SWDnovel Chapter 59: Building Up Strength in the Dark Market
Chapter 59: Building Up Strength in the Dark Market
In late autumn in Qingzhou Prefecture, the twilight arrives with an unusually thick, sticky feeling. Just as the sun is about to set, a listless orange-red hue ignites the western horizon. This light, filtering through the low, densely packed rooftops of the eastern part of the city, falls into the narrow alleyways, its warmth gone, leaving only a thin, dusty, yellowish hue. The alley, deep and winding, is named "Willow Branch Alley," yet not a single willow tree can be seen. Only two rows of crooked old houses stand, their walls peeling and revealing the dark yellow rammed earth beneath, like newly healed scabs on the face of a chronically ill person. Spiderwebs hanging from the eaves tremble in the gentle breeze, occasionally dripping rainwater from the previous night with a soft "plop" onto the moss-covered stone steps.
At the end of the alley stood a three-courtyard house with a narrow entrance. The brass rings on the two black lacquered wooden doors were long since rusted, producing a dull sound when knocked on. The lintel was bare, without even a plaque, except for a clump of half-withered wild chrysanthemums growing in the corner, drooping in the twilight. This was the place Lin Yan had rented through a smooth-talking broker—the most inconspicuous corner in the east of the city, yet the price was only equivalent to three days' rent at an inn.
Pushing open the creaking door, the first thing you see is a narrow courtyard, with velvety green moss sprouting from the cracks in the blue bricks, and a damp feeling hits you. There are two side rooms on each side, the paper doors and windows torn in several places, haphazardly patched with straw paper. The rooms are empty, with only some broken baskets and rotten wood left behind by previous tenants piled in the corners, emitting a musty smell. The second courtyard is slightly more spacious, with three main rooms and side rooms on either side. In the center of the courtyard is an old well, its stone railing worn smooth, the hemp rope on the well pulley mostly rotten. The innermost courtyard is the most secluded, with only one main room and a small side room. Before the window, a half-withered grapevine still stands, its gnarled branches resembling an old man's thin, dry hand in the twilight.
"The place is a bit rough, but it's quiet and provides plenty of shelter from the wind and rain." The broker rubbed his hands together, a shrewd smile plastered on his face, but his eyes kept glancing at the dozen or so burly but ragged men behind Lin Yan. "The men will stay in the first two courtyards, the innermost room is perfect for the young lady to recuperate. I've also found a quick and efficient Aunt Zhou to come and do the cleaning and laundry during the day, and take care of the young lady's medicine. As for her wages... thirty coins a day, plus two meals of coarse rice."
Lin Yan nodded without saying much, only handing over the agreed-upon money. The broker took it, weighed it in his hand, his smile deepening. He mumbled a few more polite words like "Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything," then pocketed the money, waded through the puddles in the alley, and disappeared in a flash.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. After days of running around, they finally had a place where they could stretch their legs and talk behind closed doors. Wang Dashan and Zhou Fu, along with a few others whose injuries were less severe, immediately began cleaning. The worn-out brooms kicked up years of dust, which danced in the last rays of sunlight streaming into the room like a swarm of startled golden insects. Lu Ling led the men to check the doors and windows, finding some wooden strips and nails to reinforce the loose latches and window frames. Zhao Si, meanwhile, circled the old well, testing the windlass. Surprisingly, it still worked, and he drew up half a bucket of water. Although the water wasn't crystal clear, it had no odor and was sufficient for washing and drinking.
By the time they had finished tidying up, it was completely dark. There were no streetlights in the alley, only a few dim yellow oil lamps shining from the windows of the neighboring houses, casting a hazy glow on the bluestone path. In the courtyard, Wang Dashan gathered some old firewood and started a small bonfire in the center of the second courtyard. The flickering firelight dispelled the chill of the autumn night and the musty smell in the house, casting shifting shadows on the faces of the people sitting around it.
Su Qingyao had moved from the inn and was now sitting by the window in the innermost room, wrapped in a worn indigo cotton robe. Her face was still pale, but the terrifying deathly aura between her brows had completely dissipated, and her eyes, illuminated by the firelight, were as clear as dark jade washed clean by rain. The wound on her left arm had been bandaged with clean, fine cotton cloth. Leaning against an old pillow, though still weak, she could sit up straight and say a few words to everyone. Aunt Zhou, a taciturn middle-aged woman, was quick and efficient. She had already cooked a pot of millet porridge mixed with wild vegetables, which she served steaming hot in rough earthenware bowls and distributed to everyone. The porridge was thin, and the wild vegetables were slightly bitter, but with the warmth of the campfire and the relief of surviving the ordeal, everyone ate it with great relish.
The porridge bowl was empty, and the campfire crackled. The humiliation at the city gate, Liu Xiong's harassment, and the heavy pressure of the ten demon cores hanging over their heads during the day, like stones sunk to the bottom of water, rose clearly again as the warm porridge was swallowed.
"Damn it!" Wang Dashan slammed the empty bowl down on the stone slab beside him, the bottom of the bowl making a dull thud. "That Liu the constable, he looks respectable, but he's even more despicable than that gatekeeper Wang Er! Ten tempering demon cores, ten days! Does he think he's some kind of radish that grows in the ground, something you can just dig up anytime?"
Zhou Fu said in a low voice, "I've heard from the streets that body-tempering demon cores are in high demand right now. One core costs at least fifty taels of silver, and a good one costs sixty or seventy taels. Ten cores would cost over five hundred taels! Where would we get that kind of money?"
Lu Ling wiped the hunting bow in his hand, the bowstring taut and then released, making a soft "thump-thump" sound. He raised his eyes, the firelight dancing in them: "Even if you have money, you might not be able to buy one at this time of year. Liu Xiong has clearly dug a pit, waiting for us to fall in."
Li Tie leaned against a pillar in the corridor. His shoulder injury had not yet healed, and his movements were somewhat stiff. Upon hearing this, his face darkened even more, and his fists clenched so tightly that they cracked. However, the movement aggravated his injury, causing his lips to twitch in pain.
Su Qingyao, who had been silent all along, gently put down her bowl of porridge, her fingertips tracing the rough rim. She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Lin Yan's serene profile. Her voice was soft, yet clear to everyone: "Perhaps... I can try to find my father's old acquaintances. The Su family has been operating in Qingzhou Prefecture for many years, and there are still some connections we have. Borrowing some money or inquiring about connections shouldn't be difficult."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yan turned his head sharply. The firelight cast shadows on his face, and his eyes, which were always as calm as a deep pool, suddenly became sharp, like the edge of a icy blade, staring straight at Su Qingyao.
"No." His voice wasn't loud, but it was resolute and carried an undeniable certainty. "Qingyao, this matter must not be done."
Su Qingyao was slightly taken aback, and her heart skipped a beat when she met his suddenly sharp gaze. It wasn't that she was unaware of the situation; she had simply blurted out her opinion in her anxiety, seeing everyone's distress. Now, being so decisively rejected by Lin Yan, two very faint blushes appeared on her face. She didn't know if it was embarrassment or the undisguised concern and protection from him that had quietly touched her heartstrings.
Lin Yan seemed to realize his tone was too harsh, and softened it slightly, but his gaze remained serious: "The Su family's tragic fate back then has left the perpetrators hiding in the shadows, their motives unknown. Your sudden appearance now, seeking out old acquaintances, is tantamount to placing yourself in the open, making you a sitting duck. Who can guarantee that among those 'old acquaintances,' there aren't those harboring malicious intentions, or even connected to what happened back then?" He paused, his voice deep and slow, each word clear, "You're in the shadows, we're in the light, and there's still a sliver of room for maneuver. If you also expose yourself, you'll be handing over the last bit of initiative to someone else."
As Su Qingyao listened, the slight embarrassment of being refuted gradually dissipated, replaced by a warm current, mixed with bittersweetness and gratitude. Since the Su family's misfortune, she had lived in hiding, wandering from place to place. Who had ever so meticulously considered her safety, so resolutely protected her behind her back? She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows beneath them, and gently hummed in agreement, saying nothing more, only her fingers holding the bowl of porridge tightening slightly.
A moment of silence fell around the campfire, broken only by the crackling of the burning firewood. The worry on everyone's faces deepened; the path ahead seemed completely blocked by the thick fog.
Just then, Lin Yan suddenly stood up and walked back to his temporary resting room in the east wing. A moment later, he came out carrying an inconspicuous, mud-stained coarse cloth bag. The bag was bulging and looked heavy.
Amidst the puzzled gazes of the crowd, he placed his pack on the open ground beside the campfire with a dull thud. Then, he crouched down, untied the tightly bound hemp rope, grabbed the bottom corners of the pack with both hands, and with a sudden upward pull, gave it a shake—
"Splash—!"
A collection of "pebbles" with a mixture of dark green, deep brown, and eerie purple luster poured out of the bag like a burst dam, rolling onto the ground and piling up into a small hill! These "pebbles" varied in size, some as large as chicken eggs and others as small as pigeon eggs, and their shapes were not very regular. However, without exception, their surfaces were filled with pure and solid demonic energy fluctuations, which, under the illumination of the campfire, reflected a cold and eerie luster, making the surrounding ground appear bizarre and colorful.
The dense, chilling aura, mixed with a hint of the swamp's unique sweet, pungent stench, instantly spread, overpowering the smoke from the campfire.
"This...this is..." Wang Dashan's eyes widened, his mouth agape as if he could fit an egg in it.
Zhou Fu gasped, nearly dropping the empty bowl from his hand.
Lu Ling froze in mid-air as she wiped the bowstring, her eyes fixed on the pile of "pebbles," her breath caught in her throat.
Even Su Qingyao, who was closest to the window, couldn't help but lean forward slightly, her clear eyes filled with shock, as she held onto the window frame.
Piled on the ground were dozens of demon cores! Moreover, judging from the purity of their demonic power and their attribute aura, they were far beyond what ordinary Body Tempering Realm demonic beasts could possess. Many of them clearly exuded the fluctuations of the Profound Realm, or even stronger! In particular, several cores that were deep purple to almost black in color and had strange dark red patterns on their surfaces emitted a sinister chill that made Zhao Si, who was closer, shiver involuntarily—those were clearly the demon cores of the elite members of the Ghost-Faced Demon Spider clan in the Corpse Bone Swamp, and possibly even the Spider Queen's personal guards!
Lin Yan patted non-existent dust off his hands, sat down again by the campfire, his face still calm and expressionless, as if what he had just poured out was not a priceless demon core, but a pile of ordinary river pebbles.
"I was in a hurry to come back and save people," he said casually, his gaze sweeping over the pile of shimmering "stones" on the ground. "The spider nest was destroyed, and demon corpses were everywhere. These things were scattered all over the place. I didn't look closely; I just picked up some of the larger ones with strong demonic energy, thinking they might be useful." He paused, then added, "There were about thirty of them at the Body Tempering Realm. There were five or six at the early Profound Realm. And there were two or three more with even stronger auras; they should belong to that minor leader or a mutated individual."
The courtyard was deathly silent.
Only the campfire crackled, and the eerie light of the demon core flickered.
Wang Dashan's Adam's apple bobbed, and after a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a dry, hoarse sentence: "Sir...you mean...we...we are now..."
"Very rich," Lin Yan replied, his tone as casual as if he were saying, "The weather's nice today." "The ten body-tempering demon cores Liu Xiong wanted can be picked up casually from here. And their quality will only be better than he expects."
"..."
After a brief silence, suppressed gasps and gasps suddenly erupted in the courtyard. Everyone stared at the pile of demon cores on the ground, then at Lin Yan's expressionless face, feeling as if they were dreaming. The problems that had weighed heavily on them during the day now seemed so… insignificant? It turned out that their bloody battles hadn't left them penniless; they'd been unknowingly guarding a gold mine!
"But sir," Zhou Fu was the first to calm down, frowning as he said, "if we easily produce ten top-quality demon cores, wouldn't Liu Xiong become even more suspicious of our origins? He might even investigate the source of these demon cores, which would only make things more troublesome."
"Not bad." Lin Yan gave Zhou Fu an approving look. "So, we must 'accept' the mission for these ten demon cores, but we cannot complete it 'easily'."
He pointed to the pile of demon cores on the ground: "Tomorrow, Wang Dashan, Zhou Fu, and Zhao Si, the three of you will come with me. We'll go to the West Market; it's a mixed bag there, and the news is everywhere. We'll pretend to be newcomers, desperately needing money, and some 'unorthodox' cultivators. We'll sell a few of the most common body-tempering demon cores to get a feel for the market and see... if anyone's following us."
A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "Since Liu Xiong has his eye on us, he certainly won't just set up one barrier. He probably has spies everywhere in the markets of Qingzhou Prefecture."
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the alley was still chilly from the previous night. Lin Yan changed into a worn gray cloth robe; the splint on his right arm had been removed, and it was only secured with strips of cloth. He wore a wide-sleeved outer garment to cover it. Wang Dashan and the other two also changed into cleaner clothes and concealed their weapons within easy reach. The four of them left Willow Branch Alley but did not head straight for the West Market. Instead, they strolled along several bustling streets, buying some coarse cakes, salt, and other sundries. They also inquired about the prices of common wound medicines at a pharmacy, blending into the crowd and appearing no different from ordinary merchants and hunters struggling to make a living.
Lin Yan's spiritual senses were constantly extended, like an invisible spider web, perceiving the subtle movements around them. Sure enough, not long after they left Willow Branch Alley, they noticed two faint gazes following them from a distance. The other party was very cautious, frequently changing the person following them, making them extremely difficult to detect in the crowd. If Lin Yan hadn't possessed a strong spiritual sense and was deliberately attentive, he would have almost been deceived.
Without making a sound, he led the three of them around East Street in a big circle, sometimes stopping to watch street performers, sometimes squeezing into the crowd to read notices, and finally taking advantage of a caravan of oxcarts carrying timber passing by, when the street was temporarily crowded, he used the cover of the carts and horses to quickly turn into a side alley, winding and turning, and passing through two morning markets, finally shaking off the tail.
After confirming that no one was following them, the four headed towards the West Market. This place was completely different from the orderly East Street; it was noisy, chaotic, and brimming with the vibrant yet filthy atmosphere of a bustling marketplace. Open-air stalls were packed tightly together, selling a bewildering array of goods: rusted swords, strangely colored ores, dried animal claws, yellow paper scrawled with illegible runes, and even unidentified bones covered in mud. The air was thick with the stench of sweat, animal droppings, cheap spices, and a faint, lingering smell of blood.
Lin Yan found a stall selling used furs. The stall owner was an old man with one arm, his eyes cloudy but revealing a shrewdness. Lin Yan picked up a wolf pelt that wasn't very well tanned, and while asking the price, he casually whispered, "Old man, buying things? From the mountains, it has a bit of a 'fishy smell'."
The one-armed old man lifted his eyelids, his gaze lingering on Lin Yan's face before sweeping over Wang Dashan and the other two behind him. He said slowly, "That depends on what kind of 'fishy smell,' how strong the 'odor' is, and how clean it is."
Lin Yan pulled out a body-tempering demon core from his sleeve, its color a dark brown and its demonic energy fluctuations relatively ordinary. He only showed a corner of it before quickly putting it away: "How much can I get for this quality?"
A glint flashed in the old man's cloudy eyes. He held up three fingers, then bent one: "This amount. Cash only, no delays, no debts. Once we leave this door, we're strangers."
Twenty-five taels. This was less than half the price Su Qingyao had inquired about at a regular pharmacy yesterday, but in this black market, it was a fair price, and it saved her the risk of being exploited by large merchants and having to be registered.
Lin Yan pondered for a moment, then nodded. The transaction was quickly completed; the money consisted of loose silver and copper coins, packed in an old money bag. The old man took the demon core, stuffed it into his pocket without even looking at it, and then bent down to fiddle with its hide, as if nothing had happened.
Then, Lin Yan repeated the process, selling two more demon cores at two inconspicuous stalls in the West Market. He exchanged one for twenty-eight taels of silver and the other for thirty taels. The prices fluctuated slightly, but remained within an acceptable range. He earned a total of eighty-three taels of silver from the three demon cores, which he carried heavily in his pocket.
With money, things became much easier. Following the list Su Qingyao had given him the night before, Lin Yan first went to a reputable pharmacy and bought enough wound medicine, hemostatic powder, and calming pills—common medicines. He also specifically purchased some herbs to nourish blood and qi and aid in recovery. Considering the potency of the spider venom in the Bone-Rotting Swamp and the fact that the Black Stone Guards were currently almost completely defenseless against insidious attacks, Lin Yan already had a plan in mind.
He led the three men to a small shop with a sign that read "Talismans and Cinnabar." The shop was dimly lit, and the shelves were filled with stacks of yellow talisman paper, various colors of cinnabar, and some finished talismans. The shop owner, a thin, middle-aged Taoist priest, was dozing behind the counter.
Lin Yan knocked on the counter, startling the Taoist priest awake. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked, "What would you like, sir?"
"Talismans. Protective ones, offensive ones, explosive ones, I need them all," Lin Yan said succinctly. "Also, some of the finest talisman paper, cinnabar, and monster blood as a base."
The Taoist priest perked up and looked Lin Yan up and down: "Are you an expert, sir? How much would you like?"
Lin Yan gave a number, enough for twenty people to each have two or three protective talismans, one attack talisman, plus ten explosive talismans as an emergency measure. They also bought a sufficient amount of talisman-making materials—Su Qingyao was skilled in this craft, and with the materials, she could draw the talismans herself to supplement the supplies, which was much more cost-effective than buying ready-made ones.
"We also need some materials to set up a simple array," Lin Yan added. "The array flags don't need to be too good, just those with basic five elements attributes will do. We need two array plates, and some spirit jade or spirit stone fragments for the array core."
While quickly retrieving the goods and calculating the bill, the Taoist priest was secretly alarmed. The young man's order clearly indicated that he wanted to arm a small team of cultivators, with considerations for offense, defense, logistics, and even positional warfare. He dared not ask any further questions, simply packed the goods, and quoted the price.
Lin Yan readily paid. Of the eighty-three taels of silver he had just received, nearly sixty taels had been spent. But looking at the heavy packages of medicinal herbs, talisman boxes, and array materials in his hands, he felt the money was well spent. The Black Stone Guard needed to recover, and even more importantly, they needed to improve their survival and combat capabilities in unfamiliar and dangerous places.
The four of them, carrying the purchased supplies, avoided the main roads and took the back alleys, quietly returning to the courtyard deep in Willow Branch Alley. Aunt Zhou had already prepared the medicine, and Su Qingyao, after taking it, was leaning against the window, flipping through the stack of evidence documents by the daylight. Seeing that they had returned safely and brought back so many urgently needed items, a slight smile appeared on her pale face.
Lin Yan handed the remaining demon cores and over twenty taels of silver to Su Qingyao for safekeeping. He then gave her the purchased talisman and array materials one by one, and whispered, "Qingyao, I'll have to trouble you with these. Once you're better, draw the talismans as soon as possible and distribute them to everyone. You also need to set up some simple protective and early warning arrays in our courtyard, just in case."
Su Qingyao took the items, her fingertips brushing against the cool array flags and warm talisman paper, and nodded vigorously: "Don't worry, Brother Lin, I will get it done as soon as possible."
Night fell again, but the atmosphere around the campfire in the deep courtyard of Willow Branch Lane was completely different from the night before. Although the road ahead was still shrouded in mist and surrounded by powerful enemies, at least they were no longer unarmed lambs to the slaughter. With these demon cores as their trump card, with initial supplies, and with a determination to support each other and overcome difficulties together, they had finally found a way to survive.
Lin Yan gazed at the leaping flames, his eyes deep and thoughtful. They had barely managed to catch Liu Xiong's first move. But what would their opponent do next? What secrets lay hidden beneath the murky waters of Qingzhou Prefecture?