"I'll see if Meng Yan or Hong Li can help first. If not, I'll consider the black market!"
Meng Yan was a Qingyuan Sect disciple, and Hong Li's Ningshan Family was even more influential, with a network far surpassing the sect's. If neither could help, the black market was his only hope.
'But that black market...'
He still harbored many reservations about the organization. Meng Yan had once introduced it to him—it was one of the most enigmatic groups in the cultivation world, lacking even a formal name. "Mysterious Black Market" was just a label used by the public. Its members ranged from Qi Refinement to Great Mahayana experts, yet no one knew the leader's identity.
It functioned less like a trading guild and more like a mysterious power hiding behind a commercial facade. While it claimed to be able to trade anything, spiritual stones alone weren't always enough. One often had to pay a premium over market price and complete specific tasks to earn "Black Market Points." Rare items could only be purchased with these points.
Despite these steep requirements, countless people flocked to it—especially rogue cultivators who struggled to obtain manuals and resources. From Secret Transmission manuals to the holy maidens of great sects or rare spirit herbs, anything could be acquired if the difficulty of the task was met.
There were rumors that the black market was preparing a massive conspiracy, but after hundreds of thousands of years, it had yet to cause a major upheaval. It had survived countless crackdowns from both righteous and demonic sects because it served a fundamental need. In a world of rigid class structures and monopolized resources, almost everyone below the top tier was being suppressed. The black market was the key to breaking those shackles.
'An organization that has been planning for hundreds of thousands of years... everyone knows they're up to something, but no one knows what or when.'
'But as long as class hierarchies exist, the black market will thrive. The cultivation world might look prosperous on the surface, but underneath, the currents are turbulent!'
Qi Ping originally had no intention of joining. The risks were too great. But now, with his Natural Perception allowing him to read omens, he could perform a safety check before any task or trade. Under these conditions, he felt it was worth a try.
He waited several days for replies from his contacts. Nothing! Both gave the same answer: No!
Spirit Vein Essences hadn't appeared on the market for years. Extracting one was akin to killing a goose for its golden eggs; it severely damaged the vein, leaving only a fraction of its value. It was only done in extreme circumstances. Even in the brutal war between the Qingyuan Sect and its rivals, no one had touched the spirit veins, as doing so would trigger an all-out war between Golden Core and Nascent Soul powerhouses.
"It looks like the black market is my only path!"
He sighed, finally making the decision. Though he disliked danger, he wouldn't compromise his path to immortality.
"Fortunately, I have my omens and the swarm. I can scout from two levels. I don't even need to show my face; I just need to finish the tasks."
A smile touched his lips. It wouldn't be easy to plot against him! After ten days of planning for various risks, he set the plan in motion. He first traveled to the battlefield where Meng Yan was stationed and obtained an introductory token. It wasn't cheap—two thousand spirit stones.
He traveled to a spot far from the Cloud-Mist Mountains and crushed the token. He then had the swarm wait at the location. About a day later, a strange Box Puppet appeared. (TN: Box Puppet: A cubic, mechanical construct used as a terminal for the black market.)
Finding no one at the spot where the token was crushed, the puppet didn't leave but waited patiently.
'Just as Brother Meng said, the puppet waits, giving the newcomer time to observe.'
After confirming the lack of danger through his swarm and omens, Qi Ping appeared before the puppet in the guise of a middle-aged man.
"Choose your membership level. Qi Refinement: one thousand spirit stones. Foundation Establishment: ten thousand. Golden Core: one hundred thousand." A mechanical, emotionless voice came from the Box Puppet.
"Foundation Establishment level!" Qi Ping replied. With a slight pang of pain, he handed over ten thousand spirit stones.
The puppet swallowed the stones and produced a white, specialized token. "Choose a code name!"
"Bee Daoist!"