Chapter 396: Great Xuan Human King, Grant Me the Dao - , Help Me Open the Purple Mansion, and Ascend to ’Daoist High Merit’!

After carefully reading every word of the letter, Ji Xiu mulled over its contents. He then picked up the so-called ‘Black Market Mask’ to examine it.

It was a jet-black mask forged from a special material. It was cool to the touch yet as thin as a cicada’s wing. Two horns sprouted from its forehead, resembling a ‘Dragon Head’.

The Black Market beneath Jiangyin was rumored to encompass all sorts of ‘underground transactions’.

Items with unclear origins that couldn’t be sold openly could all be auctioned off and circulated through its ‘Gold-Selling Cave’.

Those who could enter the ‘Black Market’ often wore a mask. These masks were crafted in a series based on the ‘Twelve Zodiacs’. Not even a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster could see through another’s identity, providing maximum security.

But these masks were often extremely valuable and incredibly rare. Even if one occasionally surfaced on the market, it would be claimed by the rich and powerful, or by those of significant status.

Ordinary people had never even seen one.

Yet Jiang Li had casually left one for him.

He put on the mask, which was fashioned after the ‘Dragon Head’ of the ‘Twelve Zodiacs’.

Instantly, Ji Xiu felt as if a miniature ‘Illusory Jiangyin Map’ had materialized in his vision.

Daoist School Street, the Prefecture Yamen, the Martial Arts Institute, the Grand Lineage, the Beicang Marquis’s Mansion…

All the iconic buildings of Jiangyin Prefecture were clearly visible on this illusory map.

‘I never thought this mask would have such an effect,’ Ji Xiu thought, stroking its cool, sharp edges.

It was like carrying a ‘Holographic Map’ with him at all times, one he could summon and dismiss at will. It was incredibly convenient.

And on it, in a corner representing the East Pier, the three illusory words ‘Black Market Entrance’ floated, making Ji Xiu marvel silently:

‘They just display the location of the Black Market entrance so openly? Aren’t they worried that someone with malicious intent will take the opportunity to sneak in and cause trouble?’

‘They really can afford to be bold.’

But it was understandable.

Based on Ji Xiu’s current understanding of the mysterious organization known as the ‘Black Market’, this entrance in Jiangyin was more like a branch office—just one tentacle of the behemoth in this prefecture.

It was like a great net. He had heard that during its golden age a hundred years ago, it had nearly enveloped the entire Great Xuan, even using ‘Realm Gates’ to infiltrate other Outer Dao Celestial Universes!

Although it had kept a low profile and retracted in recent decades, with its influence reportedly shrinking and lying dormant, it was still not to be underestimated.

In the last few decades, this ‘Jiangyin Black Market’ alone first assassinated a True Sect Disciple sixty years ago, angering a Martial Saint without having its position shaken. Later, the Three Yang Sect attacked with three masters at the Peak of Dragon and Tiger, only to end in complete and utter defeat.

With so many cautionary tales before them, the fact that the Black Market remained unscathed was naturally because it had powerful backing and feared no one, no matter how wicked or powerful.

Even the Prefecture Yamen and the Garrison Camp only pursued the ‘Assassins’ who accepted bounties, never targeting the ‘behemoth’ itself, which spoke volumes.

Putting on the ‘Black Market Mask’, Ji Xiu followed the map’s directions and arrived at the ‘Black Market Entrance’.

It was in an extremely remote, deserted corner that no one ever visited.

But as he approached wearing the mask, a swirling, man-high portal materialized out of thin air in the desolate corner and slowly swung open right before his eyes!

He was secretly astonished. ‘This must be the entrance to the Black Market… It’s truly incredible!’

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Ji Xiu stepped through the portal.

In an instant, he felt as if he had been transported to another world entirely.

His surroundings were plunged into darkness.

Then, as far as he could see, there was only an enormous, resplendent mansion.

The mansion stood behind a massive archway, upon which were inscribed the three large words: ‘Gold-Selling Cave’.

At that moment, he found himself standing before the archway.

At the same time, a soft chuckle echoed beside him:

“This entrance was designed by the great personage who founded the Black Market, modeled after the structure of ‘Realm Gates’ and ‘Grotto Heavens’. Only those holding a special token can pass through.”

“I am the Jiangyin Black Market Master, Shi Yi. By her orders, I have been awaiting you for some time, young friend.”

“Please, follow me.”

Hearing the voice, Ji Xiu whipped his head around, only to find that at some point, a figure completely shrouded in a black robe, their face obscured, had appeared beside him.

‘The Jiangyin Black Market Master!’

‘That title was no small matter.’

‘The destruction of the Three Yang Sect’s three Dragon and Tiger masters sixty years ago, personally covering up the assassination of the True Sect Disciple… these and other major events that shook the entire Jiangyin Prefecture… were all said to be his doing!’

‘This was, without a doubt, a figure on par with the three great Deans—or perhaps… even higher!’

‘But now, he was actually here waiting for me?’

Even though he had already guessed that Jiang Li’s identity was extraordinary, this moment only solidified that belief. Not daring to act presumptuously, Ji Xiu acknowledged the man and followed the ‘Black Market Master’ through the archway and into the Gold-Selling Cave.

“Before you arrived, she instructed me that you, young friend, are one of the few people she gets along with and has traveled with.”

“Therefore, if in the future there is anyone you want to kill, or anything you find inconvenient to do yourself…”

“…you can post it all here in the ‘Gold-Selling Cave’. I will personally issue a bounty for the ‘Celestial Spirit and Earthly Fiend’ Assassins to handle it.”

The Black Market Master, Shi Yi, led Ji Xiu deeper inside, explaining the various functions of the Gold-Selling Cave as they walked. Finally, he brought him to the very back and stopped before a door.

“I will not go in.”