Translator: 549690339 |
“Zhu Jianyi, what are you doing here?”
Upon hearing this voice, both Wang Ba and Zhu Jianyi were stunned.
However, compared to Zhu Jianyi’s panic, Wang Ba was much composed.
After all, he had encountered far more dangerous situations before. He immediately sent a private message to Zhu Jianyi, advising him to respond accordingly.
At the same time, he reminded the other bluntly.
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
With Wang Ba’s reassurance and warning, Zhu Jianyi’s inner struggle finally subsided, and he relaxed his clenched fists.
Lifting up his head, he greeted with surprise and joy:
“Martial Uncle Gao, are you here, too? Are you here to purchase Elixirs?”
The owner of the voice was a slightly overweight older man. On hearing this, his eyes sparkled slightly, then he nodded: “Hmm, I ran out of Elixirs. Where is your master? Has he come too?”
“No, my master should still be in Jinhe City. He just left his retreat recently. Martial Uncle Gao, are you planning to search for my master?”
Zhu Jianyi responded calmly.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the slightly overweight elder looked at Wang Ba in confusion: “Who is this…?”
“This is a friend 1 met while I was outside.”
Zhu Jianyi quickly replied.
“Oh.”
The slightly overweight elder did not show interest in further acquaintance. He merely smiled and nodded at Wang Ba over Zhu Jianyi, considering it as a greeting.
Wang Ba also nodded politely in response.
They soon bid farewell to the slightly overweight elder and stepped onto the Teleportation Array.
Watching the two disappear within the Teleportation Array, the slightly overweight elder’s expression turned serious.
“Martial Uncle Gao? I don’t have the surname Gao.”
“Zhu Jianyi obviously knows me but deliberately addressed me this way. He clearly intended to give me a hint to visit Jinhe city and find Lin Xiwen… Seems like there’s trouble.”
After pondering for a while, he didn’t make a mad rush to leave.
Instead, he wandered around the area for a bit.
After bargaining for a while, he bought some Elixirs and then strolled away from the Teleportation Array.
Immediately, he flew towards Jinhe City at a leisurely pace.
Although he was acquainted with Lin Xiwen, their actual friendship was just superficial.
Moreover, Lin Xiwen was just a junior.
There was no need to be overly concerned.
Perhaps even his master wouldn’t worry about this.
Soon, a city appeared on the horizon.
Returning wasn’t nearly as complicated as entering the Ghost Market.
When Wang Ba emerged from a Teleportation Array, he found himself at the bottom of a river.
Through the water repellent barrier, he could see fish leisurely swimming in the water.
They emerged from the water quickly and flew for more than a Shichen led by Zhu Jianyi, who was a local, to return to their previous lodging.
Only then did Zhu Jianyi notice that one of the low-class disciples who had followed him before was still alive under the tree hole.
Under Zhu Jianyi’s nervous gaze,
Wang Ba straightforwardly took the low-class disciple into the tree hole.
After some horrifying screams that made Zhu Jianyi shudder, Wang Ba walked out of the tree hole with an indifferent expression.
“Se…Senior…”
Zhu Jianyi was trembling with fear.
Wang Ba softened his expression and asked, “Recently, are there any other Ghost Markets open?”
Zhu Jianyi quickly replied, breathing a sigh of relief, “No, not nearby. The second layer of the Linglong Ghost Market only opens once every six months, and there is still over a month to go.”
“Linglong Ghost Market’s second layer?”
Wang Ba looked puzzled.
“Yes, senior, you may have noticed that the Linglong Ghost Market is backed by a Golden Core stage cultivator. What we visited today is actually just the first layer. This layer mainly consists of Qi Refining Cultivators and a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The second layer, however, is mainly comprised of Foundation Establishment Cultivators. I, however, have never been there, being only at the Qi Refining stage. You, senior, may get a chance.”
Perhaps feeling guilty, Zhu Jianyi eagerly shared everything he knew.
Wang Ba took this in thoughtfully.
He had been wondering about the secretive nature of the Linglong Ghost Market and its reliance on the Teleportation Array. It seemed incongruous to just provide a trading place for Qi Refining Cultivators. Now all became clear.
This Linglong Ghost Market indeed had more depths than it appeared.
It truly justified its ‘Linglong’ name.
After some thoughts, Wang Ba asked again, “So, what about Ghost Markets far from here?”
Zhu Jianyi thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something and said, “If you don’t intend to seize control of a rogue Ghost Market, senior, you could go to ‘Xuli County’ in the south. There is a market run by the ‘Xuli Sect’. Although the prices are somewhat higher, there is a wide variety of goods available, and it’s very safe.”
“Xuli Sect?”
Wang Ba pondered in response.
He had heard about it from Song Buping. It was one of the major sects within Yan State, with several Golden Core stage cultivators residing in it.
However, according to Song Buping’s assessment, the Xuli Sect seemed generous, providing a lifeline for Rogue Cultivators.
In reality, they were no different from the Tianmen Cult in exploiting rogue Qi Refining practitioners.
Both squeezed resources from the lower stratum at high prices.
Many honest and timid Rogue Cultivators dare not trade in the Ghost Market, for fear of being trapped by major sects, and willingly allowed themselves to be sucked dry.
Once these Rogue Cultivators were impoverished and could no longer provide more value, the sect would clandestinely get rid of them, selling the group of them to the Tianmen Cult, providing another source of addition to the Heresy Cultivators.
Recently, the Xuli Sect had realized their behavior was akin to breeding a tiger for trouble, and thus terminated their transactions with the Tianmen Cult.
But actually, some high-ranking individuals within the Xuli Sect were still secretly carrying out such operations for their personal gain..