Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation

Chapter 93: Chapter 86: Protection Star Pattern (Third Update, Requesting First Subscriptions and Monthly Votes)

”Ordinary people would need a hundred days to recover from bone and tendon injuries, but for cultivators, even with the aid of Star Power to speed up the healing, it would still take over half a month.”

”So, Second Senior Brother Zhang Han was still bedridden.”

Upon hearing that Xu Jin had arrived, Second Senior Brother Zhang Han slapped his right hand on the bed and leaped up, then, leaning on a wooden cane, welcomed Xu Jin into the courtyard.

”Brother, is your leg still not healed?”

”The master has already treated it, but without Divine Arts to fully heal it, recovery still takes some time. However, my leg is almost there; in another two or three days I should be able to walk normally. As for this broken arm, to fully recover, it will take another seven or eight days,” Zhang Han said with a wry smile, attempting to pour tea, but Xu Jin stopped him.

”Second Senior Brother, I’ve come to ask for your help,” Xu Jin got straight to the point.

”Junior Brother, please speak. Within my ability, I will do my utmost to help,” Zhang Han immediately responded seriously upon hearing Xu Jin needed his assistance.

”It’s like this, Second Senior Brother, you mentioned to me before that there’s a black market in Jinshan County City, where it’s a bit more convenient to handle buying and selling, and the prices are higher. I want to ask, where is this black market? What are the rules?” Xu Jin inquired.

”That’s an easy one.”

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

After Xu Jin had saved Zhang Han last time, he had casually discussed the idea of dealing with redundant Star Weapons during a visit, at which point Zhang Han mentioned the black market.

Xu Jin hadn’t asked more at the time but had come specifically to inquire today.

Because Xu Jin was going to the black market, intending to buy something.

According to Zhang Han, the black market in Jinshan County City was essentially a marketplace set up by Martial World Loose Cultivators for the free trading of cultivation supplies, which had gradually begun to take shape.

So much so that even disciples of the various Taoist Institutes sometimes frequented the black market.

The reason was simple: prices were higher in the black market.

It was hard for Loose Cultivators to obtain resources, like Star Weapons and Pills, especially the high-quality Star Weapons and Pills produced by the Taoist Institutes, which were rare items and could sell at a high price.

Often, the Taoist Institute disciples would also prefer to deal in the black market.

Who wouldn’t be happy to earn some extra silver?

The resources Loose Cultivators acquired, some of which had no official channels to sell or couldn’t fetch a good price through official channels, they were willing to sell on the black market, where they frequently fetched good prices.

Of course, the black market emphasized the ”black,” for both the sellers and buyers.

Moreover, the authorities turned a blind eye to the existence of the black market — it was even said that the officials were involved as well.

The black market was also an extremely important one, especially for the Pills produced by the major Taoist Institutes.

Returning to his own courtyard, Xu Jin packed up the two unused Star Weapons he had acquired during his mountain expedition a few days ago, as well as two Star Weapons he had obtained from slaying Deng Longshu and Gong Wei, along with the Star Weapon he had conveniently taken from a guard of Dining Dawn Realm whom he killed at Zhao Mansion today, and headed straight for the black market in Jinshan County City.

Although Xu Jin’s main purpose for this visit was to make a purchase, he wasn’t sure if his silver was enough, so he decided to bring these Star Weapons with him.

Previously, Xu Jin had just over eight thousand taels, and yesterday he had fished out a silver note of one thousand taels and a little over two thousand taels worth of silver notes from Zhao Weiqing’s bosom, but he had spent six thousand taels at Guan Yiqing’s.

After calculating, he had a little over fourteen thousand taels in hand.

He also quickly counted the loot from slaying Deng Longshu and Gong Wei during the day; Deng Longshu had more silver, a little over three thousand taels, while Gong Wei was rather poor, with just over one thousand taels.

Currently, he had a total of eighteen thousand taels in silver.

Not too shabby.

But for big plans, the more silver the better!

On the way, Xu Jin encountered several patrols of county guards, as the big case at Zhao Mansion had made the atmosphere in the county city very tense.

However, it didn’t affect Xu Jin; with one flash of his Star Patrol Commander badge, his passage was unobstructed.

The black market of Jinshan County City was located next to a brothel, guarded by a brute-looking burly man.

As Xu Jin approached to enter, the burly man was about to speak, but Xu Jin handed over five taels of silver, and the burly man threw him a mask in return.

An ugly monkey-face mask.

This was the admission ticket.

”Those who fight inside die!”

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

Inside, Xu Jin found rows of street stalls, somewhat resembling an early morning market.

This black market really had no pretense.

There weren’t many pedestrians, but there were many stall-holders who weren’t actively hawking their wares. Some simply put up signs listing what they were buying and selling, then sat there meditating with closed eyes.

Xu Jin even saw there were those selling their muscle.

In other words, hired muscle.

You pay silver, they throw the punches for you.

”Star Weapons, who’s buying?”

Having learned from Zhang Han’s previous advice, Xu Jin shouted out, and immediately, three or four stall owners opened their eyes and looked toward him.

Three minutes later, Xu Jin had exchanged his five Star Weapons through two dealers.

The black market was truly a great place to make silver.

Xu Jin remembered the first Star Weapon he had seized; the Forging Hall had only offered 1800 taels, and in the end, he exchanged it for a piece of two-star Star Fallen Iron.

But here, even the cheapest First Tier Star Weapon sold for 2300 taels.

The most expensive was the longbow Star Weapon from Gong Wei.

It sold for a full 3500 taels.

Altogether, Xu Jin pocketed 12400 taels for the five Star Weapons, in cash and silver notes.

Xu Jin’s silver in hand now exceeded thirty thousand taels, nearing thirty-one thousand taels.

”I want to buy Star Beast Star Cores, who’s selling?”

This was the real reason Xu Jin had come to the black market.

Previously at the Foreign Affairs Hall, Xu Jin had inquired about Star Beast Star Cores, which the hall did not sell, mainly because Star Cores were too scarce and in short supply everywhere.

”I have one each of Third-tier Upper and Third-tier Lower.”