Dark Wind Valley's black market stretched beneath the night sky. The valley was rich with the Dao Marks of both the Dark Path and Wind Path, causing strong winds to occasionally swirl through.
Not long ago, the Dark Wind Valley was home to an abundance of vegetation, with the Yellow Rank mid-grade Dark Wind Serpentine Vines growing across the land. However, a year ago, for reasons unknown the valley's vegetation began to wither and die.
With no flora to sustain them, the creatures that had once lived here disappeared, leaving the valley silent, save for the cold, biting winds that now seemed to search every corner.
Tonight, however the silence of this valley was broken. Thousands of cultivators moved like ghosts in the dark. Their figures shrouded in dark talismanic energy, making the entire place seem like a gathering of restless phantoms.
Only a handful of cultivators opted for disguises like bronze masks, spirit-warding charms, or concealment techniques, making their presence stand out among the faceless crowd.
At the heart of the market, suspended in midair, was a colossal copper sphere inscribed with ancient runes. It turned slowly in the air, while golden mist curled from its grooves.
Wu Ming glanced up at it, narrowing his eyes. 'That must be where the ones running this whole show are. Floating up there, watching everyone scurry below like ants... Tch, what a power move.'
Zhuo Feng leaned in and whispered, "We split up here. Meet back at the discussed spot in the forest."
Wu Ming grunted in acknowledgement, watching his companion fade into the darkness before turning his attention to the countless stalls ahead.
'Time to see what kind of trash and treasures are up for grabs.'
Without hesitation, Wu Ming strode forward and vanished into the chaotic sea of sellers and buyers.
Wu Ming's eyes flickered with interest as he walked among the stalls, his steps light, his gaze full of greed. The wares here were unmistakably demonic trophies of a fallen sect, looted and sold piece by piece from the ruins of the Scarlet Bone Demonic Sect after its destruction at the hands of two righteous sects.
Everywhere Wu Ming looked, he saw ominous artifacts tainted with malicious and evil auras.
At one stall, a row of Soul Lanterns gleamed faintly, their glass bodies trapping wisps of flickering, dull green flames.
The vendor was an hunched old man with gray skin, he spoke. "Interested, customer? These lanterns can capture souls. Even the lowest grade can store a hundred souls. Mid-grade, three hundred souls. And this high-grade beauty? Five hundred souls!"
Wu Ming studied the lanterns. 'Isn't this just like those soul flags from novels I used to read? Except... a different shape.'
He glanced at the price. Thirty spirit stones for the lowest grade. Shaking his head internally, he moved on. Too expensive for something he had no use for.
Further down, a black-robed vendor sat beside a lacquered wooden box, carefully measuring out delicate tea leaves.
"Heart Enriching Tea?" Wu Ming asked, recognizing the shape.
The vendor smiled behind the bronze mask. "Close, my friend. This is Heart Devouring Tea."
Wu Ming arched a brow.
He had heard about Heart Devouring Tea.
At first glance, it looked identical to the famous Heart Enriching Tea. But that was intentional. A single leaf of this tea could consume a person's heart from within, a creation infamous due to the Scarlet Bone Sect's first patriarch. Legend had it that he poisoned his father and two brothers with this tea, then conveniently inherited their legacies.
Wu Ming smirked and made a silent vow. 'I'll never drink tea in this world. Ever.'
He picked up a leaf and twirled it between his fingers. 'Just one of these can eat a man's heart from the inside out…' He glanced at the price.
Two hundred spirit stones per leaf.
Letting out a sigh, he continued deeper into the market, suddenly pausing at an bizarre sight.
A group of cultivators stood in a semi-circle around a crude wooden platform. Chains rattled as naked figures were paraded before the crowd.
Wu Ming had read about slavery in his past life, but seeing it with his own eyes was different.
The slaves here were made for pleasure. Their bodies were supple and inviting, with round, perky breasts barely hidden beneath the thin fabric. Hips were wide enough to straddle, waists tight enough to grip, thighs begging to be spread. Their misty eyes held a mix of fear and helpless allure, lips slightly parted as if waiting to welcome thier master.
The scent of musk and sweat filled the air as the seller bellowed, "Step right up, gentleman! Rare stock! Look at these delicate beauties, tight littel virgins! Perfect for pleasure or servitude! Just 15 spirit stones! No refunds!"
Wu Ming folded his arms, looking unimpressed. 'Selling mortal women as sex slaves? Hmph. Why would anyone waste spirit stones on this? If you're that desperate, just visit a mortal village, flash your cultivator status, and they'll spread their legs for free.'
A masked cultivator, fat-bellied and sweating like a pig, stepped forward, licking his lips as he stared at a particularly shy, petite figure standing at the edge of the platform. With zero hesitation, he reached out and plunged his hand beneath the flimsy cloth draped over the figure's lower body, his fat fingers groping with perverse enthusiasm.
"Mmm, nice and firm. I'll take this little fox." He sucked his fingers with a wet pop, his other hand already fumbling for his storage pouch.
Wu Ming raised a brow.
'…Nice and firm?'
Something about that felt off. His eyes roamed lower, past the trembling breasts that jiggled oh-so-enticingly.
Lower.
Something was moving.
Wu Ming's pupils shrank.
Between those smooth, snow-white thighs, beneath the barely-there fabric, something stood proud. Thick. Veiny. Unmistakable.
Wu Ming's stomach flipped. His face went stiff.
He turned on his heel and walked away. Fast. Faster. As fast as his legs could carry him.
'What the fuck?! Nope, nope, nope! The Great Dao may be boundless, but there are still things a man must never see!'
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After browsing a few more stalls, Wu Ming had shaken off the lingering discomfort from earlier.
He reflected on the earlier events with a detached mind. Those corrupted by power never settled for common pleasures. A weak man found comfort in a woman's warmth, the rich sought novelty, but the strong? They craved the forbidden. The greater the taboo, the sweeter the indulgence.
It was the same in his past world. The elite reveled in perversions hidden from the weak, some breaking laws, others breaking people. And In the cultivation world, where strength was law, nothing was off-limits. What was virtue to those who cultivated against heaven?
Shoving these thoughts aside, he focused on his wealth. Two hundred seventy-seven spirit stones. A fortune for a third-layer Green Copper realm cultivator, but not enough to buy everything he wanted.
His priority tonight was securing a Yellow Rank High-grade technique to boost his overall combat prowess.
As he stepped into the market's core area, the stalls grew grander, the treasures rarer. Before long, something caught his full attention.
His eyes landed on a massive stall made entirely of copper. Wu Ming immediately understood this stall belonged to the Copper Moon Sect.
Naturally, the Copper Moon Sect, a righteous force, would not openly admit their involvement in these demonic dealings, but anyone with half a brain understood that this stall represented them.
Looking through the items, Wu Ming noticed a jade slip glowing faintly within a protective formation.
He quickly scanned the description.
Blood Escape. A Yellow Rank high-grade movement technique. Price: two hundred fifty spirit stones.
This Blood Escape technique allowed the user to transform their body into liquid blood and move at incredible speeds. At Mastery, one could even control how much of their body materialized as blood while maintaining normal human form, allowing for seamless combat integration.
'Even though Great Mastery is not possible for this movement technique, this is still a top-tier technique.'
And with his Black Rank low-grade Blood Elemental Essence Heart, the compatibility would be unmatched. His speed would soar to terrifying levels!
Movement techniques were the foundation of survival. No matter how strong one was, a well-timed retreat could mean life or death. But speed was not just for fleeing. Control over engagements, the power to dictate battle. This was what true movement mastery meant.
Just as he was about to make the purchase, another jade slip caught his eye.
Intrigued, Wu Ming pointed at it. "That one. What is it?"
The seller smiled and introduced it. "Ah, a discerning customer. This is the Burning Spirit Killing Heaven technique, a high-grade Yellow Rank soul path offensive method. An exceedingly rare find in the black market."
Wu Ming's heart stirred.
Soul path techniques were extremely difficult to come by. Only cultivators from prestigious backgrounds had access to them. Against most opponents, such a technique was nearly impossible to defend against.
But the vendor was not finished. "Of course, there is one tiny drawback. To activate this technique, one must sacrifice a portion of their own soul."
Wu Ming's enthusiasm cooled instantly.
Damaging his own soul foundation for an attack was not worth it. A cultivator's soul was their root. Injuries to the body could be healed, but the soul? It was not that simple.
Without hesitation, he turned back to the Blood Escape technique.
A movement technique like this would always be useful. No matter how strong someone was, if they could not catch him, they could not kill him.
After some haggling, Wu Ming knocked the price down to two hundred forty spirit stones and completed the purchase. Beneath the concealment mist, his lips curled in satisfaction.
'Perfect. Let's see who can catch me now.'