The group had just left the bustling talisman bazaar, walking past rows of spirit herb vendors and exotic pet stalls. Lin Yuan, noticed a narrow path veering off from the main square. At its entrance stood an aged stone plaque, the words etched with fading gold:
**"Authorized Spirit-Bond Market."**
His steps slowed.
A strange pull tugged at his heart.
"What's that place?" Lin Yuan asked aloud, pointing toward the gloomy corridor.
The moment he spoke, the air shifted.
The Holy Son's expression darkened. "You don't need to know," he said.
Princess Yun'er frowned, stepping beside him. "Sister Lin, you shouldn't go there. It's not a place for kind hearts."
"Why?" Lin Yuan's voice was calm but firm.
Holy Son turned, eyes serious. "Because once you see what's inside... you can't unsee it. It'll follow you."
Lin Yuan's gaze lingered on the sign. His heart whispered: *If it's that terrible... isn't that more reason to look?*
He smiled gently. "You're making me more curious."
The princesses exchanged glances, but Lin Yuan had already stepped toward the corridor.
Holy Son sighed. "You all go ahead. I'll go with her."
They passed through a thick velvet curtain. The air turned dry and silent. It smelled of incense... and something underneath—like rust and fading blood.
The marketplace inside was dimly lit by floating lanterns. Rows of spirit-iron cages stretched in every direction.
At first, Lin Yuan thought it was a beast market. There were spirit hounds, flying lizards, and scaled apes in reinforced enclosures. He barely blinked.
But then—he saw a cage filled with children.
Not beast cubs.
Children.
Some had tails. Others small horns. A few had furred ears or silver eyes—demon bloodlines, clearly. But they were crying, huddled, bones visible beneath their skin.
A boy about Xiao Hu's size sat in one corner. His tail had been snapped in half. His face was blank, but his eyes were far too old.
Lin Yuan stopped walking.
He felt something break quietly in his chest.
---
He turned to look at a different cage. This one held cultivators—humans. Or at least, they had been.
Most wore tattered robes of ruined sects. Their dantian had been sealed, some even shattered. One man had no hands. Another had no eyes. One woman was so thin her belly looked swollen with hunger. Yet... she was clearly pregnant.
"Holy Son..." Lin Yuan whispered. "These are... people."
"They were," the Holy Son replied, voice low.
Lin Yuan clenched his fists. "Shouldn't humans be better than demons? How can this exist?"
"They're criminals. Debt-slaves. War spoils. Failed disciples," said a voice behind them—an attendant. "All within legal bounds."
The Holy Son turned sharply, and the attendant bowed and backed away.
But the images didn't fade. Lin Yuan's mind reeled.
---
Ahead, a group of merchants was inspecting a group of half-elven girls.
They prodded them with measuring rods, asking for height, weight, and *body type*.
Some buyers requested spiritual bloodline tests. Others sniffed the air to check "purity of aura." One man lifted a girl's arm, nodding at her smooth skin.
Lin Yuan turned away.
"Why are they asking about height?" he asked, voice shaking slightly.
"Combat labor, cauldron selection, or aesthetic preference," the Holy Son said simply. "Some want spirit furnaces. Others want... decoration."
"Decoration?" Lin Yuan whispered.
The Holy Son didn't answer.
---
As they walked deeper, they passed auction stands. Crystalline cages displayed the "elite stock": muscular warriors, graceful dancers, rare-blooded cultivators whose eyes no longer glowed with life.
Lin Yuan paused by a glass cell.
Inside, an old man knelt motionless.
The placard read:
> "Former Elder of Cloud Rain Pavilion. Lost sect in war. Sealed cultivation. Possesses mid-level alchemy skills. Loyal if bound."
He wasn't even looking at them.
When they exited, the sun was still shining outside—but it felt far dimmer.
Lin Yuan didn't speak for a long time.
He looked up at the sky, but it felt heavier than before.
Holy Son finally broke the silence. "Now you understand why I said not to go."
Lin Yuan nodded slowly. "I understand. But... I'm still glad I went."
He looked down at his hands.
"I need to become stronger."
Holy Son gave a quiet smile. "That's a good answer."