Chapter 12: The Black Market and Sword Testing (Please Vote)
Chapter 12: The Black Market and Sword Testing (Please Vote)
"Fiends and Demons?"
The moon hung at its zenith.
Fang Xi held the black market wooden token in his hand, still feeling a trace of confusion.
According to Mu Cang Long, fiends likely corresponded to some physically formidable demon beasts, but demons? It seemed somewhat peculiar, not like the demon beasts or Demonic Cultivators of the cultivation world. . .
"However, am I finally about to gain access to the advanced resources of this world?"
He gazed at the bridge ahead, a hint of excitement in his expression.
As per Mu Cang Long's instructions, Black Stone City's black market was located at the 'Moon Bridge'. Every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. . . with the wooden token as proof, one could take a small wooden boat from the bridge's edge and enter the true black market!
At this moment, Fang Xi had naturally changed into a set of night clothes, complete with a bamboo hat, making it impossible to discern his figure or face.
"Who goes there?"
An old man poling a bamboo stick from the boat asked.
"Someone going to the black market."
Fang Xi replied.
"Do you have proof?"
"Here!"
After he tossed over the wooden token, the old man glanced at it a few times, respectfully returned it, and allowed Fang Xi onto the boat.
Onboard, there were several other black-clad figures, maintaining a certain distance from each other, silently.
After waiting for the duration of three incense sticks, the old man pushed his bamboo pole, and the covered boat drifted away under the moonlight.
A thin mist rose, and the surrounding buildings became indistinct shadows.
After an unknown period, the small boat docked at a riverside beach.
"We've arrived."
The old man's voice came through.
Fang Xi stepped off the boat, his feet sinking into the damp mud.
Looking around, it seemed to be an island in the middle of a lake, with many people setting up stalls and hawking their wares.
The only few buildings were crude wooden structures, looking incredibly simple.
"This black market. . . is completely different from what I imagined."
"Far too primitive."
Fang Xi's lips twitched slightly as he blended into the crowd.
"Brother, looking to learn martial arts? The Iron Sword Sect's secret transmission, the eighteen forms of the Iron-Cutting Sword Art, complete with the Spirit Intent Diagram!"
At one stall, a masked vendor was loudly hawking his goods.
Fang Xi glanced at the stack of secret manuals, then shook his head and walked away.
Without even looking, he knew that a Spirit Intent Diagram was not so easily replicated.
Anything appearing here was likely fake.
"Come and see, excellent slaves here. . . This skin, these teeth. . . clearly from a wealthy family, raise her for a few years and she'll surely be a great beauty!"
At another stall, people were actually being sold!
Fang Xi swept his gaze over them, seeing several boys and girls with terrified expressions. He immediately recalled the rumors of missing children from wealthy households in the city over the past few days, and a chill went down his spine.
It seemed the Da Liang court's control and deterrent power were quite limited!
"The black market is indeed quite black."
"Unfortunately, at my current stage, I don't possess the power to act as I please."
After a mental scoff, he followed Mu Cang Long's directions and approached a wooden hut.
The wooden hut was very crude. Fang Xi sniffed, detecting a strong, pungent scent of blood.
In the grass around the hut, white bones were faintly visible.
"Is this Mu Cang Long's and the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall's channel for demon meat?"
Fang Xi murmured to himself and stepped inside.
The light inside the wooden hut was dim, illuminated by an oil lamp whose wick burned with an eerie green flame.
As the lamp oil burned, a strange fragrance diffused through the air.
Fang Xi swallowed, actually feeling a bit hungry.
"This lamp oil. . . something's off."
Just as he pondered, a deep voice suddenly boomed: "You've come to buy meat?"
Fang Xi looked over and couldn't help but gasp, genuinely startled.
On one side of the room, a 'mountain of flesh' was piled up!
It was a literal mountain of flesh, about two to three meters high, layers of pale, glistening fat piled high, with loose skin covered in grease.
This was an unimaginably enormous fat man!
"At least a thousand pounds!"
Fang Xi's voice was low: "I heard. . . there's demon meat for sale here? Don't worry, I understand the rules!"
As he spoke, he tossed over the wooden token.
The 'mountain of flesh' took the token, casually glanced at it, and then chuckled: "So, an introduction from a regular customer. . . Rest assured, my meat here is of the best quality!"
As he spoke, he opened his large, palm-like hand and grabbed behind himself.
Splat!
A piece of pale white meat was flung before Fang Xi.
This lump of meat weighed at least five or six pounds, with no trace of red blood, and seemingly no muscle or sinewy texture.
"This feeling. . . is very similar to the lamp oil? " Fang Xi scanned it, making a mental judgment.
"My meat here is a hundred taels of silver per pound. " The mountain of flesh continued to quote the price.
"Alright!"
Fang Xi nodded, taking out a gold leaf. He had specifically exchanged for these for the transaction.
After all, carrying too much silver was inconvenient.
"I have a hundred gold leaves on me, totaling one hundred taels of gold. The official exchange rate is ten taels of silver to one tael of gold, which is equivalent to a thousand taels of pure silver. Just give me ten pounds of meat for now."
When Fang Xi finished speaking and took out the gold leaves, the 'mountain of flesh' opposite him seemed stunned.
A moment later, he burst into laughter: "Good. . . straightforward! I, Han Pang Zi, like straightforward people like you!"
As he spoke, he grabbed another piece of demon meat and tossed it down, weighing a good five or six pounds.
"This piece, added to the previous one, is definitely more than ten pounds. The extra is on me. . . " Han Pang Zi chuckled: "Life is short, and only eating meat is the supreme joy. . . But remember, don't eat too much and burst yourself, hahaha. . ."
Han Pang Zi laughed continuously, even making the wooden hut tremble.
Fang Xi clasped his fists, wrapped the ten pounds of meat in cloth, slung it over his back, and bid farewell.
Having acquired what he wanted, he chose not to linger in the black market but left directly.
The way back, naturally, was by boat first, then disembarking at the Moon Bridge.
As Fang Xi navigated a winding path into an alley, he suddenly sighed: "Your Excellency has been following me for so long, what exactly do you want?"
At the end of the alley, a black-clad figure had appeared at some unknown point.
He sneered and replied: "Good kid, your kung fu isn't bad. . . You were able to get so much meat from Han Pang Zi, clearly your financial standing is impressive. Hand it over to this old man!"
As the man spoke, he was still standing at the end of the alley, but as the last word fell, he was already before Fang Xi, launching a fierce punch that rolled forward like a boulder.
"Rolling Stone Fist? !"
Fang Xi smiled faintly. This person was also using a martial arts hall technique; he had seen practitioners from the Rocky Martial Arts Hall use it when he was learning martial arts.
Now, he faced it without the slightest panic, his palm slightly turning over, its center becoming pitch black, and he struck it out with the flow.
Bang!
Fists and palms met, and two surging forces of Blood-Qi collided, producing a dull thud.
The black-clad man grunted, retreated several steps, and exclaimed in a low voice: "Blood-Qi Transformation? How is that possible? !"
He had long heard of the young masters in the city!
This time, he chose to attack precisely because the other party's voice didn't sound old!
He never expected to run into a tough opponent!
"You're also a master of Blood-Qi Transformation, and from the Rocky Martial Arts Hall!"
Fang Xi nodded, then shook his head: "Why seek death?"
"Hmph! Although the White Cloud Palm is vicious, it may not be able to defeat me. " The black-clad man shouted, his fists striking like thunder, his aura extremely menacing.
While the name 'Rolling Stone Fist' wasn't pleasant, its punches were truly as the name suggested. Once it gained momentum and chained attacks, it could accumulate power, snowballing into a world-shattering strike.
The longer it lasted, the greater its power!
Fang Xi was about to focus his mind to respond, but his lips suddenly twitched.
He saw the black-clad man shout, then turn and run. . . run away. . .
"Damn it, why would I, a guy who's eaten too much, risk my life fighting a martial artist who's also at Blood-Qi Transformation?"
The black-clad man turned and ran, feeling utterly dejected.
Looking closely at his fists, black marks were already left, clearly indicating that the poisoned palm was not without harm to him.
"A master from the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall, I'll remember this grudge. . ."
Just as he was about to utter more threats, his vision suddenly blurred, and he saw Fang Xi!
With the speed enhanced by Red Snake Leg, Fang Xi's swiftness was indeed remarkable!
Seeing this, a feeling of despair welled up in the black-clad man's heart: "You. . . you really mean to wipe me out completely?"
"Not at all, not at all. . ."
Fang Xi smiled faintly: "You're a master of Blood-Qi Transformation, aren't you? I just want you to be a subject for an experiment. . ."
With that, Fang Xi focused his mind and murmured to himself.
A spell chant was recited quickly, and his inner magical power circulated, gathering in his right fingers.
Then, he lightly raised his hand, and several streams of sword qi surged forth.
The Green Bamboo Mountain Spirit Farmer's weed-clearing spell—Geng Metal Grass Reaper Sword!
The black-clad man was still bewildered when several horrifying wounds suddenly appeared on his body, spurting blood outwards!
"This. . . what kind of martial art is this?"
He knelt on the ground, his face beneath the mask filled with disbelief.
"Innate Formless Sword Qi!"
Fang Xi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding the demeanor of an expert.
At the same time, he mentally recorded the details of this experiment.
"A small spell from the early Qi Refinement stage still possesses considerable destructive power against a martial artist at Blood-Qi Transformation. . ."
"I. . . " The black-clad man wanted to curse, but he couldn't catch his breath.
Is this martial arts? !
Even those martial arts hall masters, no! Even the great masters of Yuan He Mountain, might not be able to achieve something as outlandish as attacking with energy detached from the body!
Alas, before he could curse it out, a green sword shadow flashed.
The black-clad man's headless corpse collapsed, blood quickly pooling around him.
"Using a low-grade artifact makes it even easier, like cutting melons and chopping vegetables. . ."
Fang Xi sighed, raising his hand to retract the 'Green Reaping Sword', feeling somewhat dissatisfied: "Next time. . . I'll try testing the sword on a martial arts hall master."
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