Protect Our Clan Leader

A night passed.

The next day, the death of two independent cultivators did not cause a stir in Golden Sand City. Perhaps there might be some upper-level government investigation, but they would not exhaust too much energy. Given that the Hundred Islands Guard is more chaotic than other regions, the deaths of two independent cultivators are not a big deal.

As for the shadowy hand behind the disciple of the Yinsha Sect’s outer gate, they might express shock and disbelief for a while, but they probably can’t openly investigate. After all, the Hundred Islands Guard might be a mess, but it is still within the power of Longzuo County, not a place for the Yin Sha Sect to cause trouble.

Wang Shouzhe and his companions, of course, acted as if nothing had happened and showed no interest in any conspiracy that the shadowy hands could have arranged.

The little Wang family would be wise to care only about their own survival for now.

The black market tends to open every few days.

Today happens to be a market day.

At dusk, Wang Shouzhe asked Chen Fanghua to arrange a carriage to take him, along with Master Longyan, to the black market. This time, no one else accompanied them. It was just the two of them.

The black market lies to the east of Golden Sand City, close to the corner of the sea, where ordinary people are not allowed in. Only Profound Martial practitioners above the fourth level of the Qi Refinement Realm are eligible to enter, and most of them can only stay in the main hall.

Wang Shouzhe and Master Longyan had both thoroughly disguised themselves that day. He was dressed as a rough-looking man, while Master Longyan was draped in a gray robe and only her eyes were visible.

As the two reached the entrance of the black market, they got off the carriage and walked up to the front door.

As soon as Master Longyan used a bit of her Spiritual Platform Realm aura, she was immediately invited into the black market by the doorman and ushered into a private room on the second floor where her background was not inquired about. When she indicated she wanted to sell a spiritual artifact, it immediately drew attention, initiating the process of summoning a steward to appraise it.

This was the style of the black market, allowing customers to disguise themselves and ensuring their privacy.

This way of doing things had been instrumental in spreading the reputation of the Golden Sand City’s black market under the Hundred Islands Guard. Many families from neighboring cities would find ways to participate in black market transactions.

Soon after, a server brought fruits and tea and then respectfully left.

In a moment, a voice sounded outside the booth, “I am the steward of the Black Market, my surname is Zhong.”

Master Longyan signaled Wang Shouzhe with her eyes.

Wang Shouzhe understood and went ahead to open the door, inviting the steward in. According to the intelligence he had read, the black market was a joint venture of the Zhong and Ouyang families, the two Profound Martial noble families under the Hundred Islands Guard.

The man was dressed in a black robe and wore an expressionless mask on his face. Since his surname was Zhong, he should be a member of the Zhong family.

“Steward Zhong, my ancestor invites you,” Wang Shouzhe, pretendingto bea rough man, saluted the visitor with his hand cupped in the other.

After entering, Steward Zhong politely saluted the grey-robed Master Longyan, “Thank you for your trust in our black market. Our market has been around for two hundred years and places great importance on integrity. You need not worry about any transactions in our market. May I see the spiritual artifact you wish to sell?”

His words were fair and marked the fundamental principle of the black market. Any marketeer would cherish their credibility. It isn’t easy to build a reputation like that over two hundred years.

Master Longyan didn’t waste time with him. She turned her jade hand over, and a palm-sized object suddenly appeared. The thing looked like a tortoise shell, layered with dense scales. On the scales, inscrutable and complex inscriptions were engraved.

“This is the item. What would you estimate its value to be?” Her voice was deep and hoarse, deliberately concealing her original tone.

“This?” Steward Zhong took a closer look, and his eyes immediately changed. He spoke sharply in a low voice, “It’s the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield! Where did you find this?” A strong Spiritual Platform Realm aura enveloped him. Wang Shouzhe’s heart raced. What was happening in the black market? One moment they were boasting about their credibility, and the next moment they began questioning this item. Ignoring the intimidating aura of the Spiritual Platform Realm, he stepped in front of Steward Zhong and said coldly, “Are you trying to break the rules of the black market, Elder Zhong?”

His words rapidly snapped Steward Zhong back to calm, yet he still looked solemn, “I was being impulsive. This Turtle Scale Treasure Shield is a relic of an important figure in my sect. If you’re willing to explain its provenance, I’d be happy to increase the price by ten percent. No, twenty percent.”

“Huh?”

Wang Shouzhe’s eyebrows furrowed. The Turtle Scale Treasure Shield, a defensive Spiritual Artifact, was usually more valuable than offensive spiritual artifacts. The price could reach tens of thousands of Qian Gold! He was offering an increase of a few thousand Qian Gold, which was extraordinary.

Was this Zhong steward really that interested in this treasure? But his words…

“We won’t sell it then. Let’s go.” Master Longyan turned her hand and quickly put away the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield, murmuring in a low voice.

“Wait!”

Minister Zhong actually tried to block the door. With an incredulous look in his eyes, he stared at Master Longyan, whispering, “Elder sister, are you… are you Longyan, my senior sister? You…you…you are still alive?”

Senior sister?

Wang Shouzhe’s heart pounded. This Minister Zhong was actually Master Longyan’s junior brother? Did he also graduate from the Purple Abode Academic Palace… Could it be that there was… His imagination began to run wild.

“Who are you!” Master Longyan stopped in her tracks, a trace of sharpness flashed across her eyes. “How do you recognize me and the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield?”

“I, I am Zhong Xingwang,” Minister Zhong quickly clasped his hands and said, “Senior sister Longyan, do you remember me?

While speaking, he voluntarily took off the mask on his face, revealing a plain, slightly old face.

“ZhongXingwang?” Master Longyan pondered for a moment, a touch of confusion surfaced in her eyes. “I don’t know you. I might have forgotten.”

Minister Zhong didn’t mind, only chuckled and greeted with his hands: “It is normal that Senior Sister Longyan doesn’t remember me. When Senior Sister Longyan was just sixty, she had already reached the mid-stage of the Spirit Platform Realm, a prominent figure in the Academy. While I, Zhong Xingwang, only entered the Academy because my family bribed, and I was merely an underachiever who could only look up to the glory of Senior Sister Longyan.”

While speaking, his face and eyes were filled with uncontrollable admiration, respect, and even a hint of fear.

At this point.

Wang Shouzhe finally understood. His previous imaginations were all wrong. This Minister Zhong and Master Longyan were not some infatuated immortal classmates but simply a relationship of an admirer and his goddess…

The Master couldn’t even remember his name…

Furthermore, judging by his appearance, he seemed rather worn and old. And since he referred to Master Longyan as senior sister and entered the Purple Abode Academic Palace through the back door, he must have ascended to the Spirit Platform Realm at a rather old age.

It’s also understandable that he doesn’t know about Master Longyan’s family background. Within the Purple Abode Academic Palace, any form of empty boasting or prying into other people’s families’ details is strictly forbidden.

Unless their relationship is extremely good, most of them are part of all the young talents in the Academy, and there aren’t many divisions based on family lineage. This is the dominance of the Purple Abode Academic Palace.

“What purpose do you have to block me?” Master Longyan’s voice was indifferent. “Do you intend to break the rules of the black market?”

“I dare not, I dare not.” Minister Zhong quickly shook his hands. “If you break the market rules, the Old Ancestor will kill me. They all said that senior sister Longyan had died in the outer realm, and I was heartbroken for many years. So I was a bit excited seeing senior sister Longyan, please don’t take it to heart, please, don’t take it to heart.”

With that, he kept bowing, requesting Master Longyan’s forgiveness.

“Then make way.” Master Longyan said coldly.

“Make…make…no, no.” The dignified Spirit Platform Realm’s Minister Zhong suddenly became flustered. “Master Longyan, please give me a chance to make amends. I wonder why master wants to sell the Turtle Scale Treasure Shield? I remember it was the spirit artifact gifted to you by Master Binglan!”

“Short of money.” Master Longyan said coldly.

“Lack of money?! Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Minister Zhong let out a sigh of relief then showed a somewhat fawning and ingratiating expression. “As a direct descendent of the Zhong family, I have managed to save up a bit of private funds and have amassed some connections. How much does senior sister Longyan need? I can try to raise some.”

The Zhong family lineage?

The Zhong family is certainly one of the revered celestial bloodline prominent families within the Hundred Islands Guard. And he, as a direct descendent, how did he end up in such a condition? He even had to go through the back door to get into the academy. And his mannerisms were exactly like that of an obsequious follower.

Moreover, a rather unskilled, reckless old follower who openly flatters others without any technique or subtlety.

Wang Shouzhe was speechless. Minister Zhong, oh Minister Zhong, this is not how you approach your goddess. Haven’t you heard: a man who blindly offers his admiration to others will eventually have nothing left?

As expected, a cold aura gradually radiated from Master Longyan, igniting a rage within. She sneered, “Zhong, are you planning to buy me, Wang Longyan?”

Minister Zhong’s legs suddenly gave out, he panicly replied, “Senior sister Longyan, don’t misunderstand, I just want to repay a favor, repay a favor. Have you forgotten? During one of the Academy’s trial missions, you helped me once, although you don’t remember anymore…”

This is the end!

Wang Shouzhe was shaking his head internally. In front of his heart’s goddess, he couldn’t even stand straight, let alone hold himself in high regard?

In this state, he probably didn’t have even half a chance. Given such a lack of dignity, not to mention Master Longyan wouldn’t have any interest in him, even Wang Shouzhe himself would find him unimpressive.