Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 116 Blood Soldiers

He remembered the mockery from the eldest son of the Nie family.

It's not about holding a grudge, but rather that these voices will become one of the insignificant yet real "background noises" on his martial arts path that needs to be surpassed.

Nie Feng? The inner city's prodigy? You'll see for yourself at the Martial Arts Competition.

Just as Song Jing was about to leave the somewhat oppressive martial arts arena of the Nie family, Nie Shuli quickly caught up with him.

"Brother Song, please wait!" Nie Shuli said with apology and sincerity. "Today's events were due to the negligence of my Nie family. Brother Song, please don't take the words of those ignorant youths to heart. In truth, it was I who implicated you and caused you this undeserved disaster."

He paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Brother Song, this is your first time in the inner city, so there must be many things you're unfamiliar with. If you don't mind, how about I treat you to a quiet place for a few drinks? That would be my way of showing you some hospitality. I'll also invite Junior Brother Lu Beichen over later, and the three of us can enjoy a drink together. Wouldn't that be wonderful? It would also be a good opportunity for me to show Brother Song around the inner city and help him get acquainted with it."

After a moment's thought, Song Jing nodded in agreement: "In that case, I'll trouble Brother Nie." He was indeed unfamiliar with the inner city, and having Nie Shuli and Lu Beichen accompany him would make things much easier. More importantly, he did have important matters to attend to.

"Haha, Brother Song is so straightforward!" Nie Shuli was overjoyed and immediately arranged for someone to invite Lu Beichen, agreeing to meet at "Zui Xian Ju," a well-regarded restaurant in the city.

Inside the private room of Zuixianju, the three of them toasted each other, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

When Lu Beichen learned what had happened at the Nie family's martial arts arena, he shook his head and sighed, saying that some people in the eldest branch of the Nie family had too narrow a mind.

Song Jing simply smiled calmly and said nothing more.

After a few rounds of drinks, Song Jing put down his cup and said, "Brother Nie, Brother Lu, I wish to purchase a suitable spear for the martial arts competition. I've heard that the Qian family in the inner city is skilled in forging; do you have any recommendations?"

Nie Shuli and Lu Beichen exchanged a glance. Nie Shuli said, "The Qian family does indeed control most of the iron mines and weapons business in the inner city. Their most famous weapons shop is the Forging Pavilion," which has everything and the quality is guaranteed. If Brother Song wants to buy a gun, that's the most suitable place."

"That's right, I've also been to the weapon forging pavilion. There are many good items there, but the prices are quite high," Lu Beichen added.

"It's alright, let's go take a look first." Song Jing was now full of confidence, having amassed a fortune.

The three immediately left the restaurant and arrived at the Forging Pavilion, located in a bustling area of ​​the inner city. The pavilion was three stories high and built of black rock, giving it a heavy and stable appearance. The three gilded characters "Forging Pavilion" on the lintel were written in bold and sharp strokes, subtly revealing a sharp and edgy aura.

Upon entering the shop, one finds a spacious hall filled with various weapons displayed on the walls and shelves—swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks—their cold gleaming dazzling the eye. A middle-aged shopkeeper with a sharp face and a short beard greets them with a friendly smile: "Three esteemed guests, what kind of weapons would you like to see? Our shop has a complete range of weapons, all of superior quality."

"Take a look at the gun," Song Jing said succinctly.

"Alright, this way please, sir." The shopkeeper led the three to the area where long spears were displayed. Dozens of long spears stood there, with different materials for their bodies. Some had wooden shafts covered with iron, some were cast entirely in iron, and some were made of a mixture of metals. The shapes of the spearheads were also different.

Song Jing glanced at them, casually picked up a few to weigh and examine them closely, then lightly flicked the shaft with his finger, listening to the echo, his brows furrowing slightly. These guns were well-made and of decent material, but he felt something was missing. Perhaps they lacked resilience, or had an unbalanced center of gravity, or the material's load-bearing capacity was limited. They couldn't fully meet his expectations for a "good gun," and they couldn't perfectly bear the violent, fiery, and unparalleled power of the Wildfire Spear Technique.

"Shopkeeper, these—they all seem a bit lacking." Song Jing put down the iron spear he was holding and shook his head. "Do you have anything better?"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper's eyes flashed with surprise. He looked Song Jing over again, then glanced at Nie Shuli and Lu Beichen beside him, both of whom were dressed in clothing that indicated their status. Their smiles remained unchanged, but their tone became more cautious: "It seems that this young brother is an expert."

To be frank, these spears are all forged from refined iron mixed with other metals, allowing them to better conduct the martial artist's blood and true energy. In our Weapon Forging Pavilion, these weapons are collectively called "Blood Weapons," meaning weapons that can resonate with a martial artist's blood and energy, far superior to ordinary iron. They are more than sufficient for ordinary Bronze Skin Realm martial artists.

Lu Beichen chuckled and patted the goose-feather saber at his waist: "Shopkeeper, let's not beat around the bush. My brothers aren't those clueless suckers who only care about appearances. These might fool those from the outer city or those new to the inner city who don't know their stuff. But the real 'Blood Soldiers' are probably not here, are they?"

Nie Shuli chimed in, "Exactly. Shopkeeper, if you have any good items, feel free to bring them out for us to see. Price is not an issue."

Seeing that the two had seen through him, the shopkeeper no longer concealed anything, cupped his hands and smiled, "So you are two experts. I was wrong. In that case, please follow me." With that, he led the three through the hall and into a quieter, more exquisitely furnished side room at the back.

The number of weapons displayed in the side room was much smaller, but each one was placed separately and supported by a brocade box or wooden frame, which made them obviously more precious.

Song Jing's gaze swept over several of the spears; their materials, craftsmanship, and the subtle aura they exuded were indeed superior to those outside.

He examined each part of the gun one by one, even attempting to infuse it with a barely perceptible amount of vital energy. The gun hummed, and the response became clearer.

However, he still shook his head.

"These are still not enough," Song Jing said bluntly. He could sense that the material of these guns was probably insufficient to fully withstand the terrifying power and speed of his full-force Wildfire Spear Technique, especially with the support of the Wind and Thunder Leg Technique, not to mention the demands after he broke through to the Body Refining Realm in the future.

Nie Shuli and Lu Beichen also noticed Song Jing's dissatisfaction. Nie Shuli said, "Manager, is this all the mid-grade blood-grade weapons your Forging Pavilion has to offer? Forgive my bluntness, but these are probably not even as good as my Rending Wind," he pointed to the blank of his unaccompanied sword. "Where are the high-grade blood-grade weapons? Don't tell me you don't have any."

The shopkeeper gave a wry smile: "Young Master Nie, Lord Lu, to be honest, our shop currently does not have any top-grade blood weapons in stock."

As you both know, the materials required for high-quality blood weapons are extremely demanding, the forging process is time-consuming, and the failure rate is not low.

Usually, as soon as a finished product is available, it is immediately pre-ordered and snapped up by major families, martial arts schools, or famous masters in the inner city, with very little stock left to sell in the store.

He looked at Song Jing and said, "If this young brother really wants a high-grade blood weapon level spear, he will probably need to place an order."

A new batch of materials will arrive next month, and our master craftsmen will be setting up the forge. You can make your specific requests, such as the gun's length, weight, preferred material properties (e.g., whether you prioritize toughness or sharpness, special effects, or even your general gun-fighting style), and our master craftsmen will tailor-make a gun to your specifications. But the price—"

"How much does it cost?" Song Jing asked calmly.

"A top-grade blood weapon, custom-made to order, requires the master craftsman's painstaking effort—it will cost at least five thousand taels of silver." The shopkeeper quoted a staggering figure while carefully observing Song Jing's expression. Five thousand taels was enough to bankrupt many wealthy families in the inner city.

Nie Shuli and Lu Beichen also secretly gasped. The price was indeed high, but considering that it was a custom-made top-grade blood weapon, it was not outrageous.

Song Jing's face remained expressionless. He pondered for a moment and asked, "The style of spear technique should lean towards fierce and violent attacks, with continuous offensives. It should excel in frontal assaults and explosive power, requiring extremely high toughness and load-bearing capacity of the spear. Ideally, it should also have a certain degree of speed and agility. The length should be the same as a regular battle spear, but the weight can be slightly heavier than usual."

Although he did not explicitly mention the "Prairie Fire Spear Technique," the requirements he made almost perfectly matched the characteristics of the Prairie Fire Spear Technique.

The shopkeeper, a man of expertise, immediately understood. The young man clearly desired a weapon for an extremely powerful and domineering spear technique. He nodded and said, "Young man, your requirements are clear, which makes things easier. Knowing the requirements, the master craftsman will be able to forge it with greater ease."

In that case, please pay a deposit of one thousand taels, sign the contract, and leave your contact information. Once the weapon is forged, you will be notified to come and inspect it before paying the balance. If you are not satisfied with the final product, the deposit will be refunded, but material waste will be deducted accordingly.

Five thousand taels was a huge sum, but Song Jing had nearly ten thousand taels in silver notes in his pocket, and he knew that a divine weapon was crucial to a martial artist's strength. This money was well spent!

Without any hesitation, he directly took out a thousand taels of silver notes from his pocket and placed them on the counter.

"Alright, here's the deposit. I'll have to trouble you, shopkeeper." Song Jing's straightforwardness surprised even the shopkeeper.

"Young man, you're a man of your word!" The shopkeeper smiled broadly and immediately brought out a specially made contract. Both parties signed and sealed the contract, agreeing to pick up the goods one month later.

After purchasing weapons, Song Jing remembered something else. He felt that his cultivation had reached the late peak of the Copper Skin Realm, just one step away from the Flesh Refining Realm, and he urgently needed pills to help him break through and consolidate his realm.

"Brother Nie, Brother Lu, where in the inner city can I buy top-quality pills to aid in the cultivation of the Flesh Refining Realm?" Song Jing asked.

Nie Shuli said, "If we're talking about elixirs, the Zhao family's Spirit Medicine Pavilion is naturally the most authentic and of the highest quality. They have close ties with the Alchemist Guild and can often obtain some top-grade elixirs."

The three then turned and headed to the Spirit Medicine Pavilion.

The Lingyao Pavilion is filled with the fragrance of herbs and has an elegant layout.

Upon hearing that Song Jing desired a pill to break through to the Body Refining Realm, the steward who was receiving them dared not neglect them and led them into the inner room.

"What you require, sir, is the Qi and Blood Pill," the manager explained. "This pill can greatly increase the success rate of a Bronze Skin Realm warrior breaking through to the Flesh Refining Realm, and to a certain extent stabilizes the Qi and Blood when first entering the Flesh Refining Realm. Our Spirit Medicine Pavilion's Breakthrough Pill is personally refined by a third-grade alchemist employed by the Zhao family, and is of superior quality. However—this pill is not easy to refine, the materials are precious, and the price is quite high."

"How much does it cost? How effective is it?" Song Jing asked.

"One bottle contains three pills, costing one thousand taels of silver," the steward quoted the price. "Each pill can increase the chance of a breakthrough by about 30%. Taking three pills together will have an even better effect, but there is also drug resistance, and it cannot be stacked indefinitely. Moreover, it is best for each person not to take more than one bottle of this kind of pill in their lifetime. Too much reliance on external medicine may cause instability in one's foundation."

One thousand taels! Another huge sum of money.

However, compared to the leap in strength brought about by breaking through to the Body Refining Realm, this investment is still worthwhile. Song Jing was about to take out his money when the manager looked hesitant.

"However—sir, you've come at an inopportune time. The last bottle of Breakthrough Pills in our stock was just reserved yesterday by the eldest son of the Qian family. The new batch of pills will not arrive for another ten days," the manager said apologetically.

"Qian Rushan reserved it?" Nie Shuli frowned. Qian Rushan was one of the Four Heroes of the Inner City, the number one among the younger generation of the Qian family, and a favorite to win the martial arts competition. It seemed that he had stockpiled Qi and Blood Pills in advance, either to prepare for breaking through to the mid-stage of the Body Refining Realm or for other members of the clan.

"It is indeed Young Master Qian." The steward nodded.

Song Jing's heart sank. Ten days from now, too many things could change. He desperately needed the elixir and couldn't wait that long.

"Manager, is it possible to make an exception? I'm willing to raise the price. Or, could you tell me where else in the inner city, besides the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, I can buy a Breakthrough Pill of comparable quality?" Song Jing asked.

The manager hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Sir, it's not that I'm unwilling to make an exception, it's just that I can't afford to offend Young Master Qian. As for other places—it's not that we can't do without them. Manager Sun of 'Hundred Herbs Hall' in the west of the city is said to have some connections and can get some pills from less reputable sources. They might have Breakthrough Pills, but I can't guarantee their quality or authenticity. Moreover, the price would probably be higher than at the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, since scarcity increases value, and the risk is greater."

The Sun family? The Sun family that controls the canal transport logistics? Song Jing exchanged a glance with Nie Shuli and Lu Beichen.

It's not surprising that the Sun family, with their unorthodox methods, managed to obtain some counterfeit pills.

"Thank you for informing me, steward." Song Jing thanked him, paid for the tea, and the three of them left the Spirit Medicine Pavilion.

"Brother Song, about Baicaotang—" Lu Beichen hesitated for a moment, "The elixirs there come from all sorts of sources, and it's hard to tell if they're genuine or fake. They might even contain harmful substances, so the risks are considerable."

"I know," Song Jing nodded, "but time is of the essence. The martial arts competition is just around the corner, and I must break through to the Body Refining Realm as soon as possible. Let's go to the Hundred Herbs Hall first. I know what I'm doing."

So the three of them headed towards the rather secluded "Hundred Herbs Hall" in the west of the city. This time, whether they could successfully purchase the Breakthrough Pill would likely be another ordeal.

In one day, he visited both the weapon forging pavilion and the elixir pavilion.

Custom-made divine weapons cost a fortune.

The search for the elixir has encountered further obstacles.

The inner city is a treacherous place; connections, money, insight, and luck are all indispensable.

If it weren't for Lu Beichen and Nie Shuli accompanying them, there would likely have been more twists and turns, causing unnecessary trouble.

However, if one has a strong network of connections, one might not be facing such obstacles as today. Sometimes, it is necessary to demonstrate a certain level of strength and connections in order to gain respect.

Song Jing's path in martial arts is destined to be anything but smooth, but he is steadily walking it step by step.