The Grey Rat's Demon Path

Chapter 199: Chapter 178-179: Celestial Thunder Stone, Each With Their Own Schemes

He hadn’t expected them all to be brought along this time.

The Five Thunders Mine was extremely far from Thunder Demon City, closer to the Yanyue Sect of the Human Race, and near the border of their territory.

The caravan’s pace was slow; the journey would take over a month.

Though called a caravan, it was actually just a group of Great Demons traveling together, each carrying various Storage Bags.

These Great Demons were of varying Realms. The weaker among them were ordinary Great Demons, while the stronger ones were Top-tier Great Demons!

All of them were representatives from various shops in Thunder Demon City!

Partway through the journey, the Yellow Rock Bull Spirit secretly sought out Xu Chang’an.

"Fellow Daoist Silver Fang, be careful of Fellow Daoist Dou!"

"Oh!?"

Xu Chang’an asked, feigning confusion.

"Fellow Daoist Dou has led us to the Five Thunders Mine for this trade. There’s a strong sense he’s manipulating things. I’m afraid he has his own agenda,"

the Yellow Rock Bull Spirit explained.

"You suspect..."

Xu Chang’an’s eyes glinted.

"Exactly! When we get there, we just need to stay inside the Five Thunders Marketplace and not venture out. With the Marketplace’s reputation, I figure that even if Fellow Daoist Dou is planning something, he won’t be able to do a thing!

And if we must go out, I hope the few of us can go together!"

"An excellent idea!"

Xu Chang’an nodded in agreement.

After speaking with Xu Chang’an, the Yellow Rock Bull Spirit immediately departed.

In the process, Xu Chang’an happened to see the Yellow Rock Bull Spirit secretly approach the White Tiger Demon as well.

Among the demons, the Yellow Rock Bull Spirit’s Cultivation was the weakest. He was merely at the ordinary Late-stage Foundation Establishment, not yet having reached Minor Achievement.

It was only natural for him to be worried.

His attempt to form an alliance to deal with any surprises was a perfectly normal move.

’They’re all clever demons!’

Even if many in the Demon Race were foolish, none who could become a Top-tier Great Demon was ever ordinary.

Xu Chang’an even suspected that the Yellow Rock Bull Spirit’s words were also meant to test him.

After all, the demons had just met, were strangers to one another, and had all been brought here by the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng.

Only the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng knew who the real clients were.

If the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng was truly up to no good, who knew if one of his own allies had been planted in their group.

One might expect two demons to ally in the face of adversity,

but it was all too common that when a crisis hit, one would turn out to be the enemy’s ally!

Such things were not at all uncommon.

’Taking it a step further, what if the Yellow Rock Bull Spirit is actually Dou Haifeng’s ally?’

’This so-called warning is actually a probe, meant to earn my trust!’

The Demon Path was a treacherous one, filled with intrigue and conspiracy. This was the norm.

It was impossible to guard against every possibility.

But...

Xu Chang’an didn’t need to.

’No matter the scheme or plot, I will shatter all tricks with absolute power!’

’Soldiers are met by generals, floods by earthen dams!’

’The more leeway one has, the greater one’s freedom!’

As someone who concealed his true Cultivation, Xu Chang’an understood this deeply.

The rest of the journey to the Five Thunders Mine was uneventful, and they arrived safely.

"Fellow Daoists, once I have the trade goods, I will come find you all in the Five Thunders Marketplace!"

Upon reaching their destination, the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng took his leave.

Xu Chang’an rented a cave residence within the Five Thunders Marketplace and settled in.

The other demons did the same.

From the looks of it, they each had their own separate deals with Dou Haifeng.

Though it was called a Marketplace, the Five Thunders Marketplace was considerable in size—far more prosperous than the Lujiao Mountain Marketplace he remembered.

It was lined with shops, and there were even a good number of Quasi-Third Tier Skill Masters.

Most notably, a Tier Three Array Master presided over the Five Thunders Marketplace!

While waiting for the trade, Xu Chang’an didn’t remain idle in the Five Thunders Marketplace.

He purchased some Spirit Medicine and Spirit Grass seeds.

He also upgraded a few sets of Array Flags.

As his power increased, his mere Tier Two Middle Grade Concealment and Isolation Arrays were no longer sufficient.

After clearing out his old inventory, Xu Chang’an spent a number of Demon Stones to buy several sets of Array Flags for Quasi-Tier Three Arrays.

A month and a half later, the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng came to the Marketplace to trade with Xu Chang’an.

Three Celestial Thunder Stones.

Xu Chang’an gladly paid the Demon Stones.

Afterward, he used the Power of Thunder within the Celestial Thunder Stones to continue stimulating his Bloodline.

「Another month passed.」

The Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng came to his door once again.

"Fellow Daoist Dou, what you’re doing is rather inappropriate!"

Xu Chang’an’s expression was grim as he stared at the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng.

Just moments before, the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng had told him that Thundering Mountain had recently tightened its control over Celestial Thunder Stones.

Obtaining Celestial Thunder Stones had become much more difficult than anticipated.

Therefore, Dou Haifeng was proposing a price increase.

An increase of one-fifth on top of the previously agreed-upon price.

"Fellow Daoist Silver Fang, I know this is inappropriate. But I have my own difficulties—obtaining these Celestial Thunder Stones has truly become much harder than before! The price I have to pay has also increased significantly. I have no other choice,"

the Leopard Spirit Dou Haifeng explained with a bitter smile.

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