Secret Records of the Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect
Chapter 50 - s: Going to the Market

Chapter 50: 50 Chapters: Going to the Market

"Goodness... I wake up to find Jiuning Mountain wiped out?!"

Xiao Liu, wrapped in bandages and lying in bed, sighed intermittently,

"Yixuhu~~~ such a grand event, and you didn’t call us along, just took you by yourself. Master is so unfair... ouch, ptooey ptooey, it’s burning hot!"

Tie Dan pushed a bowl of medicinal porridge into his mouth,

"Eat it yourself once you can move."

"Hey hey! How can I move? Moving my lips doesn’t count, does it? Feed me, Dan! Dan’er! At least leave the spoon for me, Dan!"

Xiao Liu seemed full of energy, indicating he was indeed on the mend. Missing a meal probably wouldn’t starve him.

So Tie Dan couldn’t be bothered with him anymore and went down the mountain to practice swordplay by himself.

Counting from the time they left the Spirit Communication Secret Realm, two months had passed. The nearby enemies seemed temporarily wiped out, and the injuries of the two disciples were gradually healing. Tie Dan was also advancing in cultivation; the many cunning tricks of the Killing Sword were enough for him to ponder over for a while.

So Chen Huzi went on another long journey.

Ah, there’s also Jian Jia left in Heng Mountain. She had formally bowed and was now officially a disciple of Yanzi Cave. She couldn’t always live under someone else’s roof and would have to be brought back for training sooner or later.

Although this time, by a twist of fate, she escaped unscathed from the calamity of Yanzi Cave, she also missed many opportunities for experience. Whether it was a loss or a gain, only wise people can see it differently.

And truth be told, Tie Dan no longer cared about her now.

With the Beichen Divine Firm Sword Embryo completed and having accumulated so much sword fighting experience, plus mastering the Secret Killing Sword, even if Jian Jia barely reached the Foundation Establishment stage through an Outer Pill, it wouldn’t be challenging to defeat her with one sword strike.

Of course, Tie Dan was not cold-blooded. In consideration of her mother and master, if a fight ensued, he’d spare the mad woman, just cut off her arms, and return her to her mother.

In short, Tie Dan had gained the most from this opportunity. Now, with so many divine skills and secret techniques, his cultivation was advancing rapidly, his swordsmanship becoming more refined. The foundational skills of Divine Gang Sword Qi were a given, and he made significant progress in cultivating Formless Sword Qi.

In fact, to save time while caring for his fellow disciples, Tie Dan even devised a method to conceal the Formless Sword Qi within the Sword Wind, beneath the Sword Shadow. Outwardly, he’d chop trees and hit maple leaves with a sword, but in actuality, he combined the Sword Control Technique, Threading Needle Sword Technique, and Formless Killing Sword, practicing three swords simultaneously: the sword in hand, the sword in the belly, and the shadow sword.

At such a pace, facing an opponent during sword fighting would be equivalent to being hit simultaneously by three members of the Sword Sect. In theory, it should be quite formidable, but Tie Dan hadn’t tested it on anyone, so he just practiced like that for the time being.

However, Tie Dan was still unsatisfied.

After going through life and death trials, he was keenly aware of the shortcomings of his various sword skills.

While the Divine Gang Sword Edge is sharp and can easily dispatch those with insufficient training and weak power, it’s much harder to break the defense of a proper Golden Core Cultivator, especially one with deep inner strength and secret treasures.

And during intense prolonged battles, the shortcomings of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s unstable Dao Body, insufficient realm, thin True Qi, and weak cultivation become particularly evident. Lacking treasures and funds, even getting hit once could result in serious injury or death. Even with Blood Jade Technique and Catfish Rescue, a careless move could mean perishing in vain.

The same logic applies to the routines of the Killing Sword. Despite recent practice, progress in Formless Sword Qi was minimal because the Jidu and Luohou Star Power was too weak. The insufficient sword power could only be used for stealthy assassinations, hidden sword attacks. Once the opponent is on guard, it becomes less effective.

As for the sword in hand, let’s not even mention that.

His Senior Brother’s wooden sword was also broken, and the iron swords from the blacksmith were not very useful. Tie Dan couldn’t inscribe talismans or add symbols, and when faced against Xiao Liu’s Imperial Sword, his sword was simply chopped apart like cutting through mud, essentially useless.

Currently, Tie Dan was using a Magic Sword looted from someone named Wang, but unfortunately, this sword was a sect magic weapon made of stone. It likely required Yuqing Dao Skill to unleash its power and was ultimately a temporary fix.

Sigh, being a Sword Cultivator without a sword in hand meant losing at least seventy percent of his ability. After all, he couldn’t just unleash a belly sword for every small fry he encountered?

"Then buy one,"

Zhou Feng suggested as he plowed and planted medicine,

"It’s about time for a market in the city. You’ve gone through quite a few trials; it’s just right to sell the things you’ve picked up and trade for a handy treasure sword.

I’m currently unable to make long journeys, so I’ll stay and watch over the Mountain Gate, take care of Xiao Liu. You go by yourself, and also bring back some elixir talismans and herbs for the mountain."

Tie Dan, "Market..."

Zhou Feng wondered, "Hasn’t Senior Brother taken you before?"

Tie Dan looked puzzled.

Zhou Feng immediately understood, sighed,

"I thought so, how can going out cause so much trouble? Did he ditch you and went drinking himself?"

Oh, well... at least Senior Brother brought him two buns, didn’t he?

Zhou Feng also shook his head, clapped his hands, went back inside, and brought out an account book,

"Every season, the state mansions and cities host temple fairs and markets. People from nearby villages, merchant caravans from various countries, and even cultivators from the mountains enter the city to trade cultivation resources. As more cultivators gather in those big cities, they occasionally hold magic treasure and elixir auctions."

In the past, we usually went to Liangzhou because it was closer, but now... avoid trouble, start your journey early, go to Jindu City, and follow the Chidao path, you won’t get lost.

This booklet contains records of past transactions at the Liangzhou immortal market, noting the prices of elixir materials and hides. You can use it for reference.

But trade conditions and national circumstances are different between locations; large pricing disparities are not uncommon, so check several places. Remember, you can haggle prices, but don’t physically harm anyone."

Tie Dan, sweating, "I know that."

It’s not like he enjoys killing; it’s just that some people insist on courting death...

Zhou Feng gave him a doubtful look and handed over two Storage Jades, teaching him the spell for using them,

"Whatever you won during your battles, trade them yourself. More or less, loss or profit, it’s your Immortal Fate, no need to be overly caught up in it.

Experience and insight require gradual training.

This one contains Guangxia Mountain’s mountain goods, to exchange for rice, flour, grains, and herb seeds. Kun Land’s brocade is pretty good; Jindu is known for its silk, consider acquiring more if the price is right.

The other contains master’s cooked head; it’s already turned to white bones, with names carved on the skull, all of them Immortal Thieves wanted by Six Gates, go claim the bounties at Kun Country’s Minister of Justice Residence, it’s for sect expenses."

Tie Dan, "...Senior Brother, aren’t we considered ’Immortal Thieves’?"

Zhou Feng rolled his eyes, "Just don’t tell, who would recognize you anyway, besides a good head on one’s shoulders, come take it if you can."

Indeed, we of the Sword Sect would actually welcome such a challenge...

So Tie Dan prepared himself to leave the mountain alone, following the Chidao towards Jindu City.

To buy a good sword.

Mmm, though he went through many trials, Tie Dan remained a pauper. After all, the warehouse of Jiuning Mountain was swallowed by that Catfish Thief, and the rest was burned down, so he didn’t actually procure many valuables.

Assessing his current holdings, the Shi family’s Golden Dragon Foundation was used up, Jian Jia’s dagger was used for sword casting, what’s left—Fire-tipped Spear, Golden Seal, bells, anything crafted from Divine Gang System’s Heavenly Materials Treasures that could be re-smelted—was all melted with Yanzi Cave’s Sword Furnace fire, devouring gold for sword casting, boosting his cultivation.

Then, from the sword fight at Jiuning Mountain, Tie Dan acquired a Xuanming Ice Pearl Magical Treasure, which was decent, and gave it to his Senior Brother for use.

After all, Senior Brother provided him with many Heavenly Materials Treasures for his Core Formation, mostly Purple Mist wood and Xuanming ice, which still needed to be traded for Gold Essence Iron Seed, but it was still a debt of gratitude.

What? Xiao Liu? That guy already has an Imperial Sword, leave him be.

So now, Tie Dan held onto the Jade Mirror, belt, and items gained from Destroying Cave Palace—Bone Whip, poison needle, Treasure Bottle, and Jade Sword.

Though Tie Dan despised and had no use for these six treasures, they were magic artifacts from the Golden Core Realm nonetheless. Their original owners died in the massacre, making them clean loot. These items should at least fetch a decent treasure sword.

So he left Guangxia Mountain and followed the Dui Kun Road southwards, entering Kun Country.

Kun Land was mountainous, bordered by Juelong Ridge stretching 1,800 miles to the north from Dui Country, and to the south was Li Country’s Southern Border, filled with deep forests, swamps, and poison mists, sparsely populated. To the west rose the Kunlun Mountains, towering and inaccessible, blocking communication with the heavens. While the melted snow from the mountains converged into the Three Rivers Gorge Water, racing across Kun Land, and pouring down eastward, directly to the Southern Country Yunmeng Swamp.

Enveloped by these Three Mountains and One Marsh, countless mountain ranges sufficed to form a basin in the middle, where collected moisture created a pleasant climate, abundant resources, making it a well-known Heavenly Land among the Twelve Countries. And Jindu City, the largest Bright Pearl in this treasure bowl.

Kun Country’s terrain made it easy to defend and difficult to conquer. Since the Immortal Army conquered and exterminated local demons, establishing kingdoms, Three Constellations would often relocate defeated Gate Valve Families here at the border as officials. Central Plains refugees frequently moved here in groups to escape natural disasters and wartime chaos, settling to cultivate wasteland.

Even local Royal Vassal Kings were aware of such geographical advantages and opted to maintain the status quo. As long as guards commanded elite troops, locking down the Chidao and sealing Juelong Ridge, even managing a million-strong army would find it near impossible to break through, thus preferring lounging in Jindu, indulging in pleasures, with no energy wasted striving for the world.

Thus, over the years, Kun Country remained largely without the military disasters and unrest of the Central Plains, becoming a coveted Heavenly Land among the people.

However, favorable weather doesn’t guarantee national peace and security.

Tie Dan had barely walked half a day along the Chidao before encountering three waves of mountain bandits.