Chapter 29, Shooting Moon Edge

Translator: Raznick

 

Zhou Chun’s financial situation was not particularly good.

 

As for the spirit coins, there were fifty-seven of them. Along with that, there was one quindecennial red mushroom and one century-old Solomon’s seal. Additionally, two century-old figwort roots were included in the collection.

 

Excluding spirit coins, those four herbs together had a market price of roughly three hundred.

 

But these things were at least enough to prove that he could indeed afford superior first-grade artifacts.

 

After examining what he had brought, the man with the pale face said nothing more. Before long, he retrieved two wooden boxes from his storage bag and proceeded to open and introduce them one by one.

 

“Shooting Moon Edge, crafted from refined silver and black iron materials, meticulously forged by an master craftsman using pure earth fire for seven days and seven nights. This artifact possessess a keen edge and can pierce armor. It can divide into two moonblades, each serving to attack or protect its wielder, while in tandem they can merge into a circular wheel to confront foes. Priced at three hundred and seventy spirit coins.

 

“Windfire Fan, made from the feathers and bones of the second-grade demon beast Windfire Kite, it is made by a master craftsman. When it is swung, it can send out a chain of wind blades and fireballs to attack the enemy. The price is 430 spirit coins.”

 

Having said that, the middle-aged man gestured respectfully with cupping hands to Zhou Chun and said, “Go ahead, esteemed guest. These artifacts are all the superior first-grade attack artifacts we have in stock right now.”

 

Superior first-grade artifacts were not easy to sell. Even for a large shop like the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, selling two or three pieces in a month was already considered good. So they didn’t usually stock up too much.

 

Then again, the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion had a reputation for a reason. The middle-aged man took out several artifacts; aside from that one ordinary-looking artifact, the Golden Goose Blade, the rest were rare treasures, each one making Zhou Chun’s mouth water with desire.

 

Unfortunately, the funds he had allowed him to choose only one item. He also had to exclude the two artifacts priced over four hundred spirit coins.

 

At this point, after pondering over the artifacts for quite some time, Zhou Chun pointed to one of the wooden boxes and said, “Alright, I’ll take that Shooting Moon Edge. It’s exactly what I’m looking for!”

 

Upon hearing these words, the middle-aged man with a fair complexion immediately showed a smile and praised, “Fellow Daoist, you have good insight. This item possesses both offensive and defensive capabilities. With your cultivation level, even against a late Qi Refining cultivator, you could hold your own!”

 

He then placed all the other artifacts into his storage bag, leaving only the box containing the Shooting Moon Edge on the table.

 

Seeing this, Zhou Chun also pushed forward the things he used to buy artifacts and said calmly: “Three hundred and seventy spirit coins, I should be able to exchange them with these herbs and spirit coins.”

 

“It is sufficient; but does Fellow Daoist really wish to exchange these pure herbs for artifacts?”

 

The middle-aged man gazed at the several herbs on the table with a hesitating gaze, appearing to have some reservations.

 

“What? Is Mr. Liu worried about my herbs?”

 

Zhou Chun raised an eyebrow and then confidently said, “You can rest assured about their quality. I am a main cultivator from the Nine Peaks’ Zhou Clan. These herbs were dug up from the sect’s herb garden during the time when the Three Absolute Sect migrated. They are all authentic herbs without even a trace of Savage Qi!”

 

When he introduced himself and explained the origins of the item, the middle-aged man’s gaze immediately became serious. Then, quickly, his face showed a smile as he performed a cupping hands salute toward him and said, “I didn’t know you were from the Spirit Beast Zhou Clan. My apologies.”

 

Upon finishing his words, he nodded and said, “Since Fellow Daoist Zhou can ensure the herbs are without issue, this deal is now concluded. The Shooting Moon Edge is now yours, Fellow Daoist Zhou.”

 

Then he pushed the wooden box containing the artifact in front of Zhou Chun.

 

Zhou Chun saw this, immediately stowed the wooden box into storage bag, and cheerfully smiled as he said, “Manager Liu is straightforward. May we meet again in the future.”

 

“Fellow Daoist Zhou we heartily welcome you to visit Heavenly Treasure Pavilion again at your convenience.”

 

The middle-aged man said, then rose to his feet and sent Zhou Chun out of the door.

 

After Zhou Chun left the pavilion. The middle-aged man looked at the wooden boxes containing the herbs on the table with a deep frown.

 

After thinking for a while, he said to himself, “You mentioned that his storage bag might have more herbs? Although the Three Absolute Sect is far inferior to our sect, it’s still a sect that has been around for over 1700 years. Their herb garden, even without any millennium herbs, should have plenty of herbs that are centuries old.”

 

As if conversing with an enigmatic entity.

 

Hardly had his words fallen silent when a voice that carried the weariness of age promptly filled his ears.

 

“Perhaps he indeed still had some herbs left in his storage bag that hadn’t been taken out, but when it came to herbs with centuries of growth, there definitely weren’t any.”

 

“Each of those herbs is accounted for. The Three Absolute Sect isn’t the type to flee after their estate was raided by outsiders; subordinates, unless they’re idiots, wouldn’t dare touch such high-level herbs under the watch of senior cultivators in the sect!”

 

Upon hearing these words, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but nod slightly, as if he strongly agreed.

 

He frowned, then whispered, “In your opinion, should we spread the news?”

 

“This one you can decide for yourself, I know nothing about it.”

 

The hoarse voice sounded once more in his ears, it made him swear under his breath.

 

[Those accursed old codgers! They’re nothing but greedy and scared. All they want is the benefit without any trouble, just thinking about what’s convenient for themselves!]

 

Though he cursed furiously inside, he dared not let the faintest hint show on his face.

 

With a hesitant expression, he lowered his head in thoughtful silence, struggling to make a decision.

 

After going on like this for some time, he finally shook his head in regret, saying, “Well then, perhaps we should abandon this plan,” he said. “the Nine Peaks Zhou Clan had only recently established themselves in Mist Province and are currently at their highest state of vigilance. It is no guarantee that the youth we just encountered was not some lure they had cast out to test various factions.”

 

This time, however, no answer came.

 

This made him curse inwardly once again, then he sat down and gulped several mouthfuls of tea to suppress the surge of anger within him.

 

Meanwhile, after leaving Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, Zhou Chun went straight to an inn and booked a cultivation room.

 

After entering the sealed cultivation room, Zhou Chun retrieved the wooden box and burned it, along with the outerwear and underclothes he had been wearing.

 

Doing this was all to prevent being marked by someone for tracking.

 

In the cultivation world, there were numerous skills that involve using drugs and mystical arts to leave marks for tracking both items and people. Zhou Chun was aware of over ten such methods.

 

Heavenly Treasure Pavilion, though it was a well-known old-established shop, however, one must always remain cautious, for trust could be a dangerous thing.

 

He could not guarantee that the pale-faced middle-aged man might not meddle with him, and once he left the market, the man could arrange for someone else to locate him and carry out the killing and robbery.

 

It was better to presume that such events may occur rather than risk being unprepared.

 

After watching the wooden box and clothes turn into a pile of ashes, Zhou Chun used his Divine Sense to repeatedly scan himself. Upon confirming that there was nothing amiss, he then changed into new clothes.

 

He looked beside him at the silver-black circular artifact, about one foot in diameter, and immediately grasped the handle in the center and lifted it up.

 

The object, in reality, was not as heavy as it appeared. It weighed less than ten pounds, and Zhou Chun found it easy to lift with one hand.

 

He held the artifact while carefully examining it and realized that by adding a sheath, he could wear it on his back.

 

But Zhou Chun had barely seen any cultivator carrying artifacts.

 

It was better to keep it inside the storage bag as usual.

 

After carefully inspecting the artifact, Zhou Chun began the process of binding it.

 

Like the artifact purchased from shops, regardless of whether it had previous owners, the original owner’s Divine Sense imprints and residual aura would be completely erased, making it convenient for the new owner to perform binding.

 

Zhou Chun only took less than an hour to familiarize himself with the use of artifact through binding, and he was extremely satisfied with its power.

 

After getting a little familiar with the usage of the new artifact, Zhou Chun, whose wallet had been emptied, finally set out on his journey home.

 

But after leaving the market this time, Zhou Chun did not resort to his usual tricks and continued to use the flying artifact to cross the Red Rock Mountains from above.

 

Previously, he dared to employ that strategy because he was flying towards Red Cliff Market, a location where he could readily be observed by the guards stationed there. After arriving at the market, he would meditate to replenish his depleted spiritual power.

 

However, his previous approach had exposed himself. If he were to leave using the same method again, there was no guarantee that formidable bandits equipped with flying artifacts wouldn’t take to the air and pursue him for elimination.

 

Compared to leaving on foot, which did have its own risks, the chance of meeting such a powerful bandit cultivator was definitely much lower.

 

And Zhou Chun, who had newly obtained a superior first-grade artifact, actually matched in power to two or three ordinary mid Qi Refining cultivators. In fact, even an average bandit likely wouldn’t possess the capability to defeat him.