Chapter 16: Hall of Weapons
[Unstainable Blade: It was forged using Wind-Eroded Steel as the base material and engraved with twelve enchanted formations. It is an easily maneuverable blade designed for swift movements. Product of Taotie City. Priced at 300 sword coins.]
[Mountain-Destroying Sword: It was forged using Nature-Refined Steel as the base material and engraved with fourteen enchanted formations. It is a thick, heavy, and durable blade. Crafted by Swordsmith Xuan Chengzi. Priced at 500 sword coins.]
[Enigmatic Darkness Sword: It was forged using Millennium-Frosted Iron as the base material and engraved with thirty-six enchanted formations. It is an extremely sharp and chilling blade. The origin is unknown. Priced at 800 sword coins.]
...
Chu Liang felt as though a gust of autumn wind had blown past, sweeping up the fallen leaves and chilling his heart.
He blanked out in front of the counter of the Hall of Weapons.
He had never visited the Hall of Weapons before. However, after seeing Fang Ting's Thunderstrike Sword, Chu Liang now had the desire to buy a weapon.
He initially thought he had made a small fortune. Yet, in comparison to the prices of these swords, the amount of money he had was rather insignificant.
After looking at these prices, Chu Liang suddenly thought that... the standard-issue Mount Shu Flying-Sword Bracelet was quite useful. It would be good enough to last him many years.
Generally, it was difficult for a disciple like him, who had reached the Spiritual Awareness Realm and frequently completed missions, to earn even a hundred sword coins in a month. Furthermore, there were still other expenses to take into consideration, such as enchanted tools, supplements, talismans, and divine techniques...
Just when will I be able to afford a sword??
Right when Chu Liang turned away to leave the hall, the attendant at the counter noticed him and approached him cordially.
The attendant was a very tall lady. She smiled brightly and held onto Chu Liang, stopping him from leaving.
She said, "Junior brother, I'm guessing that you're interested in buying a flying sword of your own?"
"Yes," Chu Liang answered with a nod.
"In that case, have you already chosen one?" the attendant asked.
Chu Liang didn't feel embarrassed about it.
So, he said nonchalantly, "I'm just having a look. I can't afford any of them."
"That might not be the case. Tell me what your budget is, and I'll help you find one," the attendant replied with a smile.
"I only have fifty sword coins," Chu Liang stated. "But from what I can see, even the cheapest ones cost three hundred sword coins..."
"Hmm..."
Upon hearing Chu Liang's budget, the attendant seemed a bit troubled. However, her expression brightened again soon after.
She said, "It's not a problem, haha. You've come at the right time. We have just introduced a new method of payment as part of a promotion. You can pay in installments."
Chu Liang blinked. "Installments?"
Wow. The Mount Shu Sect has this sort of thing now...?
The attendant explained, "It means you can make an initial payment of fifty sword coins and then make a monthly payment of ten sword coins until the remaining balance is paid off. The payment plan would last for fifty months. What do you think? Isn't it a method of payment that's very considerate of the customer?"
After the initial payment of fifty sword coins, there would be a remaining balance of two hundred and fifty sword coins. If I pay ten sword coins a month for fifty months, that would amount to a total of five hundred sword coins... Chu Liang quickly calculated in his mind. In other words, it's a four-year loan with a 100% interest rate... How unscrupulous.
"It does sound tempting, but I'll pass for now," Chu Liang said with a smile. "I'll come back to have another look next time."
Forget it. I should go hunt some more demons. Maybe I will be rewarded with a flying sword.
"Oh, come on. Let's not stress so much about the price. This is your first ever flying sword. That means a lot! It shouldn't matter that it's a bit expensive!" the attendant urged, still trying to convince him to make a purchase.
However, Chu Liang had already turned away, making it very clear that he wasn't interested.
Just as he was about to exit the hall, he unintentionally stepped in front of a petite person, who almost bumped right into him.
"Hey," the person, a lovely young lady dressed in a light green dress, uttered in annoyance.
However, she was pleasantly surprised when she saw that the person she had almost bumped into was Chu Liang.
She immediately called out happily, "Senior Brother Chu?"
"Junior Sister Xu?"
Chu Liang was surprised to see her too. She was Xu Ziqing, the junior sister from Jade Sword Peak whom he had just completed a mission with.
"I can't believe I'm running into you here. We must be tied together by fate," Xu Ziqing expressed, smiling so gleefully that her eyes looked like crescent moons.
"Yes. Are you here to buy a flying sword as well?" Chu Liang asked warmly.
"Yeah! This was my very first mission, yet I managed to complete it. So, my older brother said he would reward me with a flying sword. He's letting me pick one out myself," Xu Ziqing said with a grin.
Upon hearing this, Chu Liang couldn't help but think about how he needed to put so much effort into slaying demons to obtain the rewards from the White Pagoda. It was completely unlike how easy and straightforward it was for Xu Ziqing to be rewarded by her older brother.
"That's great," Chu Liang said sincerely.
"Hey, Senior Brother Chu, have you bought a sword yet?" Xu Ziqing asked.
"I haven't bought one yet. The flying swords here are too expensive. I don't have enough sword coins to buy one," Chu Liang answered honestly.
"Hmm?" the girl murmured, tilting her head. Then she suddenly said, "Which one do you like? I can give it to you as a gift."
"No, I can't possibly accept that." Chu Liang immediately waved his hand in refusal. "Flying swords are so expensive. How could I accept one as a gift?"
Wow.
This young lady is really generous.
There was once a distinguished predecessor in Mount Shu whose surname was Lu.
He said, "Women will negatively affect the speed at which I draw my sword... but a rich woman can get me a better sword."
That predecessor wasn't lying.
"Why not? We're good friends," Xu Ziqing, the rich young lady, said while tugging on Chu Liang's arm.
"No, I cannot accept rewards without merit," Chu Liang insisted, shaking his head resolutely.
He could accept things of low value like Qi-Gathering Pills, but he absolutely could not blindly accept such an expensive flying sword.
"All right..." Xu Ziqing relented, pouting unhappily.
"Well, then. Junior Sister Xu, take your time in choosing a sword. I'll be heading back now," Chu Liang said.
"You're still addressing me as Junior Sister Xu... Since you've said that we're friends, just do the same as the others do. Call me Ziqing," the young lady voiced.
"Alright, Junior Sister Xu," Chu Liang agreed in the end.
While the two people were conversing, there was someone who walked down from the upper floor.
When that person saw Xu Ziqing, he immediately greeted her, "Junior Sister Ziqing!"
Xu Ziqing and Chu Liang turned toward the person and saw that he was a slim young disciple with high cheekbones and long, narrow eyes. He was wearing a scholar's attire, but he completely lacked the demeanor of an intellectual.
There were two male disciples following behind him. They were dressed similarly and seemed to be like his lackeys.
Upon seeing the person who had called out to her, Xu Ziqing immediately furrowed her brows.
Nevertheless, she responded reluctantly, "Senior Brother Shang."
She put up a cold front, but that was no match for Senior Brother Shang's fiery passion.
Senior Brother Shang took a few steps and stopped in front of Xu Ziqing.
He smiled and said, "I can't believe I'm running into you here. It must truly be fate."
"Oh, yes. Are you here to buy a flying sword too?" Xu Ziqing replied despite averting her gaze.
"Heh!" Senior Brother Shang puffed out his chest smugly. "Yesterday, I led a team to exterminate the water monsters in Huali River. My dad's rewarding me with a new flying sword. He's letting me choose it myself."
"That's nice..." Xu Ziqing replied, nodding expressionlessly.
Then she tried to leave.
Senior Brother Shang hurriedly blocked her way.
He smiled and asked, "Junior Sister Ziqing, what kind of sword did you buy?"
"I haven't bought one. I'm just looking," Xu Ziqing answered.
"Oh?" Senior Brother Shang clapped his hands. "In that case, which one do you like? I'll give it to you as a gift."
"No, I can't possibly accept that." Xu Ziqing furrowed her brows and shook her head repeatedly. "Flying swords are so expensive. I couldn't possibly trouble Senior Brother Shang to spend that much money on me."
"Why not? Aren't we... good friends?" Senior Brother Shang asked with a sly grin.
"No! I can't accept a reward without having worked for it," Xu Ziqing said indignantly.
Her refusal to accept Senior Brother Shang's gift was written clearly on her face.
"Alright..."
Senior Brother Shang had no choice but to give up.
"Anyway, Senior Brother Shang, we'll be leaving first!" Xu Ziqing said.
She decided not to buy a sword either and turned to walk away, dragging Chu Liang along with her.
However, Senior Brother Shang went after them. "You're still addressing me as Senior Brother Shang. You make it sound like we're strangers... But we're good friends. You can just call me Big Brother Ziliang."
"Understood, Senior Brother Shang!"
By the time she yelled that out, Xu Ziqing had already walked quite far into the distance with Chu Liang...
"Haa..." Shang Ziliang let out a heavy sigh. "Tell me, I'm such a handsome, dashing, elegant, and talented young man, yet Ziqing always treats me with indifference. Does that make any sense?"
Shang Ziliang's two lackeys, who were standing behind him, answered him quickly.
"It's illogical!"
"Absolutely illogical!"
"So, why?" Shang Ziliang wondered as he gazed up at the sky.
"Boss, do you think there's a possibility... that Junior Sister Ziqing already likes someone else? That could explain her indifference toward you," Lackey A suggested.
"Hmm?" Shang Ziliang frowned. "Is that so?"
"I think it's quite possible that it was the person who was next to her," Lackey B added. "There was something a little unusual about the way she looked at that guy earlier."
"It wasn't just her expression that was odd. I even smelled a strange scent coming from both of them..." Lackey A muttered, not daring to elaborate further.
"Hmph..." Shang Ziliang scoffed. He thought about it for a moment and then said, "Investigate him. Find out his full name and which peak he's from. I want to know who he is... this man who dares to snatch Junior Sister Ziqing away from me..."
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