Plucking Wool Again

Huang Shanyu had actually hesitated before.

So what if the identity jade token was genuine? The verification process for such things was not strict. At most, it proved that Su Hao really was from Heavenly Medicine Mountain.

As for whether Su Hao and Lin Zhi Shan truly had a master-disciple relationship, that was hard to determine. The jade token would not record such background connections.

Besides, it was not as though there had never been outer sect disciples who strutted around under the banner of their Master or family elders. Of course, most of those people had met miserable ends.

On their first encounter, he was supposed to hand over goods worth nearly a thousand spirit stones just because of a jade token?

The risk was too great!

Yet when he thought of Lin Zhi Shan's character—mean-spirited and vindictive—

if he refused outright and truly delayed someone's cultivation, that was not something Huang Shanyu could afford to bear.

In the former case, there was still a scapegoat, and Lin Zhi Shan could naturally settle the score with Su Hao later. In the latter case, however, Huang Shanyu would be left holding the bag.

"Martial Nephew, I'll have someone prepare the pills. Come with me—I'll take you to look at some magic artifacts."

Having thought it through, Huang Shanyu became far more enthusiastic and pulled Su Hao toward the magic artifact counter.

Several racks stood behind the counter, displaying magic artifacts in a multitude of styles. Sabers and swords made up the majority, followed by lamps, banners, command tablets, and other types of artifacts.

For a moment, Su Hao was dazzled by the selection.

Seeing this, Huang Shanyu casually picked up a rather imposing saber. "Look at this one—the Purple Soul Saber, a low-grade magic artifact! Purple Fiend Sand is its primary material. Its blade carries fiendish poison, and when activated with spiritual power, it can release Sha Qi that fills the sky, harming others invisibly. Its saber momentum is overbearing and unceasing, wave after wave."

Su Hao knew no saber techniques and had no plans to pursue the saber path, so he had no interest in it at all.

"What about this Profound Yin Sword? It also suits low-realm cultivators. It's incomparably sharp and light throughout, with an additional strand of sinister Yin Sword Qi. It just consumes quite a lot of spiritual power."

Huang Shanyu set down the saber and took a black sword wreathed in Yin energy from beside it.

Su Hao still shook his head. "It doesn't suit me. I cultivate a Fire Element Cultivation Method."

"I see. That's easy enough. There are plenty of magic artifacts suited to Fire Element Cultivation Methods, such as that Burning Fire Lamp over there..."

Huang Shanyu had climbed step by step to his current position on the strength of his sales performance. Out of instinct, he was just about to continue introducing other magic artifacts.

Su Hao sighed. "As for magic artifacts, naturally, the higher the grade, the better..."

"That's not how it works. Magic artifacts are external aids. If their grade exceeds your cultivation, they become a burden instead.

"Our cultivation is low. Even if we were given high-grade magic artifacts, with the paltry spiritual power we possess, we still couldn't bring out their true might.

"From Qi Refining Level 1 to Level 6, low-grade magic artifacts are the most suitable. Being able to wield them freely is better than forcing yourself to use a mid-grade magic artifact.

"Besides, most of Heavenly Treasure Pavilion's stock consists of low-grade magic artifacts. There are only around ten mid-grade ones, and even the cheapest start at three hundred spirit stones, while the expensive ones cost over a thousand.

"Don't even think about high-grade magic artifacts. There are only six or seven scattered among the outer sect, and they already have owners."

Huang Shanyu forced a smile. This brat was ruthless enough—he wanted a higher-grade magic artifact? How was Huang Shanyu supposed to give him one?

Su Hao nodded thoughtfully, already having a rough idea in mind.

"Do you have any magic artifacts that are exquisite and compact, highly concealable, quick to use, and powerful?"

Su Hao asked.

Huang Shanyu stared at him speechlessly. "Martial Nephew, you truly are worthy of being a Golden Light Sect disciple."

"Hehe, sabers and swords are too ostentatious. Before you even make a move, others are already on guard." Su Hao smiled.

"I know what you mean. Some disciples who come to Heavenly Treasure Pavilion want to find more insidious, concealed magic artifacts, such as flying needles, poison sand, Soul Annihilation Nails, and the like.

"Magic artifacts of this kind have always been bestsellers at Heavenly Treasure Pavilion."

Huang Shanyu led Su Hao into the adjacent room.

"A lot of people buy these kinds of magic artifacts?"

Su Hao became secretly vigilant. He had nearly forgotten that the Golden Light Sect was a demonic sect. The disciples he encountered would stop at nothing to stay alive.

"Perhaps one or two out of ten. These magic artifacts are not cheap, and they often have limits on the number of uses. Take the Soul Annihilation Nail, for example. It costs eighty-nine spirit stones. Once used, whether it hits or not, the artifact is ruined.

"Eighty-nine spirit stones is already the price of an ordinary low-grade magic artifact.

"Cultivators without some savings would not prioritize this sort of artifact."

The room was dim, with several faintly glowing night pearls embedded in the ceiling.

Huang Shanyu took a red wooden box from a display shelf. "Inside is a Soul Annihilation Nail. Once it hits, even if it merely grazes the skin, it will severely damage the opponent's soul. If a mortal takes one, their soul will scatter and vanish on the spot!"

Su Hao accepted it and opened the wooden box. Inside lay a silvery-white metal tube, about the size and thickness of a finger, giving off faint spiritual power fluctuations. One end had a deep, dark opening.

He was just about to pick it up for a closer look.

"Ah, Martial Nephew, don't touch it... This thing is extremely special. Just the slightest trace of spiritual power will activate it.

"The Soul Extinguishing Needle will shoot out from the tube at astonishing speed. Its weakness is that the needle itself is too fragile—even a mortal could snap it in half.

"So it cannot withstand the impact of spiritual power. It can't pierce protective inner armor and may even be shattered by protective spiritual power. But once it strikes, even a Qi Refining Level 7, 8, or 9 cultivator will suffer severe injuries at best and death at worst!"

Huang Shanyu hurriedly took back the wooden box.

"What? By your account, the conditions for this Soul Extinguishing Needle to kill someone aren't simple either." Su Hao was instantly speechless.

"Ah, there's no helping it. If ordinary cultivators could directly kill high-level cultivators in an instant, it couldn't possibly be this cheap.

"The Soul Extinguishing Needle activates quickly and flies even faster. Its aura is faint when activated, its body is tiny, and it is extremely well concealed. If used for a sneak attack from behind, very few people can react in time."

Huang Shanyu explained further.

Su Hao's brows drew tightly together.

"Then you might as well take a look at this Soul Shaking Bell. Once rung, it shakes the mind and spirit, its power comparable to a full-force strike from a mid-grade artifact.

"It's just that the artifact itself is rather special. It draws its power from the Soul Sound Insect trapped inside. Such insects can only cry out once in their lifetime; once they do, they die."

Huang Shanyu brought out another artifact, shaped much like the Three Purities Bell used by Daoist priests.

He displayed more than a dozen vicious artifacts in succession.

All of them had certain flaws. Most could only be used once, and some did not even distinguish friend from foe, making it easy to injure their wielder.

According to Huang Shanyu, perfect concealed weapons that could be reused and possessed great power were at least mid-grade artifacts. They were considerably more expensive than other types of mid-grade artifacts, with prices nearly catching up to defensive artifacts.

"I'll take the Body Breaking Cone, the Soul Extinguishing Needle, and the Soul Shaking Bell!"

Su Hao said. As an artifact blank, the Golden Rock Sword was tough and sharp; for a low-level Qi Refinement Sword Cultivator, it was sufficient for the time being.

Low-grade artifact swords and sabers only had a few more Sword Qi or saber qi techniques that could be directly triggered, along with certain sinister poisons. They were more suitable for spell cultivators who did not practice the sword path.

"Martial Nephew Su, whatever else they may be, they're still low-grade artifacts. As I said, I'll give you one, but I'd have to pay for it out of my own pocket. You..."

Huang Shanyu's expression shifted slightly. Any one of them cost nearly a hundred spirit stones.

"Oh, the Body Breaking Cone is the most expensive—110 spirit stones. Old Huang, just give me that one. I'll buy the other two myself."

Su Hao said with a smile.

"Oh, then all right. I'll give you a certain discount." Huang Shanyu's expression improved somewhat.

"But I don't have any spirit stones."

"No spirit stones?!" Huang Shanyu nearly lost it and started cursing. He shrieked, "Martial Nephew Huang, don't make things difficult for me."

"Don't you have a loan service called Talent Loan? How much do you think I can borrow?"

Su Hao glanced at the counter outside.