CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: BLACK MARKET, WILD SECRET REALM_1

In the black market, Wang Linchi took a long stroll. He discovered that most transactions involved bartering, with Soul Kinds and treasures from Secret Realms serving as hard currency. Money basically didn’t circulate here. The main issue was that no one wanted you to bring too much. Carrying billions implied you possessed Storage Treasures, and you’d be robbed the moment you stepped out. Besides, who could verify the authenticity of silver notes or similar items? And without Storage Treasures, who would dare carry so much money around? It would be extremely inconvenient.

Wang Linchi hadn’t brought much: just one Good Level Soul Kind and ten Excellent Level Soul Kinds, merely to test the waters. Moreover, his height and build were no longer the same; he had become taller and thinner, his appearance completely different from his original self. Using his Thought Field, he had made certain modifications to his body as a disguise. He could change it back after he returned.

The black market teemed with all sorts of people. Wang Linchi could see many Awakeners operating on the fringes of the Dajing Court, each exuding an intimidating aura, signaling they were not to be trifled with. However, most of them were at the Black Iron Level; there weren’t many at the higher Mountain Copper Level. As for White Porcelain level Awakeners, they couldn’t get in at all. Secret Silver Level Awakeners disdained coming here. In Qinghe City, the vast majority of Awakeners would remain at the Black Iron Level their entire lives. Thus, the Mountain Copper Level was already considered high-ranking. Secret Silver Level Awakeners had their own factions and channels, so they had no concerns about resources. Elite Gold Level Awakeners, who held actual power, were even more contemptuous of such a place. In other words, this black market was very likely run by a Secret Silver Level Awakener.

After strolling around, Wang Linchi found it all rather unremarkable and didn’t have any strong impressions. There were quite a few things he considered trading for, mainly Soul Forging Methods. As for Soul Kinds, he decided against it; very few were for sale, and those available were typically used as currency by others. He was somewhat puzzled: why did Awakeners need so many Soul Kinds? Each Awakener could only embed a limited number of Soul Kinds. There must be some hidden reasons he wasn’t aware of; otherwise, they wouldn’t circulate so readily.

"How much for this Soul Forging Method?" Wang Linchi paused, his gaze falling upon a Soul Forging Method offered for sale. He squatted, picked it up, flipped through a page, and then asked casually.

"One Good Level Soul Kind."

The moment the vendor finished speaking, Wang Linchi stood up and turned to leave. Does he take me for a fool?

"Alright, alright! One Excellent Level Soul Kind will do." Seeing Wang Linchi walk away so decisively, the vendor instantly changed his tune.

Soul Forging Methods are the cheapest things around. You can make a few dozen copies and sell them easily, Wang Linchi thought. "I’ll take the lot," he said slowly. He named an exorbitant price, so I’ll counter with a low one. Standard practice.

"Three," the vendor offered, meaning three Excellent Level Soul Kinds.

"Two," Wang Linchi countered.

"Deal."

When Wang Linchi offered two, the vendor agreed without hesitation, swiftly bundling up all the Soul Forging Methods on his stall and thrusting them at Wang Linchi. The implication was clear: pay up.

I offered too much, Wang Linchi realized. These Soul Forging Methods are probably subpar, possibly even fakes. Others shot Wang Linchi strange glances, but he paid them no mind. After all, I’m only taking these for reference, not to actually practice them.

After tossing down two Excellent Level Soul Kinds, he continued browsing, carrying the cloth-wrapped bundle. Many onlookers seemed to be weighing whether to make a move on him, but then they were startled to perceive him as merely a White Porcelain level Awakener, freshly initiated. They quickly dismissed the thought.

The Soul Shield, formed by his Soul Kind, Soul Courtyard, not only concealed his true strength but also allowed him to weaken or enhance his perceived soul intensity for disguise. However, a Mountain Copper Level Awakener would likely see through this ruse. Everyone present was a seasoned veteran. How could a mere fledgling White Porcelain level Awakener possibly enter the black market? No one was naive enough to believe he was just lucky. Wang Linchi wasn’t Yan Ming King; he didn’t possess such a passive ability. The only explanation was that the young man was concealing his true strength and intended to use this crude method as bait, waiting to see which fool would take it. If I can’t even see through him, what makes me think I’m stronger? Most wouldn’t target someone so enigmatic.

Wang Linchi continued his stroll, swaggering openly and occasionally pausing to examine goods at various stalls. This brazen behavior made even more people hesitant to act.

Wang Linchi, however, wasn’t particularly concerned about their reactions. He was actually more curious about the origins of so many Awakeners in the black market. Firstly, this world isn’t some backwater without an education system; most talented individuals are identified and monopolized from early childhood. Of course, many of these people could simply be Awakeners from the Dajing Court. He had an inkling as to why. Back in the academies, students were heavily exploited. Upon graduation, they’d be recruited by the Dajing Court. While the Court might be slightly better than the academies, it also offered very limited resources; otherwise, they wouldn’t be struggling to get by like this. So, privately, they must all be operating on the fringes of the Dajing Court. For their own advancement, how could they not strive desperately?

Wild Secret Realms too? As Wang Linchi reached one end of the black market, he stumbled upon something interesting. Secret Realms, in his experience, were mostly controlled by the Dajing Court, Great Families, and Sects. Gaining entry usually required expending considerable resources. Yet here in the black market, he saw listings for Secret Realms that were unrecorded—essentially, Wild Secret Realms. Entry cost one Good Level Soul Kind per visit. Of course, not having a Soul Kind upfront wasn’t an issue; one could pay upon exiting, or, failing that, offer resources of equivalent value.

Impressive. The backers of this black market certainly have significant influence, Wang Linchi mused. He suspected this black market wasn’t just a Qinghe City operation but likely an enterprise established by influential figures from the provincial level. They must be using it to enrich themselves at public expense; how else could this be explained? Still, this presents an opportunity. I can enter a Secret Realm without going through official channels. To claim he didn’t want to enter a Secret Realm would have been a lie. Normally, Wang Linchi would need to possess at least Mountain Copper Level strength to enter a Secret Realm; otherwise, he couldn’t even dream of it.

From this perspective, the Dajing Dynasty isn’t as unshakably stable as I imagined. It’s likely been extensively corrupted from within, standing firm only due to its formidable military might. If any problems arise with that military power, widespread conflict will inevitably erupt. With such relentless exploitation, who could possibly endure it? It’s no wonder heretical cults like the Baylong Religion have emerged. This isn’t merely about the Dajing Dynasty collaborating with entities from the Secret Realms; it’s also a testament to their power failing to effectively reach the local regions.

These were just Wang Linchi’s speculations; he never imagined that someone of his meager standing could inflict any significant damage on the Dajing Court. As the saying goes, "a rotten ship still has three pounds of nails," meaning it retains some value or strength. Besides, the Dajing "ship" wasn’t rotten yet. As long as the top-tier combatants within the Da Jing Royal Family remained alive, the entire dynasty wouldn’t collapse; it simply couldn’t. These top-tier combatants served not only as a means of suppression but also stood at the center of a vast network of vested interests.