Martial Arts Longevity Begins with the Equipment Slot

Chapter 59 The Battle of the Meteorite Iron: The Final Verdict

"Grandma Long? She should be at the Tendon Refining Realm, and the maid under her command seems to be at the Flesh Refining Realm?"

The man in black naturally picked up the conversation.

She quickly realized what was happening and shook her head repeatedly.

"No! I don't know what level they're at! According to the rules, I can't tell you!"

"..."

Chen Yu was speechless again.

He could no longer tell whether this guy was genuinely stupid or just pretending.

After wandering around the outer area for a quarter of an hour, I spent over three hundred taels of silver to buy some aurora powder, flame-patterned cinnabar, and ice silk.

Where is the mining area?

Chen Yu asked the man in black.

"What kind of mineral do you want to buy? If you want low-grade minerals, go to Old Hu's stall. If you want medium-grade minerals, you can check out Granny Shi's stall. As for high-grade minerals, only Wei the Cripple's stall has them."

As the man in black spoke, he pointed out the location to Chen Yu.

"What are these three grades of minerals you mentioned?"

Upon hearing Chen Yu's question, a hint of smugness suddenly appeared in the black-clad woman's eyes, as if she had finally reached her area of ​​expertise.

After a moment's thought, the man in black began to speak fluently, using various gestures to appear quite professional.

"The inferior minerals are just ordinary gold, iron, and fuel."

"Including iron ore, copper ore, tin ingots, lead ingots, charcoal, coal, etc."

"These are essential items for blacksmith shops, mints, and arsenals in Wangjiang City. There are official quotas, but there are huge unmet needs."

"Many mineral dealers smuggle these materials out of private mines in Yehushan and Heisongling. The price is 30% lower than the official price, but the quality is much higher."

"Medium-grade goods consist of rare auxiliary materials, such as mercury, sulfur, saltpeter, borax, and arsenic."

"The government strictly controls these things. Every ounce of goods is recorded. If a smuggler is caught, he or she will be exiled or beheaded."

"But in our Night Owl Gang, as long as you pay enough money, you can have as much of these things as you want!"

"The best goods are things that are truly priceless and unavailable."

"These include all kinds of meteorite iron, black iron, and kerosene, which are rarely seen throughout the year, but as soon as they appear, people from all walks of life will fight tooth and nail to get them."

After listening, Chen Yu headed straight for the high-grade ore.

The stall owner was a cripple surnamed Wei, known as "Wei the Cripple" or "Mining Cripple".

Wei the Cripple was originally the "foreman" of a private mine in Wild Tiger Mountain, and he once managed about a hundred miners.

Later, the mine collapsed, killing many miners, and he was also crippled in the leg, while the mine owner simply ran away.

Seeing his ability to identify minerals, the owner of the Night Owl Club let him set up a stall here to deal in high-quality minerals.

At this moment, a large crowd had already gathered in front of Wei the Cripple's stall.

"Looks like there really is something good here, to attract so many people."

Chen Yu did not rush forward, but instead secretly observed the situation first.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were fixed on the long table in the center of the stall.

A piece of black velvet cloth was spread on the table, and in the center of the cloth was a piece of meteorite iron the size of an arm.

Chen Yu could tell at a glance that this was no ordinary item.

The surface of this meteorite is covered with dark red patterns.

These patterns meander like blood vessels, gleaming with an eerie dark light under the lamp.

Wei the Cripple said, "This is called 'Meteorite Blood-Patterned Steel,' an ancient ore that comes from a now-extinct country in the Western Continent. That vein was depleted three hundred years ago."

"This piece was a stash of goods that a merchant from the Western Continent hid in the Wanfo Grottoes. It was only recently unearthed and eventually ended up in the Night Owl Society."

Before he could finish speaking, another group of people squeezed into the stall.

There were three people standing in the innermost position.

The leader was a burly man in his forties, wearing a tiger-skin coat and carrying a sheathless short knife at his waist.

Behind him stood a man and a woman, both in their early twenties, their eyes sharp as they surveyed their surroundings.

"The Fierce Tiger King has taken a liking to this? Then who can compete with him for it?"

A few people were whispering among themselves in the outer seats.

"Who is the Fierce Tiger King? Does he have such great power?"

"You must be from out of town, not even knowing the Fierce Tiger King."

"He is the leader of Fierce Tiger Stronghold, nicknamed 'Fierce Tiger King.' He is a master of the Great Perfection of Body Refinement and has three hundred men under his command who specialize in robbery and plunder. The government has repeatedly sent troops to besiege him, but they have failed to capture him, which shows how terrifying his strength is!"

Upon hearing this, the man in black sneered and said to Chen Yu, "I know this guy. Every time the government troops surround and suppress us, he runs away quickly, but his henchmen are all killed in the process."

The Fierce Tiger King looked at Wei the Cripple with an arrogant expression and said, "This meteorite iron, I, Tiger King, want it! I will forge a 'Dragon-Slaying Blade' to sever the dragon vein of the Great Liang Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked and pale.

"These are treasonous remarks, and he actually dared to say them in public!"

"Outrageous! Do you really think the laws of my Great Liang are just for show? Do you really think the officers and soldiers of my Great Liang are all incompetent fools?"

"Are you out of your mind? He's a bandit, what's so strange about him saying things like that!"

"Excellent! This Fierce Tiger King has such ambition; he truly is a hero! I also want to join the Fierce Tiger Stronghold and accomplish great things!"

Seeing the shocked gazes around him, the Fierce Tiger King raised his head even higher, his expression becoming even more smug.

"Little Tiger, you're not taking this meteorite iron with you today."

A voice came from the side.

King Fierce Tiger was furious upon hearing this. He hadn't been in power for long, and someone had already tried to undermine him. Who was this blind fool?

"Who's speaking? You dare to steal from me, Tiger Lord? You don't want to live anymore?"

"it's me."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was a middle-aged woman who was speaking.

The woman wore a jet-black silk robe with a rhinoceros leather belt around her waist, inlaid with jade.

Behind her were three plainclothes guards, each standing ramrod straight with their feet shoulder-width apart.

"He's obviously a martial arts expert, and the kind who's seen blood."

Chen Yu felt like there was going to be some excitement to watch.

The Fierce Tiger King slowly turned his head, and the moment he saw the face of the person who had come, his expression immediately changed from arrogant to humble.

"So it's Chief Yu! Since Chief Yu wants this, then I, Little Tiger, have no choice but to reluctantly part with it and do him a favor."

As he spoke, King Fierce Tiger quickly stepped aside and respectfully invited the other party to come forward.

"And who is this Chief Yu?"

Chen Yu asked the man in black.

"It's Yu Wu Hui, the leader of the Rhino Gang. The Rhino Gang is a force to be reckoned with in Wangjiang City. Yu Wu Hui himself has the strength to achieve minor mastery of the Tendon Refining stage, so he can be considered a decent person."

The man in black answered in a flat tone.

"Chief Yu, this Blood-Patterned Meteorite Iron doesn't suit your style. Why don't you give it to me?"

In the southwest corner, a previously empty space was suddenly cleared by the crowd to make way for a path.

Five burly men filed in, all dressed in the same water-resistant attire.

They had sharp knives tucked into their waistbands, and water was dripping from the soles of their shoes.

The leader was a man in his early thirties with thick eyebrows and a square face.

He was wearing a short black silk jacket, which was open, revealing a large patch of dark blue tattoos on his chest.

Chen Yu could see clearly that he had a black dragon tattooed on his chest, with the dragon's head facing his heart and its tail probably wrapped around his lower back.

"This is the 'Rebellious Scale Dragon' tattoo that only the leaders of the fishing gang are entitled to. Those who defy fate are like those who turn the world upside down."

The man in black finally saw through it this time.

Without Chen Yu having to ask, she took the initiative to explain it to him.

"This man is named Li Xiaobo, and he is the head of the 'Xunjiang Hall' of the Wangjiang City Fishing Gang branch."

"The fishing gangs are the largest waterborne gangs in the middle and lower reaches of the Yunjiang River."

"From Guiyan City in the north to Luori City in the south, from Wangjiang City in the east to Kuizhou Prefecture in the west."

"Wherever there is water, there are fishing boats."

"They were not only fishermen, but also engaged in various other businesses such as smuggling salt, canal transport, and water transport."

"Even old warships discarded by the navy had to go through fishing gangs to be resold."

"The entire fishing gang has 30,000 brothers, 2,000 boats, and eight branch detachments."

"In Wangjiang City, the fishing gang's branch controls the most lucrative section of the waterway."

"The entire river stretches for eight hundred li (approximately 400 kilometers) from Yunjiang downstream."

"Every passing merchant ship, official ship, or private ship had to give the fishing gang some face."

Seemingly to demonstrate his extensive knowledge of the martial arts world, the man in black rattled off a long string of words.

Chen Yu was completely stunned.

Surprisingly, this guy, who seems dull on the surface, is actually quite knowledgeable.

"So, Li Xiaobo must be quite a big shot!"

Chen Yu was somewhat worried. This Blood-Patterned Meteorite Iron was exactly what he needed. If the man insisted on fighting for it, he wouldn't back down. Otherwise, things might get out of hand.

"A big shot?" The man in black remained unconvinced. "In front of our Night Owl Society, only the nine most powerful families of the Great Liang can be considered big shots."

"Everything else must be done according to the rules. The Night Owl Society doesn't care what kind of hall master or gang leader you are!"

Her tone was quite confident.

Chen Yu didn't know much about the Night Owl Society, only that it was a rather mysterious underground organization, and he didn't know who was supporting it.

However, the man in black dared to say that, so he must have some skills.

After all, such a large trade fair could not have been held without strong military and financial support.

"Master Li, I'm definitely buying this meteorite. Come back and buy it next time you have some in stock!"

Yu Wu Hui had no intention of giving Li Xiaobo any face.

Although the Fishermen's Gang was strong, the Rhino Gang was not to be trifled with either.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, what she wanted was not just a piece of blood-patterned meteorite iron, but also a sense of face that was second to none.

"Is Chief Yu determined to compete with Li for this meteorite iron?"

Li Xiaobo's expression was cold and stern, while the five burly men behind him were eager to attack.

The atmosphere immediately became tense.

"Amitabha! Both of you benefactors, please step back and stop arguing. This piece of meteorite iron belongs to the true Buddha."

Before the fight even started, three more monks suddenly appeared.

The leading monk wore a robe woven with gold thread and a string of amber prayer beads around his neck.

Each of the three monks held a purple-gold alms bowl in their hands.

"What does the senior monk want with meteorite iron?"

People nearby were whispering.

The head monk had very sharp ears; upon hearing the discussion, he calmly gave his reply.

"My Vajra Temple has cast 107 golden Arhat statues, and we are still missing the last one."

"This last one will be cast using blood-patterned meteorite iron, and then covered with a golden coat."

"This meteorite iron wasn't bought for the monk himself, but for the Blood Arhat."

"Please, all benefactors, for the sake of the Blood Arhat, refrain from arguing with this humble monk. Otherwise, I fear the Blood Arhat will truly bleed!"

Although the abbot's tone was calm, it revealed an undeniable air of authority.

His words were firm and resolute.

Fierce Tiger King had already slipped outside the stall, and Yu Wu Hui and Li Xiao Bo remained silent for a while.

This great monk is very famous.

Even Chen Yu knew that his Buddhist name was "Huiming" and that he was the guest monk of the Vajra Temple in Sunset City, in charge of the temple's property and offerings.

I had once led a group of monks to the Sword Casting Manor to chant sutras and pray for blessings, so we met once.

The Vajra Temple is one of the three major sects and five major factions in Sunset City, with several Bone Refining Realm warriors in charge. In terms of strength, it can overpower the Fishing Gang.

Huiming himself was a powerful expert who had mastered the Tendon Refining Technique. When he spoke, everyone present had to think twice.

Yu Wuhui had the idea of ​​resigning, but Li Xiaobo still wanted to save face.

"Great monk, stop trying to intimidate us with your Blood Arhat act! My fishing gang brothers only respect the Five Sea Dragon Kings. Today, our fishing gang is determined to have this Blood-Patterned Meteorite. Even if the real Buddha came, it wouldn't make a difference!"

"Mr. Li, such disrespect towards the true Buddha will bring retribution!"

Huiming's tone became even colder.

The atmosphere became tense again.

"Ahem!"

Wei the Cripple cleared his throat.

The entire stall fell silent instantly.

"Everyone, please don't rush."

Wei the Cripple's voice wasn't loud, but everyone listened attentively.

"I won't go into the value of this item."

"Those who understand, understand; those who don't, you won't understand no matter how much I explain."

Finally, I'll just say three things.

"First of all, this thing is absolutely real."

"Secondly, this might be the only one of its kind in the world; once you miss it, it'll be gone forever."

"Third, as per the old rules, the highest bidder wins!"

He raised the small iron hammer in his hand and tapped it on the long table.

"The price starts now at five hundred taels of silver, and each subsequent bid must be at least fifty taels!"

After three seconds of silence, someone broke it.

"Five hundred and fifty taels."

Fierce Tiger King came over again and jokingly offered a price.

He originally really wanted to buy it, but seeing how fiercely the big shots were arguing, he figured he might as well stir things up a bit more and make it more interesting.

"Six hundred and fifty taels."

Yu Wu Hui turned around and glanced at the Fierce Tiger King.

That glance held no anger, not even a hint of emotion, yet a cold sweat instantly broke out on the Tiger King's back.

"Eight hundred taels!"

Li Xiaobo, not to be outdone, retorted with a booming voice.

"One thousand two hundred taels."

Then someone else came up with a number.

"One thousand five hundred taels!"

The monk Huiming adjusted the prayer beads, and the purple-gold alms bowl flashed in the light.

Li Xiaobo neither turned back nor rashly raised the price.

He simply reached into his pocket, pulled out something, and placed it on the table.

It is a jade plaque.

The jade plaque is engraved with the character "dragon," and the back is engraved with a dragon with bared fangs and claws.

This is the "Dragon Order" of the fishing gang's branch; seeing the order is like seeing the branch leader.

The fact that Li Xiaobo brought out this token meant that he could mobilize the funds and provisions of any branch of the fishing gang.

"Two thousand taels."

Li Xiaobo said calmly.

The crowd stirred again.

"Two thousand taels is enough to redeem a woman from the Desire Dream Pavilion!"

"Is it really worth it for a piece of junk?"

"You know nothing! They're not fighting over iron; they're fighting for their reputation in the underworld!"

King Liehu smiled slightly and withdrew from the bidding.

Yu Wu Hui's already fair face became even paler.

"Two thousand three hundred taels!"

Huiming squeezed out the number through gritted teeth.

"Two thousand five hundred taels!"

Li Xiaobo responded extremely quickly, as if he didn't even need to think.

"Four thousand taels."

A voice came from the crowd.

Everyone immediately turned to look.

It was Chen Yu. He had somehow appeared at the back of the crowd, a half-smile on his face.

Li Xiaobo's eyes narrowed sharply.

He was not afraid of Yu Wuhui, nor was he afraid of the monk Huiming.

But what he fears most are mysterious masters who make moves out of nowhere.

This person must be extraordinary to dare to compete with so many prominent figures for something.

"Who is it?"

Li Xiaobo turned his face away.

"Are you here to cause trouble, or to buy something?"

Chen Yu smiled, walked to the table, and rested his arm on it.

"Of course I'm buying things. Buying things at the Night Owl Club, following the Night Owl Club's rules, is that alright?"

He took out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve and spread them out on the table.

"A total of four thousand taels, Mr. Wei can verify it."

Four thousand taels!

The entire audience gasped.