Chapter Nineteen: Tianxu Market

After listening to Zhu Yan for a long time, Zhang Xiao finally gained an understanding of the situation in the ocean. Although the human and demon races were not exactly harmonious, they generally avoided conflict unless there were conflicting interests. The demon race required magical artifacts forged by humans, while humans needed resources provided by the demons. Through this mutual exploitation, their relationship was better than that on the mainland. Feeling that he had learned enough, Zhang Xiao walked up to the girl named Zhao Yan and gently brushed aside a lock of hair on her forehead.

A subtle birthmark appeared before his eyes. Zhang Xiao was shocked; he never expected such a coincidence, as the person before him was indeed a classmate from his elementary school days. This realization stirred a wave of emotion within him. He touched her brow, channeling a strand of pure Yang energy into her body to stabilize her aura. Zhu Yan, watching from the side, had a strange look on her face, thinking to herself, "No way, don't tell me this senior has taken a liking to Senior Sister? What about Senior Brother Wan? He has been pursuing Sister Zhao Yan for so long."

As Zhu Yan’s mind began to wander, Zhang Xiao turned and flicked a silver light toward her. Zhu Yan felt the world darken, and she lost consciousness, collapsing to the ground. Although they were old classmates, Zhang Xiao had long since abandoned such sentimental attachments. He had no desire to reminisce, and given his current status as a target being hunted by the Ten Thousand Spirit Cave, it was better to avoid entangling relationships. After setting up an illusion array around the two women to protect them until they woke up, his figure transformed into a five-colored light and vanished into the horizon.

Since mastering the harmony of the five elements, his travel speed was no longer inferior to the "Godly Footwork" technique; in some aspects, it was even superior—unless, of course, one had reached the third stage of that technique, where every step encompassed a world.

The Tianxu Sea was the most prosperous region under the jurisdiction of the Sea King Palace, second only to the Royal Sea where the palace itself resided. Beams of light descended from the sky into the sea, some belonging to demons and others to humans. Beneath the sea, a vast city stood upon countless coral reefs. This was the largest marketplace in the Tianxu Sea, filled with pills, artifacts, and demon cores. Beyond these, one could even find human female cultivators and demon slave girls for sale.

A five-colored streak of light shot in from afar, its speed so immense that other cultivators turned to look in astonishment. "What incredible speed," they whispered. Needless to say, this was Zhang Xiao. Ignoring the gazes of others, he shifted his five-colored light into a pure blue hue, diving into the sea like a flying fish. By channeling the attributes of the Xuanwu divine beast, his speed in the water was even greater than in the sky. In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the gates of the marketplace.

The light ceased, revealing a silver-haired Zhang Xiao who strode toward the entrance. Unlike others, the guards recognized his immense power from his aura and, realizing they could not fathom his depth, instinctively stepped back. A voluptuous female demon approached and bowed respectfully. "Senior, is this your first time at our Tianxu Marketplace? Perhaps I could serve as your guide. Before that, please pay the entry fee of one spirit stone."

Her provocative appearance and alluring face caused many nearby to gulp. Guides in the Tianxu Marketplace were a luxury, reserved only for those of extraordinary strength. Zhang Xiao remained as stoic as a statue, his face unreadable. He tossed out a spirit stone and walked on. The guard picked it up and saw it was a third-grade spirit stone, marveling at his generosity. Little did he know, Zhang Xiao had no concept of the value of these stones and possessed hundreds of them in Li Kun’s storage bag. Since it wasn't his own money, he felt no sting.

"Senior, are you here to buy or sell?" the female demon asked, trailing behind him. Zhang Xiao noted that the Tianxu Marketplace certainly knew how to cater to high-level cultivators, ensuring they would return for future trades.

"What is the difference?" Zhang Xiao asked. The demon quickly pulled out a map. "The purple area is for pills, red for crafting materials, and the pink area below is for slaves, maids, and cultivation partners." She blushed slightly and added, "Anything you wish to buy can be found here, including us guides."

Zhang Xiao nodded faintly and pointed to a green area. "What is that?"

The demon looked slightly disappointed by his coldness but replied humbly, "That is the Tianxu Auction Pavilion, where the most valuable treasures are sold. However, the next auction is not for another three years."

Zhang Xiao felt a twinge of disappointment, but he reasoned that he was in no hurry to return to the mainland; he would first find a way to repair the Xuantian Command Token. "Since there are places to forge pills, is there any metal-attribute earthly fire?"

The demon nodded and pointed to a section on the map. "This area has metal-attribute fire, and nearby are wood, water, earth, and fire varieties. You can lease a shop here for one hundred spirit stones a year."

Zhang Xiao looked satisfied. He pulled a storage bag from his robe and tossed it to her. "Keep the map. You don't need to follow me anymore. There are two hundred spirit stones in there—take them."

The female demon stared at the bag in disbelief. Two hundred third-grade spirit stones was a fortune, enough to buy her freedom. Tears welled in her eyes as she knelt to thank him, but by the time she looked up, Zhang Xiao had already vanished. Zhang Xiao didn't consider himself a saint, but through his practice of Buddhist teachings, a sliver of compassion remained. Encountering her was fate; a small favor could change a life, so why not?

At the management office, Zhang Xiao paid his hundred stones, and the staff treated him like royalty, offering him the best shops. He chose an inconspicuous one, paying for ten years in advance. With the token in hand, he realized his funds were nearly depleted. He chuckled, "Money truly comes and goes quickly. That fool Li Kun called himself a demon lord, but he was nothing but a waste."

After shutting the shop, Zhang Xiao set up several arrays for protection and to prevent prying eyes. He had Blackie stand guard at the entrance to the pill furnace. Upon inspecting the furnace, he found the metal-attribute fire was impure. With a flick of his hand, he plunged his palm into the flames, forcing the surrounding metal-attribute spiritual energy to condense until the fire turned a pure, brilliant gold.

He then retrieved the Xuantian Command Token and summoned Zi Yan. "Master, you threw me in there for so long and forgot all about me!" she complained, clinging to his arm with a resentful look that made Zhang Xiao’s skin crawl.

He assumed his stern master persona. "Your original form is damaged. Even if the Rebirth Water restored your source, you cannot run about as you used to. If an accident occurs, it would be troublesome."