The Exchange Meet

Chapter 544: Stirring the Seas Abroad – The Exchange Meet

The old man, hearing Han Li’s words, let out an awkward chuckle and quickly agreed. He then changed direction, flying ahead toward the east.

Han Li followed unhurriedly behind him, his expression perfectly composed.

“Senior’s face seems a bit unfamiliar. May I ask your esteemed name and where you have been cultivating in seclusion? This junior might have heard of your great name before!” Huang Mingli, as he flew, turned back to steal a glance at Han Li and asked cautiously.

“My surname is Li. I was previously in secluded cultivation at my cave estate, having only recently formed my core and emerged. Fellow Daoist Huang, it is perfectly normal that you have never met me before,” Han Li replied casually, naturally unwilling to speak the truth.

Han Li’s words revealed no flaw to Huang Mingli’s ears. Although the old man still harbored some suspicion in his heart, he could only voice words of congratulations.

After that, Huang Mingli, being quite perceptive, refrained from probing Han Li for more information. Instead, he actively began telling Han Li about several recent clashes between human cultivators and demon beasts. Judging by his sighing and lamenting manner, he seemed pessimistic about the prospects of humanity in this region.

Listening to the man’s endless chatter, Han Li, though he rarely interjected, gained a much clearer understanding of the current situation in the outer seas.

For the next half month, nothing untoward occurred. Han Li and the old man smoothly arrived at a very ordinary-looking small island.

This island was only about a hundred li in size, with pitifully thin spiritual energy. Aside from sparse patches of vegetation, it consisted only of bare, gray rock. It was a perfect example of a desolate island commonly seen in the outer seas. Choosing this location was clearly the best way to conceal the existence of the secret market.

Nevertheless, even when they were still half a day’s journey from the island, Han Li and the old man both began to use concealment techniques, suppressing their escape light and moving stealthily.

This was naturally another request from the market’s owner.

Upon hearing Huang Mingli’s plea, Han Li did not show any impatience and silently complied. This caused Huang Mingli to breathe a great sigh of relief, for some Core Formation cultivators were not always so easy to deal with.

At this moment, after circling the island once, Huang Mingli descended toward a pile of scattered rocks.

Han Li, following beside him, saw this and a hint of surprise flickered across his face.

If he was not mistaken, there was no restriction on this area. Could it be…?

Just as a flicker of doubt arose in Han Li’s mind, Huang Mingli stood beside a large boulder and expertly tapped the stone wall three times.

A moment later, a black hole, about a zhang wide, suddenly split open in the boulder.

Huang Mingli immediately stepped forward and said a few words in a low voice into the opening. Then he turned back and called out loudly to Han Li in the air: “Senior Li, this is the place. Let’s go in!”

Han Li nodded faintly, descended from the air, and walked directly over.

Inside the opening was a sloping stone staircase. Standing beside the staircase was an old man in a gray robe with white hair and beard, who appeared to be at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

“Welcome, Senior, to our market. I hope you can find what you need inside,” the old man said with a smile as soon as he saw Han Li enter, his manner neither servile nor overbearing.

“I hope so,” Han Li said calmly, taking the lead and walking down.

He now understood. To prevent demon beasts from detecting the spiritual energy anomaly here, they had apparently set up no array restrictions, simply excavating a temporary underground space.

After walking down the staircase for a short distance, Han Li’s vision opened up.

A vast underground world appeared before him. It was about five or six zhang high, with the soil all solidified using the petrification technique and supported by numerous cyan stone pillars. In the middle were rows of square stone rooms, each hanging up various signs.

Over a hundred cultivators were trading various items and materials within these stone rooms.

“Senior Li, this level is only for ordinary goods trading. If you wish to purchase rarer materials, you need to go to the lower level,” Huang Mingli reminded him, pointing to a stone staircase leading down beside a stone pillar.

“If I need information on the lairs of high-grade demon beasts, where would I find it?” Han Li swept his gaze over the staircase, but did not walk over. Instead, he asked in a deep voice.

Hearing this, Huang Mingli was clearly taken aback. A trace of suspicion flashed across his face. But he then blinked his small eyes and answered as if reciting from memory:

“That depends on what grade of demon beast Senior requires. For fifth or sixth grade beasts, you can directly go down to the ‘Wind Listening Pavilion’. They specialize in selling intelligence on hard-to-obtain heavenly treasures and the whereabouts of high-grade demon beasts, for fellow Daoists to retrieve as they will. However, for beasts of a higher grade, they won’t have any information. You would have to see if any other Core Formation seniors have that kind of intelligence. After all, the whereabouts of demon beasts of that level are generally not easily leaked. Senior could attend the exchange meet specially prepared for Core Formation cultivators. You might just gain something in this regard.”

“An exchange meet?” Han Li’s expression shifted, showing a hint of interest.

“Yes! Usually, only Core Formation cultivators possess the materials and treasures that other Core Formation cultivators need. Therefore, whenever the market is held, the host gathers these seniors together to hold a small, private exchange meet. This allows the seniors to get what they need, and the host also takes out many extremely rare items to participate,” Huang Mingli explained carefully.

“When does this exchange meet begin?” Han Li asked slowly, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

“I estimate Senior Li will have to wait a few more days. Basically, when the market reaches its midpoint, someone will naturally come to invite you, Senior,” the old man quickly added.

Upon hearing this, Han Li’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a contemplative expression appeared on his face, as if he were weighing something.

But after a moment, he looked at Huang Mingli and spoke:

“Fellow Daoist Huang, I intend to look around on my own from here. Let us part ways here. There is no need for you to accompany me.” Han Li did not wish for anyone to be tailing him while he searched for information about the Thousand Leaf Dew. So he spoke without ceremony.

The old man did not look surprised at these words. Instead, he agreed with a beaming smile.

“Senior’s wish aligns perfectly with this junior’s own. I was just thinking of going to buy some materials myself. I will take my leave here, then. If Senior requires any further assistance, feel free to come find me.” Huang Mingli respectfully bowed to Han Li, then took his leave and hurried toward a nearby materials shop. It seemed he wanted to first deal with the demon beast corpses.

Han Li was quite satisfied with the other party’s tact and quick wits.

After sweeping his gaze around, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked toward a shop in the opposite direction. This shop was piled high with all kinds of medicinal herbs.

...

Three days later, Han Li sat cross-legged within a quiet room in the market, his eyes closed in meditation. However, he felt somewhat frustrated inside.

On his very first day at the market, he had visited every shop on the first and second levels. Indeed, while the Accompanying Demon Herb was easy to find, none of the shops sold an Accompanying Herb from an eighth-grade demon beast.

As for the “Wind Listening Pavilion,” they also had no information on beasts of the seventh grade or above.

That left him with no choice but to wait for the exchange meet to be held, to see if any other Core Formation cultivators had the relevant intelligence.

For the remaining two days, he had gone nowhere. He had simply rented this quiet room to practice cultivation techniques, hoping to find a way to break through his bottleneck. As expected, he had gained nothing.

Knock, knock. Two sounds of knocking came from outside the quiet room.

“What is it?” Han Li, though he had already anticipated it, opened his eyes and asked coldly.

“Senior Li! This junior has been ordered to invite you to the exchange meet. Might Senior be interested in attending?” a sweet female voice respectfully inquired.

“I see. Of course, I will attend,” Han Li replied slowly. Then he stood up, pulled open the stone door, and walked out of the quiet room.

Outside, a woman dressed in white was waiting respectfully with her head bowed.

When she saw Han Li come out, she immediately lifted her head, revealing a charmingly beautiful face.

But the moment Han Li saw the woman’s exquisite features, his body couldn’t help but jolt. He stared at her face, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

How could it be her? Why would she be here? Han Li thought, utterly shocked.

“Senior, is something wrong?” The woman in front of him, being stared at so directly by Han Li, felt a blush creep across her delicate cheeks. She lowered her head and asked with some unease.

“It’s nothing. Just lead the way,” Han Li said, quickly regaining his composure and speaking flatly.

The woman in white still felt a vague unease in her heart, but she obediently replied. Then, with light steps, she led Han Li away from the quiet room.

Staring at the woman’s full, shapely figure walking ahead, Han Li frowned inadvertently, the look of suspicion on his face growing even deeper.

After crossing the square on the second level, the woman leading the way brought Han Li to a secluded stone wall.

The woman gently pressed her hand against the stone wall. After a ripple of white light spread out, a stone door covered in runes appeared out of thin air.

(End of Chapter)