Huu...
Early in the morning, the atmosphere was exceptionally freezing for those in loose robes. Cultivators are rarely seen outside, unless getting frostbite is pleasing to them.
Carl was one of them... standing in the cold, and knocking on the door of a blacksmith's shop like no tomorrow. His brows were knitted with barely visible icicles visible at the bottom edge of his chin.
Knock Knock Knock!
"Damn, what kind of blacksmith is this? I've been knocking for hours and he still isn't opening this door!" Carl furiously cursed as he smashed his fist at the door, but was smart enough to control his strength... he wouldn't want to smash the entire door down by accident.
After some more 'smashing' he finally heard some sounds in the room. It was the sound of metals clattering around, and feet dragging against the floor.
Carl was about to knock again when the door was slowly opened from the inside, startling him. This old man...
As predicted, the person who opened the door was a tanned skinned old man who was flashing his pearly white teeth at Carl in a smile. On his head was a sturdy looking visor, while he wore some loose fitting clothes.
Carl looked at the man's build and he gulped, even in old age the famous smith still had the build of a wrestling superstar. Gods...
His uncle would have turned into a wrinkled broomstick at this age... how did he know? Let's call it a bedtime prayer.
"Celestial Sect Cultivator?" The old man said as he turned aside and allowed Carl to enter his shop with a welcoming smile on his face.
Carl subconsciously took a looked down to his chest, on it was the depiction of an ascending golden dragon which about a finger tall and a centimetre wide.
'Hah, I've wanted to boldly were this crest for years...' Carl thought as he reached his hands and touched his chest, but quickly withdrew it after remembering the second party around him.
Now that he's strong, he now could accomplish his dreams... and the first is to become a Heavenly Grade Cultivator!
"Yes... are you Wang Xiao? A friend recommended me to you, I'd like to craft a piece of equipment." Carl said as he bowed his respect before walking into the shop.
"Yes, I'm Wang Xiao." The old- cough cough, Wang Xiao bowed down with respect before ushering Carl to the door of a room.
Carl looked around himself as he followed the old man, he saw people walking about in the shop. Some were chatting, idling about, others were even transporting some boxes.
Various types of finished equipment were hung on the wall, some were plain while others were flashy. He's heart bled every time he saw a very beautiful spear.
Why the hell have I been using my fists all those years? If I had a good spear, no one would dare bully me... unless they're madly in love with the healer... cough cough!
After a minute or so, they finally arrived at the door which was pushed open by the old man. Carl followed him into the room with a smile.
It's time to make my weapon!
Carl breathed in and looked around, observing various equipment with gleaming eyes.
All were above Grade 5, this blacksmith's a pro!
"Please sit here... and be careful not to touch anything..." Wang Xiao said as he pointed at a wooden chair besides Carl. Only after seeing Carl obediently sit down, did he turn around to drop his visor.
Carl was surprised... Old Man Wang Xiao wasn't an old baldy...
"Would you like to tell me what kind of equipment you'd like to make? Weapon Class or Armour Class?" Wang Xiao said as he sat down cross-legged on a blue mat with a smile on his face.
"It's a Weapon Class Spear. Silver colour, dragon based design." Carl said, ignoring the mental cursed being hurtled mentally at him from Jade.
Wang Xiao was quiet for a moment with a thoughtful expression on his face. After some time he replied, "Two to three days max to make without skills or special powers, four to six days to make a one with skills and special powers."
"Cost." Carl finally got to the part where Jade was pestering him about, as the volume of curses in his head multiples by tenfold.
"Just about 100 Gold coins for a normal one, or 1000 gold coins for the one with skills and powers. Grade would be about... 4 - 2." Wang Xiao said with a smile as he stared at Carl respectfully. Seeing Carl remain calm without a change of expression, he knew he had the coins.
Although Carl remain calm and collected on the outside, he nearly coughed out blood on the inside... this, I clearly remember this kind of moment...
Where all the old business men I know daylight robbers! This is my six months' allowance, I hope this is worth it...
"Ok. I agree. I'll take the one with skills and powers." Carl said calmly on the outside, but with a bleeding heart on the inside. Even Jade was pained... you had so much money... and was unable to purchase a weapon for years... why?
"Okay, you have a deal." Wang Xiao said as the both of them stood up and shook hands.
––
Miles outside the city, in a large cave,
Seven people with injuries and blood all over their bodies ran out of the cave. Their once shiny soul armour either broken to pieces or had ghastly gashes on them.
Three of them were female while the others were male. All of them were adventurers, each above the 8th Mortal Grade.
Behind them was a large minotaur giving chase ferociously. The minotaur held a mighty axe which was about 3metres long in it's right hand which was dyed in human blood.
"Miss Frost, you should escape to the the nearby city... I'll hold off the monster for you. We all can't die here..." A man with disheveled golden hair, wearing ruined black armour said with a pained smile on his face. Blood gushing out of the ghastly wound on his chest.
One must survive! The man wasn't doing this because he was some kind of superhero... he had a family in the city nearby, and if this monster kills them and gets to the city... anything could happen.
The lady called frost was a mage class adventurer with flowing silver hair and dazzling blue eyes. Hair face extremely pale, while a deep cut was seen on her face.
"No, you go... I'll hold him back. I have a much better chance of stalling him longer than you can." Frost with determination as she glared at the man. She was a mage, a powerful spell could at least stun him for a few moments!
"Heh heh, I would have... but, cough! As you can see... I don't have much longer to live..." The man said with a smile on his face as he turned around almost instantly before dashing backwards.
"Wait!" Frost wanted to turn around, but was unable to due to a foreign force propelling her forward. Her eyes reddened as she steeled her nerves and ran with all her might, creating a thick tail of ice behind her as she dashed forward.
Behind her, the man let out a loud roar before dragging out his sword and stabbing it towards the monster...
"Die!!!"
The minotaur sneered before lifting it's axe and slashing down, splitting the man in two as blood flew around. It had a dark smile on it's face as it dashed towards the nearest target... a male mage in red.
"F*ck me! Fire Blast~!" The mage said as he threw out a punch shooting out a thick line of flames which crashed into the minotaur, exploding on impact.
Boom!
"It's not dead yet, everyone run while you-" Before the mage could finish it's sentence, the minotaur leaped out of the flames with an enraged expression.
Although these flames weren't like holy flames that could kill it, it was still painful! It was like an adult being poured a bucket of hot water, although acid had a high chance of killing him... hot water might only burn him but not kill him.
It lifted it's axe and struck down, squashing down the poor mage like a bug, blood and guts splattering around as all the adventurers ran for their lives... but, it was already too late.
That morning, while people where safely in the confines of the city... the outskirts was bathed in human blood.