic creatures.

Every one of those exotic creatures was worth a fortune. If raised well, they could even become a pillar of a Lineage.

Wang Sheng's eyes burned with envy, but he could not afford a single one.

Under the night sky,

The crescent moon sank westward.

A dampness filled the quiet Ershui City, as though rain were about to fall.

A thin mist drifted through the air, there and not there.

Not long after Wang Sheng left the Black Market, he noticed someone following him.

And that person was doing so openly, as if they were not afraid of Wang Sheng noticing.

Inside an alley,

Wang Sheng stood still, turned around, and coldly watched the empty street before him.

The next moment,

A figure suddenly descended and appeared on the street.

"Hand over the Heaven Supplement Pills and the silver, and I can spare your life!"

The figure spoke casually, as though Wang Sheng did not warrant his attention.

That was because he was at the Dark Force stage. A Dark Force martial master could unleash destructive force from within outward, killing invisibly. The killing power of Dark Force was several times greater than that of Bright Force.

Though only one Dark Force martial master had followed him out, the Dark Force martial masters within the Black Market had an unspoken rule.

Once they set their sights on a target, they were not allowed to make a move inside the Black Market.

If the target left in the direction of the area under a particular person's control, then the target belonged to that person.

Thus, Wang Sheng was now this Dark Force martial master's prey alone.

"Stop looking. A newcomer truly is a newcomer—you don't even understand this. I'm alone, but I'm more than enough to capture you."

Seeing Wang Sheng warily scanning left and right, the Dark Force martial master spoke indifferently, his expression proud.

"No room for negotiation?"

Wang Sheng asked.

"Heh. You don't have the qualifications! There's no room for it! Hand them over or die!"

The Dark Force martial master sneered.

"Ha!"

Wang Sheng let out a low sigh. Why did everyone have to talk so damn arrogantly?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Wang Sheng tapped several points on his body with his fingers.

Bzzzz...

His muscles abruptly swelled beneath his black clothes, and his body instantly became broad and imposing!

"Liu family's Blood Stacking Technique!"

The Dark Force martial master's expression shifted slightly. His voice was low, carrying confusion and disbelief.

The Liu family cultivated Thunder Leg, yet this man's palm techniques were fierce. Could it be—

Could this man be a hidden agent of the Liu family? Or had the Blood Stacking Technique somehow leaked out?

"Are you a member of the Liu family, or an outsider who possesses the Blood Stacking Technique?"

The Dark Force martial master shouted sharply.

"Fight if you want to fight!"

Wang Sheng did not answer. He activated the Forging Gold Technique and charged straight at him.

The more he said, the more likely he was to slip up. Better to deliberately keep things obscured.

The Dark Force martial master's mouth twitched. If Wang Sheng had merely been an ordinary Body Refiner, he could have killed him with ease.

But this man specialized in palm techniques, had formidable body refinement as a secondary discipline, and even possessed an explosive secret art like the Blood Stacking Technique.

He knew full well how powerful the Blood Stacking Technique was. If this man had mastered its second layer, then he truly possessed the strength to contend with Dark Force.

The two exchanged palms.

Wang Sheng's right arm immediately went numb, as if a steel bar had been driven straight into it. His entire arm stiffened.

This was the invisible force cultivated by a Dark Force martial master. It had the effect of striking the ox across the mountain, penetrating directly through the skin to strike the bones and meridians, causing flaws in one's movements and techniques.

In a fight to the death, a single flaw was enough to cost someone their life.

That was precisely Wang Sheng's situation now.

Had he not cultivated his body and possessed an explosive secret art, his doubled force making his palm strike heavy and powerful enough to smash bricks with brute strength, numbing the Dark Force martial master's arm and making him pause for a moment, Wang Sheng would have fallen into grave danger just now.

"As expected, this is somewhat troublesome!"

The Dark Force martial master frowned tightly.

He could kill Wang Sheng, but it would take some effort, and he might suffer substantial injuries himself.

They were not far from the Black Market. If he were injured, even if those Dark Force martial masters secretly watching did not wish to kick a man when he was down, they would find it hard to resist.

Seeing Wang Sheng about to charge again, the Dark Force martial master quickly retreated.

"Friend, there is no deep hatred between us. Why risk our lives like this?"

The Dark Force martial master said clearly. The arrogance and coldness had vanished from his words, replaced by a smile meant to ease the tension.

"Didn't you say there was no room for negotiation?"

Wang Sheng said.

"The Blood Stacking Technique is no trivial matter. It is the Liu family's second root. I see that you are not a member of the Liu family, are you? If the Liu family learns of this, they will surely hunt you down like mad."

"So why not share the Blood Stacking Technique with me? I can shoulder part of the pressure for you. What do you say?"

The Dark Force martial master had coveted such an explosive secret art for a long time.

"Heh."

"You were the one who wanted to fight just now, and you're still the one who doesn't want to fight now."

"You wanted to rob me of my Heaven Supplement Pills just now, and now you want my Blood Stacking Technique too."

"It seems you truly don't take me seriously!"

Rage surged within Wang Sheng, and he quickly tapped several more points on his body.

Wang Sheng released an enraged growl, like the roar of a tiger, startling the Dark Force martial master into changing expression.

Wang Sheng's fury was feigned. If he had been an ordinary Bright Force Martial Artist, he would surely have been eager to agree and peacefully negotiate with the Dark Force martial master.

But Wang Sheng did not want that. He wanted to test him. Naturally, he did not know the second layer of the Blood Stacking Technique, but the Dark Force martial master's concession had already allowed him to feel out where the man's bottom line lay.

So he casually tapped himself a few times, intending to frighten him.

If it worked, that would naturally be best. If it did not, he lost nothing!

"The second layer of the Blood Stacking Technique?"

The Dark Force martial master immediately felt that things had become troublesome—extremely troublesome.

The opponent's first layer of the Blood Stacking Technique already produced killing power only slightly weaker than his own.

Rumor had it that the second layer doubled one's strength even further. Would that not make him stronger than a Dark Force martial master?

"Damn it, running into a freak like this really is my bad luck."

Upon realizing this, the Dark Force martial master wanted to leave immediately.

But the next moment,

Wang Sheng said coldly, "You want to leave?"

His tone was icy, filled with unwavering killing intent.

"What do you mean!"

"You still want to stop me?"

"You dare stop me?"

The Dark Force martial master shouted in shock, though even more rage and curses rose in his heart.

He had come here to rob Wang Sheng. If he decided not to rob him, that already counted as Wang Sheng's good fortune. Could a mere Bright Force martial master actually dare to rob him instead?