Divine Transcendence

Chapter 153: Ghost Market

Chapter 153: Ghost Market

Inside the room, Huan Shi picked up his teacup and took a sip, looking at the young man in white, he said indifferently, "So, you’re bothered by losing to him?"

"Indeed, I’m not willing to lose to someone at the ninth level of Qi Refining." The young man in white said with resentment in his voice.

"You didn’t lose unjustly in that duel," Huan Shi looked at the young man in white for a moment, then slowly said.

The young man in white didn’t speak, his breathing became heavy, clearly unconvinced.

"Although your cultivation is higher than his, your combat experience is far less than his. Moreover, you were reckless and overconfident. How could you not lose?" Huan Shi slowly said.

"Master, your reprimand is justified," the young man in white responded in a low voice, his eyes flickering.

"I know you want to challenge him again to regain your face, but with your current strength, you’re no match for that straw hat boy. Moreover, with the big event approaching, don’t stir up trouble over small matters. If it affects the leader’s big plan, you know the consequences!" Huan Shi frowned, his tone becoming serious.

"Master, rest assured, I understand the priorities," the young man in white changed his expression when he heard the word ’leader’, and responded solemnly.

"Hehe, young people should have some spirit. If you lose this time, you should train hard to regain your face next time. Second brother, don’t suppress Tuo Zhe too much and make him lose his youthful vigor." The room door was pushed open, and a mighty man walked in, followed by a woman in white.

"Big brother, weren’t you in seclusion? Why did you come here?" Huan Shi stood up, surprised.

"Leader," the young man in white quickly stood up and saluted.

"Could this person be Bai Ye, the leader of the Loose Cultivators Alliance?" Yuan Ming heard this and quickly controlled the Soul Crow to conceal its aura, but listened more attentively.

With the appearance of Bai Ye, the leader of the Loose Cultivators Alliance, they might discuss more confidential news next, which might be related to the mission.

"Cultivation breakthrough is not an overnight matter. I heard from Ling’er that the preparations for the mission to hunt the Golden Flower Python King are almost done, so I came to ask about the situation," the mighty man said.

"Everything is almost ready, we..."

The Soul Crow was listening to the conversation in the room, but at this moment, the sound in the room suddenly stopped, and the breathing of the four people could not be heard.

"The people are clearly in the room, why is there suddenly no sound? It seems that someone has used something like a soundproofing charm. Bai Ye is really cautious," Yuan Ming showed a regretful expression on his face.

The people should be discussing more confidential matters next, but unfortunately, the Soul Crow’s abilities are limited and cannot break through the soundproofing charm. This investigation can only stop here.

Fortunately, he had already gathered quite a bit of information, and had a rough idea, so it wasn’t a wasted trip.

Yuan Ming summoned the Soul Crow back, got up from the bed, prepared to leave this place, his eyes swept over his right arm, and suddenly had a thought.

The Soul Crow couldn’t investigate the soundproofing charm, but the incense burner seemed to have no such limitation. If he could attach himself directly like he did with the little emperor, maybe he could openly listen to their conversation?

With the mystery of the incense burner, Bai Ye should not be able to detect it, and it would be a good opportunity to test the effect of his newly prepared incense.

"Why didn’t I think of this way of investigation before? It seems that I’m not using the incense burner enough!" Yuan Ming muttered to himself, took out the incense burner, lit a newly made incense stick, and kept recalling the appearance of the young man in white during the day.

Gradually, his vision darkened, and his consciousness fell into darkness. Soon, it recovered, and a spacious and elegant room came into view.

At this moment, Yuan Ming was standing on the right side of the room, with the woman in white standing next to him, and Huan Shi and a burly man were sitting on two large yellow wooden chairs opposite him.

"It really works! It seems that the method of using thoughts to lock onto the target of attachment is correct!" Yuan Ming was delighted, but quickly calmed down.

"Is this man Bai Ye?" He looked nervously at the burly man opposite him.

Although Yuan Ming was very confident in the incense burner, a cultivator in the late stage of Foundation Establishment was not to be underestimated. He might have some mysterious technique and sense his presence.

Bai Ye was looking at Huan Shi next to him, completely unaware of Yuan Ming’s attachment.

Yuan Ming listened to their conversation.

"...I’ve never seen that man before, his cultivation is not high, only at the ninth level of Qi Refining, but his mana is exceptionally pure. He must be practicing some superior technique, he’s definitely not an ordinary loose cultivator, most likely a core disciple of some sect." To Yuan Ming’s surprise, Huan Shi was talking about him.

"Black Rock City is a famous market in the Northern Territory. It’s common for disciples of various sects to come here for experience and take on tasks in disguise. There’s no need to pay attention to them," Bai Ye added.

"Leader, you’re right. With such a high reward this time, there should be more than just that boy from the sects who came to apply. With these people joining, this mission should be safe and sound," Huan Shi said.

"Those people just need to help us find the nest. We can give more rewards to the person who finds it, and give the rest a little hardship fee. In this way, although we have exaggerated the rewards a bit, we haven’t broken the rules. As for the final Python King, we still have to deal with it ourselves. Those people can’t be relied on. Has the Barrier Pearl been prepared?" Bai Ye slowly shook his head and asked with a change of topic.

"Du Ying just sent a message saying that the Barrier Pearl has been refined and will be traded at the Ghost Market tonight," Huan Shi said."Good, with the Barrier Pearl, the poisonous miasma of the Snake King Valley is no longer a concern. The Ghost Market is complex, to be safe, second brother, you should personally go there tonight and make sure this matter is handled properly." Bai Ye nodded and instructed.

"I’m afraid that won’t work. The Poison Shadow is very cautious. He sent a message saying that only Qi Refining stage cultivators can go for the transaction." Huan Shi said, taking out a piece of white paper with a few lines of small characters written on it.

Bai Ye took the paper, which detailed the method of transaction. It must be a Qi Refining disciple who comes to meet at a certain place in the Ghost Market, verifies the secret code, and then trades the items.

"Hehe, this Poison Shadow is indeed as cunning and careful as the rumors say. In that case, let Tuo Zhe handle this matter." Bai Ye chuckled and handed the paper to the young man in white.

"Yes." The young man in white took the paper, and Yuan Ming also saw the content on the paper.

At this moment, his vision quickly turned pitch black. The time limit for his possession had arrived.

......

Inside the inn, Yuan Ming slowly opened his eyes.

This possession lasted for more than twenty breaths, which was twice as long as before. The incense made from ground spirit wood mixed with ash was indeed effective.

"Overall, this mission doesn’t seem to have any problems. At least Bai Ye’s alliance doesn’t have any malicious intentions. The reward is indeed a gimmick, but if it’s about finding a nest, I don’t have to worry too much with the Soul Crow. If I can earn a sum of spirit stones just like this, it’s not a loss." Yuan Ming stroked his chin, pondering in his heart.

He sat quietly in the room for a while, his face changing unpredictably. Then he got up again and left the inn.

Half an hour later, in a private room of a tea house in the west market, Yuan Ming and Gu Yue sat facing each other.

"I apologize for calling Brother Gu Yue out so late." Yuan Ming said.

"Brother Yuan, you’re too polite. You’ve been taking care of my business, I’m grateful and wouldn’t blame you. Just tell me what you need, I’ll do my best to help." Gu Yue hurriedly said.

"I would like to ask Brother Gu Yue, what is the Ghost Market?" Yuan Ming asked straightforwardly.

When Bai Ye and Huan Shi mentioned the Ghost Market, their tones were obviously different. This place must be extraordinary.

"Brother Yuan, where did you hear about the Ghost Market?" Gu Yue was slightly surprised.

"I overheard someone mentioning it while strolling around in the afternoon. Brother Gu Yue said in the daytime that Heiyan City has four markets: east, west, south, and north. Where did this Ghost Market come from?" Yuan Ming half-truthfully said.

"Well, the Ghost Market is also a trading market, but it only opens after midnight. It’s the opposite of the daytime market, hence the name Ghost Market. However, the items traded there are mostly things that can’t be circulated openly, such as stolen goods from killing and robbing, forbidden items in the cultivation world, etc. These transactions are too conspicuous during the day, so they choose to do it at midnight." Gu Yue scratched his head and explained.

"So, there are a lot of good things in the Ghost Market, and the prices shouldn’t be too high." Yuan Ming was not averse to this kind of business and asked with interest.

"The Ghost Market has all kinds of magical tools, talismans, and elixirs, but most of the items are of dubious origin, and the prices are relatively low. However, it’s a mixed bag, and the waters are too deep. I can’t guarantee that everything will go smoothly, so those of us in this line of business don’t easily get involved in the Ghost Market." Gu Yue confessed.

Yuan Ming slowly nodded, calculating in his heart.

"If I want to go to the Ghost Market, how do I get there?" Yuan Ming asked, sensing that the other party was reluctant to go to the Ghost Market.

Gu Yue gave him an address and precautions for entering.

"The Ghost Market has far-reaching implications. Some people have found good things there and made a fortune, while others have lost their lives because they sold or bought things they shouldn’t have. Brother Yuan, if you go there for a transaction, be very careful." Gu Yue reminded.

Yuan Ming agreed, wanted to give Gu Yue a reward, but Gu Yue declined this time, and Yuan Ming didn’t insist.

"The market opens at midnight, it’s about time." Yuan Ming quickened his pace and soon arrived at a small alley in the northwest of Heiyan City where mortals lived.

The night here was exceptionally dark, and he couldn’t see clearly beyond a few feet. There seemed to be a surge of black fog in the air.

Yuan Ming sensed the fluctuation of magical power from the black fog, knowing that he had found the right place. He continued forward, the darkness around him getting thicker, almost to the point where he couldn’t see his fingers.

He activated his divine sense to probe, and his actions were not affected.

After walking a few more feet, a high and thick stone wall appeared, completely blocking his way.

"I want to enter the Ghost Market." Yuan Ming didn’t climb over the wall, but looked at an inconspicuous shadow on the right side of the stone wall and said in a deep voice.

As soon as his words fell, a black figure walked out of the shadow. There was no breath from top to bottom, as if it was a ghost.

"Are you here to hang a lantern or to seek fire?" The black figure looked Yuan Ming up and down and asked in a hoarse voice.

This was the secret language of the Ghost Market. Hanging a lantern meant setting up a stall, and seeking fire meant buying things.

"Seeking fire." Yuan Ming said.

The black figure didn’t speak, but waved his hand on the wall.

A "clicking" sound of gears turning came from the thick wall, a crack opened in the middle, slowly widened, and soon formed a three-foot-wide passage.

(End of the chapter)