Chapter 122: Detaining Souls

Hua Changxi walked on the misty, dimly lit long road, feeling less and less confident as she walked, because the visibility was too low, and she couldn't see the end of the road at all. The future was unknown, and she wanted to retreat.

Whoosh~

A gloomy cold wind blew, and Hua Changxi couldn't help but shiver.

Because of this trembling, she instantly became alert.

She was not afraid of the cold; she trembled not because she felt cold, but because she felt pain, a gnawing pain.

In the cold wind, it seemed like some living thing was biting her!

When another gloomy wind blew, Hua Changxi immediately operated spirit energy. In an instant, a layer of flames covered her body.

"Ah~"

The gloomy wind hit the flames, and shrill screams immediately came from the gloomy wind.

Hearing the sound, Hua Changxi was both shocked and afraid in her heart. There were really living things in the gloomy wind.

The flames on Hua Changxi's body seemed to anger the living things in the gloomy wind. 'Whoosh~', the surrounding mist began to surge.

Soon, gloomy winds blew from all directions, and all the gloomy winds attacked Hua Changxi.

Under the violent impact of the gloomy wind, the flames on Hua Changxi's body showed signs of extinguishing.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi hurriedly increased the output of spirit energy. The raging flames and the stormy gloomy wind began to confront each other.

Seeing the gloomy wind getting bigger and bigger, Hua Changxi was a bit anxious in her heart. Coming to the Ghost Market for the first time, she didn't know anything, and she didn't want to make too much noise.

'Boom~'

A fire lotus bloomed on Hua Changxi's body.

"Ah~"

A sharper and harsher sound rang out. At the same time, the gloomy wind surged, and in a twist, a skull emitting green light appeared.

Seeing the skull, Hua Changxi didn't even think about it, condensed a fire lotus, and threw it over.

The skull was enveloped by the fire lotus and immediately rushed around in the fire lotus in a rage.

Seeing that the fire lotus couldn't burn the skull, Hua Changxi was shocked, until a mini fire bird flew out of the fire lotus. The fire bird spat out a wisp of flame, directly burning the skull clean.

The fire bird was a supernatural power she obtained after her bloodline reverted. Its power was burning the primordial spirit.

What is the primordial spirit?

According to her understanding, it is the human soul.

If she inferred this way, then the skull in the gloomy wind was condensed from souls!

She just felt pain, which should have been the skull gnawing on her soul body.

"Ghost Market..."

She originally thought the Ghost Market was just a place name for a gathering place for cultivators, but she didn't expect it to really be a place where ghosts gathered.

After the skull disappeared, the gloomy wind dissipated, and the surroundings returned to silence.

Should she continue forward?

Hua Changxi hesitated. Looking at the terrifying and gloomy road ahead, she deliberated for a long time and decided to continue stepping forward.

She cannot close herself off and stay in a safe place forever. She needs to explore the real world of cultivators.

After that, no gloomy wind blew.

Hua Changxi bit the bullet and walked forward. I don't know how long she walked, but other colored light rays finally appeared in the gloomy mist.

That was a river sparkling with green light. On the river was an old wooden bridge. In front of the wooden bridge was a hunched white-haired old woman. The old woman was stirring a pot of steaming soup.

Looking at this scene, Hua Changxi really couldn't walk anymore.

But on the other side of the river, dim lanterns were lit. Through the light, she could vaguely see streets, and countless black-robed people were walking on the streets.

Just when Hua Changxi stopped and hesitated, several cultivators appeared one after another from other directions.

They were all cultivators in the Qi Sea realm. These people had a unified sign, which was wearing black robes, with only a pair of eyes exposed.

Several people saw Hua Changxi, who didn't do any disguise, and cast a surprised look.

These people didn't mean to speak, walked quickly to the wooden bridge, took the soup handed over by the white-haired old woman, drank it in one gulp, and then quickly crossed the river.

Seeing that they all drank the soup naturally, Hua Changxi was a bit surprised. Could it be that the soup brewed by the white-haired old woman was harmless to cultivators?

Having walked to this point, if she retreated now, Hua Changxi would certainly be unwilling. Hesitating for a moment, she took out the Fuwa mask she bought earlier from the storage prayer beads and put it on.

Although it couldn't compare to other people's black robes, at least it was a mask, which was better than being completely exposed to others.

Hua Changxi wore the Fuwa mask and walked to the wooden bridge.

The white-haired old woman saw the 'Fuwa' in front of her, and a smile appeared on her wrinkled face: "Little girl, are you here at the Ghost Market for the first time?"

Hua Changxi nodded, looking at the boiling soup in the pot, identifying that it was just soup that sealed spirit energy, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The white-haired old woman scooped a bowl of soup and handed it to Hua Changxi with a smile.

Hua Changxi received the soup bowl and drank it in one gulp.

The white-haired old woman saw this and smiled again: "People who come to the Ghost Market for the first time don't dare to drink the soup brewed by this old woman. You are quite straightforward."

Hua Changxi: "I saw the people in front drink it. They all dared to drink it, so I think there should be no harm."

The white-haired old woman smiled and didn't commit herself, looked at Hua Changxi's Fuwa mask again, a look of reminiscence appeared in her eyes, hesitated for a moment, and finally gave a reminder: "The mask you are wearing is useless, it's no different from not wearing it."

Hua Changxi was shocked: "How can that be?"

White-haired old woman: "The black robes others wear can isolate divine sense probing, you this mask is just a mortal object." As she spoke, she knocked on the pot in front of her.

"What is brewed in the pot is Spirit-Sealing Soup. After drinking it, you won't be able to use spirit energy."

Hua Changxi heard this, immediately tried it, and seeing that she really couldn't mobilize spirit energy, she stared wide-eyed and looked at the white-haired old woman in shock.

The white-haired old woman saw Hua Changxi's shocked eyes through the mask and smiled: "Little girl, you lack experience too much. Think about it, since the people who come here have all sealed their spirit energy, there is no danger between each other, but why do they still wear black robes?"

This question really stumped Hua Changxi, but soon, she figured it out: "Wearing black robes is not to guard against other cultivators, but to guard against the people of the Ghost Market."

White-haired old woman: "You are quite smart."

Hua Changxi saw the white-haired old woman confirm her answer, and her heart sank.

Divine sense probing...

For cultivators to release divine sense, they must advance to the Spirit Platform realm.

This is to say, the people who operate the Ghost Market are all strong people in the Spirit Platform realm?

Hua Changxi's mood was somewhat heavy. She originally thought that her advancing to the Nascent Soul realm so quickly was rare, but she didn't expect that there were strong people in the Spirit Platform realm in the Ghost Market.

"Sun Pozi, where should I go to buy a black robe?"

The white-haired old woman smiled: "Where to buy, this old woman doesn't know, but if you want a set of black robes, it's also simple."

Hua Changxi heard this, hurriedly clasped her fists and bowed, making a gesture of humble inquiry: "Please give me some pointers, Sun Pozi."

The white-haired old woman raised her right hand and pointed to a black-robed cultivator who was coming toward them: "Robbing is the simplest."

Hua Changxi: "..."

The white-haired old woman saw the 'Fuwa' who was stunned, shook her head with a smile: "Little girl, you can't use spirit energy now. If you don't want to die, hurry up and cross the bridge."

Hearing the reminder, Hua Changxi glanced at the cultivator who was running toward her quickly, ran onto the wooden bridge without a word, quickly crossed the river, and then stood on the other side of the river, wanting to thank the white-haired old woman, but saw several more cultivators coming.

Those people launched a violent attack on the cultivator who hadn't crossed the bridge yet. Soon, the cultivator fell into a pool of blood.

Then, his black robe was stripped off, everything on his body was taken away, and finally, the cultivator's corpse was kicked into the green river by someone.

As soon as the corpse entered the green river, the green river surged.

Vaguely, Hua Changxi seemed to hear the sound of gnawing.

Watching those cultivators start to divide the spoils on the spot as if nothing had happened, Hua Changxi took a deep breath and quickly took out an Unsealing Pill and swallowed it.

Determining that she could mobilize spirit energy again, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She must not become the cultivator just now, a prey in the eyes of others.

"Sun Pozi, thank you."

Hua Changxi shouted to the other side of the river, and then turned to walk toward the crowd.

The white-haired old woman looked at Hua Changxi's back, her face carrying a look of regret. A sheep entering a wolf pack, no return. What a pity, she is still so young.

I really don't know how the little girl's parents are acting, actually letting a child come to the Ghost Market to experience. Coming is coming, but actually having no preparation at all, isn't this letting her come to die?

Hua Changxi walked toward the place with the strongest light. On the way, every distance, a dim skull lantern would be hung. Looking from afar, it looked a bit like a lighting lantern in the night of the human world.

The other side of the river not only had stronger light and was no longer misty, although it was still gloomy and terrifying, she had the illusion of arriving at another world at this moment.

Looking up, she couldn't see the top at all, but instead gave people a sense of deep vastness like the night sky.

At this moment, Hua Changxi clearly realized that the so-called Ghost Market was definitely not a simple place for cultivators to gather and trade.

Not long after, Hua Changxi saw the trading street where cultivators gathered.

It was really as Eunuch Lin said, everything could be found here.

On the street, not only were there various shops, but there were also various street stalls, and everything was sold on the stalls.

Excluding the cultivators wearing black robes, there were many cultivators in ordinary attire on the street. These people were more sellers.

Hua Changxi originally thought that she would be a bit eye-catching wearing a mask, but after walking into the crowd, she found that she was not too abrupt. Although she would be looked at, she was not too special.

This made her feel relieved, but thinking that the people who operated the Ghost Market were strong people above the Spirit Platform realm, she didn't dare to wander around wantonly. Walking on the street, she only focused on looking for a talisman master, so she could leave quickly.

After she got a black robe, she would wander around properly next time she came in.

"What a fragrant soul body."

When Hua Changxi passed a street stall, the middle-aged stall owner's nose suddenly twitched violently, and his face also revealed an enjoyable expression: "What a fragrant soul body."

The middle-aged stall owner looked at Hua Changxi, quickly got up, and walked toward a pavilion not far away.

A plaque with the words 'Ghost Messenger Pavilion' written in green was hung on the pavilion.

Seeing the middle-aged stall owner walk into the Ghost Messenger Pavilion, the nearby stall vendors all revealed envious expressions.

Not long after, two burly men with full muscles walked out of the Ghost Messenger Pavilion. Both of them held an iron claw chain emitting a gloomy color in their hands.

Hundreds of meters away, Hua Changxi was squatting in front of a street stall flipping through the spirit talismans sold on it, and chatting casually with the stall owner, wanting to determine his talisman-making ability.

Although she was talking to the stall owner, she didn't forget to pay attention to the surroundings.

Therefore, she noticed in the first time that the stall vendors on both sides were looking at her, and the black-robed cultivators on the street were also staying away from her.

Hua Changxi realized that something was wrong and hurriedly got up, wanting to leave.

Just at this moment, two iron claws attacked from front and back at the same time.

She avoided one but didn't avoid the other, and was hooked on her left shoulder by the iron claw.

This was not a fatal injury. Hua Changxi had the confidence to break free from the iron claw. However, the next moment, she was horrified. She found that she couldn't command her body, so she stood still in front of the street stall, watching the two burly men walk toward her.

"Two lords, it's her. Her soul body is so fragrant. If you offer her to the Bull-Head Venerable, the two lords will certainly be able to get the Venerable's reward."

The two burly men took off Hua Changxi's mask and looked at her from head to toe, revealing satisfaction: "The Bull-Head Venerable likes beautiful female cultivators the most."

After speaking, they threw a white stone to the middle-aged stall owner.

The middle-aged stall owner got the stone and bowed repeatedly to thank them.

Then, the stall vendors and black-robed people on the street watched Hua Changxi being dragged away by the two burly men like a walking corpse.

"Sigh~"

A black-robed person sighed for a long time: "Even without carrying a magic tool to isolate the soul body's aura, you dare to come to the Ghost Market. Isn't this looking for death?"

At this moment, Hua Changxi, who could not control her body, was truly terrified in her heart.

After becoming a cultivator, she had been too smooth, but she still let her guard down. She still underestimated the danger of the cultivator world.

What to do?

What exactly is this iron claw?

Why couldn't she control her body anymore?

At this moment, Hua Changxi not only realized that her cognition of the cultivator world was too shallow, but also discovered that she was too much of a lone fighter.

She came to the Ghost Market, only Lin Sheng knew, and Lin Sheng and she had only known each other for two days. If she disappeared, he wouldn't look for her with all his strength, let alone find someone to save her.

Moreover, she didn't know any powerful strong people, and wanted to find someone to save her but couldn't find anyone.

In anxiety and fear, Hua Changxi was dragged out of the trading street by the two, and then went in a direction where the light was getting darker and darker.

Everything in her line of sight became gray again. Hua Changxi's visibility was only a few dozen meters, and she vaguely saw herself being dragged into a giant mountain by the two burly men.

The shape of the giant mountain was a bit like a bull's head.

Looking from the outside, it was a giant mountain, but inside, it was a stone palace. Hua Changxi was brought to an open hall.

Directly above the hall, a huge... yellow bull was lying.

The two burly men knelt on one knee: "Venerable, the little ones have a gift to offer."

The yellow bull opened its eyes slowly. Seeing Hua Changxi hooked by the soul-hooking claw, its bull eyes lit up, and it hurriedly got up.

During the time the yellow bull got up, white light shone around its body. In the surging white light, it transformed into a tall muscle man wearing a white vest.

The yellow bull walked to Hua Changxi with a smile, circled around her twice: "Too beautiful, I like it, especially the lotus pattern between her brows, which is deeply to my heart."

"What a pity, it's red. If it were a green lotus pattern, it would be even better."

The two burly men were considered the yellow bull's confidants and knew the yellow bull's worries, so they immediately smiled: "Is the Venerable thinking of the Bi-Lotus Venerable of Lotus Mountain again?"

The yellow bull sighed, looking like a resentful husband: "What if I think about it? She won't even let me touch her little hand. Forget it, it's not bad to find a human female cultivator to relieve boredom."

As he spoke, under Hua Changxi's cold gaze, he reached out and touched the lotus pattern between her brows.

However, the moment the yellow bull's hand touched Hua Changxi's skin, flames wandered in the lotus pattern.

"Ah."

The yellow bull's hand started to smoke, making him quickly withdraw his hand, and at the same time, he looked at Hua Changxi in astonishment, was silent for a moment, and reached out to fan his nose.

"This female cultivator's smell, this Venerable doesn't like it. Throw her into the Soul Well." ===== CHAPTER 123 =====