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“The Blood Realm, you say?”

Zhuge Sa explained with a hint of annoyance, “I don’t know who the guy is, but he’s completely sealed off some region of the Blood Realm and connected it directly to the current world. So, if you go through this passage, it’s like teleporting to some random spot in the Central Plains.”

“I don’t really get it…”

“It’s complicated, so I’ll let it slide this time. Simply put, it means they folded space and stuck it together. It works on a different principle than your Golden Lamp technique.”

“Hmm.”

Swish!

I stepped into the passage and realized just a few steps later that I had arrived inside a rather dark building. Around me, ‘guests’ who had arrived first were seated comfortably, watching the stage. I had no clue where this strange place was or what part of the Central Plains it was connected to.

All around, half-naked beauties were serving ‘guests’ food or getting teased. Also, in one corner of a brightly lit stage, I could see slaves caged and presented for auction.

The slaves varied greatly, regardless of age or gender. As I scanned the room out of curiosity, a small, hunched old man approached me, rubbing his hands together.

“Hehe… I see you have an invitation. May I ask your name?”

I replied without a change in tone, using the alias I had heard.

“Shangguan Zheng!”

The old man seemed surprised. “Oh… you’re a distinguished guest from the renowned Shangguan family. Then this way, please…”

As I heard the name Shangguan Zheng echo through the room, I felt the stares of nearby ‘guests’. They all seemed to have prepared masks, hiding their faces. Yet, I could see some displaying shock and confusion.

Of course, I was also wearing a mask, so there was no worry about being recognized.

‘What’s with their reaction?’

It seemed I had somehow gathered attention instantly. Just as I uncomfortably settled into the distinguished seat, Zhuge Sa chuckled.

“The Shangguan family is a prestigious one, tracing back to the legendary beauty Shangguan Wan’er. Historically, they rival the Han Clan. Our sect leader certainly prepared a great identity for you.”

“Damn it! This is a covert mission, why do I have to stand out now?”

As half-naked beauties approached to caress my body, I waved my hands to shoo them away.

“You might just be thinking that way.”

“What?”

As I growled at Zhuge Sa, he feigned indifference.

“Looks like the auction’s about to kick off. Focus up.”

Without any opening remarks, an auctioneer wearing a mask stepped onto the stage with a slave trailing behind. The moment I saw the slave, I froze.

“…!!”

The attire of a Huashan Sect disciple!

The Huashan Sect girl seemed to be in her twenties, adorned with clanking shackles on her wrists and ankles, standing there with a vacant expression. I quickly tried to sense her energy and it was clear she possessed the internal power characteristic of an elite sect disciple, leaving me puzzled.

‘How could she not escape with that level of power?’

The auctioneer, who appeared to be in charge, shouted, “Here we have the renowned Huashan Sect’s later genius, Hua Yong’s Yoonhee! Capturing her was quite the challenge, mind you. Once counted among the beauties of the martial world, we assure you her collection value is extremely high! Choose wisely!”

Then one of the guests shouted, “If she’s a martial arts master, isn’t she a potential risk? What if she retaliates during capture?”

“Hahaha, that’s a valid concern! We’ve thoroughly trained Yoonhee to ensure she won’t cause trouble.” The auctioneer chuckled before suddenly leaning in to whisper something in Yoonhee’s ear. The moment he did, she shivered, trembled, and suddenly began to strip! Gasps erupted in the venue.

“Oh!”

Yoonhee crawled off the stage in her birthday suit, moving towards the guest who had voiced their concern and began doing something. The satisfied look on their face made it painfully obvious what was happening beneath the table.

Disgusting. It felt like I was watching a third-rate drama unfold.

In disbelief, I shook my head. “This is insane.”

It felt like madness had congregated here. How could someone who was once a top-notch genius of the Nine Great Sects like Yoonhee be so obedient to such orders? However, the guests seemed to revel in the madness, eagerly calling out prices for other ‘auction items’ while completely engrossed.

Slavery was inhumane, but those casually buying them like objects were even more deranged.

“Aaaaah!!”

“Get that guy!”

Occasionally, when a slave rebelled, martial artists nearby would rush in and chop off their hands or take their heads as if it were a walk in the park. Their skills were impressive.

“…”

Poor things. Even so, I couldn’t recklessly jump in to save them and mess things up.

I maintained my composure amidst the chaos, observing the transactions. It had been two whole moments since the auction started, and I hadn’t engaged in any bidding when the hunchbacked old man who had led me to my seat approached.

“Hehe… Is there nothing that catches your fancy?”

Feigning indifference, I replied curtly, “I came to buy something valuable. The likes of Huashan disciples, interesting young people, and the super rare golden hair lady… none of that interests me. Is the market really this standard?”

The old man’s eyes sparkled in surprise. “You truly have discerning taste… Even our regulars are quite pleased with today’s offerings… Then, may I ask what specific item you are looking for?”

“The most expensive and rare item!”

I stated firmly, casually throwing in a wink. “Bring me something I can swear doesn’t exist anywhere else. Price? I don’t care!”

Time to make a bold move.

Sure, if I bought something mundane, there was no way the organizers would show their tail. So, targeting something expensive and rare would surely reveal connections to the Wind Spirit Sect or the Imperial Palace. And since it wasn’t my money, why not spend extravagantly? The old man gave a mysterious smile.

“Wait one moment…”

He vanished for a while and returned after a moment with a beaming smile.

“As luck would have it, we have just one perfect item. Please follow me.”

“Sure. Can you satisfy me?”

“Absolutely.”

I followed the old man outside the auction house. To my surprise, it wasn’t just one auction venue; there were more than six running simultaneously! This space seemed remarkably enclosed for a forest.

A sense of unease washed over me as I followed the old man.

‘When is that helper showing up?’

The helper was supposed to have infiltrated the slave market from the start, naturally following me upon sight. So it would be normal for them to be somewhere nearby, spotting me. But even with my Qi sense heightened since before, I had no clue where they were!

Eventually, the old man led me deep into one building, and we entered a dimly lit room. I glanced at him suspiciously, thinking it might be a trap, but he waved his hands, assuring me. “You’ll be safe here. Please take your time looking…”

“I don’t trust you. How can I know you won’t lock me in there?”

“Um… it’s such a precious item, if you don’t agree to our terms, we can’t show it to you.”

“In that case, you should come inside with me.”

“Uh… Alright.”

Entering the dim room with the old man, light began to shine through the glass wall. The source of the light was a beautiful woman crying forlornly behind the glass.

“Wahhh…”

She was exceptionally pretty, and her skin was fair. However, compared to some of the greatest beauties I’d encountered, she seemed slightly lesser in comparison. Given her fine clothing, she was likely of noble stature, and all she did was cry.

“That woman is…”

“You don’t know? I thought you would if you were of the Shangguan family…”

Did they really think I would know Shangguan Zheng? As I pondered this, Zhuge Sa chimed in my mind.

[That’s Princess Hyosung.]

[What?!]

[I saw her when we were at the Imperial Palace. She is the daughter of the current emperor’s fifth noble consort, appointed as a princess at the age of thirteen. They said if she grew up in the Imperial Palace, she would become stunning.]

[Is she really a princess?]

[Without a doubt.]

In disbelief, I felt dazed. A princess! That meant she was of Imperial blood, the highest level among all nobles! While a woman’s social status was often low, being a princess superseded everything, often leading to marriage with kings or dukes. It was a rare case for a noble consort’s daughter to become a princess, yet no doubt she was an extraordinarily esteemed woman.

I cleared my throat and asked, “C-Could it really be Princess Hyosung?”

“Exactly! You’re sharp, just like a scion of the esteemed Shangguan family should be.”

“How did a princess end up at a slave market…”

As I asked in shock, the old man chuckled.

“Her husband, King Yinghui of Henan, made a huge mistake that got him in trouble with the emperor. To smooth things over, he offered his wife, abandoning the real Princess Hyosung for a fake beside him. We possess the genuine one.”

“……”

Is there really a noble family that would sell their own wife?! I feigned surprise. “This… this isn’t right. Do you understand the consequences of making a princess a slave? Such dangerous transactions are out of the question!”

“Hehe… we assure you, the collection value is top-notch… In fact, we’re merely showing her off to deter some other guests’ interest.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Some guests expressed their desire to conceive a child with a royal.”

Are there truly crazy people wanting to enslave a princess!? I felt continuous disbelief wash over me. But I kept my cool and replied, “I’m not interested in women.”

“Hmm… then you should have said so earlier.”

“Are there any weapons or Unique Artifacts of Inner Strength?”

The old man pondered for a moment before replying, “Of course we do, but we’ll need a promise from you first.”

“What kind of promise?”

The old man glanced over at Princess Hyosung beyond the glass wall and said, “The matter of the princess is quite confidential. Would we easily trust a first-timer like Shangguan Zheng? However, we want to secure regular customers, so we won’t enforce restrictions or threats. Thus, all we ask is that you commit to purchasing whatever we show you next.”

I frowned. “Is that extortion?”

“Not at all. You can’t just leave without purchase after having seen the item, can you? It’s about loyalty. Don’t worry, you’re free to see as many items as it takes until you’re satisfied…”

“……”

This was a classic back-alley merchant bargaining tactic. It sounded reasonable at first glance, but the chances of facing repercussions if I accepted were high. Normally, I wouldn’t entertain such a proposal even at sword point, but I had other goals, so I hesitated and finally agreed.

“… Fine.”

“Then let’s continue to show you the items.”

After some signals, several people entered and took Princess Hyosung away. A moment later, an exquisite sword glimmering in opulent light appeared beyond the glass wall. My eyebrows twitched involuntarily at the sight.

“A famous sword?”

“Indeed. But not just any famous sword.”

The old man chuckled, “This calm, deep blue blade… is the ultimate sword to select its master. It’s called ‘Damro’.”

“……!!”

Damro! It was known as one of the legendary swords produced by the renowned craftsman Gyu Yaja from the state of Yue. What made Damro particularly famed was its status as a royal sword, exclusive for kings, said to help conquer the world!

‘That sword is anything but ordinary!’

After years of honing my martial arts, I had begun unraveling spiritual perception. I could tell that the energy radiating from that blade far surpassed ordinary swords. If that was truly Damro, then it could rival Yongyeon, which I had once seen from the Han Clan!

“That…!”

I nearly blurted out my intention to purchase it, but Zhuge Sa interrupted. “No! How long are you planning to just admire top-notch goods?”

“What do you mean?”

“Princess Hyosung or Damro isn’t what matters right now. The only thing you’re supposed to ask for here!”

“What’s that?”

“Listen carefully. It’s…”

As Zhuge Sa continued speaking, I bit my lip. ‘This guy talks rubbish, but he always makes sense…’ I felt that following his plan would be better. Clearing my throat, I asserted, “This can’t do. What I want is something different.”

“Um… what do you mean?”

“Don’t tell me you really aren’t understanding?”

The old man’s eyes widened at my next statement.

“Bring out any Grimoire or Demon Artifact. I came here to buy that from the start!”

 

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