White-clothed Woman

Yan Tie City was nowhere near as prosperous as Black Rock City. The shops here were rather monotonous, with blacksmith shops making up more than half of them.

Most of these blacksmith shops had a burly, well-built smith hammering away at red-hot chunks of iron, while the entrances displayed countless gaudily decorated "premium" weapons.

After wandering around the city for quite some time, Ling Li finally lost patience. He casually stopped a passerby who looked like a local, intending to ask for directions.

The passerby was initially rather impatient and had even wanted to hurl a string of vicious insults at Ling Li. But after Ling Li released the aura of a Fighting Master Seven Stars and pressed Dark Night against his neck, the man immediately behaved himself and eagerly pointed out several shady shops for Ling Li.

Ling Li thanked him. Watching the passerby flee in a panic, as well as the wary looks from several thug-like men nearby, Ling Li ran his palm over Dark Night's blade before storing it in the System Space. He murmured, "You're still the reliable one."

Little Doctor Fairy: "..."

After crossing several streets and walking at an unhurried pace for quite a while, Ling Li finally spotted a weapon shop named Mysterious Treasure Tower.

As he slowly entered the shop, he found its interior rather spacious and crowded with customers. All sorts of weapons were displayed across crystal counters in dazzling array. Ling Li had no idea whether they were any good, but he knew they were definitely expensive.

Ling Li frowned. This seemed to be the largest weapon shop in Yan Tie City, but it was not what he had been looking for. The weapons here were suited for collection and decoration; in every other respect, they were mediocre. The weapons labeled as being forged from Lan Tie Ore were indeed somewhat special, but they were still garbage.

He shook his head in disappointment. This trip had been a waste.

"Sir, have you found any weapon to your liking?" A shop attendant stepped forward and asked.

"No. By the way, do you sell Lan Tie Ore directly?" Ling Li shook his head and asked.

He probably would not be able to have a sheath made after all, but if he collected some special materials, then found a suitable craftsman, at least he would not be completely unprepared.

"Of course, sir. How much would you like?" the attendant asked perfunctorily.

"Ten jin."

"Alright. The counter is over there; please head that way." Hearing the amount, the attendant lost all interest. He pointed Ling Li in a direction, then went off to seek out more promising customers.

After obtaining the Lan Tie Ore and paying the bill, Ling Li did not want to waste any more time in this shop. He continued searching Yan Tie City for a suitable weapon shop. After all, the city was so large—what if he happened upon some reclusive master? Wouldn't that solve everything?

Imagination was often wonderful, but reality was harsh. Ling Li wandered through all of Yan Tie City and only managed to buy some rare metals. Many shops boasted impressive signs, but even an outsider like him found their wares beneath contempt.

"Tsk, has the forging industry in this world really declined to this extent?" Ling Li could not help sighing inwardly.

Just as Ling Li had already given up hope, his gaze suddenly fell upon a white-clothed woman. She wore a plain dress and a phoenix crown, with a Cloud Pattern Longsword at her waist. Even from afar, she gave off an air of noble elegance. Especially those two large white rabbits on her chest—they were truly magnificent, the sort that made it impossible to look away after one glance.

At the exact moment Ling Li looked over, the white-clothed woman seemed to sense his gaze. She turned around and met his eyes. Ling Li did not care in the least; instead, he openly stared at her chest twice, as though he wanted to transplant those two lumps of fat onto Little Doctor Fairy.

The white-clothed woman frowned slightly, then walked into a somewhat dilapidated weapon shop in the corner.

"What are you staring at so intently? Your eyes are practically popping out." Little Doctor Fairy spoke sourly from beside him. She then lowered her head to look at her own flat chest, feeling even more aggrieved.

She could vaguely guess the purpose behind the things Ling Li made her eat every day, but after eating them for so long, there had not been the slightest effect.

"You stay here. I'll go take a look." Ling Li gave the instruction and followed after the woman.

Little Doctor Fairy gave Ling Li the look one gave a pervert, sighed helplessly, and obediently remained where she was.

Perhaps because everyone in this world cultivated Dou Qi, resulting in superior genes, Ling Li had not seen an ugly woman since arriving here. It had certainly been a feast for his eyes along the way, but it had also earned him the label of pervert in Little Doctor Fairy's mind.

Of course, Ling Li had not followed her because the white-clothed woman was beautiful. He was not some stallion who latched onto every woman he saw. Once he had strength, what could he not have?

Ling Li had noticed the white-clothed woman because her aura was nearly nonexistent. There were only two possibilities for such a situation: either she was vastly stronger than Ling Li, or she was so weak that her aura could not be detected.

The fact that she had instantly noticed Ling Li's presence just now proved that she was definitely the former. Could a weapon shop frequented by such an expert possibly be ordinary?

Compared to the surrounding buildings, the little shop in the corner was rather small. It was cluttered and run-down, filled with an ancient air. The writing on the plaque above its entrance was so faded that the shop's name could no longer be made out.

The moment he entered the shop, a scorching wave of heat rushed at him. Ling Li instinctively formed a Dou Qi Garment, barely shielding himself from the blazing heat that seemed capable of roasting a person dry.

The shop's layout was simple, covering only a little over twenty square meters. All manner of weapons hung from the walls, gleaming with cold light. There was little equipment inside—only a forging table and a furnace. Before the furnace stood a red-brown-haired old man, bare-chested save for a black apron. One hand was aimed at the furnace opening as he continuously poured energy into it.

The furnace was not large and had no bellows, yet with every breath of the red-brown-haired old man, the flames inside danced and swayed like lively little sprites, heating a piece of rare metal at the center until it glowed red.

Seeing Ling Li enter, the white-clothed woman frowned in displeasure. Then she ignored him and spoke to the old man, who was intently watching the furnace. "I never expected Yan Mo, one of the Gamma Empire's Ten Greatest Experts of the past, to be living in a place like this."

"One of the Gamma Empire's Ten Greatest Experts?" Ling Li was startled upon hearing this. He had not expected this seemingly ordinary old man to be one of the Gamma Empire's Ten Greatest Experts!

The Gamma Empire's ranking of experts was updated roughly once every twenty years. Anyone on the list had to possess at least the cultivation of a high-level Dou Wang!

Yan Mo's movements stiffened. In a calm voice, he said, "This old man can live wherever he wants. If you came here just to spout such nonsense, then you can leave. Don't get in the way of my business."

The white-clothed woman realized that she had misspoken. With a flip of her hand, she took out various prepared materials from her Storage Ring—rare metals, magical beast body parts, and more—and said apologetically, "This junior came today to trouble Senior with forging a weapon that suits me."

"And you, boy?" Yan Mo glanced at Ling Li and asked.

With a turn of his hand, Ling Li took Dark Night from the System Space. "I want to find a sheath for this blade."

Dark Night did not look impressive, resembling a fire poker. Yet as the furnace's light fell upon its edge, the white edge of the black blade shimmered with a crimson-purple glow, and a single glance was enough to make one feel a surging aura of bloodshed.

"Didn't you want a weapon that suited you?" Yan Mo turned around, assessed the white-clothed woman, then glanced at the Cloud Pattern Longsword at her waist. Smacking his lips, he suddenly pointed at Dark Night in Ling Li's hand. "That blade in his hand is quite good. I think it suits you well."

Ling Li: "..."