# Chapter 405: Underground Transaction
...
Yun Che stood in the darkness, his gaze fixed on the scene before him.
This was a secret underground chamber, hidden beneath a seemingly ordinary courtyard in the eastern district of Cangfeng Imperial City. The walls were lined with isolation enchantments, ensuring that no sound or spiritual energy fluctuation could escape.
Within the chamber, three figures sat around a stone table.
The one on the left was a middle-aged man with a sinister face, his eyes gleaming with a cold, calculating light. He wore black robes embroidered with silver patterns—the emblem of the Black Moon Merchant Guild.
The one on the right was a young man in his twenties, handsome but with a cruel twist to his lips. His cultivation was at the Sovereign Xuan Realm, Level 3.
And in the center sat an old man wrapped in a gray cloak, his face hidden in shadows. From his demeanor alone, one could tell he was no ordinary person.
"The goods are here," the old man said in a hoarse voice. He waved his hand, and a black wooden box appeared on the table.
The middle-aged man from the Black Moon Merchant Guild reached out, but the old man's hand stopped him.
"The price?"
"One hundred thousand Purple Mysterious Coins. Not a single coin less."
"Heh..." The middle-aged man sneered. "That's quite a price for a mere 'Heavenly Tribulation Pill.' But if it truly works as you claim, then it's worth it."
"It can increase the success rate of breaking through from the Divine Tribulation Realm to the Divine Spirit Realm by thirty percent," the old man said calmly. "The materials used to refine it are extremely rare. In the entire Cang Feng Kingdom, I dare say there is no second pill like it."
The young man at the side interjected impatiently, "Enough nonsense. My father is waiting. If this pill is real, you'll get your money."
The old man chuckled, a sound like grating metal. "The crown prince is indeed straightforward."
Crown prince?
Yun Che's eyes narrowed. So this was the crown prince of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan. And the person they were buying the pill for was likely the current emperor himself.
The middle-aged man from the Black Moon Merchant Guild opened the box, and a rich medicinal fragrance filled the room. The pill inside was the size of a dragon's eye, its surface shimmering with a faint purple light.
"Hmm... the quality is indeed good," the middle-aged man nodded with satisfaction. "Very well, here is the payment."
He took out a space ring and placed it on the table.
The old man picked up the ring, his spiritual sense sweeping through it. After a moment, he nodded. "Not bad. The Black Moon Merchant Guild always keeps its word."
"Then our transaction is concluded." The middle-aged man stood up. "If you have more pills of this quality in the future, feel free to come to me."
"Of course." The old man stood as well, gathering his cloak around him. "But I must remind you—this pill must not be exposed to the public. If the Phoenix Sect or the Ice Phoenix God Sect learns of it, they won't let it go."
"Do you take me for a fool?" the middle-aged man said coldly.
The old man chuckled again and vanished into the shadows, his figure melding into the darkness as if he had never been there.
The crown prince also stood up. "Uncle Qin, is this pill really that important?"
"Your Highness," the middle-aged man—apparently named Uncle Qin—said solemnly, "Your father's injuries have left him stuck at the peak of the Divine Tribulation Realm for many years. If he can break through to the Divine Spirit Realm, not only will his lifespan increase, but the imperial clan's power will also rise. At that time, we will no longer have to bow to the Phoenix Sect and the Ice Phoenix God Sect."
"Hmph." The crown prince snorted. "Those two sects have dominated the Cang Feng Kingdom for too long. It's time for them to taste the power of the imperial clan."
Just then, a faint sound came from outside the chamber.
"Who?!"
Uncle Qin's expression changed. He acted instantly, his palm shooting out a beam of spiritual energy that shattered the secret door.
But there was no one outside. Only the cold wind blew through the deserted courtyard.
"...Let's go," Uncle Qin said after a moment of silence. "This place is not safe anymore."
The two quickly left.
After they had gone, Yun Che slowly revealed himself from behind a pillar, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
"Heavenly Tribulation Pill... and it involves the Phoenix Sect and the Ice Phoenix God Sect... interesting."
He looked at the direction in which the old man in the gray cloak had disappeared.
"That old man's voice seemed familiar somehow..."
He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. Whatever the schemes of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan were, they had nothing to do with him. His current goal was simple: find Mu Bingyun and Mu Xuanyin, and then leave this place.
But as he turned to leave, his steps suddenly stopped.
A brilliant light flashed in the void ahead.
A spatial formation!
It was extremely covert, so much so that even Yun Che hadn't noticed it before it activated.
And then, a voice rang out.
"Young master Yun, we meet again."
A figure walked out of the light.
She wore a feather robe, her hair like flowing clouds. Her face was covered by a light veil, but her unearthly beauty was still vaguely discernible.
Behind her, several powerful auras locked onto Yun Che instantly.
Yun Che's eyes narrowed. "Qianye Ying'er."
Qianye Ying'er smiled lightly, a hint of playfulness in her eyes. "Young master Yun is still as alert as ever. I didn't expect you to notice me from so far away."
"What do you want?" Yun Che asked calmly, but his hand had already gripped the handle of the Heaven-Defying Demon-Slaying Sword.
"Don't be nervous." Qianye Ying'er gently waved her hand. "I just came to remind you of something."
"And what is that?"
"It's about the Twelve Guardian Clans."
Yun Che's heart moved slightly.
"Originally, you and the Guardian Clans were bound by a blood contract, but now that the Evil God's Indestructible Blood has awakened within you, some people can no longer sit still."
"What do you mean?"
"They have already started to gather in the Eastern Domain," Qianye Ying'er said, her voice still gentle but carrying a hint of coldness. "They plan to use this opportunity to completely erase the final bloodline of the Evil God."
Yun Che's eyes darkened.
"And why are you telling me this?"
"Because..." Qianye Ying'er's eyes met his, unfathomably deep. "I don't want you to die too soon."
The moment her words fell, the spatial light faded, and she vanished without a trace, along with her attendants.
The courtyard returned to silence.
Only Yun Che remained, standing in the cold wind, his expression calm, but a fire already burning in his eyes.
"The Twelve Guardian Clans..."
He slowly raised his head, looking toward the distant sky.
"Come then. Let me see what tricks you still have up your sleeve."