Chapter 1748: Yellow Wind Black Market

Ding!

[Cultivation: Middle phase of Ethereal Cultivation; Lifespan: 2,570years; Health: 243,000; Combat power: 223,000]

Exactly twenty-four hours later, Chen Xiaobei's alarm rang and he stopped cultivating.

His health and combat power had increased by 2400.

After putting away the aircraft, Chen Xiaobei and Su Xiaoman proceeded directly to the entrance of the black market.

Su Xiaoman explained as she guided Chen Xiaobei around, "Because this mountain is surrounded by sand, the yellow sand flurries into the air all over the place when the wind blows. Hence, the name Mount Yellow Wind! The Mount Yellow Wind's black market is built in the valley of the mountain! The shops are lodged in the little caverns on both sides of the wall of the valley! There are thousands of them selling all sorts of things. You can buy just about anything here - especially rare items that you could never find in other markets!"

They were now at the foot of the mountain when Chen Xiaobei spotted the terraced caverns, large and small, all tightly packed on both sides of the valley. From afar, they looked like an ant colony.

The place was teeming with human activity - the shops were thronged by paying customers, haggling and chin-wagging their way for the best deal. The atmosphere was much livelier and vibrant than it was back in the Black Tortoise Capital City's legitimate market.

"Wow! This place is jam-packed!" Chen Xiaobei exclaimed in wonder.

"Of course!" Su Xiaoman nodded. "One of the biggest features of these black markets is that as long as you have the money, the merchants will do everything they can to help you procure the item that you want! You can get everything you want here - even those that are not in legitimate markets! Of course, considering that fact, the customers would be aplenty too!"

Chen Xiaobei nodded back at her. "With so many customers here, the price of the items here must not be cheap, right?"

"Not really! Black markets are shady because the commodities are acquired via illegal or questionable means!" Su Xiaoman replied. "The black-market's merchants rob, steal, cheat, lie, kill, pillage, and burn. They pretty much do not have to bear any cost at all, and that's why their goods are a lot cheaper than the markets outside! The merchants who are eager to get rid of their 'dirty' goods are willing to drop the prices really low. You can get really big discounts from them!"

Chen Xiaobei cocked his head to the side. "That basically means that the merchants in these black markets are all wicked people! How are they able to operate their business here without the authorities getting involved?"

Su Xiaoman looked around cautiously and then whispered, "Because the owner of the black market is a very scary bigwig! I heard that he's the elder of the Heaven Domination Faction! Unless you're ready to die, no one dares cause trouble here!"

"Heaven Domination Faction's elder?" Chen Xiaobei gasped. "No wonder all these ox-headed devils and serpent gods* could trade without interference - they are protected by a big Buddha*!"

"Yeah... That big Buddha is really one of a kind! Not only is he able to keep these merchants untouchable, but they also compliantly pay him large amounts of Spiritual Stones as rental!" Su Xiaoman lowered her voice. "All in all, whether they're wicked men, fat cats or big kahunas, no one can touch the big Buddha!"

Chen Xiaobei nodded. "He's able to keep the internal structure of the black market running orderly and systematically, and avert external forces from causing trouble here! He has his foot in both the white (government) and black (organized crime) camps! Extraordinarily powerful and well-connected! He really is someone you don't want to mess with!"

"Ahh!" Su Xiaoman suddenly screamed, turning around abruptly to give a shifty-looking man the stink eye.

"What is it?" Chen Xiaobei asked.

"This son of a bitch touched me!" Red faced, Su Xiaoman grabbed the man and raised her fist.

The beady-eyed man had taken advantage of the crowded black market and felt Su Xiaoman up her thighs.

The man shot her a lazy smile, "We're in Mount Yellow Wind! Fighting is not allowed here! Hit me and you won't be getting out of here alive!"

Su Xiaoman's fist froze at mid-swing. "You..."

The man reached his hand up to his nose, inhaled and smiled lewdly. "Mm, smells really nice!"

"You..." Su Xiaoman stamped her feet on the ground. She was dying to kick this asshole to the ground and give him a good beating.

But they were at Mount Yellow Wind. With that big Buddha watching, no one would dare cause a ruckus here.

No matter how angry she was, Su Xiaoman would have to bite her lip and suck it up! She was miffed!

"Xiaoman, let him go!" Chen Xiaobei said in a cool voice. "Don't bother yourself with this cripple! Just treat him like the pitiful ass he is!"

"Hmph!" Su Xiaoman gave the man a shove.

"Moehterf*cker! Who are you to call me a cripple?" The shifty man hissed, scowling at Chen Xiaobei.

Chen Xiaobei smiled back at him. "Don't you know your own body's condition?"

"F*ck you! My body is perfectly fine!" The man shouted. "How dare you curse me? I'm the one who will cripple you instead!"

"Didn't you say that fighting is not allowed here?" Chen Xiaobei retorted.

"Hmph!" The man raised his chin. "Don't you know who I am?!"

Chen Xiaobei shook his head. "This is my first time here. How would I know who you are?"

Su Xiaoman was just as baffled. She didn't know who the guy was either; she rarely visited the black market.

The crowd that had gathered around laughed at both of them.

"These two dumbasses are hilarious! They don't know that the person they offended is Master Liu Si."

"Let me tell you, fourth young master Liu is a confidant of the owner of the black market. He's in charge of maintaining order in the black market!"

"If Master Liu Si wants to, he could just charge you with theft and beat the two of you to a pulp!"

"If you fight back, Master Liu Si has the authority to kill you both on the spot!"

The crowd hooted and jeered, pointing fingers at the two pitiful little bugs that were Chen Xiaobei and Su Xiaoman.

Master Liu Si grinned. "So, do you know who I am now?"

Su Xiaoman was suddenly unnerved. She tugged at Chen Xiaobei's sleeve and whispered. "Childe Chen... Let's go... We cannot afford an altercation with this person..."

"You want to leave? Not so easy!" Master Liu Si hissed. "This shithole called me a cripple! He has to kneel down and apologize or I'll make him a cripple!"

"We..." Su Xiaoman's brows knitted together. "Can we not do that..."

"Of course not!" Master Liu Si snapped. "With so many people watching, where would I put my face if just let that son of a bitch get off so easily? Next time, every other Tom, Dick or Harry would try to walk all over me!"

Su Xiaoman squeezed her eyes shut in despair. Chen Xiaobei would not be able to avoid this hurdle today!

Chen Xiaobei, on the other hand, did not even flinch when he said, "Master Liu Si, I was going to save you some face but since you wouldn't let this go, I will just say it - if you want to keep your precious penis, then slap yourself ten times and then apologize to my friend!"

Footnote:

Ox-headed devils and serpent gods*: evil or wicked people

Big Buddha*: someone of great authority and importance