Chapter 437 - 399: Preparations 2

Chapter 437: Chapter 399: Preparations 2

This was Zhao Changxing’s first time attending the Dharma Assembly. Hearing the crowd’s discussions, he was bursting with pride, wishing he could let everyone know that Zhao Lin was his uncle.

The elder from the Western Ox Continent heard the murmurs from the crowd and looked a bit embarrassed. He announced in a deep voice, "Silence! The disciples participating in the competition, come forward and draw lots."

Zhao Lin and the other five disciples walked into the arena and went forward one by one to draw lots.

"Number One."

Zhao Lin displayed the wooden tablet in his hand.

"I’m also Number One."

The disciple from Juyan Province across from him looked grim.

"You two, remain in the arena. The rest of you, withdraw."

The Western Ox Continent elder announced loudly, "Zhao Lin of Nanhe Province versus Qin Fangping of Juyan Province!"

Zhao Lin walked into the designated circle and stood still, his palm resting on the hilt of the saber at his waist.

After obtaining the Moon-Cutting Saber, Zhao Lin had gone to the market and commissioned a scabbard made of beast hide. He now carried it with him at all times, having shelved his old iron ruler.

Because the blade of the Moon-Cutting Saber curved inward, its strange shape drew everyone’s attention even while it was still sheathed. They all wondered what kind of magic artifact it could be.

Qin Fangping held a short golden spear, his expression grave. He swallowed hard.

The venue fell silent. Everyone held their breath, especially the first-year disciples from the Western Ox Continent and Juyan Province, all eager to see what formidable techniques Zhao Lin possessed.

"Begin!"

At the elder’s command, Qin Fangping struck first.

The Golden Spear transformed into a streak of golden light as it shot forward.

Qin Fangping was a third-year disciple. Having witnessed Zhao Lin’s performance in the past two assemblies, he knew his own defensive Magic would be no match for Zhao Lin’s mastery of the Ice Blade Skill. He decided to meet offense with offense, hoping to catch him by surprise.

Zhao Lin was perfectly composed. With a backhand motion, he drew the Moon-Cutting Saber and sent it flying.

"What a huge battle saber!" many disciples exclaimed.

The Moon-Cutting Saber wasn’t long, but its thick spine and robust body made it clear to everyone that it was incredibly heavy.

CLANG!

The sound of clashing metal rang out in the arena.

Qin Fangping had tried to win with speed, making the Golden Spear deliberately travel in an arc.

But Zhao Lin’s Ice Blade Skill was nearing perfection. The Moon-Cutting Saber dipped down, easily intercepting the Golden Spear’s path, and chopped down heavily.

The Golden Spear was sent flying by the impact. The Moon-Cutting Saber paused for only an instant before accelerating again, heading straight for Qin Fangping’s face.

"I surrender!"

Qin Fangping knew further resistance was pointless, so he simply raised his hand and conceded defeat.

The venue fell deathly silent. No one had expected the duel to end in the span of a single breath.

"Thank you for the match."

Zhao Lin recalled the Moon-Cutting Saber and cupped his fist.

’I’m very satisfied,’ he thought. ’This is the first time I’ve used the Moon-Cutting Saber in actual combat, and the results are excellent.’

"Ah, my magic artifact!"

Qin Fangping picked up the Golden Spear from the ground and cried out in anguish when he saw a new notch on its tip.

"Zhao Lin, let me see your magic artifact."

Zhou Hongfang beckoned to Zhao Lin.

"Yes."

Zhao Lin strode forward and presented the Moon-Cutting Saber.

"This battle saber is interesting. It seems to deliver more force than an ordinary chopper."

Zhou Hongfang grasped the hilt, gave a couple of practice swings, and spoke in an appreciative tone.

"It’s so heavy. It must be considered a heavy-class magic artifact, right?"

"Definitely. It wouldn’t lose out even against an iron axe."

Elder Nie and Elder Wu also gathered around, clucking their tongues in amazement.

"Zhao Lin, where did you get this saber?"

Zhou Hongfang turned his head and asked.

"This disciple saw this type of saber in the mortal realm and found it suited my hand, so I asked Master Zhengtu to help forge one for me."

Zhao Lin answered respectfully.

Zhao Lin was a warrior, so Zhou Hongfang had no reason to doubt him. He commented, "This saber is good for cleaving and is incredibly powerful. It’s just very particular about its wielder."

"Someone without enough Spiritual Power and Divine Sense couldn’t use it at all. Only a Martial Cultivator like you, who has trained in the Nine Revolutions God Condensing Skill, could handle it."

Elder Wu took the Moon-Cutting Saber, made a couple of gestures with it, and added in agreement, "Using this saber reduces your attack range by about twenty percent. When dueling, remember to control your distance..."

Zhao Lin nodded quickly, indicating he had taken the lesson to heart.

While they were talking, the next two matches concluded one after another.

Lin Chaoran and Guo Quan of the Western Ox Continent each defeated their opponents and advanced to the second round.

The first match of the second round: Zhao Lin versus Lin Chaoran.

"Brother Zhao and I are both from Nanhe Province, so we shouldn’t fight amongst ourselves here. I surrender."

Knowing he was no match, Lin Chaoran cupped his hands to the crowd as he spoke.

"I surrender too."

Before the crowd could react, Guo Quan also came forward and spoke. He figured it was better to retain some dignity than to be shamefully defeated by Zhao Lin.

"Ah, it’s over already?"

"How can they surrender without a fight?"

"Heh, easy for you to say. You’re not the one who’d be taking the beating..."

The disciples chattered amongst themselves.

"In that case, the competition is over. Zhao Lin is the champion."

Nanhe Province had stolen all the limelight. The elder from the Western Ox Continent was eager to end things, so seeing his chance, he made the announcement directly.

And so, the Dharma Assembly came to a close.

Seeing that it was still early, Zhou Hongfang led the disciples back.

...

The end of the year was approaching. Many third-year disciples had no mind for cultivation and were running around everywhere, looking for errands that would earn them merit points and Spirit Stones.

Zhao Lin already had his future secured and didn’t need to worry about this. However, he wasn’t idle; when not cultivating, he often sought out Gu Dezhao to discuss matters regarding the shop’s opening.

He was gradually beginning to understand. Lu Yuanxiu had offered him this position partly out of camaraderie, as they were both Martial Cultivators, and partly, he suspected, because he had excellently completed two sect missions.

’In any case, since I’ve been given this opportunity, I must seize it.’

’As long as the shop is managed well, providing a source of revenue for the provincial government and opening up a sales channel for Han Chi County, it would be like giving a great gift to both Lu Yuanxiu and Zhou Hongfang.’

’That way, I’ll have two powerful backers in the sect!’

Running a shop required preparing for a host of complex matters, and a layman wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Gu Dezhao had worked his way up from an assistant to a Shopkeeper and was rich with experience. Zhao Lin adopted a humble attitude, earnestly seeking his guidance on all matters and accompanying him daily to visit the leading cultivators of various halls.

As the saying goes, different professions are like different mountains. ’Since I don’t understand business,’ he resolved, ’I’ll watch more, listen more, and speak less. If I have any directorial opinions, I’ll hold them in for now.’

Gu Dezhao was a veteran, and with Zhou Hongfang having put in a good word for them in advance, he smoothly negotiated the supply sources for various cultivation resources.

"You’ve worked hard, Old Gu. If I had been the one to go, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to negotiate such low prices, and they might not have even paid me any mind."

Zhao Lin said admiringly.

"You’re too kind, little friend Zhao. To be honest, there aren’t many secrets to it. The key is whether we can sell the goods. If our order volume is large, everything becomes easier to negotiate."

Gu Dezhao spoke humbly, but a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

Zhao Lin nodded and asked in a serious tone, "Old Gu, do you think our shop can succeed? Are the risks high?"

"Well..."

Gu Dezhao cleared his throat and mused, "The marketplace in Dongfu County has just been established, so there aren’t many cultivators coming and going. It will definitely be difficult at the start. But as long as we manage it with care, business will slowly pick up."

"The Shangyuan Immortal Market wasn’t thriving from the beginning either. It took several hundred years of operation to reach its current scale."

Zhao Lin knew he was speaking the truth. He said earnestly, "Old Gu, let’s work together to make this a success and not disappoint the high hopes of Elder Lu and Dean Zhou."

Gu Dezhao smiled. "But of course."

Zhao Lin continued, "This little brother has a fellow disciple I’m close with. He is humble, simple, and honest. I’d like to appoint him as Manager. What do you think, Old Gu?"

Gu Dezhao was taken aback for a moment, then immediately smiled. "Friend Zhao, you are the Chief Shopkeeper. Personnel decisions are yours to make. I have no objections."

Relief washed over Zhao Lin. "I’m glad you agree, Old Gu. Still, it’s safer to use experienced hands for a new shop. I will only appoint this one person. Please, you decide on the rest of the positions."

A flash of delight appeared in Gu Dezhao’s eyes. "Are you serious?"

Zhao Lin nodded earnestly. "Absolutely!"

Gu Dezhao stroked his beard, thought for a moment, and said, "When I retired from the Shangyuan Immortal Market, I did have some old subordinates. They are reliable workers, and their character is trustworthy."

Zhao Lin said readily, "I will certainly trust the people you bring, Old Gu. Then it’s settled."