Immortal Path Space

Chapter 384: The Second Line of Defense Falls

Inside Azure Void City, there were several Black Markets where illicit transactions of items best kept hidden took place regularly.

In these Black Markets, one could not only trade in person but also submit commissions.

All that was needed was to hand over the items one wished to sell and the items one wanted to purchase to the Black Market organizers. Then, their trade conditions would appear on a stone tablet within the Black Market.

If anyone found the trade conditions appealing, they could approach the Black Market organizers to make the deal.

At this moment, Wang Hong had transformed his appearance into that of an elderly woman and entered one of the Black Markets. He sought out the manager of this particular Black Market.

"Fellow Daoist, please present your commission voucher," said an old man in a black robe to Wang Hong.

Wang Hong retrieved a black Wooden Plaque from his Storage Bag and handed it to the old man.

The old man carefully inspected the Wooden Plaque, confirmed its authenticity, and then took out a wooden box, handing it over to Wang Hong.

While Wang Hong was examining the contents of the box, the old man spoke to him, "Fellow Daoist, do you happen to have any second-tier Spirit Wine? I can offer other Spiritual Objects in exchange."

As the manager of the Black Market, he naturally knew that Wang Hong had submitted his commission with ten catties of second-tier Spirit Wine, which far exceeded the value of the refining tool material. This was the reason why the commission had quickly found a taker.

The elderly lady that Wang Hong had transformed into narrowed her eyes, and a cold gleam flashed within them as she stared at the old man. "Are you trying to break the rules?"

"I dare not! I dare not! I was impolite," the old man repeatedly apologized. The rules of the Black Market were clear: they were only meant for facilitating trades, and no one was allowed to inquire about any information beyond the transactions.

With a disdainful snort, Wang Hong put the wooden box into his Storage Bag, and with a flick of his sleeve, he intended to leave the Black Market.

However, at that moment, a middle-aged cultivator covered in blood rushed into the Black Market. On his back, he carried an unconscious fellow cultivator.

"In urgent need of a second-tier healing Pill, the price is negotiable!" the middle-aged cultivator shouted as soon as he entered. But the passersby and the other cultivators at the stalls merely looked on coldly, showing no interest in trading with him.

Currently, countless people were getting injured on the front lines every day, and the supply of healing Spiritual Herbs was insufficient. It was going to be a long time before this situation could improve. No one could guarantee that they wouldn't need it themselves in the future, so naturally, no one was willing to trade.

The middle-aged cultivator looked around, and in the eyes of those who met his gaze, all he saw was indifference. Who cared about the life or death of a total stranger?

"I have the latest information from the front lines, just in exchange for one healing Pill!" the middle-aged cultivator shouted repeatedly, but still, no one responded.

While firsthand information from the front lines did have some value, it was something that would become common knowledge soon enough. Why waste a precious Pill when you could wait a little longer?

At that moment, Wang Hong happened to walk out from the inner chambers of the Black Market. Upon seeing this scene, he spoke up, "I happen to have a healing Pill right here. Let's make the trade!"

The middle-aged cultivator, upon hearing Wang Hong's words, felt as if he had found a savior. His spirits lifted, and he approached Wang Hong.

"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist, for your assistance!"

"It's just a trade, Fellow Daoist. No need for formalities."

Wang Hong took out a Hanyu Pill and handed it to the injured cultivator. He couldn't help but admire the middle-aged man, who, despite having his own injuries, was running around to help others. Though Wang Hong wasn't sure if he could do the same, he respected the cultivator's selflessness.

The middle-aged man gently placed the person on his back on the ground and accepted the Pill, then handed Wang Hong a Jade Scroll.

After examining the Pill, the middle-aged man realized he didn't recognize it and asked, "Fellow Daoist, what kind of Pill is this? I've never seen one like it before."

"This is a Pill I happened to acquire. Its healing effects are slightly better than ordinary second-tier Pills," Wang Hong explained.

The middle-aged man carefully scraped a bit of powder from the Pill and tasted it to ensure it was safe. He then fed it to his unconscious companion.

Meanwhile, Wang Hong began to examine the contents of the Jade Scroll. However, his expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

A nearby cultivator noticed Wang Hong's expression and, being quite friendly, asked, "Is something unusual happening on the front lines?"

"Do you want to know? Give me two mid-grade Spirit Stones, and I'll tell you," Wang Hong replied with a slight grin. He wasn't one to let others take advantage of him easily.

The other cultivator felt discouraged by Wang Hong's response and cast a resentful glance before walking away.

After obtaining the information from the front lines, Wang Hong quickly left the Black Market and hurried back to Mountain Valley.

He couldn't afford to waste time; the second line of defense had already been breached. According to the middle-aged cultivator, the Demon Clan had been relentlessly attacking the defense line day and night for over a dozen days, leaving the defending cultivators exhausted and their supply of Spirit Wine, which helped replenish their Spiritual Power, depleted.

Just yesterday, a group consisting of nearly a hundred third-tier Demonic Beasts and several hundred second-tier Demonic Beasts had broken through the second line of defense, creating a breach. Consequently, the entire line had collapsed. Although many cultivators guarding the second line suffered heavy casualties, some managed to escape.

The middle-aged cultivator was likely one of the faster escapees, and many more cultivators would probably make their way back soon, rendering this piece of news less valuable.

Upon returning to Mountain Valley, Wang Hong gathered everyone together.

"Prepare yourselves for battle. The second line of defense has fallen, and in just a day or two, the Demonic Beasts will likely reach the first line of defense."

"I didn't expect the second line to fall so quickly. East Master, what should we do now?" someone asked.

"This is the last line of defense on the outskirts of Qingxu Sect. They will undoubtedly summon us to join the battle. Fortunately, I have obtained the last three materials needed for the Flying Boat Refinement. We are close to completing it; it's just a matter of time."

"Yin Ze, how's the progress on refining the Flying Boat components?" Wang Hong inquired.

"If I may report, East Master, we have completed more than half of the refinement process. However, the remaining parts will take at least another ten days to finish," Yin Ze replied.

He understood how valuable a Flying Boat could be in battle, but he had already mobilized all the refining tool cultivators in Mountain Valley. Unfortunately, time was running short.

"We might not have enough time. People will come to conscript us in the next few days. Let's hurry and refine all the components as quickly as possible. When it's time to join the defense line, we'll bring the components and materials with us and refine them during any available downtime," Wang Hong concluded. Time was against them, and this was the best they could do for now.

[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]