Chapter 45

For a moment, the Jubaoge was a bit silent.

Ban Yilou's fingers, which had been holding repair tools for years, showed no signs of the dryness typical of an old man's hands. His smooth fingers gently caressed the sword, as if stroking a lover's cheek, moving quietly over every inch of it...

He said nothing, but the star energy silently rose.

The star energy of the three stars quietly spread along the scabbard, a faint glow quickly covering the entire scabbard.

Tang Zheng's lips slightly parted, staring at the scabbard without moving.

There was no need to ask; from the speed at which Ban Yilou's star energy spread, it was clear that the scabbard of this sword... had a high star energy resonance!

But the most critical issue was...

It was a sword!

Even when Ban Yilou opened his mouth, he admitted it himself: "This sword has been with me for ten years. It's the first weapon my friend forged, and the one he put the most effort into. The materials, though not precious, were the best he could get at the time..."

Seeing Ban Yilou's deep affection, Tang Zheng swallowed two mouthfuls of saliva and nodded: "Mm-hmm."

"Exactly one thousand six hundred scales from the Tuantao fish... Now, Bai Lian Fang can mass-produce substitutes, but back then, each one had to be caught individually to complete the making..."

"Mm-hmm."

"The array pattern carved on it, my friend designed for a whole year."

"Mm-hmm."

"This is not a common water-repelling array or starlight array, but... the Mist Concealment Array." Ban Yilou took the sword out of the box, "A very difficult array! Unfortunately, its practicality is a bit lacking..."

"Mm-hmm." Tang Zheng listened to him list the details one by one.

Bright sunlight shone into the gilded shop, accompanying Ban Yilou's slightly hoarse voice, as if a series of scrolls were unfolding before Tang Zheng.

Cold winter nights, three beggars in thin clothes hiding in the high alley behind Jubaoge, dividing a single steamed bun they had begged for all day, and enthusiastically talking about their dreams for the future...

Those days of being looked down upon became infinitely memorable because of friends and persistence.

By the end, Ban Yilou's eyes were a bit moist.

So, Tang Zheng raised his hand: "Old Master Ban."

"What is it?" Ban Yilou wiped the corner of his eye.

"Condolences." Tang Zheng picked up a handkerchief from a nearby shelf and handed it to Ban Yilou, "The dead cannot be brought back to life."

"The dead?" Ban Yilou almost hit him with the sword, "Get out! You're the one who's dead!"

Tang Zheng took two steps back. This couldn't be blamed on him. Ban Yilou, while speaking, had tears in his eyes, and his gentle movements were like caressing a comrade's remains. Anyone would think his friend had already passed away.

Ban Yilou also realized his loss of composure but didn't want to admit it to the younger generation, so he covered it up: "I'm using deep emotion to sell this sword... no, dagger!"

"..." Tang Zheng saw what it meant to have a thicker face as one got older.

"This is the art of sales! Art! Do you understand?"

"I understand, I understand," Tang Zheng said with a black line on his forehead, "I'll buy it, okay? But it's still a sword, and what I need is..."

Snap!

Without a word, Ban Yilou moved his wrist, and the sword in his hand was drawn.

Tang Zheng's face immediately darkened, and he closed his mouth.

Ban Yilou's expression wasn't much better...

If this weapon weren't so abnormal, Ban Yilou wouldn't have spent so much effort selling it!

What came out of the scabbard was only a short section!

Very laughably, a very short section.

Even with the hilt, the sword was no longer than a finger compared to a regular dagger.

Ban Yilou's old face turned a bit red.

Though this was his friend's most dedicated work, the blade and the scabbard were different...

The materials for the scabbard could be obtained by any means, and if necessary, the design could be modified, but the blade had certain requirements. Good materials were good, and bad materials were bad!

So, the reason for such an odd blade was simple—insufficient materials!

Actually, it wasn't impossible to mix in some inferior materials to complete the sword, but this sword represented his friend's faith in the path of forging, and not a single bit of fake could be mixed in...

Thus, this strange creation, neither a sword nor a dagger, lay quietly in Jubaoge for so many years.

"What do you think...?" Ban Yilou glanced at Tang Zheng, a bit nervous.

Tang Zheng took the sword-dagger, first hanging it on his body, and looking at himself in the mirror for a long time!

"Heh." Tang Zheng grinned.

Not bad! He liked this style!

A gentleman, gentle and refined, this was what a person of status should look like!

Next, he drew the dagger, put it back, drew it again, and put it back...

After several repetitions, he suddenly pointed the dagger at Ban Yilou.

Ban Yilou flared his nostrils: "Let's... talk things out..."

"You're cheating me!" Tang Zheng said.

"If you don't want to buy it, don't buy it. Who's cheating you..." Ban Yilou tried to snatch the sword-dagger from his hand.

But when he exerted a little force, he failed to take it.

Tang Zheng clicked the dagger back into the scabbard and drew it again: "I said, if you had shown it to me earlier, why would I have gone to Bai Lian Fang?!"

"Huh?" Ban Yilou looked at him, stunned for a long time.

Tang Zheng, holding the dagger, immediately started moving, making several thrusting motions.

Although he hadn't started practicing martial arts, even using skills from his previous life, he had only one feeling...

Smooth!

100% grip feel!

Regardless of the star energy resonance of the dagger, the moment he held it, he knew he had to have it.

The three daggers in the inner chamber of Jubaoge and the master's dagger in Bai Lian Fang didn't give him this feeling.

For an assassin, a truly good dagger wasn't about the materials used or the star energy resonance, but about giving a strong urge to fight!

That was the most direct thing brought by the ultimate grip feel!

Only by truly putting effort into forging, repeatedly pondering and trying, could one know if a dagger was handy.

The dagger from Bai Lian Fang was indeed a good one, and the forging master's skills were undoubtedly excellent. The only problem was that it was forged too casually, resulting in an imperfect feel, because a top-ranked master in Bai Lian Fang wouldn't put effort into a one-star dagger!

"Throat cut!" Tang Zheng's steps were light, and the more he tried, the more he felt it was right.

Not only was the dagger easy to use, but it also had a special treatment that ordinary daggers didn't have—it had a scabbard!

Tang Zheng was already imagining himself wearing a fine sword, looking elegant and gentlemanly...

Thinking about it, he felt life was too perfect!

...

Ban Yilou's eyes were wide open.

Originally, his intentions were a bit less than honorable. He used the opportunity to teach Tang Zheng the basics of forging to push this sword-dagger.

But now, watching the dagger move smoothly in Tang Zheng's hands, rising and falling, he felt the whole scene was like art!

Ban Yilou, who had lived for a long time, had never seen a dagger in anyone's hands have such an effect.

The person, the dagger, and the whole scene seemed to merge into one, impossible to separate!

Too perfect!

"Did you used to practice with two-handed weapons?" After watching for a long time, with his sharp eyes, Ban Yilou finally noticed something.

"Not necessarily. The main weapon is a dagger, and the secondary weapon can be a dagger, a throwing weapon, or a round shield, depending on the situation..." Tang Zheng directly followed the game's configuration.

The main weapon for an assassin was definitely a dagger.

But Tang Zheng's secondary weapon choices were varied, and he could switch and use them freely, making it hard to guard against.

Ban Yilou stared at him for a long time and asked, "Where are you from?"

Tang Zheng stopped his movements and gave Ban Yilou a half-smile.

Ban Yilou coughed twice, realizing he had spoken out of turn, and asked, "So... do you want this dagger?"

"Yes! Of course."

"Don't you think there's something wrong with this dagger?" Ban Yilou was angry.

"Is this also part of your sales art?" Tang Zheng countered.

"Thirty pieces of purple gold, I'll thank you on behalf of my friend!" Ban Yilou decisively quoted a price.

"Uh..." Tang Zheng was stunned, "So cheap?"

"..." Ban Yilou immediately had the urge to kill him.

Thirty pieces of purple gold, even for Tang Family Fortress, was a large sum that needed consideration.

But for Tang Zheng, it was like a coin on the roadside.

Ban Yilou suddenly felt painful again and decided to end this unpleasant conversation, asking, "When will you come to learn forging?"

"I have important work, so I'll think about how to learn and work at the same time," Tang Zheng thought for a moment, "It shouldn't take too long."

"Then what about Bai Lian Fang..."

"How powerful is the master there?" Tang Zheng asked.

"You mean Lu Huang?" Ban Yilou shook his head, "Indescribably strong!"

"Stronger than the one who forged this dagger... your friend?"

"Master Lu Huang is from the core thirteen families of Bai Lian Fang. My friend and he... can't be compared," Ban Yilou said, though he didn't like Bai Lian Fang.

"That's great. I have an idea for a secondary weapon! Heh, a family legacy of high difficulty, specifically for old blacksmiths..." Tang Zheng smiled mischievously.

"A family legacy of high difficulty, specifically for old blacksmiths?" Ban Yilou's face lit up.

"Shh..." Tang Zheng didn't answer Ban Yilou's question, but his gaze fell on the outside of Jubaoge.

Outside Jubaoge, a group of patrol servants from Yinlan Manor had just walked by.

Although West Street was under the control of Yinlan Manor, when they passed Jubaoge, they didn't dare to even glance inside!

What kind of behemoth was the Purple Gold City?

Even a glance would make them fear "trouble."

Tang Zheng watched their performance with regret, shook his head, and picked up a vase from the counter...

Bang!

The vase made a crisp sound and shattered into pieces on the ground.

"What are you doing? That's an antique glass vase from the last dynasty of the empire!" Ban Yilou roared in anger.