528: Chapter 528 Don't Seek Death

Since coming to this world, Lin Xiao had either been at war or working.

Apart from a trip to the Taoist Sect, he had truly never had a chance to properly relax.

Since he had come to the Ghost Market, which was reputed to be the number one in the Great Gan, Lin Xiao naturally wanted to go in and take a look.

Just as he was about to enter, an old woman blocked his path with an iron bowl.

"Ten coins per person," the old woman said hoarsely.

Lin Xiao didn't have any copper coins on him, so he simply tossed a tael of silver over.

"Keep the change."

The old woman immediately picked up the silver, bit it with her large yellow teeth, and grinned, "Many thanks, Young Master. Please, come in!"

As soon as Lin Xiao entered, two burly men immediately came to the old woman's side.

"Mother, this kid is a new face, but he looks quite wealthy."

"Should we set him up? Strip him clean?"

The old woman cast a cold glance at her two sons with her triangular eyes, "Don't seek death! This person's cultivation is unfathomable. When I asked him for money just now, I did so with great trepidation, worried that he might grow suspicious."

"If I am not mistaken, this person has likely used a disguise, or he is some old monster who has practiced some youth-preserving technique!"

The two sons were greatly astonished and looked at each other.

Even their own mother couldn't see through this person's cultivation? What kind of background must he have!?

The few Great Grandmasters alive today probably wouldn't be much better, would they?

Cold sweat broke out on their backs. Fortunately, they had come over to ask; otherwise, something terrible might have happened!

Little did they know, the conversation between the mother and her two sons had not escaped Lin Xiao's perception.

"Heh... interesting..."

Lin Xiao had long noticed that the old woman guarding the gate was actually a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Although he hadn't heard of her sect—it was likely just some secretive small sect from the Southern Border—judging by her internal energy aura, she was on par with Shu Yelan and very close to becoming a Great Grandmaster.

However, in terms of lifespan, this old woman didn't have many years left, so becoming a Great Grandmaster was merely a pipe dream.

Lin Xiao strolled around leisurely for a while, looking here and there.

Since he had come all this way, Lin Xiao intended to bring back some small gifts for his women.

They didn't need to be very valuable; it was just a gesture of his affection.

Come to think of it, the reason he could stroll around so freely was largely thanks to Xiao Qingxuan, Su Wansha, and Mu Wanying, who helped him handle various issues regarding government affairs, people's livelihoods, and the military.

After browsing for a while on the bustling street, Lin Xiao bought some miscellaneous little items for each of the women.

"Come to think of it... isn't Yaner also in Baiyue, investigating the Moon Worship Cult?"

Lin Xiao muttered to himself, wondering where Leng Bingyan was—whether she was still in the mountains or had already returned to the Northern Territory.

Just as he was pondering this, a place where a large crowd had gathered appeared ahead.

Lin Xiao went closer to take a look and discovered it was a "Martial Fighting Arena"?

Inside, various desperate criminals were fighting to the death with no rules or restrictions, using hidden weapons and poisons without restraint.

Because it was so thrilling, there were many bets placed on every match. They had even erected over a dozen wooden platforms as VIP seats for wealthy young masters to watch the battles.

This was also Lin Xiao's first time seeing such a scene, so he simply spent one hundred taels of silver to buy an empty VIP seat, walked in, and sat down.

What made him chuckle was that a maid with a tattoo on half her face came over, smiling seductively, to serve fruit platters, melon seeds, and tea.

"Young Master, we have many young ladies here. Would you like to stay the night?"

Lin Xiao looked at the voluptuous maid, and his heart fluttered for a moment.

However, he still declined.

Although he was no refined gentleman, he wasn't a starving ghost who accepted everything that came his way.

Moreover, the desperate fighting in this Ghost Market was already quite stimulating.

These people either killed for pleasure or wanted to get rich overnight, so they fought very "without martial virtue."

Lin Xiao scanned them with his Eye of God. After seven or eight rounds of duels ended, you could basically barely piece together a normal person from the remains.

As the matches progressed, the strength of the martial artists grew stronger.

When the final match was about to begin, the owner of the Martial Fighting Arena walked onto the stage and announced loudly:

"Everyone! The final match of the night is surely what you have been waiting for!"

"After a year and three months, the 'Ghost King' of our Dayue Ghost Market will face his challenger!"

Ghost King?

Lin Xiao was puzzled and immediately asked the maid beside him.

Upon hearing this, he realized that in the Martial Fighting Arena, one only needed to dominate for a month consecutively to be awarded the title of "Ghost King."

The Ghost King did not need to go down to fight, and as long as he remained undefeated, he could continue to take a cut of the earnings from the Martial Fighting Arena.

Anyone who wanted to challenge the Ghost King needed to have a one-month winning streak or pay three thousand taels of silver directly.

To put it bluntly, the Ghost King was the cash-cow signboard of the Martial Fighting Arena.

"Really? It's been over a year since the last Ghost King battle?"

"This generation's Ghost King sits very securely in his position. A year and three months—just the cut alone must be tens of thousands of taels of silver, right?"

"Tsk tsk, if I were the Ghost King, I would have just run away! With so much silver, could one even spend it all?"

"Haha, you're overthinking it. Don't forget who is behind the Ghost Market's Martial Fighting Arena; could he even run away?"

Lin Xiao found this curious and immediately asked the maid beside him again.

"Is the backer of this Martial Fighting Arena very powerful?"

The maid pursed her lips, seemingly afraid to speak.

Lin Xiao immediately tossed ten taels of silver over.

"Many thanks, Young Master!"

The maid hurriedly leaned in and whispered, "The big boss of this Martial Fighting Arena is said to be Prince Wu, Liu Bing, because when the Ghost Market was first established, it was secretly promoted by Prince Wus Mansion."

Lin Xiao couldn't help but rub his forehead. He was truly foolish; for this Ghost Market to be able to play at "killing" in Dayue City so unscrupulously, it had to be the business of Prince Wu, Liu Bing, right!?

Amid the wave after wave of cheers from the audience, four ghost servants carried a stark white sedan chair out from the "Ghost Gate."

Paper money was even being scattered at the scene, and little ghosts with snow-white faces were jumping and dancing. It was truly filled with chilling winds, and the atmosphere of the underworld was palpable.

A tall, thin man stepped down from the sedan chair. He had a horse-like face, was wrapped in pitch-black leather clothing, had extremely long arms, and wore sharp claws on his hands. It was impossible to tell what school he belonged to.

[Rakshasa, 58 years old, successor of the Yin Wind Cave, Ghost King of Dayue City Ghost Market, Aptitude: Earth Grade]

[Realm: Martial Arts Grandmaster]

Lin Xiao took a brief look; he was indeed a Great Grandmaster. No wonder no one had challenged him for over a year.

This Yin Wind Cave was just a small sect, and its martial arts inheritance followed a sinister path. It was likely that their ancestors had blessed them, and they had suddenly produced such an enlightened successor.

Not long after, a figure draped in a black cloak walked over from the "Naihe Bridge" on the other side.

Even though the robe was loose, one could still see her graceful figure. It was actually a woman?

The scene immediately erupted in weird laughter, and many people whistled.

"Little lady, with so much money, why be so suicidal?"

"Three thousand taels of silver, why not give it to me, brother? Brother will take care of you..."

A few people who didn't fear death laughed wantonly.

Lin Xiao blinked hard, because this woman's information...

"Didn't she return to the Ten Thousand Poison Cave? Why is she coming here to join in the fun?"

This woman was actually Liao Meier, whom he had sent back to the Southern Border?!