Chapter 19: Black Market

Chen Ping’an knew the location of the Black Market.

When Old Chen was still around, he had taken him there once. Although the Black Market was chaotic, with Old Chen present, his safety had been guaranteed.

The Black Market was located in a desolate alley in Nanquan Lane. At the very end of the alley was a clearing of considerable size. By a tacit agreement among the various powers, the surrounding area was kept sparsely populated.

Chen Ping’an clutched the booklet, a chopping knife hidden under his clothes, and walked quickly through the alley.

Even after night fell, there would still be night patrol officers from the Garrison Commandant’s Office on the streets and alleys of Nanquan Lane.

Compared to the daytime, the number of night patrol officers and their shifts were far fewer. They usually carried a copper gong, which they would strike immediately to sound an alarm if anything happened.

Chen Ping’an was naturally aware of the ins and outs of this.

He himself would be assigned to a night patrol about once a month.

Each night patrol consisted of a two-man team, watching each other’s backs.

Wary of being spotted by the night patrol officers, Chen Ping’an moved with extreme caution. He had now reached Qi Blood First Level Perfection, and his body’s coordination and endurance were greatly enhanced.

As luck would have it, combined with his deliberate caution, he didn’t encounter any night patrol officers along the way.

A burly man guarded the entrance to the Black Market. Seeing the masked Chen Ping’an approach, he stated expressionlessly,

"Two small coins to enter. No fighting inside. Otherwise, you’ll face the consequences!"

Chen Ping’an was prepared for this. He paid the two small coins without a word and walked into the Black Market.

The Black Market was quite lively, with a considerable number of people coming and going. However, most were either masked, wearing hoods, or had on bamboo hats. Almost everyone wore an outfit meant to conceal their identity.

Chen Ping’an deliberately avoided these people as he sized up his surroundings.

On both sides, people had set up stalls at regular intervals. A cloth spread on the ground with a few items on it was all it took to make a stall.

The Black Market wasn’t large, and Chen Ping’an quickly made a circuit. He found all sorts of things for sale.

There were antiques and curios, swords and spears, Soft Armor and Leather Armor, and even Medicinal Ginseng...

Chen Ping’an even saw someone selling a small crossbow.

That was a dangerous weapon, a regulated item!

With it, even an ordinary person could, at the right moment, severely injure or even kill someone who had stepped onto the path of Martial Dao Cultivation.

Even with his Qi Blood First Level Perfection and skin as tough as thin cowhide, he would still find it difficult to withstand the power of a crossbow bolt.

The crossbow was powerful, but Chen Ping’an’s mind was as calm as still water. He had no intention of asking about it. He had come here for one purpose only: to sell the Iron Cloth Shirt.

He found a relatively empty spot, placed his handwritten copy of the Iron Cloth Shirt Technique on the ground, and sat down cross-legged.

Although he was in a hurry to sell it, he didn’t plan on hawking it to everyone he saw.

Doing so would, for one, be much riskier. And two, it would needlessly devalue the Iron Cloth Shirt.

Most people who came to the Black Market were deeply calculating and would already be suspicious of his technique’s authenticity. If he actively tried to push it, he would seem too desperate, making them even more distrustful.

Rather than do that, it was better to wait quietly.

Chen Ping’an had only just sat down when someone approached his stall.

The man was short and stout, dressed in black, and wore a bamboo hat.

"What are you selling here?"

"A Martial Arts Technique, Iron Cloth Shirt!"

Chen Ping’an looked up, gave him a cool glance, and adopted an aloof demeanor.

"Tch. The booklet’s binding is so plain. You say it’s a Martial Arts Technique, and I’m just supposed to believe it’s a Martial Arts Technique?"

The man sneered.

But despite his words, he squatted down, intending to flip through the booklet.

SMACK!

Chen Ping’an’s hand was like a gust of wind, slapping the man’s outstretched hand away.

"Don’t touch it if you’re not buying!"

This move from Chen Ping’an startled the short, stout man in the bamboo hat.

"Fine, I won’t look! What’d you hit me for?!"

He muttered and walked away resentfully.

’He must have at least reached the entry level of Martial Dao Cultivation!’

’The stall owner had looked so frail. He had been hoping to take advantage and see if he could get something for nothing, but he hadn’t expected the guy to be a tough nut to crack.’

After the short man in the bamboo hat left, people would occasionally come over to ask what he was selling. But most were just asking, with no intention of buying.

A full hour passed, and Chen Ping’an still hadn’t sold the Iron Cloth Shirt.

’These Black Market deals are really cautious, especially when it comes to Martial Arts Techniques. Do I really have to ask Monkey Head and the others for some silver tomorrow?’

Just as Chen Ping’an was lost in thought, a figure stopped in front of his stall.

The figure was burly and unmasked, with a full beard and bright, piercing eyes. One look was enough to tell he wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

"What are you selling?"

"Iron Cloth Shirt."

Chen Ping’an glanced at the man and felt a faint sense of threat. However, based on his feeling, the man didn’t seem to have reached Qi Blood First Level Perfection.

’His body is brimming with Qi Blood; he’s probably reached the entry level of the Martial Dao.’

"The Black Market is full of fakes. How can you guarantee this technique of yours is real!?"

The bearded man stared at Chen Ping’an.

Sensing that the man seemed genuinely interested in buying, Chen Ping’an finally focused his gaze on him.

"You can look through the first few pages of the Iron Cloth Shirt and judge for yourself. Also, I’ve learned the Iron Cloth Shirt myself, from this very booklet."

"Oh?"

The bearded man sized up Chen Ping’an with interest.

Although Chen Ping’an was masked and his features were unclear, his physique couldn’t be hidden.

Iron Cloth Shirt, an Outer Sect Hard Skill!

Cultivators of this skill develop a powerful physique, a thick build, strong bones and muscles, and abundant Qi Blood.

But looking at Chen Ping’an, there was no trace that he had cultivated the Iron Cloth Shirt.

Indeed, perhaps due to his Golden Finger, even though Chen Ping’an had reached Minor Achievement in the Iron Cloth Shirt, his appearance was unchanged, with no significant change in his build.

"If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to test it!"

Chen Ping’an calmly looked at the bearded man before him.

"Interesting."

The bearded man laughed.

"You say you’ve cultivated the Iron Cloth Shirt. How about this: you take a punch from me. If you can remain standing, I’ll buy this Iron Cloth Shirt manual from you. How about it!?"

"Fighting is forbidden in the Black Market!"

Chen Ping’an said coolly.

"Tch, coward! Next time you try to bluff, make it more believable. With your skinny frame, Iron Cloth Shirt? More like a baby’s exercise!"

The bearded man sneered a few more times and was about to leave.

"We can’t fight inside the Black Market. If you don’t believe me, let’s compete in strength instead. If I win, you buy this Iron Cloth Shirt for ten taels of silver!"

Chen Ping’an’s voice rang out. The bearded man, who had just taken a step to leave, pulled his foot back upon hearing this.

"And what if you lose?"

"If I lose, I’ll give you one tael of silver."

"Hahaha, a free tael of silver! Compete in strength? How?"

"Something simple. We’ll arm wrestle!" Chen Ping’an said calmly.

"Alright! Arm wrestling with me, you’ve got guts!"

The bearded man flexed his arm, which was as thick as an ordinary person’s thigh.

"Let’s go over there!"

Chen Ping’an pointed to a rock not far away.

"Fine, let’s go!"