“They have recently expanded on a large scale, I’m afraid they have taken on a big task,” Yuan Ming thought for a moment and asked again.

“I heard they are going to the Southern Territory of the Southern Frontier to carry out a treasure-hunting mission,” Bai Ye said.

“The Southern Territory of the Southern Frontier is not the same as the Northern Frontier. Some sects in the Southern Territory even have Elemental Infants sitting in power. It’s dangerous in case we touch the taboos of these sects. This is also one of the reasons why we hesitate to join them,” Huan Shi said slowly.

Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully, gaining a deeper understanding of the cultivation world in the Southern Territory.

If Bai Ye and the others really join this Dawn organization, their situation will be the same as the temporary recruits for the Snake King Valley mission. These hastily recruited members are likely to be used as cannon fodder, and being in the Southern Territory makes it even more dangerous.

And it’s unknown whether Dawn operates as honestly as Bai Ye.

Moreover, not everyone can break free from the situation of being cannon fodder like Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming couldn’t give any advice on this matter. After all, their lives were their own, and they needed to take responsibility for any decision they made.

By the time the three of them dispersed from the banquet, it was almost midnight.

With Huan Shi’s help, Yuan Ming bought several jars of “Hundred Days Drunk” from the Mountain Treasure Tower and planned to bring them back to taste with Fish Elder.

After parting ways, Yuan Ming estimated the opening time of the Ghost Market and hurried over.

By the time he arrived, the market had been open for a while.

Yuan Ming put on his cloak, whispered the password, and entered.

Entering the Ghost Market again, he found that the situation was similar to the last time he came. Both the vendors and the tourists were much fewer in number compared to the market.

The square was sparsely populated, with not many people in sight.

He strolled between the stalls, his gaze wandering, looking for something eye-catching.

However, after looking for a long time, he found nothing.

Just when he felt a little disappointed, he suddenly saw a familiar face.

At the edge of the square, in a dimly lit corner, there was a stall with a one-armed old man wearing a fox mask sitting on a broken bamboo chair with his eyes closed.

Feeling someone approaching, the one-armed old man immediately opened his eyes.

“Friend,” Yuan Ming said in a low voice.

“Oh, it’s you. What’s up? Do you have any exotic eggs or strange insects to sell again?” Although Yuan Ming spoke in a low voice, the one-armed old man still recognized him.

But after saying that, he hesitated and said, “This time you have something to sell, right?”

“I came to find you, not to sell exotic eggs or strange insects,” Yuan Ming said.

“Not selling anything… then you must be here to buy something? I have some new things. Take a look, is there anything you like?” The one-armed old man hesitated when he heard Yuan Ming’s words.

“I’m not buying either. The golden silk I bought from you before was damaged. I wanted to ask if you have a way to repair it or if you know how to repair it,” Yuan Ming explained his purpose.

“What a joke. That’s a middle-grade magic tool. It was damaged in just a few days? Young man, don’t be too reckless.” The one-armed old man frowned and advised.

“In the martial world, sometimes there’s no other choice!” Yuan Ming nodded, understanding the situation, and said.

The one-armed old man was momentarily speechless and gave Yuan Ming a disdainful look.

After a while, he spread his hands and said frankly, “I’m not a refiner, and the golden silk was something I got from elsewhere. I can’t help you with that. I’m powerless.”

Yuan Ming wasn’t particularly disappointed after hearing this. After all, it was within his expectations. He just tried his luck with a glimmer of hope.

Since he got the answer, Yuan Ming thanked the one-armed old man and turned to leave.

“Friend, wait, I have something else to ask,” the one-armed old man suddenly spoke up.

“What is it?” Yuan Ming turned around and asked.

“Friend, you have the aura of good fortune. If you have any exotic beasts in the future, you can come to me.” The one-armed old man said.

“Alright,” Yuan Ming casually agreed and was about to leave.

“Hey, friend, according to my experience, the exotic beasts in the Southern Territory are not ordinary. Are you interested in long-term cooperation with us?” the one-armed old man said.

“How do we cooperate?” Yuan Ming asked.

“As long as you have information about rare birds and exotic beasts, you can contact me. Our sect specializes in hatching and raising rare birds and exotic beasts. We are the only ones in Da Jin. As for the price, hehe, our sect leader and elders only buy expensive ones, not the right ones.” The one-armed old man said in a low voice.

“Alright, how do we contact each other?” Yuan Ming asked, thinking that this could be a source of income. He wondered how much his Strange Toads would be worth. Of course, he would never sell them.

“This place is too remote. We have a Rare Spirit Pavilion in a slightly larger market. Just mention my name, Gu Qiuming, and you can find me. I will be leaving the Southern Territory and returning to Da Jin tomorrow. You can send a letter to contact me, or you can come find me when you come to Da Jin in the future,” the one-armed old man said.

Yuan Ming said, “That’s not bad. Please leave me a way to contact you.”

“Sure, whether you want to send a letter or find someone, you can go to the Rare Spirit Pavilion in Leizhou City in Da Jin. And remember to mention my name when making transactions. I can also give you some contribution points from our sect.” The one-armed old man said. “Alright, I’ll remember that,” Yuan Ming said and was about to leave.

At this moment, the one-armed old man suddenly spoke again, “Friend, wait.”

“What is it?” Yuan Ming was a little speechless this time.

“Since we have become friends, I have a chance to give you something.” The one-armed old man, who called himself Gu Qiuming, smiled.

“A gift?” Yuan Ming wondered.

“Take a look over there, at the back of that stone pillar. Is there a person in black clothes?” Gu Qiuming gestured with his mouth and asked.

Yuan Ming frowned and looked over. He saw a thin figure in black clothes, completely wrapped in black, with a black mask covering his face, looking around.

“Is he the opportunity?” Yuan Ming asked.”I’ve observed him for several days, and he seems to be short on funds. The item he’s selling is of good quality. I’ve checked it out, but the price he’s asking is too high, so I haven’t been able to buy it,” Gu Qiuming said.

“What is it?” Yuan Ming asked.

“Heart-splitting Thunder,” Gu Qiuming replied.

Yuan Ming pondered for a moment, realizing he had no recollection of such an item. He then asked, “What’s so special about it?”

“It’s a consumable magical tool. It’s created by refining and compressing the power of thunder, and when used, it strikes like a hidden weapon, delivering a sudden thunderous blow that catches people off guard. It’s a unique magical tool of the Zhao Kingdom’s Five Thunder Sect,” Gu Qiuming explained.

“What’s the difference between this and a Thunder Strike Talisman?” Yuan Ming asked, frowning.

“Do you understand what a unique magical tool is? How much power does a Thunder Strike Talisman have? When the Heart-splitting Thunder explodes, its power is comparable to a full-strength attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak. Even a cultivator of the same level would suffer greatly if they tried to withstand it. How can it be compared to a mere Thunder Strike Talisman?” Gu Qiuming retorted, giving Yuan Ming a look of self-satisfaction.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming was intrigued.

“Thank you. But I’m curious, since you recognized its value, why didn’t you buy it?” Yuan Ming asked, frowning.

“The item is good, but it’s too expensive. Besides, I came to the Southern Border to collect exotic insects and beasts, I don’t urgently need other things. I always try to be kind to others and avoid conflicts,” Gu Qiuming said with a smile.

After thanking Gu Qiuming again, Yuan Ming left and headed towards the stall of the man in black.

Upon arriving, Yuan Ming couldn’t help but laugh. In front of the man was a black cloth, but it was completely empty, with nothing on it.

“Do you have anything to sell?” Yuan Ming asked.

The eyes beneath the man’s mask showed a hint of caution. He looked around before saying, “Top-grade magical tool, Heart-splitting Thunder. Interested?”

“May I take a look?” Yuan Ming asked.

After a moment of hesitation, the man in black reached into his sleeve and pulled out a sphere the size of a fist.

“You can look, but you can’t touch.” Just as Yuan Ming was about to reach out, the man quickly pulled back.

Yuan Ming could only laugh and focus his magical power on his eyes to observe carefully.

Upon inspection, he found that the sphere was greenish-bronze, as if made of bronze, with dark golden lines forming intricate patterns on the surface, which were interconnected into an array.

Top-grade magical tools usually have three inscriptions to enhance their rank. However, this bronze sphere seemed to have a miniature array, which looked quite exquisite.

Yuan Ming silently judged in his heart and was already certain that this item was most likely genuine.

“Let’s talk about the price,” Yuan Ming said.

“One thousand five hundred spirit stones each, not a penny less,” the man in black immediately replied.

“That’s nonsense. A normal top-grade magical tool is worth one thousand five hundred spirit stones, but this is a consumable item. Once it explodes, it’s gone,” Yuan Ming immediately refuted.

“This Heart-splitting Thunder is for saving lives, not for fun. Surely your life is worth more than one thousand five hundred spirit stones?” the man in black retorted coldly.

“You’re right, this item can indeed save lives in critical moments, but the price is outrageously high. I’m afraid it won’t be easy to sell,” Yuan Ming said with a smile.

“If you don’t want it, then please leave,” the man in black said unhappily.

“Can we negotiate the price? You have to pay every time you enter this black market. I see that you’re in urgent need of spirit stones. It’s better to sell it quickly. The sooner you sell, the more you earn,” Yuan Ming asked with a smirk.

Upon hearing this, the man in black seemed to find it reasonable.

“I’ve also noticed that you seem to be in a hurry. Even though this is a black market, there are still people coming and going. Perhaps the news has already spread outside that a unique magical tool from the Zhao Kingdom’s Five Thunder Sect is being sold in the black market.”

Before Yuan Ming could finish speaking, he saw the man in black about to interrupt, so he raised his hand to stop him and continued, “Don’t rush to refute this. It’s better to sell it sooner and be at ease. Honestly, we’ve been chatting for quite a while now.”

After Yuan Ming’s words, the man in black finally seemed to be moved.

“How many spirit stones can you offer?”