Chapter 29: Selling Contraband, A Fortuitous Turn of Events

Descending the stone steps, one could see numerous people weaving through the crowd with small carts laden with bizarre and curious items. The storefronts on both sides of the street were filled with goods so dazzling they were overwhelming—from blackened ceramic fish to glowing medicinal pills, such sights were everywhere.

Bright red lanterns hanging on either side cast a warm, cozy light. On iron grill stands as tall as a person, flames danced wildly. The sounds of hawking and haggling intertwined, creating an atmosphere even livelier than a bustling urban night market. Since it was, after all, a black market, almost everyone wore a mask; naturally, it was better not to conduct transactions in the open.

Baili Ze was an exception. Not only was he maskless, but he hadn't even bothered to change out of his Tianheng Sect inner disciple robes. With his cold, handsome features, he drew a steady stream of onlookers.

With so many people watching, Ling Xi, being a bit short, found it difficult to see the goods or navigate the area. Su An wiped his hands on his robes, bent down, and instinctively reached out to pick her up.

"Carrying me would be a waste, Senior Brother; you have a much better use. Open your arms—we’re going into business."

Su An, though confused, obeyed and opened his arms wide, acting as a human cross. Ling Xi rummaged through her storage pouch, pulling out her spoils. Whatever could be hung on Su An’s arms was hung, and what couldn't be was piled onto his shoulders and head.

"Step right up, don't miss out! Private items from the Qingchuan Immortal Sect for sale! Bids are welcome! For just nine hundred and ninety-eight, take home Master Xiaotu’s purple clay teapot! For just nine hundred and ninety-nine, the Floating Light Silk Fan can be yours! ..."

Thanks to her unconventional sales pitch and the unique presence of Baili Ze standing beside her, they attracted a crowd in an instant. Seeing the swarm gather, Ling Xi channeled her internal energy to activate the "Netherworld Other Shore" technique, darting back into the crowd.

"Hey! I’ll take that purple clay teapot for a thousand low-grade spirit stones! I only know of one set of teapots crafted by Little Chen, and that was obtained by Senior Brother Chu, a standout of the Dingkun Sect, from a secret realm. Could this be that very set?"

Ling Xi stirred up the crowd, whipping the buyers into a frenzy. As soon as those words were out, the crowd erupted in an uproar, and heated discussions broke out.

"They said it was a private item from an inner disciple. Could it really be Senior Brother Chu’s?"

"Forget it, it’s just price gouging. There are rarely good things in the black market; most are fakes."

"No, look at the joint between the curved wall and the base of the pot. While the mark is usually on the bottom, some are placed at the junction. Even if it’s a replica, the craftsmanship is incredibly high."

"They say this artifact can prevent one from suffering Qi deviation and aid in meditation. It must be fake. Don't fight over it, let me take the loss. I offer two thousand mid-grade spirit stones!"

After some intense bidding, the price soared to several dozen high-grade spirit stones.

Ling Xi smacked her lips in satisfaction, preparing to finalize the deal, when Baili Ze, standing silently beside her, raised a finger.

"One hundred high-grade spirit stones."

Ling Xi’s face fell. She hadn't intended to swindle him, and despite her frantic eye-winking, he bought it anyway. The other stolen goods were also auctioned off by Ling Xi at inflated prices. Looking at the sparkling spirit stones in her ring, Ling Xi was in a great mood and decided, for once, to offer a word of advice to the gullible Baili Ze.

"Don't use this artifact in front of others, especially not in front of Senior Brother Chu and his group. It took a lot of effort for me to get it from him."

Baili Ze nodded solemnly. "Naturally. Tell me, Miss Lin, do you have any other artifacts that can calm the mind and focus the spirit?"

"Does your cultivation technique carry a risk of Qi deviation? I don't have anything at the moment, but tell me specifically what you’re looking for, and I’ll keep an eye out for you."

"It’s not that. My master is overwhelmed with duties and his health isn't great, so after all these years, he finds it difficult to enter deep meditation," Baili Ze said after a moment of hesitation, lowering his voice.

Ling Xi understood perfectly. She made a zipping motion across her lips. "Don't worry, we won't go blabbing about this."

Her gaze was clear and sincere, making her seem very trustworthy. Under her nudge, Su An also offered his assurance.

Ling Xi and Baili Ze chatted as they strolled, visiting various stalls, but they didn't encounter anything they were specifically looking for. When they passed a stall selling small, antique trinkets, Ling Xi felt a jolt and stopped in her tracks.

There sat a chipped ceramic bowl, greyish-brown in color—the kind of thing an ordinary family might use to feed a dog. Ling Xi picked it up and shook it. She couldn't see anything special about it, yet it inexplicably drew her in.

The old man tending the stall saw that someone had finally stopped and prepared to praise the "dog bowl" to the skies to swindle the girl. After all, she was just a young girl; she wouldn't know its true value. Before the old man could name an astronomical price, Ling Xi put the bowl down and turned to leave.

"I was planning to buy a bowl to feed my dog, but I see it's broken. Let’s try another shop."

The old man waved his hands frantically. "Wait, wait! I’ll sell it to you cheap—just three high-grade spirit stones!"

Ling Xi didn't look back, chatting merrily with Baili Ze. Seeing them about to vanish into the crowd, the old man rushed forward in a few steps to block their path. He hadn't made a single sale all day, and a man had to eat.

"Little girl, it is fate that brought us together. I wouldn't sell this to just anyone, but for you, I’ll take three mid-grade spirit stones. I have elderly parents above and young children below, and my whole family is waiting for me to bring home food. I’m only selling it at this loss through gritted teeth."

The old man spoke with such feeling, his face clouded with sorrow, that he looked ready to kneel and kowtow. Ling Xi had a keen eye for detail; she captured every micro-expression on the old man's face and had a fairly accurate judgment of his claims.

"Thirty low-grade spirit stones—that’s enough to keep you going for a while. This bowl is worth at most one low-grade spirit stone. I’m willing to pay this price not because it’s worth it, but because I’m willing to help you through your hardship. Of course, you can choose not to sell, or keep trying to swindle others. You claim to be cultivating for the sake of the world, yet you let yourself fall into such depravity. There’s nothing I can do about that."

Ling Xi stopped joking and looked at the old man with a resolute gaze, subtly manipulating his conscience. The old man’s eyes flickered; his face reddened. Finally, he bowed to Ling Xi in gratitude. "Thank you, young daoist, for pointing me in the right direction. My mind was clouded for a moment; I hope you can forgive me."

Ling Xi took the bowl, placed thirty low-grade spirit stones on the stall, and turned to leave—just in case the old man changed his mind!

Sensing the surrounding spiritual energy surging wildly and sweeping toward the space behind her, Ling Xi couldn't help but look back. At the center of a swirling vortex of spiritual energy, the old man sat cross-legged. Particles of light shimmered and seeped into his skin. His white beard shone with a silver luster, and his brow was smoothed, free of any struggle.

A few minutes later, the old man opened his eyes. His previously bloodshot eyes were now clear, filled with spiritual light and burning with intensity.

"I’ve broken through to the eighth stage of Qi Refining! I’m one step closer to Foundation Establishment!!"

The old man, Huang Zhong, danced with joy, tears of crystal-clear emotion spilling from the corners of his eyes. He had been stuck at the eighth stage for years and could finally advance to the ninth. The young girl’s words still echoed in his heart; he believed, with absolute certainty, that he would reach Foundation Establishment.

When he turned to look for her, there were only the curious onlookers. Ling Xi was nowhere to be found.

Legend has it that the bowl was a treasure basin; when it met the right person, it could turn decay into magic.