Walking Alone

On the third floor of Stellar Tower, in a private room.

"Customer, here are the weapons you requested." The young man in the black robe sat to the side, gesturing to several weapons on the table with a smile. "The soft armor is made with 'Fine Steel Silver Thread' as its core material, intricately linked by specialized craftsmen. It's so durable that even a Proficient Expert would struggle to tear it apart in one strike. Stellar Tower rates it as 'Sixth-Rank' and it's worth one hundred taels of silver."

"Fine Steel Long Saber, three feet two inches long... Rated 'Sixth-Rank', worth sixty taels of silver." The young man in the black robe looked at Wu Yuan.

"Mm, I'll take both the soft armor and the long saber. Pack them up," said Wu Yuan, who appeared as a tall and thin young man.

In the Central Land World, weapons are also classified into different ranks, with many similarities to the nine ranks of martial artists.

Ninth-Rank, Eighth-Rank, and Seventh-Rank weapons are not significantly different and are considered ordinary weapons. They are sold very cheaply, and most blacksmith shops produce these types.

Sixth-Rank, Fifth-Rank, and Fourth-Rank weapons are mostly made of extraordinary materials and are collectively known as 'Sharp Weapons'. They are strong enough to withstand the terrifying power of powerful martial artists clashing, and their price is more than a hundred times that of ordinary weapons.

As for the top three ranks of weapons? They are also called 'Divine Weapons'. The crafting of any Divine Weapon is extremely rare, with prices ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. Some legendary Divine Weapons are even priceless.

Many weapon refiners might not be able to craft even one 'Divine Weapon' in their lifetime.

For Wu Yuan, Sharp Weapons were sufficient for the time being.

"Besides these, I'd also like to inquire about detailed information on the 'North Mountain Gang'," Wu Yuan asked casually.

The North Mountain Gang is a major gang on the same level as the Fierce Tiger Gang, perhaps even stronger, with a deeper foundation.

"Information on the North Mountain Gang?" The young man in the black robe's pupils contracted slightly. After a moment of thought, he said, "Our Stellar Tower's intelligence is divided into three levels: 'Detailed', 'Rough', and 'Brief'. May I ask which level of information the customer requires?"

"Price," Wu Yuan uttered two words.

This was the core issue.

"They are one hundred and eighty taels, ten taels, and one tael respectively," the young man in the black robe said. "However, it should be noted that detailed information cannot be taken out of Stellar Tower and can only be viewed within the premises. Once purchased, you can view it for free for fifteen days, and you can also access continuously updated intelligence."

Wu Yuan nodded slightly. The price difference between these three levels of information was enormous.

With a little deduction, he understood that Stellar Tower likely had no concerns about the leakage of 'Rough' or 'Brief' information.

However.

Wu Yuan also understood that even the 'Brief' information, priced at a mere one tael of silver, was enough for a family of three to live comfortably for quite some time.

"It's fine, I was just asking casually," Wu Yuan said calmly.

"Just asking casually?" The young man in the black robe was taken aback.

Wu Yuan smiled. Soon after, he left Stellar Tower with the long saber and soft armor he had purchased.

... After returning the weapons to the Martial Arts Academy, Wu Yuan used 'Bone Shifting' to transform into a burly man and entered Stellar Tower again, ascending to the third floor via the stairs.

He entered another private room.

Soon, a large pile of weapons was carried into the room by guards.

"Twenty Flying Daggers, with short handles, small and sharp... Rated 'Fifth-Rank', each Flying Dagger is worth twenty taels of silver."

"Flowing Light Silver Snow Spear, its head is primarily made of fine iron, mixed with some 'Flowing Light Cold Iron', crafted by a master refiner, exceptionally sharp; the shaft is made of the highest quality Star Willow Wood. Combined, they are rated 'Fifth-Rank' and worth four hundred and twenty taels of silver."

The silver spear was divided into two sections and could be placed in a 'weapon case' to be carried on one's back.

"The total is worth eight hundred and twenty taels of silver," the middle-aged man in the black robe said respectfully.

"Eight hundred and twenty taels of silver?" Wu Yuan, who had tensed his muscles to disguise himself, frowned slightly. He had left over eight hundred taels in his ancestral home. After deducting the cost of the two weapons purchased earlier, the remaining money on him could barely afford this.

"Reduce the Flying Daggers to ten," Wu Yuan pondered for a moment and said, "Also, I need detailed information about the 'Fierce Tiger Gang'."

In Wu Yuan's private training room at the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy.

"Just looking at the weapons in this world, the so-called Sharp Weapons, despite their crude crafting methods, are so powerful," Wu Yuan's gaze swept over the 'Sharp Weapons' lined up before him.

Soft armor, long saber, flying daggers, long spear!

The most expensive was the Flowing Light Silver Snow Spear.

Flowing Light Cold Iron? Star Willow Wood? These were materials Wu Yuan had never encountered in his previous life. He wasn't a scientist and couldn't judge them.

But he had tested the hardness of the spearhead, and it was indeed extraordinary. As for the shaft? Its flexibility was astonishing; a slight test showed it could withstand the burst of his triple force.

"For group battles in open areas, one should use a great axe or a long spear!" Wu Yuan thought to himself. "Unfortunately, even a Sixth-Rank Sharp Weapon great axe would cost over a thousand taels of silver."

Weapon prices are closely related to materials and the amount of metal used.

And for the Flowing Light Silver Snow Spear, the most expensive part was the spearhead, which was very small.

"For close combat, use a long saber," Wu Yuan picked up the long saber again. It was a very ordinary fine steel saber, but also very sharp.

As for the flying daggers?

They were for ranged attacks and would be effective for ambushes or pursuing enemies. Each flying dagger was very small, hence their corresponding low price.

"I wonder if Stellar Tower saw through my disguise, intentionally splitting my purchases into two." Wu Yuan mused.

Bone Shifting was essentially a form of disguise. Ordinary people found it difficult to discern, but while flesh and bone could be altered, the core essence could not be changed.

A person's inner core, even with deliberate disguise, was hard to alter.

Moreover, the time interval between the two weapon purchases was too short.

Add to that the fact that he had entered Stellar Tower several times before using 'Bone Shifting' to purchase 'Low-Grade Body Tempering Pills'.

If it were Wu Yuan's usual nature, he would have disguised himself with three identities this time, doing his best not to attract anyone's attention.

However, time waits for no one.

Wu Yuan worried that if he delayed too long, Clan Leader 'Wu Qiming' might die.

Since the Fierce Tiger Gang dared to make a move, it meant they were not afraid of the Wu Clan.

Every year, quite a few martial artists died at the hands of the Fierce Tiger Gang within Li City, including members of prominent clans and Martial Dao experts.

Therefore, he only split the purchase into two.

"Fierce Tiger Gang, intelligence costing one hundred and sixty taels of silver, is quite clear." Various pieces of information about the Fierce Tiger Gang surfaced in Wu Yuan's mind.

He had spent half an hour browsing Stellar Tower earlier and had basically memorized the intelligence.

"Gang Leader 'Fierce Tiger' Yang Long is a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist, extremely brutal, and constantly operates and is stationed at..."

"Hall Master 'Evil Tiger' Li Ye is a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist and the gang leader's right-hand man..."

Wu Yuan knew the appearances of all six Proficient Experts of the Fierce Tiger Gang by heart.

As for the dozens of Martial Masters and thousands of ordinary gang members? They were too inconspicuous. Stellar Tower did not provide detailed descriptions, only approximate numbers.

Although Stellar Tower had many informants, they could only focus on Proficient Experts.

Similarly, Wu Yuan was well aware of the locations of the Fierce Tiger Gang's main headquarters and two branch headquarters mentioned in the intelligence.

This intelligence was updated by Stellar Tower ten days ago.

For such a large gang, the changes in just ten days should be minimal.

"Money makes the gods go 'round; the ancients did not deceive me," Wu Yuan mused.

Some major families, with enough manpower and patience, could also collect this information, and the Luo Family likely had it.

It was just that small clans like the Wu Clan did not have that much manpower or resources.

One hundred and sixty taels of silver?

Was it expensive? Yes!

But Wu Yuan felt it was worth it, at least it allowed him to understand the approximate strength of the opponents he was about to face.

"Clan Leader, they went to the Fierce Tiger Gang's main headquarters, about one hundred and thirty li from the prefectural city, deep within 'Nine Cloud Mountain'." Wu Yuan was already familiar with the entire map of Li City.

However, he had never truly left the prefectural city.

Li City was a plain area, with at most some rolling hills. Nine Cloud Mountain was a famous mountain within a radius of several hundred li.

Bandits were divided into two types: Land Bandits and Water Bandits.

Within Li City and even the entire Nanmeng Prefecture, the bandits rampant everywhere were mainly 'Water Bandits'; Land Bandits were rare.

The Fierce Tiger Gang was a Land Bandit group, and it was also the largest group of Land Bandits within Li City.

"It's time to go."

Wu Yuan stood up, put on his soft armor, carefully wrapped his weapon box, and slung it over his back, trying not to reveal too much abnormality. He then placed his Flying Daggers into suitable carrying positions, holding his long saber, and left the Martial Arts Academy through the side door.

In the Central Land World, weapons were not prohibited, but most prefectural and state cities would conduct inspections.

However, Wu Yuan, holding his Martial Arts Academy token, did not encounter much obstruction.

Soon.

He disappeared into the vast wilderness.

This was the first time Wu Yuan had left the prefectural city since his transmigration.

To kill someone!