NABC Chapter 48 Black Market
Chapter 48 Black Market
"I did the bartering in a black market, not too far away.
"About one kilometer away, there's a stone marking leading to a path.
"Follow the path and you will see the black market.
"It's only open on the brightest night of the moon."
Ho Jie said and stood up to retrieve something from under his bed.
With a mask of a wolf in his hand, he passed it to Lin Fan and said, "Wear this mask when you go; everyone does it there to protect their identity.
"You can barter, use contribution points, and money there.
"Some of the disciples do have use for money for their...erm...vices."
Lin Fan shook his head when he heard the last part, and he thought cultivators would be rid of all these human desires.
"Thanks," Lin Fan inspected the mask and thought about the night Ho Jie went away.
So that's where he went.
Lin Fan was excited to go see what was available, but the next full moon would be a few days later.
He would have to wait.
...
Meanwhile, in the Dark Lotus Sect.
Ghost Peak, with its terrain of pointed black rocks and a forever-present red-colored mist, gave an eerie aura.
On top of the peak, a cave emitted an orange glow from the burning lamps inside.
Skin Puppet Diao, in the middle of the cave, was looking at a body lying on a stone top.
Leaning close, he marveled at the masterpiece in front of him.
Master Tan's head was now gone, and in its place, a head of a middle-aged man with eyebrows like a sword was on it.
The man's eyes were closed and looked as if he was sleeping.
Around the neck, there were crude black-colored stitches sewn all round it.@@@@
Lower on the body, where Master Tan's hand had been torn off, a new hand was stitched on.
However, this hand was much more muscular and bigger than Master Tan's other hand.
It created a horrific, yet at the same time comical, look.
Planning in his mind what the possible routes to run would be if anything happens.
He wouldn't want to be robbed and gutted after finishing his deals in the black market.
Better to be safe than sorry.
As he walked further in, he started to see others on the way.
All of them also had a mask on.
They had tried to size Lin Fan up and figure out who he was.
This man in a wolf mask was not the usual old man that came.
When they finally saw that Lin Fan's robe was the black menial disciple robe, they didn't bother with him anymore.
Stores started to appear very soon.
Some were just a temporary setup; the sellers had only a piece of cloth on the ground, and they'd place their wares on it.
Others had wooden shelves set up, with their wares displayed prominently on top.
Every store sold a wide variety of stuff.
Pills, manuscripts of cultivation techniques, weapons, and even demonic beast meat.
Lin Fan wasn't too interested in anything except for pills and manuscripts.
"Come, buy some of my pills. Just what you need for junior menial disciples."
When Lin Fan walked past a store, the owner grabbed his hand and stopped him.
From the voice, he already knew who it was.
Zhang Xi.
Wearing a rabbit mask didn't help much, as she was sporting her usual ponytail.
She then went on and introduced the pills she was selling.
"Buy this Qi Gathering Pill, it helps in your Qi gathering ability. And also, this Body Tempering Elixir, which reinforces your skin, muscles, and bones."
She picked up two bottles of pills, one in each hand, and showed them to Lin Fan.
"How much?" Lin Fan asked. These pills were indeed what he needed right now at his early stage of cultivation.
"Ten contribution points or two taels of silver for a bottle of pills each," Zhang Xi replied.
When the store owner beside her heard the price she was asking, he wasn't too happy and said, "Your price is ridiculously low, don't spoil the market!"