The Cloud Mist Market was not created out of kindness.
Nor was it built merely for trade.
Its true purpose was to maintain balance between cultivators and the yao beasts within the Cloud Mist Forest.
The deeper one traveled into the forest, the denser the fog became.
At first, ordinary mist merely obscured one's surroundings slightly.
But deeper inside, the fog became almost supernatural.
Visibility shrank to a few meters.
Sound became distorted.
Even spiritual perception weakened under the influence of the strange mist.
That was why Bright Shine Talismans had become one of the most popular consumable items throughout the entire Yun Province.
The talismans emitted spiritual light capable of suppressing portions of the fog while illuminating hidden dangers.
And because Cloud Mist Market sat directly beside the forest, demand here was far greater than in other markets.
Naturally, the prices had also risen dramatically.
Demand created profit.
Profit attracted cultivators.
And wherever cultivators gathered in large numbers—
Darkness inevitably followed.
Within the Ding Region of the market existed the true underbelly of Cloud Mist Market.
The slums.
The fighting rings.
The gambling dens.
The black alley trades.
And occasionally...
The black market.
Unlike the ordinary market districts, the black market operated in secrecy.
It allowed cultivators to sell things that could not be explained openly.
Stolen treasures.
Unregistered cultivation manuals.
Artifacts from suspicious origins.
Or belongings taken from dead cultivators.
After all, tribulation killings between cultivators were far too common in this world.
Many people killed.
Many people looted.
But not everyone dared to openly sell those spoils.
That was where the black market became useful.
As long as one had enough spirit stones and enough courage, almost anything could be purchased there.
Of course, entry was restricted.
Only those possessing tokens could enter.
And these tokens were difficult for ordinary cultivators to obtain.
For low level cultivators, a single token might require years of connections.
But for wealthy families, merchants, and major factions, such things were abundant.
Late at night, near the edge of a rundown gambling den within Ding Region, a black robed cultivator slowly approached the entrance.
His face was hidden beneath a dark mask artifact that distorted both appearance and aura.
Two guards stood outside lazily.
One glanced toward the approaching figure.
"It is time?"
The black robed cultivator replied calmly,
"Wherever there is righteousness..."
"...there will be demons."
The guard nodded faintly before extending his hand.
The black robed figure handed over a dark token silently.
The guard inspected it briefly before stepping aside.
"You may enter."
The black robed cultivator walked forward calmly.
The moment he passed through the seemingly ordinary gate—
The environment changed completely.
The noisy gambling den vanished.
Instead, a hidden underground market appeared before him.
Rows of lanterns illuminated the dim streets.
Countless cultivators moved through the pathways while concealing their appearances through masks, robes, or aura disguising artifacts.
At first glance, it resembled a normal cultivation market.
But the atmosphere here was far darker.
Some stalls openly sold bloodstained weapons.
Others displayed incomplete cultivation manuals.
A few even sold suspicious pills of unknown origin.
Naturally, not everything here was genuine.
In fact, most things were fake.
Many cultivators specifically targeted greedy newcomers by selling fabricated "ancient inheritances" and worthless manuals disguised as treasures.
The logic was simple.
Buy cheap.
Sell high.
And if someone was stupid enough to believe it—
Even better.
Unfortunately, many people truly did fall for such traps.
After all, cultivators were gamblers by nature.
Everyone hoped they would become the lucky one who discovered treasure hidden among trash.
But most only lost spirit stones instead.
The black robed cultivator ignored the outer stalls entirely.
He clearly knew this place well.
Passing through several winding alleys, he continued deeper into the market.
The deeper one went, the more legitimate the shops became.
Eventually, he stopped before a large building illuminated by crimson lanterns.
Above the entrance hung a plaque.
Louxu Shop.
The black robed cultivator paused briefly before entering.
The moment he stepped inside, a young female assistant immediately approached with a professional smile.
Her eyes swept over his concealed appearance calmly.
Cultivators who hid themselves this thoroughly were usually either dangerous... or extremely profitable.
Either way, they were valuable clients.
After all—
Wherever there was trouble, there would always be profit.
The assistant bowed slightly.
"Welcome to Louxu Shop. How may we assist you tonight?"
The black robed cultivator lowered his voice slightly.
"I need a private room."
The assistant's smile deepened slightly.
"Of course, honored guest."
Private rooms meant serious business.
And serious business meant large commissions.
She quickly led him deeper into the building.
Unlike the chaotic atmosphere outside, the interior of Louxu Shop appeared elegant and refined.
Formation lanterns illuminated the corridors softly while faint incense drifted through the air.
Soon, they entered a secluded room.
The assistant activated the soundproofing formation immediately.
A faint barrier formed around the walls.
Only then did the black robed cultivator finally relax slightly.
Without hesitation, he reached into his storage pouch before removing a wooden preservation box.
Then he slowly opened it.
The moment the lid lifted—
A rich wave of fire attributed spiritual qi spread through the room.
Inside the box rested four crimson fruits covered in faint flame patterns.
Flame Burst Fruits.
The assistant froze instantly.
Even with her training, shock flashed across her face briefly.
Four Flame Burst Fruits?
And judging from the spiritual fluctuations...
These fruits were close to perfect maturity.
The assistant immediately regained her composure and maintained her professional smile.
But inwardly, her thoughts were already racing.
A single Flame Burst Fruit could sell for at least one thousand low grade spirit stones.
Four fruits meant over four thousand spirit stones.
That amount was enormous for ordinary cultivators.
After all, even preparing to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill required around eight thousand spirit stones.
Most Qi Refinement cultivators would never accumulate such wealth in their entire lives.
The assistant quickly signaled another servant outside.
"Prepare spirit tea and refreshments for our honored guest."
But before the servant could leave, the black robed cultivator spoke calmly.
"No need."
The assistant immediately dismissed the servant respectfully.
Then she looked back toward the fruits carefully.
"Honored guest wishes to sell them?"
The black robed figure nodded.
"How much?"
The assistant carefully examined the fruits again.
Though her expression remained calm, inwardly she was already evaluating several possibilities.
Someone capable of obtaining Flame Burst Fruits alive from the Cloud Mist Forest was definitely not simple.
Especially recently.
Since the beast tide, the forest had become far more dangerous.
Many hunting teams had died.
Yet this person not only survived...
He even obtained four Flame Burst Fruits.
The assistant smiled politely.
"Ordinary quality Flame Burst Fruits are valued at around one thousand low grade spirit stones each."
"But these appear to possess excellent spiritual preservation."
"At minimum, our shop can offer four thousand three hundred spirit stones."
The black robed cultivator remained silent.
Clearly dissatisfied.
The assistant quickly added,
"If honored guest wishes, Louxu Shop can also auction them discreetly."
"With the current demand for fire attributed spiritual treasures, the final price may rise significantly."
The black robed cultivator finally spoke again.
"Too troublesome."
"I want immediate payment."
The assistant pondered briefly before nodding.
"Then... four thousand five hundred spirit stones."
This time, the black robed cultivator finally relaxed slightly.
"Deal."
The assistant smiled inwardly.
Even at that price, the shop would still profit greatly.
Especially if sold during the next internal auction.
After all, many late stage Qi Refinement cultivators were currently desperate to increase their cultivation after the recent inheritance discoveries.
A servant soon arrived carrying a storage pouch.
The assistant placed it carefully on the table.
"Please inspect it."
The black robed cultivator swept his spiritual sense through the pouch briefly before nodding.
Four thousand five hundred spirit stones.
Not a single stone missing.
He quickly stored the pouch away.
The assistant smiled warmly.
"If honored guest discovers similar treasures in the future, Louxu Shop welcomes your business anytime."
The black robed cultivator stood up silently.
But before leaving, he paused slightly.
Then he asked in a low voice,
"I heard rumors about inheritances appearing recently."
The assistant's eyes flickered subtly.
"Rumors spread quickly these days."
"Some are real."
"Most are fake."
"But..."
She lowered her voice slightly.
"There are whispers that someone truly found an ancient inheritance underground near the inner forest crevices."
The black robed cultivator's eyes narrowed slightly beneath the mask.
"Ancient inheritance?"
The assistant nodded.
"That rumor is why so many cultivators are flooding the forest recently."
"Though many never return."
The black robed cultivator fell silent.
After several moments, he turned and walked away.
The assistant watched his departing figure thoughtfully.
For some reason...
She felt this mysterious cultivator would return again someday.
Meanwhile, outside the black market, the night fog of Cloud Mist Market continued drifting silently through the streets.
And hidden beneath the surface calm—
Greed, ambition, and danger continued growing stronger with every passing day.