Chapter 28: The Black Market

As the morning light began to break and the roosters crowed to announce the dawn, Lu Fan and his group arrived at the Black Market, the most chaotic and lawless place in the East City.

"On the surface, this Black Market is just a slum in the East City, no larger than a single street, but in reality, it has long been occupied by various gangs and street syndicates. We are safest here!"

Xiulan explained softly to Lu Fan, her eyes darting around as if she wanted to see right through him.

Lu Fan nodded slightly. He finally understood why these people were willing to bring him back to their stronghold upon their first meeting.

Given the state of this place, with its surging crowds and all sorts of people from every walk of life, any disturbance would inevitably cause a massive stir. It was indeed safe for these dark cultists to set up their base here.

Even if someone had the intention to target them, they would never dare to enter quietly without first settling the scores with the various factions of the Black Market.

"Not bad! I want to wander around this place. You tell the others to go back first!" Lu Fan's tone was flat, but his voice carried an undeniable air of authority, completely different from how he had acted along the way.

Guitoutuo, Sun Zhong, and the others were all stunned, thinking this kid really had a strange personality. But then they remembered he had some real skills, so they decided not to bicker with him for now. They exchanged a few glances with Xiulan before dispersing and hiding in the shadows.

Xiulan wore a smile, but suspicion gradually surfaced in her eyes. "Young Master Lu, this Black Market is a mix of dragons and snakes. The two of us..."

Before she could finish, Lu Fan immediately raised his hand to interrupt her: "Trouble is coming!"

Three burly men with broadswords strapped to their waists walked toward them. The leader, who had a scar on his face, shouted menacingly: "Kid, this street is now under the protection of our Brotherhood. Hand over the protection fee!"

As the scarred man spoke, the two men beside him stared lecherously at Xiulan, their eyes scanning her incessantly. Xiulan's brows furrowed, clearly disgusted.

Lu Fan smiled slightly and said, "I have no money!" His expression was somewhat strange as he glanced at Xiulan again. "How about this? My female companion here is quite good-looking. I'll leave her with you as collateral, and I'll come to redeem her once I have money!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three men were stunned, and then a wave of wild joy surged in their hearts.

They had long been itching for such a pretty girl. Hearing that Lu Fan wanted to use Xiulan as collateral, they couldn't care about anything else and nodded repeatedly, like chicks pecking at grain.

"Young Master Lu! You..." Xiulan only then reacted, wanting to ask why Lu Fan would make such a joke. Suddenly, her waist went numb as a surge of hot True Qi drilled into her body, sealing her acupoints, and she instantly lost control of her body.

Lu Fan chuckled, withdrew his hand, and whispered: "As a Dark Rune Master, never separate from your companions, and even less should you easily trust strangers."

With that, he snapped his fingers and strode toward the depths of the Black Market, leaving behind these words: "What are you three still standing there for? In another hour or so, it won't be your turn anymore!"

The scarred man only then came to his senses, rubbing his hands lecherously as he slowly approached. He didn't notice that under the morning light, a shadow was slowly condensing beneath their feet...

"Iron-mouthed fortune teller, divining yin and yang, knowing the past and present, pointing out the way through confusion..."

A middle-aged man with a three-strand beard sat upright behind a long table, with an old flag reading "Immortal Pointing the Way" stuck behind him, calling out toward the street entrance.

People came and went all around—peddlers, porters, thugs, and villains—yet they all avoided him by unspoken agreement, casting glances toward him with a hint of fear and trepidation.

Lu Fan arrived at the spot, paused for a moment, then walked over and said with a chuckle: "Old man, how do you calculate a fortune?" Without waiting for an answer, he found a place to sit, staring at the man with a smile.

"Young hero, my iron-mouthed fortune telling is always accurate! You are still young, you should leave quickly!" The middle-aged man's gaze sharpened, and he shook his head slightly. He simply thought Lu Fan was a brat causing trouble.

"Oh? You've got quite a big mouth!" Lu Fan narrowed his eyes, his voice dropping suddenly: "How many kinds of Innate I Ching and Starry Heaven Gang do you know? A mere Fourth-Rank Great Martial Master in the Bone Tempering Realm, I'm afraid you can only do some killing for a living, and barely qualify as someone who can divine yin and yang!"

As soon as Lu Fan finished speaking, the middle-aged man's expression changed drastically. His face turned cold, and a surge of energy radiated outward, rolling toward Lu Fan.

Lu Fan just sneered, staring straight into the man's eyes with disdain. The Great Martial Master's energy had no effect on him; it felt like a gentle breeze, and he even began to enjoy it slightly.

"How is this possible?" The middle-aged man was stunned, never expecting that a Martial Artist at the peak of the Gathering Essence Realm could block his strike, and a young boy at that.

"Hehe!" Lu Fan glanced at the tattered "Immortal Pointing the Way" flag again and mocked: "That Seven Star Illusion Mirage Flag can also be brought out now!"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the middle-aged man's mind. He stood up abruptly, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the situation before him.

If the boy had some extraordinary treasure to protect him and block his energy, it might be understandable. But how was his Seven Star Illusion Mirage Flag discovered?

He couldn't figure it out. Too shocked, his blood and energy surged, and he actually began to cough. His face was pale, clearly the sign of a long-term illness.

"Seven Star Illusion Mirage Flag! A Seventh-Tier Profound Artifact. One flag transforms yin and yang, opening to cover the heavens and earth. It's just that your current Martial Dao cultivation is too weak, barely enough to drive it. Isn't it normal that I can see it?"

Lu Fan curled his lips and added: "It seems you've suffered a serious injury! At your peak, you were only one step away from being a Great Sorcerer, right?"

"Who are you?" The middle-aged man retreated in fear, grabbing the flagpole of the "Immortal Pointing the Way" flag to steady himself, as if he had found a crutch.

Ye Fei slowly stood up, not answering the man's question, but laughing loudly: "To think you were once a Qi Refining Realm Rune Venerable, roaming the world. Now you've fallen on hard times, lingering on your last breath, playing god in the bustling market. How pathetic! How lamentable!"

His voice was like a great bell, resonating through the entire area, yet for some reason, the people in the bustling market didn't hear a single word.

The middle-aged man's face turned deathly pale, his heart in turmoil. The events of the past flooded his mind, his expression shifting constantly—sometimes vicious, sometimes arrogant, sometimes filled with deep resentment... complex to the extreme.

If anyone else were here, they would likely be shocked, thinking the man had gone mad, with no other explanation.

Lu Fan watched the man's crazed expression, silent and calm. He saw through all the man's emotions. In his words, he was talking about the man, but wasn't he also talking about himself?

It was just that he was different from the man; he had realized things on his own. He already had his resolve and goals, ambitious and progressing steadily.

Half a quarter of an hour later, the middle-aged man finally regained his composure, though the shock in his eyes had not yet dissipated. He bowed to Lu Fan and said: "This old man is Zhu Ge Qing Ming. Many thanks for the reminder, Young Master. I was negligent before, please forgive me!"

Lu Fan stood with his chest puffed out proudly. The two looked completely out of place, and the people around finally stopped, puzzled.

This iron-mouthed fortune teller had a mysterious background, but his methods were astonishing, as everyone in the Black Market knew. Why was he showing such great respect to a young boy?

Lu Fan remained calm and said: "Just call me Young Master Lu. The Seven Star Illusion Mirage Flag has obscured the void here, let's talk properly."

He sat down again and continued: "I see your essence and energy are floating, your soul is collapsing, you're not even as good as a Rune Apprentice! Given your state, your divine soul must have suffered a heavy blow, and it seems to have been very sudden, catching you completely off guard..."

Ye Fei spoke at length, his analysis of Zhu Ge Qing Ming's past condition sounding like mere speculation. But with every sentence, Zhu Ge Qing Ming trembled, appearing to be in extreme pain, his face turning ferocious, veins bulging, his pale complexion looking like that of a corpse!

"However, your situation is not beyond saving!"

As soon as Ye Fei finished these words, Zhu Ge Qing Ming was struck as if by lightning, shaking violently, and he suddenly grabbed Ye Fei's palm. His shock and horror seemed uncontrollable, his whole body trembling, and he couldn't even speak clearly.

"This... is this really savable? Master Young Master Lu, you must help me!"

Lu Fan glanced at him, pulled his hand away, and chuckled: "Why should I help you?"

Zhu Ge Qing Ming was stunned for a moment, then realized the reality, his face filled with disappointment.

Lu Fan was so young, yet had such sharp eyes and insight; he was definitely not an ordinary person, perhaps a talented youth from some super power. Why would such a promising young man get involved in the grudges of a waste like him?

He was no ordinary person either, a peak Rune Venerable, one step away from being a Seventh-Tier Great Sorcerer. He knew his own situation very well; even if there was a cure, the price would surely exceed his imagination. This young man really had no reason to help him.

But after so many years of holding on, he had finally seen a glimmer of hope. He was truly unwilling to let it go.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and said sincerely: "Since Young Master Lu spent so much breath, I assume this old man still has some use. If Young Master Lu is willing to give me a promise, I will pledge my loyalty to Young Master Lu and never regret it, even if it means death!"

Lu Fan stared intently into Zhu Ge Qing Ming's eyes, then laughed, mocking slightly: "You, a peak Rune Venerable, want to pledge loyalty to me, a young boy? And you express it so sincerely—are you trying to trick me because I'm young? After so many years of pain and torture, a person like you must have a twisted mindset; you'd do anything to achieve your goals!"

He shook his head and rose to leave. He did not take a Fourth-Rank Great Martial Master to heart, but he dared not underestimate a former Sixth-Tier Rune Venerable.

With his current cultivation, he could not deal with this person at all. Even if this man appeared to have his cultivation completely crippled, he dared not be the slightest bit careless.

"Wait! What will it take for you to believe me!" Zhu Ge Qing Ming's eyes suddenly turned gloomy; he had not expected the other party to be so perceptive. He truly wanted to strike right then and there to take the other party down.

But the moment he thought about how outstanding this youth was, his background must be extraordinary, and there might even be an expert lurking in the shadows. If he were to act rashly, he feared his life would be forfeit immediately.

Lu Fan smiled faintly, turned around slowly, and sat back down. He said, "Believe you? It's not impossible. How about this! There is a group of people rushing over thirty zhang behind me. If you deal with them, we can continue our talk!"