Buying a Saber!

"Congratulations, Brother Hu!"

"Congratulations, Brother Hu! You've achieved major success in skin tempering! Among all the new students at the Martial Arts Academy, who can rival you?!"

Outside the training room, several lackeys who had been waiting there heard the commotion and immediately crowded inside, their faces full of flattery as they showered him with compliments as though words cost nothing.

One lackey with a sharp chin and monkey cheeks rolled his eyes and hurriedly added, "Brother Hu, you're mighty! You haven't just broken through in cultivation. Don't forget, your Rushing Thunder Saber Technique reached minor success months ago! Among the new students, who can match your talent and strength?!"

Hearing this, the smugness on Gao Hu's face deepened, and his grin nearly stretched to his ears. He relished being the moon surrounded by stars, relished the reverence that came with power!

Major success in skin tempering! Minor success in saber technique!

Among this year's new students, he, Gao Hu, was the undisputed number one!

At the thought, a cool, breathtakingly beautiful figure involuntarily appeared in his mind-Lin Qingyao.

That graceful figure, that otherworldly bearing... A trace of undisguised greed and possessiveness flashed in Gao Hu's eyes. Such a peerless beauty was worthy of no one but him, Gao Hu!

However, he also knew that Lin Qingyao was not only beautiful; the Lin Family behind her was a top family with immense influence and deep foundations in the city, far beyond anything his Gao Family could compare to. If he wanted to have her, his current strength was nowhere near enough! He had to grow stronger! Strong enough that even the Lin Family could not ignore him!

As for that penniless brat he had met in the martial arts hall today, the one who didn't know whether to live or die and had dared to provoke him...

Dongfang Yueming?

That name had never even crossed Gao Hu's mind, nor had so much as a vague image of him!

To him, the boy was nothing more than an ant he could crush on a whim, an eyesore of a pebble by the road, unworthy of even the slightest effort to remember. A match in the arena a month from now? It was nothing but the ridiculous squealing of an ant before its death.

His goal was Lin Qingyao, a higher realm of martial arts, and becoming a man above others!

A mere piece of trash was utterly unworthy of entering his sight!

Yearning for a weapon, Dongfang Yueming left the dormitory. The excitement of allocating points earlier had not entirely faded, but a cold reality lay before him.

He pulled out his personal terminal, which was nearly ready for the scrap heap, and looked at the balance displayed on it-350 federation credits.

That was everything he had left after scrimping and saving, along with the meager relief payments he had previously received.

Alas... Dongfang Yueming could not help letting out a heavy sigh inwardly. With that little money, buying cultivation resources was out of the question; he could barely even afford the most basic weapon.

He wandered over to the temporary market on campus. It was a small trading area formed spontaneously by the students, where many people put out materials from the ordinary beasts they had hunted, low-grade medicinal herbs they had gathered, or old equipment they no longer needed, selling them for federation credits or contribution points. The place was quite lively.

The various processed flesh, bones, and hides of ordinary beasts gave off a faint bloody odor, mingling with the fresh fragrance of herbs to create the market's distinctive smell. Dongfang Yueming paid it no mind. His gaze passed straight over the assorted stalls and finally settled on several selling weapons.

Most of the weapons displayed at these stalls were academy-standard models or old ones discarded by students, mainly sabers and swords. According to the academy's grading system, weapons suited to Body Tempering Realm martial artists were roughly divided into three grades-E, D, and C-with their materials and sharpness improving at each grade.

Dongfang Yueming picked up an E-grade long saber that looked decent enough and hefted it. It felt heavy in his hand, and its blade had a cheap metallic gleam in the sunlight. There were even several small nicks in it.

"Boss, how much for this?" he asked casually.

The stall owner was a somewhat slothful-looking senior student. He raised his eyelids. "E-grade standard-issue saber. Lowest price, 500 federation credits. No bargaining."

Five hundred!

The corner of Dongfang Yueming's mouth twitched, and he silently put the saber down.

His entire 350 credits weren't even enough to buy the worst saber!

Hard up! He had never been so hard up before! He had a saber technique at perfection and nearly a thousand points, yet he couldn't even afford a weapon to use it with!

Just as Dongfang Yueming was frowning deeply and considering whether to take an even lower-level odd job to earn some money first, a somewhat slick voice sounded behind him:

"Well, if it isn't classmate Dongfang. Looking at weapons? Planning to buy one?"

Dongfang Yueming turned to see that Qian Jingming had come over at some point. His trademark mercenary smile hung on his face, and his two little eyes darted over Dongfang Yueming.

"No use looking. I can't afford one." Dongfang Yueming glanced at him and spoke irritably. He thought Qian Jingming had come to peddle that Body Tempering Powder of uncertain effectiveness again.

"Oh, who says you have to be able to afford one right now?" Qian Jingming's eyes darted around as though he had seen through Dongfang Yueming's predicament. He lowered his voice and said mysteriously, "Short on cash? Classmate Dongfang, I, Qian, have connections everywhere! If you need money, you can take out a loan! The interest is negotiable!"

"A loan?"

Dongfang Yueming was taken aback. He really hadn't thought of that. He had no friends or family in this world and was a poor student who had only just enrolled. Who would lend him money? Qian Jingming didn't look like a philanthropist, either.

But his current predicament made him ask, almost as if possessed, "How much... can you lend me?"

Huh? That's not the reaction I expected.

Qian Jingming muttered inwardly. He had assumed that even if Dongfang Yueming were tempted by the offer of a loan, he would hesitate, be on guard, and repeatedly ask about the interest and conditions.

Why does Dongfang Yueming... seem not at all surprised, but rather eager? Does he think he can definitely pay it back? Or... does he simply not know the risks of borrowing?

Still, with business coming to him, Qian Jingming naturally wouldn't pass it up. He rubbed his hands together and asked tentatively, "That depends on how much you need, classmate Dongfang. A few hundred? A thousand?"

Dongfang Yueming's mind was now entirely on improving his strength as quickly as possible, then taking missions to earn contribution points. He was less sensitive about money instead, and couldn't be bothered beating around the bush. "Not too much. Let's start with... thirty to fifty thousand federation credits to tide me over." He figured that buying a better saber and some cultivation techniques ought to about do it.

"Pfft-!!"

Qian Jingming nearly spat out a mouthful of blood!

His eyes widened as he stared at Dongfang Yueming in disbelief, as though he were looking at an alien. "Thirty... thirty to fifty thousand?!!"

His voice changed pitch as he shrieked, "Classmate Dongfang! Do you think federation credits are cabbages?! You open your mouth and ask for thirty to fifty thousand?! What are you going to pay it back with?!"