Author’s Note:
"Sorry for the delay, I’ve been busy these past two days and was going through a bit of a writer’s block and other personal issues. I know I promised to post advanced Chapters on my Patreon, but I don’t think I have enough energy to do it. Over the past week, I’ve been exhausted writing until 3 AM and sometimes even 4 AM, and that was draining me, plus I had to correct and patch up any narrative inconsistencies and other common mistakes. I also had to re-read the Chapters since I’m not writing them based on an outline, but rather through improvisation, which makes publishing on Patreon even harder. I’m barely able to write between 2k, 3k, and 4,500 words. I will do everything I can to post more frequently to stay consistent, though I’m not sure if it will be possible; even so, I’m determined to keep going. Again, I apologize for the delay."
The evening wind carried a smell of dust and sulfur as Shen Tian’s clone approached the limits of Dust Border City.
On the edges of the main road, among ramshackle wooden stalls selling dried meat from low-level beasts and paper amulets of dubious properties, Shen Tian stopped in front of an old man who traded in farming implements.
He reached out and bought an utterly ordinary item: a wide-brimmed straw hat woven from low-grade spiritual bamboo threads. He paid a few copper coins in silence. As he put it on, the broad shadow of the straw veiled his facial features: his straight black hair, his fathoms-deep and serene gray eyes, his fair skin, and the slender yet surprisingly wiry build of a common cultivator at the Qi Condensation stage.
Although his current face remained unknown in the city, rumors about a young beggar who had mysteriously disappeared from Broken Dog Alley still circulated in the underworld. The Zhao Family, desperate to recover the Jade Fragment, had begun interrogating the vagrants of the area. Better to keep a low profile.
The hat was woven straw and low-quality bamboo threads, its value counted in a few coppers. Combined with the Cultivation Concealment Technique that already hid his energy signature, the effect was that of an invisible peasant: a faceless man of common appearance, so utterly vulgar that the observer’s mind slid past him.
"Well, well..." Xue Huang’s voice resonated in his mental space, modulating a tone between fascination and sarcasm. "A two-bronze-coin straw hat combined with your technique... It is a walking trap. If a sect elder tried to read your meridians right now, he would swear you can barely lift a hoe."
"It is an overlap of simple layers," Shen Tian thought in response, adjusting the rope chin strap under his chin. "The secret of true concealment consists of becoming so vulgar that the observer’s mind slides past you."
"I know, but it is still outrageous," the Blood Empress sighed with a certain bitter irony, reclining mentally in the astral plane. "In my era, the young men of the consecrated clans bled thousands of plebeians to refine void silk tunics and hide their cultivation bases before an ambush. You use an unknown divine tool, a little mud on your boots, and a rotten bamboo hat. The world of cultivation is truly unfair to those who work hard. The luck and resources of your little interface accelerate your progress like an overflowing river."
Shen Tian ignored the comment. He observed the floating statistics in his internal vision for a brief second.
=====================================================
[CLONE STATUS — SHEN TIAN]
[Name: Shen Tian (Clone)]
[Age: 15 (Soul Age: 135)]
[Spiritual Root: Fourth Grade (Mediocre leaning toward bad)]
[Cultivation Base: Qi Condensation — Level 5]
[Constitution: Malnourished Mortal (Improved by Qi)]
[Suppression Points: 130 (shared with the original)]
[Active Skills:]
· Cultivation Concealment Technique (Level 2)
· Spiritual Sight (Level 1)
· Causality Perception (Level 1) — Range: 10 meters
· Flickering Shadow Steps
· Devastating Tide Palm
· Qi Needle Burst
· Mud Lotus Breathing Art (Deduced 100%)
[Passive Skills:]
· Tenth Hidden Meridian (Extreme Compression)
· Anomalous Sea of Consciousness
· Soul Pact with Xue Huang (Blood Empress)
=====================================================
"Level 5, huh?" Xue Huang murmured, reading the interface over his shoulder. "Your clone is well stabilized. But keep your confidence measured. A Level 5 impresses no one at this auction."
Before continuing, Shen Tian considered checking the System Shop. With 130 points, his wallet covered one or two modest purchases, and the browse was worth a look.
"System. Open Shop."
The blue interface flickered and transformed into a catalog organized by categories.
=====================================================
[SYSTEM SHOP — LEVEL 1]
[Current balance: 130 Suppression Points]
[CATEGORY: PILLS AND MEDICINES]
· Marrow Cleansing Pill (Lower Grade) — 50 points [CONSUMED]
· Toxin Resistance Pill (Mid Grade) — 200 points [ACQUIRED]
· Qi Recovery Pill (Mid Grade) — 150 points
· Aura Concealment Pill (High Grade) — 500 points
[CATEGORY: MANUALS AND TECHNIQUES]
· Spiritual Herb Identification Manual (Basic) — 100 points [ACQUIRED]
· Basic Alchemy Manual (Level 1) — 300 points
· Invisible Edge Sword Technique (Human Level) — 800 points
· Wandering Wind Movement Technique (Human Level) — 600 points
[CATEGORY: MATERIALS AND RESOURCES]
· Ling Jing Qi Crystal (Mid Grade) — 10 points per unit
· Ling Jing Qi Crystal (High Grade) — 30 points per unit
· Fire Lotus Flower Essence — 80 points per unit
· Spiritual Beast Core (Grade 3) — 250 points
[CATEGORY: PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS]
· Spiritual Root Improvement (Grade 4 → Grade 5) — 500 points
· Dantian Capacity Expansion (Level 1) — 1,000 points [Unlocked upon reaching Foundation Establishment]
· Function Unlock: Expanded Inventory — 800 points [Unlocked upon reaching Foundation Establishment]
[NOTE: Inventory updates weekly. Some objects may not be available.]
[NOTE: Objects marked as [ACQUIRED] or [CONSUMED] belong to the global inventory. Physical access depends on the body that possesses them.]
=====================================================
Shen Tian scanned the list. The herb identification manual and the toxin resistance pill he already had; the System marked them with a check symbol. Shen Tian knew those objects were in the possession of the original body, in the sect. The clone lived in a separate physical place, but the System displayed them as part of its global inventory. The Marrow Cleansing Pill appeared as [CONSUMED]; its effect had already run its course. The Basic Alchemy Manual was still there, at 300 points. He had learned enough in the Alchemy Pavilion already. Still, it was a good option for later.
"There is nothing new I need to buy right now," Shen Tian thought. "The crystals I can get by other means. I already have 124. Better to save the points for something that truly makes a difference: a technique, a permanent improvement, or a pill that saves my life."
"Do not spend your points on crystals," Xue Huang said, guessing his thoughts. "Crystals you can get by stealing or trading. Your System points are harder to obtain. Save them for something truly worthwhile."
"You are right," Shen Tian admitted, closing the Shop. "I will save them."
Shen Tian verified that his clone’s fluctuation remained firm and set off walking.
The Black Market of Shadow Street occupied a complex of subterranean caverns excavated beneath the granary zone. Shen Tian descended a damp, slippery stone staircase, flanked by whale-fat torches that emitted a bitter smoke. He crossed the heavy bronze threshold of the entrance after handing two Ling Tong tokens to the hooded guard at the door.
The auction venue was a gigantic amphitheater structure. The air was charged with a thick stench of cheap sandalwood, moisture, sweat, and the implicit tension of hundreds of armed cultivators. On the lower levels, in the standing area and the rough wooden benches, independent mercenaries with visible scars, pill traffickers, and wandering cultivators milled about. On the upper levels, protected by fine silk curtains and acoustic isolation formations, were the boxes of the factions with true financial weight.
Shen Tian leaned against a stone column on the lower level, keeping his head lowered so that the brim of his straw hat concealed his brown eyes. He activated Radar Mode. A translucent grid overlaid his vision, revealing the energy signatures of everyone present. Most were low-level cultivators. But in the upper boxes, three signatures shone with a worrying intensity. One of them, the densest, was on the stage. The Demon Queen.
Then he activated Spiritual Sight at a minimal degree and combined it with Causality Perception. Its ten-meter range covered only his immediate surroundings, so Shen Tian moved with the slow, unhurried pace of a bored spectator until he positioned himself against the wall directly beneath the lower row of the upper boxes. From there, his perception encompassed the structural supports of the boxes above him, and the densest causality threads filtered through the stone like a persistent aroma.
Through the golden mist of the energetic vision, he began to map what his range could reach. Ten meters to his left, a group of cultivators in green tunics belonged to the Deformed Leaf Sect; their Qi circulation was disorderly, typical of those who consume impure medicines to force advances. Directly above his head, Causality Perception revealed a cluster of grayish, tenuous light threads.
There they were. In box number three, the elders of the Zhao Clan moved with undisguised nervousness. Their hands opened and closed over the hilts of their swords; the loss of the Bloody Heart Jade Fragment had left them in a critical position, and desperation was readable in each of their gestures.
But the densest and darkest causality thread came from the adjacent box.
In box number one, reclining on a velvet cushion, was the personal envoy of Lin Xiao. The man wore tunics embroidered from the main estate of the Lin Clan. Around him, four guards at the pinnacle of Qi Condensation formed a human wall. The envoy examined the crowd below with a disdainful gaze, like a peasant observing ants on grain.
"Pure arrogance," Shen Tian mused silently, adjusting the cloak of his tunic. "Lin Xiao did not even bother to come in person for the first phase. He sent a hunting dog to collect the pieces. They believe the money and the name of their clan are enough to intimidate all of Mu Shu Country."
"A dog with quite a few teeth, however," Xue Huang warned. "That envoy is at the pinnacle of Level 9. But it does not matter. Let them puff out their chests. The higher they think they are, the harder the fall when you cut their legs out from under them."
A dull gong sound resonated throughout the amphitheater, silencing the murmur of the crowd.
An elder in a dyed tunic and gray beard climbed to the center of the elevated stage. Using a voice amplification talisman, he welcomed those present with a quick speech, every unnecessary courtesy cut from his words. In the black market, time was gold and patience scarce.
"We begin tonight’s event!" the auctioneer announced, signaling two servants carrying a tray covered with red velvet. "First lot: three Grade 3 Bone Consolidation Pills, refined by Great Alchemist Xu of the North Pavilion. Ideal for those seeking to reinforce their meridians before attempting the jump to Level 7 of Qi Condensation. Base price: ten mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals!"
The bidding began immediately.
"Twelve crystals!" shouted a one-eyed cultivator in the first row.
"Fifteen!" replied a woman covered with a green veil in the eastern sector.
"Eighteen!"
The atmosphere heated up quickly. The pills were finally awarded to the veiled cultivator for twenty mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals. This lot was followed by lower-rank spiritual weapons, desert beast hides, and tomes of crippled cultivation techniques. Shen Tian observed the transactions in silence, motionless.
Two hours passed. The ninth lot was brought to the stage: a rotten wooden box full of rusty metal fragments, broken weapons, and remnants of tools unearthed from ancient ruins.
"Lot of unidentified relics extracted from the Dry Bones Valley," the auctioneer declaimed with evident lack of enthusiasm. "The spiritual structure is worn. For collectors or secondary metal refiners. Base price: five mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals!"
An apathetic silence settled over the room, as everyone considered the scrap useless. The auctioneer sighed and prepared to withdraw the tray when Xue Huang’s voice erupted with sudden violence in Shen Tian’s mind.
"Buy it! Shen Tian, buy that garbage immediately!"
The ancestor’s tone was different: a cold, concentrated urgency had replaced her usual mockery and apathy.
"What is in there?" Shen Tian asked through thought transmission, holding his posture.
"In the lower left corner of the box. That small black dagger without an edge, the one that looks like a strip of rusty iron for cutting vegetables," Xue Huang dictated, accelerating her verbal pace. "The idiots of this era see the outer layer of spiritual corrosion and believe it is dead. It is an Immortal Dagger from the Blood Era. The seal of its core has deteriorated over the millennia, rendering it imperceptible to the senses of these insects of Foundation Establishment. If you use your Qi to feed the latent matrix, that thing can pierce Holy-grade armor as if it were wet paper."
The System emitted a pulse of blue light.
"[Unidentified object in the lot. Superficial scan inconclusive.]"
"[Recommendation: Caution. The object may contain residual energy of unknown origin.]"
"The System cannot identify it," Shen Tian murmured. "That means it is of a level higher than what it can analyze."
"Exactly," Xue Huang confirmed. "Your tool has limits. I do not."
Shen Tian evaluated the situation in a fraction of a second. He raised his right hand from the shadow of his straw hat.
"Six mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals," he said in a voice rasped and deliberately altered by a thread of Qi in his vocal cords.
The room turned briefly to look at him. Bidding on a box of garbage drew the attention of some, but upon seeing his hunched figure and peasant clothing, most assumed he was an ignorant novice or a lucky madman.
The auctioneer blinked, surprised, and struck the wooden gavel three times before anyone else intervened.
"Sold to the gentleman with the hat for six mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals!"
A servant quickly approached Shen Tian’s column. Shen Tian drew the silk pouch from his tunic, handed over the six crystals refined with the System’s help, and received the wooden box.
The System emitted a pulse of blue light.
"[Transaction completed: Lot of unidentified relics acquired for 6 mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals.]"
"[Remaining balance: 124 mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals.]"
Immediately, he slid the small rusted black dagger into the sleeve of his tunic and let the rest of the useless wood fall to the floor.
When the dagger touched his skin, the System emitted another pulse. The physical contact had allowed a deeper scan.
"[High-value object detected: Immortal Dagger of the Blood Era (Sealed).]"
"[Status: Deteriorated. Requires Qi feeding to restore functions.]"
"[Recommendation: Do not use until the core is restored.]"
"Good move," Xue Huang approved. "Nobody in this place suspects that you just bought the only truly lethal tool in this entire cave for the price of a funeral dinner."
The atmosphere in the amphitheater took a drastic turn when four heavily armed guards climbed onto the stage surrounding a table covered with a golden silk cloth.
The auctioneer cleared his throat, and the emotion on his face was genuine this time.
"Ladies and gentlemen... We have reached the main items of the night," he announced, pulling the golden silk off in one yank.
On the table rested three objects: a carved jade flask containing a translucent amber-colored sphere that emanated a medicinal fragrance capable of clearing the meridians of everyone present; a piece of ancient parchment, with irregular and burnt edges, covered in latent runes; and a prismatic gem that emitted a constant stellar blue flash.
"The incomplete map of the Ancient Sword Elder’s Cave! An Absolute Grade Elixir Stage Pill! And a Star Gem of the Primordial Abyss!"
The Elixir Stage Pill was a treasure that allowed a cultivator of Foundation Establishment to break the bottleneck toward Golden Core without risk of deviation. The Star Gem, for its part, was a legendary material for forging high-rank spiritual weapons. Either of the two was worth more than the entire Zhao Clan.
The crowd erupted in a roar of accumulated greed.
Zhao Ming’s letter had omitted the other two objects. Either he did not know, or he considered it irrelevant. In any case, the map was what mattered.
Shen Tian contemplated the parchment and the pill. He mentally grazed his storage pouch. He had 124 mid-grade Ling Jing Crystals left after buying the dagger.
"Should I bid for the map?" Shen Tian consulted silently. "We could secure the resource right here and spare ourselves the hunt for the envoy."
"Do not even think about it, brat," Xue Huang interrupted immediately, cutting off his thought with severity. "Look around you. The true monsters have yet to open their mouths. Your 124 crystals are rat excrement compared to what the clans have brought for this. If you try to bid, you will only succeed in exposing your money pouch and becoming the primary target of the entire room before the auction ends."
Shen Tian observed the shadows of the upper boxes. He saw how Lin Xiao’s envoy raised a jade plaque with a smile of absolute self-satisfaction, and how the elders of three other unknown clans pulled out entire boxes of high-grade Ling Jing.
"You are right, Ancestor Xue," Shen Tian nodded coldly. "Competing in a war of money against the great clans is a fool’s errand. The true prize can be taken by force outside these walls."