Black Market

Ever since the Xi family trio tasted the wild boar meat, they have been trying to find another half step Qi Beast. But it seems like they have run out their luck. Not a single half step Qi Beast appeared at the edge of the forest since that day.

Its already been about 16 days since they ate the Beast meat. Like a glue, the flavor of the meat has stacked to their tongue. Occasionally, they caught some wild rabbits. Other than that no other animal has appeared like they do not even live in the forest.

But Xi Chen knew, it was because they do not have enough strength to go deeper in the forest.

Beside hunting for half step Qi Beast, he was also searching for information in the past few days. With the help of his Crimson Blood Eyes, he had already found out many hidden martial artist. Most of them are only at Skin Tempering Realm. Few of them are at Muscle Tempering Realm. But he never met anyone at Bone Tempering Realm or above this Realm.

He knows if he go into inner part of the town, he might be able to find some at Muscle Tempering Realm or above. But he is afraid that he might get caught by those Clan members.

During this past few days, he had already got enough information to determine a secret market location. This market is for the independent martial artists. Every 15th day of each month the market will open.

This is the chance he has been waiting for.

When the nighttime come.

Xi Chen put on a black cloak that covers his whole body from head to toe. Then hanged a leader beg on his back.

"Big Brother will you fine without us. Are you sure you want to go alone?" Xi Bing asked with a concern tone.

"Do not worry. I will be back soon. Just do not let anyone in when I am not here. Its nighttime, no good people will come here with kind intentions at night." Xi Chen left with this words.

When he left, his younger brothers were still standing at the door watching him leaving.

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The moon was a pale Fang that night, hung high in the sky like a quiet threat. Green River Town had long since stilled, its street wrapped in silence and the distant caws of night birds. But Xi Chen walked with purpose, his steps silent, his breath controlled.

He was heading towards truths not spoken during the day.

It began some days ago.

While he was delivering some hunting tools to a nearby hunter guild, he spotted two rogue cultivators. At first he did not think much of it. But with his heighten senses, he heard them whispering behind a furnace shed. Their voices were low, thick with anticipation.

"The Veiled Market will open in the 15th of this month. Same place, same rules."

"The north Bamboo Grove. With token, free entry. Without token, 1 silver coin."

"Do not reveal yourself or you will be targeted by many."

These words hooked into Xi Chen's mind like a fish hook. From their tone and the way they speaks, he knows it is a black market.

That night he began preparing.

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Xi Chen wrapped in his black cloak, left the town from the north part of town before midnight. He carried no lantern. Only a map sketched from his memory, qnd the weight of his instinct.

The directions led him beyond the old burial mounds and into a Twilight Bamboo Grove, where the stalks grew unnaturally straight and the wind never howled.

There, as he go deeper into the bamboo grove, he found a marker.

A weather-worn stone tablet half-swallowed by vines, bearing no words —only a carving of a half-moon resting above a fang.

There he waited. Minutes passed.

Then.. a tremor beneath his feet.

A portion of earth slid back with mechanical grace, revealing stone step that led into ungrounded.

Then a man wrapped in a red blooded cloak ascended.

When the man reached the top of the steps, he reached out his hand and opened his palm.

Xi Chen knew what it meant. So he gave the man his already prepared silver coin.

The man without speaking anything gestures at Xi Chen to follow him.

Without thinking much Xi Chen followed him, but he always maintained his guard inward.

As both of them descended the steps, the door closed automatically behind them.

When they reached the end of the stone steps, a widespread market bustling with people was there.

The man leave without saying anything.

Xi Chen did not think much and went towards the bustling market.

As he walked passed many stall, he activated his Innate ability to see if there is anything good for him or his brothers.

To his surprise, many of the things on the stall are good thing of low to high grade 1 goods. But seeing the prices Xi Chen looked away dejected.

As he passed by many stalls, he came to a remote stall.

The owner of the stall was an old man with hairs all over. Surprisingly, he did not cover his face.

What caught Xi Chen's attention was not the old man it was the books on his stall.

Xi Chen walked up to the old man's stall and started searching for informations he needed.

He pointed at one of the book, titled 'Power structure of Green River Town.'

Then he asked the owner. "How much for this book?"

"I am not selling it." The owner said without even looking at him.

Xi Chen was caught off guard by the owner's words. Before he could say another word.

"But you can browse through it once for 1 silver coin." The owner continued. And he also added. "You can sell the information if you can remember it all."

Xi Chen then come to a realization. So he gave the owner 1 silver coin and started reading the book.