As if on cue, Long Huang reached into his robe, producing an impressive stack of gold notes that he exchanged with the elder for the precious herbs. Chi Wei's previously confident smile faltered, morphing into an expression of incredulity.
"How… how is this even possible?" Zhao Xue whispered, her expression one of disbelief as she watched the transaction unfold before her.
"Elder, I would also like three bottles of high-level healing pills and three bottles of high-level blood recovery pills," Long Huang continued, his focus unwavering as he added to his purchase.
"That would be 2000 gold notes extra, bringing the total to 4600 gold notes," said the elder, his voice a bit shaken as this was the first time he had seen an official disciple spend so much money.
The pills, all of high-level common grade, would complement his newly acquired herbs, and he casually spent another thousand gold notes without a second thought. Around them, whispers began to circulate among the other disciples.
"He purchased those pills without even inquiring about the prices."
"Exactly! He only picked up the herbs list, so there's no way he knew the costs of the pills."
"What a tycoon he is!"
" Who even is he?"
Disciples in the pavilion said in admiration. After concluding his extensive shopping spree, Long Huang turned and waved nonchalantly at Zhao Xue as he made his exit. She forced a smile, avoiding his gaze, the reality of his wealth making her feel a mix of admiration and frustration.
"Tsk… such a show-off," Chi Wei muttered under his breath, envy tinged with disbelief evident in his voice as he watched Long Huang walk away.
As Long Huang walked away from the medicine pavilion, the crisp sect air filled his lungs, invigorating him. The recent battles in the Sky Cloud Forest had sharpened his instincts, and he understood that to survive the treacherous depths of the Archdevil Mountain Range, he would need more than just brute strength; he needed precision.
"I should buy a bow for the next time I enter the Archdevil Mountain Range," Long Huang thought.
Over the past two months in the Sky Cloud Forest, he had often found himself at a disadvantage against swift beasts and distant enemies, taking pleasure in dispatching foes from afar using improvised branches.
A proper bow would give him the reach he lacked. His eyes, pulsing with faint energy, scanned the weapons lining the walls of the armory before locking onto a silver longbow. Its surface gleamed like moonlight on still water.
The weapon exuded a chilling aura, yet there was a deep serenity about it, as if it had been forged not only for destruction but for a perfect harmony between the wielder and the arrow.
"How much for this bow?" Long Huang asked, his voice steady.
The elder, a shrewd old man with sharp eyes, appraised him for a moment before smiling.
"You have excellent taste! This is the 'Mysterious Silver Bow,' one of the finest weapons in my shop and a high-tier profound grade weapon at that."
"Only a true cultivator, one skilled in archery, can unleash its full potential." He paused, gauging Long Huang's reaction.
"Its price is three thousand and eighty gold notes."
Though the elder doubted that this young man could afford such a luxury, he maintained his professionalism.
Long Huang didn't hesitate. " Three thousand and eighty gold notes? That's reasonable. I'll take it."
It was clear that the Mysterious Silver Bow was crafted from rare, high-grade materials, and its power far surpassed that of his arms when hurling tree branches.
Properly wielding it required the strength of at least the Meridian Tempering Realm, a threshold that Long Huang had recently crossed.
The elder blinked in surprise. "Are you certain you wish to purchase it outright… and not borrow it?"
Without a word, Long Huang stacked a neat pile of gold notes on the counter and pushed them forward.
"I don't have time to waste. Prepare the bow," said Long Huang with an annoyed expression.
The elder's eyes widened in shock. He still couldn't process what was happening, for this same youth who haggled over a few gold notes now was spending over a thousand gold notes without hesitation.
"O-Of course!" the elder stammered, quickly retrieving the bow and placing it in an intricately carved box. Not wanting to miss the opportunity for more business, he added,
"Would you like arrows as well?"
"Prices"
"I have high-grade ones for three silver each."
Long Huang nodded. "Give me a hundred thank you."
"At once, at once!" the elder stammered, scrambling to get the arrows while he also packaged the bow in an ornate ebony case.
The arrow tips were coated with poison from a black-toothed viper, which was famously known for its deadly poison among demon beasts.
The transaction was swift. With the Mysterious Silver Bow slung across his back and a quiver of fine arrows at his side, Long Huang stepped out of the pavilion, his mind already racing toward his next destination — the western mountains, his home.
But before he could take more than a few steps, a voice called out behind him.
"Young master, that bow… it has a powerful history."
Long Huang turned to see the elderly man leaning against the doorway, his eyes sharp despite his aged appearance.
"What do you mean?" Long Huang asked.
The old man smiled faintly. "It was once wielded by a master archer who ventured deep into the Archdevil Mountain Range… and never returned. Some say the bow carries his lingering will."
A flicker of intrigue danced in Long Huang's eyes. "Then it's even more suited for me," he stated, a hint of excitement in his voice. Just as Long Huang was about to question the old man for more information, he vanished into thin air. Long Huang raised an eyebrow, a mixture of confusion and curiosity washing over him.
"That's weird," he muttered to himself. With a final glance around the weapon pavilion, he stepped outside, the weight of unanswered questions lingering in the air.
As Long Huang strode away from the weapon pavilion back to the western mountains, the weight of the Mysterious Silver Bow rested comfortably against his back.
Yet, something gnawed at him, a whisper of instinct, a feeling that something was missing.
"A bow grants me range, but what if I'm forced into close combat?"
"Even though I have the Archdevil Limitless Blade Art is more of a trump card and is meant for big battles rather than one-on-one combat," Long Huang thought.
Performing the Archdevil Limitless Blade Art demanded a great deal of his stamina, rendering him susceptible to defeat when facing a powerful opponent in a spar.
The recent battles in the Sky Cloud Forest had taught him the value of versatility. He had relied on his fists and raw strength, but against a true master or a demon beast with an impenetrable hide, he would need more.
He stopped mid-stride and turned on his heel, marching back toward the weapon pavilion. The elder who had sold him the bow looked up in surprise.
"Young master? Did you forget something?"
Long Huang's gaze swept over the weapons once more, this time settling on a long, slender sword resting on a blackwood stand. Its edge gleamed with a cold light, and its hilt was wrapped in dark serpent leather, exuding an aura of quiet lethality.
"That one."
The elder followed his gaze and nodded approvingly.
"Ah, a good choice, young master."
"This sword is the Frostbite Serpent Sword, forged from glacial iron and tempered with the venom of an Ice-fang Wyrm."
"A single cut slows the enemy's blood and freezes the wound, plus when infused with Qi, it produces an icy aura, making them sluggish in battle. It's a low-tier, profound grade weapon."
Long Huang reached out, gripping the hilt. The moment his fingers closed around it, a faint pulse of icy energy resonated through his meridians, as if the blade itself was testing him.
'Good. A weapon with a bit of spunk,' thought Long Huang.
"How much?"
The elder stroked his beard. "One thousand gold notes and 60 silver coins."
Without hesitation, Long Huang produced the coins. The elder's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing, simply accepting the payment and handing over the sword in a lacquered scabbard.
With the Frostbite Serpent Sword now sheathed at his waist, Long Huang turned to leave, but then paused. He realized he had never done any formal training in swordplay; his combat skills had always been instinctive and brutal, with only a fist art.
"A weapon is only as good as the person who wields it."
"And good combat art brings out the best of both the weapon and the person."
Even though he trained in the Archdevil Limitless Blade Art, it was made for blades specifically, for dual blades. If he were to wield this sword properly, he needed a technique.
"So, to the Martial Pavilion," Long Huang said with a bit of excitement.
The Martial Pavilion stood at the heart of the sect, a grand structure where disciples could exchange combat arts and cultivation techniques.
Long Huang walked toward the desk, expecting the elder to rub his achievements in his face, but as he got closer, he found a young man sitting at the desk.
"Where's the elder?" Long Huang asked curiously.
"Out," responded the young man.
"What about Fu Heng?"
"Out too."
"Damn him too."
The attendant, a senior disciple with sharp eyes, glanced at him and said,
"Looking for something specific?"
"Sword arts,"
"Something lethal."
Long Huang replied.
The attendant smirked. "We have many. What's your preference? Swift strikes? Heavy slashes? Or something… more esoteric?"
Long Huang's fingers brushed the hilt of his new sword. "Something that can kill in one move."
The attendant's smirk widened. He reached beneath the counter and produced a jade slip, its surface etched with faint, glowing characters.
"The Phantom Fang Sword Art."
"A low-level black-grade combat art," the attendant explained. "It's swift as a viper's bite, leaving no room for counterattack. The downside? It consumes a great deal of Qi. One missed strike, and you're vulnerable."
"Qi, I'm only at the Body Tempering Realm senior."
"Oh, I thought you were in the Qi Converging Realm."
"You can still perform the first three moves of the sword art, but it won't be as lethal."
"Can I see it before I make my choice?"
" Sure, no problem."
Long Huang took the jade slip, his mind already envisioning the movements. Perfect.
"How many gold notes?"
"A thousand."
Long Huang handed over the gold notes, and the attendant picked them up without another word.
As he left the Martial Pavilion, Long Huang could feel the weight of his new acquisitions: the bow for distance, the sword for close combat, and now, the technique to make that sword deadly. As he was finally heading home, a voice rang out.