Settling Old Grudges

The sharp gust of wind startled Fatty Zhou, and before he could react, he felt a chill on his neck.

"Old skinflint Zhou, long time no see."

As the voice spoke, a figure appeared. It was Lu Ming, who had infiltrated the place beforehand, timing it perfectly. He hadn't expected to stumble upon such a good show.

"Hh... hh..."

His throat slit with a single strike, Fatty Zhou's vision darkened, but he still managed to see the newcomer clearly. "It's you! How is that possible..."

He clearly recognized Lu Ming, clutching his throat with a look of shock.

Then, he collapsed powerlessly, just like the beggar in the courtyard.

"The blade is still a bit short. Otherwise, at such close range, with my speed, the opponent wouldn't have been able to detect me beforehand."

Having succeeded with the strike, Lu Ming didn't rush over. Instead, he wiped the blood off his blade while reviewing his actions.

What he had just used was Gale Style.

However, instead of thrusting at the person, he had sliced through the air before the opponent's neck, causing the blade to cut across and deliver a fatal blow.

Seeing that the opponent was dead, Lu Ming stepped forward and took the secret manual and one hundred taels of silver notes from his body. He had been lurking inside and saw everything clearly, so he wouldn't let it go.

He then searched the room for a while longer and found over a dozen taels of loose silver.

He knew this was all he could get, as the other party had used all his savings to buy this courtyard.

Without lingering any longer, Lu Ming planned to leave. As he passed by the courtyard, he saw the beggar lying on the ground with a sunken throat and shook his head.

This beggar and that Li San were the two acquaintances he had met when he first entered the city. They used to rob the original owner of his belongings.

He had intended to teach them a lesson this time, but now they were both dead, and he didn't need to lift a finger.

"The grudges are settled."

Lu Ming sighed and left directly.

What he had just witnessed made him feel the cruelty of this world more directly. The strong preyed on the weak, and human lives were as insignificant as weeds, disappearing with the slightest carelessness.

And being in it, the only thing he could do was to constantly grow stronger.

Now, he was going to get a suitable blade, one that would allow him to unleash his full strength.

In a relatively large blacksmith shop in the city, even though it was already dark, the place was still bustling with activity.

Blacksmiths, fire tenders, and those buying weapons were all crowded inside, making it a bit cramped.

"Iron Shopkeeper, I've already paid the deposit. You need to forge the sword according to my specifications as soon as possible."

After a handsome young master dressed in rich clothing left with a group of attendants, the blacksmith shop became less crowded.

"Farewell, Young Master Yang. Our humble shop will forge the longsword as quickly as possible and deliver it to your manor."

An old man with a mustache respectfully saw the guest off and then returned.

At this moment, a strong and sturdy young servant quickly approached, "Shopkeeper, was that the young master of the Yang Family? He has so many guards following him when he goes out. What a grand display."

"As the young master of one of the three great families of Shuofeng City, how could his display not be grand?"

The shopkeeper stroked his mustache.

The servant looked envious and chattered on, "I heard that an Inner Sect Elder from the Nine Heavens Sect, a Seventh-Rank Sect, passed by here and is staying at the Yang Family's residence."

"And it seems he took a liking to Young Master Yang and wants to take him as a disciple."

"An Inner Sect Elder of a Seventh-Rank Sect, that's a Gang Qi Realm expert! And they are at least in the middle stage of the Gang Qi Realm, stronger than our City Lord."

"You're quite well-informed, kid."

The shopkeeper stroked his mustache and then ordered, "Then we can't delay. Hurry up and open a more powerful furnace. The ore Young Master Yang gave is not simple and difficult to smelt. It will take more time."

"You must finish forging the precious sword before Young Master Yang leaves and deliver it."

"Understood."

The servant quickly left.

Lu Ming had arrived a while ago and was listening to their conversation with great interest.

Through Old Man Zhao's collection of books, his knowledge had greatly increased, and he knew what the Nine Heavens Sect, a Seventh-Rank Sect, represented.

In this world, major forces were divided into nine ranks based on their strength.

Rank one was the highest, and rank nine was the lowest.

There was a huge difference in strength between a force that had achieved a rank and one that hadn't. Even the lowest-ranked Ninth-Rank forces were far more powerful than those without a rank.

For example, within Shuofeng City, there were no forces that had achieved a rank.

Even the Zhao Kingdom Royal Family could only be considered a Ninth-Rank force.

From this, one could see what a behemoth the Nine Heavens Sect, a Seventh-Rank force, must be.

And the fact that Young Master Yang could become a disciple of an Inner Sect Elder from such a sect showed what great fortune he had.

"Are you looking to buy a weapon, young man?"

Perhaps Lu Ming had been standing there for too long. The shopkeeper noticed him and walked over to ask.

Lu Ming snapped back to attention and replied:

"Yes, I want to buy a saber. The blade should be about half a finger wide, and for the length…" He gestured to his own height, "up to my waist is fine."

"So, around thirty inches long."

The shopkeeper had a keen eye and immediately calculated the measurement. He then asked, "What price range are you looking for?"

Lu Ming countered, "What price ranges do you have?"

"Oh, we have a lot. Good materials can cost thousands or tens of thousands of taels, while lesser materials are just dozens or hundreds. Also, unique styles require custom orders. The thin saber you want, we happen to have one ready-made. What price range were you thinking of?"

The shopkeeper introduced the options while sizing up Lu Ming's attire. Even though he saw Lu Ming wearing coarse linen, he didn't show any contempt.

A businessman knows that harmony brings wealth. Perhaps the customer didn't have money today and couldn't afford the expensive ones, but maybe he'd strike it rich tomorrow or the day after?

So, it's always good to leave a good impression.

Lu Ming didn't think too much about it. After considering his wallet, he said, "Just the ones in the dozens range, then."

"Follow me."

The shopkeeper wasn't too surprised by his choice. He led Lu Ming to the counter and then took out a long-handled, thin saber with a black scabbard, handing it to Lu Ming. "See if this one suits you."

Lu Ming took it and first tested its weight, finding it just right. Then, he drew the long saber from its scabbard.

The blade was as white as snow, with a row of neat, serrated patterns on it.

"This is forged from Bintie iron and other materials. Don't worry, even our cheapest sabers are hammered more than a hundred times, so the blade is exceptionally tough," the shopkeeper boasted proudly.

Lu Ming nodded, listening while carefully examining the blade. He noticed that this saber looked very similar to the Miao Dao he had seen in his previous life.

The hilt was the same length, perfect for gripping with both hands.

"Can I try it?" Lu Ming asked.

"Follow me."

The shopkeeper didn't refuse and led Lu Ming to a wooden post about a bowl's thickness in diameter, letting him test the saber.

Lu Ming didn't delay. He gripped the saber with both hands, raised it, and then swung with all his might. Instantly, the wooden post was cut in half, with a cut as smooth as a mirror.

"Not bad, not bad. I didn't expect someone your age to be able to swing a saber so cleanly and decisively. Your fundamentals are clearly very solid."

The shopkeeper was also a Martial Artist, and not a low-level one at that. His discerning eye could tell that Lu Ming hadn't used any Inner Qi in that swing.

It was purely relying on physical strength.

Looking at his lean body, the physical strength he possessed shouldn't have been enough to cut through the wooden post specifically used for testing sabers in his shop.

Yet, he had cut it. This meant Lu Ming could utilize technique to maximize his physical strength.

Without diligent practice, he wouldn't have reached this level.

That's why he was so impressed.

"It's just because the saber is sharp," Lu Ming said humbly. Then he asked, "This saber is very good. How much does it cost?"