Chapter 59
Chapter 59
Translator: Penny
Chapter 59
Fortuitous Encounter (2)
Outside, swords, sword guards, and protective vests were displayed in groups of dozens, each type neatly arranged together. The protective vests were stacked in particular. This didn't mean they were cheap; their quality far surpassed what was typically found in blacksmith shops.
I picked out the best-looking sword among them, intending to give it to Gwangdu.
"How much is this?"
"Oh! You have quite an eye."
The old man knew that the sword I'd chosen was the finest among those displayed outside.
"Six thousand taels. To be honest, this sword could easily be displayed inside."
"There's damage to the hilt and scabbard."
"You've noticed well. That's why it had to be put out here."
Otherwise, it could have fetched ten thousand taels.
It wasn't quite a Treasure Saber, but its quality was too fine to be considered an ordinary saber. It was perfect for Gwangdu. With his current skill level, he couldn't handle anything better.
"I'll take this."
"A most wise decision."
Next, I selected a sword for Gwanhwi. As before, it was the best-made sword on display.
The price was two thousand taels.
The old man's eyes widened. "Are you perhaps from the Blacksmith shop?"
Finding it too troublesome to explain, I simply nodded.
"Ah, I see! No wonder you have such discerning taste when it comes to selecting swords!"
He glanced again at the sword at my waist, as if regretting his earlier comment about it being shabby. His expression suggested he wanted me to draw it and prove its quality, but I had no intention of confirming his suspicions.
Just as I was about to leave after buying the sword and the do, something in the distance caught my eye.
"What is that?"
A row of objects stood in a corner display. As I approached, I saw they were small wooden martial artist dolls, about the size of a finger. They were old and worn, with chipped paint making them look rather unsightly. Yet strangely, they drew my gaze.
Each doll was posed in a different stance. One had its fist thrust forward, another was kicking, another had its shoulder extended, and yet another was striking backward with its back.
There were no dolls with soldier badges. At first glance, they seemed to be practicing Fist Arts, but unlike typical Fist Arts that primarily used fists, these dolls utilized every part of their bodies.
The dolls gave off an eerie feeling. Counting them, there were thirty-three in total.
"Are these for sale?"
"Of course. I wouldn't keep anything unsellable in my shop."
"How much?"
"I don't sell them individually. The entire set is two thousand taels."
Startled, I turned to look at the old man.
"These dolls are one-of-a-kind. You won't find them anywhere else in the Black Market. I've been selling in the Black Market my whole life, and I've never seen anything like them before."
"I'll buy them."
"Really?" The old man was astonished.
"No one has ever offered two thousand taels for this doll."
Treasure Swords and Elixirs traded for tens of thousands of taels, but their exorbitant prices stemmed from their inherent value as magical artifacts and weapons—the most prized possessions for martial artists. In truth, two thousand taels was an immense sum.
"Every journey begins with a first step."
Despite the sale, the old man wore a strangely disappointed expression. He revealed his true feelings:
"To be honest, I never wanted to sell this. Seeing it displayed up there always gave me a strange sense of satisfaction. That's why I priced it so high, hoping no one would buy it. But since you've taken it, consider the two thousand taels compensation for my regret."
The old man was mistaken. I turned to look at him in surprise because I thought his price was too low.
The value I perceived was far greater than that. I might have even paid five thousand taels, or perhaps even ten thousand taels, for these dolls. The moment I saw them, I was irresistibly drawn to them.
If pressed for a reason, I would say it was because the poses of the dolls were extraordinary. They weren't just randomly created movements. They stirred in me a strong desire to study them in detail.
"Well, if I'm going to sell them, I should do it properly, shouldn't I?"
The old man brought over a box and carefully placed the dolls inside. It was a custom-made box, clearly designed specifically for these dolls.
The box was divided into thirty-three compartments, matching the number of dolls.
The old man placed the dolls into the box.
I took the box and paid the old man. The sword and dagger cost eight thousand taels, and the dolls cost two thousand taels. After paying a total of ten thousand taels, I left the Black Market.
"Please come again."
"I will."
"If you want to sell the dolls later, bring them back. I'll buy them at the same price."
I agreed, but I didn't think that would happen.
Although I couldn't buy the elixir I wanted, I felt strangely proud. I had bought Gwangdu and Gwanhwi's swords, and I especially felt like I had made a good deal on the dolls.
With the remaining money, I visited the financial houses.
I distributed the funds among the Three Great Financial Houses of the Central Plains: Continental Bank, Central Plains Financial House, and Wind and Cloud Financial House.
It was a staggering 190,000 taels of money.
Once elixirs reappeared in the Black Market, I would buy them and invest in my family and the Sword Guard.
Though I'm not someone who usually dwells on money, I felt elated. I think I finally understood what it means to feel so full you don't even want to eat.
In this good mood, I returned home.
I wanted to share this good mood with others.
I summoned Gwangdu and Gwanhwi to the same place.
Gwanhwi, who had rushed over after training, was tense, wondering what was going on.
I handed a sword to each of them.
Gwanhwi, holding the sword, asked, "What kind of sword is this?"
"From now on, it's your sword."
"Huh?"
Gwanhwi's eyes widened in surprise. His genuine astonishment at what he'd heard touched me deeply.
"Thank you for your hard work so far. I look forward to working with you in the future."
"Captain!"
"It's not some extraordinary sword, so don't feel burdened—just use it."
"May I draw it once?"
His voice trembled with emotion.
"Of course."
With a look of profound gratitude, Gwanhwi drew the sword.
Shing!
Even the sound as it left its sheath was different.
"Aaaaaah!"
Joy radiated across his face.
"I've never seen such a magnificent sword before!"
No wonder. Most Martial Artists could only afford swords costing a few tens of taels. Even a really good sword would typically cost a few hundred taels at most.
But this sword cost two thousand taels—how wonderful it must feel, and how overwhelming the gratitude!
"Thank you so much, Captain!"
He wouldn't have been this ecstatic over any other gift. But Gwanhwi was pouring his entire being into becoming stronger. These days, even a dream about martial arts could make him bolt upright and rush to the training ground.
His usually gruff personality made his delight all the more obvious.
After Gwanhwi withdrew, the Captain turned to Gwangdu, who stood beside him.
"You don't seem particularly pleased."
"How could I not be pleased? Squad Leader Gwan was so overjoyed that I simply stood back and watched. How frustrating—it was snatched right out of my grasp!"
How could that be? The Captain thought. It's not as if you didn't know how to share in his joy.
Gwangdu had yielded to Gwanhwi. He was bursting with joy and wanted me to share in his delight. If I had shown my own genuine happiness alongside his, it would have diminished his joy.
This is the kind of person Gwangdu is. This is why I like him.
Finally, Gwangdu drew the sword and held it aloft.
"It looks... decent enough."
Though he stood with his back to me, his reflection shone on the blade's edge. Despite his indifferent tone, his face looked as if it might burst into tears at any moment. This sword was incomparably superior to the one he had received last time.
"It doesn't seem very good. Then bring it here. There are several kids in the Minor Sword Guard who use swords."
When I approached to take the sword, Gwangdu startled and fled.
"You can't even take a joke? This is the best! Ah, it's truly an exceptional sword."
Gwangdu wore a genuinely rapturous expression. Now that he had learned some martial arts, standing with a sword suited him perfectly.
"You said the sword I gave you before was the best, right?"
"But this one is more expensive, isn't it?"
"Much more."
"Then this must be the best."
"Hahaha!"
Putting aside his playful mood, Gwangdu looked at me. The infinite admiration in his eyes was almost overwhelming.
"It seems I assisted the Young Master in saving the Martial Arts World in his previous life."
"I see."
He said that, but I didn't believe it.
It must be that I saved the Martial Arts World in my previous life and that's how I met you.
Gwangdu smirked confidently and asked, "Still... mine is better than Squad Leader Gwan's, right?"
"Who knows?"
"Tell me! How much more expensive is it? Fifty taels? A hundred taels?"
I never told him, and Gwangdu spent the rest of the day pestering me, unable to contain his curiosity.
His was three times more expensive. It would have been nice to tell him, but the fun of teasing him was far more satisfying.
That night, I found myself in a mountain cave.
This was my sanctuary, a place I always came to when I needed solitude or to attend to important matters. Today, I had come here because of a doll I had purchased from the Black Market.
It was a doll that cost a staggering two thousand taels.
I placed the dolls on a flat rock outside the cave. Under the moonlight, the row of dolls practicing martial arts looked strangely mystical.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed the dolls were somewhat crude and rough-hewn. They likely hadn't been crafted by a professional doll-maker.
This was probably another reason why the doll hadn't sold for its exorbitant price.
Yet, I found myself even more excited.
If that was the case, this doll might have been carved by a martial artist who knew forms.
As if to prove this point, the angles and directions of the extended fists and feet were remarkably precise. This was no crude, haphazard creation.
I examined each doll in turn.
They clearly represented specific martial arts forms.
I attempted to replicate several of the postures exactly.
A realization struck me. These dolls had been crafted by someone with genuine martial arts expertise!
Had these been sword forms, I would have immediately recognized them. But this was an entirely new martial art, making identification difficult.
Still, I had once trained in the World-Shaking Wind God Fist of the Fist King, even if I only reached the Fifth Stage before abandoning it. My body had tasted the essence of supreme fist arts.
I experimented with rearranging the sequence of movements, trying to deduce the form.
Even if there were subsequent movements, it was impossible to tell just by looking whether they were strikes downward or upward. Without a secret manual, deducing the forms solely from the doll's appearance was nearly impossible.
Still, I continued my research, experimenting with different sequences. It felt like solving an incredibly complex puzzle.
This wasn't ordinary fist arts. It was a martial art that transformed traditional techniques, using not just fists and feet, but also the back of the hand, elbows, knees, shoulders, and back—truly utilizing the entire body.
That's why there were so many confusing parts. I had never experienced anything like this before.
Still, I calmly studied the movements. Even though this was a completely new martial art, I had the achievements of my past life's martial arts attainment to rely on.
I tried this way, then that way, repeating the movements over and over.
Calmly, and with unwavering perseverance.
When the morning sun rose, I received a reward that only those who never give up can obtain: I had deciphered the forms the dolls were performing.
Five forms.
These thirty-three dolls were continuously executing the five forms in sequence. The movements were both highly practical and remarkably elegant. I could tell just by observing their stances once.
But without knowing the cultivation method behind them, I couldn't gauge their true power.
Just how immense must their power be for someone to have created these dolls and left them behind? If I ever get the chance, I might be able to properly unleash these forms.
I placed the dolls back into the box.
Wanting to properly organize them, I arranged them in the order of the forms.
As I placed the thirty-third doll into its slot,
there was a click, and the bottom of the box opened.
A thin, almost hidden drawer sprang out.
I realized then: the secret drawer was designed to appear only when the dolls were placed in the exact order of the forms.
This box contained a truly remarkable mechanism.
Inside was a single folded sheet of paper, so old it seemed it might crumble at any moment.
Carefully unfolding it, I found a single line written on it:
Tianmen Mountain, Immortal Crane Peak.
Tianmen Mountain was located in Hubei Province. Wuhan, the headquarters of the Martial Arts Alliance, was not far from Tianmen Mountain, so I was well-acquainted with it. In fact, I had even visited it during my youth, when I wandered the Central Plains, sparring with various masters.
Tianmen Mountain was renowned for its treacherous terrain. If I remembered correctly, Immortal Crane Peak was its main summit.
Why would this doll box, of all things, contain such a cryptic reference to Tianmen Mountain's Immortal Crane Peak? Was there a secret manual that revealed the full extent of this martial art? Or was there something else at play? Did the doll's gaze capture mine because of this mysterious fate?
I wouldn't know until I went there myself.