The two passed through several dim alleys and finally arrived in front of a seemingly ordinary residence. Wan Renfeng gently knocked on the door, and after a moment, a low voice came from inside: “Why are you here?”
Wan Renfeng responded in a low voice: “I was just about to enter the black market, so I brought a Fellow Daoist along.”
The door slowly opened, and a middle-aged man in a black robe appeared at the doorway. His gaze was cold as he swept over Li Mu, then he said to Wan Renfeng: “And this is?”
Wan Renfeng smiled slightly and transmitted: “This is Dao Friend Li. He wants to enter the black market to purchase some high-grade Materials. Please make it convenient for Daoist Friend Chen.”
The black-robed middle-aged man frowned slightly and transmitted: “Fellow Daoist Wan, you should know the rules of the black market. Cultivators without a token cannot enter.”
Wan Renfeng nodded and transmitted: “Daoist Friend Chen, rest assured, Dao Friend Li has little relation to outsiders from the two realms. Just let him enter the black market.”
The black-robed middle-aged man pondered for a moment, then finally nodded and transmitted: “Since you have spoken, I will make an exception this time. However, after you enter the black market, you must abide by its rules, otherwise, you will bear the consequences.”
Upon hearing this, Li Mu quickly transmitted: “Fellow Daoist, rest assured, Li will definitely abide by the rules.”
The black-robed middle-aged man nodded, then took out a black token from his In arms and handed it to Li Mu, saying: “This is the black market’s token. Take it, and someone will naturally receive you after you enter the black market.”
Li Mu took the token, feeling the complex Formation patterns contained within it, and quickly nodded in gratitude: “Thank you, Fellow Daoist.”
Wan Renfeng smiled slightly, motioning for Li Mu not to be too nervous, then turned to the black-robed middle-aged man and said: “Daoist Friend Chen, we will go in first then. We can catch up another day.”
The black-robed middle-aged man nodded gently, the door crack gradually narrowed, and finally closed again. Everything returned to calm, as if no one had ever been there.
The two stepped inside the residence, and the scene before them suddenly changed. The interior of the originally ordinary residence actually had a hidden world of its own.
A small path paved with bluestone wound forward, flanked by dense exotic flowers and plants, shimmering with unknown luster under the faint lamplight. The air was filled with a faint Spiritual Qi, mixed with the unique scents of various plants and Ore, which involuntarily invigorated one’s spirit.
“Dao Friend Li, this is the entrance to the black market.” Wan Renfeng explained softly: “The black market is a mixed bag, with all sorts of rare items available, but because of this, there are also many conflicts and traps. Remember to always stay vigilant and do not easily trust strangers.”
Li Mu nodded, feeling both anticipation and apprehension in his heart, clutching the black token in his hand. He followed Wan Renfeng deeper along the path, and soon, the two arrived at an underground entrance.
At the entrance stood two black-robed Cultivators. When they saw the token in Li Mu’s hand, they nodded, signaling that they could enter.
At this moment, several Cultivators holding similar tokens were inside the entrance, conversing in low voices around an altar. Occasionally, someone would step forward, place their token into a groove on the altar, and then their figure would twist, as if being sucked into another world.
“Let’s go too.” Wan Renfeng said, taking the lead and stepping forward to embed his token into the groove. After a slight tremor, the teleportation platform’s Formation patterns suddenly lit up, and a miniature teleportation Formation was activated, leading to an unknown destination.
Soon, Li Mu and Wan Renfeng arrived at an underground passage via the teleportation Formation.
The passage was dimly lit, yet one could clearly feel the rich Spiritual Qi around. The passage wound downwards, and the surrounding walls were embedded with faintly glowing Spirit Stones, emitting a soft light that illuminated the path ahead.
Li Mu followed behind Wan Renfeng, secretly remaining vigilant. Although Wan Renfeng appeared quite friendly, in such a secret place, he dared not be careless in the slightest.
The two flew rapidly for about three incense sticks’ worth of time, and the passage gradually widened. A huge underground space appeared ahead.
In the center of the space was a circular plaza, surrounded by dozens of stalls. The stalls were filled with various Spirit Materials, Magical Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, and even some rare Yao Beast Materials. There were not many Cultivators coming and going in the plaza; they either conversed in low voices or silently selected items, and the atmosphere appeared quite mysterious and oppressive.
Li Mu’s gaze swept across, and he found that most of these Cultivators had restrained auras, clearly not ordinary individuals.
“Dao Friend Li, this is the only black market currently in Wanbao City. One needs a Void Refining Realm cultivation or above and a token to enter this place.” Wan Renfeng said in a low voice, “You can wander around freely. If you see anything you like, feel free to negotiate the price with the stall owner. However, remember not to be too aggressive. If a transaction doesn’t work out, just let it be. Do not get into conflicts with people.”
Li Mu nodded and said: “Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wan, for the reminder. Li understands.”
Li Mu’s Divine Thought swept across, and he learned of many high-grade Materials suitable for acquisition. A hint of joy flashed in his eyes, and he transmitted: “Fellow Daoist Wan, this black market truly lives up to its reputation!”
Wan Renfeng smiled slightly and transmitted: “Dao Friend Li, although there are many high-grade Materials here, their prices are also extremely expensive. You must be mentally prepared.”
Li Mu nodded and transmitted: “Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wan, for the reminder. Li has his own judgment.”
Wan Renfeng smiled slightly, looked at Li Mu, and said: “Then this old man will go take care of some matters first. I will meet up with you later.”
Li Mu cupped his hands and said: “Fellow Daoist Wan, please go ahead.”
Li Mu watched him leave, then began to wander around the black market, moving alone through the black market, heading straight for a certain stall.
On the stall, there was a black crystal the size of a fist. The surface of the crystal shimmered with a strange light. It was indeed a sixth-order Black Glazed Profound Crystal, containing a portion of the spatial attribute eighth order spirit material—Obsidian Stardust.
Under the Heavenly Talent - Identifying Myriad Spirits, its attributes were clearly displayed in Li Mu’s eyes.
This item held immeasurable value for enhancing the power of Formations and stabilizing the quality of spatial Formations. Li Mu’s heart couldn’t help but stir with excitement. This Obsidian Stardust was precisely one of the key Materials he needed for his Formation arrangement.
Li Mu suppressed the excitement in his heart, walked calmly to the stall, his gaze falling on the Black Glazed Profound Crystal, and asked casually: “Fellow Daoist, how much is this Black Glazed Profound Crystal?”
The stall owner was a thin middle-aged man with a sinister face and a hint of shrewdness in his eyes. He looked up and sized up Li Mu, then a smile appeared on his face, and he said: “Fellow Daoist, you have good eyesight. This Black Glazed Profound Crystal is a rare treasure, and the price... naturally, it’s not cheap.”
Li Mu smiled faintly and said: “Fellow Daoist, why don’t you name a price? If it’s suitable, I’ll take it.”
The stall owner pondered for a moment, then held out five fingers and said: “Fifty thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones, no bargaining.”
Upon hearing this, Li Mu frowned slightly. Fifty thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones for a sixth-order spirit material was no small sum. However, the Black Glazed Profound Crystal’s value was indeed considerable, especially since it contained quite a bit of the eighth order spirit material—Obsidian Stardust. Buying it at this price could be considered a great bargain.
Li Mu weighed it in his heart for a moment, then spoke: “Fellow Daoist, this price is a bit high. I sincerely want it, how about forty thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones?”
The stall owner’s expression darkened slightly, and he shook his head, saying: “Fellow Daoist, in this black market, the Black Glazed Profound Crystal is also a rare item. Fifty thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones is already a fair price. If Fellow Daoist thinks it’s expensive, you might as well look elsewhere.”
Upon hearing this, Li Mu did not immediately retort. He feigned hesitation, his gaze lingering on the Black Glazed Profound Crystal, as if weighing its value.
“Fellow Daoist, since you are so insistent, then Li will buy this Black Glazed Profound Crystal for fifty thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones.” Li Mu took out a Spirit Stone bag from his tianxuan ring and handed it to the stall owner.
A satisfied smile appeared on the stall owner’s face, and he quickly took the Spirit Stone bag, saying happily: “Fellow Daoist is indeed straightforward. This Black Glazed Profound Crystal is yours.”
Li Mu took the Black Glazed Profound Crystal, carefully inspected it, and after confirming it was correct, he put it into his storage ring.
The stall owner confirmed the correct amount of Spirit Stones, put away the Spirit Stone bag, and displayed a warm smile, asking Li Mu: “Fellow Daoist, my stall still has many high-grade Materials. Do you see anything else you need?”
Li Mu swept a glance, smiled and shook his head. The vast majority of the various Spirit Materials on the stall were fifth or sixth order, and no longer caught his eye. If it weren’t for the fact that the Black Glazed Profound Crystal contained Obsidian Stardust, he wouldn’t have acted so decisively. However, out of politeness, he still casually asked: “Fellow Daoist, do you have any rare seventh-order or above Spirit Materials here?”
Please... you... collect _ 6 Ⅰ 9 Ⅰ Book Ⅰ Bar (Six \\\ Nine \\\ Book \\\ Bar!)
A hint of surprise flashed in the stall owner’s eyes, as if astonished by Li Mu’s large appetite, but he quickly returned to normal and chuckled softly: “I do indeed have seventh-order or above Spirit Materials here, but...”
At this point, the stall owner deliberately paused, observing Li Mu’s reaction.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu’s heart stirred. He knew the stall owner intended to raise the price, but he didn’t care. As long as the Spirit Material was of high quality, price was not an issue.
Li Mu smiled slightly and said: “Fellow Daoist, feel free to speak. As long as I can afford it, I naturally won’t miss it.”
The stall owner nodded gravely, took out an exquisite jade box from his storage ring, and slowly opened it, revealing a crystal emitting a faint purple light within. Complex artifact patterns flowed on the surface of the jade box, and faint sounds of thunder emanated from it, clearly indicating it was no ordinary item.
“Inside is a seventh-order lightning-attribute Spirit Material—Purple Lightning Crystal Marrow, which is of great help for refining lightning-type Magic Treasures or cultivating lightning Dao.” The stall owner introduced it to Li Mu, his gaze fixed on Li Mu, anticipating his reaction.
Li Mu frowned. Seventh-order lightning-attribute Spirit Materials were quite rare, and besides refining them into Dao Artifacts, they were difficult to utilize. However, for his current cultivation and Formation arrangements, they were not of much use, and not something he urgently needed.
“Let’s see other seventh-order Spirit Materials!” Li Mu’s words carried a hint of politeness, but the refusal was quite clear. Seeing this, a hint of disappointment flashed in the stall owner’s eyes, but he still didn’t give up, after all, big-spending buyers like Li Mu were not common.
He gently closed the jade box and put it back into his storage ring, then took out a seemingly ordinary wooden box. This time, he didn’t open it immediately, but instead mysteriously said to Li Mu: “Fellow Daoist, the next Spirit Material is something I obtained by chance. Its preciousness is hard to match even by seventh-order Spirit Materials. However, due to its special characteristics, I haven’t fully understood its usage and value.”
Upon hearing this, Li Mu couldn’t help but feel a bit curious. What kind of Spirit Material could make the stall owner so cautious? He nodded slightly, signaling the stall owner to continue.
The stall owner slowly opened the wooden box, only to see a round pearl emitting a faint blue light quietly lying inside. Water-like ripples flowed on the surface of the pearl, as if containing endless depth and mystery.
“This round pearl is called ‘Water Moon Spirit Pearl’. It is said to be naturally condensed within a very rare Yao Beast in the deep sea, containing pure water-attribute Spiritual Qi and a trace of indescribable mysterious power. Although I don’t know its specific use, I can feel that its texture is extraordinary.” The stall owner’s voice was low and mysterious, attempting to pique Li Mu’s interest, as he introduced it in detail.
Li Mu gazed at the Water Moon Spirit Pearl. Under the Heavenly Talent - Identifying Myriad Spirits, its attributes were clearly displayed in his eyes.
【Heavenly Heart Clam Pearl (Seal)】
【Grade: eighth order spirit material】
【Characteristics: Heaven and Earth Divine Marrow (Seal), Impervious to Wind and Rain, Pearl Containing Stars (Seal), Spiritual Power Amplification (Seal), Ancient Rhyme Inheritance (Seal), Pearl Spirit Self-Concealment (Seal), Myriad Spirit Pearl Rhyme (Seal)】
【Status: Dim Spiritual Light, Damaged Spiritual Rhyme, Heavenly Treasure Covered in Dust and Transformed into Mortal】
【A Heavenly Heart Treasure naturally nurtured by an eighth-order ancient deep-sea giant clam, having experienced a world-ending catastrophe and the baptism of a thousand years, its Spiritual Light is dim, its Spiritual Rhyme is damaged, and it has fallen into the mortal world. It contains the mysteries of the genesis of Heaven and Earth and the Law of the Stars and Moon. It coexists harmoniously with the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and Law, capable of amplifying Spiritual Power and enhancing cultivation. Furthermore, at certain specific moments, it conceals Innatethree thousand four hundred and fifty four four-symbol pearl patterns, a hundred traces of time, and a thousand layers of myriad objects’ Qi. Only by gathering these can its Seal be lifted and the might of a Heavenly Treasure be restored.】
“This pearl has extraordinary spirituality, it’s definitely not an ordinary item. I wonder if it can enter Fellow Daoist’s Dharma Eye!” The stall owner’s eyes were fixed on Li Mu as he asked with concern.
He had possessed this item for several hundred years, yet had never been able to fully comprehend its true use and value. Although he had tried various methods to stimulate its spirituality, he had never succeeded. Now, seeing a big client interested in high-grade Materials, he took it out with a try-it-out mentality.
Li Mu gazed at the Water Moon Spirit Pearl, secretly shocked in his heart, but on his face, he showed a hesitant expression, and hesitated: “This pearl is indeed extraordinary, like the core pearl of some high-grade Yao Beast. If there are no other intentions, it should be the pearl of some Yao clam.”
After a pause, Li Mu deliberately hesitated, trying to lower the price, then evaluated: “However, this pearl’s Spiritual Light is dim and its Spiritual Rhyme is damaged, clearly having lost most of its power. I’m afraid it will be difficult to unleash its true value.”
Seeing that Li Mu did not show great interest, the stall owner felt a little anxious and quickly explained: “Fellow Daoist is absolutely right, this pearl’s Spiritual Light is indeed dim, but its essence is extraordinary, ...”
Upon hearing this, Li Mu sneered inwardly, knowing that he wanted to use this to raise the price. He pretended to ponder for a moment, then directly said: “Fellow Daoist, I am somewhat interested in this pearl. I am willing to offer fifty thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?”
“Fifty thousand Medium Grade Spirit Stones, Fellow Daoist, don’t joke!” The stall owner was startled, glared at Li Mu, and refused without even thinking.
With that, the stall owner was about to put away the wooden box. (End of chapter)
