The carriage rattled over uneven roads, finally pulling to a stop at the edge of Ironvale Town. Tuheng's gaze was immediately drawn to the low, rocky hills that seemed to cradle the town in their shadow. As they neared the settlement, he noticed the buildings were sturdy and squat, built from dark stone and timber that had clearly weathered countless seasons of wind and rain. The smell of soot and metal hung thick in the air, a constant reminder of the town's trade. Narrow alleys snaked between old workshops, their walls blackened by years of forge fires. The ground was a mix of packed dirt and grime, with iron signs hanging from beams above, creaking in the wind.
Tuheng stepped out of the carriage and inhaled deeply. The sharp metallic scent of the air made his nose twitch. 'So this is a blacksmith town,' he thought. 'Kinda depressing.'
He glanced at his companions, Bao Liang and Feng Mei, who were also observing the scene with varying levels of interest. "So, uh... do we look for an inn?" he asked.
Bao Liang nodded, glancing around at the quiet streets. "Yeah, most of the shops are probably closed by now. Let's find a place to stay."
"Anyone been here before?" Tuheng asked, his voice tinged with curiosity. Both of them shook their heads.
"Well, looks like we're starting from scratch then," he muttered, but before he could suggest where to start looking, his eyes fell on the coachman, Old Man Mo, who was climbing down from the carriage. He walked over to the older man. "Hey, you've been around here before, right? Know of any decent inns?"
Old Man Mo cracked a smile. "Of course I know. Follow me."
With a brief wave to his companions, Tuheng followed the old man down the street. As they walked past the soot-blackened alleyways, Tuheng couldn't help but wonder if anyone bothered to clean here. The smell of smoke and iron seemed to permeate everything.
It wasn't long before Old Man Mo led them to a small, tidy house nestled between two larger, dirtier buildings. "This is one of the better places in town," he said with a wink before disappearing into the night.
Tuheng turned to the young man standing by the door, who gave a polite bow. "Do you work here?" Tuheng asked.
"Yes, sir," the man replied, his voice soft and respectful.
"We'd like to reserve three rooms for the night," Tuheng requested, his tone easy.
"Of course," the man said, and led them to their rooms shortly after.
The room was simple, but clean, definitely a step up from the basic accommodations at the sect. Tuheng flopped onto the bed, the mattress surprisingly comfortable. With a contented sigh, he closed his eyes, quickly drifting into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, Tuheng awoke early, the first light of dawn creeping through the window. He stretched, and then slowly pushed himself up from the bed.
"Eh, might as well get some fresh air," he muttered to himself, slipping out of the room quietly. The streets were still damp from the previous night's rain, and the smell of wet earth mingled with the lingering scent of the forge. As he wandered through the town, he couldn't help but notice the rows of shops, most of which seemed to be selling some form of weaponry.
He stopped a passing man. "Excuse me, do you know which shop sells the best weapons around here?"
The man paused, giving him a thoughtful look. "Hmm, that old man near the Tiger Claws Workshop has the best gear in town. His stuff's solid, not like the junk you'll find at most places."
Tuheng thanked the man and followed the directions, making his way to the street with the Tiger Claws Workshop. As he rounded the corner, he saw a narrow alley with a small, unmarked door. He raised an eyebrow.
'Looks kinda sketchy,' he thought, eyeing the narrow, dimly lit alleyway. But he shrugged it off. 'Well, I'm a cultivator now. What could go wrong?'
He pushed the door open and entered, his senses assaulted by the heavy mix of hot metal, coal smoke, and the lingering scent of burning oil. He coughed and waved his hand in front of his face, eyes watering from the intensity of it.
"Is there even a window in here?" he grumbled, scanning the dimly lit shop. It was smaller than he'd imagined, walls lined with various weapons, from simple daggers to intricate, finely crafted swords.
His gaze landed on a heavy-bladed halberd mounted on the wall. Something about it caught his eye.
'That looks solid,' he thought, stepping closer to inspect it. Just as his fingers brushed the handle, a rough voice cut through the air.
"No touching before buying."
Tuheng spun around to see a short, grizzled old man shuffle toward him. His sharp, calculating gaze made Tuheng feel like he was being sized up, like a rabbit before a hawk.
"How much for this one?" Tuheng asked, trying to sound casual despite the unsettling air of the shop.
The old man grunted, eyes narrowing as he sized up the weapon. "I'll give it to you for that whole pouch of yours," he said, pointing at the small pouch on Tuheng's belt.
Tuheng blinked. "Wait, what? There are 20 gold taels in there! Isn't that a little much for a halberd?"
'A small family could live comfortably for 3–4 months with 20 gold taels,' he thought, mentally calculating the value.
"Take it or leave it," the man replied, turning his back to leave.
"Wait, I'll take it," Tuheng said quickly, digging out the gold and handing it over. The man grabbed it without a word, then disappeared through the back door.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Tuheng muttered under his breath, examining the weapon. The halberd was heavy, heavier than he expected, even for a cultivator. But then, maybe that was a good thing. 'I'll use it for practice,' he reasoned. 'No harm in that.'
With the weapon slung across his back, Tuheng wandered the town a little longer before heading back to where the carriage had been waiting. To his surprise, Bao Liang and Feng Mei were already there.
"Sorry I'm late," Tuheng said, walking over.
Bao Liang raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on his face. "Don't worry about it, Brother Xiao. Is that your new weapon?" He pointed at the halberd.
"Yeah," Tuheng replied. "Bit pricey, but it's a good one."
Bao Liang laughed. "Can I take a look?"
Tuheng nodded, handing it over. Bao Liang swung it a few times, his eyes widening in surprise. "This... This isn't a regular weapon," he said, a hint of awe in his voice. "It's a Qi Gathering Realm weapon. Not something you'd find in a regular shop."
Tuheng blinked. "Wait, what? But the guy didn't mention anything about that."
"Did you pay him with your beast cores or something?" Bao Liang asked, looking at him skeptically.
Tuheng shrugged. "No, I just gave him the gold you gave me."
Bao Liang burst out laughing. "Well, looks like you got lucky, Brother Xiao. This'll be useful for sure. Take care of it."
Tuheng gave a small grin, slinging the halberd back over his shoulder as they made their way out of Ironvale Town.