Chapter 147: Materials Secured
Zhou Ming called out a bid of twenty million, which did not draw much attention, because in the Black Market, wealthy people were never in short supply.
Moreover, a price of twenty million was merely the lowest market price for a Worm Potion.
As soon as his voice fell, someone immediately continued raising the bid.
“Twenty-one million.”
“Twenty-one point two million.”
“Twenty-one point five million.”
……
Although the increments were no longer as large as before, the voices calling out bids did not slow down.
Seeing that the price was about to break twenty-three million, Zhou Ming also began considering how much he needed to raise the bid to make the others back down.
The Worm Potion was indeed precious, but because Professional Beast Tamers used it frequently, and high-tier Potioners often refined this potion, its price generally hovered around twenty million.
It would be a different matter if a Beast Tamer who urgently needed a Worm Potion appeared.
“Twenty-five million.”
In order to secure the Worm Potion smoothly, Zhou Ming could only take it at a premium, directly raising the price by more than one point eight million.
At this moment, the surrounding bidders finally turned their gazes toward Zhou Ming.
They secretly speculated about which faction Zhou Ming came from.
Facing everyone’s attention, Zhou Ming’s gaze remained calm, treating it as if he did not see it at all, while waiting to see whether anyone would continue bidding.
However, faced with a Worm Potion priced four to five million above market value, no one ultimately chose to call out another bid.
The hammer fell, and the auction was successful.
Zhou Ming came to the side of the auction platform, swiped his card to complete the transaction, and the Worm Potion was successfully obtained.
Fortunately, the Worm Potion was a required material for Half-Beastman class advancement. If it had been advancement materials for the other three major mainstream systems, he would not have had any hope of winning the auction.
Looking at the silver potion in his hand, Zhou Ming also felt relieved. This could be considered one of the advantages of choosing a niche class advancement system.
The moment he placed the Worm Potion into his backpack, Zhou Ming stored it directly into his Spatial Ring.
Afterward, Zhou Ming did not linger any longer and left No. 8 Cave.
The main material for Half-Beastman class advancement was already in hand. Now, as long as he purchased the remaining materials, he could begin advancing to a Professional Beast Tamer.
After continuing to wander around the Black Market for quite some time, Zhou Ming returned once again to the cave where stalls were set up.
Now that the main advancement material, the Worm Potion, was already secured, and the auxiliary potions had been purchased at Qinghui Base, he was only lacking the special ink required to draw the ritual, as well as the Source Crystal needed to provide energy for the Beast’s transformation.
However, these two items were not particularly common. Ordinary Beast Tamers did not possess Source Crystals, and even if they did, they would not easily take them out for trade.
After all, Source Crystals were equivalent to gold in his previous life. No matter where they were, or which social class one belonged to, they were hard currency.
In the end, Zhou Ming fixed his gaze on the Black Market itself.
Among those who came to the Black Market, if they did not encounter suitable items, it was not without precedent to directly seek transactions with the Black Market.
As for whether this would attract the Black Market’s attention, Zhou Ming could no longer afford to worry about that.
Perhaps if he waited slowly, someone would eventually sell these two items.
But on the path of a Beast Tamer, being one step slow meant being slow at every step.
He did not have that kind of patience.
As long as he could advance to a Professional Beast Tamer, then all other problems would no longer be problems.
Without further hesitation, Zhou Ming walked directly toward the nearest Black Market guard.
The other party noticed Zhou Ming’s movement, and his finger rested on the trigger, while others nearby also looked toward Zhou Ming.
“What are you doing?”
A low reprimand sounded by Zhou Ming’s ear.
“I want to make a deal with the Black Market. Could you help lead the way?”
Hearing Zhou Ming’s intent, the Black Market guard was somewhat surprised, but such matters had happened before.
“Follow me.”
The Black Market guard did not ask further. After all, if the person before him were to toy with the Black Market, he would naturally pay the corresponding price.
Following the guard as they twisted and turned left and right, it did not take long before they arrived at the entrance of a small cave.
“Wait here for a moment.”
Without paying further attention to Zhou Ming, the Black Market guard directly entered the cave.
After a short while, the other party called Zhou Ming inside.
Inside the narrow cave, the decor was extremely simple. It was little more than a hall seemingly meant to receive guests.
Several circular chairs, a few tea tables placed to the side, and in addition, several separate stone chambers had been excavated within the cave.
After sweeping his gaze around briefly, Zhou Ming’s eyes finally landed on the middle-aged man sipping tea in the seat of honor, and he did not dare continue observing the other presences.
A Professional Beast Tamer.
Sensing the oppressive aura that weighed on him, as well as the intense warning brought by the Snake Swarm Will, Zhou Ming could be one hundred percent certain that the person before him was a Professional Beast Tamer.
“Are you the one who wants to do business with the Black Market?”
The middle-aged man with a thin mustache set down the teacup in his hand and directly asked Zhou Ming’s purpose.
“Yes, sir.”
Zhou Ming immediately cupped his fists in response, then directly stated the items for the transaction.
“I wish to purchase Purple-ringed Octopus Ink, as well as one kilogram of Source Crystal.”
The Purple-ringed Octopus was a deep-sea high-tier Ferocious Beast, containing highly toxic ink within its body.
However, after special processing, this kind of ink was the best material for drawing rituals.
As for Source Crystal, there was no need for further explanation. According to the Alliance’s official pricing, one gram of Source Crystal was worth ten thousand Alliance Coins.
The reality was that ten thousand Alliance Coins could not possibly buy one gram of Source Crystal.
Hearing Zhou Ming’s request, the other party immediately became somewhat interested in him.
Because these two items were not particularly precious to a Professional Beast Tamer, but an Apprentice Beast Tamer who needed them was, with high probability, preparing to advance and become a Professional Beast Tamer.
“The price?”
“Three Army Ant Queen Brain Cores, and two Tiger-headed Golden Needle Bee Queen Brain Cores.”
A single Brain Core was enough to refine ten potions that enhanced Spiritual Power.
And the price of such potions on the market was no less than five to six hundred thousand, or even higher.
Five Brain Cores would have a minimum market value of twenty million.
“Still a bit short.”
As for how Zhou Ming obtained the Brain Cores, the thin-mustached middle-aged man was not interested. He only wanted to know what else Zhou Ming could produce.
“One piece of Phantasmal Scale Snake Lizard leather, and one first-tier spiritual item, White Jade Grass. This is my limit.”
After Zhou Ming advanced to a Professional Beast Tamer, these two items would not be of much help to him.
Therefore, he did not use his remaining four to five million Alliance Coins.
After stating the price he could offer, Zhou Ming also indicated that this was the maximum he could put forth.
“Accepted.”
“This is one liter of Purple-ringed Octopus Ink, and one kilogram of Source Crystal.”
The other party did not raise further demands and directly took these two items out from his Spatial Storage Equipment.
“Many thanks, sir.”
Zhou Ming immediately set down the backpack on his back, took out the Brain Cores and the Phantasmal Scale Snake Lizard that he had long prepared, and handed them over.
“Sir, I shall take my leave.”
Having obtained what he wanted, Zhou Ming naturally did not intend to stay any longer.
“Mm.”
Although he was somewhat curious about Zhou Ming, the middle-aged man had no intention of probing further. After all, who came to the Black Market without secrets?
Compared to the Black Market’s reputation, the things Zhou Ming revealed were not worth the risk of smashing that signboard.
As for class advancement, at Qinghui Base there were no fewer than eighty or a hundred people every year attempting it, yet those who succeeded were only a handful.
Having successfully obtained all the materials he needed, Zhou Ming chose to leave the Black Market at the first possible moment.