The Only Player in ‘Child of Stardust’
Chapter 257 - 174: Xuan Ming

Chapter 257: Chapter 174: Xuan Ming

"These living people are not only beautiful, but their flesh is top-notch. As you get closer, you can smell the fragrance emanating from their bodies; it’s very likely the legendary Pure Bodies!"

"Don’t even mention eating them, just smelling them can prolong life!"

"Take a look, you won’t be disappointed, you won’t be deceived!"

The middle-aged vendor with a pale face and red cheeks banged a gong while boasting about the porcelain-like maidens on the stage, drawing skeptical looks from the surrounding ghosts.

"Pure Bodies? Impossible. That’s a realm only cultivators can reach. These are just ordinary people; don’t spout nonsense here!"

"A swindling merchant trying to scam money."

"Let me get closer and sniff. If it smells good, I’ll buy it." A ghost with drooling lips and blood-red eyes hungrily stared at the porcelain-like maidens on the stage.

The pale-faced vendor blocked its way, smirking, "Please hold on, brother. I run a small business and can’t handle any trouble. If you’re hungry, you can buy one to take home. The price is fair, just 10 Life Extension Elixirs or twenty gold bars per piece."

The so-called Life Extension Elixir was actually a pill refined using the lifespan of living people. Each pill represented ten years of life and was a rare delicacy for ghosts, also useful for cultivation.

Angry shouts erupted around them, "10 Life Extension Elixirs? Why not just rob us!"

The pale-faced vendor kept his smirk, "These are rare living people, and they have the aptitude of an Immortal. Rarity increases value. I’m not exaggerating; besides here, you won’t find another living person in this entire ghost market! Many of you probably haven’t had a feast in a long time; this is a rare opportunity. Who knows when the next batch of living people will be caught."

Hearing the vendor’s words and looking at the fresh living people on the stage, many ghosts were tempted, but the price was exorbitant. Ten Life Extension Elixirs were nearly their entire fortune.

Zhou Yuan looked at the porcelain-like maidens weeping on the stage, sighed helplessly, and thought that ordinary people were just lambs for slaughter when facing these unusual events. If they were lucky, they could be saved; if not, their fate could be worse than death.

He signaled to Fang Qing.

"I’ll take them all."

From within the crowd, Fang Qing spoke up, and the next moment, a small mountain of gold bricks appeared on the empty ground beside her. Blood-red icy water surged onto the stage, causing the porcelain-like maidens to scream in terror as they slowly sank into it.

"Generous customer!"

The pale-faced vendor was delighted; the small mountain of gold bricks would allow him to live a luxurious life for a long time.

Fang Qing coldly asked, "Earlier, you said that besides here, there are no other living people in the entire ghost market. Do you have more hidden away?"

Her cultivation level far surpassed the ghosts present; they all respected and kept their distance from her, treating her like a powerful ghost king.

"Yes, yes, I do have another batch of living people waiting to be processed," the vendor replied respectfully, "Does the customer need them?"

"Mm," Fang Qing nodded indifferently, "Lead the way, I won’t shortchange you."

Upon hearing this, the vendor smiled widely. Clapping his hands, the wooden stage folded itself and compressed into a long wooden box in just a few seconds.

He carried the box on his back and grinned obsequiously, "Please follow me."

He led Zhou Yuan and the group to a courtyard.

This courtyard was draped with white cloth and scattered with white circular funeral money, creating a bizarre and oppressive atmosphere, as if a funeral was taking place.

The vendor brought the trio into a room, which was a mourning hall. In the center lay a coffin with a spirit tablet in front of it, but the tablet was blank.

In one corner of the mourning hall, a group of ordinary people dressed in modern attire was tied up and unconscious.

"I don’t know how it happened, but suddenly many living people appeared out of nowhere in the ghost market, all dressed in strange clothes. I don’t know which country they’re from. My uncle is the master of the ghost market, and to avoid chaos, he gathered all the living people and gave them to me to handle," the vendor explained with a leer.

His words implied that he was a trusted confidant of the ghost market master and could serve as a bridge.

"I’ll take all these people," Fang Qing said, producing another small mountain of gold bricks and dragging all the unconscious living people into the blood sea.

"You’re truly generous!"

The vendor’s eyes shone with golden light, unable to tear them away from the sight.

A true ghost king, spending lavishly without bargaining!

However, in reality, all the gold was fake, crafted from Fang Qing’s blood. The vendor’s weak cultivation made it impossible for him to detect anything amiss.

By the time he realized something was wrong, the planar convergence would be over, leaving him nowhere to cry.

"This coffin is quite nice."

Zhou Yuan squinted slightly, examining the black coffin in the mourning hall. It was made of unknown wood, cold as ice, exuding waves of ominous aura.

[Name: Xuanming Coffin]

[Quality: Perfect]

[Special Effect: Gathers the Yin energy of heaven and earth, aiding cultivation.]

[Note: The Xuanming Coffin shrouds a hidden light; Yin energy gathers from all directions. The divine power of the underworld protects around, enlightening the path within the coffin.]

"This coffin is a magical artifact I found by chance, named the Xuanming Coffin. It can accelerate ghost cultivation. I planned to offer it to the ghost market master, but if the customer wants it, I can give you a discount," the vendor said, showing a fawning smile to Fang Qing.

"This item is extraordinary; its value can’t be measured in gold and silver," Fang Qing said, knowing what Zhou Yuan was thinking. She conjured a delicate blood-red lotus, bluffing seriously, "This is an ancient treasure I came by, called the Ancient Blood Lotus. It can resurrect the dead and heal bones."

The vendor’s eyes widened in surprise, awestruck by her words.

Ancient Blood Lotus? Resurrect the dead and heal bones? Wouldn’t that mean it could be used to refine the legendary Eternal Life Elixir or even the Rebirth Elixir, turning ghosts into living beings?

During their mental exchange, Zhou Yuan spoke, "We’ll take that spirit tablet too."

Fang Qing, holding the blood lotus, said indifferently, "Its value far exceeds that of the Xuanming Coffin. Do you have any other artifacts? Exchange them all."

The vendor thought for a moment, then pointed to the empty spirit tablet, "This spirit tablet is also a powerful artifact. Write a name on it, and that person will die within one incense stick of time. However, it requires the target’s hair, blood, or personal items to work."

"Not bad. Anything else?" Fang Qing continued, feeling she couldn’t just trade two artifacts after making such a boast.

The vendor shook his head, "I only have these two artifacts that might interest you. But if you don’t mind the trouble, I can take you to see the ghost market master. He surely has artifacts that will satisfy you."

He paused, gritting his teeth, "If you agree, regardless of whether you reach a deal with the master, these two artifacts will belong to you as my tribute."

In their mental channel, Fang Qing asked Zhou Yuan, "Shall we go?"

Meeting the ghost market master might cause unnecessary trouble. Waiting just a few more minutes for the planar convergence to end seemed safer.

At this moment, Chen Guangxi spoke:

"Let’s go. The Control Bureau just sent an update. There’s an unexpected situation in this planar convergence — someone is trying to tear the portal wider. The energy source is at the ghost market master’s residence. Extraordinary people are gathering there now. It seems this convergence isn’t a natural anomaly but someone’s machinations behind the scenes."