Chapter 8

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Chapter 8: Great Skill in Simplicity

Ten people, led by Lin Yuehua, filed into this common weapon shop, passed through a small door, and arrived at the inner room.

The inner room was very spacious; upon entering, one could see several huge cabinets on each of the three walls. According to the different categories, each cabinet was neatly arranged with several common weapons.

Lou Yun quickly glanced around, and in his mind, he had already formed a rough understanding of the layout there.

Magical weapons could present varied forms based on the coalescer\’s intent, while common weapons were mostly crafted according to styles inherited from predecessors, so their appearances were conventional and orthodox. Yet there were also a few common weapons forged by skilled weapon makers on sudden whims.

The stranger the design of a common weapon, the higher its tier. Since Xu Yangteng was merely a second-tier skilled weapon maker, his forged common weapons naturally had very few peculiar ones—only two were exclusively displayed in one cabinet.

Long before coming, Lou Yun had discussed with Chang Xiang what type of common weapon suited him best, and Chang Xiang\’s answer was casual: just choose whatever Lou Yun liked.

At that time, Lou Yun felt a bit skeptical because different weapons resulted in different weapon techniques and required different weapon manuals. Chang Xiang actually told him to pick any weapon freely—did that mean Chang Xiang surely had a fitting weapon manual for Lou Yun to cultivate?

Hearing this question, Chang Xiang distinctly emitted a scornful snicker and said, \"You don\’t need to fret over weapon manuals!\"

With those words from Chang Xiang, Lou Yun had no choice but to believe. So today, he arrived without any specific aim, simply to find one appropriate common weapon.

However, Lou Yun retained a curiosity: the shop\’s owner—the second-tier skilled weapon maker Xu Yangteng!

At that moment, the small boy who was earlier at the entrance also entered and stood right beside Lou Yun. He rubbed his nose and said, \"You all, look around freely first. Whichever item catches your eye, pick it up and hold it. Once everyone has finished picking, my master will step out.\"

After speaking, the little boy turned his head and glanced at Lou Yun. Lou Yun gave him a friendly smile, but the boy showed no reaction, turned again, and walked out.

As the small boy departed, the eight people besides Lou Yun and Lin Yuehua immediately rushed to the cabinets and started selecting their desired common weapons.

Lou Yun disliked shoving with others, and with no specific goal in mind, he headed directly to the least crowded cabinet. There lay the most ordinary type of armament throughout the Spirit Weapon Star, yet the most widely used—swords!

Precisely because swords were too common and too ordinary, most people were now reluctant to use them. Even magical weapons masters would try their best to avoid forming sword shapes when coalescing magical weapons.

Lin Yuehua disdained scrambling with the crowd, and before arriving, she had sent people to scout the place. So she appeared totally confident now. Seeing Lou Yun walking toward the cabinet housing swords, she couldn\’t help sneering and saying, \"Trash is always trash; even when choosing a common weapon, he picks the most worthless.\"

Lou Yun naturally heard her words but couldn\’t be bothered to argue. Pretending he hadn\’t heard, he walked straight to the cabinet, raised his head, and examined it with care.

The cabinet in front was about three meters tall. From top to bottom, according to sword lengths, six swords stood upright, their tips pointing upward and hilts downward, allowing easy grasping.

The styles of the six swords differed greatly: one had a backward-curved tip, one showcased a split along the blade\’s center, and one featured a tassel dangling from its hilt. Although Lou Yun had never handled a common weapon before, he knew that each sword served varied purposes based on its form.

After viewing all six swords, Lou Yun\’s gaze fixed on the middle one. Its design was the most conventional and standard, yet its color was special—drenched entirely in black from hilt to blade!

The blade measured approximately three feet long, and below the hilt hung emptiness, lacking any tassel.

Hesitating slightly, Lou Yun reached out and grasped the black sword\’s hilt. He lifted gently, but it remained unmoved!

Lou Yun was startled; this sword felt astonishingly heavy.

Yet Lou Yun\’s weapon spirit power inside his body far surpassed his peers\’, and following over two months of body refinement, his current strength was immense. So with a slight exertion, he drew the sword free.

Lou Yun hefted it in his hand. Although weighty, within moments he adapted to its mass. He then started weaving it around.

Though his motions lacked any technique, the sword\’s extreme heaviness and his powerful application generated gusty winds during his swings, creating an imposing aura.

Just then, Lou Yun seemed to catch a faint \"hm\" near his ear. He swiftly halted mid-swing, spun around searching for the source, but apart from Lin Yuehua eyeing him disdainfully, no one else glanced his way. That earlier whisper couldn\’t have been Lin Yuehua\’s.

Perhaps he had imagined it!

Lou Yun didn\’t persist in the search. He refocused his attention on the sword and began inquiring of Chang Xiang, \"Big brother, what do you think of this sword?\"

\"Your eye isn\’t bad. This sword could be the finest among these six… no, among all weapons here. If you\’re drawn to it, then pick it!\"

Hearing Chang Xiang affirm his choice, Lou Yun couldn\’t hide a trace of contentment. He was about to ask more when sudden footsteps approached. A rich, resonant voice then boomed out, \"All right, time\’s up. Those with chosen weapons, come to me!\"

From the door entered a burly man with bronze-like cheeks, tiger-like sideburns, fierce eyes resembling those of a tiger, and an awe-inspiring visage. With a sweeping glance across the room, his tiger-like eyes lingered briefly on Lou Yun\’s face and his sword. Then, with firm steps, he strode to the only chair positioned at the very center of the room and sat down, sitting with the posture of a seasoned commander.

Clearly, he was the proprietor of this shop—Xu Yangteng, a second-tier skilled weapon maker!

Xu Yangteng\’s presence elicited respectful expressions on the faces of all present. Holding their chosen weapons, they approached him one by one. Xu Yangteng remained expressionless as he stated, \"Name your prices! Remember, only one bid. If it satisfies me, the deal\’s done. Otherwise, leave.\"

Hearing this, Lou Yun had a slight start. He hadn\’t expected Xu Yangteng to employ such a tactic—letting buyers name their price, with only one chance. This meant no one would dare bid low; they\’d certainly aim for the highest sum they could endure, lest their journey end in vain.

Thinking this, Lou Yun again gave his small pouch a gentle squeeze. It seemed all his money would be spent today.

At this moment, Lin Yuehua, who had remained quiet until now, walked over to a cabinet displaying two peculiarly styled items. She picked up a pair of exquisitely tiny weapons that resembled earrings. With a smile directed at Xu Yangteng, she said, \"Master Xu, I am Lin Yuehua, the youngest clan head of the Lin Family…\"

Before she could finish, Xu Yangteng cut her off coldly, \"Cut the talk. Name your price!\"

Originally, Lin Yuehua intended to try leveraging her family\’s prestige to negotiate a lower price. Seeing Xu Yangteng\’s attitude, she realized it was futile. Her eyes flickered; her smile shifted. \"Master Xu, I\’ve heard you have two rules. One is to sell wares to those destined to possess them, the so-called \’fated ones\’. May I ask, what exactly qualifies someone as a \’fated one\’?\"

Xu Yangteng cast a sidelong look, appraising Lin Yuehua from head to toe, then responded with a cold chuckle, \"In any case, you are definitely not one. Put it down. Leave.\"

Lin Yuehua was momentarily stunned before protesting hurriedly, \"Even if I\’m not the fated one, I haven\’t named my price yet! Why are you telling me to leave?!\"

\"If you are not the fated one, then you lack even the qualification to name a price,\" Xu Yangteng snapped. \"Today, no matter how much money you offer, I will not sell this common weapon to you. So, you may leave!\"

\"You!\"

Lin Yuehua gasped, stunned speechless, her mouth gaping but unable to utter a word. She couldn\’t believe Xu Yangteng had not only refused to give the Lin Family face but had publicly humiliated her before this crowd.

The others, including Lou Yun, watched with undisguised amusement. Lin Yuehua\’s usual behavior had long bred resentment, particularly her earlier act of cutting in line. Witnessing Xu Yangteng putting her in her place brought a deep, silent satisfaction to every spectator.

Despite her intense reluctance, Lin Yuehua dared not lash out. She placed the item back on the cabinet and sneered coldly, \"Master Xu, you\’ve been running this shop in Lingjiang City for ten years, and I\’ve never heard of you encountering a single \’fated one\’. I suggest you reconsider your second rule.\"

Xu Yangteng\’s tiger-eyes blazed. \"Boy! Who says I haven\’t met my fated one? Today, I\’ve found one. That lad over there, come here!\"

His pointing finger directed every pair of eyes in the room. To their astonishment, Xu Yangteng was pointing directly at Lou Yun!

Lou Yun himself was stunned. He snapped out of it, glancing around to confirm the finger was aimed solely at him. Still incredulous, he pointed to his own nose. \"Me?\"

\"You! Lad! Bring that common weapon you picked over here!\"

Seeing Xu Yangteng declare Lou Yun the fated one, Lin Yuehua paused, then burst into uproarious laughter. \"Master Xu has impeccable judgment indeed! So this waste is the fated one you\’ve chosen? Lou Little Bro—\"

Whizz— A streak of silver light—an arrow—sliced the air clean past Lin Yuehua\’s cheek, smothering her words before they could escape.

Thunk!

The arrow embedded itself into the cabinet behind Lin Yuehua, its fletching still in fierce quiver.

In Xu Yangteng\’s hand, as if materialized, now rested a silver, crescent-shaped longbow. He held it at full draw, a silver arrow nocked on the string. His fierce eyes locked onto Lin Yuehua\’s face. \"Mouth off again, and my next arrow kisses your lips.\"

Lin Yuehua was so frightened she nearly wet herself, cold sweat breaking out head to toe. It never occurred to her that Xu Yangteng would shoot without even uttering a warning. Had his aim been but a fraction off…

Recovering quickly, Lin Yuehua dashed to the door. Turning back, she jabbed a finger at Xu Yangteng, \"Xu! Just you wait!\" With that declaration, too terrified to linger a second longer, she scampered away like a frightened, stray dog.

Xu Yangteng waved a hand, seemingly recalling his own magical weapon. He looked back at Lou Yun, \"Lad, come here!\"

Truthfully, Lou Yun felt a surge of respect for Xu Yangteng from that display earlier. Targeting Lin Yuehan? Just for that, Xu Yangteng found high favor in his eyes. Thus, without hesitation, he walked forward. The others continued to watch on, their curiosity unabated.

\"Lad, why did you choose this particular sword?\"

Lou Yun was about to answer simplistically—that it had caught his eye. Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind: Tell him: Great skill in simplicity. Lou Yun knew Chang Xiang had a reason for chiming in at that moment. So, following the prompt, he responded, \"Great skill in simplicity.\"