Chapter 21: Spear and Shield.
Xue Ling silently held his breath as he watched the young man, foaming at the mouth, being dragged out of the hall by the man in red, wearing a flaming mask, as if dead.
Ambergris?
Xue Ling recalled Fang Bie's warning. Fang Bie had said it so lightly, so how could such a serious situation have occurred?
Was this person dead?
Ambergris?" Xue Ling asked.
Fang Bie nodded. "Ambergris, the ambergris here has a certain hallucinogenic effect. It can be contained through purposeful breathing and the depth of one's own cultivation. If anyone within this hall were to inhale large quantities without proper guidance, or if they found the aroma pleasant and stimulating, they would experience hallucinations and madness, like this person, and be knocked unconscious and thrown out."
"Even so, there's a limit to how long anyone can stay in this hall. The longer you stay, the deeper your cultivation, and the more respected you'll be."
"But you have to do it within your means. After all, if you really accumulate toxins and go crazy just to show off, you'll become a laughingstock."
"After all," Fang Bie looked at Xue Ling. "Look, if you go crazy, you'll be ripped off your mask."
Xue Ling shuddered.
Yes, that would be too embarrassing.
"Why is it designed this way?" Xue Ling asked.
Because it would be truly bizarre.
"Because this is the Dragon King's Hall," Fang Bie replied.
"The Dragon King's Hall?" Xue Ling asked back.
Fang Bie took Xue Ling's hand and continued forward. "Yes, the Dragon King's Palace."
"This is the Dragon King's territory. Everyone must follow his will, just as the Dragon King has given us this place for concealed transactions. However, he doesn't allow anyone to hide here all day long. This ambergris also serves as a barrier to elimination, preventing those within from becoming too weak."
Xue Ling bit her lip. "That's too complicated."
Fang Bie smiled. "Then, Green Fox, can you think of a simpler method?"
Xue Ling didn't immediately realize who the Green Fox was referring to. Then she realized it was herself, and finally began to think about how she could accomplish this.
Her first reaction was to have everyone register their rank and name, creating a formal register.
She blushed a little at that moment. After all, if that were the case, the anonymous transactions at the Dragon King's Palace would be meaningless.
Elsewhere, Fang Bie had stopped in front of a stall. "Are these gloves made of gold wire?"
Fang Bie asked in a rich, mellow baritone.
Xue Ling walked around Fang Bie's black-cloaked figure and peered forward. Sure enough, she saw the stall in front of Fang Bie displaying various items, like the shimmering golden gloves Fang Bie had just selected, a gleaming dagger, and a delicate-looking small box that appeared to be a mechanism for launching hidden weapons.
"This man is a real connoisseur," the shopkeeper opposite, wearing a mask resembling a seductive fire fox, said in a voice so gentle and charming it made one's bones melt. "These gloves are made of a mixture of heavenly silk and black iron. Once you wear them, you can fight with your bare hands, invulnerable to swords and spears. They're the perfect companion equipment for those with exceptional martial arts skills."
Fang Bie remained calm. "Invulnerable?"
The red fox nodded repeatedly. He expertly took out a piece of wrought iron and placed it on the table in front of him, handing it to Fang Bie. "Sir, please check. This is top-quality wrought iron, absolutely flawless."
Fang Bie took it, examined it, and handed it back. "Really."
Red Fox smiled and said, "I see, big brother, you have a remarkable eye."
As she spoke, she put the piece of wrought iron aside and pulled out a dagger from the side. Pressing it down, she began to cut the piece of wrought iron into three thumb-sized pieces with three sharp, snap-click-click cuts.
"This dagger is called the Fish-Chopping Dagger. I found it from a fisherman. It can cut through iron like mud. It's truly a divine weapon. If you want it, big brother, I'll sell it to you for a thousand taels."
"But..." Red Fox paused, putting on the soft gold-wire gloves. Her slender fingers flipped over Fang Bie's hand, then she placed her hand on the chopping board. She took the Fish-Chopping Dagger, which could cut through iron like mud, tilted her head, and seemed to smile. Although the Red Fox mask obscured her expression, a faint, crisp laugh could be heard: "Big brother, watch this."
As she spoke, she held the Fish-Chopping Dagger in her hand, lightly swiped it across her finger, and then raised her palm. There was not even a scratch on it.
"Golden-wire gloves, invulnerable to swords and spears, but even barehanded—they're said to be contradictory, yet my fish-slashing dagger can't cut through my golden gloves."
"Three thousand taels for these gloves, fixed price."
Xue Ling, watching from the sidelines, was thrilled.
Yes, a glove capable of withstanding a dagger as sharp as iron, sold for only three thousand taels.
If yes, just if Xue Ling had three thousand taels of silver, he would absolutely buy it without hesitation. That way, when he practiced Rolex's soft sword techniques, he wouldn't have to worry about his fingers ripping apart.
But three thousand taels—that was really just a thought.
After all, the monthly salary of a first-rank Grand Tutor in the Great Zhou Dynasty was a mere eighty-seven dan of rice. One tael of silver could buy about two dan of rice in a good year, meaning a monthly salary of forty-three taels and five qian of silver, or five hundred and twenty-two taels a year. He would have to save for six years, without food or drink, to afford these golden-wire gloves.
Of course, a Grand Tutor's annual income was certainly much more than five hundred and twenty-two taels of silver, but these gold-threaded gloves were truly pricey.
Based on Xue Ling's current monthly salary of four qian of silver, it would take Xue Ling six hundred and twenty-five years of starving herself to afford these three thousand taels.
The working class, as expected, had a hard life.
While Xue Ling was envious, Fang Bie had already spoken slowly, "Can I try them on?"
Red Fox looked at the monkey-faced customer before him and said, "No, these are valuable items. I can't let you try them on until you pay a deposit."
"How much is the deposit?" Fang Bie asked.
"Five hundred taels," Red Fox replied decisively.
Hmm, a Grand Tutor's annual salary, Xue Ling thought to himself.
Surely, everyone in the martial arts world is rich?
Fang Bie smiled. "Then I won't try. I'll let Sister Fox try it."
"You're still wearing your precious gloves."
"Then use your precious dagger to scratch it both front and back. How about that?"
Fang Bie's voice was still the rich, middle-aged voice, and Sister Fox also called out in a friendly and charming way. But as soon as these words came out, Red Fox's movements suddenly froze.
"You..." She only said one word and couldn't continue.
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(End of this chapter)