Having recovered slightly from the gruesome injuries sustained in his previous fight, Dai Yuan left the Peace Goose Inn in his torn, weathered garments. Feeling the fresh, chilly early morning breeze blowing against his bare, exposed skin, Dai Yuan almost moaned in pure pleasure. The crisp air was the perfect antidote to the stagnant heat of his recovery room.
After a hearty, fast breakfast back at the inn, Dai Yuan packed his remaining belongings and headed out toward the bustling market square. The plaza was already tightly occupied by the noisy denizens of Brightmoon City's outer district. As he moved through the dense crowd, Dai Yuan looked left and right, his innate curiosity still incredibly high despite having lived here for more than a week now.
His ongoing amazement stemmed from the stylish, diverse way the people of Brightmoon City dressed, paired with an entirely urban lifestyle that was vastly different from the rustic Blackscale Village he knew. To him, it almost felt as if he had transitioned from one historical era to another; the cultural divide was simply that vast.
"Good morning, Mr. Gao…" Dai Yuan waved a large hand as he passed by the familiar stall owner from whom he had previously purchased his Thunder Punch technique.
"Oh, Big D! How have you been, lad?" Mr. Gao replied, instantly flashing a wide grin that displayed a colorful set of yellow teeth. The pungent reek of tobacco rolling off the old man was almost tangible, forcing Dai Yuan to discreetly pinch his nose.
"I'm doing well, Mr. Gao," Dai Yuan replied, bending his massive frame to squat right in front of the low display stall. He watched with quiet amusement as the stall owner rummaged through his heavy storage sacks, pulling out one weathered scroll after another and neatly arranging them on the wooden counter.
"Ehh… boy, what are you still doing hanging around here?" Mr. Gao, who had become thoroughly engrossed in his inventory work, suddenly asked upon realizing Dai Yuan was still squatting like a small mountain beside his stall after thirty minutes had ticked by.
Before Dai Yuan could even offer a reply, Mr. Gao's eyes narrowed defensively. "Don't you even think about trying to return that Thunder Punch technique! What I sold you is authentic, and this old man absolutely does not take refunds!" He yelled, dismissively shooing Dai Yuan away with the back of his hands, gesturing for him to quickly clear out.
"Bah! Old man, that's not what I am here for!" Dai Yuan retorted, staring blankly at the stall owner who was waving him off like some common street criminal.
"Oh…?" Smelling the sudden, crisp scent of a fresh business opportunity, Mr. Gao instantly changed his tone, his defensive posture melting away into a salesman's grin. "Then do tell me, young one… what exactly are you searching for today? As you well know, I possess the finest cultivation arts and martial arts techniques in the entirety of Brightmoon City!"
"Bah! Old Gao… who the fuck gave you the guts to say something that shameless?!"
A deafening curse interrupted the stall owner's grand speech. The mocking voice came from a neighboring merchant running the stall directly opposite theirs, snorting loudly at Mr. Gao's sarcastic claim.
"The fuck?! Old Bai, do you want this old man to smash your pathetic stall to pieces again?!" Mr. Gao angrily cursed, spinning to his left while pointing a trembling, furious finger across the lane.
Dai Yuan looked utterly perplexed by how instantly furious Mr. Gao had become over a single sentence from a rival. The old man's creative cursing and loud swearing practically suppressed the ambient noise of the entire crowded market area. The more Dai Yuan watched the spectacle play out, the stranger his expression became, his mouth twitching incessantly as the two elderly men traded vicious insults.
"I dare you to try it!" replied the opposing owner, Old Bai, slamming a wooden crate down in defiance.
"Just you wait! If I don't smash your damn stall today, you'll keep thinking you're above me!" Mr. Gao snarled, aggressively rolling up his wide sleeves before turning his back to storm across the walkway.
"Ehh!! Mr. Gao, wait!" Dai Yuan quickly reached out, his massive hand grabbing the old man's shoulder like a vice before he could take a single step away. "Don't go. I am actually looking to see if you have any polearm techniques. I am thinking of purchasing a rod later today."
"Damn Old Bai, you are incredibly lucky today! You owe your crooked stall's survival to this fine, young, and handsome gentleman!" Mr. Gao spat spitefully across the lane, adjusting his robes as he grumpily returned to his seat.
"I do have a few polearm arts, Young D," Mr. Gao muttered, his demeanor shifting back to business as he began digging into a locked iron chest beneath his table. "But they are a little bit expensive. They cost significantly more than your last purchase, as these are authentic manuals that even a martial artist in the Qi Associating stage can continue to utilize effectively."
Saying that, Mr. Gao carefully laid out five heavy, dust-covered scrolls on the table, introducing each one with an theatrical flourish:
"First, we have the Whirlwind Swift Staff—excellent for rapid defense and deflecting arrows. Next is the Coiling Serpent Pole—tricky, unpredictable, and focuses on tripping up your enemies. If you want raw aggression, this one is the Mountain Shattering Strike, though it drains your stamina rapidly. And then, the Nine Echoes Sweep, which is perfect for fighting crowds."
Mr. Gao then pointed to the heaviest, oldest scroll at the very end. The parchment was thick, bound by a faded leather cord. "But this last one… this is the Mountain Crushing Blow. It doesn't focus on speed or fancy footwork. Instead, it teaches a unique method of internal force channeling. It allows the user to concentrate their physical strength into a single point on the weapon. The longer you charge and channel your energy through the rod before striking, the more devastating the final impact becomes. At maximum charge, a Mortal Realm cultivator could theoretically shatter the defense of a much higher-ranked opponent."
Dai Yuan's eyes locked onto the final scroll. For a loner who relied entirely on his monstrous innate durability to endure enemy attacks, a technique that allowed him to patiently charge up a single, world-ending counter-strike was absolutely perfect for his combat style.
Without a word, Dai Yuan dropped a heavy fistful of copper coins, totaling exactly one thousand, onto Mr. Gao's counter. Snatching up the leather-bound scroll, he quickly made his way toward the blacksmith's forge on the far side of the market before the old man could argue.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
"Good day, Mr. Jin!" Dai Yuan yelled over the deafening, rhythmic ring of iron striking iron.
The hammer didn't stop. Realizing his voice was being swallowed by the noise, Dai Yuan cupped both hands around his mouth and bellowed at the top of his lungs. "GOOD DAYYYYY, MR. JIN!!"
Immediately, the clanging sound ceased. Mr. Jin emerged from the glowing recesses of the smithy, entirely drenched in sweat despite the early morning hour still being relatively cool and humid.
"Morning, kid. What do you need?" Mr. Jin asked, pulling a rough towel from a wooden peg on the doorframe to wipe the thick perspiration from his brow and muscular arms.
"Mr. Jin, I am looking to commission a polearm weapon from you. Specifically, a solid rod," Dai Yuan said, bypassing any useless pleasantries to get directly to the point.
"Hmmm…" Mr. Jin rubbed his bearded chin, thinking for a moment before shaking his head. "Well, sorry boy. Currently, I don't keep any heavy rods in stock. Most people around here prefer sabers or spears."
"Ehh…" Dai Yuan felt momentarily lost, unsure of how to respond. He specifically wanted a rod because his previous iron axe simply lacked the sheer scale and length his massive frame required, frequently forcing him to abandon his weapons and finish his battles with his bare hands.
"Well, boy, if you need it that badly, I can forge a custom one and have it ready for you by next week," Mr. Jin suddenly offered, noting the youth's deeply disappointed look.
"Thank you, Mr. Jin!" Dai Yuan's mood instantly brightened. He wasn't planning to venture back into the wilds today or tomorrow anyway, so a week's wait was perfectly fine, so long as he could secure a proper weapon.
"What length, weight, and size are you requiring?" Mr. Jin asked, waving a hand toward a set of measuring rods hanging on the wall.
"Eghmmm… Mr. Jin, to be honest, I don't know much about professional weapons," Dai Yuan replied, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, a rare flush of embarrassment coloring his face.
"Oh?" Mr. Jin exclaimed, his thick brows raising high in amusement.
"Why don't you just forge a standard-length rod for me, but put a lot more weight into it?" Dai Yuan quickly chipped in before the blacksmith could question him further.
After staring blankly at Dai Yuan's oversized, towering physique for a few moments, Mr. Jin let out a booming laugh, nodding his head at the request. "Well, in that case, I know exactly what to make for you. See you next week, kid. I need to get back to the hearth."
While speaking, Mr. Jin had already vanished back into the glowing heat of his smithy, leaving Dai Yuan out on the cobblestone street as waves of merchants and buyers continued to troop in and out of the bustling market square.
Leaving the smithy behind, Dai Yuan turned on his heel and made his way toward the local martial arts arena. Over the past week of his recovery, this place had practically become a second home to him during his stay in Brightmoon City.
It had now been roughly seven days since Dai Yuan had begun balancing his healing with daily visits to the arena's open courts, diligently training in the absolute basics of polearm movements. Due to his outstanding, enhanced physique and high natural comprehension, Dai Yuan had been able to quickly master the fundamental attacking motions of the rod. He could already execute flawless sweeps, heavy thrusts, sweeping slams, and stable defensive stances using the arena's weighted wooden training rods.
But today was different. Today was the day his true, custom-forged iron rod was finally scheduled to be ready, exactly as agreed with the blacksmith a week prior. Stepping onto the training grounds, Dai Yuan's eyes gleamed with anticipation. It was time to see if his new weapon could truly handle the explosive power of the Mountain Crushing Blow.