Chapter Eighty-Nine: The Falling Arrow

“Eh, what kind of long arrow is this?”

Hu San stretched out his arm, fingers gripping lightly, and pulled down a dark, slender arrow from the wall.

Unlike the other arrows, this one seemed to be made entirely of an unknown metal, forged very unevenly. The shaft was riddled with dents and protrusions, making it appear utterly worthless. Under normal circumstances, it would be considered scrap—not fit to sell, let alone use.

“This arrow!”

The shopkeeper furrowed his brow, then, like Hu San, broke off one from the wall and examined it carefully before suddenly realizing, “These are meteor arrows, forged from meteorites that fell from the heavens. However, they were made using the refined waste from meteorites, so the craftsmanship is rough, and they’re very difficult to aim accurately. That’s why they’ve been stockpiled here for so long.”

“These arrows are quite heavy and can only be wielded by those with great strength. Plus, the uneven shafts make hitting the target a challenge. Yet despite their flaws, they have one advantage: their weight and force can penetrate armor and stone as if they were nothing. If not for the impurities within the meteorite that cannot be melted away, these could have been legendary weapons.”

“Is that so? I wonder what they’re worth?”

Hu San gently rubbed the meteor arrow, feeling its weight, and couldn’t help but be tempted.

With his current strength, he could easily wield the Nine Ox Bow. In truth, the Nine Ox Bow was beginning to fall short of his demands. Finding a stronger bow was difficult.

Since he couldn’t find a better bow for now, focusing on the arrows was a viable option. After all, his iron arrows were merely standard military issue and couldn’t compare to the refined goods in the martial world, let alone the arrows available at the Spirit Armory.

Given his strength, these meteor arrows were just right. As for accuracy, any minor lack could be compensated for with a sufficient quantity.

“If you truly want them, ten taels of gold apiece.”

Though Hu San had expected this, hearing the price from the shopkeeper still made his brow twitch.

“Ten taels of gold? For these defective meteor arrows?”

Even indifferent to money, Hu San was taken aback.

“Heh heh, don’t think it expensive, sir. When these first arrived, their price would have been ten times higher. But after years of stockpiling, to avoid spoilage, I’m selling at cost.”

“If these were refined meteor arrows, each would be worth at least a thousand taels of gold.”

“We currently have a hundred defective meteor arrows. If you want them all, I can give you a discount—nine hundred taels for the lot.”

“I’m not bragging. Once you leave Tianluo Village, it’ll be nearly impossible to find meteor arrows for sale. They are national treasures; their appearance elsewhere would cause a tremendous stir. These may be defective, but at close range, they’re still effective.”

At last, the middle-aged shopkeeper revealed his true merchant nature. Before, Hu San had some suspicion due to the man’s apparent cultivation, but now it vanished completely.

Clearly, this man might be powerful, but he was a born businessman—not someone playing a role.

“Nine hundred taels? Still too expensive.”

Hu San shook his head, pacing back and forth. He casually picked up some arrows from the wall and said, “These meteor arrows have been here for years, so they’re hard to sell. Even at cost, that’s excessive. Ten taels gold per arrow is still too high. I won’t argue; I’ll take the hundred meteor arrows, plus fifty armor-piercing and fifty stealth arrows, all for nine hundred taels gold. Deal?”

“This… this…”

The shopkeeper’s face showed difficulty, but noticing Hu San’s impatience, he suddenly slapped his thigh in pain and said, “Since you are so generous, I can’t be stingy. I’ll make the call this once. Bring out all the meteor arrows, plus the fifty armor-piercing and stealth arrows, and hand them over to you.”

“Thank you, shopkeeper.”

Hu San smiled and took out a gilded note from his pocket. “Can I use the gold notes from the Wuxiong Kingdom here?”

“Yes, yes, we accept all currencies except the demon coins from the Monster Forest.”

The middle-aged man took the note, examined it carefully, then rummaged in his pocket and handed Hu San some gold ingots. “The goods are heavy and inconvenient to carry. Would you like to bring them back yourself or have us deliver?”

“If you deliver, please add ten taels of silver.”

Now the shopkeeper was fully in merchant mode, no trace of a master’s dignity.

Hu San couldn’t help but laugh and handed over the silver. “Much appreciated.”

In a short while, the shopkeeper prepared two hundred long arrows. Hu San inspected them; everything was in order. A burly man carried them, and they returned to the inn to unload.

As for the thief Hu San had caught, he silently followed behind. When Hu San left the inn again, the thief was still there—not sure if waiting for a reward or for some other purpose.

Before Hu San could ask, the boy with a grimy face forced a smile and stepped forward. “Sir, do you plan to visit the old Xu Ji shop? Compared to the killing aura at the Spirit Armory, the Xu Ji shop has a different character. It’d be a shame to come to Tianluo City and not see it.”

“Also, may I have some of my bounty in advance? The Xu Ji shop isn’t nearby, and my home lies along the way. If you don’t mind, I’d like to buy some supplies for my family and guide you there, to ease my mother and siblings’ hardship.”

His words were reasonable, but to Hu San’s trained eyes, full of flaws. Yet he had expected this move from the boy; now he was only more certain.

A faint smile touched his lips. Feeling the talismans and black sword ready to be unleashed within his stone, Hu San nodded lightly. Who was he afraid to face head-on?

He wanted to see which powerful figure had singled him out in this densely populated Tianluo Village. He was very curious.

As for the boy, though clever and reminiscent of Hu San’s own rough-and-tumble childhood in the mountain village, he stirred little emotion.

Life or death, fate or fortune—those were choices for the boy alone.

With that in mind, Hu San said no more and followed the boy’s lead.

The boy’s performance was convincing, nervously excited. Using the money Hu San gave him, he bought some food at nearby shops, then introduced the surroundings as he guided Hu San eastward.

Having anticipated this, Hu San noticed the environment changing along the way. The earlier prosperity faded, replaced by desolation. Gaunt figures lay slumped on roadside haystacks, their eyes glowing with a hungry yellow light, scanning passersby like lone wolves.

But after their gaze fell on the long blade at Hu San’s waist, they all quickly withdrew their threatening stares, suppressing the urge to attack, replacing it with endless envy and sycophancy.