Book 5: Chapter 8: Too Much Confidence or Too Weak?
“Teacher, I wish to exchange for this ‘Daybreak’ longsword.”
Because of his faith in An Keyi, and because the things An Keyi wrote on the small scroll she left him were extremely clear, Lin Xi didn’t hesitate much. He turned his body slightly, pointing towards this faint green longsword, saying this to the freckled black-robed lecturer.
“Alright.” The freckled black-robed lecturer looked at this longsword and nodded. He brought out a small scroll to record this down, at the same time saying, “After exchanging for ‘Daybreak’, deducting four points, you still have ten points you can use for exchange. According to the academy’s rules, the items purchased in this weapons hall will be sent into your Self Defense Freshman Dormitory room later in the evening.”
Lin Xi bowed slightly in thanks, and then continued forward.
After swords were precisely bows and arrows.
The expression on Lin Xi’s face became brilliant again.
He previously heard from Tong Wei that apart from some standard bows, there were many special soul weapon bows and arrows.
However, he never expected that these special soul weapon bows and arrows were just like the blades, axes, swords, and others before, also mighty and domineering… this beautiful to look at.
The bow named ‘Silver Snow’ was long and slender, forged from pure silver and Snow Grain Steel, equipped with snow wolf tendons. From the distance, it really looked as if it was sculpted from white ice, one point to exchange.
The bow named ‘Black Noise’ was entirely pitch-black, forged from soft black steel. The bow had sixteen holes, each engraved with ‘Black Noise’ runes. When the bowstring was released, releasing an arrow, the bow would release a great roar, able to inflict great intimidation amidst chaos, two points to exchange.
The bow named ‘Golden Underworld’ was made by twisting strands of different types of rare metals, the bowstring also like this, the bow having ‘Golden Wind’ runes engraved on it. The arrows released would be given a powerful driving force, the release also completely silent. Six points to exchange.
The bow without a particularly astonishing sounding name, ‘Divine Pear’, had a shape that wasn’t that different from an ordinary strong bow, the material itself seemingly made of a slightly yellow old pear wood, fine vine-like runes engraved on it, while the bowstring was an emerald green. Six points to exchange.
This longbow was precisely the one An Keyi wanted Lin Xi to exchange for.
Apart from these longbows, the bows that needed to be exchanged for were more and more astonishing, looking at them just from their appearances, they were increasingly imposing. Restrained Light, Pearl String, Soul Taker, Shadow Reaper, Seven Deaths, Eight Reflection Silencer, Ceramic Glaze Imperial Seal, Cold Moon Ginkyo, Mournful Morning Crying Snow, Heavenly Radiance Cloud Shadows, Moon Embrace Luminous Stars, and others, a total of twenty-one types of longbows.
As the sole long range weapon ordinary cultivators could use in this world, bows and arrows indeed held an extremely important position in this world.
This was also precisely the reason why Windstalkers were especially important.
“Teacher, I want to exchange for this Divine Pear Longbow.” Just like the longsword, after looking at all the longbows, Lin Xi returned to the Divine Pear Longbow, saying this to the freckled black-robed lecturer.
The freckled black-robed lecturer’s brows furrowed slightly, but he didn’t say anything in objection, only saying ‘okay’.
“However, I want to save this longbow exchange for last.” Because he could tell that this lecturer was full of good intentions towards himself, Lin Xi didn’t feel too much misgivings, explaining, “According to Teacher An’s suspicions, I need at least five points worth of spiritual pills in order to reach initial stage Soul Expert level, and only then can I obtain the two points from Soul Force Cultivation course. If I exchanged for it too early, there will only be four points left.”
The freckled black-robed lecturer remained silent for a bit. He looked at Lin Xi, and then said, “Then your intentions are to exchange five points for spiritual pills, and then later on six for this longbow. According to Professor An’s suggestions, what are you preparing to exchange for with the last point?”
Lin Xi seriously replied, “I want to use it to exchange for arrows, two Dendrite Iron Arrows and two Black Gold Armor Piercing Arrows. According to Teacher An’s guidance, these arrows are a bit cheaper, four can be exchanged for with just one point.”
A bit cheaper… Lin Xi’s words seemed a bit indecent, as if Green Luan Academy’s Weapons Hall which represented who knew what level of military strength was like a food market, but this freckled black-robed lecturer didn’t seem to pay this much attention. After frowning and thinking for a moment, he looked at Lin Xi and said, “According to normal reasoning, I shouldn’t doubt the suggestions Professor An has offered you, but do you know that even if you reach initial stage Soul Expert level cultivation… because of this Divine Pear Bow’s own characteristics, the bowstring is extremely difficult to draw, needing to be drawn bit by bit. With your cultivation and body’s tolerance, you should only be able to fire two arrows at most.”
Lin Xi stared blankly for a moment, but a bit of a smile instead appeared on the corners of his lips. He knew that even though he didn’t leak things out during class, his acts of trying to copy the style of ‘Jing Wuming’ still didn’t escape Tong Wei’s eyes, to the extent where An Keyi also knew his ins and outs. [1]
“Many thanks for teacher’s reminder. This is something I understand as well.”
“In that case, then we will do as Professor An advises.” When he saw Lin Xi’s expression, the freckled black-robed lecturer’s mind moved, knowing that there were some secrets he didn’t know about. As such, his brows instead relaxed, saying while warmly looking at Lin Xi, “Then which pill medicines has Professor An advised you to exchange for this time?”
Lin Xi nodded and said, “Leaf Lingzhi.”
“The academy’s goods exchange system is mainly to ensure confidentiality, to avoid leaking out information about your cultivation from your soul weapon exchange. That is why once these soul weapons are delivered to your room, they will also be stored in wooden boxes. Once you leave, I advise that you do your best to be a bit more careful.” The freckled black-robed lecturer looked at Lin Xi and said, “Because pill medicines are all either carried on oneself or immediately used, according to the rules, I can give them to you right now. Leaf Lingzhi’s medicinal nature is gentle, it will naturally scatter in the body. Do you wish for it to be sent back into your room together with these soul weapons or do you want to eat it right here and simultaneously look at the remaining items here?”
After a slight pause, the freckled black-robed lecturer looked at Lin Xi and continued, “If you rise to initial stage Soul Expert level here, I can pass on the news to Tong Wei in your place. The two points will naturally be recorded, so you won’t have to return again. The things you need, I will help you prepare them.”
“Many thanks to teacher, I will take the Leaf Lingzhi here, taking a look at the other soul weapons at the same time.” Lin Xi seriously gave this freckled black-robed lecturer another bow of respect.
Even though after entering this Weapons Hall, he already gave this freckled black-robed lecturer many bows of respect, the other party’s genuine care for him instead made him feel that he had to show his respect here.
“Wait for a bit.”
The freckled black-robed lecturer didn’t say too much else, quickly entering a corridor in the hall. A short period later, he brought out a crystal pill case. The opening of the case was sealed with wax, inside of it was a pentagram shaped plump emerald green leaf.
Lin Xi already saw this before in the spiritual pills books when he was assisting An Keyi, knowing that this Leaf Lingzhi was made by soaking a type of special spiritual medicine’s leaf together with other spiritual medicines. That was why right now, he didn’t feel all that surprised. After opening this crystal pill bottle, finely chewing a few times, he completely swallowed this bitter and astringent leaf.
It felt as if wisps of warmth rose from his abdomen, starting to spread through his entire body.
Lin Xi, who already ingested spiritual pills before, was used to it. He continued to wander about this Green Luan Weapons Hall.
Among these longbows, the last ‘Moon Embrace Luminous Stars’ had the most astonishing exterior appearance. This bow being made of a semi-translucent white jade-like special essence gold was extravagant, it even had several golden and silver crystals embedded, rings of multicolored runes were carved within them.
Meanwhile, this bow was the thickness of an arm, the entire bow even taller than Lin Xi’s body. The amber translucent bowstring, from the distance, looked like it had bubbles, but these were actually spherical runes, the bowstring itself also the thickness of a finger. This type of giant bow really was unimaginable for Lin Xi, just what kind of valiant figure was needed to draw it?
“This Moon Embrace Luminous Stars’ manufacturing method has also already been lost, something a past cultivator from our Yunqin left behind. State Master level cultivation is required, and it requires someone with a tall and sturdy built to use.” When he saw Lin Xi return to this giant bow after already looking over everything, the freckled black-robed lecturer spoke again in a patient manner.
“Soul Knight, Soul Expert, Soul Master, State Knight, State Master…” Lin Xi couldn’t help but repeat this world’s system of cultivation levels, saying with a sigh. “State Master level cultivation is needed to use it… then, an arrow fired from this type of mighty and domineering massive bow, is it already the arrow with the greatest power in this world?”
The freckled black-robed lecturer’s brows furrowed, shaking his head and saying, “Naturally not.”
“There are more?” Lin Xi could only sigh with admiration once again, this world really had too many things unknown, way too many unknown powerful individuals.
“At the very least, there are two that we currently know of, both previously in our academy.” The freckled black-robed lecturer’s face suddenly had a bit of an unclear feeling.
“Which two types? They were both here before? What about now?” Lin Xi immediately asked out of curiosity.
The freckled black-robed lecturer gave Lin Xi a look. “Perhaps in the future, you will know them well.”
Lin Xi released an oh sound, immediately knowing that this should touch upon some of the academy’s secrets, that it wasn’t easy to speak about it.
After this bow were all types of armors; Burning Copper, Flame Immersion, Shattered Scar, Scarlet Scale, Raging Flame, Exquisite, Cold Silk, Golden Moon, Night Devil… of these dozens of types of armors, most of them looked even more formidable and gorgeous than the sacred armors Lin Xi saw from ‘Saint Seiya’, so he was naturally dazzled once more.
Only, when he looked at these armors, he suddenly remembered that An Keyi actually didn’t have him exchange for any of these defensive goods.
Even though he understood that even the best armors would only show their effects when one was being hacked at extremely clearly, Lin Xi still couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile, inwardly thinking, “Teacher An, is it because you have too much confidence in me, feel that I won’t be struck at all, or that I am too weak, by the time I am struck, having armor and not having armor won’t make a difference?”
1. Jing Wuming is a character from one of Gu Long’s novels