Acquiring a Defensive Weapon
At the end, the Box Seven won the monster core at a whooping price of four hundred and twenty eight thousand coins. Our mouths were left hanging open for quite a long time.
Finally, Aunt Suful rose and stretched herself.
"Your-- I mean, Ruha, let's go get you your gains, or what do you say?"
"Let's go," Ruha stood up immediately and we trooped after them.
We ran into an excited Wan Heop and two other men before we got anywhere. Trailing behind them was a subdued Yulan Ke.
"Honoured guests, come with me," Wan Heop was beaming so much I suspected his face was hurting. We followed him into a place that looked like a meeting room. Yulan Ke led us to our seats.
"Lady Suful must have told you of our mercenary company," Wan Heop started after taking his seat, looking at Zin more than anyone else. We all glanced at Aunt Suful. She shrugged.
"I haven't. They are too young for that kind of work, Wan Heop. They are going to Furhad Academy."
"What kind of work?" Oki asked.
"We want you to join our mercenary company," one of the other two men replied.
Oki cocked his head as if he was giving it some thought.
"No," Aunt Suful countered, " they haven't even started their cultivation journey. It's better they study."
Iris frowned. She probably didn't like the way Aunt Suful was making decisions for us.
"We will think about this," I took over the situation, "can we have our gains now?"
"Of course!" Wan Heop smiled again, "the core fetched four hundred and twenty eight thousand coins. Spare us the twenty eight thousand-- naturally, our commission is ten percent... but, in view of future cooperation, we'll settle with this,"
The four hundred thousand was placed into spatial blue cards that contained a hundred thousand each. I took them from Wan Heop and stored it in my concious.
"We will take our leave now,"
"Don't forget to patronize our auction house in the future!" Wan Heop called after us.
*
"What's so exciting about monster cores?" Iris asked as we strolled through the market streets, later that evening, "the defensive weapon was more expensive after all,"
"Monster cores can be used by alchemists to refine pills," Ruha replied her, "it has greater lure than a defensive weapon,"
"You were right after all, Brother Cao," Iris glanced at me, "there was no way we could afford that defensive weapon,"
Zin tsked in my head.
/What's the matter with this girl? If she really thinks so, why does she keep on harping about it? Look at her eyes. She really wanted that defensive weapon. Even if the core fetched seven hundred thousand, would we spend it all on her? Is that what teamwork means?/
I smiled while listening to Zin's angry banter.
"This four hundred thousand will be divided among us. Each person can use their share to purchase anything you want,"
"Really!" Iris eyes shone, and she ran towards the weapons area of the market. We followed her. We all needed weapons anyway.
A colorful banner hung from two poles bore the welcome greeting to the weapons market. The first shop, three stories high, was swamped, and everyone was chattering excitedly.
"Something good seems to be here," Oki muttered, and we joined the throng.
"Hey, what's going on?" Saled, our escort from Aunt Suful's company, tapped someone on the shoulder to inquire what the fuss was all about. About four people answered him.
"Are you new to Axihome? Don't you know that Three Thousand Treasures is the warehouse of the Riders Mercenary Company? It's packed everyday here!"
"I heard that, previously, the Riders went on an expedition to an old tomb of some great cultivator in the past. Who knows what great treasure they've brought back?"
"Seems that this Riders Mercenary Company is indeed something," Oki murmured, "no wonder the Scorching Desert people were so frantic,"
We squeezed against the throng and finally managed to enter the shop. There seemed to be some semblance of order within, to our relief. There were different tables in the wide hall responsible for different goods. The whole place was bustling. None of those seated at the tables were smiling, even though the shop was full.
A worker pointed us wordlessly to a notice on the side wall. It said:
Dear buyers,
Three Thousand Treasures will only accept payment in treasures. A Martial Scroll for a Rare Pill. A monster core for a Defensive Weapon.
Gold, silver or other forms of currency exchanged for any of our treasures shall be determined by the Owner.
"I don't think we can shop here," Oki said to us. Just as he finished saying that, someone snickered.
"Then get lost, you wretched rags," it was a young girl, clad in fine silk and attended by an elderly nanny and two fierce looking guards, "get out of the way at once for this miss!"
Iris glared at her.
"Who are you calling a wretched rag? It had better not be me!"
"So what?" the girl looked Iris from top to toe, "you are just a village hobo. Not even fit to be my feet washer. Pah!"
Iris' eyes turned red. She was angry.
/Brother Cao, hold her,/ Zin urged. I grabbed Iris' arm.
"We have more important things to do. Let's go. No need picking fights with unimportant people."
Iris calmed down.
"You're right, brother Cao. I'm sorry."
We left and went towards the stalls outside.
"Young lady, do you need a defensive weapon?" The amiable shop attendant asked.
"Yes," Iris picked up a short-sword and felt it's weight.
"If I might make a suggestion. That sword doesn't quite make you. Here," he handed her a pristine katana, "try this,"
Iris took the sword, raised it, and stretched it in front of her. The shop attendant stroked the stubble on his chin as he assessed her.
"What do you think?"
"It doesn't feel quite right," Iris murmured.
/You know what, Brother Cao?/ Zin's voice came up in my head, "she has that Flame Expelling weapon thing in her head. If she's not careful, she'll never find a proper weapon./
"You're right," I replied.
"What?" Iris turned to me in curiosity.
I picked up a set of dual swords from the rack.
"This will be great on you,"
"Dual swords? I'm not that great with my left hand," Iris replied worriedly.
"You'll learn. We're going to Furhad, remember?"
"You're going to Furhad?" The shop attendant seemed to have an enlightenment, "that is good. When you get there," he was speaking to Iris, "look for Elder Rei. She's in charge of the Sword Academy. I can sense your prowess. She might take you as her disciple. She hasn't found a suitable disciple since quite a while ago. Tsk, Furhad Academy's politics." He shook his head as of remembering some far gone memory, "anyway. Say you're from Jiu. If you manage to see her, she'll recognize my sword in your hand,"
"Thanks, Master Jiu!" Iris bowed from the waist and thanked Master Jiu once we paid.
"You are welcome. Hey, fire affinity boy, you might want to check out Old Saffra's shop opposite, for a defensive weapon. He has a bad temper, but great goods, hahaha,"
Oki went with Ruha and Iris to another shop while Zin and I made for the shop described by Master Jiu. It was empty of people, but defensive weapons occupied every inch of the walls. I looked at each weapon on each shelf, enthralled.
"What do you want?" a grumpy voice grumbled from the back.
"I'm here to buy a defensive weapon," I replied, looking round for the owner of the voice.
"Hmph. Lowest price for a defensive weapon in this shop is twelve thousand silver coins!"
"Okay," I replied.
"Hmph. Are you one of those rich young masters of Lesser Axihome? If you are, just scram! I don't have your time!"
"I'm not a rich young master," I was stumped.
"Hmph!! Hmph! Who are you then? What is your name?"
"I am an applicant of Furhad Academy. My name is Cao,"
Finally, there was a short scuffle, and a wizened old man stepped out from the back room. He was dressed in loose robes, and wore a pair of rough gloves. His long flowing hair was completely white.
"Cao, huh? Hmph. That name had better be resounding in five years time! I don't sell defensive weapons to mediocre cultivators! Do I have your word?"
"Yes," I replied.
"Fine. Oh, who's this? Is she here for a defensive weapon as well?"
"No."
"Then step to one side, missy. Boy, which is your weapon hand?"
I stretched out my right hand.
"Good! Stretch out your hand properly and let me see." He shuffled closer and pinched my upper arm, "hmm, this could be good for a sword," he pinched my lower arm, "no, no, a dagger," he pinched my fingers, "ahhh! Sturdy fingers, sturdy fingers," he smacked his lips, "not bad. I like this! I really like this!"
I waited.
"Hmm. Let's see. What weapon do you think will be nice for you, eh?"
I thought for a while.
"How about a spear?"
"A spear! Yes! Yes! Why didn't I think of that! You are right!" He took rough resounding steps towards the spear rack.
"Measure your height!" He pointed without looking back, at the side wall, on which markings for different heights were made.
"Come over," he said as soon as he turned around. Five feet seven inches! This is the spear for you," he stashed a bronze colored spear into my hands.
"Look here, boy! This spear is made from the horn of a full grown ruftar, hunted by cultivators long dead. It was made by my father, and he never found anyone suitable for it throughout his life. I'm this old, and I only found you today. That only means one thing! You are destined for great things! Don't stop your cultivation journey halfway! You must continue to the very top, the peak! And even after that peak there is still a peak!"
"Thanks Master Suffra," I bowed.
"Yes, yes. The price is sixty two thousand silver coins,"
My jaw dropped open.
"What!? I'm doing you a huge favor! Don't you know how rare a ruftar is?! How many ruftars do you see roaming the streets?! Have you even ever seen one?! Don't you know that this kind of defensive weapon boosts your strength up to three times! What type of look is that you're giving me, like I'm ripping you off! I swear, if my father knew I was selling this for sixty two thousand, he would roll over in his grave! Do you know how many sleepless nights he spent on this spear!!"
"That's all very well, but I only have fifty thousand!" I retorted.
"Fifty thousand! Fifty thousand my foot! Are you haggling over common cold pills? What fifty thousand?! Give the fifty thousand to the poor!"
"Fifty five thousand, then,"
"What fifty five thousand?! If I didn't know this was your destined weapon, do you think I wouldn't have snatched it from you and given you a good kick on your butt into the streets?!"
"Sixty thousand!"
"Sixty two thousand!"
"Fine!"
I handed over the blue card in my possession. It contained Zin and my share.
"Hmph!" Old Saffra activated the card and sixty two thousand silver coins emerged from the space storage of the spatial card. It was a technology that never ceased to amaze me. There were no spatial cards in Calbran.
"You have your spear, why aren't you getting lost already?!" Old Saffra boomed, and I grabbed Zin's hand and escaped quickly.
Over dinner at the Hendai Inn, we all recounted our experiences with the Axihome market shop owners. Oki raised the issue of us joining the Scorching Desert people if we didn't make it into Furhad, but we all disagreed.
"We have to make it," I said, "just remember Calbran. Whatever that means for each of us. We have no choice but to make it. We have to start cultivating now."
"You're right about that," Ruha agreed. "I'll get my tribespeople to watch over us. Let's go into closed door cultivation until the assessment day,"
"Seconded," Iris said.
/Me too,/ Zin spoke up.
"Alright everyone," Oki relented, "I won't speak of this again,"