Chapter 17: Hammer and Sickle

A sickle?

The young man hawking wares gave a slight start, turned, and looked at the sickle tucked at his grandfather's waist.

The sickle, commonly called a reaping blade, is shaped like a crescent moon, its edge lined with fine slanted teeth, a wooden handle fitted to the tail end, used for harvesting rice and wheat — the most common farm tool in the countryside, in very widespread circulation.

But the sickle at the old man's waist was clearly no ordinary sickle.

Its handle was a dark black, seemingly of one piece with the crescent blade; though it was covered in notches and even looked as if a section had broken off, the blade was still very long — Li Yuan estimated it was at least twice the blade length of an ordinary sickle.

"The blade has to be over thirty centimeters — there's no way that's a farm tool…"

Li Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Huh? You want to buy my sickle?"

The old man was around sixty, thin of build, his face full of the furrows of time; hearing this, he took the sickle from his waist and stroked it reluctantly:

"This sickle was left to me by my own grandfather, kept me company my whole life — I really can't bear to part with it…"

"Grandpa…"

The young man tugged at the old man's hem.

"If you really want it, this old man isn't unwilling to part with it, it's just that the price, well…"

The old man ignored his grandson and went on talking to himself.

"Could you let me have a feel of it, sir?"

Li Yuan had no intention of haggling either.

The grandfather and grandson had mud caked all over their feet, and in the dead of winter were still wearing cotton clothes covered in patches — clearly a poor household from some village.

"You'll have to be careful now — though this sickle has plenty of nicks, it's still very sharp…"

The old man muttered, reluctantly handing the sickle over.

Bai Guang!

It really was a graded weapon!

The sickle was slightly heavy in hand, but Li Yuan's eyes lit up — a Bai Guang flickered at the corner of his vision.

【Sanyuan Army Standard Saber-Sickle (Grade One)】

【Forged from superior Wujin iron, tempered through eighteen refinements in raging fire. Its former master loved it like a madness, once used it to drink deep of an enemy's blood, and it also harvested a hundred years of crops. The blade has gradually worn, and slowly grown spiritual…】

【Mastery Requirement: Mastery of any one Wu Gong】

【Mastery Effect: Great Completion-grade Saber-Sickle Art, Long-Weapon Mastery】

Holy crap!

Li Yuan's hand trembled, and the gleam in his eyes nearly shot out.

Not only was it a Grade One weapon, it was an extraordinary one at that — better even than that pair of Liuhe Boots. Not only did it grant Great Completion-grade Saber-Sickle Art, but also…

【Long-Weapon Mastery: The long-handled saber-sickle is extremely difficult to learn; none but those with astonishing talent in weaponry can study it. Its former master had considerable talent, and his heart's blood has watered it, giving rise to spiritual strangeness…】

"I'm rich!"

Li Yuan nearly forgot where he was — it was the old man, seeing him dazed, who called out to him a few times.

"This… sickle, I'll take it!"

Li Yuan gripped the saber-sickle tightly, with no intention of haggling at all, and directly named a low price:

"How does three taels of silver sound to you, sir?"

Normally when buying things, Li Yuan would never do this — even though the grandfather and grandson looked quite poor, this sickle was truly too good, and far too useful to him.

Any further haggling and he'd feel bad about it.

"Th-three taels?!"

Grandfather and grandson exchanged a glance — even the old man, who had meant to drive a hard bargain, was a bit stunned, and the same thought rose in both of them at once.

"Is this broken sickle really some kind of treasure?"

"Grandpa!"

The young man tugged at the old man's arm again — this time, afraid he would sell.

This time the old man still ignored him, and instead took out from beneath the stall the most complete and best pelt, handing it to Li Yuan:

"How is one sickle worth three taels? Throw in this wolf pelt and we're about even…"

"You're a man of principles, sir!"

Li Yuan gave the grandfather and grandson a long look, set down three taels of silver, wrapped the sickle in the wolf pelt, turned, and left.

……

"Grandpa, how could you just—?!"

The young man stamped his foot again and again: "Even though that wolf pelt's bald, it's still worth at least one tael six, and then there's the sickle — how could you, how could you…"

"That man saw you pitiful and didn't drive the price down — that's kindness of heart. If we then raise the price on top of that — that face, you may be able to afford losing it, but this old man can't!"

The old man pocketed the silver, then fished out a tobacco pouch from under the stall, took a puff, and exhaled softly:

"That sickle's been in our family over a hundred years — it can barely cut grass anymore. Even if it's a treasure, you can see it has no fate with us…"

"But…"

The young man only felt he'd gotten the short end, both angry and helpless.

The old man, meanwhile, draped himself in a pelt and sat down, puffing away with a tap-tap; he cast a sidelong glance in the direction Li Yuan had gone.

Still trying to cheat someone?

That fellow knows Wu Gong, you silly grandson of mine!

……

……

"That old gentleman is quite something…"

Glancing back at the invisible stall, Li Yuan's heart still went "thump-thump" wildly.

Made a fortune!

The Great Perfection level Blade-Sickle Art had already earned a huge profit, let alone that "Long Weapon Mastery."

A hammer is also a long weapon!

"Can't get too excited..."

Li Yuan touched the thirteen taels of silver in his chest, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

While the sky wasn't fully dark yet, he went to buy two jin of pork, a salted fish, and a chicken, then walked toward Chaiyu Fang, Second Brother's home.

On the road, as the sky grew darker and pedestrians became fewer, he couldn't help but slip into an empty alley, stuffing the wolf skin into his chest and gripping the sickle handle tight:

"Command Weapon!"

After silently chanting, the nearly one-meter-long sickle was already placed on the gray stone platform.

"My Cloak Hammer has reached Mastery; the training hammer is of little use to me now... this blade-sickle can take its place!"

Without hesitation, Li Yuan raised the blade-sickle and offered it toward the Weapon Command Talisman.

Boom!

Li Yuan nearly fell headfirst to the ground, as if a giant hammer had smashed his head; his whole body suddenly seemed to lose its spirit.

After quite a while, he shook his head, wiped with his hand, and found that even nosebleed had gushed out; his mind was even more foggy, as if after a hangover he had stayed up all night again...

But he seemed not to notice, the excitement in his heart almost overflowing.

"Made a huge profit, made a huge profit!"

Without closing his eyes, Li Yuan could clearly feel his own massive improvement; he looked down at the fleeting shadow of the sickle in his palm.

The thirteen forms of Saw-Horse Blade-Sickle Art, besides the breathing method, the supporting stance practice and fighting techniques were clearly visible in his mind, various experiences constantly churning in his heart.

As if he had truly practiced the Blade-Sickle Art for several decades, from nothing to Great Perfection!

"Not just that..."

Li Yuan's fingers on both hands were trembling slightly, as if he couldn't wait to grip a weapon.

The buff from Long Weapon Mastery, he didn't quite understand it yet at this moment, but he vaguely knew this was probably even more important than the Great Perfection Blade-Sickle Art!

"Mastery-level Cloak Hammer, Great Perfection-level Blade-Sickle Art, partial Soldier Dao Combat Hammer, plus Long Weapon Mastery... I now..."

In an instant, as if possessing decades of martial arts experience that others had, this feeling was too intense and too shocking, so much so that Li Yuan was somewhat dazed:

"Can I beat Qin Xiong?"

Remembering that giant man over two meters tall, the excitement in Li Yuan's heart diminished by more than half.

"Still not enough!"

Rubbing his hands back and forth, Li Yuan picked up the chicken, fish, and meat he bought, walked quickly to the alley entrance where Second Brother's home was located; before reaching the door, he heard Second Sister-in-law's sharp voice.

"Second Brother got scolded again..."

Li Yuan almost didn't want to enter the door, but since he had come, he could only grit his teeth and walk into the courtyard gate that wasn't yet closed.

"Something's wrong..."

Li Yuan glanced with his peripheral vision; the other two households in this courtyard made not a sound, only Second Sister-in-law's scolding.

"I worked myself to death paying back your debts for you, and you go borrow again, borrow! You brothers will sooner or later be thrown into Bishui Lake to feed Wang Ba!"

Li Yuan didn't want to enter the door again.

Li Lin had already spotted him, but before the two brothers could make any move, the woman with hands on her hips turned around,

but only glared at Li Yuan, so angry she couldn't even scold anymore.

"Sister-in-law, Second Brother."

Li Yuan put down the things he bought, glanced at the messy room, and couldn't help frowning:

"What's going on?"

Li Lin lowered his head, making a gesture for him to leave quickly.

"Don't go, we'll settle this clearly today!"

Second Sister-in-law's face turned red with anger.

Li Yuan didn't look for scolding; he directly took the silver from his chest and silently placed it on the table.

"Thirteen taels of silver?!"

"Where did you get so much silver!"

Both of their faces changed; Li Lin's eyes widened, and even the woman with hands on her hips was startled.

"Did Qian Bao come to collect the debt?"

Before the two could ask, Li Yuan asked first.

"No..."

Li Lin's face looked somewhat unnatural.

"If Qian Bao hadn't come to collect the debt, I wouldn't have known he went to borrow ten taels of silver; I was wondering how one tael of silver could send you to the Weapon-Forging Shop!"

Second Sister-in-law's anger flared up again, and with hands on her hips, she was about to start scolding again.

"Second Brother, didn't you borrow for a year? Why is he collecting the debt today?"

Li Yuan frowned.

Private lending in Dayun has a long history; from officials down to common people, even if they haven't borrowed, they have heard of it; over time, rules naturally formed.

"Nine out, thirteen back" is the rule, and the debt document is naturally so as well.

There is no logic in borrowing for a year and having someone come to collect the debt after a few months.

"That damn thing is shameless, saying no matter what, thirteen taels must be repaid to him within ten days! That damn thing..."

Second Sister-in-law cursed loudly, this time cursing Qian Bao.

"Thirteen taels within ten days?"

Li Yuan nodded, then picked up the silver again and weighed it in his hand:

"Second Brother, give me the IOU. On my way back, I'll return it to him along the road."

(End of chapter)