Buying a Bow

No change.

It seemed the hunter's bow and arrows were too crappy—or perhaps too old and worn, failing to meet the standard.

After all, it specified "superior" bows and arrows. Naturally, they were not something the hunter's well-used hunting bow could compare to.

"More spending again. I still have ten taels of silver and over three thousand copper coins. That should be enough to buy a bow and arrows, but superior ones..."

"Forget it. I'll check out a weapon shop first."

After leaving the wood shed, Er Gouzi had finished an entire day's work in less than half a morning. At the moment, he was muttering something under his breath.

Zhao Han ignored him and left the wood shed. He grabbed a cloth bundle, then departed from the martial arts school.

Once he reached the street, several gazes swept over Zhao Han before shifting away.

They were people from the Yin Tong Cult, staking out the area in hopes of finding the murderer.

After all, a Hall Master and four cultists had died. That was a challenge to the Yin Tong Cult's authority—not a trivial matter.

Yet Zhao Han did not know that the Yin Tong Cult's branch altar in Blackwater County had nearly gone mad, sending people everywhere to search for the murderer and lie in wait.

The reason was that the Boy Statue was gone. Not even the faintest trace of its aura or connection remained.

It was one of Yin Child's thirteen statues, possessing peculiar abilities and extremely valuable. If it was lost, even the Altar Master would be punished.

Walking down the street, Zhao Han rarely had the chance to browse around. He bought a few snacks along the way to fill his five viscera temple.

He also asked around about the best weapon shop and found that it was not far away. A few steps later, he had arrived.

The weapon shop was called Jinshi Weapon Shop. It occupied a large area and did quite good business.

After all, troubled times had arrived, and people's hearts were treacherous. If one's martial arts were poor and one carried no weapon for protection, one could only be a lamb awaiting the slaughter.

Thus, more and more people were buying weapons.

Even the two guards at the entrance were Skin Refining Realm Martial Artists. Ordinary people simply did not dare cause trouble here.

Upon entering the weapon shop, Zhao Han found it divided into sections for short weapons, long weapons, ranged weapons, hidden weapons, armor, and more.

Each section also had a guard, likewise a Skin Refining Warrior.

Clearly, someone powerful stood behind this weapon shop, and its backing was no weak force.

Rather than looking at bows and arrows first, Zhao Han entered the short weapons section.

The weapons inside were either displayed on tables or hung upon the walls.

Sabers, swords, short staves, hammers, axes, judge's brushes, and more were all available.

Only one shop assistant was responsible for selling them, and there were currently five customers in the section.

The shop assistant had sharp eyes. When he saw Zhao Han dressed in an ordinary fitted outfit, with an utterly unremarkable face—

he did not step forward to greet him, instead continuing to attend to the customer before him.

Zhao Han looked around on his own.

He found that the weapons sold by this shop were quite expensive, though their designs were also rather attractive. They cost several taels of silver at the slightest, and ten taels at the drop of a hat.

No wonder the weapon shop had been built so grandly. So the prices all went into the decor and rent.

Ordering ordinary weapons directly from a blacksmith would be far more worthwhile than buying them here.

After looking for a while, he soon shook his head.

"They're all quite good, much better than the steel saber in my hand, but the prices are too high."

He could afford to buy one. If Zhao Han sold the Mountain Lord parts in his spatial storage, he would have whatever he wanted.

But the steel saber could still be used for now, and he had several more in his spatial storage. There was no need at all to buy a better one.

Leaving the short weapons section, he entered the ranged weapons section next door.

There were far fewer customers inside. Only a young woman in a light purple fitted outfit was drawing a Four-stone Strong Bow, while a smiling shop assistant stood beside her.

One stone was sixty jin. It took roughly two hundred and forty jin of strength to draw it.

Being able to draw a one-stone bow already counted as a standard archer.

Being able to draw a two-stone strong bow was the standard for the Imperial Guards. Song Emperor Gaozong, Zhao Gou, was at that level.

A four-stone bow was Huang Zhong's level.

That level also proved that the purple-clothed woman was a Skin Refining Warrior, and one who had tempered herself in the Skin Refining Realm for a long time.

Hearing the movement, the purple-clothed woman relaxed her draw and looked over. Seeing only an utterly ordinary youth, she paid him little attention and instead turned to the shop assistant. "I'll take this bow. Also prepare twenty steel arrows for me, along with a better arrow case."

"Certainly, Miss. Please wait a moment!"

The shop assistant immediately went to make the preparations, while Zhao Han continued looking around on his own.

Ordinary bows included maple bows and elm bows, all priced below Three Taels of Silver.

Better ones included yew bows, iron-core bows, horn bows, great bows, and more.

There were also several bows whose materials he could not identify. They were likely unique to this world.

Zhao Han picked up a three-stone Iron-core Bow, roughly two hundred pounds, priced at Five Taels of Silver.

With a slight pull, Zhao Han could draw it with ease. If he pulled hard, he could even snap the bowstring.

However, with others nearby, Zhao Han did not use his full strength. He drew it halfway before lowering it.

Yet in the Purple-clothed Woman's eyes, this behavior became overreaching ambition.

The Purple-clothed Woman reminded him flatly, "That isn't how you draw a bow. If you're buying one, buy a bow suited to your arm strength. Forcing yourself to use a stronger bow will only damage your body."

Zhao Han glanced at the Purple-clothed Woman and casually said, "Thanks for the advice."

With that, Zhao Han continued looking around, but his gaze instead shifted toward even tougher bows.

"Refuse good advice, and hardship lies right before your eyes!"

Seeing that Zhao Han still went his own way, the Purple-clothed Woman's expression did not change in the slightest.

She had seen far too many people like him—full of themselves, always thinking they could draw a stronger bow when they could not even pull it, only to injure their arms instead.

"Miss, the bow and Steel Arrows you purchased have been packed. Here are the arrow case and quiver. Please check them."

At that moment, the shop attendant came over, holding an exquisite arrow case and quiver, which he placed on the counter for the Purple-clothed Woman to inspect.

"No need. I trust the craftsmanship of Jinshi Weapon Shop." The Purple-clothed Woman took the items and strode away.

Having completed a sale, the shop attendant smiled and said to Zhao Han, "Sir, the one before you is a Yew Bow. It requires the strength of four stone to draw, making it very suitable for Skin Refining Realm Martial Artists to train with and use."

"Not good enough. Do you have any bows suited for the Muscle Refining Realm?" Zhao Han shook his head. This Yew Bow was not much stronger than the Iron-core Bow.

"Uh, we do. For example, this Black Fir Great Bow requires the strength of six stone to draw. Even a martial artist at the peak of the Skin Refining Realm could barely use it."

"Only three hundred and sixty pounds of strength? Still too weak. Do you have a Ten-stone Bow here?" Zhao Han calculated for a moment, then shook his head again.

"Ten... ten-stone?"

The shop attendant drew a sharp breath, utterly stunned.

He could not help but examine Zhao Han more closely.

There was nothing remarkable about him, no distinctive traits to speak of. He did not look like a Muscle Refining Realm expert at all—more likely, he was simply boasting.

"We don't currently have a Ten-stone Bow in the shop, but we do have an Eight-stone Bow in the corner. It is an Ironwood Hard Bow made from Century-old Ironwood. No one but a Muscle Refining Realm expert can draw it."

The shop attendant led Zhao Han to the corner and took out a pitch-black Heavy Bow.

"Not bad. Let me try it!"

Zhao Han smiled as he stepped forward and picked up the Heavy Bow.

The first thing he felt was its rough texture, followed by its weight.

The bow alone weighed at least fifty pounds. No wonder it required the strength of eight stone—nearly five hundred pounds—to draw.

Five hundred pounds was merely the drawing force. An arrow fired from it would carry at least two or three thousand pounds of power, and that was penetrating power.