The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 597 The deal is done, black market auction (Seeking monthly votes~)

A few people were gathered around the stall, talking with the stall owner, an old Taoist priest.

"Old man, ten spirit crystals, I'll buy this!"

"Fifteen Yuan Crystals, not a single one can be missing!"

"You old man, why are you so stubborn?!"

As the group was discussing, Chen Ping'an stopped in front of the stall, looking at the Rhizoma Scrophulariae encapsulated in a wooden box.

"Old Taoist, how much is this Rhizoma Scrophulariae?"

The stall owner was an old Taoist priest with white hair, who had tried to disguise himself, but it was obviously useless in front of Chen Ping'an.

A woman wearing a straw hat stood beside the old Taoist priest, helping him with some transactions.

The two were the grandfather and grandson that Chen Ping'an had met on the road when he first entered the Thunder Mountain Range. He never expected to run into them again here.

"Thirty Yuan Crystals!"

The old Taoist priest glanced at Chen Ping'an and quoted a price.

Chen Ping'an's appearance had changed, and he was different from before, so the old Taoist priest did not recognize him.

Having gotten used to prices of several hundred or even thousands of Yuan Crystals, hearing that it was only thirty Yuan Crystals suddenly seemed a bit cheap.

However, Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment and did not agree immediately.

He stared at the Scrophularia in the wooden box and began to examine it closely.

Since it's a transaction, let's go through the whole process.

After watching for a while, he looked up at the old Taoist priest and said, "A sincere transaction, twenty-five yuan crystals, how about it?"

"Thirty Yuan Crystals, not a penny less." The old Taoist shook his head.

"Old man, with your bad temper, how can you do business?!" Before Chen Ping'an could speak, the man next to him mocked.

He intended to buy something from the stall and discussed it with the old Taoist priest for a long time, but the old priest refused to budge an inch, and they could not reach an agreement on the price.

"You get what you pay for. In shrewd business, we never overcharge, so there's no reason to haggle!"

The old Taoist priest was quite tough; he didn't back down at all in the face of the man's provocations and sarcasm.

In business, harmony is the key to making money, but in the black market, that's not necessarily the case!
Good people are often bullied, and good horses are often ridden!
If you give in a little, the other party might become even more aggressive and take advantage of you!

"Alright! Then it will be as you say, thirty yuan crystals!"

After saying that, Chen Ping'an reached out with both hands and took out thirty Yuan Crystals.

After a series of transactions and sales, he now had over 40,000 yuan crystals at his disposal.

Thirty Yuan Crystals were really nothing to him.

"Fellow Daoist, don't be fooled by him! This spiral-patterned Scrophularia is of ordinary quality. Although it is a rare variety of Scrophularia, it is not old and is not worth this much money at all!" The man stood aside, intending to ruin the deal.

Chen Ping'an ignored him, picked up the wooden box containing the Luowen Xuanshen, and handed the Yuanjing to the old Taoist.

According to Chen Ping'an's observation, although this Rhizoma Scrophulariae is not very old, it is of excellent quality. Considering that it is traded on the black market, it is fully worth the price of thirty yuan crystals.

Seeing that Chen Ping'an remained unmoved, a fierce look appeared on the man's face. But before he could make a move, he saw the man in front of him reach out and the wooden box in his hand disappear.

"A treasure pouch!" The man's eyes narrowed, and he involuntarily shrank back.

The man in front of them clearly possessed a treasure pouch for storing things.

The treasure pouch is extremely rare, and its value surpasses that of ordinary treasures. Even top experts at the Xuan Guang Gao Jing level may not be able to possess such a treasure.

This man possesses a treasure pouch, so he is clearly not someone he can afford to offend.

The old Taoist priest couldn't help but glance at Chen Ping'an a few more times, his gaze becoming somewhat solemn.

Someone who possesses a treasure bag is clearly no ordinary person.

Although he was quite strong, he had managed to survive his attempt to break through to the Grandmaster level in his early years, but his foundation was damaged and his combat power was far from its peak.

The man who had started the trouble was now feeling guilty and, fearing he might get into trouble, left immediately.

The others, who had hoped to see a good show, also left dejectedly.

Chen Ping'an remained calm, glanced at the old Taoist priest, and then left.

"Grandpa, was that person using a magic bag?" the woman in the bamboo hat asked curiously after Chen Ping'an had gone far away.

"Yes, a treasure pouch," the old man said solemnly.

"Qiao'er, when you go out in the future, speak more politely. You never know when you might offend someone you can't afford to offend."

"Mm." The woman nodded.

"We've sold most of our items. We'll sell for one more night tonight, and then we'll leave as soon as the auction ends tomorrow."

"I got it, Grandpa."

After putting the wooden box into his Thousand Machine Bag, Chen Ping'an did not immediately investigate it, but continued to stroll around the stall area.

They also saw some monster blood, but it was all inferior blood.

It can be used to extract weapons and assist in alchemy, but it's far less effective for body tempering!

In the end, Chen Ping'an wandered around the stalls until nightfall, but didn't see anything suitable.

Without lingering, Chen Ping'an walked through the crowd and went straight back to the inn.

hum~
In a flash of inspiration, the wooden box appeared in Chen Ping'an's hands.

Ignoring the spiral-patterned ginseng in the wooden box, Chen Ping'an's gaze fell directly on the small demon beast carving on the clasp.

This small carving of a mythical beast is unremarkable, with nothing particularly unusual about it.

Chen Ping'an reached out and the monster carving he had been studying for many days appeared in his hand as well.

"The materials are the same, they really do come from the same source!" Chen Ping'an thought to himself.

The two monster carvings are exactly the same size and material; the only difference is what is carved on them.

One of the carvings depicts a complete mythical beast, resembling a dragon, but upon closer inspection, there are still considerable differences.

The other carving is just an animal head. If you ignore the horns on the top of the head, it looks somewhat like a bear, but the details are quite different.

Chen Ping'an probed with his spiritual sense and found that this newly acquired beast head carving, like the demon beast carvings he had studied before, could also devour some spiritual energy, although the amount was negligible.

One is a carving of an animal head, and the other is a carving of a mythical beast.
"What exactly is the purpose of this thing?"

Chen Ping'an pondered the matter in his mind.

The fact that he could find a second similar carving indicates that these monster carvings must have come in a set.

It's just that for some reason it was lost and scattered.

Chen Ping'an's brows furrowed as he carefully examined the monster carving in front of him.

As his spirituality changed, he suddenly discovered that when the two carvings were put together, the amount and speed at which spirituality was absorbed seemed to increase significantly.

"try again!"

Chen Ping'an's eyes flickered slightly as he put one of the carvings inside, and then his spiritual energy reached out again.

As he expected, the remaining carving absorbed spiritual energy much more slowly.

In a flash of inspiration, another monster carving appeared.

The rate at which spirituality is being devoured begins to accelerate.

"really!"

Chen Ping'an was overjoyed, as if he had found some direction.

After so much research, we've finally made a breakthrough.

He tried it several times and found that when the two carvings were put together, the speed at which the spiritual energy was absorbed increased exponentially.

The speed at which any one of the carvings devours other pieces is almost twice as fast as when it exists alone!
When both carvings are swallowed up, the result is four times the size of a single carving.

Although the amount consumed was still negligible, it was undoubtedly much greater than before!

"There's definitely something to it!" After studying it for a while, Chen Ping'an had some ideas about carving the demon beast.

However, the specifics may need to be verified by a potential third carving!

"This matter cannot be rushed; let's cultivate first!"

Having figured out a plan, Chen Ping'an put away the two monster carvings.

Inside the room, a faint, mysterious light shone, illuminating Chen Ping'an's face, making it appear profound and inscrutable.

The Black Market Auction at Black Spirit Mountain was held as scheduled.

Chen Ping'an earned VIP seating status by bidding on the divine weapon.

Unlike the regular trade markets of major cities, the black market's auction venue wasn't in some grand pavilion or palace. Instead, it was located in a cave within a mountain.

The grotto is spacious and bright, with traces of renovation inside, and its layout and style have been meticulously divided.

Chen Ping'an took his seat in the VIP section, on a high platform inside the cave, with curtains covering the area. This was sufficient to prevent ordinary cultivators from prying into his eyes, unless they were being spied on by a Grandmaster's spiritual power.

Compared to bustling commercial cities and magnificent palaces, the environment inside this grotto is rather rudimentary.

But considering that this is just a black market in the mountains, one can't help but admire its business design, which is a model of sound management.

"The Black Spirit Sect does have some tricks up its sleeve; no wonder they can hold their own in the Thunder Mountain Range, which is surrounded by powerful forces!"

Chen Ping'an's expression remained unchanged, and he sighed slightly.

"Have you heard? An extra item has been added as the finale item at this auction."

"Really? The items for auction are usually decided in advance and don't change, especially the final item."

"It should be true. I've heard it mentioned several times."

What was added as the grand finale item?

"not sure."

"."

Chen Ping'an sat on the high platform, not paying attention to the discussions below, but the murmurs still reached his ears from time to time.

In the grotto auction hall, besides the platform where he was located, there were about twenty other high stone pillars, but some of the high stone pillars were empty and no one was present.

"Three mid-stage Jade Balance masters, nine early-stage Jade Balance masters, and thirteen pseudo-grandmasters. Not bad."

Chen Ping'an used his spiritual senses to perceive his surroundings and carefully discerned them.

Within the Thunder Mountain Range, a diverse mix of people exists, including numerous ruthless bandits and vicious criminals.

Besides selling resources and trading goods, he also came to the black market with the intention of accumulating merits.

He had previously killed several people on the black market, two of whom were wanted criminals on the Azure Dragon bounty list, earning him a sum of merit.

However, considering his goal of exchanging for the Void Wind-Riding Step, this merit is merely a bonus. To truly accumulate it, he still needs to kill a Grandmaster.

Ideally, it should be someone whose head is on the bounty list; those are the ones that are worth the money to kill.

Chen Ping'an's observation actually yielded some results.

"A blood centipede, with a blue face and fangs."

Among the many masters present, two were wanted criminals on the Azure Dragon's bounty list.

The former, with a mid-stage Jade Balance cultivation level, ranked high on the bounty list and was a powerful figure from the evil path.

The latter, with his early-stage Jade Balance cultivation at its peak, was a master of unorthodox methods.

"Not bad!" Chen Ping'an's mood changed, and he was in a good mood.

Aside from the auction of the divine weapon, this trip was definitely worthwhile!

It's not enough to accumulate merit by just eating small fish; you need to eat at least one or two big fish.

In the middle period of Yuheng, he was still considered qualified.

Chen Ping'an sat on the high platform of the stone pillar, and before long, the Black Spirit Mountain Black Market Auction officially began.

The grotto was packed, and the crowd was in high spirits.

While there are cautious and prudent people in the black market, there are also those who are daring and reckless, willing to risk their lives.

These people, during the auction, are extremely enthusiastic and energetic.

The auction was hosted by an elder from the Black Spirit Sect, a pseudo-grandmaster, who served as a kind of figurehead.

The black market is not like the commerce of a major city; without a powerful leader, the people below may not give you face.

"I'm sure everyone is eager to get started. I won't say any more. Let's begin the auction for the first item: a specially made mechanical crossbow. The starting bid is ten yuan crystals!"

As is customary at normal auctions, the first item auctioned was of considerable value, serving as a warm-up for the event.

This specially made crossbow is not the miniature crossbow used by ordinary people, but a medium-sized crossbow the size of an adult.

Its manufacture incorporated techniques and craftsmanship similar to those used in puppetry, and the crossbow bolts were specially made with broken blades, resulting in exceptional overall power. Besides being suitable for burly cultivators, it could also be placed within a powerful faction as a clan-protecting weapon.

"They even have this?"

"Nonsense, this is the black market, what's so strange about having this stuff here!"

"A medium-sized crossbow? Isn't that a controlled item by the military?!"

"The military strictly prohibits the control of crossbows larger than small and medium-sized ones. However, this type of crossbow is only considered medium-sized. In the military's definition, it is just a small crossbow. At most, it touches on the small and medium-sized crossbows. The control over this type of crossbow is not that strong. Basically, they turn a blind eye to it."

"So that's it!"

"." Amid the discussion, the bidding in the arena had already reached twenty-five yuan crystals.

Unlike normal magical artifacts, this kind of mechanical crossbow does not have particularly high requirements for the user's cultivation level. Even if a person's strength is insufficient, by finding a few Qi and Blood Realm martial artists, and relying on their strength and the power of the mechanism, they can unleash the ultimate power of the crossbow bolts.

These crossbows might not pose a threat to cultivators in the Profound Light Realm, but they could definitely kill ordinary martial artists in the Inner Qi Realm with a single arrow!
However, these crossbows take time to reload, and they may not be as effective against large groups of people. If someone gets close while the crossbow is reloading, you're basically doomed without some means of self-defense.

Generally, these crossbows require coordination. From a combat perspective, it's best to have a standard configuration of six bolts, firing in threes at a time, alternating between front and rear.

The three attacked simultaneously, locking down three paths of space: top, middle, and bottom.

After firing, they quickly changed positions, and the rear guard followed up for the next volley. At the same time, the rear guard began loading crossbow bolts.

This alternating switching reduces downtime and greatly improves the margin for error in combat.

However, the configuration of six crossbow bolts was still somewhat rudimentary.

The crossbow takes a long time to reload, so it's best to have a configuration of three teams rotating in front, middle, and rear, with each team locking down three spaces at the top, middle, and bottom.

One team fires, one team prepares, and one team loads. This process repeats until their strength is exhausted, unleashing a continuous and terrifying suppressive force.

Therefore, he was able to reach the sixth level of Qi and Blood, and with the power of a bow and crossbow, he could slaughter cultivators in the Inner Qi Realm.

Of course, this idea is too simplistic. After all, those at the Inner Qi Realm are not fools who only know how to charge head-on.

The actual situation in combat is extremely complex.

In addition to considering the advantage of location, we also need to coordinate with other formations.

According to the standard regulations for military crossbow formations, 108 crossbow bolts are required.

Nine people in one row, three rows in one square, forming a four-sided formation.

The nine-person volley not only had to lock down the upper, middle, and lower spaces, but also had to ensure surprise attacks from the left, right, and upper sides.

With such a formation, even using the worst small crossbows, slaughtering a Xuan Guang Realm martial artist would be a piece of cake.

While a Xuan Guang Realm martial artist could ignore the one or two arrows from a small crossbow, under the suppression of the standard regulations, the crossbow bolts were endless, covering the surrounding space, leaving no place to escape.

Unless they happen to have a favorable location and use cover to escape, a single volley of fire will render them virtually helpless, and a second volley will be enough to finish them off.

However, the military doesn't use small crossbows. Even the most ordinary garrison soldiers are equipped with at least medium-sized crossbows.

Ordinary cover is of little use against this type of crossbow.

If they encounter the elite Tiger Warriors, their medium-sized crossbows, firing in volleys, render any cover useless.

At that time, under the military system, not to mention martial artists in the Profound Light Realm, even Grandmasters would die on the spot!
Military operations are that simple and unadorned: form ranks, load, fire salvo, and collect the dead.

Unless one possesses the abilities of a grandmaster, it is extremely difficult to escape from the encirclement of medium crossbow bolts fired by the military!

But the military's methods are not limited to just crossbows and other mechanical devices.

Mentioning the military, recalling its formidable array and discipline at its peak, would send shivers down the spine of any villain. Even a grandmaster would approach the military with utmost caution and utmost wariness!

However, this is a military matter. The item being auctioned at the moment is merely a crossbow bolt, specifically a small one as defined by the military. Although it attracted numerous bidders, it did not fetch a very high price.

The subsequent auction proceeded smoothly.

After the successful start with the first item, the second, the third, and so on, items were auctioned off one after another.

In the first half of the auction, the main beneficiaries were some Inner Qi Realm martial artists and ordinary Profound Light Realm martial artists. Apart from the first item that opened the auction successfully, the value of the other items was not high.

However, in the latter half of the auction, the prices of the items began to rise little by little.

It has everything from magical artifacts and elixirs to medicinal herbs, ores, and consumables.

"The item up for auction now is a set of thirteen exquisite magical artifacts, the Meteor Darts, with a starting bid of one hundred Yuan Crystals!"

The exquisite artifacts were quickly snapped up.

"One hundred and ten Yuan Crystals!"

"One hundred twenty!"

"One hundred and twenty-five Yuan Crystals!"

One hundred and thirty!

"."

Exquisite artifacts, rare and precious, even on the black market. It quickly sold for a high price, purchased by a bloated, all-black-clad man.

Chen Ping'an waited quietly without making a move.

He sat on the high platform, not idle either, closing his eyes and practicing the Seven Absolute Divine Skill.

As each item was auctioned off, time passed slowly, and soon the final auction items were ready.

The auction originally featured five items as the finale, but one more was added at the last minute, making it six.

The first item auctioned as the highlight was a high-grade ore, which could be used as the main material for a divine weapon.

Chen Ping'an had no interest in this.

With his cultivation level, ordinary divine weapons are of little use to him anymore. If divine weapons are like this, then what about the main material of a divine weapon?

In addition, although this high-grade ore is good, it can only be used to forge ordinary divine weapons, which is also one of the key factors.

Otherwise, even if Chen Ping'an didn't find it useful, he would still take a picture and keep it as a backup.

If a suitable master blacksmith comes along later, he can gather some materials and custom-forge a top-tier divine weapon.

Now that he has the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag, Chen Ping'an's desire to forge a top-tier divine weapon has faded somewhat, but it still remains.

The Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag is a divine weapon of the confinement type, which makes up for his weakness in trapping people. However, he still has needs in terms of spiritual protection and main combat offense.

After fierce bidding, the first and final item was quickly won by an ordinary grandmaster.

The second and third items were auctioned off one after another. They were all items that could assist in killing. The third item was a bottle of Corrupting Heart Water, which could threaten a Grandmaster of the same level if used unexpectedly.

"The next item up for auction is something I'd like to discuss. This item wasn't originally supposed to be at this auction."

The elderly man presiding over the auction described the function of the item, and although it had not yet been fully revealed, some people in the audience had already guessed it.

"Divine weapon!"

"That's right! The item up for auction today is a divine weapon, the Frostfall Blade! Starting bid is 1,800 Yuan Crystals!"

"The auction will now begin!"

Chen Ping'an didn't even know that the divine weapon longsword had another name: the Frostfall Blade. It has to be said, the black market auction certainly knows how to create a spectacle.

"One thousand eight hundred and fifty yuan crystals!"

"two thousand!"

"Two thousand one hundred yuan crystals!"

"."

The appearance of the divine weapon prompted the grandmasters present to join in, creating an extremely heated atmosphere.

Chen Ping'an noticed that the unorthodox expert he had previously targeted, the one with a blue face and fangs, was also participating in the auction for the divine weapon.

"Two thousand two hundred Yuan Crystals!"

Chen Ping sat quietly on the high platform, completely at ease.

Ultimately, after fierce bidding, this divine weapon was sold to the unorthodox master, Green-Faced Fang, for 2,550 yuan crystals.

"It's him!?"

Chen Ping'an's gaze was strange, which he found quite amusing.

"Next up for auction is the fifth and final item, which is also the second to last item of this auction: the remains of a Xuanjia Beast! It includes scales, claws, and flesh."
This Xuanjia Beast was killed by the Grand Elder of the Black Spirit Sect. It hadn't been dead long and was relatively well-preserved! The Xuanjia Beast had a tough physique, abundant blood and energy, and its body was covered in various things.

Please note that the Xuanjia Beast's demon beast core is not included in this auction! The starting price is 1800 Yuan Crystals. Bidding begins now!

"The remains of a Xuanjia Beast!?"

"Wow, they even have this!"

"It's a pity that my most valuable possession, the demon core, is gone; otherwise, its value would be much higher!"

"."

"The Xuanjia Beast!"

Chen Ping'an suddenly opened his eyes.

"Earth-grade bloodline!"

The Xuanjia Beast, with its Earth-grade bloodline, possesses Grandmaster-level combat power upon full maturity. Relying on its unique defensive talents, slaying a fully-formed Xuanjia Beast is no easy task.

Even a top-tier grandmaster would only be able to fight the Xuanjia Beast to a standstill. Let alone kill it, even severely injuring it would be difficult!

To ensure a safe kill, at least a Grandmaster at the pinnacle of cultivation is required.

"Does the Grand Elder of the Black Spirit Sect have this ability?"

Chen Ping'an expressed his doubts.

However, he soon found out why.

The Xuanjia Beast being auctioned on the stone platform is indeed a Xuanjia Beast, but it is clearly not a fully grown, complete form.

It doesn't look like it's in its infancy, but it's clearly not related to its fully mature stage.

I estimate that his combat strength before his death was between the early and middle stages of the Jade Balance Realm.

"What a pity," Chen Pingan sighed.

The Xuanjia Beast's bloodline rank met Chen Ping'an's expectations for blood refinement. However, the Xuanjia Beast had not yet reached its full potential, and its bloodline power had not been fully tapped. Using its blood for blood refinement would be less effective than using a fully-formed Xuanjia Beast.

Chen Ping'an sighed, but still decided to take action.

This is a rare opportunity, and since we've come across it, there's no reason to miss it.

As for whether or not to refine blood later, that can be decided later.

Take a picture first, just to have a backup.

"Two thousand Yuan Crystals!"

This was the first time Chen Ping'an had called out a price since he started attending the auction.

However, his price was quickly suppressed by a cold, hoarse voice.

"Two thousand one hundred yuan crystals!"

"Blood centipede?"

Chen Ping'an remained calm, noticing that the person bidding was the evil master Blood Centipede, whom he had previously been following.

"Two thousand two hundred Yuan Crystals!"

Chen Pingan calmly quoted the price.

"Two thousand three hundred Yuan Crystals!"

The blood centipede's voice was somewhat unfriendly.

Chen Ping'an ignored the other party's emotions and continued bidding.

"Two thousand four hundred Yuan Crystals!"

"Two thousand six hundred Yuan Crystals! I am determined to obtain this Xuanjia Beast's remains. Fellow Daoist, please do me a favor!"

As he spoke, his true essence surged and his aura exploded, revealing his mid-stage Jade Balance cultivation.

"Two thousand seven hundred yuan crystals!" Chen Ping'an ignored them and calmly announced his price.

"Who is this person?! How dare he challenge the Blood Centipede?"

"I don't know! Sitting on that high platform, he must be some tough nut to crack!"

"There's a good show to watch!"

"."

Inside the grotto, the many photographers whispered among themselves, discussing the matter animatedly.

Blood Centipede is ruthless and powerful, a core member of the Outer Path Alliance, and extremely famous in the Thunder Mountain Range. He is known for his absolute authority and unwavering resolve in any conflict.

Just when everyone thought things were about to escalate, the Blood Centipede withdrew from the bidding.

"what happened?"

"do not know."

"Could it be some tough nut to crack?"

"."

Everyone was puzzled.

"Fellow Daoist, you have a kind heart. I will offer you this broken body of the Xuanjia Beast. Let's see if you have the fortune to enjoy it."

The blood centipede transmitted its voice secretly, its chilling, hoarse voice ringing in Chen Ping'an's ear like a cold wind blowing, stirring up frost.

Are you fortunate enough to enjoy it?
Chen Pingan smiled but didn't say anything.

The Blood Centipede had a ferocious face, with a long scar running across his entire face. He sat high on the platform, his blood-red eyes flashing with a murderous light.

"It's been too long since I've killed anyone; it seems some have already forgotten about this old man."

With the final item sold, the Black Spirit Mountain black market auction officially came to a close.

(End of this chapter)