Heaven Martial Pavilion

Though Sikong Jing wore plain clothes, he had once been the Invincible Divine General, and possessed an indescribable bearing.

A shop assistant from the Heaven Martial Pavilion immediately came forward to ask, "May I ask what you need, young master?"

The one before him was a delicate, beautiful shop assistant.

Sikong Jing asked calmly, "What's the highest grade of martial art the Heaven Martial Pavilion in Yunye City has for sale? And how much does it cost?"

The beauty's eyes lit up. This looked like a big spender, asking for the highest-grade martial arts right off the bat.

"Young master, Yunye City has four Yellow Grade High Tier martial arts in stock."

"They cost between fifty and a hundred Gold Crystal Coins."

The currency of the Great Shang Dynasty included Copper Crystal Plates, Silver Crystal Coins, Gold Crystal Coins, and the highest denomination, Purple Crystal Coins. In the frontier region of Yun Province, a hundred Gold Crystal Coins was already a considerable sum.

That was equivalent to ten thousand Silver Crystal Coins, or a million Copper Crystal Plates.

"If you're interested in a Mystic Grade martial art, or a custom-made Yellow Grade martial art, you'll need to pay a deposit first. We'll then have it transferred from the Heaven Martial Pavilion in Yun Province City," the shop assistant added.

Sikong Jing understood. The Heaven Martial Pavilion was an immensely powerful martial arts merchant in the Great Shang Dynasty.

They could be found in nearly every sizable city, so Sikong Jing naturally knew all about them.

But then he said, "Give me three of the cheapest Green Jade Slates."

Sikong Jing hadn't come to buy martial arts. He'd only asked about the prices to get a sense of the going rates in Yunye City.

"What?"

The beauty froze, her expression slowly turning cold.

What young master? This man was just making a show of himself with idle questions, wasting her time and effort.

Without another word, the shop assistant turned and walked away.

When she returned, she was carrying three Green Jade Slates. "A hundred Copper Crystal Plates," she said.

That was the price for the three Green Jade Slates.

Green Jade Slates were used to inscribe martial arts. In this world, neither martial arts nor cultivation techniques could be recorded in books made from ordinary paper. They had to be inscribed onto something made of green jade to convey the true meaning of the martial arts.

Materials such as Green Jade Paper and Green Jade Tubes could also be used, but Green Jade Slates were the cheapest of them all.

Their success rate was very low, and they could be ruined at any moment.

The Green Jade Slates Sikong Jing was buying were the lowest quality available—garbage among garbage. They were usually used by beginners to practice inscription, or by people trying to cut corners.

"I don't have any money," Sikong Jing replied. "But once I've successfully inscribed a martial art, I can use it to pay you back."

When he'd been exiled, all his belongings had been confiscated. And he could hardly ask Su Yuexi for money now.

At his words, the shop assistant's expression turned even colder. She snatched the Green Jade Slates from Sikong Jing's hands and snapped angrily, "If you don't have any money, what are you doing here? Do you take me for a fool?"

He was just another person trying to cut corners, thinking he could successfully inscribe a martial art and use it to pay for the Green Jade Slates.

What a joke.

Even a Heaven Realm expert would be lucky to succeed once in ten attempts with the lowest-grade Green Jade Slates.

Sikong Jing frowned. "I'm sure I can succeed. Don't worry."

He'd spent two and a half days cultivating in his room, reaching the sixth level of the Bright Realm. He'd done it to ensure he could inscribe the martial art successfully. And he couldn't inscribe a Yellow Grade High Tier martial art until he reached the sixth level of the Bright Realm.

"You think you can succeed with three Green Jade Slates? Who do you think you are, the Invincible Divine General of the Great Shang?" The shop assistant clearly didn't believe him. She pointed toward the entrance. "Either get out now or pay up."

The Invincible Divine General of the Great Shang? That really is me.

But Sikong Jing stayed silent. In the end, he turned to leave. It seemed he'd have to earn a hundred Copper Crystal Plates first.

"Haha, I never thought I'd see such an idiot these days. He thinks he can inscribe a martial art on three Green Jade Slates? That's hilarious."

Suddenly, a young man approached, waving a folding fan as laughter rang out.

The shop assistant's eyes lit up. She smiled sweetly. "Oh, isn't this Young Master Chu? What brings you here?"

Young Master Chu Bo pinched the shop assistant's bottom, then laughed. "I was just passing the time. Didn't expect to run into an idiot who thinks he's so clever."

The shop assistant let Chu Bo take liberties with her, then gave a coy little pout. "That's right. This idiot has interrupted Young Master Chu's fun."

"No, no, I'm having a great time..."

Chu Bo shook his head, then pointed down at Sikong Jing with a lofty air. "I'll pay for those three Green Jade Slates. If you fail to inscribe a martial art, you'll kneel in the street and say, loud and clear, 'Young Master Chu Bo is invincible under heaven' three times. How about it?"

At once, the shop assistant barked at Sikong Jing, "Idiot, why aren't you kneeling to thank Young Master Chu for gifting you the slates?"

She wore a smug expression, hiding behind Chu Bo's power.

Sikong Jing lifted his head calmly, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "You want to bet with me?"

Chu Bo's eyes widened. He gave a mocking laugh. "I suppose so, though you're not qualified."

"If it's a bet, then what will you do if I manage to inscribe a martial art?" Sikong Jing asked, narrowing his eyes.

Chu Bo paused, then burst into laughter. "Then I'll kneel in the street too and say you're invincible under heaven three times. Is that good enough?"

With Chu Bo's arrival, the customers inside the Heaven Martial Pavilion had gathered around. When they heard that Sikong Jing actually planned to inscribe a martial art on three of the lowest-quality Green Jade Slates, the whole crowd burst out laughing.

They laughed even harder when they heard he thought he could win. It was simply impossible.

Young Master Chu Bo was just making a fool of the idiot.

"That won't be necessary. I'm not so full of myself that I think I'm invincible under heaven. You just have to kneel and loudly say, 'Su Yuexi is the number one beauty,' three times," Sikong Jing casually amended the bet.

Chu Bo had no idea who Su Yuexi was. He waved his fan and said, "Fine, fine. Whatever you say."

Sikong Jing didn't bother with him any further. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the Green Jade Slates.

He searched his memories for a Yellow Grade High Tier martial art, but could think of very few.

After all, he'd only ever cultivated martial arts of Heaven Grade and above.

It took quite a while for him to recall the first martial art he'd obtained after joining the Great Shang army: one he'd seized from bandits. It had also been the first Yellow Grade High Tier martial art he'd ever cultivated. Without another word, he began inscribing it...

"Look at how serious this idiot is. He really thinks he can do it."

"Haha, he's a cultivation-obsessed fool. He's never been beaten down by reality and thinks he can do anything."

"In plain words, his brain's gone soft."

The onlookers' jeers grew louder. To them, it was all just Young Master Chu Bo's performance, making a fool of some idiot.

But they didn't know that Sikong Jing had already lost himself in the task. Terrifying true qi from the Emperor-Slaying Prison-Breaking Art flashed at his fingertips and flowed into the Green Jade Slates, as line after line took shape beneath his touch.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

Buzz!

The lines flowed from his fingertips in one unbroken stroke. In only three breaths, the Green Jade Slates shone with a jade-colored light!

A moment later, the light faded. A mysterious martial aura now emanated from the once unremarkable Green Jade Slates. Sikong Jing quietly rose to his feet and said coolly, "Sorry about that. I got it right on the first try!"

The jeering stopped. The entire Heaven Martial Pavilion fell into an indescribable silence.