Chapter 25: The Crimson Blade

Zhao Chun first presented her inner disciple token before entering the Treasure Pavilion.

Seeing that she was young and quite unfamiliar, the gatekeeper guessed she was a newly promoted inner disciple and, with a smiling face, led a servant to assist her.

The man was dressed in gray, was small and thin, and said with a hunch, "This humble one is Ping Sheng. I have worked in this Treasure Pavilion since I was a child and know everything about it inside out. If the Great One wishes to know anything, just ask me."

Zhao Chun noted that although he was in his thirties, he was only at the first level of Qi Refinement; knowing he was likely a mere laborer, she replied, "I wish to purchase a magic tool. Where would be best?"

As she spoke, she pulled two萃石 (Extraction Stones) from her bosom and handed them to him.

Seeing her generous hand, Ping Sheng's sanpaku eyes instantly lit up. He beamed and said, "If you want magic tools, you must go to the Immortal Refinement Hall in the southeast. That is a shop bearing Elder Wu's name; you can't go wrong!" Among the four Great Elders of the inner sect, Wu Yunzhang was the most skilled in tool refining.

Zhao Chun followed him and asked, "The Jingwu Market outside also sells magic tools; how do they differ from those here?"

"The Great One may not know, but the items in Jingwu Market cannot reach the 'Ranked' status; they are still considered mundane objects. Ordinary cultivators can use them, but once they advance to the middle or late stages of Qi Refinement, they become useless."

"I noticed the Pill Market has ranked pills. Why are the two markets different?"

"Eh, how can pills and magic tools be the same?" Ping Sheng waved his hand and explained in detail, "In their daily cultivation, which cultivator doesn't buy a few pills? Unformed medicinal powders cost about two or three Extraction Stones per dose, and even ranked pills only cost a few stones; one can grit their teeth and buy them. Ranked magic tools are different—they are transactions of hundreds or even thousands of stones at a time. Who would dare put those in the outer market?"

"Besides, it is only wealthy inner disciples like yourself who can afford them. Ordinary cultivators in the middle or late stages of Qi Refinement might not even own a single one; they are quite rare!"

Zhao Chun thought to herself that this was likely the difference between daily consumables and luxury goods. Only a few months ago she was destitute, yet now she had become a wealthy person; truly, one must look upon a person with new eyes after a mere three days of separation.

The two entered a magnificent, high-ceilinged building filled with people wandering about, selecting items. Ping Sheng led her toward the inner room, mentioning her status as an inner disciple. Although Zhao Chun was only at the third level of Qi Refinement, the shopkeeper did not dare underestimate the weight of the term "inner disciple" and dispatched a specialist to inquire about her needs.

"I require a self-defense magic tool, preferably something lightweight."

The middle-aged man inquiring called himself Li, a deacon of the Immortal Refinement Hall. Upon hearing this, he pondered for a moment and replied, "The Hall possesses many self-defense treasures. Seeing that Fellow Daoist is at the third level of Qi Refinement, I presume you are preparing for the Minor Examination!"

This was exactly what Zhao Chun had in mind. Lingzhen Sect disciples faced an exam when advancing to the middle stage of Qi Refinement, called the Minor Examination, and another when advancing from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment, called the Major Examination. Passing both meant entering the inner sect.

Zhao Chun had entered the inner sect via her spiritual root, so she was not exempt from these two exams. While failing wouldn't result in expulsion, being marked by such a failure would not only drastically reduce her personal resources but also lower her standing in the eyes of the elders. Ultimately, it was a losing business that she would not do.

Furthermore, she wished to achieve a good result in the Minor Examination to shut the mouths of others and avoid the annoyance of idle gossip.

"It is indeed as the Deacon says," Zhao Chun nodded. The Minor Examination required leaving the sect to test oneself; heaven knew what variables might arise outside. One's life was paramount, and self-defense treasures were indispensable.

Hearing this, Deacon Li brought out two lacquer boxes and said, "In that case, I have two items to recommend."

He first opened the left lacquer box, revealing a bronze mirror resting on bright yellow silk.

"This is the Eight-Treasure Mirror, an imitation of the high-grade Yellow Rank magic tool, the Eight-Treasure Ruyi Mirror. Although it is an imitation, it possesses a portion of the original's spiritual power. It can protect the user, blocking three full-strength strikes from a middle-stage Qi Refinement cultivator or one strike from a late-stage cultivator. It is a mid-grade Mortal Rank magic tool."

The right lacquer box contained a pair of jade rings.

"These are the Azure Jade Twin-Fish Armbands. Upon impact, they form an aura armor to protect the body. The effectiveness of the aura armor depends on the cultivator themselves; the deeper the cultivation, the more useful they are. They are high-grade Mortal Rank magic tools."

Zhao Chun asked, "What are the prices for these two?"

Deacon Li replied, "The Eight-Treasure Mirror is six hundred Extraction Stones, but the Azure Jade Armbands are more precious; they cost two thousand."

To be honest, Zhao Chun could not use the Azure Jade Armbands right now. Her cultivation was still low, and an aura armor would likely only block cultivators of her own level, making it somewhat redundant. The Eight-Treasure Mirror was a consumable that could be used in life-or-death moments, making it most suitable for her current needs.

However, Zhao Chun also knew that her cultivation speed had greatly increased. While she wouldn't claim to be heading straight for Foundation Establishment, she had a clear idea of the middle and late stages of Qi Refinement; it would only take a few years.

By the time she came back for these armbands, they might already be in someone else's hands!

"It is difficult for me to choose between these two," Zhao Chun paused, then added, "Deacon, please wrap them both up for me. I will surely have a use for the armbands in the future."

She spoke with such magnanimity that Deacon Li was startled by her extravagant spending, assuming she was a scion of a great aristocratic family. His attitude became even more respectful, and a look of joy appeared on his face as he hurriedly said, "Excellent! Fellow Daoist is a straightforward person. I shall pack them for you immediately!"

Zhao Chun paid four hundred Extraction Stones and took out two pieces of Spirit Jade. She did not have much loose change, as she needed to save some to exchange for techniques at the Wan藏 (Wan-Cang) Pavilion.

After packing the items, Deacon Li gave a look toward the outside and asked in a low voice, "I wonder if Fellow Daoist possesses any offensive magic tools? If not, there is a marvelous item within the Immortal Refinement Hall. Would Fellow Daoist care to take a look?"

Zhao Chun paused. She only had a small iron sword in her hand, which was just enough for now, but if she advanced to the middle stage of Qi Refinement in the future, she would need to find another tool. It might as well be settled today.

Thus, she replied, "Please speak plainly, Deacon."

Deacon Li nodded and beckoned a servant, who brought a long lacquer box. Upon opening it before Zhao Chun, a dagger about the length of a small forearm was revealed. It was double-edged, with a dark black blade surrounded by crimson, giving it a somewhat sinister air.

"The Crimson Edge Dagger, high-grade Mortal Rank. However, its value far exceeds other high-grade magic tools..."

Zhao Chun raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"It was originally one of the 'Demon-Slaying Twin Blades' of the Yellow Rank. One was the fire-attribute Crimson Edge Dagger, and the other was the wood-attribute Azure Edge Dagger; the wood nourished the fire, which gave them their fame. However, since the Azure Edge Dagger is now lost, this Crimson Edge Dagger naturally cannot match its former glory."

"Though its rank has dropped, its superior material and sharpness are unmatched by other magic tools."

Zhao Chun felt a sense of interest. The attribute of the Crimson Edge Dagger matched her own, and its size was quite convenient. However, she had never studied dagger techniques and did not know how it would feel to manipulate it alongside her swordplay.

"I only use swords; I do not know if a dagger will feel natural in my hands."

"Fellow Daoist may take it out to try before making a decision!"

Since that was the case, Zhao Chun did not decline and immediately took out the Crimson Edge Dagger.

The dagger was slender, only slightly shorter than her custom-made iron sword. It felt heavy in her hand, yet it was extremely light when swung. Zhao Chun took a step forward and performed the first two forms of the *Swift Movement Sword Technique* with fluid grace. Only then did she sheathe the dagger, smiling, "This is an excellent item; it can serve as a small sword. What is the price?"

Deacon Li had previously thought she was merely a wealthy person with a hollow title of an inner disciple, but seeing her proficient swordplay, he looked at her with even higher regard. He said, "It is originally three thousand two hundred Extraction Stones, but I can take the liberty of rounding the price down for you."

Zhao Chun accepted this kindness and took out three pieces of Spirit Jade to put the Crimson Edge Dagger into her pouch.

Two self-defense tools and one offensive tool—this trip to the Treasure Pavilion had cost her dearly, but fortunately, Zhao Chun was very satisfied with the results.

She was not a stingy person. For her, it wasn't about not spending money, but about ensuring that when she did spend, it was on essential matters so as not to be wasteful.

After leaving the Treasure Market, Zhao Chun hurried without pause to the Wan-Cang Pavilion, exchanging eight hundred Extraction Stones for the *Tiger Strength Manual* and the *Serpent Step*.

Calculating carefully, she had thirty Spirit Jade and over two thousand Extraction Stones remaining; she was still quite well-off. However, no matter how much wealth one had, it was never enough; one could not only spend without earning. She would need to find a way to bring more money in.

Now that her magic tools and techniques were all complete, Zhao Chun focused her mind entirely on advancing to the middle stage of Qi Refinement. She made up her mind to cultivate bitterly and would not emerge from seclusion until she achieved a breakthrough.

On her way back west via smoke boat, she encountered an acquaintance of an acquaintance, standing by the spring behind her courtyard.