Chapter 64: Immortal Treasure

“You’re drinking again.”

Jiang Yan looked at Jiang Lin with a reproachful expression.

Jiang Lin chuckled.

“I won’t, I won’t.”

Perhaps only his only daughter could say such a thing—if anyone else, even the Sect Master of Huaqing Sect, dared advise him to stop drinking, they’d get two swords in return.

Today,

Jiang Yan had spotted Jiang Lin’s mark outside the Zhu family’s room and followed it here.

“Father, have you found the Ghost Ming Sect members?”

Jiang Lin dismissed it carelessly:

“Just a few fleas—harder to catch, that’s all.”

Jiang Yan sighed.

Her father was always unreliable—and a violent man to boot.

Yet across the entire Anning Prefecture, few could withstand even one of his swords; thus, anything he set his mind to, he usually accomplished.

If he couldn’t do it, no one else could either.

Jiang Yan pouted playfully:

“Father—”

“Fine, fine, I’ll be careful, alright?”

Jiang Lin instinctively reached for the wine flask behind his back, then reluctantly pulled his hand back.

“Someone from the Ghost Ming Sect took something they shouldn’t have—must be retrieved.”

“So there’s news about the Immortal Treasure?”

Jiang Yan’s eyes lit up.

Jiang Lin nodded, a faint sword intent swirling in his eyes:

“Soon.”

Tianyi Hall.

Li Rui swung his long blade with effortless ease, stirring up gusts of wind.

Then it softened, like an ancient tortoise resting on a rock—each movement and stillness perfectly aligned with the Dao.

Movement and stillness depended on but a single thought.

Huh!

He exhaled slowly, frowning slightly at the long blade in his hand.

“Too light.”

Since his breakthrough, the thirty-seven-pound iron no longer met his needs.

“Need something heavier!”

After a quick estimate, a seventy-pound blade was needed to fully unleash the White Ape’s Slashing Art.

To perfect a craft, one must first sharpen one’s tools.

On the martial road, an ill-fitting blade is unacceptable.

In mortal combat, a hair’s breadth of advantage can mean life or death—this cannot be taken lightly.

Li Rui sheathed his blade and stepped out of the black market tower.

“Master Li.”

As soon as he stepped out, a lean man hurried forward with a fawning smile: “Whatever you need done, just leave it to us.”

The man’s name was Mao Kai.

He was a newly promoted commander under Li Rui.

Commander was merely an internal rank in the black market—only Li Rui’s approval as overseer was needed.

Building one’s own core group always begins with promotion.

Mao Kai would bear Li Rui’s mark for life.

Li Rui smiled faintly.

Quite sharp.

“No need. I’ll just walk around.”

Mao Kai stepped backward, clearing the entire black market path before Li Rui’s eyes.

Yu State enforced state monopolies on salt and iron—ordinary people found it hard to buy weapons.

Here, “iron” referred to iron smelting.

Compared to illicit salt, the authorities controlled iron smelting far more strictly.

There was no room for negotiation.

The fundamental reason for tightly controlling iron smelting was to prevent private weapon forging—punishable by extermination of nine clans.

To buy weapons, one could either go to the government,

or to iron forges registered with the authorities, or certain powerful factions.

Coincidentally, Tian Di Alliance was one of them.

Not long after,

Li Rui arrived at Wenwu Hall.

After last year’s grand competition, his reputation had grown considerably.

“Master Li.”

The young disciple who had sold him the long blade earlier ran up to greet him.

Masters come and go; disciples remain.

Though Wenwu Hall’s master had changed, most disciples were still the same—replacing the entire staff with every new master would be absurd.

“Here to buy a blade.”

The young disciple blinked in surprise: “Master Li wants to buy a spirit blade?”

He still remembered clearly how Li Rui had bought a thirty-pound blade from him before.

Li Rui shook his head: “No. The last blade was too light—I want another, heavier one. Seventy pounds would be best.”

Seventy pounds!

Hearing the number, the young disciple gasped.

“Can’t be done?”

Seeing the disciple’s expression, Li Rui asked.

The young disciple shook his head vigorously: “No, no—it’s just that a seventy-pound blade forged from ordinary raw iron would be at least six feet tall. Unless you use spirit iron.”

Li Rui frowned.

That was indeed a problem—raw iron had limited density; a six-foot blade would be too conspicuous and unwieldy.

“How much silver would spirit iron cost?”

The young disciple had spent years at Wenwu Hall; though he knew nothing of forging, he was skilled at estimating prices.

“About three hundred taels—even with the cheapest black xuan iron.”

“.”

Li Rui fell silent.

Martial cultivators truly were silver guzzlers—just outfitting oneself properly drained a fortune.

All his money had gone into buying spirit soil.

He was utterly broke—how could he afford three hundred taels?

“Maybe next time.”

Just as he turned to leave, a familiar young man appeared beside him.

“Master Li, I’ve got some spare cash—take it for now?”

Li Rui turned his head.

There stood Liu Tong’s handsome face.

“Ah, it’s little Liu.”

Since Liu Tong shone brightly in the grand competition and secured his entry into Huaqing Sect, his status in Chuanfa Hall had soared—now second only to the head and deputy head.

True enough—after his brother-in-law Zhang Yang lost, he promptly transferred from Wenwu Hall to Chuanfa Hall.

How triumphant he looked.

Li Rui chuckled: “Then I won’t refuse.”

Though Liu Tong entered Tian Di Alliance through his brother-in-law Zhang Yang, his own family held considerable influence in Qinghe—otherwise, how could he afford nightly revelry on Zhang Yang’s name alone?

“When I was in Tianyi Hall, I was greatly aided by Master—this small sum means nothing.”

Li Rui grinned.

Truly generous.

With Liu Tong’s potential, his family likely let him spend freely.

Though Li Rui held a decent position, he couldn’t match a family that had amassed wealth for decades.

“Debts are debts—I won’t lend without repayment. Xiao He and Shu Lin still speak of you—come visit the hall when you have time.”

Liu Tong sighed: “Those days in the hall were so comfortable. Next time, I’ll treat you all to drinks.”

"Excellent."

Li Rui smiled and nodded.

Liu Tong is skilled at networking and business; if he truly goes to Huaqing Sect, he should do well enough.

Seven days passed in succession.

The forging of spiritual weapons takes longer than that of ordinary weapons.

It made Li Rui wait a long time.

"Master Li, this is your blade."

The young disciple grinned and strained to lift the great sword out.

The blade was four feet three inches long, with a spine nearly an inch thick, appearing sturdy and solid; besides that, its entire surface was pitch black, like ink.

This was due to the inclusion of the spiritual mineral, Black Xuan Iron.

Just as there is spiritual soil, there are spiritual minerals in the world; weapons forged from spiritual mineral ores are spiritual weapons.

Different types of spiritual mineral ores yield different effects.

Black Xuan Iron is one of the most common spiritual minerals, offering little benefit beyond its weight.

But this suited Li Rui’s needs perfectly.

The young disciple’s eyelids twitched violently.

Li Rui lifted the pitch-black great sword effortlessly with one hand.

"Fine blade!"

(End of Chapter)