Stone-Slicing Sword

A rooster from some household crowed, waking Gao Xian from his sleep.

Gao Xian lay in bed for a while, waiting until his mind had truly cleared before getting up to check the One Yang Talismans on the door.

The talismans were all intact. Clearly, no Evil Spirit had come by.

That was exactly what he had expected.

Now that the True Yang Spear had reached the Grandmaster level, it was extremely sensitive to the aura of Evil Spirits.

If Old Wang really came over, Gao Xian would definitely sense him.

After washing up and getting ready, Gao Xian deliberately changed into a new pair of shoes.

His cloth shoes could no longer withstand his explosive strength. After practicing sword forms for a few rounds the night before, they had already been ruined.

Since he was going out today, he might as well buy a few things while he was at it.

The morning sunshine was bright, and many cultivators were coming and going. Perhaps because the weather was so fine, everyone seemed fairly relaxed and friendly.

Gao Xian felt he had been too nervous before. Flying Horse Market was orderly, too. In broad daylight, hardly anyone dared cause trouble.

Besides, most cultivators had sallow faces and worn-out clothes, and the aura of magic power around them was feeble.

The Grandmaster-level True Yang Spear had made his spiritual sense firm and his six senses keen. Looking at other cultivators now, he could easily discern their physical condition and even sense the fluctuations of magic power within them.

The Grandmaster-level Lightning Dragon Hand had given him incredibly fast reflexes. As long as he willed it and activated the Lightning Dragon Hand, everyone around him seemed to slow to a crawl.

With confidence came self-assurance and ease. When Gao Xian looked at others, they all seemed like good people. Well, at least none of them seemed like a threat.

As he walked along, Gao Xian even caught the heated, enthusiastic gazes of several female cultivators, which lifted his spirits further.

That lasted until he saw the black mummified corpse at the intersection. His good mood was ruined at once.

With his keen six senses, Gao Xian noticed many details about the corpse.

The painful, twisted expression on its face, for instance, and the irregular hole in its chest...

Only then did Gao Xian realize that having senses that were too sharp could be a bad thing. Every detail he saw was etched deep into his memory, impossible to forget.

Zhu Qiniang had told him the day before that there was a corpse at this intersection. It had clearly been killed by an Evil Spirit: the victim's whole body had shriveled like wood and turned as black as charcoal. The signs were unmistakable.

A few bold cultivators had gathered around the corpse, pointing and discussing how terrifying Evil Spirits were.

Gao Xian sighed inwardly. Poor bastard. What a miserable fate!

He didn't look any longer. The corpse reminded him that in this world, he had to tread carefully if he wanted to live longer.

The buoyancy in Gao Xian's heart settled. He stopped looking around and quickened his pace through the intersection.

When he reached Long Street, Gao Xian carefully skirted the Longevity Hall pharmacy. He didn't want to run into Shopkeeper Zhu.

It was still morning, and there were no customers at the Hundred Weapons Hall. Only one distracted shop assistant was in the main room.

When he saw Gao Xian come in, the assistant forced himself to perk up and put on a smile. "What can I get for you? We have all kinds of knives, spears, swords, halberds, and magical weapons..."

"Is Shopkeeper Huang here?" Gao Xian asked.

The assistant didn't recognize him. He looked Gao Xian up and down and asked with a fawning smile, "What do you need our shopkeeper for?"

"Sorry to trouble you, but please let her know Gao Xian is here to see her," Gao Xian said.

The assistant hesitated, then said, "Please wait a moment."

He went to the back door and called out loudly, "Shopkeeper, someone's here to see you!"

A moment later, Huang Ying pulled aside the curtain and came out from the back. Her eyes lit up when she saw Gao Xian, and she smiled with delight. "You're here, little brother! What a rare visitor!"

Huang Ying was wearing her bright red robe again today. Its fine, soft fabric draped over her figure, bringing out all her best features.

The vivid red also suited her fair skin perfectly. The red was passionate, the pale skin full and radiant, and her charm was impossible to miss.

Huang Ying shot the assistant a look. "He's my little brother. Next time he comes, take him straight to the back courtyard. Got it?"

The assistant was startled. Huang Ying was always warm toward customers, but letting someone go straight into the back was clearly a sign of an unusual relationship.

He hurriedly nodded. "Got it, got it."

Huang Ying led Gao Xian to the main room in the back courtyard. She took his hand and smiled. "What brings you to see your big sister today?"

"First, I came to bring you some medicine. Second, I wanted to buy a sword."

Gao Xian drew the Pine-Patterned Longsword from his waist and set it on the table. "This sword is no good anymore."

Huang Ying picked it up and examined it. "That's right. The sword's not only bent; there are tiny cracks inside the blade. It could break very easily. This sword's done for."

She wasn't skilled at crafting weapons, but she dealt with weapons and magical items every day. Her eye was sharp, and she spotted the problem with the Pine-Patterned Longsword at a glance.

"An ordinary long sword made of refined steel isn't good enough. You have to use a quality weapon."

As she spoke, Huang Ying stood up. "Wait here, little brother. I'll bring over a few swords."

Before long, Huang Ying came back with two assistants. Between them, they carried more than ten long swords, which they laid out on the tea table.

She said boldly, "Pick whichever one you like, little brother. I'll give you the best price."

"Thank you, Sister Ying." Gao Xian thanked her sincerely. He really was afraid she might refuse to charge him.

Free things often came at a higher price. He and Huang Ying were in business together, and he didn't want to mix money with personal favors until he couldn't tell which was which!

Long swords, short swords, broad swords, slender swords—all sorts lay together before him. Gao Xian's eyes swam, and he didn't know how to choose.

Huang Ying leaned close and explained, "For a sword used in close combat, the first thing to consider is how it feels in your hand. Draw them and try them out. Whichever one feels right, use that one. You can't go wrong."

"As for the material and the forging process, there isn't much difference between low-grade swords..."

Gao Xian thought that made sense. He tried them one by one and chose a long sword with a style similar to his Pine-Patterned Sword.

The blade gleamed with a cold light and looked sharp. Its weight was just right, too.

Gao Xian swung it casually. It felt quite comfortable in his hand, and he asked, "How about this one?"

"The Stone-Slicing Sword. It's forged from Cold Iron and has a Sharp Metal Rune inscribed on it. It can cleave stone and break metal without damaging the blade. It's a fine sword. The only thing is, it weighs a full seventeen pounds, so it's a bit heavy. Does it feel right to you?"

Huang Ying was a little surprised. Swords made from Cold Iron were all very heavy. Low-level Qi Refining cultivators could pick one up easily, but wielding it as they pleased was another matter.

Generally speaking, only cultivators who had reached mid-stage Qi Refining had enough vigor and strong enough bones to wield a Stone-Slicing Sword with ease.

Gao Xian twirled the sword a few times, then thrust it forward and slid it precisely back into its scabbard.

He nodded with satisfaction. "I'll take this one. How many Spirit Stones?"

Seeing Gao Xian wield the sword with such light, fluid movements, Huang Ying knew he was truly strong and could handle it with ease.

As an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator, Gao Xian could only do this because he had clearly practiced body cultivation, making his bones and muscles strong.

She smiled and praised him. "Your body cultivation is impressive, little brother. You can handle a sword this heavy with ease."

"The Stone-Slicing Sword is very well made. It just has a simple rune, so it counts as a mid-grade first-tier sword. The regular price is a hundred Spirit Stones. You only need to pay fifty."

"Thank you, Sister Ying."

Gao Xian picked up the Stone-Slicing Sword, smiling happily. Even without its rune, its weight and hardness alone made it powerful enough.

He said to Huang Ying, "Put it on my tab. We can settle everything together later."

He and Huang Ying sold Heavenly Gui Pills together, and they had agreed to settle their accounts at the end of the month. Putting the sword toward his balance would save them both trouble.

"You hardly ever come by, little brother. Stay for lunch. Big sister's treating you."

Huang Ying said warmly, "The Old Li Wine Shop on the street makes delicious monster-beast meat. I'll order a few good dishes, and we can have some wine and chat..."

"Sounds great. Sorry to let you go to the trouble, Sister Ying."

Gao Xian didn't refuse. He had come to see Huang Ying for another reason, too, so they would need time for a proper talk.

Sour and spicy pickled tendons, peppery lung slices, braised pork knuckle, bone broth, a few plates of dried nuts and candied fruit, and a jar of rice wine brewed from spirit rice.

He didn't know what they had done to the meat dishes, but every one of them was full of flavor. The rice wine was rich and smooth. It was the first time Gao Xian had eaten so well since crossing over, and he ate until his whole body was hot and sweaty. It was deeply satisfying.

Huang Ying's cheeks were flushed pink, too. Her bright eyes were hazy, and she edged closer and closer to Gao Xian, her body growing softer as she leaned against him.

Gao Xian wasn't drunk from the wine. But looking at Huang Ying, who seemed ready for him to pluck her like a flower, his head grew fuzzy, and he began to feel a little drunk anyway...