It wasn’t until the afternoon that they arrived at a secluded alley, where the entrance was guarded by two Nascent Soul Realm cultivators.
"Change clothes and put on your masks!" Yan Xiaohu quickly took out two sets of clothes.
After all, most of the items in the Black Market were obtained by killing and robbing, and no one wanted to get into trouble.
After changing, they approached the alley entrance.
Yan Xiaohu swiftly handed over thirty Spirit Stones to the guard.
The Nascent Soul Realm cultivator glanced at them, then turned the Array Disc in his hand, revealing a dark hole in the ground, with steps extending downward in layers.
After a simple bow, they descended the stairs.
After walking about a hundred meters, an oppressive atmosphere hit them.
The place was dimly lit, with flickering torches on the walls barely illuminating the narrow passage.
Many people like them, wearing masks or cloaks, were walking or stopping, their eyes full of vigilance or greed.
For a moment, both of them felt a little nervous.
"Don’t worry. I heard the figure behind this Black Market has terrifying power. This place is even said to be subtly connected to the Mansion Master of Lingyun Mansion. No one would dare to cause trouble here. Besides, we’re not lambs to the slaughter, either."
Yan Xiaohu reassured.
Zhou Qing nodded. He wasn’t really afraid and quickly adapted to the surroundings.
They carefully navigated the silent crowd, the atmosphere so solemn it was suffocating.
Even when bargaining, people changed their voices and haggled in whispers.
"Third Senior Brother, look!"
Before long, Zhou Qing excitedly tugged at Yan Xiaohu and pointed ahead.
In front of a stall, various medicinal herbs were displayed.
In a jade box at the center sat a small Spirit Medicine seedling, emitting a gentle glow.
"Soul Breath Immortal Grass!"
Yan Xiaohu’s pupils contracted with joy at the sight.
No wonder it’s the Black Market; they have even this kind of item.
Zhou Qing was equally excited.
After all, Second Senior Sister had been pursuing the trail of Soul Breath Immortal Grass.
With this, their master’s Divine Soul injury could be completely healed.
A mature Soul Breath Immortal Grass was worth five Top-Grade Spirit Stones, similar to the Chaos Profound Gold they had.
Unfortunately, this was just a seedling. But even so, its value was immense, though it would require significant time and care to cultivate.
"One Top-Grade Spirit Stone!"
While they were curiously inspecting it, the stall owner, cloaked in a black robe, rasped out.
Without hesitation, they turned and left.
What a joke, just a seedling, and they asked for a Top-Grade Spirit Stone. That was too expensive!
Plus, they could sense the stall owner’s formidable aura. Even if not in the Divinity Transformation Realm, they were at least at Nascent Soul Great Perfection.
Let’s leave before someone thinks we’re rich.
They continued browsing, gaining insights. No wonder it was the Black Market.
Soon, they found a stall selling elixirs. The masked stall owner sat silently in a corner.
Judging by his exposed hands, he seemed quite young.
Some apprentices secretly collected and sold failed elixirs from their masters.
The stall displayed a pile of failed elixirs, dull in color, irregular in shape, and emitting a peculiar odor.
The stall owner slowly raised his head, revealing bright eyes, quietly observing them.
At Yan Xiaohu’s hint, Zhou Qing began examining the wares.
After a quick scan, his eyes landed on a small pile.
Among them, three elixirs were slightly scorched but had an attractive green hue where they were smooth, bringing a sense of comfort.
"What’s the price of these?" Zhou Qing asked.
The stall owner pretended to be seasoned, "Fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones each."
"So expensive?" Yan Xiaohu was surprised.
The stall owner rolled his eyes at Yan Xiaohu, impatiently saying, "Those three are top-grade healing elixirs. If they were in good condition, each would be worth at least five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones."
Alright, that sounded fair.
Yan Xiaohu then looked at Zhou Qing, it’s all up to you now.
Use your nose quickly.
After a brief hesitation, Zhou Qing focused on them, using Daily Reflection.
[Failed Elixir: These are three failed Cyan Spirit Recovery Pills due to improper heat and dosage. Fortunately, the damage isn’t severe. By mixing them with a lot of Purple Star Fruit, and then refining them with Red Essence Bamboo, White Treasure Grass, and Residual Rainbow Flower into Spiritual Liquid for nurturing, there’s a high chance of their revival.]
Reading the feedback, Zhou Qing couldn’t hide his joy.
He had bet correctly and was afraid of wasting an opportunity.
"I’ll take these three!" Zhou Qing said.
Yan Xiaohu immediately took out one hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, packed the elixirs, and left.
"Let’s go!" Zhou Qing urged softly.
Yan Xiaohu was puzzled.
Just three? Aren’t there any more to inspect? Worthless?
They meandered around again, and when passing the previous stall, the Soul Breath Immortal Grass seedling was gone, presumably bought.
"Let’s find an inn first, then I can check what elixirs these are," said Yan Xiaohu.
As they emerged, the place was brightly lit, a stark contrast to the oppressive underground environment.