Chapter 25

Under the moonlight, Zhao Yun sat on a stone, holding the money bag given by his mother, and counted the spoils of war.

"I defeated a Xuan Yang realm expert?"

He had muttered these words countless times.

Even now, he still couldn't believe it.

Indeed, he had taken advantage of the perfect timing, location, and support, and had picked up a big bargain by fighting the half-dead Old Yan. If Old Yan were unharmed, he wouldn't dare to charge even if given ten lives.

Moreover, Old Yan's possessions were not much.

For someone of his status, he didn't need to carry much when traveling. He had only about a hundred taels of silver, and the rest were mostly pills to replenish true essence.

The only thing that caught his eye was Old Yan's sword, which was not an ordinary object, made from special Xuan iron.

"Good."

Zhao Yun smiled, planning to refine the essence of this sword into his own Zixiao Sword when he returned.

This would certainly increase its power.

"Two days and one night, anything to say?"

The Moon Deity said leisurely.

"Storms and waves."

Zhao Yun didn't even think before giving these four words. After wandering near the gates of death, his mindset had changed significantly.

At least, when faced with such a crisis again, he wouldn't be as panicked.

A brush with death, a transformation.

He began to understand the Moon Deity's intentions. Clearly, it was to temper him. The divine tempering was indeed extraordinary; if not for this, he wouldn't have been pushed to the brink of death.

However, such thrilling and dangerous experiences were indeed very stimulating.

"You are teachable."

The Moon Deity casually transmitted the method of drawing talismans.

Zhao Yun sat up straight, his eyes shining brightly.

The Moon Deity only taught the method of drawing explosive talismans.

In addition, there were detailed explanations of the ink, talisman paper, brush, and patterns used, all of which he meticulously memorized. The process was quite complicated.

However, for someone with his talent, it was only a matter of time. A person with extraordinary talent learns quickly.

He didn't try it out because he lacked the materials, which he needed to buy in the city. After packing his bags, he put on a raincoat and a hood, and set off for the Forgotten Ancient City under the moonlight.

On the way, he didn't idle. He multitasked, practicing physical training while walking, understanding the Wind God Steps while training, and studying the Heavenly Book of the Mystic Gate while researching the method of drawing talismans.

The Moon Deity was already used to this. If possible, he would properly train Zhao Yun.

As dawn approached, he arrived at the gate of the Forgotten Ancient City.

From a distance, he saw a crowd gathered in front of a notice, pointing and discussing. It was a wanted notice, and the target was the Night Lone Wolf, who had been the most wanted in recent times.

Zhao Yun glanced at it casually as he passed by.

Wow, the reward has increased to ten thousand taels. No wonder so many people gathered. Ten thousand taels! It's enough to last for eight lifetimes. Capturing the Lone Wolf would not only make one rich but also famous.

Zhao Yun narrowed his eyes, a cold smile on his lips. The high reward was mostly due to the pressure from the Liu family. The wealth he stole from the money house was more than ten thousand taels. Losing so much money would make anyone furious.

The morning in the Forgotten Ancient City was as bustling as ever, with vendors and customers calling out.

"Two pounds of pork head meat, half a pound of huadiao wine."

At the same stall, Zhao Yun bought wine and meat, eating and drinking as he walked.

In front of the Liu family's weapon shop, he paused for a moment.

Compared to the bustling days of the past, the Liu family's weapon shop was now almost deserted.

The price of weapons had dropped again, from forty taels to thirty-five taels.

Even so, few people came.

They were all waiting.

Waiting for you to lower the price further. You raised it before, so lower it now. There are other weapon shops, not just yours.

"Comfortable."

Zhao Yun took a sip of wine, imagining Liu Canghai's face, probably cursing in the back room.

As for Liu Cangkong, he probably had no time to deal with the weapon shop, focusing instead on catching the Night Lone Wolf. The loss from the money house was more painful than the weapon shop.

"Don't worry, they won't escape."

Zhao Yun sneered, turned a corner, and went to a general store to buy talisman paper, talisman brush, and talisman ink.

These items were not expensive, as the method of drawing talismans was mostly lost. As for the talisman paper used for warding off evil, only fortune tellers and Taoist priests would buy it, and most of them were charlatans.

After visiting the general store, Zhao Yun didn't return home but turned into the underground casino. Although Old Yan was dead, his properties in the Forgotten Ancient City still existed, and he needed to collect some interest.

The so-called underground casino, as the name suggests, was underground. According to his father, the Yan family had a government official in ancient times who spent a lot of effort to build an underground palace, which later became the underground casino, far superior to the small casinos above.

To be honest, it was his first time coming here.

Entering the casino, the atmosphere was smoky and chaotic, with many cheers and curses.

His arrival drew the attention of the gamblers, mainly due to his attire. He wore a raincoat and a hood, and his body emitted a bloody and fierce aura, making people think he was an expert who lived on the edge. Unfortunately, no one could see his face or identity.

Zhao Yun ignored them and went straight to the gambling table, clearly with the intention of winning money. He planned to win a few rounds and then leave, otherwise, he would be targeted by the casino. If a Xuan Yang realm expert came to kill and rob, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

This was a technical skill.

After winning eight hundred taels, he stopped, came and went quickly.

Behind him, someone followed.

However, they were only two Zhen Ling realm experts. If he had won eight thousand taels, the followers would have been Xuan Yang realm experts. Therefore, how much he won was a matter of skill.

This tracking ended without further incident.

Two Zhen Ling realm experts couldn't keep up with him. As he walked, he disappeared.

When Zhao Yun came out again, he had changed his appearance, wearing a human skin mask and a fake beard, and once again entered the underground casino.

This time, he was more reserved, winning and losing several rounds, and left with five hundred taels.

"Don't go again."

The Moon Deity reminded him, sensing that the Xuan Yang realm experts in the casino were starting to notice him.

"I understand."

Zhao Yun smiled. Even without the Moon Deity's reminder, he wouldn't seek more excitement. Three times was the limit, at least for a short period.

On his way back, he visited multiple shops and stalls, looking for treasures and buying cultivation resources.

The path of martial arts is resource-intensive, and money is the most useful.

"Wow! A Baiyun Horse?"

While browsing, he suddenly heard people exclaim.

Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow and looked over.

The so-called Baiyun Horse is a horse.

This kind of horse is not ordinary. He had only heard about it from the elders and had never seen one. It was known for its noble bloodline, capable of crossing a thousand miles in a day. Historically, it was exclusive to nobles and royalty, and without a background, it was impossible to buy one.

Looking over, he saw a white horse, truly beautiful, with a coat as white as clouds, hence the name Baiyun Horse. It galloped down the street like a gust of wind.

"Good horse."

Zhao Yun praised in his heart.

The horse was good, but the person on its back was not someone he could praise. She was a graceful figure, cold and distant, like a fairy from the Moon Palace, with a unique sense of coldness and pride.

Indeed, it was the Liu family's young lady.

Since that night, this was the first time Zhao Yun saw her. She was still the center of attention, still stunning, living up to her reputation as a heavenly daughter.

"Really a Baiyun Horse!"

"Having a Heavenly Sect master as a teacher is different."

"This horse must be worth a lot!"

The bustling street suddenly became noisy. The people instinctively made way, recognizing the Baiyun Horse as a symbol of status.

Liu Ruyue's expression was cold and indifferent, her eyes not wandering. She was used to such attention and considered herself worthy of it.

"Her cultivation has improved."

Zhao Yun muttered, acknowledging that he couldn't defeat her. While realm is a standard for martial arts, it is not everything. Even at the same Zhen Ling realm, there are differences in strength. At this moment, he might be able to defeat an ordinary peak Zhen Ling realm expert, but not Liu Ruyue at the seventh level. He admitted this, as she had her capital as a heavenly daughter.

"Look at Liu Ruyue, then look at Zhao Yun."

"A Heavenly Sect disciple, a weapon shop owner."

"Life, it's all about fate."

There were many comments. Seeing Liu Ruyue, people couldn't help but think of Zhao Yun, the former golden couple now worlds apart.

"Lying down and still getting shot."

Zhao Yun pursed his lips and turned to leave.

In an instant, the Baiyun Horse galloped past, its hooves strong and its head held high, with a high level of intelligence, as proud as its owner.

Hmm?

From a distance, Liu Ruyue suddenly turned her head, scanning the crowd, sensing something familiar.

Her perception was correct, but Zhao Yun had already disappeared into the bustling crowd, gradually moving away.

Their grievances would be settled one day, but not today. Liu Ruyue's drama, he would play out for her, and it would be spectacular.

Returning to the weapon shop, the sun had set.

He saw several carts parked in front of the shop, all delivering weapons. The most noticeable was the bearded man, Lu Mang.

"Master Zhao."

The crowd greeted him from a distance, smiling, as making money brought them joy.

Zhao Yun smiled back and stepped into the shop.

"Master, the Liu family's weapon shop has closed."

Old Sun came over and whispered.

"Expected."

Zhao Yun sat down.

Wait and see! Tomorrow, there will be trouble. If his guess was correct, someone would come to the Zhao family's weapon shop to buy weapons in bulk, until the shop was empty. The price war didn't work, so Liu Canghai would make a big move, buying until the Zhao family had no weapons left to sell.

Then, the Liu family could monopolize the market.

At that time, the price of weapons would be entirely up to them.

In the end, this was a matter of financial strength. Monopolizing the market required substantial financial resources.

He wasn't afraid of a fight.

The stock of ready-made weapons was already sufficient. After tempering them, they would be ready. Without family support, he didn't believe the Liu family's weapon shop had the financial strength to monopolize the market.

He decided to act.

After drinking half a pot of wine, he went to the back garden, moved the ready-made weapons into his room, and closed the door.

At the seventh level, having absorbed a lot of lightning, and being able to multitask, he could temper two weapons at once, significantly speeding up the process.