Buying a Sword

"Second Brother, I think you ought to get closer to that Senior Brother Qi of yours."

The three returned to the little courtyard Yuan Jin rented, and Kang Dabao suddenly spoke after closing the door.

"Senior Brother Qi? Between us brothers, he has a rather sinister temperament. He doesn't seem like a good man, and he and I don't get along."

Yuan Jin hurriedly shook his head and refused.

"Heh heh, all the better if he doesn't seem like a good man. How many years does that master teaching you his craft have left to live? Pay a little attention. Whenever a piece of fatty meat passes through your hands, some grease is bound to rub off, isn't it?"

Kang Dabao spoke with an air of great secrecy. Yuan Jin and Jiang Qing were no fools, and they naturally understood what he meant.

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy. Never mind how many friends from all walks of life Senior Brother Qi has in Xuanwei City. Even among Master Qi's apprentices, there are plenty from other households. Our Chongming Sect is a cut below them in the end."

Yuan Jin frowned and gave a serious reply.

"Being a cut below is exactly what makes it good. Only then can Master Qi feel at ease. In a few years, once Anle or Yundao grows up, it would be best if one of them could marry into the Qi Household."

Kang Dabao chuckled, evidently without considering what the two people concerned thought.

"Enough of that. Second Brother, take Third Brother to buy a full set of equipment. You've been around the city for so many years, so you must know which shops are good and which aren't. Take these one thousand Spirit Stones and use them for now."

"One thousand?!" Yuan Jin and Jiang Qing's eyes widened. Whose ancestral grave had Senior Brother dug up?

"Here, count them. Not a single one short. Don't pinch pennies; buy the good stuff."

Kang Dabao laid the Spirit Stones out on the table in neat rows, feeling that he had never said anything so grand in both his lives put together.

"Master Qi only sells ordinary goods, and it's hard to bargain with him.

"For a flying sword, we should go to the Illusory Sword Alliance's Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. For robes, we can have Auntie Luo make a set to measure. There are several shops in the city with good reputations for defensive Law Artifacts, so we'll see which one throws in the most extras. If there's anything left, we can buy Third Brother a Clear Heart Pendant or something. It might not be much use, but it'll look nice hanging there, won't it?"

Yuan Jin had practically grown up alongside Kang Dabao, and he too was quite adept at careful budgeting.

"Mm-hmm, you decide." Kang Dabao nodded repeatedly.

"Sect Master Senior Brother, one thousand Spirit Stones is too much. The equipment I have is perfectly adequate. You should keep some. You, the others, Yundao, and Anle all have plenty of uses for Spirit Stones."

Jiang Qing thought for a while, then spoke with a frown.

"It's not your turn to speak yet. We'll do whatever Senior Brother and I say. If you want a say in important matters, wait until you reach Foundation Establishment."

Yuan Jin laughed and rapped Jiang Qing on the head, showing not the slightest trace of jealousy.

"Cut it out. Big or small, I'm the sect master, so I have the final say." Kang Dabao's lips curled upward as he lowered his head to drink his tea.

"Great Sect Master, let's hurry out, then."

Yuan Jin suddenly rushed over with a strange laugh, hoisted Kang Dabao into the air, and dashed out the door. Startled, Kang Dabao waved his sleeves wildly and shouted things like "Where are your manners?" and "This is an affront to propriety!"

Jiang Qing laughed and followed behind, joining in the commotion. Suddenly, he remembered how, many years ago, his two senior brothers had taken him to the market to buy spirit sprout candy. It seemed to have been much the same back then.

Xuanwei City was vast. Yuan Jin had spent nearly ten years there and could be considered half a local snake.

They bought a fine horse at the eastern market and a saddle and blanket at the western market, and finally acquired most of Jiang Qing's equipment. They also bought Han Yundao and Duan Anle two first-tier lower-grade Clear Spirit Bells.

The objects cost only a few Spirit Stones, yet the two youths were so delighted that they jumped up and down and couldn't help bouncing as they walked.

"Mm, there are five hundred and thirty left. That's enough to buy a decent first-tier middle-grade flying sword at the Illusory Sword Alliance."

Yuan Jin counted on his fingers. Jiang Qing's handsome face was also full of smiles; the first-tier lower-grade flying sword he had was long past being usable.

"First-tier middle-grade?" Kang Dabao rubbed his smooth chin and began to calculate. "If I remember right, the Illusory Sword Alliance has a decent reputation too."

Kang Dabao began thinking of selling the Eldest of the Liu Household's and Bai Bian's flying swords.

Once they left Xuanwei City, it would not be easy to find a shop in an ordinary market that could discreetly take both swords and a pile of Law Artifacts they had no use for all at once.

"Let's take a look first," Kang Dabao said with a light laugh.

The group arrived at the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. Its name was imposing enough, but it was really just a modest two-story building.

The Illusory Sword Alliance was a somewhat renowned sect in the area, but it currently had only one Foundation Establishment cultivator in charge. Even if the entire sect were sold off, it would still fall far short of ten thousand flying swords.

"I am Huo Ying of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. Greetings, fellow Daoists." The female cultivator who spoke had a pretty face and a voluptuous figure.

Her smile was lovely, and she appeared to be in the bloom of youth. Her hair was arranged in a married woman's bun, and she wore a simple, elegant long dress. A faint floral fragrance drifted from her. She had a tranquil, natural air that made it easy to take a slight liking to her.

What was most important to a capable Law Artifact shop? Law Artifacts, of course!

Surely it couldn't be the pretty female steward in charge of the shop?

Of course, her appearance did put Kang Dabao, the buyer, in a good mood.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist." Kang Dabao and his two companions returned the greeting.

"May I ask what you fellow Daoists wish to purchase?" The Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion sold more than flying swords; it offered other Law Artifacts as well, though their quality could not compare with its flying swords.

"Flying swords. Let's look at the supreme-grade ones first."

"The Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion will not disappoint you three. Mo'er, show our three fellow Daoists to the tea room."

As an experienced merchant, Huo Ying's expression did not change at his words, but Kang Dabao still felt that her smile had grown considerably more sincere.

A pretty maid in her early teens came forward timidly to lead the way. Once the three had entered the tea room and sat down, she brewed tea, then lowered her head and retreated on her knees.

Before long, Huo Ying entered, followed by several shop assistants carrying cases.

"Unfortunately, your timing is a little off. Several of our supreme-grade flying swords were sold not long ago, and a martial uncle from the alliance's artifact hall is in seclusion refining a second-tier flying sword. So these are all the flying swords our little shop currently has on hand. Please forgive us, fellow Daoists."

Huo Ying softly offered her apologies, then turned and told the assistants behind her to place the cases on the table.

This woman really knows how to do business. In just a few words, she's praised both her shop's brisk business and its fine craftsmanship, while preparing us in advance. If the buyers don't like anything, it'll be because they came at the wrong time.

Kang Dabao had heard plenty of such self-praise. He smiled outwardly, unmoved.

"Fellow Daoist Huo, let's look at the flying swords first," Jiang Qing couldn't help interjecting from the side.

Yuan Jin secretly tugged at his sleeve. Huo Ying responded with a smile, opened the first case, and introduced it. "The Seven Luminaries Heart-Slaying Sword, first-tier supreme-grade. It was forged from seven kinds of fire-attribute spirit ore using second-tier earth fire.

"It bears four restrictions: 'Sharpness,' 'Explosion,' 'Heart Scorching,' and 'Armor Piercing.' It can release the first-tier Fire Wave Technique three times every half month, each with power roughly equal to a strike from a Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivator. The price is one thousand one hundred and ninety Spirit Stones."

When Huo Ying finished, she saw that the older-looking Kang Dabao and Yuan Jin remained impassive, while the young and handsome Jiang Qing frowned slightly. She thought to herself that they might not have much money.

Kang Dabao looked back at Yuan Jin and saw him nod, so he knew the price was fairly reasonable. Seeing Jiang Qing's expression—he clearly wanted it badly but was pretending not to be interested-Kang Dabao knew there was no need to ask.

"Fellow Daoist Huo, sorry for the trouble, but the next one, please." Kang Dabao nodded without betraying his thoughts. They could decide after seeing everything; there was no need to rush.

"The Tiger Tooth Sword, first-tier supreme-grade. It was made from the incisors of a first-tier supreme-grade Black-Toothed Tiger, with the rest of its bones broken up for fuel. It was forged over seventy-nine days with yin fire and immersion in a cold spring.

"It bears five restrictions: 'Beast Suppression,' 'Spirit Slaying,' 'Bloodthirst,' 'Savagery,' and 'Evil Attraction.' It can summon the spirit of a first-tier superior-grade Black-Toothed Tiger to assist in battle once a month. The price is one thousand one hundred and ninety Spirit Stones."

"Sorry for the trouble again, Fellow Daoist Huo." This time Kang Dabao did not even ask. A sinister Law Artifact refined by an uncommon method and fitted with a pile of unorthodox restrictions was practically made for Evil Cultivators. Its attributes were also incompatible with Jiang Qing, so there was no need to consider it.

"The Starfire Sword, first-tier superior-grade. Our alliance assigned three artifact refiners to make it from a meteorite from beyond the heavens, a process that took half a year. They originally intended to refine a first-tier supreme-grade or even a second-tier flying sword, but unfortunately their luck was poor.

"This sword bears six restrictions: 'Lightness,' 'Swift Movement,' 'Sharpness,' 'Evil Slaying,' 'Fire Attraction,' and 'Star Gathering.'

"What's more exceptional is that this sword's material is of high quality. If a skilled artifact refiner can be found to reforge it, it may even reach the second tier. The price is only nine hundred Spirit Stones, and-"

Huo Ying clearly put more effort into this introduction and talked on and on, but Kang Dabao said nothing. He simply pushed the Starfire Sword's case outward, interrupting her.

The thing was nothing but junk. The "three artifact refiners," the "meteorite from beyond the heavens," the "half a year," and the "reforging it into a second-tier sword" were all stories meant to sell junk.

"Lightness" and "Swift Movement" might be useful for travel;

but "Sharpness," "Evil Slaying," "Fire Attraction," and "Star Gathering" were not particularly useful among combat restrictions.

More restrictions were not necessarily better, to say nothing of the fact that it did not even come with a Law Technique.

This sword was more than a cut below the Seven Luminaries Heart-Slaying Sword and the Tiger Tooth Sword. Clearly, the seller had brought it out to trick a sucker.

Kang Dabao's gesture had been fairly tactful, and Huo Ying took the hint. She promptly brought out another seven or eight supreme-grade flying swords.

Though none of them were as much of a space filler as the Starfire Sword, neither were they as outstanding and suitable as the Seven Luminaries Heart-Slaying Sword. Of course, they were considerably cheaper.

After looking them over again and again, Jiang Qing still thought the first one was best, but it was simply too expensive.

Yuan Jin thought the same. It was far beyond their budget of less than six hundred Spirit Stones.

He wondered whether Senior Brother could scrape together the rest. If he could not do so at once, they might have to borrow some from a few friends Yuan Jin knew in the city. But though he had some friends, that was a great many Spirit Stones! Who could lend them that much?

"We'll take the Seven Luminaries Heart-Slaying Sword, then, but we'll have to discuss the price, Fellow Daoist Huo." Kang Dabao and his two junior brothers were of one mind.

"Our business is small and our profits thin. Please understand, fellow Daoist." Huo Ying shook her head.

"There's no deal under heaven that can't be bargained over. You're being rather overbearing, Fellow Daoist Huo." Kang Dabao was a traveling merchant who could haggle for three days over a deal worth a few Spirit Stone fragments. He wasn't going to fall for that.

"That's always been the rule at the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion. However, I can throw in some extras for you." Huo Ying shook her head again.

"Eight hundred Spirit Stones." Kang Dabao would not agree either. A lower-grade Law Artifact worth one hundred Spirit Stones thrown in for free was no bargain compared with knocking one hundred off the price.

"One thousand one hundred and ninety, and I'll throw in three first-tier lower-grade Demon-Subduing Pestles." Huo Ying shook her head even faster.

"Eight hundred and fifty, and we don't need the Demon-Subduing Pestles."

"One thousand one hundred and ninety. I really can't go any lower."

"Nine hundred. Fellow Daoist, that's no way to do business. You should at least make a counteroffer."

"I've never seen anyone better at bargaining than Senior Brother." Yuan Jin wore a crestfallen look as they came out.

"At least Sect Master Senior Brother did get quite a few extras." The flying sword was already in the Storage Bag, and Jiang Qing's face was full of delight.

"Five Storage Bags with twenty cubic units of space each. Not bad. They're worth over two hundred Spirit Stones. But, Senior Brother, what do we do with this extra?"

Yuan Jin counted on his fingers, then pointed at Mo'er, who had been brought out and was standing in a corner by the entrance with tears in her eyes.

When he pointed at her, the little girl was visibly frightened and did not dare raise her head, like a young beast abandoned by its mother.

She managed to hold back the tears in her eyes for only a moment before they escaped. Two streams first ran down her cheeks, and then she burst into loud sobs.

Her young voice was clear as a rushing stream, drawing sidelong glances from the immortals and mortals in the street.

Thank you, esteemed readers, for your encouragement through your recommendation votes. Old Bai will do his best to write an even better story.