Chapter 86

For ordinary people, it takes a hundred days to heal broken bones and tendons. For cultivators, even with Star Power to accelerate recovery, it still takes more than half a month.

Therefore, his second senior brother, Zhang Han, was still bedridden.

Hearing that Xu Jin had come, his second senior brother, Zhang Han, slapped his right hand, jumped up from the bed, and then used a wooden staff to welcome Xu Jin into the courtyard.

"Senior brother, is your leg still not healed?"

"The teachers have already treated it, but without healing divine arts, recovery takes some time. However, the leg is faster; in two or three days, I can walk normally. As for this severed arm, if I want to fully recover, it will take another seven or eight days." Zhang Han smiled bitterly and was about to pour tea, but was stopped by Xu Jin.

"Second senior brother, I have a matter I'd like to ask for your help with." Xu Jin did not waste words and got straight to the point.

"Junior brother, please speak. As long as I am able, I will definitely do my best." Hearing that Xu Jin wanted his help, Zhang Han immediately became serious.

"It's like this, second senior brother. You told me last time that there is a black market in Jinshan Juncheng, which is more convenient for processing and purchasing things, and the prices are higher. I want to ask, where is this black market? What are the rules?" Xu Jin asked.

"This matter, it's simple."

A few minutes later, Xu Jin left Zhang Han's courtyard.

After Xu Jin saved Zhang Han last time, when he visited later, they had chatted a few times. When talking about processing captured Star weapons that weren't needed, Zhang Han had mentioned the black market.

Xu Jin didn't ask much at the time, but today he specifically came to ask.

Because Xu Jin was going to the black market to buy things.

According to Zhang Han, the black market in Jinshan Juncheng was actually a market where rogue Jianghu cultivators could freely trade cultivation materials, and it slowly gained some momentum.

So much so that later, disciples of various Dao Academies would sometimes run to the black market.

The reason was simple: the black market had high prices.

Rogue cultivators had difficulty obtaining materials, such as Star weapons and elixirs. Especially high-quality Star weapons and elixirs produced by major Dao Academies were scarce goods that could be sold at a high price.

In many cases, Dao Academy disciples were also willing to go to the black market to process things.

Who wouldn't be happy to sell for more silver?

And some resources obtained by rogue cultivators had no formal channels to sell, or couldn't fetch a good price through formal channels, so they were willing to take them to the black market to sell. In many cases, they could sell for a good price.

Of course, it's a black market, so for both the seller and the buyer, the emphasis is on "black."

Regarding the existence of the black market, the officials also turned a blind eye, and it was even said that the officials were involved in it.

The black market was also an extremely important market, especially for elixirs produced by major Dao Academies.

Returning to his own courtyard, Xu Jin carried all the Star weapons he had captured in the mountains a few days ago that he didn't need, the two Star weapons he obtained from killing Deng Longshu and Gong Wei, and the Star weapon he had casually picked up after killing the Meal of Mist Realm guard at the Zhao residence today, and headed straight for the Jinshan County black market.

Although Xu Jin's main purpose this time was to buy, he didn't know if his silver was enough, so he prepared to bring these Star weapons.

Previously, Xu Jin had over 8,000 taels. Yesterday, he found 1,000 taels in gold notes and over 2,000 taels in silver notes from Zhao Weiqing's bosom, but he had spent 6,000 taels at Guan Yiqing's place.

Counting it up, he still had over 14,000 taels on hand.

He had just casually counted his harvest after killing Deng Longshu and Gong Wei during the day. Deng Longshu had more silver, over 3,000 taels, while Gong Wei was a pauper with only over 1,000 taels.

The current silver on hand was 18,000 taels.

Not a small amount.

But to do big things, the more silver, the better!

Along the way, Xu Jin encountered several waves of city guards patrolling. Because a major case had occurred at the Zhao residence, the atmosphere of the entire county city had become tense.

However, it didn't hinder Xu Jin; once the Star Patrol Guard squad leader's waist token was shown, he passed through without obstruction.

The black market in Jinshan Juncheng was opened next to a brothel, with a fierce-looking big man guarding the entrance.

Seeing Xu Jin wanting to enter, the big man was about to speak, but Xu Jin handed over five taels of silver, and the big man directly threw a mask to Xu Jin.

A very ugly monkey-faced mask.

This counted as a ticket.

"Those who fight inside die!"

After saying this, the big man let Xu Jin in.

After entering, Xu Jin discovered that it was all roadside stalls, a bit like a morning market.

This black market didn't have much class.

There weren't many pedestrians, but there were quite a few stall owners. No one was soliciting customers; some stall owners simply put up a sign stating what they were buying and selling, and then sat there with their eyes closed in meditation.

Xu Jin even saw people selling their strength.

In short, they were hired thugs.

You spend silver, and I act for you.

"Star weapons, who is buying?"

Xu Jin, who had learned experience from Zhang Han, shouted, and immediately three or four stall owners opened their eyes and looked at Xu Jin at the same time.

Three minutes later, Xu Jin sold the five Star weapons in his hand to two people.

This black market was indeed a good place to sell for silver.

Xu Jin remembered the first Star weapon he captured earlier; the Forging Hall's recovery price was only 1,800 taels, and he finally exchanged it for one tael of Star Meteor Iron.

But here, the cheapest First Tier Star weapon sold for 2,300 taels.

The most expensive one sold was the longbow Star weapon from Gong Wei.

It sold for a full 3,500 taels.

For the five Star weapons, Xu Jin received a total of 12,400 taels in cash and silver notes.

The cash on hand exceeded 30,000 taels, close to 31,000 taels.

"I want to buy Star Beast Star Cores, who has them?"

This was the real reason Xu Jin came to the black market.

Previously, Xu Jin had asked at the External Affairs Hall, and Star Beast Star Cores were not sold there, mainly because Star Cores were relatively scarce, and everyone was short of them.

"I have one Third Tier Upper and one Third Tier Lower."

"I have two Third Tier Middle here."

"I have one Fourth Tier Lower here."

Throughout the black market, three people responded to Xu Jin.

Xu Jin ran over one by one and purchased them one by one.

In the black market, selling things is expensive, and buying things is also expensive.

The accounting price for a Third Tier Lower Star Core at the Dao Academy was 1,500 taels of silver, but in the black market, it cost 2,000 taels each, and the Third Tier Upper cost 4,000 taels each.

Very quickly, Xu Jin collected all four Third Tier Star Cores. The two Third Tier Middle ones were priced at 3,000 taels each; Xu Jin bargained, and the two cost 5,600 taels, totaling 11,600 taels.

"Brother, how are you selling this Fourth Tier Lower Star Core?" Xu Jin came to this one-armed man wearing a bamboo hat to ask for the price. When he approached, he was already horrified.

Under normal circumstances, Xu Jin couldn't sense this man's cultivation aura, but under the operation of the Mingji Star Pattern, he vaguely sensed that this man's aura had already surpassed the Refine Star Realm; this was a Condense Star Realm expert.

You must know that most of the flag leaders of the Star Patrol Guard were only in the Refine Star Realm.

Fourth Tier Condense Star Realm already counted as an expert, at least within Jinshan County.

"Ten thousand taels!" "Can you reveal what kind of Star Beast this Star Core belongs to?" Xu Jin asked.

"Jinghai Thunder Dragon."

The man in the bamboo hat only answered with four words, which surprised Xu Jin.

Dragon?

Does this world have dragons?

And it was slaughtered and its Star Core was stripped? It seems the dragons in this world aren't much.

"Brother, can you make it cheaper?"

"Ten thousand taels, not a tael less!" the one-armed man said.

"No, brother, at this selling price, very few people can afford it, right? Make it cheaper, and I'll buy it."

"Ten thousand taels, not a tael less."

"And I must retreat very thoroughly..."

Once in hand, starlight flashed on the Arena Platform, and information appeared on the Arena Platform's jade tablet. Xu Jin knew he hadn't been cheated; it was indeed Fourth Tier Lower.

But this name was blown out of proportion.

What Jinghai Thunder Dragon? It was clearly a Fourth Tier Lower Star Beast, the Thunder Ray.

Xu Jin had really thought it was a Star Core stripped from a dragon.

Xu Jin had just broken through to the ten-thousand-tael club earlier, and was a thirty-thousand-tael club member.

But after buying these five Star Beast Star Cores, he was immediately knocked back to the thousand-tael club. The cash on hand was 9,500 taels.

However, the harvest was also enormous.

The information displayed on the Arena Platform's jade tablet was proof.

【Available for offering: Third Tier Tiger Spirit, Third Tier Bear Spirit, Third Tier Leopard Spirit, Fourth Tier Thunder Ray】

Xu Jin bought a total of five Star Cores, two of which were the same—both Third Tier Bear Spirits.

Xu Jin was not in a hurry to leave the black market. He currently didn't know if he had found the Star Beast Star Core he needed.

So he casually found a place, sat down, and his mind sank into the Arena Platform.

With a thought, Xu Jin directly placed the Third Tier Tiger Spirit under the Arena Platform's altar, counting it as an offering.

The information on the Arena Platform's jade tablet immediately changed.

【Offering Spirit Object Two: Third Tier Lower Grade Tiger Spirit. Consuming a wisp of starlight can obtain or replace the spirit object's protection. Injecting Star Power to activate can erupt the spirit object's peak strongest strike, accompanied by a slight divine soul attack. After erupting, the spirit object disappears.】

【Available for protection: Tiger Roar Star Pattern】

After seeing clearly the protection provided by this Third Tier Lower Tiger Spirit, Xu Jin directly switched to the next Star Core.

Not very satisfied.

After Xu Jin obtained the protection of the Third Tier Tiger Spirit, he could unleash a tiger roar through Star Power vibration, which counted as a sound wave attack and had a slight divine soul attack power. It was a group attack method, but not what Xu Jin was looking for.

Subsequently, Xu Jin took out the Third Tier Lower Tiger Spirit and replaced it with the Third Tier Middle Bear Spirit.

What surprised Xu Jin was that this Third Tier Middle Bear Spirit actually provided Xu Jin with three protection choices.

【Available for protection: Giant Strength Star Pattern, Spirit Scent Star Pattern, Earth Explosion Star Pattern】

The first two were considered conventional Star Patterns, but the third, the Earth Explosion Star Pattern, made Xu Jin's pupils shrink.

Transcendent.

This third Star Pattern represented true transcendent power.

Earth Explosion Star Pattern: through Star Power, causes the earth to undergo a violent change, moving according to one's will.

Just from the meaning of the ground, this Earth Explosion Star Pattern was a very practical Star Pattern. If he weren't in the black market, Xu Jin would have wanted to test it right now.

What made Xu Jin feel strange was that the two Third Tier Middle Bear Spirits provided different protections; the second Bear Spirit actually didn't have this Earth Explosion Star Pattern.

It seems that even for the same Star Beast, the Star Patterns they possess are different.

Subsequently, Xu Jin switched to the fourth Star Core, the Third Tier Upper Leopard Spirit.

【Available for protection: Swift Lightning Star Pattern】

This Third Tier Upper Leopard Spirit actually only provided one protection Star Pattern.

But this Swift Lightning Star Pattern made Xu Jin's eyes light up.

Swift Lightning Star Pattern: can significantly increase speed, making the figure like lightning, turning like a thunderbolt.

Just this Swift Lightning Star Pattern and the Earth Explosion Star Pattern made Xu Jin feel the trip was worth it; the 20,000 taels of silver in the black market were well spent.

Moreover, there was still a higher-grade Fourth Tier 'Jinghai Thunder Dragon' Star Core he hadn't looked at.

The next instant, Xu Jin collected the Fourth Tier Lower Thunder Ray Star Core into the Arena Platform, and information appeared on the Arena Platform instantly.

【Available for protection: Lei She Star Pattern, Water Control Star Pattern】

Seeing the Lei She Star Pattern, Xu Jin's eyes lit up.

After obtaining the protection of the Lei She Star Pattern, one could unleash thunder-attribute Star Power. The thunder was quite weak, resembling a snake, hence called the Lei She Star Pattern.

The Water Control Star Pattern was simple: after obtaining the protection of the Water Control Star Pattern, entering water is like returning home, and all kinds of states in water are comprehensively improved.

Worth it!

Just for this Lei She Star Pattern, the 10,000 taels were well spent.

This was also the reason Xu Jin came to the black market.

Because there was no way to quickly improve his cultivation in a short time, but Xu Jin's combat power could be improved.

The Arena Platform had previously offered the Snake Spirit, obtaining the Spirit Scent Star Pattern, which greatly increased Xu Jin's actual combat ability.

And the Second Tier Arena Platform could offer two spirit objects, obtaining two Star Pattern protections.

Previously, Xu Jin only had one. Coming here was to obtain another Star Pattern protection to improve his combat power.

And after obtaining the Star Core, not only could he obtain Star Pattern protection, but he could also directly inject Star Power to erupt, erupting the spirit object's peak strongest strike before its death.

Equivalent to a one-time emblem.

If calculated this way, Xu Jin harvested five Star Cores today, which was equivalent to possessing five eruptible emblems.

Especially the Fourth Tier Lower Thunder Ray Star Core; if it erupted, it would be equivalent to a Fourth Tier Condense Star Realm attack, very powerful.

But Xu Jin didn't expect that he would buy so many Star Cores here, and actually obtain several useful protection Star Patterns in a row.

Currently, the Star Patterns Xu Jin was more interested in were the Earth Explosion Star Pattern, the Lei She Star Pattern, and the Swift Lightning Star Pattern. Each one could significantly improve Xu Jin's combat power. In comparison, the Swift Lightning Star Pattern could not only improve Xu Jin's combat power but also comprehensively improve Xu Jin's survival ability.

Speed, sometimes, is life and death.

But the best defense is offense.

However, Xu Jin's Arena Platform could currently only offer one more type of spirit object. So, out of these three protection Star Patterns, which one should he choose?

(End of chapter)