Chapter 717: Sparrow Blood Iron, Catching a Turtle in a Jar!

No one wishes to see the rise of an emerging power, nor do they want their opponents to grow stronger. For this reason, such quality iron materials are almost never available on the market. Even if they do appear, they would be immediately divided up by the major powers.

To sell such materials lightly, one must consider whether it would offend these powers, and must be cautious of their own life being at risk. Such things are not something ordinary people can meddle with!

“This man dares to so openly purchase Fourth-Grade iron materials… just who is he?”

More people were clicking their tongues in wonder, curious about Su Mu’s identity. Among the crowd, there were also spies from the major powers of Sanshan County. Upon learning of Su Mu’s purchase of iron materials, they were first shocked and immediately left to relay the news back.

However, in the Ghost Market, no one dared to provoke Su Mu. They would all take a few glances before hurrying away, and some even took detours for fear of getting into trouble.

“It seems there is some hidden reason behind the Fourth-Grade iron materials… If I can’t buy them, then I’ll head to Qingzhou.”

Time passed, and just as Su Mu sighed inwardly and planned to pack up and leave, an unexpected visitor arrived.

A man, wrapped entirely in a Night Suit, wearing some kind of Cyan Sheep Mask, paused briefly in front of Su Mu’s stall. Once Su Mu left, he followed, confirming there was no one around before moving his lips slightly to transmit a message into Su Mu’s ear.

“Are you looking to buy Fourth-Grade iron materials?”

The man did not use Spiritual Power to transmit his voice but rather some exquisite technique wrapped in Martial Dao Gang Force, so the sound didn’t leak out. His cultivation in Martial Force is not weak!

“That’s right.”

Su Mu’s steps halted, and he turned around.

“I don’t have Fourth-Grade iron materials… “

As the words fell, Su Mu’s brow furrowed under the mask, and a murderous aura flashed in his eyes. In an instant, the Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man felt the surrounding temperature plummet, as if watched by a particularly ferocious Demon Beast.

Instantly, the Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man felt terrified. Being a Martial Dao expert himself, in front of this White Deer Masked man, he felt as if facing a Demonic Beast that could eat people alive, like he would pay a heavy price if the other person opened their mouth!

“No one else is here. Let’s talk this over nicely. I’m not here to waste time!”

The Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man gulped, quickly raising his hands to placate.

Only then did Su Mu slowly calm down.

“I hope you can provide me with a reasonable explanation.”

“I indeed don’t have Fourth-Grade iron materials, but I have better iron materials. Are you interested?”

“Better?”

Su Mu’s deep eyes flickered under the mask, waiting for the other man to continue.

“How much do you need?”

The other man didn’t reveal his cards but first asked Su Mu how much iron he needed, which made Su Mu believe him a little more.

“As much as there is… at least thirty pounds.”

Forging a Pill Furnace requires a lot of iron. Su Mu estimated that he needed about twenty pounds, but he planned to gather more if possible, so he asked for thirty pounds.

“Is this person really planning to forge a supreme Dharma Artifact? Where exactly did this guy come from?”

Su Mu’s request for thirty pounds startled the Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man. He felt anxious and began to regret meeting Su Mu too soon.

Under normal circumstances, even a Fourth-Grade Dharma Artifact would only require three to five pounds of Fourth-Grade iron at most. Few would build an entire weapon using such rare iron, as that would cost an astronomical price!

Anyone with such ambitions wouldn’t be an ordinary person.

But soon, a strange look flashed through his eyes. The Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man calmed down, and a flash of red light appeared in his hand. A piece of naturally Fire Sparrow-patterned fiery red irregular iron appeared in his hand.

As soon as the thumb-sized iron appeared, the surrounding air instantly distorted, and the temperature began to rise rapidly.

“This is Sparrow Blood Iron. If the Blacksmith’s skills are good enough, it can easily forge Half-Step Third-Grade weapons.”

Su Mu’s eyes narrowed, noticing the surrounding Fire Spiritual Qi gravitating towards the Sparrow Blood Iron in the man’s palm. This item was indeed extraordinary, and the man’s words were not false.

“How much?”

“Let’s not talk about money just yet. I have two conditions. First, I can’t deliver all thirty pounds of Sparrow Blood Iron at once. It needs to be traded in installments. You and I will trade every half month. Each time, I can give you half a pound, exchanging money for goods until the transaction is complete.”

“Continue.”

Su Mu planned to hear out all of the man’s conditions first.

“Secondly… Getting these things involves considerable risk. I need to maintain various connections, and things could go wrong. We’ll set the price at five thousand taels for one tael of Sparrow Blood Iron!”

The Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man laid out the second condition.

Five thousand taels of silver for one tael of Sparrow Blood Iron equates to five hundred taels of gold. In this world, one pound is ten taels. Thirty pounds would be three hundred taels, totaling one hundred fifty thousand taels of silver, or fifteen thousand taels of gold!

“Too expensive. Two thousand five hundred taels, not a penny more.”

Su Mu wasn’t clear on the price of such things, but he was familiar with bargaining, firmly starting by halving it, as the saying goes, ask for the sky and bargain on the ground.

“Impossible! Four thousand five hundred taels.”

“If you’re not sincere about selling, forget it.”

Su Mu turned to leave—one step, two steps, three steps… by the tenth step.

“Wait!”

As expected, he heard the Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man’s anxious voice from behind.

“Four thousand taels for one tael, the control over this material is strict, and after this opportunity, you’ll never find a store that can deal in such quality in bulk again.”

“Three thousand five hundred taels.”

Su Mu wasn’t intimidated, speaking again.

“Fine, three thousand five hundred taels it is… no lower!” The Black-clothed man’s gritted teeth were heard. Su Mu knew he had probably still reported a high price given how swiftly the man agreed.

Yet, in just a few words, Su Mu had reduced the original price from one hundred fifty thousand taels to one hundred five thousand taels, saving forty-five thousand taels, which was still satisfactory.

This three million taels mostly came from Sea Pirates. Su Mu didn’t mind spending it, and as an Alchemy Master capable of refining Fourth Grade Elixirs, he could quickly earn back these one hundred thousand taels and more with some time spent in Alchemy.

Plus, given the man’s connections and his two proposed conditions, it was clear he operated cautiously. For this, Su Mu was willing to trade with him.

“The next transaction will be on the thirteenth of next month. Follow me now. I will take you to collect the first batch of goods.”

“Alright.”

After half an hour, the Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man led Su Mu to an abandoned temple. He skillfully walked into the temple, reaching into the head of a dilapidated clay statue to retrieve a package.

“Here’s one pound worth.”

The Black-clothed Man unwrapped the package, revealing a rough wooden box inside, which he opened to show thumb-sized pieces of Sparrow Blood Iron.

Su Mu’s gaze swept over the Sparrow Blood Iron in the box, confirming that it matched the Sparrow Blood Iron the Black-clothed Man had previously displayed. The man held the box toward Su Mu for closer inspection.

After confirming, Su Mu took out silver notes, “Thirty-five thousand taels for one pound. You can count the silver notes.”

“No need to count closely. You can inspect now, but once we leave the temple, I won’t acknowledge it afterward.”

Saying this, the Black-clothed man held out the wooden box voluntarily.

A strange light flashed in Su Mu’s eyes, but he didn’t extend his hand to receive it. Just then, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps outside the abandoned temple.

“Bastard, I’m sincere in trading, and this is how you treat me?”

The Cyan Ram Black-clothed Man immediately closed the wooden box, recovering the Sparrow Blood Iron and stepping back a few distances, glaring angrily.

Su Mu glanced at the Cyan Sheep Masked Man, his brow furrowing beneath his mask. Besides the four rapidly approaching footfalls he heard, there were also sounds from afar. Horse hooves neighed and resounded from all sides, mixed with the metallic clinking of armor as they moved.

The sounds carried by the wind made it clear to Su Mu that a large, well-equipped cavalry was rushing towards the abandoned temple!

“What an elaborate scheme. Isn’t this the moment you’ve been waiting for?”

Su Mu’s voice carried a chilling coldness, fully aware that the man had been targeting him. Everything before, whether it was bargaining or the two conditions, was a setup—meant to lead him step by step into a pre-planned trap.

At present, he was in the net, just like capturing a turtle trapped in a jar.

But whether it would be a turtle caught in a jar or a case of playing with fire and getting burned, remains to be seen!