Chapter 1749 Setting up a stall on the black market

“The black market I’m going to, at the confluence of three tributaries of the Netherworld River, is called Bone Tomb Market. It’s managed by several powerful Scattered Demon True Immortals. They don’t ask where you come from; they only recognize magic crystals and treasures. As long as you don’t violate the market’s ironclad rules, even wanted criminals can come and go freely. Let’s choose this place,” Zhang Xuan decided.

Next, Zhang Xuan used causal and temporal branches to repeatedly deduce the rationality of the identity of the Bloodscabbed True Demon and reconstruct his own causal threads.

He first contacted Hei Zi and sent over a small amount of resources unique to the Nine Divine Realms through the Demon Embryo Channel.

The seventh-tier spiritual pill, Qian Yuan Creation Pill, was jointly refined by Fairy Yu Xiang, Wei Ruyan, and Dan Daozi. It uses the seventh-tier spiritual herb Qian Yuan Fruit as its main ingredient and can help cultivators at the peak of the Integration Stage comprehend the authority of the Great Dao, increasing their chances of breaking through to the Great Ascension Stage by 30%. It is a top-tier breakthrough pill in the Nine Divine Realms.

It is formed from the Nine Heavens Pure Qi, a seventh-tier spiritual object, and the Nine Heavens Gale Wind condensed from the boundary membrane strongholds of the nine great divine domains. It contains the pure laws of wind and can be used to refine wind-attribute heaven-reaching spiritual treasures, as well as to assist in the cultivation of wind-type divine abilities.

There is a seventh-order fish-scale formation crafted by Zhang Dawu, which combines defense and trapping.

The High-Grade Spiritual Feast, Dragon and Phoenix Auspicious Feast, is obtained from the Xuanhuang Great Realm. It is made primarily with seventh-grade dragon meat and seventh-grade black sparrow blood, along with dozens of sixth-grade spiritual herbs and rice. Not only is it incredibly delicious, but it also greatly nourishes the body and strengthens one's essence.

In addition, there are various talismans, magical artifacts, and jade slips containing cultivation techniques, among other things.

These items are precious in the Nine Divine Realms, but most major powers have reserves of them to varying degrees.

However, in the Abyss of Beginning Demons, where the main focus is on cultivating killing and divine abilities, these high-level treasures, condensed through various arts and crafts, have become rare items.

The old slick man chuckled and said, "If these things were put in Bone Tomb Market, they would probably cause a looting frenzy."

After making all the preparations, Zhang Xuan changed his appearance again.

This time, he no longer completely imitated the Bloodscab True Demon, but instead used the demonic aura of the Bloodscab as a base, merging it into his own True Demon body to recreate a sinister and profound fallen True Demon.

The old slick man transformed into a taciturn old servant in a gray robe, his aura concealed to the early stage of the Mahayana realm, carrying a natal sword wrapped in tattered cloth on his back.

The most difficult thing to deal with is the "demon fetus".

The aura of a prisoner from the Void Vessel emanating from him was too obvious, and his cultivation was only at the mid-stage of the Integration Realm, making him too conspicuous in this black market frequented by true demons.

After pondering for a long time, Zhang Xuan finally came up with a solution.

He used the side branch of Nirvana to lay a layer of illusory Nirvana shell inside the demonic fetus, simulating the illusion that the foundation of the Dao was damaged and the cultivation level had dropped.

At the same time, he wove a causal chain with a side branch of cause and effect: the demonic fetus became a pitiful furnace he casually saved on his escape route. Since his Dao foundation was destroyed, it was no longer of much use, so he could only keep it by his side as a menial servant.

In this way, the three-person combination becomes reasonable.

A severely wounded true demon on the run, a loyal old servant protecting his master, and a useless but casually taken-over furnace servant.

“From now on, I am Scarface,” Zhang Xuan said in a deep voice. “Old Slick Man, you are Gray Old Man, and Demon Embryo, you are Aqi.”

The two nodded.

With everything prepared, the three left the cave and arrived at the Bone Mound.

This was Zhang Xuan's second time here, but it was the first time for the old slickman and the demonic fetus.

The air was filled with hundreds of smells, including those of magic potions, blood, and decay, creating a strange and lively atmosphere.

Zhang Xuan and his two companions landed on a platform in the middle of the rift valley.

At the entrance, a broken stone tablet bears several ironclad rules of the Bone Tomb inscribed in demonic script:

"First, private fights are prohibited; violators will be punished together."

"Second, transactions must be voluntary; those who force others to buy or sell will be punished."

"Third, a monthly stall fee is required, with the price calculated based on the quality of the location."

"Fourth, market managers have the right to mediate disputes, and their rulings must be obeyed."

These four simple and direct measures effectively maintained order in the area.

Zhang Xuan found the one-eyed demon cultivator in charge of registration at the local black market.

"New here? Do you want to set up a stall or open a shop?" The one-eyed demon asked without looking up, his voice hoarse.

"Set up a stall." Zhang Xuan mimicked the hoarse voice of the Bloodscar True Demon, while simultaneously flicking out a magic crystal.

The one-eyed demon then looked up, took the magic crystal, and softened his attitude slightly. He took out a domino and said, "Stall number seventy-six, monthly rent is three magic crystals. Keep the stall restriction token safe; it will not be replaced if lost."

Magic crystals are a low-level currency in the Abyss of Beginning Demons; 10,000 magic crystals can be exchanged for one Magic Source Crystal.

The monthly rent of three magic crystals may not seem expensive, but you should know that the entire wealth of an ordinary Mahayana demon cultivator is less than a hundred magic crystals.

Zhang Xuan took out nine magic crystals and said, "Rent for three months first."

The one-eyed demon completely abandoned his contempt, carefully examined Zhang Xuan for a few moments, then handed him a black domino and pointed out the location of the stall.

Stall number seventy-six was a stone platform about three zhang square. The edges of the platform were protected by a barrier that could prevent divine sense from probing and sound from spreading. These were the basic features of a black market stall.

Zhang Xuan activated the dominoes, and a protective barrier rose up, forming a semi-transparent light shield.

He wasn't in a hurry to display his goods. Instead, he took the old fox and the demon child on a tour of Bone Tomb Market to get a feel for the local price levels and trading habits.

Bone Mound Market truly lives up to its reputation as a black market in a lawless area; the sheer variety of goods left even seasoned veterans who were visiting for the first time speechless.

Some sell demonic armor and weapons just salvaged from the battlefield, while others sell jade slips containing various forbidden demonic arts.

Zhang Xuan paid special attention to the stalls selling elixirs and spiritual items.

He discovered that most of the demon pills from the Primordial Demon Abyss were based on evil methods such as stimulating potential, burning essence and blood, and devouring divine souls. Although they were fast-acting, they had huge side effects.

Spiritual objects, on the other hand, are mostly formed from yin energy, blood energy, etc., and have a narrow range of uses.

There is not a single example of a breakthrough pill like the Qian Yuan Creation Pill, which is balanced and gentle and helps people to understand the Dao.

"There is indeed a market for it," Zhang Xuan thought confidently.

After gaining a clear understanding of the black market, Scarface True Demon quietly opened his stall.

Zhang Xuan didn't make a big fuss; he simply displayed three items on the stone platform: a bottle of Qian Yuan Creation Pill, a wisp of Nine Heavens Pure Qi sealed in a crystal box, and a still-steaming Dragon and Phoenix Auspicious Feast.

He didn't shout out his wares; he simply erected a simple wooden sign in front of his stall, with the words written in magical script:

"An otherworldly treasure, a rare opportunity."

"Breakthrough Pill, to help the Combined Body break through to the Great Ascension stage, and three magic crystals."

"Innate pure energy, can be used for refining weapons and comprehending the Dao, and a magic crystal."

"Spiritual Feast, nourishing the essence, two magic crystals per table."

This price is outrageously high.

It should be noted that in Bone Tomb Collection, an ordinary Mahayana-level Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure Demonic Artifact is only worth a few dozen magic crystals.

At first, the passing demonic cultivators merely glanced at it before scoffing and leaving.

"An otherworldly artifact? It's probably just junk picked up from some ruins, and they dare to sell it for this price?"

"Breakthrough Pill? Breakthroughs in the demonic path rely on slaughter and devouring; the auxiliary effect of pills is negligible. Are you kidding me?"

"Spiritual Feast? Two magic crystals? Heh, with that money you'd be better off buying a few fresh fused corpses to devour and replenish your strength."

Zhang Xuan did not argue, but simply closed his eyes to rest.

The old slick man stood silently behind the stall, like a clay sculpture or a wooden carving.

The demon fetus lowered its head and pretended to wipe the stone platform.

Half a day passed, and the stall remained deserted.

Just as Zhang Xuan was considering whether to adjust the pricing, a figure stopped in front of the stall.

He was a demonic cultivator dressed in a black robe, his face hidden under a hood, his aura obscure and difficult to discern.

However, Zhang Xuan vaguely sensed through the side branches of cause and effect that this person's cultivation was at the peak of the Integration Realm, and that he had been stuck at this realm for at least a thousand years.

The black-robed demonic cultivator stared at the Nine Heavens Pure Qi in the crystal box for a long time, then looked at the bottle of Qian Yuan Creation Pill, his voice dry: "This pill... can it really help the Integration Realm break through?"

Zhang Xuan said calmly, "Buy if you believe, leave if you don't."

The black-robed demonic cultivator remained silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out to touch the pill bottle.

"Snapped!"

The old man placed his hand on the bottle, revealing a pair of cloudy yet sharp eyes beneath his gray robe.

The black-robed demonic cultivator withdrew his hand and hissed, "I need to inspect the goods first."

Zhang Xuan then slowly said, "The Breakthrough Pill is refined by the orthodox methods of another world, which may conflict with demonic arts. However, the great path leads to the same goal. This pill contains the Dao of Creation, which can help cultivators comprehend the rules of heaven and earth and sort out their own Dao foundation."

He paused, then added, "If you cultivate pure demonic arts such as devouring and killing, the effect of this pill may be reduced. However, if your cultivation method contains laws that are more inclined towards comprehension, such as the Way of Deception and illusion, this pill may have unexpected and miraculous effects."

These words sent a shiver down the spine of the black-robed demonic cultivator.

He cultivates the Thousand Illusions Demon Scripture, which is known for its illusions and unpredictable changes. He is stuck at the peak of the Integration Realm because his understanding of the authority of the Great Dao of Illusion is always just one step short.

Conventional demonic breakthrough methods such as devouring and killing have limited effect on his cultivation techniques.

After hesitating for a long time, the black-robed demonic cultivator finally gritted his teeth and took out three magic crystals.

This is almost a third of his entire fortune.

"I bought it, but what if it doesn't work..."

“Once the goods are sold, we are not responsible for anything.” Zhang Xuan interrupted him, gesturing for the old slickman to let go.

The black-robed demonic cultivator picked up the pill bottle, gave Zhang Xuan a deep look, and then turned and hurriedly left.

The first deal was completed.

Perhaps it was the commotion of the black-robed demonic cultivator leaving that attracted attention, or perhaps it was the high price of the three magic crystals that aroused curiosity, but gradually a group of demonic cultivators gathered in front of the stall.

A demonic cultivator, exuding the fragrance of medicine, picked up the crystal box containing the Nine Heavens Pure Qi, sniffed it carefully, and a look of surprise and doubt flashed in his eyes: "This aura... such pure wind law, without the slightest impurity, where did this come from?"

Zhang Xuan glanced at him: "Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."

The demonic cultivator chuckled twice, but still took out a magic crystal and bought a bottle of Nine Heavens Pure Qi.

Then, a demonic cultivator who followed the path of physical cultivation was attracted by the aroma of the Dragon and Phoenix Feast.

He stared at the spiritual food on the table for a long time, then suddenly said, "This meat... is it from a dragon? This blood... is it from a phoenix? Although it's not of a high rank, it is indeed a pure-blooded descendant. Such ingredients have long been extinct in the Abyss of the Primordial Demon. Where did you get it from?"

Zhang Xuan remained silent.

The physical cultivator and the demonic cultivator didn't ask any further questions. They simply threw out two demonic crystals, picked up the entire table of spiritual food, and left.

He couldn't even wait to return to his cave; he found an open space nearby and wolfed down his food.

The rich aroma and pure energy waves spread out, attracting even more attention.

In just two hours, all three items Zhang Xuan displayed were sold out, earning him six magic crystals.

On the very first day of Zhang Xuan's business, it immediately sparked a lot of discussion among the demonic cultivators.

"Stall number seventy-six sells otherworldly artifacts at shockingly high prices, but the items are truly rare!"

"I heard that the Breakthrough Pill was bought by the Old Demon Thousand Illusions. He's been stuck at the peak of the Integration Realm for eight hundred years. Maybe he can really break through with that pill!"

"I can smell that spiritual feast too. Damn, one bite is probably equivalent to three years of arduous cultivation!"

The next day, Zhang Xuan's stall was crowded with demonic cultivators.

This time, he displayed several more items, including several types of seventh-tier talismans and a set of Qingxin Jade Pendants that could assist in cultivating divine sense.

The price was still shockingly high, but among the onlookers were many demonic cultivators who truly knew their stuff.

An old demon in the early stage of True Immortal personally arrived, carefully examined the Qingxin Jade Pendant, and bought it directly for five demon crystals.

The demonic arts he cultivates easily lead to loss of mental control, and the righteous power contained in this jade pendant can just neutralize the violence in his cultivation.

Another purchasing manager from a medium-sized demon faction took a liking to the talismans, bought them in bulk, and spent eight magic crystals.

In his words, "Although these things are not the orthodox path of demonic cultivation, their ingenious ideas can broaden the horizons of the clan's disciples and help them to draw inferences from one instance to another."

In just five days, Zhang Xuan earned more than fifty magic crystals.

Such exorbitant profits naturally attracted attention from many parties.

On the sixth day, just as Zhang Xuan opened his stall, three demonic cultivators with chilling auras surrounded him.

The leader's cultivation level was at the late Mahayana stage.

The two people behind him were also in the mid-stage of Mahayana cultivation.

“Scarface, is it?” The late-stage Mahayana demon cultivator grinned. “Business is good. According to the rules of Bone Tomb Market, newcomers have to pay a safety fee for the first three months to ensure their safety in the market. Our Black Bone Society is responsible for this area. It costs ten magic crystals per month. Once you pay the fee, we'll take care of any trouble you may cause.”

This is clearly extortion.

The managers of Bone Tomb Collection only charge stall fees; there are no "peace fees" involved.

Upon seeing this, the surrounding demonic cultivators all retreated, adopting an attitude of indifference.

The Black Bone Society is one of the major underground forces in the Bone Tomb. Its leader is said to have the cultivation level of a mid-stage True Immortal, and ordinary cultivators dare not provoke it.

Zhang Xuan didn't even lift his eyelids:

"roll."

The late-stage Mahayana demonic cultivator's face darkened: "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup? Looks like I'll have to teach you the rules!"

Before he could finish speaking, two mid-stage Mahayana demonic cultivators behind him attacked simultaneously!

One person unleashed a white bone flying fork, accompanied by gusts of eerie wind.

The other person formed a hand seal, and black mud surged from the ground, wrapping around Zhang Xuan's feet.

The two worked together seamlessly, clearly having done this kind of thing before.

however--

"Qiang!"

A clear, resonant sword rang out.

The old slick man had somehow appeared in front of Zhang Xuan, still carrying the long, tattered object wrapped in rags on his back, but he pointed his fingers like a sword and slashed through the air.

A streak of grayish-white sword light flashed past.

The white bone flying fork broke in two, and the black swamp silently evaporated.

The two Mahayana demon cultivators groaned simultaneously and flew backward, each with a deep, bone-revealing sword wound on their chest.

The late-stage Mahayana demon cultivator's pupils suddenly contracted!

He didn't even see how this unassuming old servant made his move!

Moreover, the sword intent contained in that sword strike... actually made him, a peak Mahayana cultivator who was only one step away from becoming a True Immortal, feel a chill in his heart!

“You…” The late-stage Mahayana demonic cultivator uttered a single word.

The old slick man looked up at him.

Deep within those murky eyes, countless sword lights flowed.

The late-stage Mahayana demonic cultivator was completely stiff and couldn't even move a single finger!

He sensed that if he made any further unusual movements, the next sword strike would sever his Dao foundation and erase his existence!

"roll."

Zhang Xuan repeated the word.

The one-armed giant's Adam's apple bobbed, and in the end, he dared not utter any more threats. He helped his two henchmen up and staggered away.

There was silence all around.

All the demonic cultivators changed their gaze towards Elder Gray.

This old servant is at least a True Immortal-level sword cultivator, capable of severely injuring two mid-stage Mahayana cultivators with a single sword strike and intimidating peak Mahayana cultivators!

What is the origin of the Scarface True Demon who can make a True Immortal Sword Cultivator willingly become his servant?

No one dared to provoke them anymore.