Song Changsheng and his group traveled aboard the Black Star Warship, which was significantly faster than their previous means of travel. In just ten days, they had crossed the entirety of Xiang Prefecture and entered the borders of Xu Prefecture.
"At most, we'll arrive at the Heavenly Sword Sect within a day. Once we're on the mountain, remember to mind your words and actions, don't stir up unnecessary trouble."
As he spoke, Song Changsheng cast a deliberate glance at the Redfire Old Ghost. This guy used to be involved in the underworld and remained the one he trusted the least.
Though his behavior had been decent lately, old habits die hard. If he caused any trouble, the consequences would ultimately fall on Song Changsheng himself.
Redfire Old Ghost gave a sheepish laugh and said, "Young Master, this old servant won't go up the mountain. I'll wait below."
"Hm? Ever since we entered Xu Prefecture, you've been acting uneasy. What's going on?" Song Changsheng frowned slightly. Something seemed off.
"Well… this old servant used to operate around these parts," Redfire Old Ghost mumbled with his head lowered, sounding somewhat embarrassed.
Song Changsheng's eyes widened in shock. "Don't tell me… You robbed the Heavenly Sword Sect?"
That made Redfire Old Ghost jump. He looked around nervously before meeting Song Changsheng's suspicious gaze and said, "Young Master jests. This old servant wouldn't dare do something like that. It's just… I didn't have a good reputation in this region. I'm afraid going up the mountain might cause trouble for you."
"I see. That makes sense. The Gluttonous Fiend Monster Hunting Squad's name was infamous, and as their second-in-command, you're easily recognizable. It would be risky."
He thought for a moment and then said, "Here, wear this mask and fix your hair a bit. As long as you don't make a move, no one should recognize you." Song Changsheng handed over a human-skin mask he'd only used once before.
Even though bringing Redfire along posed some risk, keeping him within sight was better than leaving him out of reach; who knew what kind of trouble he might cause on his own.
"This old servant obeys," Redfire Old Ghost replied, taking the mask with a bitter expression.
"Uncle, is the Sword Stele at the Heavenly Sword Sect really that amazing?" Song Qingxi asked as she played with the little Lingyun in her arms, blinking her big eyes in curiosity.
Song Changsheng nodded. "There are many legends about the Sword Stele. Some say it was left behind by an Immortal Swordsman; others claim it's a divine relic descended from the Upper Realm.
"But none of those theories hold up. If it were truly that miraculous, how could the Heavenly Sword Sect, which doesn't even have a single Golden Core cultivator, manage to keep it for so long?
"However, one thing is certain: for sword cultivators, it's an extraordinary treasure. Some have comprehended sword intent from it, and others learned sword techniques.
"Even those with mediocre talent never leave empty-handed after observing the stele.
"Over the years, countless people have coveted it. But the Heavenly Sword Sect, wise in foresight, simply put the stele out in the open. Regardless of your background or status, anyone can go and study it.
"For over a thousand years, their sect has flourished and made many allies. Nowadays, anyone who wants to move against them has to think twice.
"Qingxing has great talent and lives for the sword. This trip to the Sword Stele might just yield some surprises."
Song Qingxing, standing to the side, showed no reaction. For him, the Sword Stele was more of a rare opportunity to temper himself. Whether or not he would gain any insight from it didn't matter; he hadn't placed any expectations on it.
In contrast, Song Qingxi, who had been listening intently, felt a growing sense of anticipation...
The rest of the journey passed uneventfully. The Black Star Warship streaked through the skies for a full day and night, finally arriving at the Myriad Swords Mountain Range just before dawn the next day.
Strictly speaking, this region was part of a contested war zone between two sects. As the main fighting force under the Heavenly Vein Sect, the Heavenly Sword Sect had been engaged in heavy battles with the Golden Crow Sect. These fanatical sword cultivators were a thorn in the enemy's side.
But surprisingly, the Myriad Swords Mountain Range, the heart of the Heavenly Sword Sect, remained peaceful, seemingly untouched by war.
This was a relief for Song Changsheng. He'd heard back in the rogue cultivator city that the Heavenly Vein Sect had suffered a major defeat, and he'd been worried this area might turn into another battlefield. Fortunately, the Golden Crow Sect appeared solely focused on Heavenly Vein, with no intent to widen the conflict.
"The sect allows visitors to study the Sword Stele on the 7th, 17th, and 27th of every month. Today is the 4th, so we'll rest in Myriad Swords City for now and head up the mountain on the 7th."
Song Changsheng stored the Black Star Warship early. Though it was only a quasi-Heaven-grade vessel, few like it existed in the entire Daqi cultivation world. It drew too much attention, so it's best to keep a low profile.
The group continued on foot toward Myriad Swords City.
This was the largest city under the Heavenly Sword Sect's rule. Though only half the size of Luoxia City, it was still one of the premier cities in the southeastern region.
Without the threat of beast tides, it appeared even more prosperous than Luoxia and lacked the grim, militarized atmosphere.
Redfire Old Ghost stepped forward to pay the entrance fee, and the group entered the city without issue.
Myriad Swords City was a hub of commerce. As soon as they entered, Song Changsheng saw shops of all types lining the streets. Vendors shouted to passersby, creating a lively scene more reminiscent of a mortal marketplace than a cultivator's city.
"Senior, is this your first time in Myriad Swords City?"
Just as they entered the city, a shrewd-looking, lean middle-aged man dressed in simple clothes approached them with a slight bow and a respectful tone.
Seeing that the man was only at the late stage of Qi Refining, Song Changsheng lowered his guard slightly and asked bluntly, "Who are you?"
The man quickly gave a flattering smile and replied, "To answer Senior, this humble one was born and raised in this city. I know every brick and stone like the back of my hand. If Senior needs a guide, I would be honored to help just ten spirit stones for a full day."
"Ten spirit stones? That's not exactly cheap," Song Changsheng said with a smile. He took out ten spirit stones and tossed them into the man's arms. "Alright then, start by finding us a quiet inn."
Seeing how generously Song Changsheng paid, the man's enthusiasm instantly grew. He beamed and said, "Right this way, Senior!"
Soon, he led the group to an inn.
Though it was located in a rather secluded area, it was peaceful and elegant.
After reserving a few rooms, Song Changsheng turned to the guide he'd just hired and asked, "Are there any interesting places in this city?"
The guide didn't hesitate. "There are four famous spots in Myriad Swords City.
"The first is the Heavenly Armory Pavilion, the largest magical equipment store in the entire Great Qi cultivation world. From Tier-1 artifacts to full-fledged magical treasures, they have it all. Many come from far and wide just to visit.
"Second is Red Sleeves Hall, the biggest and most luxurious pleasure house in the city. It's the most lively and entertaining place around. They say they even have rare merfolk dancers.
"Third is the underground black market. It's extremely well-hidden and known to very few, but it's a great place to hunt for rare finds or offload illicit goods. Someone once discovered the remains of a demon lord there.
"Lastly, there's the auction hosted by the Eight Directions Pavilion. The most recent one was just seven days ago. The final item on sale was a low-grade magical treasure."
After hearing the guide's introduction, Song Changsheng grew intrigued. Looked like the next couple of days wouldn't be so boring after all.
"Does Senior have a preference on where to go first?"
Before Song Changsheng could reply, Song Qingxi eagerly said, "Uncle, let's go to Red Sleeves Hall first! Merfolk are the kings of the water tribes. I've never seen one before!"
"Uh… cough cough." Song Changsheng nearly choked on his breath. Meeting the little girl's hopeful gaze, he gave a meaningful look and said, "If I dared take you to that kind of place, your grand-aunt would skin me alive."
Song Qingxi was puzzled. Her wide, innocent eyes turned to the guide. "Why not?"
Faced with her clear and curious gaze, the guide was momentarily speechless. A bit embarrassed, he stammered, "Little Fairy, that place is for men. You… can't go."
That only made her more curious. The more he tried to explain, the more questions she asked, determined to get to the bottom of it.
The guide was quickly overwhelmed and shot a desperate look toward Song Changsheng.
Song Changsheng gave Redfire a meaningful glance. Catching on immediately, Redfire Old Ghost gave a polite cough and said seriously to Song Qingxi, "Young Miss, that place is very… unusual. It's harmless to men, but not suitable for women, so you can't go."
"I see… alright then." The little girl nodded, though her face clearly showed some disappointment.
After successfully distracting the little one, Song Changsheng turned to the guide. "Take me to the black market first."
There was a black market in Luoxia City as well, but it was small and he'd never bothered with it. This time, the opportunity was perfect to both explore and quietly offload some goods.
Back when he rescued Song Yulong and Song Yushi, he'd killed a small squad of Blood Demons and seized a stash of demonic artifacts and resources. Among them, the most valuable item was a high-grade demonic spirit weapon.
Those items were both dangerous and sensitive. He had no use for them and couldn't dispose of them openly. Yet, they were too valuable to simply destroy. So until now, he hadn't found a good opportunity to offload them.
But now he was far away in Xu Prefecture. Even if someone from the Blood Demons recognized those artifacts, they wouldn't connect them to the Song Clan or himself. It was the perfect time to sell.
The guide, sharp as ever, quickly grasped Song Changsheng's intention. But being a clever man, he didn't pry. He simply said, "Just so Senior is aware, entry to the black market requires a special token.
"These tokens are extremely hard to come by. Without approval from the market's master, only Foundation Establishment cultivators or higher are allowed entry.
"I'm afraid the Little Fairy and that young gentleman won't be able to get in."
Though his cultivation wasn't high, the guide had sharp eyes. At a glance, he could tell that Song Changsheng and Redfire were Foundation Establishment cultivators, while the rest were still in the Qi Refining stage, hence the explanation.
It was a minor issue, but Song Qingxi was upset. Out of the four places, she already couldn't go to Red Sleeves Hall, and now the black market was off-limits too?
And the auction had just ended recently, there wouldn't be another one anytime soon.
That meant the only place she could go was the Heavenly Armory Pavilion?
Sensing the little girl's disappointment, Song Changsheng felt a little helpless. But there wasn't much he could do, so he said, "Alright then, I'll go to the black market alone. Redfire, take Qingxi and the others around. Since we're here, stop by the Heavenly Armory Pavilion and help them pick out a couple of suitable artifacts."
As he spoke, he took out a storage pouch from his robe and handed it to Song Qingxi.
The little girl took it and peeked inside. Seeing thirty thousand neatly stacked lower-grade spirit stones, her face immediately lit up with joy. She grabbed the wooden-faced Song Qingxing beside her and happily walked into the crowd.
Song Changsheng gave a signal with his eyes, and Redfire immediately followed them.
Once the group was settled, Song Changsheng, under the guide's lead, arrived at a pavilion.
The guide exchanged a few words with someone and soon brought over a man in a black robe. The man's face was obscured, and his voice was hoarse as he said, "Senior, please reveal your cultivation."
Song Changsheng complied and released a sliver of his aura. The black-robed man immediately bowed and said, "Senior, please follow me."
"Senior, just go with him. I'll wait for you outside," the guide added.
His cultivation wasn't high enough to enter.
Song Changsheng nodded. "Thank you."
The black-robed man led him to a secret chamber and pointed to a set of black robes and a mask hanging on the wall. "These are magical tools that block spiritual sense. Please put them on before entering, and return them at the exit upon leaving.
"As for the rules: Asking about someone's identity, the origin of goods, or prying into others' business is strictly forbidden. Fighting is also prohibited. Violators will be severely punished.
"Everything here is sold by private sellers. No matter what problem the goods may have, the market holds no responsibility. Is that clear, Senior?"
After receiving Song Changsheng's confirmation, the man took out a jade token from his waist. "These tokens are single-use. Insert it into that groove to open the black market gate."
After handing the token to Song Changsheng, he turned and left.
Song Changsheng took the black robe and a monkey-face mask from the wardrobe and put them on. Then, following the instructions, he placed the jade token into the wall's groove.
The moment it entered, a crack appeared in the wall, which slowly opened to reveal a swirling, rainbow-colored vortex.
"A spatial array? This black market spares no expense," Song Changsheng murmured in surprise. This was his first time seeing the legendary spatial teleportation array.
Without hesitating for long, he stepped into it.
With a dizzying spin and a familiar sensation of weightlessness, Song Changsheng soon appeared in an unfamiliar space.
"Just keep walking forward and you'll reach the market. The exit is in the opposite direction."
Before he could recover from the discomfort of crossing space, an old voice rang in his ear. He could hear it clearly, but saw no one.
Following the voice's direction, he walked forward. In less than fifteen minutes, the space ahead opened up, revealing a vast underground market.
The dim underground area was filled with black-robed figures, each wearing a unique mask.
With just one glance, Song Changsheng realized that he was probably no longer within Xu Prefecture's borders because everyone he saw appeared to be Foundation Establishment cultivators.
In Xu Prefecture, Foundation Establishment cultivators weren't that common.
"I wonder where this place is, and which regions these cultivators come from. Is it only within the Qi Kingdom, or does it include other nearby cultivation realms as well?"
Song Changsheng couldn't help but feel awe. The force behind this black market was not ordinary. Just the use of these spatial teleportation arrays wasn't something typical powers could afford.
After all, spatial power was something only Nascent Soul cultivators could barely begin to control.
Just as Song Changsheng was pondering where to go to sell his loot, a mysterious voice whispered in his ear:
"Fellow Daoist, interested in a Demon King's inner core?"
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