Mystic Gold

The disciples watching the match with relish were stunned when they heard this.

Then one of them said, "Mystic Gold is good stuff. It's an essential material for forging Earth Grade Spirit Artifacts. If it's fused into a Yellow Grade weapon, there's a ninety percent chance of raising it to the Mysterious Grade."

"But this stuff is worth a fortune. You normally can't find it at all. Why are you asking? Do you have some?"

Seeing the disciple's strange look, Ye Lin waved his hand.

"Tch, boring."

With that, he continued watching the battle with relish.

This piece of Mystic Gold really was good stuff. If he fused it into his Long Sword, there was a high chance that his sword would rise to Mysterious Grade Low Tier.

A few short minutes passed. The battle between the two on the Arena had entered its white-hot stage. If an expert were present, they would definitely see that Niu Bo was gradually falling into a disadvantage.

"Senior Brother, get down. The position of Inner Sect disciple is mine."

Zhang Xiao knocked Niu Bo back with a punch, his face full of disdain.

"The victor has yet to be decided. How dare you be so arrogant?"

Niu Bo flew into a rage at those words. As an Inner Sect disciple, he had been challenged by an Outer Sect disciple for the first time in ten years, and he had already lost all face. Yet now, the person before him still dared to mock him.

This filled him with fury. The attacks in his hands immediately became even sharper, every move a killing blow without the slightest restraint.

"I wonder what this Inner Sect disciple's panel looks like."

Name: Niu Bo

Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 8

Fate Rank: White (Has Some Substance)

Fate Traits: [Sword Dao Leader] [Small Fortune]

Fate: After being defeated by Zhang Xiao, he could not bear the blow, and his Dao heart shattered. He spent every day muddleheaded in the Outer Sect. Three months later, when he descended the mountain, he was drained dry of all his blood essence by an Evil Demon and died.

Recent Opportunity: Three days later, he would go to Dragon Fall Valley to clear his mind. By chance, he would discover the corpse of a Foundation Establishment Demon Beast and find a Foundation Establishment Demon Core within it. However, because his Dao heart had shattered, he would casually throw the Demon Core away.

[Sword Dao Leader]: You have a unique understanding of the Sword Dao. On the path of the Sword Dao, you will always progress at an astonishing pace.

[Small Fortune]: Good Luck. Good fortune can often help you escape danger.

Seeing Niu Bo's opportunity, Ye Lin nearly suffocated. Good heavens, this was the first time he had seen someone throw away an opportunity after finding it.

"Get the hell down here!"

At that moment, an angry roar came from the Arena. Sword Qi surged around Niu Bo's body as an incomparably powerful stream of Sword Qi charged toward Zhang Xiao.

Even standing beneath the stage, Ye Lin could feel the strength of that Sword Qi.

"Hmph, trash like you can become an Inner Sect disciple? You're simply a disgrace to the Inner Sect. Get the hell down here!"

"Tyrant Heaven Fist!"

Zhang Xiao had now completely torn off all pretense with Niu Bo. Accompanied by an angry roar, a massive fist shadow appeared behind him.

With a deafening boom, Niu Bo's Sword Qi was instantly scattered by the fist shadow. Niu Bo himself was sent flying straight off the Arena, lying on the ground with his life and death unknown.

At this sight, the Outer Sect disciples watching from all around erupted into an uproar. An Inner Sect disciple's reign had come to an end just like that.

"Senior Brother Zhang is invincible! Senior Brother Zhang is mighty! Senior Brother Zhang is domineering!"

Shouts rang out from the crowd. The others all looked at that disciple with strange expressions.

"Alright, I am now an Inner Sect disciple. Thank you all for coming to watch. Please return."

Looking at the crowd below, Zhang Xiao waved his hand.

Seeing that victory and defeat had been decided, Ye Lin turned and headed down the mountain. He had to hurry to Tianfeng City now and seize Zhang Xiao's opportunity.

After Ye Lin left, a white-robed figure appeared beside Zhang Xiao.

"That Ye Lin was watching the battle the entire time? Until the end?"

Zhang Xiao frowned as he looked toward the disciple beside him.

The disciple nodded at those words.

"Yes, Senior Brother. From the moment you began fighting until the end, he watched calmly the whole time. He did not seem afraid in the slightest."

After listening to the disciple, a meaningful smile appeared on Zhang Xiao's face.

"Interesting."

After speaking, Zhang Xiao began pondering inwardly.

Zhang Liang's elder brother was him. Ye Lin definitely could not be unaware of that. If it were any ordinary Qi Refining Level 4 cultivator, they would surely be panicking right now, perhaps even thinking of fleeing the sect.

Instead, he had calmly watched Zhang Xiao's battle the entire time. If he could remain so composed, that meant he had something to rely on.

"He must have something to rely on—either a background or some means."

"Whether it is a background or some means, as long as it is tested out, it poses no threat."

Zhang Xiao stood where he was, muttering to himself.

Then he spoke to the disciple beside him.

"Go test him tonight, when the night is deep. If he truly only has a façade, return. I want to personally avenge my younger brother. If he truly has some means, report to me immediately."

After Zhang Xiao finished speaking, Wu Feng nodded.

Once Zhang Xiao's back had vanished from sight, Wu Feng sneered.

"Fuck, if he can stay so calm, then if he really has some means, they must be enough to deal with you. You want me to go die? Fuck that."

After cursing, Wu Feng left the Arena. He would definitely test Ye Lin tonight, but he would only put on a show.

Meanwhile, Ye Lin had already begun speeding toward Sun-Moon City. Sun-Moon City was different from Tianfeng City.

Sun-Moon City was a major city, capable of housing a full million people. One could imagine just how enormous it was.

But the journey was also extremely distant. Even traveling at full speed, Ye Lin only arrived outside Sun-Moon City after three hours.

When he reached the city gates, the guards did not stop him. Tianfeng City feared bandits, but Sun-Moon City did not.

Upon entering the city, Ye Lin found that Sun-Moon City had even more people than Tianfeng City. Hawkers' cries filled the streets without end. What completely crushed Tianfeng City, however, was Sun-Moon City's clean environment.

"Brother, do you know where the largest blacksmith shop in this city is?"

At that moment, Ye Lin casually stopped someone nearby and cupped his fists.

"One look tells me you're from out of town. In our Sun-Moon City, everyone knows the Male-Female Duo Blacksmith Shop. There—walk a li in that direction and you'll arrive."

Following the direction the man pointed, Ye Lin thanked him and headed down the road.

Halfway there, Ye Lin suddenly stopped. Looking at the huge pavilion ahead, he saw a plaque above the entrance bearing the seven large characters: Male-Female Duo Blacksmith Shop.

Ye Lin stepped inside. The moment he entered, the temperature around him dropped sharply. All kinds of weapons were arranged neatly throughout the blacksmith shop, cold gleams flashing from them.

"Young master, are you looking to buy something or have something forged?"

At that moment, a muscular middle-aged man came before Ye Lin and asked in a booming voice.

"Nothing in particular. I'll look around first. Boss, your shop's name is quite interesting."

Ye Lin walked deeper into the blacksmith shop, looking over the various weapons as he casually questioned the owner.

"Ah, my wife and I came up with that name together. My wife is in the blacksmithing business too, so we hit it off at once and chose this name."

"It's rare to see a woman working iron."

As Ye Lin reached the depths of the shop, his eyes suddenly lit up. He crouched beneath a table and looked at the palm-sized, pitch-black object propping up one of its legs.

"It can't be helped. These days, this is the only trade that can make money."

Hearing the owner's words, Ye Lin nodded. That was true. In this world, ordinary people's lives were like ants, easily crushed to death. Most people liked to carry weapons when traveling.

"Boss, how much is this?"

Ye Lin slowly pulled out the piece of Mystic Gold that had been propping up the table leg and spoke to the owner.

"Customer, this is just a stone I use to prop up the table. It isn't worth anything. If you want it, I'll give it to you."

Hearing this, Ye Lin shook his head.

"Boss, I won't take your things for nothing. How about this? I'll give you three taels of silver. Consider it my purchase of this item from you."

At that moment, Ye Lin took out three taels of silver from his robes and handed them to the owner. Ever since what happened last time, he had formed the habit of carrying money whenever he went out.

"Customer, I can't accept this. It's only a useless stone."

Seeing the owner refuse, Ye Lin smiled and shook his head. The owner before him was merely a mortal and had no idea of Mystic Gold's value. The more precious an item was, the greater the karma tied to it.

By giving the owner money, he was also bringing this karmic connection to an end.

"Boss, listen to me. Take it."

Then Ye Lin placed the silver on the table and walked out the door.

"Look at this... sigh."

The owner sighed and helplessly put away the silver on the table.