After a few breaths, Lan Rui arrived at his destination. A wave of dizziness washed over him as he steadied himself, scanning his surroundings. It appeared to be a simple wooden hut. As he stepped out, his eyes landed on an elderly man seated just outside the door.
The old man's face was lined with deep wrinkles, yet he exuded an aura of profound strength.
"He feels even stronger than Sister Wei," Lan Rui thought.
Just as he was about to speak, the jade plate shimmered once more, revealing a beautiful figure emerging from the radiant light.
"Sister Wei!" he exclaimed, relieved.
"I thought the array had sent me to the wrong place, but seeing you here confirms otherwise."
She nodded. "Let's go. The Black Market is about a hundred meters from here." She bowed slightly to the old man before moving ahead.
Lan Rui followed her lead, pausing briefly to bow to the elder before proceeding. To his surprise, Sister Wei stepped into a mist-like veil and vanished. Left with no other choice, he hesitated before stepping into the swirling fog himself.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he emerged at the entrance of what seemed to be a bustling marketplace. There, Sister Wei stood waiting.
"Take this veiled hat (weimao) and put it on before we enter," she instructed, handing him a bamboo hat with a black veil.
She donned one herself and walked directly to the entrance. As they approached, she handed the guard ten spirit stones before stepping inside. Lan Rui, following her example, did the same.
Inside, the market was filled with countless stalls, reminiscent of Cloud Market's trading area. However, the items displayed here were far rarer and more bizarre.
Swords stained with blood, herbs shaped like human faces, bones of unknown origin, venomous insects, and all manner of unorthodox, perhaps even demonic artifacts were openly displayed. Yet, neither the stall owners nor the cultivators in the market seemed perturbed by such things.
They merely glanced at the goods and moved on, as if this was all perfectly normal. The more he walked, the more amazed he became. This was the infamous Black Market. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Sister Wei's voice.
"How is it? Astonishing, isn't it? Items deemed taboo in the open market are traded here without restriction. Human blood, demonic cultivation techniques, stolen treasures, even slaves can be purchased here. This is the dark side of the cultivation world."
"Slaves?" Lan Rui was startled by the word.
"Sister Wei, how do they acquire slaves?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"If it's mortal slaves, they are either kidnapped or taken as war prisoners from mortal dynasties."
She continued in a calm tone, "As for cultivator slaves… A fallen sect or family often leads to their members being reduced to property."
She gave an example. "If the Feng Family's ancestors perish in this ongoing conflict and many of their elders fall, the Crimson Blade Gang will seize all their assets including their clansmen. The survivors will be sold in the Black Market. Of course, some may escape, but outrunning a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator is nearly impossible."
"Cultivators fetch a high price because of the slave seal contract. They cannot harm their master and must obey every command. Defiance results in unbearable torment under the seal, or worse, death."
As they walked and conversed, a sudden commotion broke out ahead.
Three young men in white robes adorned with cloud patterns stood before a stall. The one in the center was arguing furiously with the vendor.
"Do you even know what you're selling?!" he shouted, pointing at the displayed goods.
The vendor, a middle-aged man in a gray robe wearing a bamboo veil hat, remained composed. Lan Rui couldn't discern his cultivation level.
"This item belonged to my senior brother! That means it belongs to an Inner Disciple of the Cloud Sword Sect!" the young man bellowed.
But the stall owner merely smirked. "So what? It's my loot, and I'm selling it. That's not against the Black Market's rules."
"You! How dare you..." The young man's face flushed red with rage.
"Sister Wei, are they really Cloud Sword Sect disciples?" Lan Rui asked, though the answer was already apparent. He needed confirmation.
She nodded. "Yes, and they're Inner Disciples."
"Looks like the vendor will be forced to return the items or even be detained by them," Lan Rui sighed, pitying the man. But Sister Wei's response stunned him.
"No, the ones who will likely be detained or even killed are the three Inner Disciples."
Lan Rui looked at her skeptically before shifting his gaze back to the vendor. "Is he a hidden expert? Perhaps at the peak of the 9th Layer Qi Refining Realm or even a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator?"
"It's not that," she said, cutting off his thought once again.
"Then how could such an outcome occur if he isn't what I suspect?" he asked curiously.
She chuckled. "You'll see soon enough. Just watch the show."
Intrigued, Lan Rui turned his full attention to the unfolding drama.
The young man's name was Ye Chen. An Inner Disciple with a profound background or at least, that's what he believed. He hailed from the Ye Family, a local Immortal Clan of another market.
Born later in the family, he wasn't among the eldest children. Knowing the fierce competition within his clan, he had seized the opportunity when he discovered his Triple Spirit Root. He applied to the Cloud Sword Sect and, through connections, rose to become an Inner Disciple.
The Ye Family boasted two Foundation Establishment Realm ancestors, one nurtured within the family, while the other carved his own path through sheer effort within the Cloud Sword Sect, eventually becoming one of its Foundation Establishment Elders.
Enough of this boring side character background... In other words, Ye Chen was a proud and righteous youth who wielded his background like a shield. Coupled with his Late Stage Qi Refining Realm cultivation, he had become arrogant and looked down on loose cultivators
"If you don't return the items and surrender yourself, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Ye Chen declared, unleashing his killing intent.
His two senior brothers sighed but took their battle stances. They had only accompanied him to gain favor with his backers, but they hadn't expected him to provoke trouble so soon.
Despite the hostility directed at him, the stall owner remained seated, his demeanor entirely unfazed.
"You arrogant brat," he sneered. "Do you think your status and minor background make you invincible? You have no idea how vast the cultivation world truly is."
""Hmph! Let's see if you can still say that when you're about to die!" Ye Chen sneered, preparing to strike.
Although the man before them was at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Realm, Ye Chen was confident in taking him down alone.
To be cautious, however, they would attack together. With the combined strength of three Late Stage Qi Refining Realm cultivators, he was certain they could finish the battle in just a few breaths.
Attack!" Just as Ye Chen was about to launch an assault, a sudden, overwhelming pressure surged forth, pinning him down instantly. His eyes widened in horror.
His face paled instantly. He recognized this pressure.
It was the same...no, even stronger than that of the elders in his sect.
A Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator!
...