Chapter 571: Black Market Bloodshed

Lin Fojiao, the head shopkeeper of the black market at the Cultural Palace, sat in his chair, forcing himself to stay awake as he listened to the snack vendor speak.

Something significant was about to happen in the black market tonight!

"Mr. Lin, the Birchwood Gang is back, asking around about Li Qi."

"Let them ask," Lin Fojiao yawned, "Li Qi isn't here, is he?"

"If he comes, it might be too late."

"We had Ah Hui warn him earlier, so he shouldn't come," Lin Fojiao yawned again.

The snack vendor remained uneasy. "I just saw Tang Changfa speaking with members of the Birchwood Gang."

"Who is Tang Changfa?" Lin Fojiao rubbed his eyes, almost asleep.

"Tang Changfa is the one Li Qi arranged to do business with us. He just met with the Birchwood Gang on the first floor, and they even specifically... Mr. Lin, are you listening to me?"

Lin Fojiao had started snoring.

The snack vendor gently nudged him awake. "Mr. Lin, don't sleep! It's urgent!"

"Ah!" Lin Fojiao startled, quickly rubbed his eyebrows. "It's not burning! How dare you lie to me!"

"Mr. Lin, if Tang Changfa clashes with the Birchwood Gang, Li Qi will surely come, and then things will get serious."

Lin Fojiao waved his hand. "We'll deal with it when he gets here. If absolutely necessary, I'll call Ah Hui again."

"Ah Hui went to Prozhou; she's not in Yuezhou, so she can't help! Mr. Lin, Mr. Lin?"

Lin Fojiao tried to blink, but once his eyes closed, he couldn't open them again.

Tang Changfa was in a business discussion with two members of the Birchwood Hermitage. Their meeting wasn't accidental; Tang Changfa had deliberately approached them.

This was Li Qi's instruction: something was going to happen tonight.

The two Hermitage members were a man and a woman: Luchaliev and Okusalova. Both were Lavsha people, and neither spoke Huanguo very well, making communication somewhat difficult.

Their task for the day was to gather information about Li Qi in the black market. Besides Okusalova and Luchaliev, three other Hermitage members were hidden within the black market.

Okusalova, President Miglov's student and the head of the investigative operation, was tasked by Dwenming to bring people to the black market every three to five days. If she located Li Qi, she was to contact other Hermitage members to quickly converge on the black market for an ambush. If she received information about Li Qi's movements, she would inform other high-ranking officials, and they would collectively decide whether to change the ambush location.

Okusalova did not permit her subordinates to purchase items in the black market unless absolutely necessary, as the Hermitage's funds were not plentiful.

For some reason, however, Okusalova found Tang Changfa to be an honest and upright person. She believed that doing business with him or gathering information through him was a perfectly reasonable option, even if it meant incurring some cost.

Tang Changfa invited the two to the second floor. "Please tell me directly what you'd like to buy. If we have it in stock, we can complete the transaction immediately. If not, I'll arrange for it to be sourced right away, and I won't even require a deposit.

Everything I sell here is a reputable brand from Prozhou; our shop is a century-old establishment from Prozhou.

You can shop here with complete confidence; I guarantee you won't lose out in any way!"

Okusalova generally grasped Tang Changfa's meaning. She gestured and said, "Prozhou's items are good, we like them. What we want most is Prozhou's 'adjustments'."

"'Adjustments'?" Yan Cuier paused, confused. "Adjustments for what?"

Okusalova mimed drinking with her finger as a straw and told everyone, "Like this, drink it, and then... immense power!"

Yan Cuier was astonished. "Hong'er, what did she just say? Drink it?"

Yan Hong'er was also a little surprised. "She just mentioned 'immense power.' That sounds like a good thing! I just wonder if the shopkeeper will be willing to part with it."

Yan Cuier licked her lips. "I'll find a chance to ask. How much could the two of us possibly drink? Our shopkeeper isn't stingy anyway."

Tang Changfa frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? If the shopkeeper had something that good, would it be for you two to drink?"

Yan Cuier snorted. "Do you want to keep it all to yourself?"

"How would I consume it? I'm a reputable person! I conduct legitimate business. I'm done with your nonsense," Tang Changfa said, waving his hand, then turned to the two Lavsha individuals. "You're talking about Prozhou's 'harmonizing agents,' right?"

Okusalova nodded. "Yes, harmonizing agents, the ones that give power!"

"You're not locals, are you?" Tang Changfa chuckled. "In Prozhou, those aren't called harmonizing agents; they're elixirs! They're excellent for boosting cultivation!"

Okusalova nodded repeatedly. "You're right, we want elixirs!"

Luchaliev whispered in Lavsha, "Elixirs and harmonizing agents are two different things."

"I know they're two different things," Okusalova said, glancing at Luchaliev. "Do your job; I don't need your instruction."

Although Tang Changfa didn't understand Lavsha, he could discern from the expressions of the two individuals that their statuses were unequal.

Okusalova's status was clearly superior to Luchaliev's; appeasing her would simplify matters.

Tang Changfa turned back. "Yan Hong'er, quickly get the elixirs!"

Elixirs were already hard to come by, and today wasn't even a day for selling them. Where was she supposed to get them?

Yan Hong crouched behind the counter, took a leftover piece of perilla mochi, kneaded and rolled it into two pills, then handed them to Tang Changfa.

Tang Changfa inspected their color, then told the two, "Gentlemen, observe: this is the Azure Green Elixir. Consuming one will increase your cultivation by three years; it's a top-grade elixir."

Luchaliev picked up a pill, examined it, and shook his head. "I've never heard of this kind of elixir."

Tang Changfa chuckled. "Of course you haven't heard of it! Go to Prozhou and ask around; many people have never seen an elixir this good in their entire lives!"

Okusalova, ignoring Luchaliev's advice, picked up the pill and sniffed it. "How much do you want for this elixir?"

"For anyone else, I wouldn't sell it for less than two hundred. But since you two are guests from afar, I'll grit my teeth and take a loss: one hundred fifty per pill, it's yours."

Okusalova didn't think it was expensive. "Are you referring to one hundred fifty Huanguo dollars?"

Tang Changfa frowned. "Is this your first day doing business here? Does anyone use 'dollars' in the black market? One hundred fifty definitely means ten thousand!"

Okusalova was stunned. "You want 1.5 million?"

Tang Changfa was equally surprised. "I've lowered the price so much, and you still find it expensive?"

Okusalova shook her head repeatedly. "What kind of medicine could be worth that much money?"

Holding the elixir, Tang Changfa said, "You get what you pay for; you need to see what kind of item this is!"

Luchaliev looked at Tang Changfa. "This is fraud. Do you truly think we're that easily fooled? Don't you have any rules for doing business here?"

Tang Changfa chuckled. "Foreigner, why don't you tell me what the rules are?"

"We're not buying," Okusalova said, linking arms with Luchaliev and turning to leave.

Luchaliev didn't want to leave. He was enraged and wanted to teach Tang Changfa a lesson.

Okusalova frowned and told Luchaliev in Lavsha, "We should go.

I want to leave now!"

This was an order. Okusalova was President Miglov's student, and even though Miglov was missing, she remained a high-ranking figure in both the Hermitage and the Ferrymen's Gang, with a status far superior to Luchaliev's. Luchaliev dared not disobey her command.

Tang Changfa quickly blocked the doorway. "Don't be in such a hurry to leave, you two. Let's discuss this properly. I've gone to such lengths, and my sincerity is evident. At least compensate me for my effort!"

Okusalova didn't understand Tang Changfa at all. Luchaliev shielded her, saying, "We didn't buy anything. Why should we give you money?"

"Not giving it?" Tang Changfa also grew angry. He picked up the wine bottle from the doorway, smashed it against his own head, holding the broken neck of the bottle in his hand, and pointed it at Luchaliev's face. "If you don't pay, don't even think about leaving this door today!"

Luchaliev asked, "What kind of logic is that?"

"I have no logic to discuss with you!" Tang Changfa jabbed the broken bottle neck at Luchaliev's neck.

Luchaliev possessed dark abilities, yet Tang Changfa's move was indistinguishable from a street thug's brawl.

Logically, Luchaliev should have had nothing to fear, but as he met Tang Changfa's gaze, his body trembled uncontrollably. The thought of that bottle injuring either him or Tang Changfa himself filled Luchaliev with immense dread.

Okusalova remained relatively calm. She took a deep breath, then suddenly opened her mouth and sang a high note using standard bel canto technique.

The piercing high note shattered teapots and teacups, broke the glass counter, and caused severe ear pain and dizziness to everyone present.

This was her technique; it could both attack enemies and summon other members present.

Yan Hong'er, who regularly practiced singing, strained her voice and shouted back at Okusalova.

This wasn't a random response; it was a method Li Banfeng had taught her. She knew her opponent possessed sound manipulation abilities and intended to disrupt their rhythm with her singing.

Okusalova was not a true sound cultivator; she was a dark energy user without a Daoist sect affiliation, possessing outstanding dark abilities related to sound.

However, Yan Hong'er's interference indeed disrupted Okusalova's rhythm. She quickly adjusted her breathing and regained her tempo. Just as she was about to speak again, Yan Cuier picked up a piece of mochi and threw it into Okusalova's mouth.

Okusalova coughed twice; the mochi was stuck in her throat.

Yan Cuier yelled, "You've been poisoned by our family's deadly venom! Your voice is ruined!"

Okusalova looked astonished. Her Huanguo was poor, and she hadn't fully grasped Yan Cuier's meaning.

Yan Hong explained, "You're poisoned; you can't speak anymore!"

As she explained, Yan Hong even made a choking gesture.

Okusalova panicked and looked at Luchaliev.

Luchaliev, who was fighting Tang Changfa, signaled for Okusalova to escape quickly.

In close-quarters combat, Tang Changfa genuinely held his own; his combat experience was clearly far superior to Luchaliev's. However, Luchaliev's unique dark ability made his body sticky, like taffy, clinging tightly to Tang Changfa.

Tang Changfa found it difficult to break free. "Damn it, I've run into an Adhesive Cultivator."

Luchaliev wasn't precisely an Adhesive Cultivator; he merely possessed a similar ability. His combat prowess wasn't strong, but his unique skill allowed him to restrain enemies at critical moments to protect Okusalova. If an unforeseen event occurred during the ambush on Li Qi, he could temporarily trap Li Qi.

Tang Changfa wouldn't tolerate his tactics. Sacrificing a layer of skin, he desperately tore free from Luchaliev, then, covered in blood, shouted at the two, "No one is leaving this door today!"

Okusalova tried to negotiate with Tang Changfa. "We don't know you. Why are you bothering us?"

Tang Changfa gritted his teeth. "Taking payment to resolve others' troubles is our duty."

Okusalova didn't understand. Luchaliev explained in Lavsha:

"They are under orders; they are hired killers."

Okusalova gritted her teeth. "Who wants to kill us?"

Sounds of fighting echoed from the corridor. Yan Hong'er opened the door and shouted, "Director Du, over here!"

Director Du?

Luchaliev showed no reaction; he didn't know who Director Du was.

Okusalova's reaction was strong. She knew who Director Du was, but she couldn't understand why he would target them.

Could those rumors be true?

To protect his position, Dwenming had deliberately killed several acquaintances, including many members of the Ferrymen's Gang.

And now, were they his targets?

Okusalova wanted to step into the corridor to see what was happening. Tang Changfa moved aside from the doorway. "Go on, going out is just suicide!"

Yan Hong'er said to Okusalova, "You're heavily poisoned and can't speak. What can a sound cultivator do without a voice?"

Yan Cuier said, "Let them go; don't bother with them. We've done our part. We'll just wait to collect our reward later!"

Luchaliev took Okusalova's hand, and just as they were about to rush out the door, a severed head fell by the doorway.

Seeing the golden hair, Luchaliev was greatly alarmed. Although the head was covered in blood, he could still barely discern the features.

It was Elika, one of their subordinates.

Elika had been on the first floor. Hearing Okusalova's cry, he quickly rushed to the second floor for support, only to be ambushed there and decapitated.

Before the two could recover from their shock, two more blonde heads dropped by the doorway.

Luchaliev froze. These were also their subordinates; all three were now dead.

Should they go out?

At that critical moment, Okusalova's thoughts remained relatively clear. Though affected by the "ignorance cultivation technique," she still retained basic logic. She knew that staying here meant only waiting to die.

She was the first to rush out of the room, with Luchaliev close behind.

In the corridor, they saw a person dressed in all black standing in the center of the stairway.

His feet were splayed outwards, his back hunched, shoulders slumped. With the light behind him, his face was blurred, and his stance was unnaturally stiff.

Just by his eerie posture, Okusalova had already identified him: it was Dwenming.

She spoke to the man in black in Lavsha. "Leader, I hope you can give us a reasonable explanation."

The man in black raised his left arm, his left hand dangling.

He then raised his left hand again, wagging a finger at Okusalova.

Okusalova understood this to mean the man in black had no intention of offering an explanation.

However, the man in black's true meaning was that he didn't understand Lavsha.

The man in black glided sideways and appeared before them.

Luchaliev shoved Okusalova away and tightly embraced the man in black.

"Go! Quickly!"

Okusalova looked at Luchaliev, a hint of reluctance in her eyes.

"This is my honor!" Luchaliev exclaimed, holding the man in black tightly. "My lady, my most beautiful lady, you must live!"

The man in black began to perform a string puppet dance with Luchaliev. Okusalova knew very well that once someone danced with Dwenming in this manner, it meant Luchaliev had no chance of survival.

Okusalova had no choice. With tears in her eyes, she rushed down the stairs.

Luchaliev was still clinging tightly to the man in black.

The man in black easily broke free from his embrace, losing no skin or flesh.

He had no skin or flesh; this man in black was not Dwenming, but Li Banfeng's shadow.

He had just learned the string puppet dance. Following the textbook Dwenming had given him, and utilizing his traveler cultivator's agile footwork, he had managed to pick up some basic steps.

However, he wasn't a dance cultivator, so he couldn't kill using dance cultivation techniques.

Before Luchaliev could comprehend what was happening, the shadow swung its scythe down.

Luchaliev was still intent on fighting; he wanted to adhere to the scythe.

As long as he could stick to the weapon, he could buy more time, giving Okusalova more opportunities to escape.

Unfortunately, the scythe couldn't be adhered to because it was covered in oil.

The blade sliced across Luchaliev's neck; a chill enveloped him, his thoughts ceased, and his head dropped to the ground.

The shadow took out a pendulum and gloves; the oil needed to be retrieved to leave no traces.

Okusalova rushed to the first floor, where the snack vendor blocked her path. "Where are you going?

What happened?"

"Get lost!" Okusalova pushed the snack vendor aside and rushed out of the cinema.

The snack vendor called Lin Fojiao. "Mr. Lin, the place is in chaos."

A yawn came from the receiver. "Have you seen Li Qi?"

"Not yet."

"Then, just wait a bit longer."

Okusalova rushed out of the Cultural Palace, intending to go to the Hermitage's nearest stronghold to immediately gather reinforcements.

As she ran into a small path, a group of people suddenly appeared, blocking her way.

Okusalova forcefully coughed up the mochi from her throat, took a deep breath, and prepared for a desperate fight.

Shen Jingye stepped forward and began to speak. "Madam, please don't panic. We have no intention of harming you. We received information about an incident at the Cultural Palace, and we need to investigate the situation. Please cooperate with us."

Okusalova asked hoarsely, "Who are you?"

Up until this point, she still firmly believed she had been poisoned and that her throat was compromised.

Shen Jingye did not wish to disclose his identity in public. Li Qi, however, produced his identification. "I am Li Qi of the Dark Star Bureau. A violent incident has occurred at the Cultural Palace, potentially involving the illegal use of dark abilities. Please come with us to the Dark Star Bureau to assist with the investigation."

Li Qi!

Hearing that name, Okusalova felt as though she was about to bid farewell to the world.

She had to fight one last time before dying. She couldn't simply surrender or give up.

Even if she could take down one enemy, she wouldn't have betrayed the President's trust and commission!

Okusalova mustered her courage, staring at everyone with bloodshot eyes.

Then, she clasped her hands over her head and crouched on the ground.

Having an idea is one thing, possessing courage is another, but putting it into action is something else entirely.

Okusalova's explanation to herself was that she needed to live well, honoring Luchaliev's protection.

Okusalova was escorted into the car. Tangyuan looked around but couldn't find Dengpao.

"Where did Dengpao go?"

Zhong'er was also curious. "I just saw