Buying a Sword

Hongguang Pavilion.

A specialty shop that sold weapons.

The moment you stepped inside, you could see the walls lined with all kinds of blades. Every one gleamed brightly, its polished surface catching the light.

The shopkeeper was a scholarly, genial old man in his sixties. When he saw Shen Zhou and the others enter, he didn't look down on them because of their clothes or young age. Instead, he asked with a smile, "What can I get for you, young sirs?"

San Mazi and the others had been dazzled the moment they entered the shop. For a while, they didn't even hear what the shopkeeper had said.

Shen Zhou, however, hadn't forgotten why he'd come. He stepped forward and said, "Boss, bring out the best sword in your shop. I'd like to take a look."

The shopkeeper didn't ask any questions. He simply waved over an employee and sent him to fetch it from the back.

Before long, the employee returned carrying a brocade box.

Even the sword box had gold trim and looked quite extraordinary. Shen Zhou couldn't help feeling a little anticipation, though also somewhat apprehensive. I wonder if ten taels of silver will be enough?

A moment later, the box was opened, revealing a sharp blade with a white jade hilt and wave-like cloud patterns along its length.

The shopkeeper took the sword out and showed it to them, then placed a piece of black iron on the table. With one light slash, he shaved off a chunk. It truly was a fine weapon, sharp enough to cut through iron as though it were mud.

After the demonstration, the shopkeeper offered Shen Zhou the sword with a faint smile. "Give it a try, sir. See if this Dragon Abyss Sword is to your liking."

Before Shen Zhou could take it, San Mazi snatched it up, already unable to contain himself. He swung it a few times, his face breaking into a wide grin. "Boss Shen, this sword is great. I say we take this one. Boss, how much is it?"

The shopkeeper replied with a beaming smile, "Not much at all—only five thousand eight hundred taels. If you want it, I can give you a discount and throw in a scabbard to make it easier to carry."

"Uh..."

San Mazi froze, the sword in his hand no longer moving.

What did he just say?

Five thousand eight hundred taels?

And how much did they have? Ten taels of silver!

And that was all they'd gotten from kicking a martial hall and taking its signboard.

They were nowhere close!

Shen Zhou had been about to snatch the sword from San Mazi, but nearly toppled over himself. He discreetly pulled A Dai to one side and whispered, "A Dai, hurry and calculate how many martial halls are left in the county. If we kick them all, can we raise enough money?"

A Dai grimaced. "Boss Shen, don't joke around. Even if every martial hall in the county were second-rate, we'd need over a hundred of them to raise that much. How could a small county have that many halls for you to kick?"

Shen Zhou gave up after hearing that. He turned back to the shopkeeper, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Uh... Boss, this sword is great, but I can't afford it right now. Do you have anything cheaper?"

The shopkeeper wasn't offended. He gave an order, and an employee brought out another sword. The shopkeeper introduced it: "This Lesser Sun Sword was forged from fire essence. It weighs three jin and two liang and was made by a master craftsman, just like the last one... This sword costs twelve hundred taels."

"Uh..."

"This sword is called Thousand Jun. It's made of fine iron... five hundred and thirty taels."

"Uh..."

"This long sword is called Autumn Water. One hundred taels, just to make a friend."

"Uh..."

"Iron sword, fifty taels. The price is firm!"

"Uh..."

"Looks like our shop doesn't have a weapon suitable for you, sir."

San Mazi wasn't ready to give up. At last, he asked, "Boss, do you have anything in your shop that costs less than ten taels...?"

"Get out!"

Before San Mazi could finish, the old man finally lost his professional composure and started driving them out.

Not long after.

Shen Zhou and the others emerged from the shop, looking sheepish and dejected.

Seeing the disappointment all over Shen Zhou's face, San Mazi's eyes suddenly lit up. "Boss Shen, don't lose heart. There are plenty of places that sell swords. If this place won't do, we'll go somewhere else. Come on, I know a place that's sure to get you what you want!"

"Really?"

Shen Zhou stared at San Mazi in surprise, as if he hadn't expected the kid to have a lead like this.

San Mazi proudly raised his eyebrows and led the way.

It didn't take long.

San Mazi brought them to a blacksmith's shop in the southern part of the city.

The owner was a tall, muscular, dark-skinned adult man with a rather honest-looking face. Several finished farming tools sat outside his shop, including shovels, hoes, and dung rakes.

Seeing this, Shen Zhou's face darkened. He turned to San Mazi, who was still looking pleased with himself, and asked, "This is the place you meant?"

San Mazi beamed. "Don't let the fact that he makes farm tools fool you. His craftsmanship is excellent. Relax and leave it to me!"

With that, San Mazi walked into the shop and spoke with the owner.

After a few words, the owner glanced at Shen Zhou, who was waiting outside, then nodded to show that it was no problem. He immediately got to work.

Clang, clang, clang...

The blacksmith's shop grew busy in an instant.

Less than an hour later, San Mazi came out with a newly forged long sword and handed it to Shen Zhou. "Boss Shen, give it a try. See what you think!"

Shen Zhou took the sword with a healthy dose of skepticism.

A Dai and Xi Mei examined it from the side as well.

He had to admit, at first glance, the sword looked quite decent. Its blade had been polished until it gleamed like a mirror.

It also felt satisfyingly heavy in his hand, and the grip, size, and length were all quite good.

Shen Zhou couldn't help being surprised. "This boss knows his stuff!"

San Mazi grew even more smug. "What did I tell you? His craftsmanship's solid. He charged me only three taels for the materials and labor. Now that's what I call affordable and practical. And that Hongguang Pavilion—same kind of sword, but the old man was charging an arm and a leg. Tch, what a swindler!"

Shen Zhou swung the sword a couple of times, liking it more and more. Then he tried channeling his yuan force into it, wanting to see if it could withstand his full strength. He'd barely infused it with any force when a crisp snap rang out. The sword in his hand shattered into several pieces, which clattered to the ground.

The scene fell silent.

Shen Zhou stood there holding the hilt, staring blankly at San Mazi, who was even more stunned.

And this was what you called decent?

San Mazi was furious too. He took the broken pieces back into the blacksmith's shop and shouted, "Boss, look at your sword..."

The moment the owner saw it was broken, he immediately grew wary. "Once an item is sold, our shop doesn't accept returns!"

San Mazi's eyes flew wide with anger. "I'm not asking for a return! I'm asking you to look at your sword. Didn't you say it was durable? How did it break when we've barely even used it?"

The owner stuck out his neck and retorted, "You broke it. What's that got to do with me? I only charged you three taels. What more do you want?"

"I... you..."

San Mazi was so angry he didn't know what to say. The owner was tall and burly, and San Mazi knew he wouldn't stand a chance in a fight. After sputtering for a long while, he finally managed, "Then... can you fix it?"

At that, the owner immediately smiled, looking honest and amiable again. "Sure. Ten coins to repair a sword!"

"..."

A little while later, San Mazi returned with the repaired sword. He glanced at Shen Zhou's expression and asked cautiously, "B-Brother Zhou, the sword's fixed."

Shen Zhou looked at the iron sword, the muscles in his face twitching. He didn't take it. Instead, he turned and walked away. Then they heard him grind out through clenched teeth, "We'll keep kicking halls tomorrow. Even if I have to kick every martial hall in the whole county, I'm getting myself a sword that fits my hand!"

San Mazi and Xi Mei exchanged glances.

Only A Dai, watching Shen Zhou's retreating figure, was suddenly struck by a question. If Boss Shen is so strong, why is he so fixated on having a sword?

Over the next few days, the martial halls of White Sheep County were rocked by a major upheaval.

Every day, a young swordsman went out with three wooden swords tucked at his waist and the Three Little Ones following behind him. Starting from the southern part of the city, he kicked down three halls a day, without missing a single day.

At first, no one took it seriously. It wasn't until six martial halls had shut down that people finally began to pay attention.

When nine halls had closed, many more began to take notice.

And once the number exceeded twelve, martial artists across the city were stunned. Even some teahouses began hiring storytellers to tell the tale.

"Now, this Wooden Sword Guest was only fifteen or sixteen years old, yet his strength was extraordinary. He carried three wooden swords at his waist and had three bodyguards following behind him, but whenever he challenged a hall, he fought alone with a single sword. With one swing, he could defeat his opponent and tear down their signboard. He had yet to meet his match.

"They say that among the twelve martial halls in the southern part of the city, no one has ever seen him draw his second wooden sword.

"Some say the young man was raised by a great clan and was kicking down halls to make a name for himself.

"Others say he was a prodigy of the sword, and that he was challenging the halls to hone his swordsmanship.

"But whatever the truth, after this, the young man could truly be called 'a peerless star bursting onto the scene, one sword leaving the whole city in awe'..."

Meanwhile.

Inside a private room at a teahouse in the southern part of the city.

Someone slammed the table after hearing the story and said, "What do you mean, 'a peerless star bursting onto the scene, one sword leaving the whole city in awe'? Bullshit, all of it! That kid's only relying on his fierce, abundant yuan force. If we're talking hand-to-hand combat, I'd beat him to a pulp!"

A closer look revealed that the speaker was Ma Hong, the Hall Master of Ma's Martial Hall.

He wasn't alone. The room was packed with people. The heads of all thirteen martial halls in the southern part of the city had gathered there.

Twelve of them had already been challenged by Shen Zhou and had a grudge against him. The only one left was the Mad Lion Martial Hall.

The only reason it had been spared was that Shen Zhou went through three wooden swords a day, using one up on each hall. Today, he'd used up all three, so the Mad Lion Martial Hall had been left for tomorrow.

At that moment, Tie Zhan, the Hall Master of the Mad Lion Martial Hall, furrowed his brow and asked the others, "Fellow hall masters, you've all fought that kid. Tell me straight—how strong is he? I want to know what I'm up against tomorrow."

As soon as he spoke, more than ten hall masters began talking over one another.

"That kid only won by one move, and even that was pure luck. He's nothing special when it comes to real skill."

"He's merely adequate. If I were serious, I could beat him with a flick of my finger."

"I only held back because he was young. Otherwise... heh heh..."

Tie Zhan was speechless. "Come on, old friends. Can we stop blowing smoke?"

The kid had already torn down their signboards, and they were still trying to save face?

Those hall masters looked awkward and fell silent.

In the end, Taishan Hall Master spoke up. "In my opinion, that man is undoubtedly a master of the Transformation Yuan Realm. He could even be fifth or sixth rank. If you face him, I'm afraid you won't escape defeat either!"

Tie Zhan's brow furrowed even deeper. "So there's really no hope?"

A martial hall was the heart and soul of its master. None of them wanted to see their signboard torn down and their reputation ruined. Tie Zhan was no different.

Ma Hong considered it for a moment, then said coldly, "I don't think so. That kid is strong, sure, but I've watched him challenge the halls several times. Every time, he swings his wooden sword and releases a slash of Sword Qi. Then we lose. But if you can dodge that one strike tomorrow, you might have a chance."

That gave everyone a new idea.

Someone immediately said, "Exactly, exactly... That kid only ever makes one move, and his wooden sword breaks right after. I say he probably has little real combat experience—or maybe he only knows that one move. So tomorrow, when you fight him, find a way to dodge his strike, then close in and fight him at close range.

"That way, you might actually be able to take him down!"

Everyone's eyes lit up. They thought it sounded like a good plan.

Only Tie Zhan remained deeply furrowed and unconvinced. Will that really work?