Walking down the paved road winding between the disciple courtyards, Bubai absentmindedly patted his waist, murmuring under his breath.

  "Merlin’s beard. Worked too hard... I’ll have to spend some spirit stones to cover the loss."

  But he gets what he paid for. His cat spy had delivered precious information on demand.

  He confirmed the order has already gone out, and the hunt for Long Batian’s murderer was underway.

  And just as he’d suspected, delegation.

  Those female hornets buzzing about were likely stirred by this very order. It was only a matter of time before they came knocking on his door.

  Who knows when the hanging guillotine will come down. Today, tomorrow, perhaps even in the next breath?

  Nearing his tower, Bubai’s heart finally ease when he saw no law enforcers had yet darkened his doorstep.

  The key went in. The entrance rumbled open…

  What greeted him was the familiar sight of the sword maiden, guarding in the corridor like a loyal pup.

  A warm smile met the cold face, and an invitation was sent out. "Xiao Lan, let’s go shop for your sword."

  West District. Twin Towers Plaza.

  Weaving through the bustling crowd, Bubai kept a mysterious woman close to his side.

  The mysterious woman was swathed in thick layers of coarse, dark fabric with a cloak, mask, and even a weimao to top it off.

  All her features were fully hidden, even the cold gloved hands that he held in his firm but gentle grip.

  He might be going a bit overboard, but showing off Xiao Lan’s drool-worthy beauty here would be like throwing a sheep into a wolf nest.

  It was never wrong to be careful in times like these.

  Still, the sight of them together drew curious and sometimes meaningful glances from the passing disciples, but Bubai paid them no mind.

  Instead, he kept his eyes peeled, checking out some of the new additions popping up in the plaza.

  It was barely afternoon, yet the plaza was already alive with the chaotic preparations for the Blue Moon Festival happening tonight.

  Tents were being raised like pockets of air in water and many unusual stalls stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the sea of normal stalls.

  For example, Bubai caught sight of a group of disciples clustered around a large glass tank where "mermaids" floated languidly in the water…

  “Come one, come all! Take a look at the mermaids prepared for tonight’s Goldfish Scooping Game! Get your lower body fishing rods ready because they’re guaranteed to be livelier the more goldfish they play! First come, first serve!”

  Scooping goldfish was a popular festival activity, but here, there was clearly a twisted take on the game… and this wasn’t the only change.

  At a tent, there were lanterns being prepared, but they were not the traditional paper-and-candle kind.

  In this desert sect, there weren’t rivers for releasing traditional lanterns. Heck, with the sect barrier in place, no floating lantern was getting out even if pigs could fly.

  So, an alternative was found…

  “Come check out the beautiful Sunfire Lanterns! Their fair skin is perfect for penning down your wishes with your ink and their capacity is enough to hold all the wishes you release! Prepare your spirit stones and let your wishes come true at the auction tonight!”

  At a glance, the truth was easily seen from the few “lanterns” on display.

  Well… they were just females scantily dressed as lanterns, complete with glowing orbs in their hands. Their roles in the upcoming bizarre ritual wasn’t hard to guess.

  This wasn’t the end. Many other quirky play styles were all aired out in the open for this festival.

  Bubai even heard some passing disciples excitedly discussing the annual horse riding race.

  As for what happens in that event… just leave it up to everyone’s imagination.

  In a nutshell, this Sun Furnace Sect really stayed true to its creed…

  Alas, the twisted festival held in this demonic sect was definitely not a suitable place for a date.

  Bubai eyed Xiao Lan at this side. Her expression was impossible to read, but there was really no need to drag out their date here.

  So, Bubai sped up his pace, leading her out.

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  The stalls thinned out as they approached the Hunger Market, where the air was quieter and the roaming disciples sparser.

  The large sect-owned pavilions here sold monopolized food, but nestled in this area were also other smaller stores that banked on enjoying the stricter surveillance of this area.

  The target of their trip was here.

  Stopping in front of a plain and unassuming, windowless shop, Bubai introduced, “Golden Sun Armaments. A friend of mine said some decent spirit swords can be found here.”

  Though curious about what friend Bubai could have in this sect, Xiao Lan only returned a simple nod.

  Not delaying any longer, Bubai pushed open the creaky door. A hanging string of beast fangs clacked softly to announce their arrival.

  Inside the dimly lit shop, the walls and racks were lined with weapons of all kinds—knives, daggers, scimitars…

  Each spoke of the desert-themed craftsmanship popular in this sect. Most of these could be found in the second-hand market at the plaza, but they weren’t their goal this time.

  Bubai’s eyes searched around the shop, skipping over the rows on prominent display and eventually finding the obscured swords sticking out at odd angles in a barrel at a corner of the shop. Bingo.

  Similarly, Xiao Lan had her sights set on them. Bubai gently prodded her. “Go. Over there.”

  The shopkeeper, an older, rotund man with a wrinkly bald head, looked up from behind the counter, eyeing the newcomers heading to the corner with a sharp gaze.

  Ignoring the spiritual sense probing them, Bubai casually crossed his arms, peering at the stash of swords in the barrel.

  Some rusted. Many blades had a little chip here and there. Their conditions weren’t the best, to say the least.

  Of course, these were just minor downsides in their eyes. A spirit sword was still a magic weapon.

  No matter what, the material used for these swords still kept these weapons at the forefront of durability. A mere mortal weapon simply can’t compare!

  Most importantly…

  Bubai watched Xiao Lan brushing her bare finger over the cold blade of the tarnished sword in her hands. “See any that fits your style?”

  Xiao Lan didn’t answer. She simply gave the sword in hand a flourish before inserting it back into the barrel and taking out another one.

  The selection of swords was limited, but this might still take a while. The issue wasn’t the quality of the sword, but compatibility.

  A compatible sword isn't just about matching the weapon to your cultivation level. It's about synergy.

  A sword that resonates with a cultivator’s energy, that feels like an extension of the user’s will—it can make all the difference in the power exerted!

  Incompatible swords could hinder the user and the strength exerted might be only a fraction of the sword cultivator’s maximum power.

  For example, the broken sword Xiao Lan used before was good, but it wasn’t a spirit sword nor was it a good match.

  Xiao Lan’s combat power shown before could only be said to be thirty percent or less!

  As for the iron sword that she was temporarily using... it would be a miracle if that brittle weapon doesn’t break during battles at their realm.

  So, getting a new sword was a must and choosing the right one was just as important.

  Finding the right sword is like finding the right partner. Weight, balance, flexibility, lethality… all must be taken into account in the eyes of an adept sword user.

  Fortunately… or not, the available spirit swords were only so many.

  Xiao Lan eventually picked out the best one in her eyes.

  A double-edged straight sword fixed to a golden cross guard. Complementing this symbol of status was its ivory grip carved with winds and clouds.

  Bubai glanced at the sword rusted at the tip and chipped thrice along the blade. “Sure this is the one?”

  Xiao Lan nodded almost imperceptibly, her hand still stroking the blade. Bubai could almost sense the subtle shift in her aura.

  The sword makes the woman.

  Taking the sword from her hand, Bubai led her to the counter and greeted the shopkeeper. “Boss, how much?”

  Glancing at the sword set on the counter, the shopkeeper nodded slowly, a shrewd glint in his eyes.

  "Ah, young master! This is one of our finest spirit swords imported from the Cloud Sword Sect! You've really brought a discerning customer today. Good eye! Good eye!"

  Good eye his head.

  Bubai rolled his eyes. “Boss, don’t butter me up with nonsense. We both know how these swords ended up here.”

  With the fire and water relationship between the two sects, the chances of these swords being “imported” was almost nil.

  It wasn’t hard to guess where damaged goods like these really came from.

  One sales pitched failed, but the shameless shopkeeper still rubbed his hands together eagerly.

  “Hai, hai. Young master, you must understand. The spirits swords we have are few and are in very high demand, you see. Very rare, very powerful…”

  “Get to the point.”

  The shopkeeper chuckled, unoffended by the jab.

  "This one here..." The shopkeeper flicked the blade, "is the Azure Windblade. Said to be owned by a foundation realm master who could summon the wind and rain themselves. Since I can see it has fate with the lady here, I’ll give you a bargain. 30 spirit stones."

  Bubai aggressively knocked on the counter.

  "Azure Windblade, huh? More like the ‘Breeze Blower.’ With all the holes on it, I could probably get more wind from fanning myself with a scroll!"

  "And look at that rust, are you sure this isn't just a decorative piece? 30 spirit stones for this broken toy, that’s just daylight robbery! I say it isn’t even worth one!"

  The shopkeeper’s smile tightened, but he quickly recovered. "Outrageous! This is a spirit sword! A true and blue magic weapon! You must consider the craftsmanship! The history! The—"

  "The dust it’s collecting on your shelf," Bubai interrupted, flicking the sword with exaggerated care. "How about we knock that price down to something more reasonable? Say... 5 spirit stones?"

  "5?!" The shopkeeper's eyes bulged, his voice rising in indignation. "Young master, this is an insult to my entire lineage! Perhaps 28—no, no, for an esteemed inner disciple like you, I’ll make it 25."

  “6!” “24!” “Lucky 7!” “Lucky your mother! 23! No lower!”

  While the two men argued with flushed faces, Xiao Lan coolly watched from the side, seemingly entirely uninterested in their haggling.

  It wasn’t until the shopkeeper turned to appeal to her that she reacted.

  “This lady, please tell your master to be reasonable. He’s driving a hard bargain, and I’m still looking forward to closing up shop early to enjoy the festival.”

  Xiao Lan gave the rotund man a cool glance before attaching herself to Bubai’s arm. “Xiao Bing listens to master.”

  “…” Bubai blinked in surprise, barely suppressing a grin as he turned to the shopkeeper.

  "Well, you heard her. It seems my companion has a better eye for quality than you gave her credit for. I’m in a good mood. So, 15 spirit stones, final offer."

  The shopkeeper hesitated, his eyes darting between the ugly man, the hidden beauty, and the damaged sword in question.

  Finally, he sighed, defeated. "Very well, 15 spirit stones... Just take it as a gift for the festival. Haiya, big loss, big loss!"

  "Psh. 15 spirit stones for a sword that looks like it’s been through one too many sandstorms isn’t a loss for you, but me! Better than having no one buying it. Here."

  Bubai tossed two small pouches stuffed with fifteen spirit stones total onto the counter.

  More than a tenth of his spirit stones reserves. The cost was rather painful even after considering his current wealth.

  But this was a must on his escape prep list. Why?

  Because after refinement, sword Qi could be used to drive a spirit sword to fly!