Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 569 Black Market
In the early morning, the soft sunlight spilled onto the ground, intertwining with the milky white glow of the floating psionic streetlights that had not yet completely gone out, creating a hazy yet hopeful curtain of light.

Li Zhongren stood at the school gate, his steps pausing for a fleeting, extremely subtle moment.

The deathly silence of billions of years is an absolute loneliness where even the concept of time has been worn away; it is an absolute vacuum where color, sound, temperature, and smell are absent.

At that moment, a surging, vibrant, and warm aura rushed towards him, almost making his newly formed, still "young" body feel slightly dizzy.

The sound surged in like a tide, no longer the silent roar of stars fading in the void.

The cheerful laughter of teenagers, the grumbling of complaining about too much homework, the heated debates about the latest psychic game strategies, the jingling of bicycle bells, and the shouts and the whooshing sounds of wind breaking from the practice of basic boxing techniques on the distant playground—all these sounds blended together to form a vast and noisy, yet incredibly vivid, symphony of life.

To his soul, accustomed to eternal silence, the sound seemed somewhat "noisy," yet it brought him an indescribable comfort from the depths of his soul.

The colors are so vibrant.

It is no longer an endless black void, or a bleak aurora of energy storms.

The bright colors of the boys' school uniforms, the faint glow of the psionic ornaments dancing in the girls' hair, the soft hues of the blooming psionic plants and flowers by the roadside, and even the morning light reflected off the runestone slabs worn smooth by countless footsteps—all of this was so rich it was almost dripping with moisture.

His eyes, those eyes that had seen the ultimate desolation of the universe, were now greedily capturing every hue, as if trying to engrave them deep into his soul to fight against the gray memories accumulated over millions of years.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and spiritual plants, the youthful aroma of teenagers sweating slightly after exercise, the faint sweet fragrance of spiritual grain porridge wafting from the direction of the cafeteria, and the unique "scent" emanating from the faint yet different spiritual energy fluctuations on each person's body. These scents formed a complex picture called "human world," which was in stark contrast to the void in his memory where only the decaying scent of his own soul existed.

He took a deep breath, and the air, carrying the cool morning air and vibrant life, filled his lungs, awakening a real feeling of "being alive" from the depths of his cells.

He looked at the students who were "the same age" as him, their faces showing worry, expectation, weariness, or simply carefree.

An extremely complex and unfamiliar emotion slowly rippled through the core of his soul, which was as cold as a fish-killing knife.

It wasn't envy or nostalgia, but rather the sight of a traveler on the verge of death in an endless desert suddenly spotting an oasis and clearly recognizing it as one of the concrete forms of the "stability" he was desperately trying to protect.

The hustle and bustle, the vibrancy, and even the troubles here are all proof of life's existence, and a fortress against ultimate nothingness.

call.
He slowly exhaled.

Li Zhongren strode forward, blending naturally into the flow of students like a drop of water flowing into a river, heading towards the homeroom teacher's office. His steps were steady, but no one knew what kind of time-space crossing and spiritual baptism he had just completed.

Teacher's office.

Li Zhongren's homeroom teacher was a middle-aged female cultivator who wore psychic glasses and had a calm demeanor. Her cultivation level was at the third level of Qi Refining.

Don't think that three floors is low.

In this world, the culture of cultivation has been deeply cultivated and restructured, at least in my memory. For example, there are only five levels in the Qi Refining stage.

The vast majority of people in this world are generally at the second level, and the rest, like the original in the previous life, who have terrible talent, are only at the first level.

On the first and second floors, they possessed almost no extraordinary abilities, at most just being healthier and slightly stronger.

Only by breaking through to the third level can spiritual energy truly unleash its inherent qualities and become extraordinary.

Upon reaching the third level, one's body and soul undergo a leap, making it possible to break metal and shatter stone, and walk on air—all things that can be done at will.

So, don't be fooled by the fact that this teacher seems like just an ordinary homeroom teacher; if she wanted to kill her predecessor, she could just flick her forehead.

"Hello teacher."

"Li Zhongren, is something the matter?"

The teacher put down his pen and looked at Li Zhongren.

She had some impression of this student, but not much. In the class, he was practically invisible. He had no family, no talent, no intelligence—he was a nobody. But thankfully, he wasn't a troublemaker, so she didn't actually dislike him.

"Teacher Wang, there are still three months until the college entrance examination. I would like to ask for three months' leave to go into seclusion."

Li Zhongren's voice was steady, carrying a faint sense of insecurity characteristic of his predecessor.

"Seclusion."

Teacher Wang tapped the table lightly with her fingers.

Seclusion is a unique method for cultivators, cutting off all external senses and focusing solely on cultivation. There is a certain probability of enlightenment, but of course, this probability is not much higher than winning the lottery. In the past, many people turned themselves into withered bones by trying to enter seclusion to the death.

However, with the advancement of technology, the emergence of some life-sustaining drugs and instruments has greatly reduced this risk.

For something like a three-month retreat, generally all you need is to rent a life support device, which is about the size of a small box and the rental fee isn't expensive.

Orphans like Li Zhongren can easily afford to rent a place with government subsidies.

However, to be honest, she didn't think highly of Li Zhongren.

In her view, this child's talent was similar to that of those prodigies, but in reverse; the probability of a prodigy was almost the same as his.

With the support of free national resources, almost 99% of people are able to reach the second level of Qi Refining by the time they graduate from high school.

However, breaking through the third level and becoming extraordinary to qualify for the Extraordinary University is very difficult, and this step will block the vast majority of people.

At least with the help of the country, they have reached the second level of Qi Refining, which means they can basically be free from illness and disaster.

With such talent, going into seclusion would only be a waste of money.

Of course, as a teacher, she wouldn't say something so offensive.

Moreover, in the world of cultivation, anything is possible.

In the past, there have been some people who suddenly soared to great heights, whether through extraordinary encounters or their own inherent talents.

Therefore, in reality, most cultivators in this world generally operate in the following ways: they are either very polite to you, or if they want to get rid of you, they will do so with the intention of killing you and will never give you a chance to turn the tables.

"Okay, I'll approve your leave slip right away, but please be careful."

Teacher Wang nodded and made a few moves in the leave application system on the Psionic Tablet.

"Go ahead, it's all done."

"Thank you, teacher."

Li Zhongren bowed slightly, turned and left. The whole process was uneventful. The "invisible man" identity left behind by his predecessor perfectly eliminated any risk of being investigated.

Now, the real show begins.

He found Zhang Hao near the secluded restroom behind the teaching building without much effort.

The other person was chuckling to himself while looking at the screen of the psionic phone. When he saw Li Zhongren walking over, his smile faded and replaced with an expression that was a mixture of scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible superiority.

He subconsciously straightened up a bit, as if trying to maintain some authority in front of the "clients" he had developed.

"Li Zhongren? Is there something you need?"

His tone was casual, but his eyes held a questioning look.

Li Zhongren squeezed out just the right amount of frustration and a hint of resentment on his face and said in a low voice.

"Brother Hao... that thing you gave me last time... the 'Northern Darkness Qi Absorption Technique'..."

Zhang Hao's gaze sharpened slightly, a hint of understanding flashing across his face. He then spoke in a deliberately lowered tone, as if sharing a secret.

"What? You tried it? Does it feel... a little different?"

He didn't ask directly "Is it effective?" but instead used the more vague "It's different," which was a rhetorical tactic. Li Zhongren gave a wry smile, his voice even lower.

"I haven't even scratched the surface."

"what??"

Zhang Hao was stunned. He had developed more than one downline over the years, but this was the first one who hadn't even mastered the basics of evil cultivation techniques.
Are you a pig?

If he weren't afraid of revealing his identity, he would want to ask that question right now.

"call"

After a moment, he took a deep breath and patted Li Zhongren on the shoulder.

"Brother, this also depends on your comprehension and physical condition, but don't be discouraged!"

He changed the subject, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice even further.

“I know a friend who has some connections and can get some ‘auxiliary products’. They’re very effective, but the price isn’t great. Since you’re so sincere, how about… I’ll make an introduction for you and we can chat? Maybe I can get you some on credit to tide you over? Once you see results in the college entrance exam, everything will be fine.”

Under the perception of Li Zhongren's ancient soul, Zhang Hao's emotions were as clear as a few rough stones in a clear stream.

It's a calculation that sees the predicament of others as an opportunity for oneself, mixed with the expectation of the "commission" or "performance bonus" that is about to be obtained, and a hint of contempt for the "losers" in front of you that is not easily detected.

Li Zhongren immediately put on a hopeful expression of hope for a desperate situation and nodded hurriedly.

"Really? Brother Hao! Thank you so much! I'm willing to try anything!"

"Okay, wait for my letter."

The moment the two drew near, Li Zhongren's soul power, like invisible mercury, silently planted a hidden mark based on the characteristics of the void in Zhang Hao's complex spiritual energy channels. This process was exquisite and beyond Zhang Hao's comprehension.

After leaving with profuse thanks, all expression vanished from Li Zhongren's face, leaving it as calm and expressionless as still water.

The bait has been cast.

Now, he needs to prepare a stronger hook line for himself.

He did not immediately contact the "channel" recommended by Zhang Hao. The kind of usurious loans and substandard drugs that targeted the poor and had an ugly way of profiting were not within his consideration.

His target is the real black market.

But as an ordinary student, he had no connections whatsoever.

During his subsequent "seclusion," he became a ghostly wanderer of the city. He started in the chaotic neighborhoods on the city's outskirts, where the public psionic phone booths and old toilet partitions were often covered with strange symbols and numbers.

He memorized the number that seemed most plausible and sent a message to it using an anonymous psychic account.

"Looking to buy potent medicine."

Soon, an address came back: "Deep Blue Network," a mixed-use internet cafe in the north of the city.

He went there, but didn't go in. Instead, he sat down at a noisy food stall across the street and ordered the cheapest bowl of spirit grain porridge.

Reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining is already excessively powerful in this world, at least at the lower level. Even though Li Zhongren has not learned any skills, he can monitor a vast area around him like a radar simply by relying on his basic qualities: hearing, sight, smell, and touch.

For example, the conversation in the internet cafe across the street.

"Damn it, that last batch of 'vitality booster' wasn't very effective."

"Stop talking nonsense, take it or leave it, that's the price from 'Master Ta'."

"I heard there's new stock arriving at the 'old warehouse' tonight, let's go check it out."

"Uncle Tower", "Old Warehouse".

He identified the key words and pinpointed the blond young man who complained about the "vitality booster".

For the next few days, he followed the blond-haired man from a distance, watching him go in and out of underground casinos and small fighting cage betting sites.

Finally, one late night, after the blond-haired man and a man with a faint aura of menace completed their transaction in a back alley, the man left alone.

Li Zhongren immediately changed his target and followed this man who was more likely a "channel".

The man was very cautious. He took many detours, traversed most of the old city, and finally ventured into a vast, long-abandoned old industrial area in the west of the city.

Most of the psionic streetlights here are broken, and only moonlight shines on the rusty pipes and dilapidated factory buildings.

The man stopped in front of a building with a dilapidated sign that read "Warehouse No. 04" and rhythmically knocked on the small iron gate on the side.

The door opened a crack, and only after confirming that he had made his way inside did he slip inside.

Li Zhongren did not approach. He stopped in the shadow of a taller, abandoned water tower a hundred meters away, holding his breath.

He could "hear" the suppressed conversations in the warehouse, the faint fluctuations of psionic items, and even vaguely "smell" the mixed smells of medicine, rust, and blood.

This is the true entrance to the black market in Youcheng. After observing from a distance for several hours, we confirmed the general pattern of people entering and leaving and the location of the sentries.

He only took action on the third night.

He changed into a dark, inconspicuous outfit, used his weak spiritual power to slightly obscure the light around him, making his face appear somewhat blurry, and walked towards the side door of warehouse number 04.

An old man in dirty work clothes was squatting by the door smoking. His cultivation level was only at the second level of Qi Refining, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, scanning anyone who approached.

Li Zhongren made no attempt to conceal it, releasing a slight fluctuation of spiritual energy at the third level of Qi Refining.

The old man paused in his smoking, a hint of wariness flashing in his cloudy eyes, but he said nothing, simply silently stepping aside to open the door behind him.

The third level of Qi Refining carries significant weight in most parts of this world; this is the Dragon Gate.

Moreover, the other party's movements were skillful, clearly indicating a veteran, so he didn't bother to pay attention.

Upon entering the warehouse, a smell mixed with dust, cheap tobacco, weak psionic potions, and a certain chilling aura hit you.

The interior was quite spacious, divided into small areas by various abandoned machine tools, with people moving about and talking in hushed tones.

The lighting was dim, with only a few dim, yellowish psionic lamps flickering.

Some people set up stalls with metal parts whose purpose was unclear or objects wrapped in dirty cloths, while others leaned against machines, eyeing customers and clearly requiring specific codes or introductions to make a transaction.

Li Zhongren's goals are clear.

He paced slowly, his gaze sweeping over the seemingly idle stall owners, sensing the most subtle and ominous energy fluctuations emanating from them or their goods—the scent of forbidden knowledge and power.

Finally, he stopped in a corner.

A gaunt old man sat curled up in a dilapidated recliner. A black cloth was casually spread on the ground in front of him, on which were placed several jade slips of dull color and several animal skin books.

The old man himself was weak, but his "goods" faintly emitted fragments of greedy, violent, and sinister thoughts.

Li Zhongren's gaze fell on one of the jet-black jade slips, next to which was the title "The Classic of Corroding Marrow and Poisoning" written in ancient script.

Deep within his soul, a barely perceptible tremor stirred within him—not fear, but rather… appetite.

He crouched down, his voice calm and even: "How do I change this?"

(End of this chapter)