Chapter 47: Inquiring for Information

After bypassing several high mountains, Song Qingming hurried south for over a hundred miles and arrived atop a high peak.

Upon reaching the location, Song Qingming pulled a black token from his person. Gripping it firmly with both hands, he slowly infused it with his spiritual energy. After a moment, a burst of white light shot from the token, streaking toward an open clearing on the mountain ahead.

As the white light from the token illuminated the originally empty space, a burst of multicolored spiritual radiance appeared. Once the light slowly dissipated, a large cluster of green tents emerged amidst the previously vacant mountaintop.

More than twenty tents were arranged in a continuous line across the summit. From the sky, they looked like a giant green python coiled upon the peak. This was a temporary encampment of the Flying Cloud Guard within the Floating Cloud Mountain Range.

The Flying Cloud Guard operated deep within the Floating Cloud Mountain Range year-round. To facilitate their operations, they would choose a suitable nearby location to establish a temporary camp whenever they investigated an area, allowing them to station themselves for extended periods.

This high mountain was also a Grade 2 spiritual vein, originally occupied by a Grade 2 low-grade Feathered Tiger. Over a month ago, under the leadership of a Foundation Establishment senior from the Flying Cloud Guard, Song Qingming and his group had slain the demon beast and established their camp here.

Aside from one Foundation Establishment cultivator who was rarely present, there were over thirty Qi Refinement stage cultivators stationed here. During the day, these members of the Flying Cloud Guard would head out to their assigned locations to gather information on demon beasts, returning to the camp to rest before sunset.

Having joined the Flying Cloud Guard for two months, Song Qingming had already gained a preliminary understanding of the place.

The entire Flying Cloud Guard consisted of over a hundred people, including three Foundation Establishment cultivators; the rest were Qi Refinement stage cultivators, most of whom possessed a cultivation level of at least the fifth layer of Qi Refinement. They were divided into twelve squads, each containing about a dozen people. After joining, Song Qingming was assigned to the Eleventh Squad by Lu Yunfei.

Approximately thirty percent of the Flying Cloud Guard were cultivators from the Xiaoyao Sect. Lu Yunfei, who had recruited Song Qingming, was an inner disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect; he served as a squad leader in the Flying Cloud Guard only because his sect had dispatched him to guard Guiyun Market.

Aside from the Xiaoyao Sect cultivators, the remaining members were rogue cultivators hired from various paths in Guiyun Market. Every time the Flying Cloud Guard went out on a mission, there were strict procedures and schedules; cultivators were forbidden from leaving the camp at will without an assigned task.

As a new member like him, Song Qingming had not yet been assigned many tasks. Today, he had completed his task early and returned to the camp.

Just as he reached his tent, Song Qingming noticed movement in the adjacent tent. An elderly man, also dressed in black, walked out. Seeing Song Qingming, the old man approached him with a beaming smile.

"Fellow Daoist Song, you finished your task so early today. I thought I wouldn't see you until later," the black-clad elder said with a face full of smiles as he walked up to him.

This elder was named Shi Mofeng. He was over ninety years old and a rogue cultivator who had been with the Flying Cloud Guard for many years. Song Qingming belonged to the same Eleventh Squad and lived in a neighboring tent, so they had naturally met before. However, as a newcomer, Song Qingming was not yet familiar with anyone other than Lu Yunfei, who had brought him in.

Seeing that Shi Mofeng seemed to have been waiting for him for a long time and appeared to have business with him, Song Qingming cupped his hands in a respectful salute and said, "Senior, you have come to find me today. Is there something you require?"

"Last time, I heard Captain Lu say that Fellow Daoist Song possesses Mid-grade Divine Speed Talismans. My luck has been poor on this outing; I've encountered several temperamental demon beasts in a row and have exhausted my life-saving talismans. Could young friend sell a few to this old man? Consider it a favor I owe you," Shi Mofeng said directly, seeing that Song Qingming had already guessed his intent.

"Senior Shi is too polite. As fellow practitioners, we should look out for one another. However, I do not have many talismans left; I can only spare two for you. I hope Senior does not take offense," Song Qingming replied readily after a brief hesitation.

"Then, this old man thanks the young friend."

Shi Mofeng reached out to take the two talismans Song Qingming handed over, happily placed them into his storage bag, and then gave Song Qingming several spirit stones in return.

Song Qingming did not decline. After joining the Flying Cloud Guard, he realized that because their missions required them to stay in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range for at least three months at a time, they often faced shortages of various supplies with no easy way to replenish them.

For someone like Shi Mofeng, who had been unlucky enough to be besieged by high-level demon beasts, once consumables like talismans were used up, they lacked security and wouldn't dare go out on missions.

Fortunately, Song Qingming had a sufficient supply of talismans; selling a few would not affect his upcoming missions.

Among the talismans Song Qingming had refined at Spirit Source Mountain over the past few years, auxiliary types such as Divine Speed Talismans, Earth Escape Talismans, and Invisibility Talismans had always had poor sales in Caolu Mountain. He had accumulated quite a few over the years, but he hadn't expected that here, these niche talismans would become highly sought-after supplies.

Since he could exchange his stockpiled talismans for spirit stones while also building rapport with fellow practitioners, Song Qingming was naturally pleased with the arrangement. It was just a pity that he couldn't find all the various talisman-making materials in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range; otherwise, he could have made a decent profit from a squad of a dozen cultivators.

After the transaction was complete, Shi Mofeng stroked his grizzled beard, thought for a moment, and then spoke slowly.

"I heard the young friend is inquiring about news regarding the Black Market. This old man has wandered these mountains for many years and happens to know a thing or two. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Song has time to chat?"

Song Qingming was just about to return to his tent when Shi Mofeng suddenly said something unexpected.

Since arriving at Guiyun Market, Song Qingming had not made many acquaintances. He had only asked Lu Yunfei about the Black Market, but unfortunately, Lu Yunfei had only been at Guiyun Market for a little over two years; he had heard of the Black Market but did not know the specifics.

Hearing Shi Mofeng's words, Song Qingming hurriedly and enthusiastically invited him into his tent. An experienced rogue cultivator like Shi Mofeng, who had been in the Floating Cloud Mountain Range for decades, would certainly know something about the Black Market. Song Qingming wanted to ask him, and since the old man had taken the initiative to approach him, Song Qingming naturally would not turn him away.

Once they were inside the tent, Song Qingming poured two cups of spiritual tea before asking about the Black Market. Shi Mofeng was not a slippery person; he was quite helpful toward Song Qingming and provided him with a great deal of useful information.

Through Shi Mofeng's guidance, Song Qingming finally learned that the so-called Black Market was a place where cultivators sold items that were illicit or rare. There were several such places within the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, serving as sites for cultivators near Guiyun Market to fence stolen goods.

(End of Chapter)