Zhu Genfu!

The moment Li Guanqi stepped into the alleyways of the black market, dozens of gazes snapped onto him in unison. Beneath his black robe, his brow furrowed slightly. With a cold snort, he completely devoured every probing aura surrounding him! This single display struck fear into many cultivators, who hastily lowered their heads. Li Guanqi didn't mind making a show of force to deter the crowd. In a place like this, anyone lacking strength was bound to be targeted. That simple move instantly intimidated the dozens of stall vendors near the entrance. Cloaked in his black robe, Li Guanqi remained entirely shrouded in shadows. He soon detected that quite a few within the market bore the auras of Heavenly Immortals. Not only that, but from the depths of the market, he also sensed a few faint, formidable presences. Hearing newcomers enter behind him, Li Guanqi quickened his pace deeper into the market. The spots right at the entrance might look prime, but stalls in such locations were usually meant to fleece gullible suckers. Nearly everyone ran their stalls clad in black robes, laying out a simple cloth on the ground to display their wares. The items were numerous, an overwhelming and diverse array. A vendor could hold up an unremarkable jade fragment and boast that it contained the legacy of an Immortal Monarch, or point to crude markings on an unknown beast hide and claim it was a treasure map leading to immense fortunes. Li Guanqi had a very clear purpose: to find items that could help revive his master. He moved at a leisurely pace, stopping and looking along the way, taking in all sorts of curiosities. Yet he didn't purchase a single thing. Meanwhile, numerous eyes remained fixed on him. Most belonged to Heavenly Immortal cultivators. Naturally, they could sense another presence concealed beneath his robe—one that likely belonged to a spirit creature! Yet at this moment, no one dared make a move. Combat was strictly forbidden in the black market; it was an age-old, unbending rule. If anyone broke it, the consequences were far beyond what they could bear. Along the path, Li Guanqi spotted several intriguing trinkets, but passed them by. That was until he came to a stop before the stall of a fierce-looking, middle-aged man. This man had made no effort to disguise his appearance. His aura was profound as an abyss, completely beyond Li Guanqi's ability to gauge. From this alone, it was clear that he was definitely among the strongest of Heavenly Immortals! The wares before him were simple: only spirit herbs glowing with spiritual radiance, freshly dug with their soil still attached. Li Guanqi stopped in front of the stall and slowly crouched down without reaching out to touch anything. Recalling the information Lin Jinting had shared with him, he realized that among the dozen-odd spirit herbs before him, one happened to be precisely what he needed! A high-tier, second-grade immortal herb! Moreover, it lay within the man's immediate reach. The herb possessed a bizarre appearance, ghastly pale and rigid. Its petals took the distinct shape of skeletal human fingers, jointed and thick, with molten gold tracing their edges and spiritual radiance shimmering at the center of the pistil. Li Guanqi slowly opened his eyes and murmured inwardly, *The most important herb, the Soul Bone Flower... To think I'd encounter it here.* With no intention of playing mind games, Li Guanqi pointed at the Soul Bone Flower and said softly, "Name a price for this one." With that, Li Guanqi extended his hand, pulling his sleeve forward to drape over it. The man, whose face bore a savage scar, looked slightly surprised. This method of negotiating prices under sleeves was rarely seen nowadays; only older generations still practiced it. Yet the presence the stranger gave off didn't feel particularly strong to his senses... The burly man slowly sat up straight, reached out with his right hand, and slipped it into the sleeve. He paused for an instant. The moment his hand met Li Guanqi's, he could feel thick calluses, yet the fingers were slender and the skin smooth—hardly that of an old man! Putting the thought aside, the man formed a hand signal. Li Guanqi shook his head, clasped the man's hand, and countered with another gesture. The man frowned slightly and pulled his hand back altogether. "If you haggle like that, we have nothing to discuss." The man was clearly annoyed. Li Guanqi felt a bit awkward; back in the Human Spirit Realm, he had grown accustomed to slashing prices by half. He hadn't expected the man to lose his temper right away, but the seller's asking price had been absurdly steep—demanding 2,700,000 right off the bat! After a brief thought, Li Guanqi simply signaled two fingers. Just as the man opened his mouth to object, Li Guanqi sent a soft voice transmission: "This price is already very fair. After all, it's merely a second-grade immortal herb, not third-grade. I'm genuinely interested in buying, or I wouldn't have offered this much." The man hesitated. He had gone to immense trouble to obtain this Soul Bone Flower, nearly losing his life in the process... Seeing his hesitation, Li Guanqi casually pointed to two other immortal herbs and added softly, "Together, 2,300,000. That's my limit." The man gave a slight nod and said in a deep voice, "Deal!" With that, he began to stand to wrap the items for Li Guanqi. Right at that moment, a hand suddenly lunged toward the Soul Bone Flower! "Huh? A Soul Bone Flower?!" *Shhhk!* A flash of cold light streaked past, and the reaching hand was severed cleanly at the wrist! A flicker of astonishment flashed through the scarred man's eyes. His left hand paused midair, a dagger poised in his grip as he muttered under his breath with a frown, "What a fast sword!" A shrill, agonized scream suddenly pierced the air. "Aaargh! Damn you! You dared attack me?!" Ignoring the man completely, Li Guanqi handed over a storage ring containing exactly twenty-three thousand second-grade immortal crystals. The stall vendor gave it a quick count, signaled that all was in order, and handed over three large jade cases. Having completed the deal, the man began packing up his stall. He cast a glance at Li Guanqi and sent a quiet transmission: "He's the eldest son of Liuyang Manor. Be careful. Also... that little thing on your shoulder is a bit too eye-catching. Watch your back." Beneath the black robe, the corners of Li Guanqi's mouth curved slightly, and he murmured his thanks. The man then vanished into the shadows of the night. Two black-robed men promptly stepped forward, boxing Li Guanqi in. Many nearby vendors packed up their wares, watching with relish as the drama unfolded. The young man pulled back his hood, revealing a greasy, pudgy face twisted in fury as he glared at Li Guanqi. His narrow eyes, squeezed into slits by folds of fat, burned with venomous malice. "You bastard, do you have any idea who I am?!" "I am Zhu Genfu of Liuyang Manor! You actually dared draw blood in the black market! You must have a death wish!" Li Guanqi frowned and casually raised a hand to pick at his ear. "What was your name?" "Hmph, scared now? Zhu Genfu!" "Pig who?" "Zhu Genfu! Are you deaf?!" "What pig?" Before the words had even settled, bursts of laughter erupted from all around. "Hahahaha, that guy is blatantly mocking him!" "Tsk, daring to make a move in the Anting Ferry black market... that kid is in for a world of hurt." By now, Zhu Genfu realized he was being played for a fool. The hatred in his heart surged, and he waved his hand, roaring, "He struck first! Cripple him for me!" The moment the words left his mouth, the two Heavenly Immortal cultivators beside him attacked at once! Yet what happened next caught everyone entirely off guard...