Chapter 422: Chapter 185: In the Abyss

The old man glanced at Chen Cheng’s Money Bag. Seeing it still held a fair amount of Silver Notes, he took the initiative to say:

"Might I ask, sir, if you would consider some other Tier Two Supporting Elixirs? This bottle, for instance, contains Mountain and Sea Blood Coagulation Pills."

"Within the Mountain and Sea Sect, these go for three thousand taels a piece. But from me, they’re only two thousand five hundred taels each."

"There are five pills in this bottle. If you take them all, sir, I’ll knock another five hundred taels off the price."

"...Let me see."

Chen Cheng picked up the bottle, uncorked it, and sniffed carefully to identify its contents.

"I’ll take them."

After confirming their authenticity, Chen Cheng took out twelve thousand taels in Silver Notes and handed them over.

In his view, while the Mountain and Sea Blood Coagulation Pill was a bit inferior to the Cloud Thunder Blood Coagulation Pill, he had recently managed to set aside more time to refine his Three Tai Chi.

His progress in Blood Coagulation and Qi Generation was actually faster than he had anticipated.

Even if he used some Mountain and Sea Blood Coagulation Pills partway through, he could still break through to the Divine Storage Realm before the Sea Courtyard’s grand tournament.

Of course, the main reason for this choice was that his funds were tight.

After this purchase, Chen Cheng’s Money Bag was left with only two or three hundred taels of silver.

"You’re a straightforward man, sir!"

The old man chuckled as he accepted all the Silver Notes.

He had expected Chen Cheng to haggle and was prepared to lower the price by another five hundred taels.

He hadn’t expected Chen Cheng to pay the second sum so decisively.

"...Senior."

While the old man was still laughing, Chen Cheng spoke up.

"Do you buy elixirs?"

"I do."

The old man nodded.

Chen Cheng immediately took out a Silver Bottle and handed it over.

The moment the old man saw the bottle, his expression flickered. Though he quickly composed himself, Chen Cheng caught the subtle change.

The old man took the Silver Bottle with both hands and weighed it in his palms. He turned it over, inspecting the body, before finally uncorking it to sniff the medicinal fragrance. Lastly, he took out a purple wooden probe, dipped it into the bottle for a moment, then withdrew it for careful observation.

"Name your price, sir..."

The old man’s tone was grave, and his voice trailed off as if in a sigh, conveying a sense of helplessness.

"...First, please tell me, Senior, what exactly is this Elixir used for?" Chen Cheng asked in return.

The old man paused, but he wasn’t surprised by Chen Cheng’s question.

This was the black market; most of the goods came from questionable sources.

To be blunt, most items were obtained by sellers through murder and pillaging. It was perfectly normal for them not to know the details of what they possessed.

"I was wondering why you didn’t haggle earlier. So, this is what you were waiting for."

The old man chuckled and said:

"Since you’ve been so forthright, I won’t hold back either. This is the ’Immortal Gu Pill’ from the Immortal Bone Sect. It contains a ’Gu Insect’."

"Whoever takes this pill will see their Cultivation Realm increase dramatically. It can even shatter cultivation bottlenecks, allowing for an instant breakthrough."

The old man paused before his tone shifted.

"However, once this pill is consumed, the Gu Insect will become a permanent parasite within the host’s body."

"Typically, this kind of Elixir is only granted to elite disciples of the Immortal Bone Sect who show immense potential. After consuming it, their power skyrockets, enabling them to better serve the sect’s leadership."

"The crucial part is that the core leaders of the Immortal Bone Sect can use a Secret Technique to control the Gu Insect, thereby gaining complete control over the life and death of these elites."

"Anyone who dares to show dissent can be executed with a single thought!"

"...Controlling life and death with a Gu Insect?"

Chen Cheng’s heart sank.

"I never would have imagined... The ’Gu’ has nothing to do with ’Bone,’ and there’s nothing ’Immortal’ about them. Schemes within schemes... Thank you for the explanation, Senior. You’ve truly opened my eyes."

"Name your price," the old man said.

"Sorry, but I don’t plan on selling it anymore." Chen Cheng reached out and took the Silver Bottle back.

The old man didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he offered a patient reminder:

"You should hold onto this Elixir, sir. If you ever find yourself in a life-or-death situation with no other choice, you can take it. The surge in your cultivation might be enough to get you through."

"Frankly, it’s better to have someone else control your fate than to die... As long as you’re alive, there’s hope. Once you’re dead, it’s all over..."

"Thank you for the advice, Senior."

Chen Cheng cupped his fist in a salute and asked tentatively,

"Is there any way to obtain the Secret Technique for controlling the Gu Insect?"

"...Of course, but it’s a matter of luck."

The old man gestured around them.

"Here in the Valley of Oblivion, you can buy anything. The question is, will you be lucky enough to find it? And will you be able to afford it?"

"You might want to pay more attention to the people who sell Martial Slaves..."

"...I understand."

Chen Cheng nodded. He cupped his fists in thanks once more, secured the Silver Bottle, and turned toward the area where Martial Slaves were sold.

He’d noticed the area on his last visit, but had only given it a cursory glance without much thought.

Now, he found a spot and stood still, beginning to observe in silence.

This part of the market was also divided into different stalls.

Each stall had a number of iron cages, most of which held Exotic Beasts and Treasure Birds. Martial Slaves were few and far between.

One particular vendor, a man in a silver mask, was pointing to a woman in a cage beside him and speaking at length.

Chen Cheng glanced over. The woman was quite seductive, with a full bosom and rounded hips. Her skin was fair, smooth, and rosy—a rare stunner indeed.

However, her hands and feet were shackled with iron chains. She had clearly been drugged, as she slumped limply against the bars of the cage, her eyes glazed and unfocused.

"Everyone, take a look! This is a Nine Blood Transforming Force Martial Slave. I have used a Secret Technique to train her into a perfect ’Tripod Material.’ To the esteemed guest who purchases her, I will personally impart the ’Absorption’ Secret Technique."

The silver-masked vendor spoke loudly, without a hint of reservation.

"After nine sessions of Absorption, her entire Cultivation will be transferred to you, the esteemed customer, with absolutely no side effects."

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