Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Chapter 941: The Devil’s Bargain and the Armory

The bustling energy of the Li Clan markets continued to flow around Li Yu but the vibrant sounds of commerce seemed to dull in his ears. Despite standing in the heart of one of the most powerful and illustrious clans in the myriad realms, he felt entirely isolated.He was surrounded by thousands of disciples, elders and servants who shared his bloodline but the Li Clan itself still felt foreign to him. He did not know the people walking past him. He didn't know the inside jokes of the outer sect disciples nor did he understand the subtle political rivalries of the inner pavilions.

His parents, who had been his anchors to this new world, had returned to the brutal reality of the cultivation world. For the first time since arriving, Li Yu felt truly lonely.

He took a slow and deep breath, letting the cool evening air fill his lungs. He didn't think there was anything inherently wrong with how he was feeling. It was a new place, a massive transition from what he had grown accustomed to, to this. It would take time for him to get used to the people, the culture and the weight of his own lineage. He could not force a sense of belonging. He simply had to let his roots grow naturally.

With his aquatic beasts safely transferred to his Koi Sanctuary, Li Yu decided to continue his walk. He left the immediate vicinity of the beast vendors and wandered deeper into the central estate, passing over arched bridges of pale jade that spanned rivers of flowing spiritual energy.

As he crossed the grand courtyard leading toward the administrative sectors, he spotted a young woman walking in the opposite direction. She wore the immaculate, silver-threaded robes designating the absolute highest authority of the younger generation. Her long, dark hair was pinned elegantly with a glowing spiritual hairpin, and a masterfully forged longsword rested at her hip.

It was the Heir of the Li Clan, Li Mei. She carried the heavy burden of the clan's future on her shoulders, which seemed to isolate her in a completely different way. She noticed Li Yu approaching and slowed her pace.

"Brother Li," the Heir greeted while offering a polite nod.

"Heir Mei," Li Yu replied and returned the exact same polite nod. Neither of them stopped to chat. They didn't exchange stories of their cultivation or ask about their respective days. They simply acknowledged each other's existence and continued on their way.

It was a perfectly normal interaction but was entirely devoid of malice or arrogance. However, it merely highlighted Li Yu's internal thoughts. He was respected or at least allowed to be, perhaps even feared by some but he was not yet truly intertwined with the daily lives of these people. It was no big deal though, at least as long as they didn’t plot against him.

A short time later, Li Yu's aimless wandering brought him to the edge of the alchemy and herbal markets. The air here was thick with the scent of roasted roots, dried spirit flowers and boiling cauldrons.

Standing in front of a massive open air pavilion was a figure Li Yu immediately recognized.

Guild Master Jin, the devil merchant of the Golden Horizon. He wore an elegant, gold embroidered robe and carried a beautifully carved abacus. Jin was presently engaged in a high stakes negotiation with a stern looking Li Clan alchemist.

"That is highway robbery, Elder!" Jin sneered while slamming a hand down on the wooden counter. "The harvest of Yin Lotus was abysmal this cycle. The Grass Water Beetles destroyed half the crop! I will pay no more than six hundred spirit stones per crate and I am taking a massive risk at that price!"

"Seven hundred." The alchemist elder retorted stubbornly while crossing his arms. "The quality of our Li Clan herbs is peerless. You will not find better refinement material anywhere in this domain."

"Six hundred and ten, and not a single stone more." Jin argued. "If you do not accept, Golden Horizon will source our materials from another. We do not need—"

"Guild Master Jin!"

Li Yu's voice cut through the tense negotiation. He raised his hand and offered a friendly, enthusiastic wave as he walked toward the pavilion. Guild Master Jin had been so nice to him, it felt like meeting an old friend even though they had only met twice now. Jin froze completely and did not have the same thoughts as Li Yu. Where Li Yu saw a friend, Jin saw his worst enemy.

The abacus in his hand clattered against the counter. The devil merchant slowly turned his head. When his eyes locked onto Li Yu, a look of terror flashed across his usually composed face.

Jin's instincts began screaming at him once more. The walking thief was approaching and approaching fast. Jin immediately turned back to the alchemist elder. His aggressive posture vanished, replaced by a frantic and desperate need to escape the area before he accidentally gave away more.

"Seven hundred!" Jin blurted out with his voice cracking slightly. "You know what? Make it seven hundred and fifty! That is a fantastic deal! Golden Horizon agrees to all of your terms as well! Draw up the contract and hand it to my assistants!"

The alchemist elder blinked and was completely dumbfounded. "Wait... you agree? Just like that? Are you feeling unwell, Guild Master? I was prepared to go several more rounds."

"I have never felt better, you got the better of me today, the deal is struck, no take backs, praise the heavens!" Jin spoke at a rapid fire pace while grabbing the edge of his golden robes and preparing to sprint in the opposite direction.

But Li Yu had already crossed the distance, appearing right next to the pavilion before Jin could take a single step.

"It is good to see you again," Li Yu smiled warmly. "I was looking at the markets earlier and completely forgot to look for another sword for my formation technique. I was too caught up in looking at aquatic beasts. Do you happen to have any more powerful swords on you?"

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Jin stiffened and a cold sweat broke out across his forehead. He mentally scanned the vast contents of his spatial rings, terrified of what he might be compelled to hand over. A moment later, a wave of relief washed over the merchant's face. He let out a long and shuddering breath. Jin had actually placed a hand over his heart as well.

Because he was conducting a strictly herbal and alchemical trade negotiation, he hadn't brought any of his weapon vaults with him to the Li Clan estate today.

"Ah!" Jin laughed. It was a slightly manic and high-pitched sound. "Young Master Li! What a tragedy! What an absolute shame! I do not have a single blade on me at this very moment! Perhaps another time!"

Before Li Yu could even express his disappointment, Jin bowed so fast he nearly hit his head on the counter.

"Look at the sun! The void tides wait for no man! I must be going!"

Jin spun around and bolted. The Guild Master of the Golden Horizon sprinted away with the raw speed not befitting his heritage as a turtle. His golden robes flapped wildly in the wind as he ran. His three assistants, still holding the just signed contract and looking completely bewildered had to scramble and run after him.

"Wait! The ink isn't dry!" One of the assistants yelled while chasing Jin down the street.

Li Yu watched them run away, completely bewildered by the sudden departure. Guild Master Jin always acted so strangely.

‘Is that just the kind of person he is?’ Li Yu thought to himself.

He lowered his hand and turned to look at the alchemist elder. The elder was staring at the retreating merchant, then looked down at the incredibly lucrative contract now resting on his counter. He looked at Li Yu with a strange and highly appreciative gleam in his eye.

"I don't know what you just did to him, boy." The elder chuckled to himself while carefully rolling up the parchment. "But I should always bring you along when dealing with that devil merchant. I just secured the best deal from him that this pavilion has seen in three centuries."

"I just asked him if he had a sword," Li Yu said while being genuinely confused.

"Whatever it was, keep doing it." The elder laughed as he was heading back inside his shop.

"Wait, Elder," Li Yu called out before the man disappeared. "Could you point me toward the clan armory? I still need to find a weapon."

The elder paused and pointed a finger toward the towering central peak of the inner sect. "Follow the main jade path toward the Peak of the Forge. The grand armory sits at the base of the mountain. You can't miss it. It smells like molten iron and has a sharp intent."

Li Yu thanked the elder and followed the directions. The walk took him away from the markets and into the heavily fortified military and crafting sectors of the Li Clan. True to the elder's word, the air soon grew hot and smelled strongly of refined steel, tempering oils and burning spiritual coal.

The grand armory was a massive, fortress-like pavilion built directly into the bedrock of the mountain. Two massive statues of ancient swordsmen guarded the heavy iron doors. Li Yu presented his access token to the guards, who nodded respectfully and pushed the heavy doors open.

The interior of the armory was awe-inspiring. It was not a dusty library but a meticulous and organized vault. Thousands upon thousands of swords lined the walls, resting on velvet-lined racks and sealed within glass display cases. The concentration of ambient sword Qi in the room made the air feel like a physical blade scraping against the skin.

The armory was divided into several floors based on quality. Li Yu started on the ground floor, designated for the standard and outer disciples.

He walked down the aisles and began inspecting the weapons. He saw the Azure Ripple Shortsword, a beautifully crafted blade with a distinct water affinity. It was designed for cultivators who favored flowing and continuous forms.

Next to it rested the Ironwood Practice Blade, a heavy, incredibly durable weapon meant to build a cultivator's physical strength before they transitioned to live steel. Further down, he found the Clear Stream Edge, a lightweight and perfectly balanced sword focused entirely on beginner speed and precision.

Li Yu respected the craftsmanship of each blade. The Li Clan smiths were masters of their art. But even without picking them up, his senses told him these weapons were far too fragile though. If he tried to channel his vast sea of Qi through the Azure Ripple Shortsword, the blade would shatter into a thousand pieces before the Celestial Star Sword Formation even took shape.

He moved up the stairs to the second floor, the domain of the higher quality and elite disciple weapons. The aura here was noticeably sharper. He paused in front of a glowing rack that held the Crimson Gale, a longsword forged from rare fire-aspected metals that hummed with the trapped energy of a windstorm.

Nearby was the Obsidian Serpent, a wicked, slightly curved blade that possessed a flexible spine and radiated a faint, toxic aura designed to bypass standard Qi shields. He saw rows of the Moonlit Silver Longsword, the standard issue weapon for the core disciples of the clan.

They were elegant, pristine and allowed for the channeling of large amounts of Qi through them. Sitting in a heavy display case was the Stonefall Edge, a thick broadsword meant for crushing blows rather than slicing.

These were exceptional weapons but as Li Yu analyzed them for his sword formation, he felt a lingering doubt. They were strong but were they strong enough to handle the crushing recoil of a hundred interconnected flying swords acting as a devastating array?

Hoping to find absolute certainty, he ascended to the third floor. This was the peak tier, the realm of the elders and the master swordsmen, sitting just below the fabled Ten Great Swords. The pressure on this floor was immense. There were far fewer weapons here, each one given its own dedicated pedestal and surrounded by intricate protective formations.

Li Yu examined the Dragon’s Breath Cleaver, a broad and brutal weapon that radiated such intense heat it distorted the air around it. He walked past the Void Silver Rapier, a masterpiece forged with minor spatial stones that caused the blade to visually ripple and blur. It was designed specifically to pierce through defensive domains. At the far end of the hall, he found the Sun Piercing Needle Blade, a thin, almost invisible weapon crafted purely for lethal and armor penetrating strikes.

Li Yu stood in the center of the third floor and was surrounded by the peak of craftsmanship. He crossed his arms and let his divine sense wash over the room. He waited for the resonance, waited for a blade to call to his soul. He waited to feel the overwhelming urge to claim a weapon for his formation.

Nothing happened. None of these weapons called to him. He was not drawn to a single one. Li Yu frowned and stepped closer to the Void Silver Rapier. It was a masterful creation but as he stared at it, it felt... quiet. It felt hollow and empty.

Slowly, a realization dawned on him. He closed his eyes and mentally reached into his Koi Sanctuary. He brushed his consciousness against Gilded Calamity, Pale Extinction and Firmament's End.

He opened his eyes and looked back at the rapier. He realized a flaw, he didn't actually know how to evaluate a sword that wasn’t overwhelmingly powerful.

Because his baseline for swords had been irrevocably set by such powerful swords that possessed fully formed sword spirits and auras, his perspective was completely warped. To Li Yu, if a sword didn't actively try to dominate the room, suffocate the ambient Qi or project an aura of slaughter, it just felt like a dead piece of metal.

"I have almost no idea what I am looking at," Li Yu muttered to himself in the quiet armory while rubbing his temples as a headache began to form. He couldn't tell the difference between a good sword and a great sword, because to him, they all felt incredibly weak compared to the monsters currently sleeping within.