Chapter Forty-Two: Forging Weapons, Breaking Through with Elixirs!

“Just a fisherman,” Bai Xuan replied in a low, gravelly voice.

“A fisherman, is it…” Liu Ruyi understood this was a concealed identity, but here, everyone had their reasons for hiding who they were, and he would never pry into it lightly.

“My skills at forging blades are still lacking. If this treasured sword failed to catch your eye today, I can only apologize. But if in the future you wish for anything to be crafted, feel free to seek me at the Weapon Forge Manor,” Liu Ruyi said, patting his chest.

Weapon Forge Manor was a formidable smithing force by the coast, famed for its “Hundred Arms, Thousand Tempers.” They excelled at tempering weapons with the chill waters of the sea and traded with many islands.

“If fate allows, I shall certainly pay a visit,” Bai Xuan responded, a thought stirring in his heart. The cold iron harpoon on his back had been forged for slaying giant sharks and hunting great beasts of the sea, but before Qian Yuan’s formidable blade light, it was already straining to keep up.

Now, having met a disciple from Weapon Forge Manor, perhaps it was time to have it reforged!

…

Bai Xuan was in no rush to forge a new weapon. He wandered around a bit more but found nothing that truly caught his eye.

“I should visit the auction house’s backroom and see if they can appraise the elixirs I have.”

He had already heard that the auction house at the market was the most precise when it came to appraising treasures, medicines, and secret manuals. While their prices were always somewhat arbitrary, they could at least identify an item’s nature.

To avoid anyone recognizing its origins, Bai Xuan had even scraped the markings off the porcelain bottle, making it look rather worn.

A short while later.

Backstage at the auction house.

“You wish to have this bottle of pills appraised?” An elderly man casually took the bottle Bai Xuan had brought from Qian Yuan’s ship. He uncorked it and took a sniff, his expression changing subtly.

“This is a medicine refined from the Immortal Flesh Fungus… You have quite the fortune.”

“Immortal Flesh Fungus?” Bai Xuan had never heard this name, but from the elder’s reaction, he could tell the thing was likely of immense value.

“Indeed. There’s no poison in this bottle, and it’s been preserved perfectly.” The old man sealed the bottle and handed it back to Bai Xuan, a look of respect surfacing in his gaze.

“This is the work of a recluse, refined by those beyond the world. A single pill is worth more than a thousand taels of silver—priceless, really. It is used by martial artists to break through to the grandmaster realm. Taken at the moment of breakthrough, it will double your vitality and blood, giving you a far greater chance of piercing through the gates of life and death!”

“Of course, it can also be taken on ordinary days to greatly increase one's life force, but for such a precious medicine, that would be a waste.” The elder spoke truthfully.

To boost one’s blood and vitality, the flesh of demon fish would suffice; swallowing this Immortal Flesh Elixir for that purpose would be sheer waste.

“A breakthrough elixir? No wonder Qian Yuan kept it so well hidden.” Bai Xuan now understood its preciousness and carefully stowed it away.

“If you wish to auction it, you may consign it here at any time. If not, no matter.” The old man saw Bai Xuan out. As he turned back, an attendant at his side whispered,

“Elder, should we send someone to recover that medicine once the auction concludes?”

Though the Black Pirates kept their word in the market, sixty miles beyond, they ruled unchecked. This medicine was unlike bulk goods—should it be stolen, none would be the wiser!

“I’ve been appraising treasures for decades. Though the bottle’s mark was scraped off, it was originally stamped with the Lone Star emblem of the Star Hunters. This thing was clearly seized from them.” The old man snorted. “That man also carries a bounty of two thousand taels. Why don’t you send men to collect that, while you’re at it?”

“Ah—so it’s really him!” The attendant sucked in a cold breath.

Within the market, with Master Luo Yun presiding, one could be considered invincible. But besides Luo Yun, who else could deal with such a man?

A grandmaster would hardly act for a single Immortal Flesh Elixir; perhaps if there were twenty or thirty.

…

Main hall.

Bai Xuan took his seat. Most of the places were already filled, and soon a masked auctioneer took the stage.

“The auction begins!”

The first half of the auction was still mostly bulk goods, loot from raids. But this time, the volume was notably less than during Bai Xuan’s last visit.

“A small sign reveals the greater trend,” Bai Xuan thought, his eyes sweeping the scene.

The reduction in bulk goods meant the Black Pirates’ influence at sea was waning. In their struggle against the Star Hunters, they’d fallen behind, and the shipping routes under their control could no longer provide a steady stream of wealth.

From the auction alone, one could see how rampant the Star Hunters now were in the outer seas, their power expanding rapidly and oppressing many.

“Next, the Internal Training True Art: ‘Iron Claw Eagle Shirt’!”

The ugly-faced auctioneer’s words immediately roused the masked guests below from their drowsiness, making them sit straight.

This was the real draw. Most martial arts secrets and precious weapons were sold at this point.

“Three hundred and sixty taels!” A man in a Dragon King mask spoke in a calm, steady voice.

“Hm? That voice sounds familiar.” Bai Xuan’s heart stirred as he sat below.

“Wasn’t he the one who bought the ‘Dragon Roar Iron Shirt’ earlier? Why is he purchasing another internal arts manual?”

What surprised him was that while one could practice multiple internal arts, the human body had its limits. Too much would damage the skin, bones, and even the organs, leading to instant death.

Moments later, the ‘Iron Claw Eagle Shirt’ sold for four hundred taels. It was a formidable hard-style art; once mastered, it could concentrate all the vigor of the iron shirt into the hands, capable of tearing through other hard-style practitioners with one claw.

But compared to the ‘Dragon Roar Iron Shirt,’ which resonated with bones and subdued enemies with its mystical power, it was far inferior.

The Dragon King-masked man, after acquiring the manual, simply sat with closed eyes, silent.

“Next, one hundred catties of rare fish meat, efficacy at least half that of demon fish!”

“Starting bid, one hundred taels,” the auctioneer announced.

“Rare fish meat?” Bai Xuan’s eyes lit up.

His triple-turned Snakebone Fish was consuming quickly, and he was running low. If he could buy some in the meantime, it would be worthwhile.

“One hundred fifty taels!” Bai Xuan bid.

A short while later, he spent two hundred taels of silver to secure the hundred catties of rare fish meat.

Though of average quality, such rare fish were still costly. Even with eighteen hundred taels of silver on hand, Bai Xuan felt the pinch.

“A scholar’s purse is shallow, a warrior’s deep… How could a common family afford such sums?”

The auction continued, but by the end, there was no footwork manual to be found.

“A wasted trip.”

Bai Xuan rose, a little disappointed.

Still, he had found a path to upgrade his weapon and had the Immortal Flesh Elixir appraised—it wasn’t a total loss.

Bai Xuan returned to Liu Ruyi’s stall and saw him still selling swords. Each was worth at least three hundred taels, a handsome sum—one sale was enough for a month’s rest.

When Bai Xuan approached, Liu Ruyi’s eyes lit up and he stood to greet him.

“You’ve returned! Do you have a weapon you wish to have forged?”

His enthusiasm was understandable—the stronger the warrior, the greater their need for fine arms. Otherwise, selling five-tael steel sabers, one would never amass any savings.

“I have a harpoon. Do you think it could be reforged?” Bai Xuan’s voice was low and hoarse.

“A harpoon? Such a weapon is rare indeed. Let me see… hm?” Liu Ruyi took the cold iron harpoon and, upon closer inspection, his gaze sharpened.

“This… I didn’t recognize it before.” He caressed the harpoon, his eyes gleaming as he stood.

“No mistake—ten years ago, when I was still an apprentice, I took a stroke of inspiration and forged this very harpoon. Its blade is so fierce, made to hunt giant sea beasts—how could ordinary men wield it? Without great strength, it’s nearly impossible to use!”

“I recall now. I forged it for a swordsman named Lu Ming, who had a deep grudge against the Sea God Cult. He wanted this harpoon to hunt a demon shark kept by the cult. I seem to have seen him a few days ago, though I’m not sure if he succeeded.”

“Fate truly works in mysterious ways,” Bai Xuan murmured, surprised as well.

Amid the vast sea, for a weapon to return to its maker was exceedingly rare. But there weren’t many disciples from Weapon Forge Manor selling arms in the market, and for a martial expert from the Bai family of Qianshan Island to buy one was not so unlikely.

“It is indeed time to reforge this weapon. Since it is this harpoon, I shall do my utmost. I can’t promise a divine weapon, but raising it to a higher tier is no problem!” Liu Ruyi ran his hands over the cold iron harpoon, reluctant to let it go.

He had treated Bai Xuan with respect before, but upon seeing this weapon, his voice brimmed with joy.

He had forged it at sixteen or seventeen, a piece of ingenuity but still rough, far from perfect. Now, given the chance, he would certainly reforge it.

“How much will it cost?” Bai Xuan knew that having the original forger craft the weapon was ideal, but it seemed the price would be high.

“This can’t be rushed. It will take at least two months, maybe more. When it’s ready, come find me at Weapon Forge Manor, and we’ll discuss the price then,” Liu Ruyi waved his hand.

“I estimate around five hundred taels… maybe more.”

“Understood. I’ll come find you then.” Bai Xuan felt another pang—five hundred taels was no small sum.

But the cold iron harpoon was the heart of his killing power. Good steel belongs at the edge of the blade, and investing in this weapon was worth it.

A short while later, Bai Xuan left the market and headed to the port, preparing to sail home.

“I didn’t get the footwork manual this time—looks like I’ll have to check back at the clan.”

He felt a bit helpless. Still, he had found a way to upgrade his weapon and had the elixir appraised, so the trip was not in vain.

Handing over his token, Bai Xuan boarded a black-roofed boat to set out to sea, only to see, at the harbor, the Dragon King-masked man also setting sail.

“Hm?” Bai Xuan’s eyes narrowed. He spotted seven or eight men in octopus masks, the hems of their robes patterned with faint tentacle designs, moving in utter silence as they rowed after the departing Dragon-masked man.