Chainmail, Re-entering the Black Market

"Young Master, is this Li Sanlang really worth all this trouble?"

The carriage moved slowly, its wooden wheels rolling over the dirt road before transitioning onto a stretch of connected bluestone.

This was the Eastern District of the Outer City, also the wealthy area of the Outer City. Not only were the residences opulent, but the streets had also been paved with brick and stone by the gentry.

"Li Cunxiao not only has talent, but he is also trustworthy and values righteousness."

"I've inquired. Gao Cheng was someone he befriended when he was still poor. Now, though he's just an escort himself, he dares to wade into the messy waters of the County Yamen for a friend."

"Tonight, he explained martial arts to Qin Yu and me with utmost dedication, his words hitting the nail on the head, which clearly shows his talent. He doesn't hoard his knowledge, which further demonstrates his magnanimity."

"Befriending someone like him is worth ten, even a hundred people!"

He Bi said this and then chuckled, "Besides, a hundred taels of silver isn't going to break the bank. At worst, I won't go to the pleasure houses this month."

The coachman outside the carriage couldn't help but tease upon hearing this:

"If that's truly the case, then Master will likely have to thank Li Sanlang personally."

"Uncle Zhang, you really are…"

He Bi smiled and shook his head. In truth, there was one more reason he hadn't mentioned.

This Uncle Zhang driving the carriage was actually a martial artist at the Blood Qi Perfection realm. He had stayed on due to the kindness of the He family's patriarch.

Besides him, the He family also cultivated several experts at the Blood Qi realm. However, the few consultants at the Second Realm—the Muscle Realm—were all hired at great expense.

In other words, although the He family was one of the top wealthy merchants in the Outer City, they lacked any true core strength of their own.

As the world grew increasingly chaotic, both He Bi and his father felt a sense of crisis. Sending He Bi to study martial arts was also a hope of Old Master He, wishing his son could bring honor to the family.

Whether he could bring honor was uncertain, but when Li Cunxiao was appreciated by the Chief Escort and was granted the Internal Cultivation Method ahead of schedule, He Bi immediately realized his opportunity had arrived.

Let alone a hundred taels of silver, as long as Li Cunxiao could achieve Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi within six months, he would immediately persuade his father to increase investment.

Otherwise, once Li Cunxiao reached Blood Qi Perfection, everyone would know he had a chance to break through to the Second Realm. Adding flowers to an already blooming brocade was hardly as impactful as offering charcoal in the snow.

However, it was too early to discuss these matters. He did wonder how he would explain spending a hundred taels of silver in one go to his father when he returned home tonight.

"When one prospers, they must not forget their old friends; true brothers are in the heart."

"When I achieve success, I will definitely not forget you, Brother He!"

Watching the carriage rumble away, Li Cunxiao clutched the silver in his arms, his chest feeling warm.

When you have money, spend it while the iron is hot!

After returning from an escort mission, Li Sanlang had a day off. The next day, he woke up early.

He first practiced a set of punches in the courtyard, continuing to familiarize himself with the burst state after the Minor Circulation of Blood Qi.

According to his experiments, if he didn't maintain the burst state continuously but instead returned to his normal state within a minute of activating it, although his body would still feel fatigued, it wouldn't be completely drained. He would still have about seventy percent of his combat power remaining.

"It seems that before reaching Blood Qi Perfection, the key to combat is one word: speed."

"If the speed is fast enough, the physical strain can be minimized, allowing him to retain maximum combat power in case of unforeseen circumstances."

Chewing on a flatbread, Li Cunxiao pondered as he walked through the bustling street.

The current Chuqiu City showed no signs of decline. Only occasionally would he see a few children in rags, huddled listlessly in the filthy water. This would remind Li Cunxiao of the demons that lurked on the roads during his escort missions.

Danger was constantly approaching, and he needed more means to protect himself.

"This must be the Sun Family Blacksmith Shop that Old Brother Qian from the Sun Family mentioned."

Li Cunxiao glanced at the sign and strode in. The walls around him were half covered with daily ironware and half with short knives and swords, looking somewhat incongruous.

"Esteemed guest, what would you like to purchase?"

An old man approached with a smile, but upon closer inspection, there was a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

Li Cunxiao immediately explained:

"Old Brother Qian from the Sun Family recommended me. He said you can make some 'little things' for self-defense here."

Upon hearing this, the old man's expression immediately relaxed, and he welcomed him into the inner room.

"Hahaha, so you're a friend of Escort Qian. You must have heard of our craftsmanship. Please, take a look. Do any of these items catch your eye?"

Li Sanlang passed through two doors, past the bustling blacksmith and his apprentice. Amidst the unceasing sound of hammering, he picked up a knife hanging on the wall.

It had a ring-pommel, and the hilt was sheathed. The sheath had two ear-shaped loops, which could be hung on a waistband.

Drawing the blade from the scabbard, the sixty-centimeter blade was narrow and slightly curved inward, with a straight tip. It gleamed with a sharp, cold light.

This was a standard Hengdao.

Most martial artists of the current era used sabers and spears. The dynasty had four types of sabers, with the Hengdao and Modao being the most commonly used.

The Hengdao was a single-handed saber, often used in conjunction with a shield. For instance, in the Escort Agency, Cui Yao trained escorts with it.

The Modao was a two-handed saber, double-edged, hence also called a sword-tip saber. It was a weapon similar to a horse-chopping saber and weighed several times more than a Hengdao, requiring considerable strength to wield effectively.

Therefore, people often said that one's skill as a blacksmith could be judged by the quality of the Hengdao they forged. If they couldn't even make the most basic one well, then there was no hope for anything else.

Li Cunxiao looked at the knife before him. Although it wasn't a treasure sword that could slice through iron, it was by no means a dull weapon. He immediately said:

"I want a suit of chainmail."

The old man was delighted. Compared to swords and blades, armor was a forbidden item and naturally much more expensive.

Seeing that the world was about to descend into chaos, who would care about any bans anymore?

"Sixty taels of silver, one month for completion."

Li Cunxiao frowned upon hearing this.

Setting aside whether it was expensive or not, the time it took was too long. He had bought it to prepare for his next escort mission.

"Can you make it any faster?"

The old man immediately looked troubled.

"Sir, this shop isn't only doing business with you. Armor takes a long time to make. If we don't finish the orders for other customers, we can't spare the manpower for yours."

He had to wait in line?

Li Cunxiao thought for a moment, "Do you have any finished chainmail? Bring it out for me to see."

The old man gave an instruction, and soon a young man brought out a suit of chainmail that hadn't been polished yet.

This chainmail was made of over ten thousand small iron rings linked together layer by layer. It looked like a round-collared robe made of iron rings. It had sleeves and reached down to the knees.

Seeing that the size was about the same as his own physique, Li Cunxiao decided to try it on.

Honestly, it weighed twenty to thirty jin, but as he had already achieved Great Accomplishment of Blood Qi, it barely affected his body's movements. It could be considered nimble. After thinking for a while, Li Cunxiao decided to come up with a compromise.

"How about this: for this suit of chainmail, you make it into a half-sleeve tunic, and shorten the length to one inch above the thigh. How soon can I get it?"

The old man stroked his beard, thought for a moment, and said, "If it's like that... it can be completed in half a month."

"What if you skip the polishing steps? I can add more silver."

Li Cunxiao wanted the chainmail for protection; its appearance was not within his considerations.

"This..."

The old man hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

"Then our shop will still charge you sixty taels of silver. Come to inspect it in ten days."

The materials were reduced, yet they still charged the original price. In this chaotic world, the armor trade was truly a lucrative business.

Li Cunxiao felt a pang of regret, but he still took out the banknotes he had exchanged at the money shop earlier. He pulled out three ten-tael notes as a deposit.

The old man was a shrewd businessman. Before Li Cunxiao left, he gave him a short knife. Apart from not having ear-like handles, it was essentially a small ring-pommel sword.

Li Cunxiao tested it. Its sharpness was about the same as the one issued by the Escort Agency. However, the latter had the Escort Agency's mark, which made it inconvenient to use in clandestine situations. This gift from the old man came at just the right time.

With his armor sorted out, Li Cunxiao went to various pharmacies, making subtle inquiries, trying to get some poison.

Unfortunately, he never found anything satisfactory. Most of them were just common arsenic or the like.

Places like the Sun Family Blacksmith Shop were recommended by Escorts like Qian Laosan after they patronized it. After all, when traveling, having only a leather armor made people feel somewhat uneasy.

However, poison was rarely used by them. After all, they were Escorts of the Escort Agency, not assassins lurking in the shadows.

"It seems I'll have to check out the Black Market tonight."

With half a day left, Li Cunxiao decided to go to the Zhang Manor to pick up Mucha.

Every time he brought Mucha home before, Zhang Que'er's little face would droop. At such a young age, she was infatuated with him and wished Mucha would stay with her all day long.

But upon seeing her this time, the little girl seemed somewhat timid, even fearful when she looked at Li Cunxiao. It was likely that the ferocious appearance of the County Yamen officials had frightened her.

Mucha was naturally happy to see his elder brother. He chattered non-stop on the way, talking about how much more he had read, how many characters he had learned, who he had met, how the Madam and Third Mistress had given him delicious food, and how mischievous Zhang Que'er was.

Li Cunxiao just smiled and nodded along, taking his brother to eat snacks and watch juggling. It wasn't until dusk approached that he sent the reluctant Mucha back.

Currently, Mucha was just a young page, only able to study with Zhang Que'er. If he could become a personal disciple of Zhang Lishi, would his younger brother also be able to rise in status, gaining earlier exposure to martial arts and building a solid foundation?

The chaotic times were imminent. He couldn't always be by Mucha's side, and Zhang Lishi was not an invincible powerhouse. Not only did he need to become strong himself, but Mucha also needed to become strong, at least to possess the ability to protect himself.

But that was a matter for later.

As the sky grew darker, and darkness covered the land like a light veil, Li Cunxiao changed into dark night-clothes, smeared his entire face black with charcoal, and then put on a mask. He meandered through alleys and entered the Black Market.

After a few days' absence, the Black Market seemed even livelier. More young boys and girls were locked in cages, with stall owners inserting signs nearby, clearly marking prices in charcoal.

Various strange and exotic beast meats were displayed on the stalls. If someone lacked experience, they would likely be deceived.

But Li Cunxiao could be considered a connoisseur of Demon Meat. As he walked along, he could distinguish between genuine and fake with about seventy to eighty percent accuracy. In the end, he found himself back at a familiar stall.

"How much per jin for Demon Meat?"

"Five taels."

The stall owner still had a cold demeanor. Li Cunxiao was startled by the price.

The last time he came, it was only three taels per jin. In half a month, the price had nearly doubled!

Seeing that Li Cunxiao remained silent, the stall owner, despite having explained many times today, impatiently opened his mouth.

"There are wars everywhere now, famines are rampant, and refugees, soldiers, bandits, and demons are everywhere..."

"The same pound of meat isn't as easy to get as it used to be."

"Besides, more and more people are practicing martial arts. If we don't raise prices now, when will we?"

You're quite indignant about this, aren't you?

Li Cunxiao was naturally displeased. If it were the original price, he had planned to buy a month's worth in one go.

But now, at five taels of silver per pound, He Bi's gift left him with forty taels, and he had about thirty taels on him. He couldn't use it all and had to keep around ten taels for emergencies.

Sixty taels of silver would only buy twelve pounds. Half a pound a day could sustain him for over half a month, which was enough to fully charge the Vajra Scepter once.

Once he became an inner disciple, the Escort Agency would naturally supply cultivation resources, and the pressure would be less then.

However, Li Cunxiao didn't buy immediately. Instead, he turned and entered the Chai Gang's shop.

"Customer, what would you like to see?"

"I bought Demon Meat from you before, and the quality was decent. I'm here to ask if you have anything better."

The shop assistant was tall and strong, clearly having practiced martial arts. Upon hearing Li Cunxiao's question, his expression immediately became serious. He apologized and went to the inner room to fetch a middle-aged man who looked like a shopkeeper.

"The customer wants higher quality Demon Meat?"

Seeing Li Cunxiao nod, the man's face broke into a smile:

"Esteemed customer can pay a deposit to reserve it, and when we have stock..."

Li Cunxiao couldn't help but frown, "You don't have any in stock?"

"You jest, customer. Second-tier demons are not that easy to find. Even if found, it requires several Martial Artists in the Muscle Realm to surround and kill them for a sure chance."

"You might as well ask around outside and see which stall dares to claim they have a supply of Second-tier Demon Meat?"

Second-tier Demon Meat?

Upon hearing this, Li Cunxiao's mind raced, and he immediately understood. The goods on the shelves and stalls outside were all First-tier Demon Meat.

The higher the price, the more Blood Essence it retained while removing Malevolent Qi.

However, compared to Blood Essence, he needed the Malevolent Qi in the Demon Flesh and Blood more to accumulate Obstacle-Breaking Power.

No matter how it was processed, the Malevolent Qi in Second-tier Demon Meat should be stronger than that in First-tier Demon Meat, right?

"How much is Second-tier Demon Meat?"

"One hundred taels per pound."

"What the hell..."

One hundred taels per pound! The price was more than three times that of the First-tier Demon Meat in the Chai Gang shop!

Half a pound a day would cost fifty taels of silver, and a month's supply would be fifteen hundred taels of silver!

"Shopkeeper, is this Second-tier Demon Meat made of gold?"

Seeing Li Cunxiao's tone turn cold, the shopkeeper's expression didn't change nervously. He just smiled faintly:

"If the customer finds it too expensive, you can also check out the Inner City. Perhaps you can find something cheaper and of better quality there?"

If I had connections in the Inner City, why would I come to this Black Market?

Li Cunxiao almost turned around and left, but after thinking it over, he still left a five-tael deposit before walking out of the shop with a smile from the shopkeeper.

To put it plainly, with the monopoly of high-end resources in the Inner City, the Chai Gang Black Market was a monopoly for exorbitant profits for common Martial Artists like them. No matter how high the price, they could only grit their teeth and bear it.

It was like players in his previous life who, for the same price, could buy real iron to practice shooting abroad, but in China, they could only buy water gun launchers and secretly have fun at home.

The Vajra Scepter was his foundation. Even if he only bought an ounce of meat, he had to taste the Second-tier Demon Meat and measure its effects to accumulate Obstacle-Breaking Power more efficiently in the future.

As his realm improved, the effect of Demon Meat became weaker and weaker. To maintain the original cultivation speed, he had to be willing to spend money.

"How about it? Can't afford the Chai Gang's goods, and you still have to come to me?"

The stall owner looked at Li Cunxiao, who had returned, with schadenfreude.

"Give me twelve pounds."

"There are only ten pounds left."

Business is that good?

Li Cunxiao didn't delay this time:

"I'll take it all."

While the stall owner was packing, Li Cunxiao casually asked, "Brother, do you have any leads on obtaining Second-tier Demon Meat?"

"I have a way to get into the belly of a Second-tier Demon. Do you want it?"

So, that means no.

Li Cunxiao reluctantly left fifty taels of silver and turned to leave, thinking that these lone Martial Artists indeed had their limits. In terms of supply quality and capability, they couldn't compare to an organization.

"Now I can only hope to get resources from the Escort Agency after breaking through to Blood Qi Perfection. Otherwise, I'll have to find ways to make money through illicit means."

"Money, money, money..."

Clutching the Demon Meat in his arms, Li Cunxiao quickly walked out of the Black Market. But just as he reached the exit, he faintly heard subtle footsteps.

I've been targeted?