"Sorry, I..." Tang Jian said with a guilty look on his face.
"Hurry up!" Yao Bin interrupted Tang Jian's next words directly, his gaze sweeping through the room before turning his back and leaving with his hands behind him.
Tang Jian quickly finished his ablutions and rushed to the Sword Forging Hall with small steps.
That day, due to his terrible state of mind, he yawned continuously while forging swords, which annoyed Chen Guang to the point that he was directly expelled from the hall.
With a bitter smile, Tang Jian didn't bother to explain and returned to his room, where he immediately collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
It was not until the evening that he woke up fully rested.
He pulled the short sword out of the charcoal pile, tested it, and then attached the sword pommel and handle.
After wrapping it in a piece of linen, he changed his clothes, tied the short sword to his arm under his sleeve, and left the room, heading towards the sword shop's exit.
After leaving the sword shop, he followed the street outside the door, heading east.
The sunset on the horizon had begun to sink behind the western mountains, and the street had started to darken. There were significantly fewer pedestrians than during the day.
The shops on both sides gradually became deserted, while some restaurants and taverns hung out their wine flags and lit lanterns, gradually becoming lively.
Smelling the aroma of food and wine from the street, Tang Jian swallowed his saliva, and his stomach couldn't help but growl.
Although he was also a cultivator, he hadn't reached the stage of not needing food.
From yesterday afternoon until now, he hadn't had a drop of water or a morsel of food, and he was indeed hungry.
However, he had no money, so he could only satisfy his hunger with the aroma and sigh at the sight of the restaurants.
After walking for about half a bell, when he was almost out of the busiest section of the street, Tang Jian stopped at a shop named "Sun's Sword Shop".
This shop was far enough from the Yan's Sword Shop and seemed to be one of the largest around, so he guessed that their business was not bad.
Without much hesitation, Tang Jian walked up the stone steps and crossed the threshold.
The furnishings inside this sword shop were very similar to those of the Yan's Sword Shop, except for the absence of the tall screen wall and the extreme-quality magical sword hanging on it.
There were not many people left in the shop. Only a middle-aged man who looked like a manager was scolding a few assistants.
Upon seeing Tang Jian enter the shop, the middle-aged manager immediately put away his angry expression, replaced it with a warm smile on his round face, and welcomed him.
"What can I do for you, sir?" the middle-aged manager asked.
As he spoke, he had already examined Tang Jian from head to toe:The young man clothing was obviously very shabby, but his demeanor and attitude carried an inexplicable feeling, making it hard for him to judge at first glance.
"I want to sell a sword," Tang Jian said cleanly and concisely.
The middle-aged manager was a bit surprised but quickly regained his composure and smiled, saying, "Our sword shop sells swords, sir. Why are you coming here to sell one?"
"Will you accept a mid-grade magical sword?" Tang Jian didn't beat around the bush and directly asked.
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged manager was startled for a moment, then his eyes slightly rotated, and he smiled, "Please follow me, sir."
He summoned an assistant to take care of the shop and then led Tang Jian up to the second floor, entering a reception room.
After Tang Jian sat down, the manager poured him a cup of fragrant tea and served it to him.
"This is Zhuo Xi Prefecture's 'after-rain Mao Jian'. It's of good quality..." Tang Jian only glanced at the tea leaves in the cup after receiving it and said casually.
This type of tea was only produced in Zhuo Xi Prefecture in the southern part of the Yue Kingdom, and it was best picked after the rain.
Tang Jian wasn't originally fond of tea, but his father TangShu liked it, so he had some knowledge of it.
"Sir has a good eye..." The middle-aged manager praised sincerely, and he immediately believed that this person must originally have been from a wealthy family.
"Alright, let's get to the point," Tang Jian said, putting down the teacup without drinking.
"Please show me the magical sword first, sir, so I can take a look," the middle-aged manager said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Tang Jian unfastened the short sword from his sleeve and placed it on the table.
The middle-aged manager unwrapped the sword from its hemp cloth, and at a glance, he saw the unsheathed short sword.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he picked up the sword and examined it repeatedly.
After a moment, he gripped the hilt with one hand and silently circulated the magical power within his body.
Suddenly, the runes inscribed on the blade lit up, and a strand of crimson light enveloped the entire sword, emanating waves of intense heat.
Tang Jian's eyebrows lifted slightly as he realized that the person before him might also be a cultivator at the third or fourth level of the Qi Refining stage.
After a brief test, the middle-aged manager released his grip and returned the sword to the table.
"This sword of yours is indeed a mid-grade magical sword. May I ask how much you wish to sell it for?" The middle-aged manager smiled and asked.
"I've inquired at several places, and their offers vary. I'd like to see what your Sun Family Sword Shop can offer," Tang Jian said as he picked up his teacup and took a sip, unhurriedly.
"According to the current market price in Yuejing City... it's around one thousand and two hundred taels of gold. Our Sun Family Sword Shop is willing to add another fifty taels to show our sincerity," the middle-aged manager said after a moment of contemplation.
Upon hearing this, Tang Jian slowly placed his teacup down and wrapped the sword back in the hemp cloth with both hands.
"What does this mean?" The middle-aged manager asked hastily.
"One thousand two hundred and fifty taels? Do you really think I'm an inexperienced fool?" Tang Jian sneered.
"If you're not satisfied, we can still negotiate..." The middle-aged manager stood in front of Tang Jian, his face filled with smiles.
"The price you mentioned is indeed the market price in Yuejing City, but even among mid-grade magical swords, there are differences in quality. This one is a superior piece among mid-grade magical swords. The price difference should be at least five hundred taels. You only added fifty taels and claim to be sincere?" Tang Jian said with a sarcastic smile.
"This... let me take another look. I might have overlooked something earlier. Please forgive me, sir," the middle-aged manager said, with a hint of apology on his face.
Tang Jian then released his grip on the hemp cloth and sat back down.
The middle-aged manager picked up the sword again, examined it, and pondered for a moment before saying,
"The quality of this sword is indeed excellent, but its size is relatively small, making it more suitable for women. There are limitations when selling it. The highest price our Sun Family Sword Shop can offer... is one thousand and five hundred taels of gold."
After hearing this, Tang Jian pondered for a moment and finally nodded in agreement.
The middle-aged manager then settled the payment and carefully stored the short sword away.
With three large banknotes in his pocket, Tang Jian left the Sun Family Sword Shop, accompanied by the smiling face of the middle-aged manager.
"Please take your time, sir. If you need anything in the future, feel free to come here. I assure you that we will give you a satisfactory price," the middle-aged manager said with a respectful smile.
Tang Jian didn't speak, only nodding before taking his leave.
As Tang Jian's figure disappeared into the distance, the smile on the middle-aged manager's face gradually faded, and he shook his head, muttering to himself, "It's getting harder to deal with outsiders. This business is becoming more challenging..."
After leaving, Tang Jian headed straight to a nearby shop called "Yangxin Pavilion" and spent one thousand and three hundred taels of gold to purchase a bottle of "Bu Yuan Dan" (a type of medicinal pill that replenishes vitality).
Carefully storing the pill in his bosom, he found a post station and spent a considerable amount of money to send a letter to a secret residence of the Tang Family.
Emerging from the post station, his mood improved significantly.
He found a nearby restaurant, ordered a lavish meal, and enjoyed it heartily.
Rubbing his distended belly, he returned to the Yan Family Sword Shop with satisfaction.