From the next day on, I began to prepare earnestly to challenge the Twin Gate Sect. First, I confirmed the location of the Twin Gate Sect based on the information I had heard from the waiter, and I also roughly jotted down the names of the renowned masters within the sect. The waiter, who seemed to know a lot, spouted information as if he had been a martial artist for ten years once I paid him.
"How do you know so much?"
When I asked him, amazed, he chuckled.
"Well, the stories of martial artists are always fascinating and entertaining, aren't they? And the Twin Gate Sect isn't known for having a bad reputation, so there are quite a few people in Luoyang who admire the sect's masters. I'm interested too, so I occasionally listen to stories."
"Speaking of which, is the Beggar Sect also in Luoyang?"
The waiter waved his hand.
"Heavens, where there are people, there are beggars. Just look for the beggars under the secluded bridge after passing through Changxin Street; they are the masters of the Beggar Sect. Besides, the masters of the Beggar Sect often wander through the back alleys of Luoyang."
I pondered for a moment. I had given the waiter some money and obtained some rough information, but I thought it might be better to visit the Beggar Sect to get more detailed information. However, since information often circulates, using the Beggar Sect recklessly could lead to trouble later on.
'The Beggar Sect can wait. It seems better to challenge the Twin Gate Sect first and then gather the necessary information.'
After eating, I went out into the city and started wandering around to find a weapon shop. The streets were divided into commercial zones, with taverns, entertainment areas, and various shops arranged by type. The weapon shop I was looking for was about three li away from the inn district.
When I entered the weapon shop, the rather splendid interior decoration caught my eye. It looked like a place where a poor person would struggle to enter. Naturally, the weapons would be expensive, so I was about to leave quietly when the shop owner grabbed my sleeve.
Thud
"Oh, sir, why don't you take a look at the goods?"
"... Ha ha, I don't have much money."
"The weapons we sell are often purchased by the government. You won't regret it."
Hearing this, I decided to just browse the displayed weapons. Luoyang has many martial artists and martial sects, and many areas have unstable security, so even civilians can carry weapons if they have a permit. This is why weapon shops, which are not usually allowed, are thriving.
'Hmm... I definitely need a spear. And my longsword's edge is worn out, so it needs to be sharpened. It would be convenient to have a dagger as well.'
However, when I tried to place an order, the weapon shop owner smiled and said,
"If you do that, it will cost you about 30 silver taels and 50 cash."
"......"
"If I give you a slight discount, it can be 25 silver taels."
The weapon shop owner hastily added, but I couldn't bring myself to buy them. At this price, even a bounty hunter would find it difficult to save up enough money in a year. While good weapons are expensive, I also disliked the feeling that the shop owner was inflating the price carelessly. I left the weapon shop without hesitation and wandered around other places, but they were all similar.
'Damn it. These guys must be colluding on prices. The prices are similar no matter where I go.'
I frowned. In a narrow area with the same type of business, if they engage in unlimited price competition, they will all go bankrupt. The weapon shop owners must have colluded to set prices at a reasonable level to avoid this. Of course, these prices are undoubtedly inflated to a level that can sufficiently exploit martial artists.
However, I felt a bit troubled. I have been traveling continuously while always carrying a long spear, a sword, and a dagger as my basic weapons. However, after studying for three years under the mountain, the shaft of my long spear had rotted, and I had to use a makeshift wooden spear from Jinlang Valley.
It was a half-finished wooden spear made by a blacksmith in Jinlang Valley, and it was so shoddy that the guard let me pass, thinking it wouldn't cause any trouble. This would probably break after a few uses.
Moreover, my frequently used longsword is also very dull. If I put a lot of internal energy into it during a fight, it will definitely break. With such unreliable weapons, I cannot fight against top masters of a prestigious sect like the Twin Gate Sect.
'Hmm, damn... There's no choice. I'll have to borrow weapons from them when I challenge them.'
Actually, this is not a thought a martial artist should have. Caring for one's weapons like one's life and using them carefully is a basic attitude, and asking to borrow practice weapons when entering enemy territory is enough to invite ridicule. Let alone a prestigious sect like the Twin Gate Sect, where I don't know what kind of criticism I might receive.
However, if I spend too much money on weapons, it will make my future movements difficult. I need to save my funds even if it means enduring some humiliation. If all else fails, I could go to a bounty agency in Luoyang and work as a bounty hunter to earn money, but I thought it would be disadvantageous to leave many traces in Luoyang.
That day, I wandered around the vicinity of the Twin Gate Sect to confirm the information I had heard from the waiter. When I confirmed the Iron Blood Sect and the Great Sword Sect, I was somewhat intimidated. No matter how large, I thought they would be at the level of a single sect, but they had taken a vast estate of over a thousand feet as their territory.
The other four families had mansions, but their sects were not particularly large. They seemed to be able to accommodate about a dozen people, which is a typical size for a martial family.
However, when I approached the Iron Blood Sect, I saw that there were hundreds of junior disciples wandering around, making it seem like a bustling market. The Great Sword Sect was no different. This was truly astonishing, as owning a house in Luoyang is enough to live comfortably, and owning an estate of hundreds of feet symbolizes a terrifying prosperity. The leaders of the Iron Blood Sect and the Great Sword Sect are likely among the richest in Luoyang.
'Now I understand why the Huashan Sect and the Zhongnan Sect cannot interfere in Luoyang...'
I could guess why the Iron Blood Sect and the Great Sword Sect were so prosperous. The other four major families, the Zhang, Xu, Li, and Han, are martial families based on blood ties, so it is difficult for them to take in disciples from outside. While they can accept disciples, it is difficult to expand the size of the sect. If they expose their family martial arts prematurely, the impact of betrayal would be significant.
However, the Iron Blood Sect and the Great Sword Sect, which aim to expand their influence with the sect leader at the top, can easily expand their size without such restrictions. They are also engaging in large-scale baiting, like the Blue Dragon Martial Hall, by using low-level martial arts to lure in high-level martial arts. Moreover, with the Twin Gate Sect controlling the dominance of the Luoyang martial world, talented individuals from Luoyang are bound to flock like bees.
I realized anew how absurd my plan was. How strong must the masters who rule over such a large sect be? They must be able to command hundreds of disciples effortlessly and be strong enough to resist the interference of the Nine Great Sects. It is impossible to achieve this with just average skills. There are bound to be many formidable masters who can easily handle someone like me.
However, I shook my head.
'Don't think too negatively. I don't need to defeat the leaders of the Iron Blood Sect or the Great Sword Sect. I just want to fight someone of a similar level to improve my skills.'
After finishing my reconnaissance for the day, I returned to the inn and quietly practiced the Thunder Dragon Internal Art. It had been a long time since I properly performed the Grand Circulation, so I was tense. Until then, I had only practiced the Small Circulation, which maintains the vitality of my internal energy without requiring deep concentration.
Unlike the Small Circulation, the Grand Circulation is a practice that increases the absolute value of internal energy and spreads true energy through the meridians. When performing the Grand Circulation, one must enter a deep state of concentration, so if attacked during this time, one would suffer fatal injuries regardless of martial skill. Therefore, I had to be cautious.
Rumble
"......"
I felt as if my inner core was boiling with a golden light. As the energy of the Grand Circulation rose to the top of my head and then descended, I felt my skin being pulled and a surge of energy near my heart. I concentrated for a long time to control the massive energy