A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

The overnight trip to the black market finally yielded some results.

Su Bai got his wish and sold another copy of the "Tiger and Leopard Strength" manual.

This time, because it came with insights and experiences of a martial artist at the peak of their skill, its value increased dramatically, and one copy sold for a full fifty taels of silver.

With the heavy taels of silver in hand, he was only ten taels short of his goal.

Stepping out of the trading hut filled with various unidentified smells, a night breeze blew by, and Su Bai, lost in thought, couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

Just now in the black market, I couldn't resist and spent ten taels of silver to buy that set of hidden weapon techniques called "Midnight Bone-Penetrating Needle".

If I hadn't spent that money, I would have already raised it all by now.

But then I thought, money is just an external thing, and I can always find a way to earn it back.

However, a suitable martial art, especially a ruthless and unorthodox technique that is suitable for self-defense and survival, is something that can only be found by chance.

In places like the black market, if you miss it, you might not see it again next time.

Thinking about it this way, Su Bai felt much better and realized that the deal wasn't a bad one.

Now that the transaction is complete, it is not advisable to linger here.

Su Bai carefully concealed the silver coins on his body, tightened his robes, lowered his head, and blended into the now sparser crowd on the black market street, heading towards the exit.

Upon arriving at the hidden entrance to the black market, Su Bai, following the rules, returned the rough wooden tag representing his temporary identity, which he had received upon entering, along with the torch used for illumination, to the burly man guarding the entrance in the shadows.

The burly man took it expressionlessly, his rough fingers squeezing the wooden plaque to confirm it was correct, before casually tossing it into a wooden box beside him with a dull thud.

He raised his eyelids, glanced at Su Bai, and routinely reminded him, "Once you leave this door, whether it's a blessing or a curse, life or death, the black market takes no responsibility."

Su Bai was prepared for this, and upon hearing this, he simply nodded silently, but his pace quickened involuntarily, and his figure quickly disappeared into the even darker night outside the door.

No sooner had he stepped out of the black market than another burly figure silently emerged from the shadows inside the doorway.

The man's face was covered with a dark mask, revealing only a pair of gleaming eyes that shone with greed and ruthlessness.

He paused briefly at the doorway, his gaze like that of a hawk locking onto the direction Su Bai had left in. A cruel smile curled at the corner of his lips. Then, with a swift movement, like a hyena that had caught the scent of blood, he quickly and quietly followed after him.

The burly man guarding the gate naturally took in the whole scene, but he simply looked away indifferently, not even bothering to glance at it again.

Once you leave the black market, you assume all the risks; this is both a rule and common sense.

They are only responsible for maintaining "order" inside the door; what happens in the darkness outside is someone else's fate.

Those who meddle in other people's business won't last long in this line of work.

However, what they didn't know was that this seemingly young, lone "fat sheep" was far more cautious than they imagined.

Su Bai knew the wickedness of people's hearts and had long since developed an almost instinctive vigilance.

He did not relax after the transaction was completed. After leaving the black market, every time he turned a corner, he would naturally glance back quickly, as if by turning to the side or adjusting his clothes. His peripheral vision was like the most sensitive antennae, capturing the movements behind him.

After walking through two dimly lit alleyways filled with clutter, Su Bai's heart sank.

The feeling of being followed is like a persistent, deep-seated ailment, clear and distinct.

The other party's target was clearly him.

"As expected, we've been targeted."

Su Bai thought to himself, not too surprised. He had come to the black market to sell the secret manual twice in a row, and both times the transactions were successful. In the eyes of those who were interested, the money transactions were no different from a child carrying gold in the market.

It's normal to be someone's target.

"Is it just one person? Or... is there an accomplice providing support from further away?"

Su Bai's nerves were even more tense. His steps seemed hurried, even a little flustered, but in reality, he stepped on the most convenient position to exert force or dodge. He listened attentively to every subtle sound behind him and around him.

After cautiously navigating several intersections, using the terrain and shadows for cover, Su Bai quickly determined the number of followers through a few observations and listening.

"It's confirmed, just one person." This assessment brought him a slight sense of relief, but his vigilance remained undiminished.

Lone wolves are often more ferocious because they don't need to worry about their companions.

In a flash, Su Bai quickly observed his surroundings.

Not far ahead, there was a secluded, rarely visited dead-end alley.

The towering blue brick walls were blocked off at the end by a dilapidated low wall, allowing only a few stray rays of moonlight to filter through, making the scene even more eerie.

"This...is a good place." A cold glint flashed in Su Bai's eyes.

He stopped abruptly a few steps from the entrance of the dead end, his back to the way he came, his shoulders trembling slightly with fear, and his face quickly adopting a panicked and bewildered expression, as if he had stumbled into a desperate situation.

He believed that the "friend" behind him would be very satisfied with this place.

"It's stopped?"

Just as Su Bai turned the corner, the burly, masked man who had caught up with him to the alley entrance suddenly stopped when he saw his target. He was startled and instinctively stopped, looking at Su Bai's stiff back and the deep, quiet dead-end alley with suspicion and uncertainty.

"Could it be... that this kid has an ambush here? Or someone waiting for him?"

A slight alarm bell rang in the masked man's mind. His sharp eyes quickly swept across the walls and rooftops on both sides of the alley, as well as the few broken baskets and rotten wood piled in the corner, emitting a musty smell.

But he quickly dismissed the idea.

He vaguely remembered this street; it was near a mass grave and had few residents to begin with.

After nightfall, it's even harder to spot a ghost, let alone in this dead-end alley where you can see the end from one end to the other.

Silence reigned, save for the mournful sound of the wind whistling through the broken wall.

Since it doesn't seem like there's an ambush...

"Hmph, this little brat must have panicked and wandered into this dangerous place!"

The masked man felt much more at ease. When he looked at Su Bai again, he saw that the boy's body was trembling slightly, and he could vaguely see the look of fear on his profile, which further confirmed his guess.

Thinking this, the last trace of doubt in the masked man's eyes vanished, replaced by a complete release of greed and murderous intent.

The mask covering his face rose and fell slightly, revealing the outline of a sinister smile beneath.

"If someone dares to sell martial arts manuals on the black market, and even brings their insights, they either stumbled upon them by sheer luck, or they have a martial artist's legacy hidden in their family... Either way, I'm destined to get rich!"

The masked man pondered, his gaze sweeping over Su Bai like a boning knife, assessing the value of his prey.

"Judging by his build and age, he's barely grown any hair. There's no way he could possibly have the strength of the Skin Refining Realm! In Fenjiang County, if someone his age truly possessed the Skin Refining Realm cultivation, they would have been eagerly sought after by the major families long ago. Why would he need to sell secret manuals on the black market for such a pittance?"