Chapter 32: The Path of Hidden Weapons

“Battle assessment: Grade A. Your mastery of the ‘Nine Palaces Bagua Sword’ has deepened… Your mastery of the ‘Willow Leaf Flying Dagger’ has also deepened.”
The moment the second chief of Black Wind Camp died, the system’s alerts rang in succession:
“By killing the second chief of Black Wind Camp, you’ve gained 150 points in chivalry and 50 points in reputation. Your current chivalry score is 1,050, and your reputation is 150.”
“The wrath of Black Wind Camp has been appeased! You’ve earned the support of the entire village of Suhe. Village chief Chao has reported what happened here to the governor of Gusu City, granting you an additional 150 points in reputation!”
“Return to Gusu City and find the ‘Governor of Gusu City’ to receive a reward of 2,000 taels of silver.”
The mission was finally over…
Kai Xin couldn’t help but sigh in relief!
Although there was no third phase, and the ultimate boss of Black Wind Camp never appeared, he was already satisfied.
The ultimate boss of Black Wind Camp was a martial arts expert at the “Creation Realm” level—far beyond those minor bosses who were just at the beginning stages of their internal energy cultivation and had limited powers. Any NPC at the Creation Realm level possessed unique skills, allowing them to fight ten enemies alone. It would be sheer recklessness to confront such a foe head-on.
But!
Kai Xin was puzzled…
By killing the second chief, he received a genuine Grade A battle assessment, yet he didn’t get the expected reward of directly advancing his martial arts skills.
What a joke.
He had struggled against the second chief, forcing him to use all his strength, yet the system only symbolically raised the levels of his two martial arts skills. This was nowhere near the treatment he received when fighting tomb robbers.
Frustrated, he didn’t bother collecting the loot from the second chief. Instead, he checked his own martial arts levels. Although his skills hadn’t advanced directly, the insights he gained during the battle against the second chief and the bandits, along with the sudden improvement in his techniques, remained vivid in his mind. That feeling… it was clearly…
Sure enough!
The “Nine Palaces Bagua Sword” had reached the 10th level during the battle against the second chief. Thanks to his slight understanding, its level had risen to 93.27.
The “Willow Leaf Flying Dagger” also had an overlooked notification:
“The path of hidden weapons is not for the weak! Sometimes, one needs greater strength and courage to confront powerful enemies head-on. You’ve done just that! The ‘Willow Leaf Flying Dagger’ has broken through from the 9th to the 10th level!”
Together with the “Shaolin Long Fist,” Kai Xin now had three martial arts skills at the 10th level. After completing these two missions, two of his skills had reached the 10th level—his gains could be described as astonishing.

Happy’s beaming expression didn’t escape Ximen Qing and the others…
“Congratulations, Senior Happy!”
“Let’s treat you to a drink!”
Although the sacrifices of Xuan Kun and Windy Li were somewhat regrettable, the wealth they had gathered along the way was astonishing—over six thousand taels of silver alone, plus several fine curved swords and long blades.
Seeing everyone bring all the silver out of their packs and place it in front of him, Happy frowned and looked up at their eyes.
“Divide it into seven parts. My share goes to Windy Li and Xuan Kun… Without everyone’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to complete the task so easily.”
“Senior Happy, if you really value us and consider us your brothers, don’t say such things. Keep the silver. If we really accept your money, wouldn’t that turn it into a business deal?” Cang Lang blurted out.
Ximen Qing and Qiankunzi were initially stunned, but after hearing this, they nodded in agreement. “That’s right, Senior Happy. In the future, if we need your help, will we also have to pay?”
“…”
Happy gave a bitter smile, at a loss for words.
“Talking about money hurts feelings. Please keep it, Senior Happy!”
“That’s right. Windy Li and my brother have already heard the news and are waiting for us at the entrance of Yumen Tower to go drinking.”
“Great!”
Happy stopped talking immediately, stuffing the silver into his Qiankun bag, along with the leather armor and great sword taken from the second clan leader, another Qiankun bag, a martial arts secret manual, and some gold and silver. Without bothering to look further, he threw everything in.
“Let’s go! Time to drink!”
“Haha!” “Let’s go!”
Ximen Qing and the others clapped their hands in laughter and excitedly followed.
…
In Gusu City, beneath Yumen Tower, the two who had been reborn at the Wu Temple joined Happy and the others who had rushed back to the city. Understanding each other’s intentions, they gathered together and stepped into the luxurious halls of Yumen Tower under the curious and admiring gazes of the onlookers.
Yumen Tower was quite striking in Gusu City!
Perhaps some people didn’t know about the Blue-Robed Gentleman Sword, but no one was unaware of Yumen Tower—its steps made of white jade, dishes of gold and silver, intricate carvings, beautiful attendants greeting guests—its opulence striking even from afar, making the surrounding shops seem dull in comparison.
Yet, since its opening, few players had entered to spend money.
And it wasn’t for another reason…
The cheapest tea at Yumen Tower, Tieguanyin, cost five hundred taels of silver per small pot—this was the minimum spending!
A newcomer could at most earn one or two hundred taels of silver in a day, and if competition was fierce, even less, sometimes resulting in a loss.

Very few people have managed to reach the steps of the Jade Gate Tower—truly, very few.
When players go in to spend money there, the news quickly spreads throughout every street and alley of Gusu City…
Look!
The news that the gentleman in blue, along with six other players, entered the Jade Gate Tower to drink was quickly gathered by many players and spread far and wide.
Many people began to inquire about the identities and whereabouts of those six others.
…
“Younger brother, Xuan Kun, let’s first raise a toast to you two for this first drink!”
Kai Xin stood up from by the window, sincerely raising his cup:
“I’ll drink first as a toast!”
With that, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp!
The strong liquor burned down his throat, quickly turning his handsome face red. After taking a deep breath, he felt as if he were on fire. Laughing, he said, “What great liquor!”
The others also stood up to toast.
Ximen Qing and Windy Li remained calm, though they still felt the intensity of the liquor!
“Strong!”
“Mm.”
But the others weren’t as tough.
“Damn it, this liquor… ah… so spicy… water… where’s the water…?”
After all, Xuan Kun and Xuan Zhong were still students lacking experience. They tried to drink bravely but almost spat it out from the spiciness—worse than Kai Xin. Their faces turned red, and they were on the verge of vomiting. Wiping tears while sticking out their tongues to cool themselves down, they made everyone burst into laughter.
“Can you even do it?”
“You were the most eager to try strong liquor just now—what’s wrong now… hahaha!!” Windy Li grinned, his cheeks sore from laughing.
“…It was my brother who ordered it…”
Xuan Kun finally got a servant to bring him a glass of water. He rolled his eyes to clarify, but his red face didn’t fade.
At the table, Kai Xin shared a few tips for quickly improving one’s cultivation level, pushing the atmosphere of the banquet to its peak!
After three rounds of drinking!
The brothers Xuan Kun and Xuan Zhong became true versions of “Guan Yu” and collapsed, unable to get up…
Qian Kunzi and Cang Lang didn’t fall through the table, but they weren’t much better either—almost using the nearby servant as a pillow; only Kai Xin, Windy Li, and Ximen Qing remained seated steadily at the table.
Looking at the dishes on the table, Windy Li groaned in frustration:
“Two thousand three hundred taels of silver for one meal—this is way too much… burp… next time, I’ll never come again… damn, I’m going crazy from poverty…”
With his tongue out and talking nonsense due to the alcohol, Windy Li was in a terrible state.
The only sober one, Ximen Qing, suddenly changed the subject:
“Senior Kai Xin, you’re probably not far from reaching the exit now, right?”
Cultivation level?
Kai Xin froze for a moment, suddenly realizing that he hadn’t paid attention to his cultivation progress these past days.

“Willow Leaf Flying Knife” has risen several levels, and along with “Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Sword,” it is both approaching the master level; its internal energy must have improved significantly…