"How… how is this even possible?" Zhao Xue whispered, her expression one of disbelief as she watched the transaction unfold before her.
"Elder, I would also like three bottles of high-level healing pills and three bottles of high-level blood recovery pills," Long Huang continued, his focus unwavering as he added to his purchase.
"That would be 1000 gold notes extra, bringing the total to 7000 gold notes," said the elder, his voice a bit shaken as this was the first time he had seen an official disciple spend so much money.
"No problem," said Long Huang as he handed over another stack of gold notes.
Seeing him casually spend another thousand gold notes without a second thought, whispers began to circulate among the other disciples.
"He purchased those pills without even inquiring about the prices."
"Exactly! He only picked up the herbs list, so there's no way he knew the costs of those pills."
Disciples in the pavilion said in admiration. After concluding his purchase, Long Huang turned and waved at Zhao Xue as he left. She forced a smile, avoiding his gaze, her feelings a mix of admiration and frustration.
"Tsk… such a show-off," Chi Wei muttered under his breath, envy evident in his voice as he watched Long Huang walk away.
As Long Huang walked away from the medicine pavilion, the crisp sect air filled his lungs, invigorating him as he thought on what to buy next. Through the recent battles, he had understood that to survive, he would need more than just his fists.
'Oh, yes, I need to buy a bow,' Long Huang thought.
Over the past two months, he had often found himself dispatching foes from afar using branches, but sometimes he would miss, or the target was too far. A proper bow would give him the accuracy and reach he lacked.
And with that thought, he headed to the sect's weapon pavilion. After arriving at the pavilion, he stopped, sensing a powerful killing intent radiating from the weapon pavilion, causing him to unconsciously also emit his own killing intent.
After entering the pavilion, Long Huang immediately started to look for a bow.
His eyes scanned through the weapons before locking onto a silver longbow way to the back. Its surface gleamed like moonlight on still water.
The weapon exuded a chilling aura, yet there was a deep serenity about it, as if it had been forged not only for destruction but for a perfect harmony between the wielder and the arrow.
"How much for that bow?" Long Huang asked, his voice steady.
"That bow is....."
"Just tell me the price."
The elder, a shrewd old man with sharp eyes, appraised him for a moment before smiling.
"You have excellent taste! This is the 'Mysterious Silver Bow,' one of the finest weapons available and a high-tier, profound grade weapon at that."
"Its price is two thousand and eighty gold notes."
Though the elder doubted that this young man could afford such a luxury, he maintained his professionalism.
Long Huang didn't hesitate. "Two thousand and eighty gold notes? That's reasonable. I'll take it."
It was clear that the Mysterious Silver Bow was crafted from rare, high-grade materials, and its power far surpassed that of his arms when hurling tree branches.
Properly wielding it required the strength of at least the Meridian Tempering Realm, a threshold that Long Huang had recently crossed.
The elder blinked in surprise. "Are you certain you wish to purchase it…?"
Without a word, Long Huang stacked a neat pile of gold notes on the counter and pushed them forward.
"I don't have time to waste. Prepare the bow," said Long Huang with an annoyed expression.
The elder's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe someone was spending over a thousand gold notes as if drinking water.
"Of....Of course!" the elder stammered, quickly retrieving the bow and placing it in an intricately ebony quiver.
"Would you like arrows as well?" he added.
"Price?"
"I have high-grade ones for three silver each. The arrow tips are coated with poison from a black-toothed viper, which is famously known for its deadly poison."
Long Huang nodded. "Give me a hundred thank you."
"At once, at once!" the elder stammered, scrambling to get the arrows.
The transaction was swift. With the Mysterious Silver Bow slung across his back and a quiver of fine arrows at his side, Long Huang stepped out of the pavilion, his mind already racing toward his next destination — the western mountains, his home.
But before he could take more than a few steps, a voice called out behind him.
"Young master, that bow… it has a powerful history."
Long Huang turned to see the elderly man leaning against the doorway, his eyes sharp despite his aged appearance.
"What do you mean?" Long Huang asked. The old man smiled faintly before speaking.
"It's said only one skilled in archery with a certain bloodline can unleash its full potential. It was once wielded by a master archer who ventured deep into the Archdevil Mountain Range… and never returned, but the bow did."
"Some even say the bow is cursed."
A flicker of intrigue danced in Long Huang's eyes. Just as Long Huang was about to question the old man for more information, he vanished into thin air.
Long Huang raised an eyebrow, a mixture of confusion and curiosity washing over him.
"That's not weird, yep, not weird at all," he muttered to himself as he turned, not daring to look back.
But as Long Huang strode away from the weapon pavilion, something gnawed at him, a whisper of instinct, a feeling that something was missing.
"A bow grants me range. I have the Archdevil Limitless Blade Art, but that's more of a trump card."
Performing the Archdevil Limitless Blade Art demanded a great deal of his stamina and was too violent and excessive in just a spar.
His time in the forest had taught him the value of versatility. He had relied on his fists and raw strength, but against a true master or a demon beast with an impenetrable defense, he would need more.
He stopped mid-stride and turned on his heel, marching back toward the weapon pavilion, his head down. As he stepped in, the elder looked up in surprise.
"Young master? Did you forget something?"
Long Huang's gaze swept over the weapons once more, this time settling on a long, slender sword resting on a blackwood stand. Its edge gleamed with a cold light, and its hilt was wrapped in dark serpent leather, exuding an aura of quiet lethality.
"That one."
The elder followed his gaze and nodded approvingly.
"Ah, another good choice, young master."
"This sword is the Frostbite Serpent Sword, forged from glacial iron and tempered with the venom of an Ice-fang Wyrm. It's a low-tier, profound grade weapon," the elder said as he handed the sword to Long Huang.
"When infused with Qi, it.... "
"Yeah, yeah, spare me the details..." waved Long Huang dismissively while reaching out and gripping the sword's hilt. The moment his fingers closed around it, a faint pulse of icy energy gushed out, as if testing him.
'Good. A weapon with a bit of spunk,' thought Long Huang.
"How much?"
The elder stroked his beard. "One thousand gold notes and 60 silver coins."
Without hesitation, Long Huang produced the coins. The elder's eyebrows rose, but he said nothing, simply accepting the payment.
With the Frostbite Serpent Sword now sheathed at his waist, Long Huang turned to leave, but then paused to ask the elder if he knew the old man from outside, but decided against it so as not to look crazy.
After leaving the pavilion, Long Huang couldn't help but admire the beautiful sword he had just bought. And as he admired it, he realized he didn't have a sword combat art.
Even though he had the Archdevil Limitless Blade Art, it was made specifically for dual blades, so that wouldn't work.
"So, to the Martial Pavilion," Long Huang said with a bit of excitement as he would get two brag and meet brother Fu again.
After arriving at the martial pavilion, Long Huang walked towards the desk, expecting to see the elder, to rub his achievements in the elder's face, but as he got closer, he found a young man sitting at the desk.
"Where's the elder?" Long Huang asked curiously.
"Out," responded the young man.
"What about Fu Heng?"
"Out too."
"Damn him too."
The attendant with sharp eyes glanced at him and said,
"Looking for something specific?"
"Sword arts, something lethal." Long Huang replied.
The attendant smirked. "We have many. What's your preference? Swift strikes? Heavy slashes? Or something… more esoteric?"
Long Huang's fingers brushed the hilt of his new sword. "Something that can kill in one move."
The attendant's smirk widened. He reached beneath the counter and produced a jade slip, its surface etched with faint, glowing characters.
"The Phantom Fang Sword Art."
"A low-level black-grade combat art," the attendant explained. "It's swift as a viper's bite, leaving no room for counterattack. The downside? It consumes a great deal of Qi. One missed strike, and you're vulnerable."
"Qi, I'm only at the Body Tempering Realm senior."
"Oh, I thought you were in the Qi Converging Realm," replied the attendant as he looked at Long Huang's sword.
"You can still perform the first three moves of the sword art, but it won't be as lethal."
"Can I see it before I make my choice?"
"Sure, no problem."
Long Huang took the jade slip, his mind already envisioning the movements. Though it was too high-level a combat art currently, with the rate he was progressing, it wouldn't matter.
"How many gold notes?"
"Two thousand."
Long Huang handed over the gold notes, and the attendant picked them up without another word.
As he left the Martial Pavilion, Long Huang felt he had everything he needed. The bow for distance, the sword for close combat, and now, the technique. As he was finally heading home, the sound of clapping rang out.