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Chapter 109: Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword
It wasn't until the sky began to darken that Chu Liang reluctantly bid farewell to the thorny black balls.
He always felt that the giant ghost tree in the forest was eerie and somewhat strange. Staying there at night made him feel a bit uneasy.
The sunlight was sparse in the woods, and as he returned to Mount Shu, dusk was just approaching.
He impatiently pressed the refine button on all those thorny black balls and collected all the seeds. Afterward, he planted the seeds in the flower field.
Today, he had slain many thorny black balls—enough to expand the two small flower fields to the same size as yesterday's.
As Chu Liang dug and planted, he calculated the pricing for the Golden Vein Berries.
In theory, the cost of producing the Golden Vein Berries consisted of the labor work done by Chu Liang, the cost of Herbal Wood Spirit Powder which was valued at three sword coins, and the labor contribution of Liu Xiaoyu'er.
With the continuous rain over the past few days, Liu Xiaoyu'er's labor could be considered null. Nonetheless, she was still eating. Therefore, strictly speaking, the cost here should be considered a natural loss.
Even though the cost was low, he couldn't set a very low price for these berries. Otherwise, it would tarnish the reputation he had built for the business and negatively affect his future businesses.
If the berry production proved successful, this expanse of blossoming flowers would transform into a thriving orchard of fruits.
While he was working, he heard someone calling out, "Senior Brother Chu!"
"Hmm?" Chu Liang turned around to find Wen Yulong approaching. "Junior Brother Wen?"
Wen Yulong approached briskly and said, "I have gotten the result for the Aura-Concealing Muslin that I was negotiating for you. The seller from Taotie City has sent a message, and they have agreed to reduce the price. You can get it for around six hundred and fifty sword coins."
"That's great," Chu Liang readily agreed.
This price was already close to the estimate Wen Yulong had given him initially, and it was simply unnecessary for him to quibble over minor differences.
After chatting with Wen Yulong last time, Chu Liang had also inquired about the price of Aura-Concealing Muslin in other places and the pricing was similar to what Wen Yulong had reported, indicating that Wen Yulong hadn't been trying to take advantage of him and had been genuinely helping.
As long as the price was roughly right, Chu Liang didn't mind if Wen Yulong had gotten a small commission or not. Since he was asking for help, there was no need to be too meticulous.
"Alright," Wen Yulong nodded. "I'll relay the message and have the seller prepare to send the material over. The cost for sending valuable items through Taotie City is rather high, but it is the most reliable intermediary. It's better not to skimp on this."
"No problem." Chu Liang agreed.
Taotie City was far away, and the process of collecting materials there would be troublesome. With a well-filled coin pouch and the imminent establishment of an industry chain, Chu Liang was feeling quite generous.
Wen Yulong inquired about the Razor Leaf, prompting Chu Liang to respond with a wry smile. Before he could make a comment, shouts erupted from the peak master's pavilion.
"Chu Liang!"
Di Nufeng's shout carried a commanding presence. Even in the absence of any immediate conflict, it created the impression that she might find fault with you in the very next moment.
"My teacher is calling for me," Chu Liang declared abruptly, turning around.
Di Nufeng seldom sought him out on her own initiative, leaving Chu Liang to wonder about the major issue that must have arisen.
"Well, I don't have any other matters to attend to. I won't disturb Senior Brother Chu any longer," Wen Yulong hastily added before taking his leave. The earlier shout had caught him off guard, as he had grown up hearing about that one problem plaguing Mount Shu.
...
Chu Liang immediately rushed to the peak master's pavilion.
There, he found Di Nufeng holding a sword box, delicately placing it on the table with a delighted expression. "Look! Do you know what this precious thing is?"
"What is it?" Chu Liang asked cautiously.
He doubted that his teacher would bestow him anything of value.
However, his initial assumption was swiftly disproven!
Upon opening the sword box, Chu Liang's pupils contracted sharply.
Inside lay a silver-white sword adorned with cloud patterns, measuring over four chi in length. The entire blade exuded a subdued brilliance, and an abundance of Dao's essence circulated around it.
This is the Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword!
With just a glance, Chu Liang recognized this sword.
This was the thirty-first-ranked treasure in the Catalog of the Mortal World's Ten Thousand Treasures—the sword of Daoist Yan, the Peak Master of the Azure Falling Peak—the Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword!
Legend has it that in ancient times, a renowned swordsmith, captivated by the Dao essence in the clouds, made numerous unsuccessful attempts to integrate the Dao essence into a sword. Ultimately, he devised a unique solution: He rode a colossal beast and forged the sword amidst the clouds of the ninth heaven. During this process, winds howled, thunder resonated, and heavenly fire burned intensely. After enduring countless hardships, he eventually completed the sword and bestowed upon it the name "Heavenly Cloud."
The Mount Shu Sect relied on the wealth and opulence of its predecessors. Therefore, despite having lost a top-ranking divine artifact, they still possessed a significant number of treasures listed among the top hundred in the Catalog of the Mortal World's Ten Thousand Treasures.
"Didn't you mention your need for a reliable weapon for the Mount Shu Summit?" Di Nufeng chuckled and continued, "It's been on my mind, so I thought I should help you. And so, I borrowed Yan Zi's Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword. Apart from the Violet and Azure Twin Swords, it stands as the highest-ranked sword on Mount Shu."
Chu Liang was astonished. "You want me to use the Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword during the Mount Shu Summit? This..."
He wasn't sure whether to be moved or find it absurd.
"In your dreams!" Di Nufeng retorted, rolling her eyes. "Yan Zi is the type of person who deems the ground dirty just by walking on it. How could she possibly allow anyone else to use her sword..."
"Moreover, considering your current cultivation level, a single strike with this sword would likely exhaust all your energy. You wouldn't be able to wield it," Di Nufeng added.
"Oh..." Upon hearing this, Chu Liang heaved a sigh of relief.
Had Di Nufeng asked him to wield the Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword, he would have declined anyway.
Not every valuable item is suitable for everyone to use.
A sword like the Crimson Executioner, capable of being controlled by users of lower cultivation levels and even enhancing their strength, would be a dream weapon.
Swords like the Violet and Azure Twin Swords, which preferred young disciples as their wielders and didn't like powerful cultivators at the Dao Attainment Realm, were extremely rare.
Many of the highest-ranked valuable tools listed in the Catalog of the Mortal World's Ten Thousand Treasures had specific cultivation level requirements. If used by someone of a lower cultivation level, not only would they struggle to control it, but the tool's fierce nature might even turn against them.
Especially regarding the top ten supreme divine tools, trying to wield them without adequate cultivation level would lead to instant death due to the powerful recoil.
The Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword was no exception to this rule.
Those who were virtuous would possess valuable tools, and those who were capable would have the power to control such tools. There would be no room for error in this principle.
"I am thinking of taking you to Taotie City to seek a master swordsmith who can craft a replica of the Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword. Even if it's a replica, it won't be too inferior. This way, you'll have a flying sword," Di Nufeng shared her thoughts.
"That's brilliant," Chu Liang exclaimed in praise.
He had encountered Song Qingyi of the Noblemen's Hall before, who wielded a replica of the River-Measuring Jade Ruler. Its power was also outstanding.
Replicas crafted by skilled swordsmiths were not uncommon in the world of immortal cultivation. The quality of these replicas depended not only on the power of the original artifact but also on the expertise and materials employed by the swordsmith.
For top-tier artifacts listed in the top hundred of the Catalog of the Mortal World's Ten Thousand Treasures, a meticulously crafted replica could potentially display power comparable to those within the top five hundred of the catalog. However, replicas couldn't secure a place in the official catalog, making many high-quality imitations relatively unknown.
So Chu Liang asked, "Which swordsmith do you plan to find in Taotie City?"
Di Nufeng replied, "Master Kunwu!"
"What?" Chu Liang was surprised. "Master Kunwu?"