Chapter 214: Demoness Tan Zhu 【 Female Supporting Character Tan Zhu Appears 】
In the Chongming Demon Market, a hundred demons walk at night.
Compared to the prosperity and liveliness of the cultivation world and the mundane world, although this demon market is also extremely lively, it carries a scent of bloodshed and barbarity.
Looking up, almost everything being sold is the flesh and blood, bone and marrow of demonic beasts, and a stench filled Ming Zhaoshuang’s nostrils.
Fortunately, Xie Yanning had previously instructed her and Qin Feilong not to change their clothes, otherwise, being so clean, they would indeed not fit in here.
Xie Yanning said, “These are all Earth Rank demonic beasts, they won’t fetch a high price. If you want to talk about high prices, you’ll have to find the Gui Xuan Merchant Guild’s branch here.”
Saying this, Xie Yanning led Ming Zhaoshuang to a magnificent building. The building was a hundred feet tall, with nine eaves, draped in crimson thin veils, standing out exceptionally amidst the chaotic demon market.
In front of that building, black banners fluttered, painted with strange patterns, resembling a soaring snake, or perhaps a black bird, with only “Gui Xuan” written on one side.
Ming Zhaoshuang understood that the Huan Bird, being a Heaven Rank Low Grade demonic beast with cultivation reaching the Body Integration Stage, naturally could not be casually displayed at a stall; instead, it would be sold through the wealthy Gui Xuan Merchant Guild.
Clearly, this was not the first time Xie Yanning had done such a thing. She skillfully found a servant girl from the Gui Xuan Merchant Guild, explained their purpose, and the servant girl then led them to a private room, gesturing for the three of them to wait.
Xie Yanning explained, “An appraiser will come up to appraise the treasure, and they will give an estimated price.”
Ming Zhaoshuang understood that the corpse bone of the Huan Bird was extremely rare even in the demon world, worthy of an appraiser’s visit.
But speaking of the Huan Bird’s corpse bone, she was reminded of Wen Ye.
Ming Zhaoshuang couldn’t help but ask, “The demon world’s economy is so backward, even if Wen Ye is from a noble family, he wouldn’t be so generous as to give sixty thousand demon stones for a single talisman, would he?”
The demon world’s economy was obviously only one-third of its exchange rate with the cultivation world. Zhen Hanliu’s talismans in the upper realm were only about twelve thousand spirit stones, which converted to demon stones would be no more than thirty-six thousand. Yet Wen Ye asked for sixty thousand, truly exceedingly generous.
Xie Yanning frowned, feeling something was indeed a bit wrong.
She guessed, “Perhaps it’s because Wen Ye is a Talisman Master. Your father, Zhen Hanliu, is after all the Number One Person under Wei Shuo. If he hadn’t ventured alone into the Dragon Domain for your mother over a decade ago, the title of Number One Formation Master under Heaven might not have fallen to the Kunlun Palace Master. It’s normal for him to be willing to acquire it at a high price.”
Ming Zhaoshuang thought about it and felt it made some sense.
She sighed, “I hope so, may nothing go wrong.”
She always felt that nothing good was happening.
As the two were talking, Qin Feilong, who couldn’t interject, felt a bit self-despairing.
He asked with feigned foolishness, “Based on what do these appraisers determine the price of treasures, and how do they know?”
Ming Zhaoshuang: “……”
Xie Yanning: “……”
Besides the rank and cultivation of the demonic beast, what else could it be based on? Could it be the number of years since the demonic beast died?
Before the two could speak, they heard a light laugh coming from outside the private room.
The laugh was extremely soft and sweet, with three parts languor and seven parts innate charm, making one’s body go limp.
“I say, young sir, the price of a treasure is naturally based on my pair of eyes.”
As she spoke, a hand stretched out from the opulent doorway.
The hand was fair and tender, slender and long, painted with delicate nail polish. Just a brief glance was enough to steal one’s soul.
The door opened, and a woman with a flirtatious smile slowly came into view.
It was an extremely beautiful and charming face. Her eyes slanted upwards, her gaze was amorous, her lips were full and vibrant, contrasting with her snow-white skin like bright, fresh blood.
What was most striking was her graceful figure. Beneath the overly revealing demon world attire, her delicate and smooth collarbones were exposed, along with her full, white bosom, a tight and slender waist, and a long, narrow V-line that slid down past the bright red skirt hem. Looking again, one could only see her full, straight thighs through the parted, swaying skirt.
This person must be the most beautiful in the mortal world.
Let alone Qin Feilong, even Xie Yanning and Ming Zhaoshuang couldn’t help but stare.
In this world, only one person could be this alluring.
That was Tan Zhu, the demoness from the Hehuan Sect.
However, Tan Zhu, the demoness of the Hehuan Sect, was called a demoness because her demeanor and appearance were vulgar and enchanting like the women of the demon world, not because she was truly a demon.
Then why was she here, and why was she an appraiser for the Gui Xuan Merchant Guild?
Xie Yanning said, “It’s actually you.”
The two had encountered each other a few times in the upper realm, so they were considered old acquaintances.
Tan Zhu smiled, “What, young lady, you know me?”
Her voice was soft and seductive, capable of melting half a person’s bones even when speaking to a woman.
Xie Yanning saw the demonic aura surrounding Tan Zhu and the few demons following behind her, and suddenly understood a bit. She knew that Tan Zhu had likely concealed her identity and was in the demon world for an important matter.
She said, “I’ve seen fellow daoist a few times in the demon market and took a liking to you, but I didn’t dare to approach and converse.”
This, in a way, explained things.
But Tan Zhu chuckled, “I say, young lady, your demeanor is exactly like those humans, which is rather annoying to hear.”
Saying this, she squatted down and began inspecting the Huan Bird remains on the ground.
Xie Yanning’s heart skipped a beat. She realized that Tan Zhu’s seemingly casual remark was actually a reminder that her “human scent” was too strong and easily detectable.
But she couldn’t bring herself to act like the people of the demon world.
After all, Xie Yanning had been raised in a proper sect like the Sword Sect for over two hundred years, and her core principles were those of a gentleman.
The demon world, to her, was the epitome of unrestrained behavior.
She couldn’t adapt to it, but Ming Zhaoshuang adapted well. She tilted her head and said to Tan Zhu with a smile, “Sister, my sister is afraid of offending you and annoying you, so she’s just imitating the scholarly manner of humans.”
As soon as she said this, the vigilant expressions of the demons behind Tan Zhu immediately eased.
Tan Zhu’s upturned eyes slightly raised, as if she had become somewhat interested in Ming Zhaoshuang’s words, “So that’s how it is. Then little sister, you must remember, I detest the hypocritical image of humans the most.”
Ming Zhaoshuang snorted, “Humans are extremely hypocritical, they are indeed detestable.”
Qin Feilong, standing aside, was about to retort, but was fiercely glared at by Xie Yanning.
Qin Feilong: “……”
He had learned his lesson and knew when to speak and when not to.
Then, he looked at Tan Zhu again.
