Li Guanyi did not pay attention to the incessant knocking sound.
But this time, the person knocking seemed very impatient.
The creaking sound was somewhat grating. Li Guanyi turned his head and saw the stainless steel as thick as a wrist on the window being manipulated like kneading dough, then a figure burst in through the still narrow gap, falling to the ground like a shadow.
Of average height, with arching eyebrows and although aged, he still had the handsome traces of his youth. He blinked at Li Guanyi—it was the Chen Country royal family expert who was devoted to martial arts, Chen Chengbi.
Li Guanyi exclaimed, "Mr. Chen?"
Chen Chengbi gestured for Li Guanyi to stay silent, casually molding the steel back into place.
It was as easy as a child playing with clay.
Li Guanyi’s eyes twitched. This was the palace, a place of the Imperial Guard, known for its high degree of confidentiality. The stainless steel on the window was called Jade Divine Steel.
Forged over three thousand three hundred times, it included materials unique to this world like Vajra Material, making it a hybrid type of special steel, where both hardness and toughness surpass ordinary armor.
Normal armor needed to be layered ten times to achieve this thickness. Such dense gold and iron, let alone this special steel, even a block of raw iron stuck there wouldn’t be penetrated by swords. Strikes would only leave a tiny white mark, yet it was flattened and rounded in the hands of the elder.
This meant that the cheerful old man in front of him could crush ten layers of armor with a single squeeze.
If it had been the Li Guanyi of before, he would have been amazed.
But knowing that the old man’s friends from his youth could now move mountains,
Li Guanyi felt it was not so impressive.
It seemed the more he knew, the more numb he felt.
He casually put down the scroll and looked at the old man, "Elder, what brings you here?" Chen Chengbi signaled him to keep his voice down, clutching Li Guanyi’s wrist with glistening eyes and said, "I heard you fought at the Ghost Market?"
Li Guanyi grinned and nodded in response.
Chen Chengbi slapped his hand excitedly and exclaimed, "Well done, you sly kid. Every time I go there, those creatures hide better than damn rats. I can’t possibly tear down my own capital out of frustration. Man, I was so angry I went to the Netherworld Ghost Market’s Gate of Ghosts a few years back to confront them."
"The old bastard wouldn’t see me."
"We were friends who shared life-and-death experiences, and he actually refused to see me."
Chen Chengbi cursed heartily, louder than Li Guanyi.
Li Guanyi also learned some information about the Ghost Market from the old man’s tirade. The old man heaved a sigh and said, "Back in the day, I stormed through the Netherworld, toppled the Merit Hall, but sadly never got to meet the Night Emperor."
Li Guanyi said, "Netherworld?"
Chen Chengbi explained, "The Yellow River is where the Assassin’s trade thrives; it’s a place of reverence for all assassins in the world. Didn’t you know that?"
"The assassin rankings are also arranged by the Netherworld Ghost Market."
"The Good and Evil Merit Hall is a place of mystery, home to various masters with secrets unknown to the public. Many hope to spend countless silver to erase their past deeds, and there are a few other places surrounding the Netherworld Ghost Market, quite different from your Xue Family."
Chen Chengbi smacked his lips and said:
"Though they are wealthy as any in the world, it is also a significant power within the dark side of the Martial World."
"Within the Rebirth Hall, one can summon the world’s renowned physicians, who can rescue people from death."
"If the Western Regions Demon Sect, Blood Buddha Sect, White Bone Zen are considered evil; and the Academy, various Grandmaster’s gates are considered righteous, then the Netherworld Ghost Market is neutral ground between good and evil, where the insiders must have credentials. Righteous disciples might hire assassins there, and sinister individuals can also employ famous doctors."
"All actions of the attendees are recorded in the Good and Evil Merit Hall."
"Places like Ghost Market, once you enter, you can’t easily get out, kid, unless absolutely necessary, do not go to the Ghost Market."’
Li Guanyi silently took note and curiously asked:
"They record all this, aren’t they afraid of others using force?"’
Chen Chengbi answered, "Use force? Among the world’s ten great martial masters, the Night Emperor of the Ghost Market firmly occupies one spot, the Lord of Netherworld and the Netherworld Ferryman is the foremost among the world’s assassins, he killed the Wei Country’s Emperor a hundred years ago to enable Ying Country to ascend; and inside the Rebirth Hall is the world’s third-ranking physician."
"Inside the Good and Evil Merit Hall, which can record all good and evil, they can also erase all records of good and evil. This place has the world’s best face-changer, gender and age unknown. This kind of power, you pay them, and they provide everything you desire."
"Divine Weapons, lethal devices, Divine Skills, even the heads of kings and marquises."
"Even a new identity removed from the Martial World."
"Because of this last point, no one dares to provoke it."
"They are more troublesome than your stay at the Xue Family, and they have not been targeted by the Academy because, although the Netherworld Ghost Market considers transactions in terms of money, they have one rule, which is the Merit Hall of Good and Evil."
"For the righteous, Yama respects you; for the wicked, the Yin Department relentlessly reclaims lives,"
"Truly righteous individuals, the Netherworld Ghost Market will protect their lives; there was once a Master who pleaded on behalf of the people and was about to be beheaded, the Netherworld Ghost Market exhausted its elite resources to save him; it also saw seventy-three Ghost Messengers, who fought to death, the Sect Master of the Demon Sect fifty years ago."
"The last Ghost Messenger brought back the Demon Sect Master’s head and hung it on the Gate of Ghosts. He was struck thirty-four times, loudly proclaimed his deeds, completed these acts, and then breathed his last while still standing."
"Netherworld Ghost Market, thus acquired its formidable reputation far and wide."