Another Profit!

That night.

Lin Mo made his way back to the Black Market valley, following the familiar route.

This time, he wore a mask he had painstakingly woven from bark and vines. He had also specially cut a black cloak to conceal his entire figure.

Combined with the Turtle Breath Art he had been practicing for some time, his aura was barely perceptible. Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators would now find it difficult to determine his exact cultivation level.

Him again?

Seeing the black-robed man seated behind the stall from a distance, Lin Mo hesitated briefly before slowly walking over.

This was not the first black-robed man Lin Mo had met, but his junior fellow disciple, who had temporarily covered the stall when Lin Mo last exchanged for life-saving items.

Lin Mo was genuinely surprised to find him manning the stall again.

"I wondered who dared break the rules and skip the queue. So it's you!"

Lin Mo's disguise had clearly worked this time; the black-robed man had not recognized him at first.

Only when he saw the Mutated Fire Spirit Fruit in Lin Mo's hand did he chuckle quietly. "You're the only one who can produce spirit fruit like this. Well, what do you want to exchange for this time?"

Rather than rush into the trade, Lin Mo said in a low voice, "Activate the screening formation. I don't want anyone else seeing this transaction."

The black-robed man chuckled but did not refuse. He took a Formation Disc from inside his robe and waved his hand. Sure enough, a ripple of spiritual energy appeared, cutting off outside perception.

"My master has run into a bottleneck in cultivating spirit plants."

Lin Mo took out his Storage Bag and removed all the Mutated Fire Spirit Fruit and ordinary spirit fruit, his tone grave. "My master's cultivation method requires a large number of spirit stones-no fewer than three hundred. Metal- and earth-attribute ones would be best."

"Otherwise, he wouldn't have parted with these spirit fruits and sent me here to exchange them."

"In addition, my master needs a blank Formation Disc. Its quality can't be too poor-High-Grade Yellow Tier at the very least. Exchange the rest for spirit liquid."

The black-robed man stared intently at the fruits Lin Mo had brought out, then picked up a Mutated Fire Spirit Fruit and examined it carefully.

Once he confirmed there was nothing wrong, he chuckled. "I'll give you a hundred and fifty spirit stones of each attribute, plus a hundred drops of spirit liquid. I'll throw in the Formation Disc for free. How does that sound?"

Lin Mo shook his head firmly.

The figures did not add up.

The previous black-robed man had said that his Mutated Fire Spirit Fruit was better than ordinary Mystic Tier spirit fruit. Each was worth at least sixty contribution points, while the ordinary fruits were worth two points apiece.

The fruits he had brought this time were worth a total of four hundred and eighty-six contribution points!

At the Black Market's exchange rate, two contribution points could be exchanged for three spirit stones or three drops of spirit liquid-a considerably better deal than at the Sect Affairs Hall.

Because his fruits were of such high quality, that black-robed man had given him a special rate: one contribution point for two spirit stones or two drops of spirit liquid.

In other words, if this black-robed man was giving him the Formation Disc for free, then besides the three hundred spirit stones, he should also provide three hundred and thirty-six drops of spirit liquid.

"What, you're not willing?"

The black-robed man was clearly surprised, and his voice cooled a little. "This is the going rate in the Black Market. Are you trying to break the rules? I..."

Before he could finish, Lin Mo shook his head again. "Your senior fellow disciple, the one surnamed Du, didn't offer me this price. Four hundred and eighty-six contribution points. I won't trade for even one point less."

The black-robed man froze for a long moment.

He had familiarized himself with the details before coming to cover the Black Market stall, but he had not known about this agreement between his senior fellow disciple and Lin Mo.

Still, Lin Mo certainly did not look as though he was lying. He also had reason to believe him: given this stall's reputation, no one would dare try any deception.

"If he can afford it, do you think I can't?"

The black-robed man snorted coldly, then took out the Storage Bag he carried, opened it, and pointed its mouth toward the ground.

Clatter!

Handful after handful of spirit stones in five colors-red, blue, green, yellow, and gray-poured out like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, clattering down at Lin Mo's feet.

There had to be thousands upon thousands of spirit stones of the five attributes. Piled together, they radiated irresistibly alluring spiritual light in every color, leaving Lin Mo staring wide-eyed!

"I'll give you two hundred spirit stones each of the metal and earth attributes."

The black-robed man was clearly delighted by the shock in Lin Mo's eyes, visible through the mask. He smiled smugly. "On top of that, I'll give you five hundred drops of spirit liquid and two blank Formation Discs."

"You've turned a profit on this deal again!"

A profit? A huge profit!

Joy nearly blossomed in Lin Mo's heart, but he showed nothing unusual.

As he selected the metal- and earth-attribute spirit stones, he asked quietly, "There's no such thing as a free lunch. I understand that much."

"Just tell me what you want. If you're straightforward, I won't drag things out either."

The black-robed man smiled.

He studied Lin Mo with interest, waiting until Lin Mo had finished selecting both kinds of spirit stones before saying cheerfully, "It's simple. From now on, trade all your fruits with me."

"If my senior fellow disciple is manning the stall, just wait a few days. He's a busy man. We'll have plenty of opportunities to meet!"

They were fellow disciples, both members of the Penglai Commerce Association. What difference did it make whom he traded with?

The other black-robed man had offered plenty, but this one offered even more. Naturally, Lin Mo chose the latter!

"I agree."

After a brief moment's thought, Lin Mo nodded, then held his hand out to the black-robed man. "You haven't given me the spirit liquid or Formation Discs yet."

The black-robed man's smile deepened.

He took out another Storage Bag, removed five small jade bottles and two crystal-clear jade Formation Discs, and casually handed them over to Lin Mo.

Lin Mo put everything into his own Storage Bag. Rather than leave immediately, he asked quietly, "Do you have a way for me to leave the Black Market unnoticed?"

"My master doesn't want anyone knowing he's cultivating mutated spirit plants. If someone follows me and exposes his identity, I won't be able to trade fruits with you anymore."

Why does this brat have so many demands...

The black-robed man was already growing somewhat impatient, but for the sake of Lin Mo's fruits, he restrained himself and took a black-lacquered wooden box from his Storage Bag.

"Inside is a spirit insect I raised myself-a Venomous Thorn Bee. It hasn't acknowledged a master through a blood offering yet."

He opened the little box, revealing a four-winged insect the size of a thumb pad, then beckoned to Lin Mo. "Hold out your hand and squeeze out a drop of blood for it. It'll acknowledge you as its master on its own."

"As long as you keep it with you, anyone below the Foundation Establishment Realm who dares secretly follow you will be devoured by it!"

A spirit insect?!

Lin Mo was startled and uncertain. He did not dare carelessly extend his hand, and his mind kept turning over the possibilities.

Although he had heard of such things before, he had never seen one.

If there was something wrong with this insect, wouldn't he be lifting a rock only to smash his own foot?

He did not believe the black-robed man would be generous enough to give him such a precious spirit insect!

"What, you don't recognize a Venomous Thorn Bee?"

Seeing Lin Mo's cautious demeanor, the black-robed man scoffed, then tossed him a small booklet and waved a hand. "Hundred Explanations of Spirit Insects. Read it yourself. I didn't write it!"

Lin Mo remained doubtful, but he had no better option. He immediately opened the booklet and began reading.