Chapter 19

Chen Ping'an knew the location of the black market.

When Old Chen was still around, he had taken him there once. Although the black market was chaotic, with Old Chen by his side, safety was guaranteed.

The black market was hidden in a secluded alley in Nanquan Lixiang. At the very end of the alley, there was a sizable open space. Due to a tacit agreement among various factions, the surrounding area remained sparsely populated.

Clutching the book in his arms and hiding a chopping knife beneath his clothing, Chen Ping'an moved quickly through the alley.

Even at night, the streets and alleys of Nanquan Lixiang were patrolled by night watchmen from the Town Pacification Office.

Compared to the daytime, the number of night patrol officers and their shifts were significantly fewer. Typically, they carried a brass gong, which they would strike immediately if anything happened as a warning signal.

Chen Ping'an naturally understood the inner workings of this system.

Roughly once a month, his own turn for night patrol would come around.

Each patrol shift consisted of two officers, who watched each other's backs.

Fearing discovery by the patrol officers, Chen Ping'an moved cautiously. Now that he had reached the first level of Qi and Blood cultivation, his body's coordination and stamina had greatly improved.

With a combination of luck and careful maneuvering, he managed to avoid any encounters with patrol officers along the way.

At the entrance to the black market, a burly man stood guard. Seeing Chen Ping'an approach with his face covered, the man spoke in a flat tone:

"Entry fee is two copper coins. No fighting inside—break the rules at your own risk!"

Chen Ping'an had already prepared for this. Without a word, he handed over the two coins and entered the black market.

The black market was bustling, filled with people moving about. However, most wore masks, hoods, or wide-brimmed hats, concealing their identities.

Chen Ping'an subtly avoided unnecessary interactions while surveying his surroundings.

Along both sides of the market, stalls were set up at intervals. Vendors simply laid out a cloth on the ground, placed their items on top, and a stall was formed.

Though the black market wasn't large, Chen Ping'an made a quick round and discovered a variety of goods for sale.

There were antique curios, swords and spears, leather and soft armor, and even medicinal herbs like ginseng.

He even saw a vendor selling a small crossbow.

That was a dangerous weapon—strictly prohibited!

With it, even an ordinary person could seriously injure or even kill a martial artist under the right circumstances.

Even though Chen Ping'an had reached Qi and Blood level one, with skin as tough as cowhide, he doubted he could withstand the force of a crossbow bolt.

Yet, despite recognizing its power, he remained calm and uninterested in unnecessary inquiries.

His sole purpose in coming here was to sell his copy of the Iron Cloth manual.

Finding a relatively empty spot, he sat down cross-legged and placed the handwritten book in front of him.

Though he was eager to sell it, he had no intention of actively approaching potential buyers.

Such behavior would not only be risky but also lower the perceived value of the book.

Most people in the black market were highly cautious. Given the prevalence of counterfeits, they were already skeptical. If he were too eager, it would only make them distrust him more.

Instead, he chose to wait.

It wasn't long before someone stopped at his stall.

The newcomer was short and stout, dressed in black with a wide-brimmed hat.

"What are you selling?"

"A martial arts manual—Iron Cloth."

Chen Ping'an lifted his gaze slightly, maintaining an air of indifference.

"Tch, with such a simple binding, you expect me to believe this is a real martial arts manual?"

The man scoffed but still crouched down, attempting to flip through the book.

Slap!

Like a striking wind, Chen Ping'an's hand shot out, smacking the man's reaching hand away.

"Don't touch if you're not buying!"

Startled, the short and stout man backed off.

"Fine, fine! No need to hit me!"

Muttering under his breath, he left begrudgingly.

"He's at least reached the entry level of martial arts," the man thought to himself.

The vendor looked thin and frail, so he had initially planned to take advantage of him. He hadn't expected the man to be so fierce.

After the short-stout man left, several others approached to ask about the manual. But most only inquired out of curiosity and showed no real interest in buying.

Over half an hour passed, yet the Iron Cloth manual remained unsold.

"This black market is really cautious, especially when it comes to martial arts manuals. Am I really going to have to borrow money from Monkey Head and the others tomorrow?"

Just as Chen Ping'an was contemplating his options, a figure stopped in front of his stall.

The newcomer was tall and burly, with a face covered in a thick beard. His sharp eyes gleamed with intensity, exuding an intimidating presence. Unlike most others, he did not bother to conceal his face.

"What are you selling?"

"Iron Cloth."

Chen Ping'an gave him a glance, subtly sensing a threat from the man. However, he didn't seem to have reached the first level of Qi and Blood cultivation.

His body exuded strong energy, suggesting he had at least begun martial training.

"There are so many fakes in the black market. How do you expect me to believe this is real?"

The bearded man eyed Chen Ping'an skeptically.

Sensing the man's genuine interest, Chen Ping'an finally took a proper look at him.

"You can examine the first few pages of the manual to judge for yourself. Also, I learned Iron Cloth from this very book."

"Oh?"

The bearded man studied him with renewed curiosity.

Though Chen Ping'an wore a mask, his physique was still visible.

Iron Cloth was an external martial art specializing in hardening the body.

Practitioners were typically burly, with thick builds, strong muscles, and robust bones.

Yet, Chen Ping'an's body showed no such signs.

Indeed, perhaps due to his golden finger's influence, although he had achieved minor success in Iron Cloth, his physique remained unchanged.

"If you don't believe me, feel free to test it."

Chen Ping'an's voice was calm as he met the bearded man's gaze.

"Interesting."

The bearded man chuckled.

"You claim to practice Iron Cloth. How about this—you take one punch from me. If you can stay standing, I'll buy your book."

"The black market forbids fighting," Chen Ping'an replied flatly.

"Pah! Coward! Next time you try to bluff, at least make it believable. With that frail body of yours, Iron Cloth? More like baby skin training!"

Scoffing, the bearded man turned to leave.

"The black market forbids fighting. But if you doubt me, let's compete in strength instead. If I win, you buy the book for ten taels of silver."

Chen Ping'an's voice rang out, making the man pause mid-step.

"And if you lose?"

"If I lose, I'll give you one tael of silver."

"Haha! A free silver tael? How do we compete?"

"Simple—arm wrestling."

Chen Ping'an remained calm.

"Good! You've got guts!"

The bearded man flexed his arms, which were as thick as an average person's thigh.

"We'll do it over there!"

Chen Ping'an pointed to a nearby stone slab.

"Alright, let's go!"