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Chapter 449 - Large Trade
🕑 Added 2023-10-13 04:02:37 +0000 UTCAurelia glared at him. “You’re going to choose a weapon just because of how it looks?!”
“Not just because of that,” Red said. “But yes, it is part of the reason.”
He had been considering other swords, but in the end, he settled for the claymore, something in between the usual longsword and a greatsword - what people generally referred to as a bastard sword. It was still a hefty weapon, but it could also be wielded with swiftness. His main reason, however, was because he liked how the weapon looked and felt in his hand.
Aurelia stared at him as if he was an idiot. “Have you ever used a claymore before?”
Red shook his head. “I only tried it a few times when I first started training in the Sect.”
“Then you should pick something you’re more familiar with, like a longsword!”
“Maybe so, but I don’t want to.”
“You…!” Aurelia seemed to be holding herself back from going on a tirade.
Others might think that such a reasoning was silly, but it was all Red needed. After all, cultivators should have the freedom to choose how they developed their powers, or what was the point of cultivating in the first place? Of course, Red was no fool either. Perhaps if he displayed a disparate amount of talent for one weapon over the other, he would have reconsidered this decision, but nothing like that happened in his years of training.
The only reason he was good with shortswords was because he practiced them a lot, not because of some innate talent. Such being the case, why couldn’t he master another weapon in the same manner?
Aurelia stared at him with a resigned expression. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Maybe, but eventually I would have come to the same conclusion,” Red said.
“You are aware that the heavier a sword is, the harder it will be to use it as a flying sword, right?”
“I figured as much. I plan to offset the weight with cloud sky iron and specific runes.”
Cloud sky iron was a wind-energy infused material that Red once used in the Parting Storm formation to open his Spiritual Sea. It could be used to create an alloy that would reduce the overall weight of a weapon without compromising its durability or internal structure.
“It won’t be that simple,” Aurelia said. “Most flying sword techniques aren’t made for swords that large. You will have a harder time controlling it.”
“You said that Lesser Ring Realms wouldn’t be able to use these kinds of weapons effectively anyways. This kind of sword can still be used as an effective melee weapon, and I’ll have enough time to practice controlling it.”
The woman seemed to relent. “Fine! Do what you want, but be aware that this kind of decision is final. Once you create an artifact, you won’t be able to reforge it without incurring some huge losses.”
Red nodded. “I understand.”
Although some of his decisions might seem impulsive, he always put a lot of thought behind them. If they turned out to be a mistake later, then he wouldn’t complain. To him, one of the most important parts of cultivation was to learn through trial and error in areas you could afford to experiment. If he shied away from trying new things for fear of failure, what kind of cultivator would he turn out to be?
As Red settled on this decision, he started to work on the schematics for his new artifact.
…
The materials for Red’s formation research arrived in the morning of the next day, along with his payment. These were delivered by the Northvale butler personally, who also used the opportunity to update him on the developments of the city.
Suffice it to say, the chaos after the demonic attack was still ongoing. Citizens cowered in fear of new attacks, and an air of paranoia started to take root in the streets. But the court’s response was swift.
The King himself ordered the city guard and his vassals to spare no expenses in investigating the attack and rooting out any cultists, leaving no room for protest. The result was that many hidden demonic cells were already discovered on the first day of operations, which left the entire city even more apprehensive. Red didn’t know if among these people were any of his “acquaintances” from the Nine-Star Cult, but he assumed this was not the case, since there would be a far larger commotion if that happened.
This news made him apprehensive, though, as his sudden appearance in the city a few months ago could have made him a target for investigation. But that didn’t come to pass, at least not yet. Red assumed this might have been because of the interference of Duke Northvale himself, or perhaps of some influential members of the Nine-Star Cult. The former would protect him because of his previous service, while the latter would protect him so he wouldn’t reveal the identity of their cult members.
It was hard to tell, and no answer was forthcoming.
Over the next week, Red remained in his manor researching the formation, but the butler kept him updated on events. The investigations hadn’t ended yet, and they would probably continue for many more months, but they weren’t able to find any more cult gatherings. Those they found previously were composed of low-ranked members, and didn’t yield useful information for the court. This only angered the King further, who redoubled the investigation efforts.
An unintended consequence of this was that the civil unrest and political intrigue brewing under the surface of the city took a backseat to this demonic issue, and the capital saw a period of unexpected peace. Neither the Golden Hand merchants nor the nobles dared to anger the King at this moment.
There were also news about the sewers. The specifics of what happened underground weren’t exposed to the public, but the number of vagrant casualties there had far surpassed the deaths on the surface. The corruption also became an issue, and a huge section of the sewers was sealed for purification.
It would take more than a year to make the place safe again.
Learning all these matters made Red more resolved to remain in seclusion for now. Soon, his research was done, and he delivered the results to the butler, who told him the investigation into this could also take a while.
With no other pressing matter, Red’s attention returned to forging his artifact.
First, he realized he needed more black iron ore, as the amount in his shortsword wouldn’t be enough to forge a claymore. To buy more ore, he needed more money. Just a small piece of this ore could go for over 10 spirit stones, and Red needed at least four more from his calculations. This was a substantial amount.
So it was that Red drew more talismans and formations for selling. This time, the entire process was much faster, and he accumulated a substantial stock in less than a week, a speed unheard of for most arcane scripture masters. This was possible because of his superior stamina, but also because of his talent.
Red was improving at an astonishing rate.
‘I feel as if I can try something more complex soon.’
Putting these thoughts aside, he focused back on his forging plans. He needed to sell his merchandise, but he didn’t feel confident reopening his store, as he didn’t want to attract attention to himself right now. His only option was to search for a direct buyer.
Red pulled out a communication talisman and activated it.
“I wish to sell talismans,” he said.
It took ten seconds before a reply came.
“Master Viran!” Marina, the merchant’s daughter and Leon’s friend, responded. “You know, I was thinking have some products I wished to show you! How about we meet at my store?”
Red thought to himself for a while before responded.
“I’ll be there soon.”
After arranging his manor, he left for Lehmann’s Traders.
The streets of the city were uncharacteristically empty, and there were guards stationed at almost every corner. Red received quite a few unfriendly gazes as he made his way to the trade district, but no one tried to stop him.
When he arrived, a lot of large stores were closed, but Lehmann’s Traders stood open, bustling with movement in an otherwise quiet district. At the entrance, the attendant Lena was waiting for him with a smile.
“Master Viran,” she bowed. “There was no need to come here on foot. Next time, we can arrange a carriage to pick you up.”
Red was about to brush her offer off instinctually, but then he paused. Was walking around in plain sight in the city a good idea?
“Very well,” he nodded. “I would like to hire a personal carriage.”
“Uh,” Lena seemed surprised. “W-Well, we don’t really provide this kind of service but… I’m sure we can arrange something for you. In any case, please come in! Lady Marina is waiting for you on the second floor.”
As Red walked inside, he saw a lot of customers being attended to by other employees - far more than the last time he came here.
“A lot of people are looking to buy items to arm themselves,” Elena said, noticing his wandering gaze. “The news about demonic cultists hiding in the city has everyone on edge, so portable items like talismans are a hot commodity right now.”
She gave Red a meaningful smile, but he didn’t respond. They went up the stairs, and he was led to the same ornate room he met Marina at the last the time. The woman stood up from her cushion seat when she saw him arrive, a wide smile plastering her fox-like expression as she waved the fan in greeting.
“Master Viran, how good it is to see you!” She pointed at the cushion across from him. “Please, sit down!”
Red still didn’t like this kind of ceremony, but he had learned it was more trouble than it was worth to complain about it. Elena also sat by the side, waiting for her mistress’ orders.
“Would you like some tea?” Marina asked, pointing at the teapot set on the low table between them.
Red was about to refuse, but the woman cut him off.
“Ah, before you refuse,” she set her fan aside and held the teapot. “Please, sense this aroma first!”
She removed the lid, and a faint mist rose from inside the teapot. As soon as it entered Red’s nostrils, he froze. A feeling of refreshment came over him, but above that, he felt strands of Spiritual Energy stimulating his veins.
He looked at the brownish liquid inside the teapot in surprise. “What is that?”
“Spiritual Tea,” Marina said. “More specifically, Black Mourning tea. It’s from a plant that only grows in the Skycrown mountains, and cultivators from the Crystal Sky Sect drink this daily. It is not as effective as a pill, but it still has wondrous effects on the cultivation of Lesser Ring Realm practitioners,” she smiled. “So, would you like a cup?”
Red thought to himself for a few seconds, but saw no reason to deny it. He nodded.
“Great!” Marina looked at Elena. “Please, pour us two cups.”
The attendant did as instructed. Soon, two cups of the black tea were set in front of them. Red, however, waited until Marina had taken the first sip. After nothing happened to the woman, he lifted his mask ever so slightly, still hiding his face but uncovering his mouth to drink.
Red was never one for taste, but this tea was by far the best thing he had ever consumed. All the fatigue from his body was dispelled, and gentle strands of Spiritual Energy entered his body, being assimilated by his Spiritual Sea without issues. He waited a few seconds to see if any adverse effects came from that small sip, but after nothing happened, he drank up the rest without hesitation.
Marina laughed once she saw this. “Another cup?”
Red didn’t hesitate to accept. A few minutes later, he had drank the rest of the tea, and felt the Spiritual Energy in his Spiritual Sea had increased substantially.
‘If I could drink this kind of tea every day, I would reach the middle stage of the Lesser Ring Realm in less than a month.’
It was a ludicrous thought to think that sect cultivators drank this kind of tea every day. It was no wonder they advanced their cultivation so quickly.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Marina asked. “If you’d like, you can have a bag of this tea.”
“How much?” he asked.
“No cost, it’s a gift!”
Red frowned, suspicion coming to him.
Marina seemed to guess his thoughts and laughed. “No need to be suspicious, Master Viran. Merchants should ingratiate themselves with experts to form friendly relationships. That way, these experts would be more compelled to conduct business with them.”
“Are you supposed to be telling me this?”
“I’ve learned from our last interaction that you do not appreciate the formalities and hidden intentions that plague the trade business, so I am trying to be respectful and direct with you on these matters,” she said. “Besides, you did help Leon, did you not?”
Red paused, looking at Elena from the corner of his eyes.
“No need to worry about her,” Marina said with a smile. “She’s as loyal as they come, and she knows a lot about my dealings with Young Master Leon already.”
Red was still hesitant to speak about these matters in front of strangers, but if Elena already knew about it, there was no point in him avoiding the topic.
Marina flicked her fan open and sighed. “In any case, I don’t mean to hold you here for longer than necessary. May I see the talismans?”
Red nodded and pulled out two boxes from his bag. On one of them were about thirty basic talismans, while on the other there were formation plates for a small shielding formation. The woman’s eyes lit up as she examined them.
“Bring me my magnifier!” She barked orders at Elena.
The attendant handed her a strange glass instrument, which Marina used to examine the talismans and formation plates. A few minutes went by before she laughed in delight.
“Fantastic! Truly great products!” She looked back at Red. “How much do you want for them?”
“I don’t have a set price. Just tell me how much they’re worth,” Red said.
“Well, all together, the price should be around forty-five spirit stones, but since the demand for these kinds of items has increased… I can offer you fifty spirit stones!”
This was more than Red had been expecting. With just a week's worth of work, he had earned more money than most Lesser Ring Realm cultivators would see in their entire lives.
“Is that to your satisfaction?” Marina asked.
“It is,” Red nodded. “But before we settle on anything, I would like to see if you have any black iron ore available.”
“Black iron ore?” This time, she frowned. “We have some, but… The prices are higher than usual because of everything that’s happening in the city, and we have only about a dozen left in the storage.”
He wasn’t surprised to hear this. “How much for a nugget?”
“Thirteen spirit stones.”
At this, Red fell silent in thought. With fifty spirit stones from the sales and a few more he had in reserve, he could pay for four nuggets, but this wasn’t a cheap amount at all. It would use up almost all his savings. Still, he was quick to arrive at his decision.
“I will take four,” Red said, pulling out two spirit stones out of his pouch.
Marina nodded and instructed Elena to bring the nuggets. Then she looked back at him with an inquisitive gaze.
“I assume you mean to forge an artifact, Master Viran?”
Red nodded. It wasn’t a surprise she could guess this, since this was the primary use of black iron ore.
“Then do you have a Spiritual Forge to use?” She asked.
“Not yet.”
This was something Red meant to procure next. A normal forge wouldn’t suffice to craft an artifact, and he would need a Spiritual Forge that could infuse Spiritual Energy into the final product. Such forges had special equipment and formations to make that possible, and often they needed to be built on special places to maximize the effect.
However, as he said this, Marina looked at him with a strange gaze.
“Are there no Spiritual Forges in the city?” he asked.
He thought it should have been possible to rent one for use.
“No, Master Viran, there are a few,” Marina said. “The palace and the Golden Hand headquarters have one.”
Red frowned as he heard this. He knew that Spiritual Forges were rare, but there were just two of them in the entire capital?
“How much is it to rent them?”
“That is another thing,” the woman said. “They aren’t renting these forges to outsiders anymore.”
This was a major problem.
