Chapter 223: Sword Orbs, Clarity Essence, and Cooperation (I)

Luo Chen chose a secluded corner and quietly took a seat. Not far from him, Wang Yuan sat as well. Noticing the taut muscles beneath Wang Yuan’s hemp robe, Luo Chen was certain his decision had been the right one.

Times had changed.

With the destruction of many inner-city shops, the outer city’s black market had become more bustling than ever. What once attracted only a few dozen participants had now surged three to fourfold, with over three hundred cultivators in attendance.

The Precious Dragon Hall, which once felt spacious, now seemed almost cramped with the sheer number of people. Most notably, seven Foundation Establishment cultivators sat on either side, their overwhelming presence pressing down on the crowd.

Luo Chen’s gaze swept over them one by one, and the figure wearing a golden flood dragon mask could be none other than Tian Xingzi.

To be honest, Luo Chen had been utterly shocked the moment he stepped in.

𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The Precious Dragon Black Market had played a direct role in the siege against the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion. By all logic, after the battle, they should have gone into hiding not gathered here like this.

Yet not only had they stayed, but they continued to hold black market gatherings.

Even Tian Xingzi, the leading Foundation Establishment cultivator, had remained.

"What gives them the confidence to stay?"

Unable to figure it out, Luo Chen shifted his gaze to the others.

The one wearing a withered wood mask looked familiar.

The last time Luo Chen had attended the black market, this elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator had also been there. He had won the auction for a puppet with battle prowess equivalent to a Perfect Mastery Qi-Refining cultivator and an eight-hundred-year-old Heaven and Earth Root.

For that, he had even owed another Foundation Establishment cultivator a favor.

This guy is strange... always attending black markets. Does he even cultivate?

Aside from these two familiar faces, the remaining five were harder to discern. He couldn't find the slightest sense of familiarity with any of them. It was as if they weren’t local cultivators from Dahe Market at all.

Could they be from elsewhere?

That makes sense. Half a month has passed, and news of Dahe Market’s situation has surely spread. Naturally, some powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators would come to investigate.

Besides resource trading, the black market also deals in intelligence. Some crucial pieces of intelligence could even fetch high prices.

Just as Luo Chen was about to retract his gaze, his eyes lingered on a burly Foundation Establishment cultivator built like a bear.

This person gave him a sense of familiarity.

Familiar?

Where have I seen him before?

Luo Chen furrowed his brows, trying to recall.

As he was lost in thought, Tian Xingzi had already stepped to the center of the sandalwood table. He brought out the five-colored treasure plate and, as per usual, began explaining the black market rules with great patience.

"I, Tian Xingzi, am honored to be the master of the Precious Dragon Black Market, and today, I shall once again oversee the trades.

"I am pleased to see many old friends and welcome those who are joining us for the first time."

"The rules here are simple. First, the host of the market..."

Luo Chen listened in silence until the first auction item was revealed.

The moment it appeared, the entire hall fell into a sudden silence.

Luo Chen’s eyes widened in shock, his head turning instinctively.

As if their minds were in sync, Wang Yuan also turned to look.

Their gazes met, both filled with undeniable astonishment.

"Sword orbs

"Nurtured by a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, forged with true fire and spirit power over twenty-five years.

"Originally an embryonic enchanted treasure, it remains at its current grade after its owner's death, unable to advance further unless one possesses the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect’s secret sword orb cultivation method and transitions to the sword path. Currently of supreme-grade quality, it allows for size manipulation, sword-light division, and the Giant Sword.

"Its drawback, aside from being unable to advance in grade is that it requires an externalized spirit consciousness or an exceptionally strong control over enchanted artifacts.

"Starting bid: five thousand low-grade spirit stones!

"Minimum bid increment: one hundred spirit stones."

Tian Xingzi’s voice rang out like a great bell, its resonance lingering like a hammer’s strike upon a gong.

After a brief silence, the hall erupted into chaos.

A sword orb! A sword orb from a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect!

Everyone present knew exactly what this meant.

A great battle had just unfolded in that ghost city, one that had claimed the life of a Golden Core sword cultivator. From what was known, besides the Golden Core sword cultivator, two Foundation Establishment sword cultivators had also perished.

Which meant that this sword orb had either belonged to the outer sect Steward Miao Wen or True Inheritor Luo Tianhong.

The key question was!

How did the Precious Dragon Black Market dare to auction this off?

Did they have a death wish? Or were they planning to take the money and flee afterward?

The uproar intensified; people were no longer just exchanging whispers through voice transmissions—some had begun speaking aloud.

Many were openly questioning Tian Xingzi.

"If we bid on this sword orb, won’t the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect come after us?"

"This is stolen property!"

"The karmic repercussions are immense, we must not touch it!"

Tian Xingzi didn’t bother explaining. A black market auction, and they were worried about consequences? Afraid of revenge?

Besides, wasn’t this precisely the reaction he had wanted? He had instantly captured everyone’s attention. And in doing so, he had demonstrated the covert strength of the Precious Dragon Black Market. Whether the sword orb was actually sold or not he didn’t care.

He simply smiled. "No one wants to bid?"

It wasn’t that no one wanted to bid, it was that no one dared to.

Amidst the heavy silence, a voice rang out from the corner. "Five thousand!"

Beneath his mask, Tian Xingzi raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Good, looks like someone knows its worth!"

"Five thousand spirit stones, going once!"

After announcing the bid, he waited, seeing no immediate competition.

So he casually revealed another benefit of the sword orb.

"Though it is supreme-grade, this sword orb does not have the common drawbacks of other supreme-grade enchanted artifacts. Its spirit power consumption is minimal, comparable only to that of a top-grade enchanted artifact."

At this, many were once again tempted. Especially the Qi-Refining rogue cultivators!

A supreme-grade enchanted artifact that didn’t consume much spirit power? Even if it could never advance in tier, it was still incredibly useful!

But the fear of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect’s vengeance kept them silent.

"Oh, I almost forgot one more thing." As if deliberately keeping them in suspense, Tian Xingzi slowly revealed another advantage. "This treasure has already been purged of its former owner’s spirit consciousness. It only requires minimal refinement to be used."

Only now did a second bidder finally speak up.

"Five thousand five hundred spirit stones."

Tian Xingzi turned his head and saw that the bid had come from a Foundation Establishment Initiate seated to the right.

A familiar face!

"Five thousand six hundred spirit stones!" From the corner, the same bidder who had first placed a bid raised the price once again.

The entire hall held its breath. A mere Qi-Refining rogue cultivator dared to compete with a Foundation Establishment Initiate?

Was he not afraid of being taught a painful lesson once he left?

Besides, how could an ordinary Qi-Refining rogue cultivator possibly compete with the wealth of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?

Yet, strangely, the elderly voice from before did not bid again.

"Five thousand six hundred, going once."

"Five thousand six hundred, going twice."

"Five thousand six hundred... sold!"

Tian Xingzi no longer toyed with the bidders and swiftly sealed the sword orb inside a jade box.

From the corner of the hall, Luo Chen stepped forward with a calm and composed demeanor, retrieving five thousand six hundred spirit stones without hesitation.

With the payment settled, the sword orb was now his.