Translator: AnubisTL
Hearing Li Qing's words, Shen Ningbing was slightly taken aback, not expecting such a suggestion.
"Senior Brother Li, are you worried about me? The people on the Wanted Bounty Notice may seem formidable, but I believe that as long as I avoid the core formation realm cultivators, I can hold my own against even late foundation establishment realm cultivators!"
Shen Ningbing had unwavering confidence in her abilities, which was understandable given her ice attribute variant spirit root and the personal tutelage she had received from a core formation realm cultivator. Her combat prowess far surpassed that of most cultivators at her level.
She was even confident in her chances against cultivators a minor realm above her own.
However, Li Qing shook his head.
"It's not just that. Consider this: how could cultivators who warrant a Wanted Bounty Notice issued directly by the Ghost Sword Sect be ordinary?"
"The fact that these individuals can still roam freely despite being wanted by the Ghost Sword Sect speaks volumes."
"Perhaps you could defeat many of them in one-on-one combat, and even capture them alive. But that's not the point."
"But have you considered that this is the Great Wilderness Domain? We haven't even figured out how vast this domain is, how many prefectures it contains, or the relationship between the righteous and demonic paths. How can we possibly hope to complete these Wanted Bounty Notices?"
This was Li Qing's own perspective, carefully considered from her point of view. If he were tasked with capturing the cultivators on the Wanted Bounty Notices, he would truly be groping in the dark.
Once they left Sunward City and Nanyang Market, they would be in unfamiliar territory once again.
How could they capture cultivators listed on the Wanted Bounty Notices when they didn't even know where to find them?
Hearing these words, Shen Ningbing fell into a slow silence.
The Great Wilderness Domain was vast beyond measure. Searching for cultivators who had concealed themselves in this unfamiliar land would be like searching for a needle in the ocean.
"Then, senior brother Li, what do you think I should do? I can't just sit here and wait for my spirit stones to run out, can I?" Shen Ningbing asked, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly.
How to earn spirit stones?
This was a problem faced by nearly all rogue cultivators in the cultivation world. Without spirit stones, cultivation would grind to a halt, and even daily practice in Spirit Vein Lands would become impossible.
Shen Ningbing had no proficiency in cultivation techniques. Her only assets were her cultivation level and her exceptional combat prowess within the foundation establishment realm.
Thus, her first thought for earning spirit stones was the Wanted Bounty Notice issued by the Ghost Sword Sect.
However, after Li Qing pointed out the flaws in the bounty notice, she suddenly felt lost and uncertain.
"To be honest, I've often wondered what I would do to earn spirit stones if I didn't know artifact refinement," Li Qing said.
"When I was just a junior cultivator in the qi refining realm, I felt helpless. Even if I had ideas, I couldn't implement them. I would have had to seek refuge with a cultivation clan and work as a spirit farmer or laborer."
"But now that I'm a foundation establishment realm cultivator, some of those ideas have become feasible!"
Shen Ningbing's eyes lit up slightly. "Senior brother, please elaborate!" she urged, her curiosity piqued.
Having experienced so much together, Shen Ningbing now had unwavering faith in Li Qing. She instinctively believed that any idea he proposed would undoubtedly succeed.
Without hesitation, Li Qing slowly uttered two words:
"Black Market!"
To be clear, establishing a Black Market wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment idea for Li Qing.
Even back in his qi refining realm days, Li Qing had recognized the crucial importance of a discreet and reliable platform for disposing of stolen goods.
Forced by circumstances, he had slain several cultivators with sensitive backgrounds, whose exposure would have brought considerable trouble.
Yet the spoils he plundered from them had to be sold off somehow. Destroying them would have been a wasteful pity.
The convenience of a Black Market was self-evident.
This idea had first taken root during his time mingling in the Heavenly River Market. Later, his travels to various regions further solidified his understanding of the critical importance of intelligence networks.
It wasn't until Shen Ningbing approached him today that Li Qing finally shared his preliminary concept with her.
In the Great Wilderness Domain, the righteous and demonic paths held immense power, with several formidable cultivation sects dominating the region.
Li Qing believed that after the eventual collapse of the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty, the righteous and demonic paths would inevitably descend into prolonged conflict.
Where interests clashed, grudges and rivalries would inevitably follow.
In such an environment, disciples from various cultivation sects would inevitably meet untimely deaths.
This would inevitably lead to the emergence of illicit goods that couldn't be sold openly for spirit stones without attracting unwanted attention.
If there were a secret trading platform guaranteeing absolute privacy, it would undoubtedly become the preferred venue for many cultivators to dispose of stolen goods.
"This idea is just a preliminary concept. Implementing it would certainly encounter numerous obstacles and challenges."
"However, if we can achieve even modest success, the potential profits would be immense!"
"Especially after the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty falls, the division of spoils alone will ensure that neither the righteous nor demonic paths will find peace."
At this moment, Li Qing felt like he was transforming into a pyramid scheme leader, his tone brimming with persuasive fervor.
To be honest, even he was tempted to abandon the Hundred Refinements Pavilion and personally execute this Black Market plan.
However, the truth was that this venture would carry significant risks.
After hearing Li Qing's overview of the Black Market plan, Shen Ningbing took a deep breath, awestruck by his grand vision.
The concept was so ambitious that, if successfully implemented, it could rapidly expand to every cultivator gathering place throughout the Great Wilderness Domain.
Of course, all of this depended on avoiding early detection by major powers. Otherwise, they risked facing devastating retaliation.
Just as Li Qing had said, they should first establish a firm foothold in Sunward City, then gradually expand into Giant Deer Prefecture. With their foundation establishment realm cultivation, they could easily oversee such operations.
Currently, the righteous and demonic paths were at war with the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty. Following this conflict, the two paths might turn on each other, creating a window of opportunity for them to grow unnoticed in the cracks between these powers.
"Senior Brother Li, I have one last question," Shen Ningbing said earnestly, her eyes gleaming with interest. "How do we attract people to the Black Market?"
Li Qing chuckled at her question.
"If we were in the Azure Ridge Domain, this might be tricky. But here? It's simple!"
"Take Sunward City as an example. Immortals and mortals coexist here, each occupying their own corner of the city. In the cultivation markets, you often see mortals mingling among the cultivators."
"We can discreetly contact these mortals and arrange for them to spread rumors among the cultivators frequenting the markets—whispering about a secret trade fair being held at a specific location!"
Shen Ningbing asked, her voice tinged with doubt, "Do you think this will actually work?"
Li Qing chuckled. "No cultivator would easily refuse a trade fair, especially a clandestine one!"
After watching Shen Ningbing depart from his Hundred Refinements Pavilion, Li Qing took a deep breath and began analyzing the potential benefits and drawbacks of this plan.
"If the Black Market grows too large, it's inevitable that it will come under the scrutiny of the immortal dao sects," he mused. "That's unavoidable."
"Therefore, I need to distance myself from it completely. Ideally, I should control everything from behind the scenes, ensuring I'm not implicated in any way."
As he spoke, Li Qing's eyes flickered with calculation.
If the clandestine Black Market plan succeeded, he stood to gain significantly.
Firstly, it would provide access to information that rarely surfaced in public channels.
Secondly, the World of Eternal Night behind him could finally yield tangible benefits.
For example, the Crimson Crystal—a substance capable of accelerating a demon beast's metamorphosis—had yet to be monetized.
The time had finally come.
Anyone could see that such a thing would be incredibly valuable, especially to cultivators who raised demon beasts. It was practically irresistible.
"Releasing small quantities of Crimson Crystals frequently in the early stages will help the Black Market establish a foothold."
"Once the Black Market in Sunward City stabilizes, we can gradually reduce the frequency of Crimson Crystal sales."
"But these measures alone won't fully stabilize the Black Market. The key is to establish a reputation for handling stolen goods and selling illicit items, leaving a strong initial impression on participating cultivators."
Li Qing narrowed his eyes, a slow smile spreading across his lips. A promising idea had already taken shape in his mind.
"To pull this off, concealing my identity is paramount!"
He quickly retrieved an emerald green Jade Ruyi from his storage pouch.
This magic artifact concealed his aura, a lucky find from his time at the Heavenly River Market.
The materials used to craft this Jade Ruyi were simple, barely qualifying it as a low-grade magic artifact.
However, the spirit patterns within the Jade Ruyi were exceptionally unique. Their design was ancient, completely unlike anything from this era.
It was precisely this detail that had captivated Li Qing's attention, causing him to become so engrossed in observing the Jade Ruyi that a cunning young rogue had secretly swapped a superior low-grade magic artifact from his stall.
Fortunately, the Jade Ruyi proved to be quite useful, aiding Li Qing several times in critical moments. This could be considered a blessing in disguise.
Now, Li Qing's task was to extract the spirit patterns from the Jade Ruyi and use them to refine magic artifacts specifically designed to conceal one's aura.
"These aura concealment patterns are truly unique, vastly different from Aura Concealment Talismans—almost like night and day."
"Simply copying and engraving them wouldn't be too difficult, but could I enhance their effectiveness?"
(End of the Chapter)
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