Jiang Liu strolled along, and when he looked up, he saw the two large characters "Longquan" written on the plaque above the door. Each stroke was like a sword cleaving through a knife, revealing its sharpness.
"Longquan? This is a sword-making workshop, a place that sells weapons!"
The Tang people loved swords, and the best sword was none other than the Longquan sword.
Before even entering the shop, Jiang Liu could feel a scorching heat emanating from the doorway, and he could also faintly hear the clanging of metal against metal, clearly indicating that a sword was being forged in the backyard.
On one wall of the shop hung a dozen or so swords, none of which were drawn, but Jiang Liu could sense their sharpness. Eighteen other weapons were also displayed around the shop.
Every weapon in this shop is of the caliber of an ordinary weapon, and is extremely rare and valuable.
Inside, a man and a woman were examining swords. The man was dashing and handsome, wearing a light blue long robe with beautiful embroidery on the collar and front. Underneath, he wore a white, fine-lined robe with a round collar and wide sleeves. He had a brocade pouch and jade pendants at his waist. He was dressed with great refinement and elegance, clearly not an ordinary person, but a young master from a wealthy and powerful family.
However, he has single eyelids and thin lips, which makes him look rather arrogant.
The woman was graceful and elegant, but her face was not visible. A beautiful gauze cloth hung down from her head, with delicate woven patterns of fish, birds, and birds, all lifelike. Her temperament was refined, yet there was a cold and noble air that kept people at a distance.
“Miss Hongfu, this is Jinling City… no, it should be the most famous sword workshop in the Tang Dynasty, Longquan, a holy land for sword making that has been famous throughout the world since the pre-Qin period.”
The man took a sharp sword from the shopkeeper, drew it an inch from its sheath, and a cold light shone through the sheath, chilling him to the bone.
"This sword is called Snow. It is forged from the cold iron of the far north and is a mid-grade mortal weapon!"
The speaker was a burly man with a thick beard and arms thicker than Jiang Liu's waist; he was the manager of the "Longquan" shop.
The woman looked at the sword and said calmly, "I have seen the real Longyuan. It is like looking down from a high mountain into a deep abyss. It is ethereal and profound, as if a giant dragon is coiled there. This sword is good, but it is far inferior to Longyuan."
The shopkeeper glanced at the woman but remained silent. The Longyuan Sword was forged jointly by the two great swordsmiths, Ou Yezi and Gan Jiang, but it was only a sword they forged before they attained enlightenment. Due to limitations in materials, it was merely a top-tier mortal weapon. Only after thousands of years, nurtured by the dragon energy of successive royal families, did it reach the level of a treasure.
While magical artifacts are divine weapons to mortals, they are not uncommon among Qi cultivators. Jiang Liu's "Thunder Tribulation Peach Wood Sword" is a low-grade magical artifact. If the lightning spiritual essence it contains had not been corroded by the corpse energy, it would have reached the level of a spiritual artifact. Now, if he wants to restore it to its original state, it will inevitably take sixty years to slowly nurture it.
Hearing the girl's words, the young master pointed to the backyard and said, "Shopkeeper, I know there are real swords in the inner courtyard. Why don't you lead us in? Don't worry, the Cui family can afford them!"
The Cui family, naturally, refers to the Cui family of the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families: the Qinghe Cui family and the Boling Cui family, renowned and powerful clans throughout the land. However, due to the proliferation of the two branches of the Cui family and the migration of officials, the Cui family further branched out. This man belongs to the Jinling Cui family, a branch of the Qinghe Cui family.
"I'm sorry, I can't take you inside," the bearded shopkeeper said calmly.
The man surnamed Cui's expression changed drastically, feeling as if he had lost a great deal of face. His voice also rose noticeably by three octaves: "Why? I got in last time, why can't I today?"
"Last time is last time, today is today. If you want to enter, please find the elder who brought you in last time, or if you have achieved success in your cultivation, I will naturally lead you in!" The shopkeeper hung the sword named "Snow" back on the wall and said calmly as always.
"I'm only twenty, and I'm already at the Acquired Realm of cultivation. Isn't that considered a successful cultivation? Besides, you're not doing business with me? Are you out of your mind? Miss Hongfu, let me take you inside!"
As he spoke, he stepped inside, but the woman named "Hong Fu" remained motionless.
"Young Master Cui, since the shop has rules, it would be beneath your dignity to force your way in!"
"I don't believe he can do anything to me..." Before the young master Cui could finish speaking, the bearded shopkeeper flashed behind him, grabbed him with one hand, and threw him outside the door.
Ouch!
Young Master Cui immediately tripped and fell flat on his face, landing right in front of Xie Hong.
“Cui Jun? It’s you!” Xie Hong clearly recognized the young master Cui standing at his feet.
The fall caused no injury, but it certainly made him lose face. Cui Jun immediately stood up, his face extremely ugly: "It's you? Xie Hong!"
Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Swordsmith
"Xie Hong, what are you doing here? Buying a sword? Have you eaten breakfast? How about I give you some money to go get a bowl of plain noodles?"
Cui Jun looked at Xie Hong, his expression changing several times before finally settling on a mocking look. He then took out a few coins to try and fob Xie Hong off like a beggar.
Xie Hong paid no heed and followed Jiang Liu into the shop. A gentleman does not show his joy or anger on his face, nor is he disturbed by honor or disgrace; this is the art of cultivating one's inner strength, and one cannot be affected by a few words.
Just as the woman wearing a veil was about to come out, Cui Jun stepped back into the shop and said to "Hong Fu" with a fawning smile, "Miss Hong Fu, wait a moment. This man is my classmate, studying at Mingde Academy, but he's always been arrogant and superior. You don't know, he's a descendant of the Xie family, but he's destitute, powerless, and can't even afford three meals a day. Last year, his mother died, and he couldn't even afford a coffin. Now that he's here, I want to see what he's up to."
"The Xie family?"
Through the gauze curtain, the woman named "Hongfu" looked Xie Hong up and down and secretly shook her head. The saying goes, "The poor study literature, the rich study martial arts," and Xie Hong naturally lacked the resources to learn martial arts. His body was loose and flabby, his steps unsteady, and coupled with a chronic illness he had from birth, he appeared sickly.
But true knowledge cannot be seen!
After scrutinizing Xie Hong, the woman's interest vanished instantly. Glancing at Jiang Liu, she let out a soft exclamation.
She couldn't see through this person.
Although her physical body was only at the level of acquired cultivation, she had been practicing Qi cultivation for over ten years, and was only a hair's breadth away from the realm of "refining essence into Qi". The fact that she couldn't see through it could only mean that this person's cultivation was stronger than hers, and that he had already reached the realm of "refining essence into Qi" and entered the ranks of Qi cultivators.
To mortals, Qi cultivators are already considered immortals. They live on the wind and dew, gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and mostly roam only in famous mountains and rivers. But this is not the case. Qi cultivators also need resources for cultivation and cannot stay away from the mortal world. The various shops on this street are established by cultivation sects. Even Maoshan, known as the "First Blessed Land and Eighth Grotto-Heaven," has opened talisman shops, partly as strongholds to gather information and partly to exchange and collect cultivation materials.
Of course, the shops are mainly run by outer disciples, but there are also inner disciples who have achieved success in their cultivation. They are either rotated every year or every three years. When their term expires, they will naturally return to the mountain to receive their merits and continue to cultivate the path to immortality.
Jiang Liu looked up and around, then pointed to the sword on the wall and said, "Xie Hong, gentlemen of ancient times all carried swords. You should choose one too!"
Looking at the wall full of divine weapons, Xie Hong had no intention of taking them for himself. He shook his head and smiled, "Daoist Master, I am not worthy of these divine weapons. If they fell into my hands, it would be a waste of their talents."
"Whether you're buried or not is another matter, but can someone as small as you wield a sword?" Cui Jun mocked from behind Xie Hong.
To elevate oneself, one must first strike down others. Cui Jun wanted to demonstrate his extraordinary abilities in front of this woman in gauze, so he naturally needed a stepping stone. Moreover, he had already lost face by rashly barging into the backyard, so he naturally wanted to make amends as much as possible.
It's not that the two were enemies. It's just that Xie Hong's scholarship was too outstanding in the academy. As the saying goes, "A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind, a mound that rises above the bank will be eroded by the current, and a person who excels above others will be criticized."
"A gentleman chooses his sword, and a sword chooses its owner! Your having this thought is a blessing for the sword!"
The bearded shopkeeper clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xie Hong, clearly taking a liking to him. As a swordsmith, he naturally felt an attachment to the swords he forged, just as all swordsmiths in the world do.
"You're too kind, shopkeeper!" Xie Hong returned the greeting, then looked at the sword and said, "In the past, the sword was considered a weapon embodying the virtues of a gentleman, and thus gentlemen often wore it to express their aspirations. The sword is upright and unyielding, representing integrity; the sword is flexible yet unbending, representing moderation; when there is no need, the sword's sharpness is concealed, representing humility; when there is a need, the sword is drawn to stop evil, representing chivalry; the sword stays close to its master, representing loyalty and courage. The sword has none of the overbearing arrogance of spears and lances, none of the domineering gamble of bows and arrows, none of the opportunistic nature of knives and axes, and none of the heavy and complicated nature of blunt weapons. I have the sword in my heart, so naturally I don't need to wear a sword."
"What a fine example of having a sword in one's heart!"
The woman in the gauze robe couldn't help but praise, her voice clear and melodious, a young woman of sixteen or seventeen.
"I am Li Fu. Your words, sir, are truly profound. A gentleman is like a sword: upright, humble, chivalrous, loyal, brave, and measured in his actions. He observes people through his sword and his words. You have cultivated your character well and possess the demeanor of a gentleman."
"You flatter me, young lady. My name is Xie Hong..."
Cui Jun's face was extremely ugly, and he wanted to storm off, but Li Fu had no intention of leaving for the time being, so he could only stand there. This woman was someone he needed to curry favor with. Although she was a member of the Cui family, she was only from a collateral branch, and among the other members, she was neither particularly talented in literature nor martial arts. If she wanted to rise above others, she could only take the unconventional route.
"Master, these ordinary objects may not be of interest to you. Please go to the backyard..."
Jiang Liu nodded. He naturally looked down on these ordinary artifacts, and he hadn't come here to buy a sword. The commotion caused by "the one who has vanished" grew stronger, like a fire burning.
A servant led Jiang Liu inside, with Xie Hong following closely behind.
"Hey, shopkeeper, they can come in, so why can't we?" Cui Jun asked loudly and aggressively.
Li Fu shook his head inwardly, utterly disappointed in this Cui family scion. He then stepped out of the "Longquan" shop: "That person has already attained enlightenment, so he is naturally qualified to enter. My interest has waned for today, so I'll head back now."
"Attain enlightenment? Miss Hongfu, wait for me!" Cui Jun's eyes showed fear as he followed her.
Jiang Liu turned his head to look at the woman in gauze who had already left, and the name "Hong Fu" kept coming to mind. If these two words had appeared twenty years ago, he would have believed that she was "Hong Fu Nu" among the "Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust".
But now, Li Jing holds the title of Duke, wielding great power and influence, so this woman is naturally not the "Red Dust Woman".
But Jiang Liu had a feeling that this woman was not simple.
This is extremely complicated!
...
The shops outside looked quite ordinary, but once Jiang Liu went inside, he discovered that they were truly hidden gems.
A large furnace emitted an intense heat, and seven or eight shirtless swordsmiths stood in a circle, while several others worked hard to operate the bellows.
The furnace for forging the sword was surrounded by a large array related to fire. The vortex above the regularly arranged spirit stones rippled slightly, causing bursts of high-temperature flames to erupt from the furnace.
The first sound was the rhythmic "bang bang clatter" of hammering red-hot iron, like a storm. After a series of hammer blows, a cloud of white steam rose up, accompanied by a "sizzling" sound, which came from the red-hot iron falling into the water.
The swordsmiths stood obediently in a circle, watching the wiry, bony middle-aged man handle the furnace and iron with the same delicate yet rough care as if he were handling a lover.
"Do you understand now? This is the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique. How much you can comprehend depends on your own destiny. I have been stationed in Jinling City for three years, and soon someone will come to take my place. It is fate that we have met. I will pass on this hammer technique to you."
"Master Gu Yan, may I ask which inner sect master will be taking over your post?"
"I don't know... Oh, we have a guest!"
The middle-aged man slammed down the massive hammer, causing the ground to tremble, a testament to its immense weight. Although this swordsmith was as thin as a skeleton, his skin was a steely blue, clearly indicating he had mastered body refinement and was likely at the eighth level of the Qi Refining stage.
Chapter 59 Enticing with Profit
The swordsmith named Gu Yan toyed with the Soul-Destroying Nail in his hand. This treasure was obtained from the evil cultivator Qing Ming. Jiang Liu had no use for it, so he planned to sell it and also check out the market price. More importantly, he didn't know where the thing that triggered "the one who vanished" was.
"This is a Soul-Slaying Nail, forged from Blood Soul Steel. Although it's not a top-tier material, it's still difficult to obtain. Refining such a metal is extremely harmful to the natural order, so it's very valuable. Are you really going to sell it, fellow Daoist?"
Gu Yan placed the Soul-Slaying Nail on the table, then picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea.
Blood Soul Steel is made by mixing three parts Yin Copper and seven parts Yin Iron, and forging it with Yin Fire in a Yin year, Yin month, Yin day, and Yin hour. During the forging process, young girls are brought in, their throats are slit, and their hot blood is poured onto the steel. This process is repeated for forty-nine days, during which forty-nine girls are killed. Blood Soul Steel contains resentment and evil energy, making it highly desirable to demons and monsters. It is used to forge various magical artifacts with immense power.
Among the most evil metals, Blood Soul Steel ranks seventh among the pedestrian-level.
Jiang Liu looked at the Soul-Destroying Nail. He naturally knew that it was forged from Blood Soul Steel and had the "Escape One" technique. As long as he touched it, no magical artifact or material could escape his perception.
"Master, could you give us an estimate? What price is it worth?"
"The price? Mortal gold and silver can't be used for valuation, but in spirit stones, it's probably worth ten spirit stones..."
"Ten Directions Spirit Stones?!"
"Fang" is a unit of measurement for spiritual energy! The spiritual energy in this Journey to the West world is abundant, so the common currency for cultivators is not gold or silver, but spirit stones.
For Qi cultivators, the most sought-after material is spirit stones formed from condensed spiritual energy, which are equivalent to gold, silver, and copper coins in ancient times—frequently circulated currencies.
A "cubic meter" of spirit stone is formed by extracting spiritual energy from the stone and concentrating it into a volume of approximately one cubic meter, until it condenses into a liquid state. When cultivators trade, they often ask, "How many cubic meters is this magic weapon?" It's similar to asking how much pork costs.
Jiang Liu pondered to himself that the spiritual veins of Qianlong Mountain had accumulated over hundreds of years to produce nearly two hundred spiritual stones.
"So, it takes about 100 spirit stones to travel through a world, and that's only for a low-level world. If it were a mid- or high-level world, the energy required would definitely increase many times over. I need to prepare at least 200 spirit stones to open the portal and enter my ideal world."
"Unfortunately, I can't communicate with the one who has vanished all the time, so I can't get detailed information and I can only figure it out on my own!"
However, the fact that this low-grade magic weapon was worth ten spirit stones was beyond Jiang Liu's expectations.
Thinking about the violent reaction of "the one who escaped," Jiang Liu continued to ask, "Master, besides spirit stones, can we exchange them for anything else?"
The master stroked his beard and said, "If you don't want spirit stones, we can barter. It depends on mutual consent. Only what suits you is the best. This Soul-Destroying Nail isn't worth much to you, but it's a treasure to cultivators of the Ghost Path. They might offer a high price for it. As you know, Ghost Path cultivators are like rats in the street here. If you sell it to them, you're aiding the enemy."
"Hmm! Seeing that you're new to the world, and since I've also stepped down and returned to my mountain, I won't lie to you. Based on past prices, your Soul-Slaying Nail is probably worth eight taels of high-grade white jade, or one third-grade pill… Actually, it's the same thing. You can exchange it for spirit stones first, then go to Baopu Mountain to buy pills, and to Maoshan Mountain to buy talismans!"
Before coming here, Jiang Liu had inquired about market prices from Xie Chou, and they were roughly the same as what the swordsmith had said.