16: Guanshan Sword Society

“What can I get for you two gentlemen?”

As soon as the two entered, a shop assistant greeted them with a wide smile, showing no disdain despite their tattered clothing.

Xu Sanyan looked around; the first floor was a typical pharmacy, just a bit larger, with medicine cabinets lining the walls.

“I heard you sell precious medicines here. I came to take a look,” Xu Sanyan said, fixing his gaze on the assistant’s eyes.

“Oh, you’ve come at an unfortunate time, sir. The precious medicines just sold out,” the assistant said with a smile.

Xu Sanyan pulled out a few scattered silver pieces from his Arms and slapped them into the assistant’s hand. “Tell me the truth.”

The assistant chuckled as he pocketed the silver, then leaned in and said, “To be honest, sir, you wouldn’t be able to buy them no matter when you came. Precious medicines are in high demand, and they must first be reserved for the nobles.”

The assistant gestured towards the city center, and Xu Sanyan understood: the nobles in the government office.

“Then there are the adults from various Gangs waiting, such as Gang Leader Bai of the White Horse Gang. He receives one plant fixed every month, and there’s also the Master of Wangyue Tower.”

“The amount of precious medicine ginseng collectors can gather in a month doesn’t exceed the number of fingers on two hands. There isn’t even enough to go around. Only occasionally, if there’s any left, can others buy it, and the price isn’t cheap—at least ten thousand taels of silver, and the price is still rising.”

“Now, most of the precious medicines on the outskirts of Dragon Lushan have been collected. To get more, one must go deeper inside, but there are Yao Beasts in Dragon Lushan. If you encounter one, you’ll lose your life.”

Xu Sanyan nodded. This item greatly benefits a Martial Artist, so it’s in short supply. Wu Jue must have put in a lot of effort to obtain these few precious medicines.

It seems he still needs to improve his status; otherwise, even with money, he won’t be able to buy them.

“Thank you. If there’s ever any precious medicine left over, please let me know. I promise my little brother won’t have made a wasted trip.”

“Rest assured, sir.”

Xu Sanyan cupped his hands, left his address, and walked out.

Big Yellow Tooth said, “Fourth Master, where are we going next?”

Xu Sanyan looked up towards the north of the city. “Guanshan Saber Society.”

… …

The Guanshan Saber Society is located in the north of the city because the north of the city is the most chaotic, and most of the residents are poor, resulting in a low cost of living. The Guanshan Saber Society is relatively poor, so the north of the city is the most suitable.

Xu Sanyan walked through a long alley, at the end of which was a large courtyard. The dilapidated gate was open, and noisy sounds emanated from within.

“What’s all this noise about so early in the morning?” Big Yellow Tooth was a bit curious.

Xu Sanyan stepped through the gate on his own accord, only to see dozens of burly men in tattered jackets gathered in the spacious courtyard, two of them wielding large sabers, competing in martial arts.

“Good!”

“Damn it, Wang Laizi, cut him down! I bet two taels of silver on you…”

“Wang Waifu is waiting for me naked, damn it. If you lose, you’re spending the night with me…”

Xu Sanyan leaned in to watch. The two men in the arena were fighting back and forth with great enthusiasm, but they both held back some strength to avoid accidentally killing anyone.

“These two gentlemen look a bit unfamiliar. Have you come to our Guanshan Saber Society for business?” someone beside him asked.

Xu Sanyan smiled and shook his head. “I’ve long heard that the Guanshan Saber Society gathers heroes. I admire it and wish to join.”

The man raised an eyebrow, baring his teeth in a grin. “Heh, so we’ve become heroes, have we?”

Just then, the two in the arena determined a winner. The man shouted, “Brothers, come and place your bets!”

Xu Sanyan understood that “placing bets” meant joining. He also understood some of the common Jianghu slang.

Everyone turned to look at the two. Someone scoffed, “This kid probably hasn’t even grown all his hair yet.”

“Hahahaha…”

“What, are you going to help him count how many hairs he has?”

Xu Sanyan’s smile remained unchanged. Beside him, Big Yellow Tooth looked at the person who spoke and quietly moved further away from him.

Others might not know the Fourth Master’s ruthlessness, but he knew it all too well. The Fourth Master was good in every way; he was generous to his brothers and never lacked money, but you absolutely must not provoke him.

Before, there was a new bandit in the stronghold who, seeing the Fourth Master always smiling and friendly to everyone, thought he was easy to bully and joked around without restraint.

The next day, he was skinned and tied to a pole, suffering for two days before he died.

Xu Sanyan was unaware of what Big Yellow Tooth was thinking, only saying, “Who is the leader?”

“Heh, still want to see the leader? No need for all that trouble. Pass three trials and you’ll be a brother,” someone in the crowd said.

“Which three trials, may I ask?”

A burly man with a full beard stepped forward. “The first trial, the rolling saber. Brothers, begin.”

The crowd split into two rows, standing face to face, holding sabers upright in front of their chests, leaving only a one-person-wide path in the middle.

“Walk through it. If your expression doesn’t change, you pass,” the burly, bearded man said.

The first trial was the simplest, merely to test one’s courage. To do this line of work, being timid wouldn’t do.

Xu Sanyan smiled calmly, passing through effortlessly without looking left or right, with Big Yellow Tooth following closely behind.

They were former bandits; for them, this kind of thing was as simple as eating and drinking.

The burly, bearded man nodded slightly at the sight. “The second trial, the test of hands. Among these brothers in the courtyard, pick anyone you like. If you can withstand twenty moves, you pass.”

Big Yellow Tooth glanced at the person who had just mocked the Fourth Master, silently mourning for him in his heart.

Xu Sanyan’s eyes flickered, and he pointed seemingly casually, “This brother here.”

Big Yellow Tooth thought, “As expected.”

It was precisely the person who had just said Xu Sanyan hadn’t even grown all his hair yet.

“Hahahaha, good kid, daring to pick on me, your grandpa! How about you beg me now, and I’ll go easy on you?”

Big Yellow Tooth’s mouth twitched. This person was still courting death.

“Please.”

Xu Sanyan extended his hand.

The crowd dispersed, creating an open space for the two.

“Kid, consider yourself unlucky…”

The man drew his long saber. “Don’t say I’m bullying you. You go first.”

“Alright…”

Before he finished speaking, Xu Sanyan’s figure suddenly vanished. Before anyone could react, he kicked the burly man in the abdomen.

“Bang!”

The burly man was sent flying seven or eight meters, instantly collapsing to the ground unconscious.

This was Xu Sanyan holding back. Killing someone upon arrival might create a bad impression.

This man was at most equivalent to a Martial Artist in the Early Stage of the Refining Essence Realm. For ordinary saber wielders, it was difficult to obtain even a common Cultivation Technique. Fortunately, the Refining Essence Realm only involves the simple tempering of the physical body, so one can practice even without a Cultivation Technique.

“Inner Qi Realm?”

“Did I see that correctly? An Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist so young?”

A clamor immediately rose around them. They couldn’t understand why someone with such high talent would come to the Guanshan Saber Society. Even if he went to the White Horse Gang, he would still receive excellent treatment.

The burly, bearded man’s eyes widened. This young man was actually in the Inner Qi Realm!

The Guanshan Saber Society, up until now, only had two Inner Qi Realm Martial Artists, the Gang Leader and the Deputy Gang Leader. Were they about to welcome a third today?

“This young brother… where were you previously employed, if I may ask?” The burly, bearded man quickly stepped forward and cupped his fists.

The change in his attitude before and after was very obvious.

Xu Sanyan smiled. “Just making a living in the Five Hundred Li Great Wind Pass.”

The burly, bearded man immediately understood. So he was also from the Gobi Desert.

The so-called Five Hundred Li Great Wind Pass was another name for the Northwest Gobi Desert.

“What about the third trial?” Xu Sanyan asked.