Chapter 121: Chapter 120: I Want Them All

The Hundred Weapons Pavilion.

Zhuang Bo had gone to inquire about the visit from the Green Mountain Martial Academy disciples, as well as the matter of exchanging for Martial Arts.

So Wu Chen was left to wander the Hundred Weapons Pavilion by himself.

Having been here once before, he moved with a great deal of familiarity.

A dozen or so disciples were bustling about inside, wiping dust from the shelves and restocking items that had been exchanged for.

All items brought into the pavilion had undergone meticulous inspection by the Elders.

Therefore, there was no chance of some bizarre occurrence, like finding a piece of iron ore engraved with cryptic symbols that turned out to be an ancient Martial Arts technique.

Of course, Wu Chen wasn’t pinning his hopes on such illusory fantasies anyway.

After a quick glance around the first floor, Wu Chen headed straight for the second floor of the Hundred Weapons Pavilion.

The first floor was filled with finished weapons of no great value, suitable for disciples who had just passed their examinations to become Inner Sect Disciples.

The second floor was where he would find items he needed—items befitting his status.

He stopped before a shelf in a corner of the second floor, his figure blurred by the dazzling, kaleidoscopic light that surrounded him.

Although he had already planned what he wanted before arriving, Wu Chen couldn’t help but pause in front of these glowing stones.

’As expected, once people get a bit of money, their tastes change. They start to like gaudy, impractical things.’

After lingering for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, he gazed at the gracefully shimmering Fluorite, shook his head, and finally chose to walk away.

He called them gaudy and impractical, but that wasn’t entirely true.

When drawn, a blade that shimmered with light would visibly attract the attention of most demonic beings in a fight, making them feel insulted and swarm toward him.

In short: it would draw aggro.

But the two-hundred-Contribution-Point price tag made Wu Chen decide to hold off on the purchase in favor of items that would provide a more important and direct boost to his strength.

"Ink Steel, three hundred sixty-two Contribution Points."

Wu Chen came to a stop before a counter in another corner of the second floor.

Before him, under a transparent glass cover, lay a black stone about two feet long and as thick as a bowl.

A placard displayed its name, along with a description of this "Ink Steel."

’Primary material for forging Tier One weapons.’

Wu Chen nodded, knowing this was what he was looking for.

However, he wasn’t sure about the grade and materials of the weapon he currently carried, or whether it required a better or more suitable material for an upgrade.

Completely clueless about Artifact Refining, he looked at the disciple behind the counter and handed over his weapon.

"Senior Sister, what grade of weapon is this blade? Is it worth reforging it with this Ink Steel?"

At the sound of his voice, the Refining Valley disciple’s gaze finally moved away from Wu Chen’s handsome and harmless-looking face.

She took the weapon, sized it up, and smiled. "It’s a high-quality weapon, but not yet tiered. It’s perfectly suited for an upgrade using this Ink Steel, Junior Brother."

Wu Chen nodded and immediately purchased the Ink Steel, having the disciple move it to the first floor to be paid for with his other items later.

With the weapon-forging materials taken care of, next on his list were the defensive Soft Armor he planned to wear and a storage bag.

’I’ll need to save some Contribution Points for the forging process. That certainly won’t be free.’

After all, the fact that both male and female disciples in Refining Valley were all sturdily built showed that this was an extremely physically demanding and tedious job.

Wu Chen would have felt embarrassed to expect such heavy labor for free.

He arrived on the third floor.

The upper-body Soft Armor he had seen before—valued at five hundred thirty Contribution Points, coppery-red in color, and covered in fine, fish-like scales—was lying quietly in its display case.

Its steep price had daunted many a disciple.

’Tier One Red Scale Soft Armor, Upper Body.’

Wu Chen’s gaze shifted to the side, where another item was displayed:

’Tier One Red Phosphorus Soft Armor, Lower Body.’

’Protect the big head, or the small one... A question worth pondering.’

Perhaps because it used more material and had more folds, the lower-body Soft Armor was priced at a staggering five hundred eighty Contribution Points, almost as much as the most expensive storage bag.

"They’ve really got me where it hurts..."

"But I choose to have it all!" Wu Chen decided to purchase both pieces and armor himself from head to toe.

Though he hadn’t been injured to date, it was always better to be safe than sorry.

After selecting the Soft Armor, Wu Chen moved on to the storage bag display case.

As if suffering from inventory-space anxiety, he was particularly fond of the treasure that was the storage bag.

Approaching the case, Wu Chen saw that the shelf had been restocked to five storage bags. Arranged from left to right, the required Contribution Points increased along with the interior space.

This time, however, the most expensive one was only five hundred Contribution Points and didn’t include the preservation and anti-rot function; it was just a normal storage bag.

’It seems the type of storage bag I got last time was one of the best in the Hundred Weapons Pavilion.’

’The fact that they haven’t put out another one means Refining Valley doesn’t have many in stock. Looks like I got lucky and snagged a rare find.’

’Since there isn’t a preservation bag this time, then...’

’From now on, the preservation bag will be for the heads of high-realm demonic beings, and the normal bag will be for low-realm ones.’

After all, low-realm heads were worth fewer Contribution Points. Even if they rotted to the point of being unrecognizable and couldn’t be exchanged, it wouldn’t be much of a loss.

Wu Chen did a quick mental calculation of the items he had just bought to see how many Contribution Points he would have left.

’I need to keep a hundred Contribution Points for forging the weapon, so I’ll just grab the four-hundred-point storage bag for now to tide me over.’

With that, Wu Chen finished selecting his items at the Hundred Weapons Pavilion.

A piece of Ink Steel, a full set of Soft Armor, and a storage bag.

After having his Contribution Points deducted by the Elder on the first floor, he sat on a stone bench outside the pavilion to wait for Zhuang Bo’s return.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a figure rushed over, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind.

It was Zhuang Bo.

"Younger Brother Wu, I found him. The guy’s name is Yao Dong, and he’s the personal disciple of an Elder from the Green Mountain Martial Academy."

As soon as he arrived, Zhuang Bo told Wu Chen the background of the man who had called out his name earlier.

"Yao Dong? Green Mountain Martial Academy? An Elder’s personal disciple?" The more he heard, the more confused Wu Chen became.

Of the four major sects, he had only ever been to Refining Valley. He’d had no contact with the other three.

Why would a personal disciple from Green Mountain Martial Academy suddenly appear, travel all the way to Refining Valley, just to tell him to be careful?

’It’s like he has a screw loose.’

But Wu Chen felt the man wouldn’t have sought him out for no reason. There had to be some convoluted story behind it.

He frowned and asked, "Senior Brother Zhuang, is there any other information about him?"

"Yes."

Zhuang Bo nodded. "The guy opened a martial arts hall in Mountain Mist City called the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall. You could say he comes from a well-to-do family."

Hearing "Liuhe Martial Arts Hall," Wu Chen suddenly understood why Yao Dong had sought him out.

He recalled the behavior of the young lady of the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall that day, and the expression on her elders’ faces when he produced his Refining Valley Jade Pendant.

Combined with Zhuang Bo’s comment about a "well-to-do family," Wu Chen had pieced most of it together.

He guessed that the young lady with the severed arm hadn’t given up. She must have found out his name behind her elders’ backs and contacted her brother at the Green Mountain Martial Academy, wanting him to avenge her lost arm.

As it turned out, by sheer coincidence, he and this Yao Dong had arrived at Refining Valley one after the other today.

Yao Dong’s purpose in coming here must have been to openly avenge his sister; otherwise, he wouldn’t have shouted so loudly.

As for why his threat had turned into a warning to be careful, it was undoubtedly because of all the heads on the ground.

’Damn it all. Her own grandfather was the one who cut off her arm, so what’s the deal with seeking revenge on me?’

Wu Chen was speechless, but he had no intention of going to the Green Mountain Martial Academy to demand an explanation.

If Yao Dong lacked the courage to seek justice for his sister today, he would never have the chance again.

"What’s wrong? From the looks of it, do you really have a grudge with this Yao Dong?" Zhuang Bo asked, his curiosity piqued as he watched Wu Chen lost in thought.

"It’s nothing serious."

Wu Chen briefly explained how he had tried to learn Martial Arts at the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall, been rejected, and how they had later picked a fight with him.

Only then did Zhuang Bo understand the full story and the reason for Yao Dong’s visit to Refining Valley.

He chuckled. "That guy is really courting death."

"Oh, right, Senior Brother Zhuang."

Wu Chen quickly put the matter out of his mind and turned to the other issue he had asked Zhuang Bo to inquire about.

"Regarding the exchange of Martial Arts, what did the Elder of the Arsenal say?"

When asked about this, Zhuang Bo sighed, shrugged, and gave a helpless look.

The answer was obvious.

He had expected to see disappointment on Wu Chen’s face but found that Wu Chen seemed to have already known the answer, his expression calm.

Wu Chen, naturally, wasn’t too bothered. If he could exchange for it, he would activate Deep Red.

If not, he would just find another way.

What was the point of wallowing in self-pity or arguing with people?

Besides, Martial Arts contained a sect’s signature techniques. To those who roamed the martial world, it represented the sect’s face and would not be taught to outsiders lightly.

If it were used to kill someone, it would create an inextricable link.

For instance, if he were to draw his blade right now and use a move from the Ghost Howl Blade Technique, the Elders of the Refining Valley’s Law Enforcement Hall, along with thousands of Inner Sect Disciples, would probably swarm him immediately.

At that point, if he claimed he wasn’t a disciple of the Blood Slaughter Sect, who would believe him?

"Since that’s the case, I’ll have to trouble you again, Senior Brother Zhuang."

Wu Chen stood up from the stone bench.

"I just exchanged for a piece of Ink Steel to reforge my weapon. Could I ask Senior Brother Zhuang to help me find a weaponsmith in the valley to do the job?"

"A small matter. Follow me."

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