Chapter 244 - I Want to Buy a City
The guide’s name was Hua Buwei, and was about 30 years old. He had a goatee with a sneaky look. He was in the Initial Stage of the Black Realm, which was quite good.
“There are many great masters mixed in the black market of Hugestone City. Most of them are atrocious people, including infamous criminals wanted by the imperial court. Of course, most of these people are just a motley crew, there is no need to fear.
“The strong forces are the really powerful ones. They are extremely cruel and merciless, and they rule over half of the black market. Their words are even more powerful than the order of the Square Commandery Prince. Among them, the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce and the Rosefinch Tower are the most powerful ones.
“Sir, you should keep a low profile after arriving there. In the black market of Hugestone City, it’s very common for people to suddenly fight over a very small disagreement,” Hua Buwei smiled.
Hua Buwei did not know Zhang Ruochen’s true identity. He just received Zhao Jing’s order to take an important person to the black market.
He was surprised to find that the important person was only a teenager. So he simply took Zhang Ruochen as a blueblooded young man who wanted to broaden his horizon in the black market.
Hua Buwei had seen too many dandies like him. Most of them went to the black market to buy beautiful sex slaves, or to have fun in the Rosefinch Tower. All in all, they just wanted excitement and entertainment.
What he feared most was that these blueblooded young men would still act on impulse, as if they were at home. It was okay if they only annoyed the ordinary Evil Warriors, but they might get into huge trouble if they annoyed the strong forces.
All of these strong forces had extremely powerful connections. They would not care if the person was an aristocratic young man or a commandery prince. If they were annoyed, they would simply kill him no matter what.
Hua Buwei continued, “The black market is disordered. But if you have enough silver coins, it is a paradise. You can buy anything you want, and even some things you can’t imagination here in the black market.”
Hua Buwei chattered continuously the whole way, telling Zhang Ruochen stories of the black market.
Yet Zhang Ruochen acted like he did not hear his words at all. He asked quietly, “Do you know where the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce is?”
“Of course I do.”
Hua Buwei smiled proudly and replied, “There’s nothing I don’t know about the black market.”
“Take me there,” said Zhang Ruochen without any expression on his face at all.
Following Hua Buwei, Zhang Ruochen arrived at the underground black market. After crossing through the crowded black market street, they came to a dark castle.
On the top of the castle was a huge round stone, with a tarantula icon in the middle.
“Hello Mr. Hua. What do you want to buy today?” An Evil Warrior guarding the gate greeted Hua Buwei in a familiar manner, like an acquaintance.
Hua Buwei smiled and replied, “I’m not the patron today, but Master Chen. After you, Master Chen. Get Elder Wei out, Master Chen is a very respected guest.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll take a look around by myself first.”
Coming to the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce, Zhang Ruochen had not intended on buying anything. Rather, he was looking for the Half-Saint’s Sacred Glyph.
Mu Qing was the principal of the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce in Hugestone City. So his mansion must be located in the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce.
Everything would be easier if he could find Mu Qing’s mansion!
Zhang Ruochen could make short work of the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce with his power. But there was an array inside. If the array was activated, even Zhang Ruochen might lose the upper hand.
There was also a Defender Array set up in the whole black market. If it got out of hand and the Defender Array was activated, even warriors in the Heaven Realm could get killed.
Mu Qing was the best example. Zhang Ruochen didn’t want to follow in his footsteps.
The power of a man was little compared to the array.
The Tarantula Chamber of Commerce was indeed the biggest Chamber of Commerce in the black market of the 36 commanderies in the Omen Ridge. Zhang Ruochen found a lot of amazing goods here.
A map of a city grabbed Zhang Ruochen’s attention, because the price tag said eight million silver coins.
Hua Buwei explained, “Sir, this is not a map he is selling, but a city.”
“I thought cities are ruled by the Square Commandery. Does the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce have the right to sell them?” Zhang Ruochen asked curiously.
Hua Buwei smiled and answered in a low voice, “Yes. It is an important person from the Royal Family of the Square Commandery who is selling the city. But people can hardly afford eight million silver coins in Hugestone City. So the city has not been sold yet.”
Zhang Ruochen suddenly became interested. He asked, “Who is this important person? How can he be so powerful to sell a city?”
“Huo Yundu, the Army-guarding Marquis,” Hua Buwei replied.
Zhang Ruochen was a little shocked by the name. Then he smiled and said, “Oh, it’s him.”
You can wear out iron shoes in fruitless searching, and yet by pure luck you may find the lost thing without even looking for it.
Zhang Ruochen never imagined that he would find evidence of Huo Yundu conspiring with the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce so easily. The only thing he had to do was hand this map with the price tag over to the School of the Martial Market. The School would, of course, deal with Huo Yundu.
Huo Yundu was being very reckless selling a city in the black market in such a flagrant way.
But that was not enough. Since Zhang Ruochen was not in a hurry, he wanted to dig deeper and find more evidence.
The most desirable scenario would be finding all the people involved in the imperial court of the Square Commandery. Only then could the Square Commandery and the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce be brought down completely.
The Evil Warrior still reported Zhang Ruochen’s arrival to the senior management staff, apparently taking Zhang Ruochen for a respected guest.
Elder Wei came up hurriedly. Seeing Zhang Ruochen in the distance, he asked the Evil Warrior who reported it, “Is that him?”
The Evil Warrior replied, “Yes. And he is with Hua Buwei. Hua Buwei said he is a respected guest, so he must be a rich financier.”
Elder Wei squinted his eyes, sparkling with brightness, and looked at Zhang Ruochen carefully. He said, “He is no ordinary person. I think he has reached the Earth Realm.”
“What? The Earth Realm? But he is only a teenager!” exclaimed the Evil Warrior.
Elder Wei twisted his beard and smiled, “Then why do you think he is a respected guest? I’ll take a good look at him.”
He quickly stepped up behind Zhang Ruochen and Hua Buwei. He smiled and said, “I heard you are interested in this city, Master Chen?”
Zhang Ruochen had already sensed him coming. He even heard the conversation clearly between him and the Evil Warrior.
Zhang Ruochen gently turned around and pretended to be a little surprised. He asked, “Who are you, sir?”
“My last name is Wei, and I’m one of the presbyters of the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce,” answered Elder Wei.
Zhang Ruochen nodded and gazed at the map again. He asked, “Elder Wei, is this city really for sale?”
“Of course,” replied Elder Wei.
Zhang Ruochen deliberately made an embarrassed look and said, “But this is only a city on the border of the Yunwu Commandery and the Square Commandery. The population is less than 200,000, the land is barren, and the wall is short. Isn’t the price too high for a city like this?”
Elder Wei’s eyes suddenly brightened. He said, “If you are truly interested, the price is negotiable.”
Elder Wei was just asking thoughtlessly. He did not expect Zhang Ruochen to really be interested.
Be mindful, it is a city, not a slave, not a Genuine Martial Arm, and not a pill.
He was indeed an important financier!
Even Hua Buwei was shocked. He didn’t expect the blueblooded young man to buy a city here. So he pulled Zhang Ruochen’s sleeve hard and reminded him, “Master Chen, it costs eight million silver coins. EIGHT MILLION.”
Zhang Ruochen simply ignored Hua Buwei. He took out a fist-like Spiritual Crystal in good quality from his sleeve and handed it to Elder Wei. He said, “Elder Wei, this is the down payment. I hope you can arrange a meeting for me and the master of the city so that we can discuss the final price. Regardless of if I buy it or not, the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce doesn’t need to return the down payment.”
One Spiritual Crystal in good quality equaled 100 ordinary Spiritual Crystals, which were worth over 100,000 silver coins.
He was too lavish!
Putting away the Spiritual Crystal, Elder Wei was wild with joy, and any lingering doubt about Zhang Ruochen was gone for good. He became respectful and said, “Master Chen, please set your mind at rest. I’ll inform the master of the city right away and arrange you to meet as soon as possible.”
Elder Wei quickly left with the Spiritual Crystal. Before he left, he said to the Evil Warriors, “Master Chen is a respected guest here. Try your best to satisfy him no matter what he asks for.”
Elder Wei left the black market and went to the Army-guarding Marquis’ mansion immediately.
Hua Buwei stared at Zhang Ruochen with great admiration and said, “Master Chen, how rich are you? You want to buy a city?! Indeed, the great financiers don’t usually brag. Well, Master Chen, do you want to go to the Rosefinch Tower to have some fun? With your fortune, it’ll be a piece of cake asking Miss Yunzhi to sleep with... Master Chen... Master Chen... Where are you?”
Hua Buwei only blinked once, and Master Chen just disappeared in front of him.
Since Elder Wei had left the Tarantula Chamber of Commerce, Zhang Ruochen would seize the opportunity to get into Mu Qing’s mansion and get the Half-Saint’s Sacred Glyph.
With his power of controlling the space, Zhang Ruochen could easily twist it. He could walk past Hua Buwei without him even noticing.
Soon, Zhang Ruochen found Mu Qing’s mansion. He walked inside with a swagger.
“Waaa!”
Zhang Ruochen released the Space Domain, it spread in every direction. The whole mansion, including the sky, earth, and all the structures appeared clearly inside his mind.
In the mansion, there were 14 arrays, 57 servants, and two savage beasts.
After a little while, Zhang Ruochen found a Secret Room 40 meters underground with three layers of Incriptions of Array outside.
If Mu Qing really hid the Half-Saint’s Sacred Glyph in the mansion, it must be there.
“Swish!”
When Zhang Ruochen was about to enter the Secret Room, he saw a slim black shadow dashing in the distance at an incredible speed. Like a ghost, it rushed from the roof and into one of the buildings. It disappeared in just a second.
“Who is that?” Zhang Ruochen was slightly shocked.
The man was so fast that even Zhang Ruochen did not see his face clearly. The speed must be over 200 meters per second.
Is there another master in the Heaven Realm in the black market?