110: underground black market

The entrance to Xiyuan City's underground black market was hidden beneath a dry well in the backyard of a general store.

Su Fan barely exerted any effort, simply holding his Sword to the necks of a few shopkeepers, and easily extracted the location and password to the underground black market.

Leaping into the dry well, and passing through a long, pitch-black underground tunnel, Su Fan and Chu Qinglian arrived at Xiyuan City's underground black market.

Emerging from the tunnel's exit, the sight before them left both Su Fan and Chu Qinglian somewhat surprised.

The anticipated gloom, chaos, and furtiveness were nowhere to be seen.

How could this be a clandestine underground black market?

This was clearly a massive underground market, brightly lit, bustling all night, and even more prosperous than Xiyuan City itself.

Embedded in the dome above were countless giant Moonlight Gems, as well as some bizarre Yao Beast cores emitting a warm white glow, illuminating the entire space as bright as day.

The streets were wide, and compared to the dark alleys of Bei Han City's underground black market, they were immeasurably cleaner and grander.

Shops lined both sides of the street, row upon row. Su Fan took a quick look and estimated there were at least a hundred shops, situated on either side of two long streets.

The architectural styles varied, and there were even a few pavilions with distinct exotic flair.

The flow of people was endless, and they weren't all the shady characters one might imagine, nor was it a gathering place for Demon Cultivators.

There were those dressed in luxurious attire, others in strange costumes, and of course, some who, like the dark rats of an ordinary black market, concealed their faces.

The cultivation auras of these individuals varied in strength; among them were Spirit Sea Realm experts, as well as Mortals with no cultivation whatsoever.

When the two walked to the center of the street, they could even hear some boisterous hawking.

“This... is this really the underground black market?”

Chu Qinglian was dumbfounded.

Her imagined underground black market should have been like Bei Han City's—dirty, damp, dimly lit, a bizarre place where people concealed their faces like rats and conducted furtive transactions.

Even if there were noisy taverns and shops, they would all be like shady establishments, with red plaques, dark streets, and utterly terrifying.

It was definitely not like Xiyuan City's underground black market... so open and above board!

“No wonder the mountains and rivers around Xiyuan City aren't particularly fertile, yet it's so prosperous. It turns out such a large market is hidden beneath Xiyuan City.”

After her surprise, Chu Qinglian's expression shifted to one of worry.

“I originally thought the underground black market wasn't very big, and finding little Gu Yuan would be relatively easy. Now, with this situation, finding him will be much harder.”

Su Fan nodded.

“Let's split up and search.”

Following their plan, they focused their search on shops that might be related to slaves, beastmen, or even Yao Beasts.

They even spent Spirit Stones to bribe their way into many places, searching the warehouses of these shops.

An hour later.

They found nothing.

By this point, Chu Qinglian could no longer hide her anxiousness, and her walking speed quickened.

If there were no more clues within the underground black market, they would have to expand their search to the entire Lei Province.

That would truly be like searching for a needle in a haystack!

Just as hope was gradually fading, Su Fan's gaze suddenly fixed on a Medicinal Pill shop in the distance.

In the shadows beside the main entrance, a thin, pale figure was hidden.

It was one of the three Demon Cultivators they had seen earlier in the tavern!

“Su Fan, that's...”

“Shh!”

Su Fan stopped Chu Qinglian's impulse to act.

He hadn't seen little Gu Yuan, nor had he seen the woman who had been abducted by him earlier.

The best way to find little Gu Yuan was to follow this Demon Cultivator back to his lair.

Regardless of which sect or faction he belonged to, Su Fan had already decided to wipe out his entire lineage while he was at it.

“Follow him.”

Su Fan and Chu Qinglian quietly trailed him.

The Demon Cultivator was extremely vigilant. After circling around and leaving the underground black market, he then took a long detour through the bustling streets of Xiyuan City.

After repeatedly confirming that no one was following him, he actually entered the inner city from Xiyuan City's outer city!

The inner city not only housed the City Lord's Mansion but also the Garrison, and its defenses were extremely strict, resembling a miniature imperial palace.

A Demon Cultivator dared to enter the inner city?

The two followed the Demon Cultivator into the inner city, passing through a gate guarded by armored soldiers. The Demon Cultivator showed a token, and the guards respectfully let him through.

However, as Su Fan and Chu Qinglian quietly approached and clearly saw the plaque hanging above the gate, they became even more puzzled.

One could even say they were somewhat shocked.

The plaque was clearly emblazoned with the banner of Xiyuan City's Garrison.

This was the main base of Xiyuan City's Garrison!

They never expected that this Demon Cultivator actually came from Xiyuan City's Garrison.

With his Foundation Establishment Realm strength, he couldn't possibly be just an ordinary soldier; it was highly probable that he was a high-ranking officer of the Garrison.

If a high-ranking officer was a Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Cultivator, Su Fan and Chu Qinglian could almost imagine that Xiyuan City's City Lord's Mansion and the Garrison all had intricate and unspeakable ties with Demon Cultivators.

It was even highly possible that Xiyuan City, like Bei Han City, had been completely infiltrated by Demon Cultivators!

“I wonder how many Demon Cultivators are within this military camp.”

Chu Qinglian shook her head.

Without needing to say more, a cold glint flashed in Su Fan's eyes.

The next moment, his figure vanished from its original spot like a phantom... Deep within the military camp, the Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Cultivator had just let out a sigh of relief, thinking he had returned to the safest place.

Immediately after, a terrifying, irresistible force instantly gripped his throat.

Under the immense pressure, he struggled to breathe, unable to resist, unable to call for help!

“You, you...”

He recognized the person before him; it was the Core Formation Realm expert he had encountered earlier in the tavern.

He must have come for the little Bear-Human.

Su Fan slammed the Demon Cultivator heavily to the ground and plunged his Cold Iron Sword directly into his thigh!

This sword strike contained a hint of Divine Soul-shaking power. The Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Cultivator immediately felt his Divine Soul being tormented as if scorched by the fires of Hell, in unbearable pain!

He let out screams and wails of agony, but they were blocked by the silencing barrier Su Fan had already set up.

“Speak, where is my Disciple?!”

Su Fan's voice was devoid of any warmth.

A look of intense fear flashed across the Demon Cultivator's face.

“I don't know! I really don't know. If you're talking about that Bear-Human Race child, he ran away himself!”

Su Fan slightly twisted his Cold Iron Sword.

The Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Cultivator immediately let out another miserable cry.

“I really don't know. At that time, he couldn't beat me, so he tore open a spatial rift and escaped himself. I saw it with my own eyes, I'm absolutely not lying!”

Su Fan pulled the Cold Iron Sword from his wound, then raised the tip of the sword, slowly approaching the latter's eyes.

“Still daring to quibble? I'll dig out your eyes first, then let you think properly!”

Su Fan didn't believe a word the Demon Cultivator said.

If little Gu Yuan had really torn open a spatial rift and run away, why hadn't he returned all night?

“Mercy, mercy, I really don't know!”

Su Fan manipulated a wisp of Sword Qi, piercing into a major acupoint on the Demon Cultivator's body.

Immediately, the Demon Cultivator's body violently curled up, convulsing intensely, his eyeballs bulging!

That wisp of Sword Qi entered along the Meridians, rampaging through his body like thousands of steel needles simultaneously stirring within him.

This torment made the Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Cultivator feel as if death would be a release.

“But I really don't know... He really tore open a spatial rift and ran away then. I really didn't capture him.”

The Foundation Establishment Realm Demon Cultivator was already weakened from the torment.

But his heart was filled with immense injustice!

Although he had lied to many people before, captured many slaves, and sold many rare beastmen.

This time, however, he really hadn't captured him!