Two Realms Shuttle Gate: Don't Call Me a Demon!

Chapter 55: Chapter 53: The Situation (Request for Follow-up Reading)

After the misunderstanding was cleared, Su Jie no longer acted hostilely but asked Cai Chun’e about the recent situation at Ghost Ridge Palace.

“Are you saying the Alien Ghosts are wreaking havoc more severely now?”

Su Jie set down his teacup, his fingers gently tapping the tea table as he looked across at Cai Chun’e. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Why would I lie to you? Just go out and ask around a little, and you’ll find it’s very difficult for us merchants to bring in goods now. Many types of elixirs, talismans, and Magic Artifacts in the Black Market are out of stock.”

When Cai Chun’e talked about this, she was full of complaints.

“Aren’t there disciples stationed around the trade routes? Is that ineffective?”

Before he returned to Blue Star, Su Jie recalled, Ghost Ridge Palace had mobilized most of its disciples to station outside.

Cai Chun’e shook her head and said, “It was effective at first, but later the Alien Ghosts got smarter. They no longer move alone but travel in groups of twos and threes, and many stationed disciples have become the targets of the Alien Ghosts.

Without a numerical advantage, the Outer Disciples are no match for the Alien Ghosts. Later, this strategy was canceled, and now the disciples primarily form trade route patrol teams of dozens or more, or they get involved in merchant convoy transports, acting as guards. Even so, the casualties and losses remain high.”

Due to the threat of the Alien Ghosts, the number of merchant convoys coming to the Black Market has decreased by seventy percent, including our Taixu Pavilion. We can’t bring in goods from Qingzhou, and many talismans and Magic Artifacts cannot be replenished. Each one sold reduces the stock further. Mr. Su, you might want to buy some now, or later, you might not even have a place to buy them,” warned Cai Chun’e as her merchant nature revealed itself, trying to sell her products to Su Jie.

“I’m penniless now, where would I get the money to buy goods, besides…”

Su Jie pointed at the displayed talismans and Magic Artifacts and complained, “Besides, your prices have soared too terrifyingly. They’ve tripled in just two months—who can afford that? You really think all disciples are easy marks!”

“It’s the market situation now. It’s because Ghost Ridge Palace has been unable to eliminate the threat of the Alien Ghosts that we’ve had to raise our prices out of necessity.”

Cai Chun’e was quite indignant, attributing the problem to the inaction of Ghost Ridge Palace.

This time, Su Jie did not refute, understanding that one cannot hold Black Market merchants to too high a moral standard, and changed the subject, “Sister Cai, being well-informed in the Black Market, I want to know, with the Black Market doing so poorly, has the business of trafficking human slaves also declined?”

Cai Chun’e was slightly startled and looked at Su Jie with a trace of significance, “Are you also looking to use ‘Human Refining’?”

So-called Human Refining involves using humans to practice Demon Techniques, such as consuming human flesh to enhance one’s body, using human blood for Array Drawing, and Soul Extraction for nourishing elixirs, etc. These methods often provide rapid progression in cultivation, and although there are hidden dangers later on, they are powerful in the early stages.

“I’m just asking. After all, if the slave traders in the Black Market have decreased, the Elders will certainly not let it go,” said Su Jie with a shrug, unbothered by the topic of Human Refining as a Demon Cultivator.

“That’s still okay,”

Cai Chun’e breathed a sigh of relief; she disliked those Demon Cultivators who practiced using human slaves, finding it too creepy and evil.

After thinking for a moment, Cai Chun’e said, “Indeed, as you guessed, the Black Market currently has ninety percent fewer human slaves for sale, and most of the slave trading businesses have already closed down.

Think about it! With the Alien Ghosts being so dangerous, and even the disciples struggling to resist, bringing along a group of powerless slaves into the mountains, caring for their food, drink, and travel along the way not only slows them down but also makes large-scale actions more likely to be targeted by the Alien Ghosts.

Just from what I’ve heard, there have been no fewer than a dozen cases of slave traders being annihilated by groups of Alien Ghosts, and who knows how many more there have been that haven’t been reported.”

“I see!”

Su Jie’s brows furrowed slightly as he pondered the impact of the current situation.

Although Su Jie wasn’t aware of other Demon Cultivation Sects, the higher-ups and Elders of Ghost Ridge Palace, if not all, most practiced the Human Refining Demon Technique and needed human slaves to sustain their daily consumption. You could tell by looking at the flourishing human slave market on the Black Market.

It was like smoking opium; once you started practicing the Human Refining Demon Technique, it was very hard to stop.

If there was a prolonged stoppage in the intake of human slaves, the withdrawal symptoms of practicing the Human Refining Demon Technique would become apparent. Getting easily angered or going insane were the lesser evils, some would even undergo flesh mutations and soul disarray, turning into deformed monsters, which were much more horrifying than the Righteous Cultivators running amok.

This was precisely what Su Jie was worried about.

The high-ranking Elders of Ghost Ridge Palace would certainly not disregard a decline in the number of human slaves available on the Black Market.

In the end, to solve this problem, orders were issued one after another, but it was still the Disciples like him who had to run the errands.

Unfortunately, he was just an Outer Disciple and, despite feeling a storm coming and being fraught with anxiety, he was utterly helpless.

After learning some information from Cai Chun’e, Su Jie didn’t continue to bother her and said, “Thank you for telling me, Sister Cai. While I still have some free time, I need to find something to do. Eh, the weather is nice today, perfect for fishing. Sister Cai, would you like to join me?”

Cai Chun’e thought Su Jie was joking and rolled her pretty eyes, “You still have the leisure for that, but I don’t have the time; I still need to mind the store.”

“Then, all right. I’ll just go by myself then, Sister Cai, I take my leave.”

Cai Chun’e nodded and said, “Be extra careful out there on your own. I’m still counting on you to look after my business.”

“Understood.”

Su Jie grinned, didn’t say much else, and got up to leave Taixu Pavilion.

Cai Chun’e watched Su Jie leave, but just as he reached the door, Cai Chun’e suddenly gasped, saw the mask left on the table, and realizing something, hurriedly picked up the mask and chased after Su Jie.

“Wait a minute, Mr. Su, you haven’t put on your mask yet, don’t go out yet.”

However, by the time she said this, Su Jie had already pushed open the door and walked out boldly.

“Sister Cai, one can’t fish without baiting the hook,” he said.

Su Jie didn’t go to take the mask, just waved his hand and, without turning back, walked into the streets of the Black Market.

“Wait, he’s going to…”

After a moment of stunned silence, Cai Chun’e quickly understood the reason behind Su Jie’s actions. She stared in shock at the gradually receding figure and couldn’t resist blurting out after quite a while, “This madman.”

…

Although the Black Market was in decline, there were still Disciples around.

Acquiring resources for war preparation was a rigid demand for the Disciples, regardless of how high the prices soared, it was insignificant in comparison to the value of life.

And Su Jie, who had become a notable personality in the Black Market just two months ago, was recognized by many Disciples, and those Black Market merchants remembered his face even more clearly.

Much like the relationship between Su Jie and Cai Chun’e, the merchants always had some familiar Disciples.

Seeing Su Jie appear on the Black Market, some merchants’ eyes flickered and they stealthily went to pass on the news.

Su Jie, seemingly oblivious, wandered the Black Market several times, attracting a lot of attention before finally leaving the Black Market and heading toward Insect Valley.