Xiao Family Market, setting up a stall to sell a saber

He returned to the stone table and sat down.

Zhou Changqing began considering what to do with the Ghost-Head Great Saber.

He had no intention of keeping it for his own use.

Although the Ghost-Head Great Saber looked imposing, it clearly did not suit his bearing.

Zhou Changqing could even picture himself in flowing white robes, looking like an immortal descended upon the mortal world, only to suddenly whip out a huge Ghost-Head Saber in the middle of a fight.

Now that would be a contrast!

Just imagining that scene sent a chill down his spine.

But if he was not going to use it himself, he could only sell it. Keeping it on hand would be a waste.

He could also use this opportunity to gauge the value of an Iron-Cleaving Mortal Weapon and break into the market.

But selling weapons meant confronting an unavoidable obstacle—Wutan City's weapons magnate, Che'erluo.

Born into a blacksmith's family, Zhou Changqing had heard of Che'erluo from a very young age.

After all, this weapons magnate was closely tied to his family's source of income.

Likewise, Zhou Changqing knew all too well what would happen if he entered the weapons market without Che'erluo's permission.

A trace of hesitation flickered in his eyes, but a moment later, Zhou Changqing's resolve hardened.

"I'll do it. As long as I stay in Wutan City, as long as I want to make money through Weapon Refining, I'll have to face Che'erluo sooner or later."

"Worst comes to worst, I'll just get the hell out of here."

His cultivation required resources, and Weapon Refining required materials. Both demanded a great deal of money.

Now that he had finally found a way forward through Weapon Refining, how could Zhou Changqing possibly give it up?

Surely he could not spend his life relying on that meager ten Gold Coins a month?

Besides, he was not without something to back up his confidence now.

At that thought, Zhou Changqing looked inward at the Dou Qi Vortex within his dantian, which had grown considerably larger than it had been two months ago.

Over these two months, he had done more than refine weapons. He had not neglected his Dou Qi either.

Although his cultivation method had halved his cultivation efficiency, his progress was still gratifying.

Perhaps the solid foundation he had built over six years had finally erupted into its full potential.

In just two months, Zhou Changqing had advanced at a remarkable pace, soaring straight from One-Star Dou Zhe to Five-Star Dou Zhe.

With his Five-Star Dou Zhe cultivation and the advantage of dual attributes, Zhou Changqing could safely say he had no match among ordinary Dou Zhe!

If he also wielded an Iron-Cleaving Mortal Weapon he had refined himself, he could even take on an ordinary Dou Shi, provided his opponent had not mastered a Xuan Tier Dou Technique!

As for Che'erluo, aside from being a Da Dou Shi himself, he had very few Dou Shi under his command—fewer than a dozen or so.

The rest were essentially small fry at the Dou Zhe level.

As long as Che'erluo did not attack him personally or have everyone gang up on him, none of his subordinates would be much use against Zhou Changqing, no matter who came.

And if Che'erluo stepped into the fray himself?

It was not as though Zhou Changqing could not run.

Wutan City was not the only city in the Jia Ma Empire.

Having made his decision, Zhou Changqing began taking action.

He slid the Ghost-Head Saber into its custom-made sheath, then wrapped it in a piece of fine cloth to ensure it looked presentable.

Then Zhou Changqing took it with him and headed out.

He left the little courtyard.

Zhou Changqing walked along the street amid the crowds, heading toward the Xiao Family Market.

A quarter of an hour later.

After turning down several streets, Zhou Changqing finally reached his destination.

A huge stone archway now towered before him.

On the plaque above the archway, several large characters swept and soared like dragons and phoenixes—

Xiao Family Market!

Two Xiao Clan guards stood on either side of the archway.

People also streamed constantly through the entrance beneath it, and at a glance, none of them appeared to be ordinary commoners.

After looking it over briefly, Zhou Changqing walked toward the archway.

No one stopped him, and he entered the Marketplace with ease.

Inside the Marketplace, an endless stream of people filled his view, with countless stalls lining both sides.

This was not Zhou Changqing's first visit to the Marketplace. He had come a few times before out of curiosity.

His aim had been to see whether he could unearth a bargain—a cultivation method suited to him.

After all, many protagonists in the novels of his previous life encountered such fortuitous opportunities.

Unfortunately, he had found nothing.

On reflection, that made sense. How could such a windfall fall into his lap?

Even if one existed, it would be reserved for Xiao Yan, the favored son of fortune.

Making his way through the enormous crowd, Zhou Changqing reached the Xiao Clan's market office, painfully paid ten Gold Coins in stall fees, and obtained a stall on the edge of the Marketplace.

"Sure enough, a Marketplace like this isn't somewhere ordinary people can afford to come."

On the way to his stall, Zhou Changqing could not help voicing his feelings.

If one had to name the most bustling place in Wutan City, it could only be the Marketplaces.

After all, ordinary commoners were almost nonexistent here. Only cultivators could afford to shop in these places.

And there was no need to explain just how frightening a cultivator's spending power could be.

The Three Great Families could fill their coffers to overflowing just by collecting fees for maintaining order and security in the Marketplaces.

Before long, Zhou Changqi arrived at his stall.

Though called a stall, it was actually just an empty patch of ground about three meters across, with nothing on it.

Fortunately, Zhou Changqing had anticipated this and made preparations at home.

He took out a two-meter piece of coarse cloth, spread it over his stall, then produced a brush and wrote a few words before sitting down behind it.

He also placed the wrapped Ghost-Head Saber on the coarse cloth beside the writing.

All that remained was to wait quietly for a buyer to come along.

The Marketplace never lacked curious people.

Among the crowd, a rugged man of around thirty happened to catch sight of the newly appeared stall off to the side.

Curiosity piqued, the rugged man strode over.

"Hey, stallholder, what are you selling? Why won't you let anyone see it?"

When he drew closer and saw nothing on the stall but a long, narrow bundle, the rugged man, Wang Zhi, grew intrigued and could not help asking.

The other stalls displayed medicinal herbs, magic cores, or things related to cultivation and combat, such as healing medicine.

Yet this stall held only one item, and no one even knew what it was. It really seemed rather out of place in the Marketplace.

Seeing someone approach with a question, Zhou Changqing showed no enthusiasm. He merely tilted his chin toward the writing on the cloth.

It was not that Zhou Changqing lacked social skills. If he wanted his goods to fetch a good price, he had to maintain a certain air and bearing.

It was just like courtship between a man and a woman. If you eagerly threw yourself at someone, asking after them with endless concern, you would not necessarily move their heart. Instead, you might only make yourself look cheap.

Conversely, if you acted a little aloof, they might think more highly of you, or even become curious about you and feel an urge to defy your indifference.

After all, what could not be obtained always stirred the heart, while what came too easily went uncherished.

Following Zhou Changqing's gesture, Wang Zhi looked where he indicated and saw several lines of large writing beside the long, narrow object.

At the sight, Wang Zhi instinctively read the words aloud.

"An Iron-Cleaving Treasure Weapon, a rarity in this world. Only one available, for the buyer brought here by fate!"

(End of chapter)