Chapter 82: The Young Lord’s Faction

"The matter of Qi Dalong was also a coincidence. The reason he died was because he was a Rong tribe spy."

Yang Ling smiled, "Young Master Bai, there's no need to be so polite."

Bai Zhixing quickly said, "It's precisely because he was a Rong tribe spy that I should thank you even more, Constable Yang.

The two of you may not know, but when I learned this news, I was so frightened I couldn't sleep at night, secretly feeling fortunate.

If Constable Yang hadn't acted in time, I would have inevitably ended up sunk to the bottom of the river by Qi Dalong someday!"

After speaking, he glanced at the old man beside him.

The old man immediately took out a wooden box and handed it to Yang Ling, saying respectfully,

"Constable Yang, this is our Bai family's token of gratitude, a total of twenty Spirit Nurturing Pills. Please accept them."

Yang Ling had originally been somewhat reluctant to deal with this kind of second-generation heir. He knew exactly why this young master in front of him had offended Qi Dalong.

But upon hearing it was twenty Spirit Nurturing Pills, Yang Ling's spirits were instantly lifted.

Lin Yan sighed with emotion, "Your family's master really knows how to handle people."

Twenty Spirit Nurturing Pills meant nothing to White Horse Pharmacy.

At most, they could recoup this loss within a month or so.

But by using them to befriend an Upper Eighth-Rank Martial Artist, a potential talent with the opportunity to rise to a high position in the Ironclad Department in the future, this deal was absolutely worthwhile.

Yang Ling took the wooden box, opened it for a glance—they were defective-grade Spirit Nurturing Pills.

But he was still very happy. As long as they were Spirit Nurturing Pills, it was fine.

This way, his Tiger-Capturing Saber Technique could reach Flawless Proficiency today.

Switching from the Thief-Capturing Saber Technique to the Tiger-Capturing Saber Technique, not only did his realm not fall, but he returned to the Flawless Proficiency realm on the very same day.

This was simply wonderful.

After some more polite conversation, Bai Zhixing took his leave with the old man.

As they left, he urged Yang Ling to be sure to get together properly when he returned to Green Mountain City.

"Boss, I plan to purchase some Martial Artist-use pills, but I'm not very familiar with the prefectural capital. I don't know where to go?"

Yang Ling asked.

"You've asked the right person."

Lin Yan laughed, "There's a 'Martial Market' in the north city of the prefectural capital, licensed by the Ironclad Department.

Over there, whether it's weapons or pills, they have everything you could want.

Sometimes Martial Artists can also exchange things among themselves."

Yang Ling's eyes lit up slightly. This was exactly the kind of place he wanted to go.

Changhe Prefectural Capital, North City Martial Market.

Yang Ling wore an ordinary robe over his ironclad uniform to conceal his identity as an Ironclad Department Constable.

Even so, because he had the Jiaogu Saber, the Eighth-Rank Official Saber, and the Vermilion Gold Pickaxe hanging from his waist, this kind of attire occasionally attracted curious glances from some people.

This Martial Market was essentially a cross-shaped street.

Except each street was about one li long.

Various shops were open here: medicinal herb shops, pill shops, blacksmith shops, restaurants, teahouses, inns—everything you could imagine.

"It would be more convenient to just stay here directly when coming to the prefectural capital in the future."

Yang Ling stopped in front of a blacksmith shop to observe.

Outside this blacksmith shop was the storefront selling weapons, while clanging sounds came from inside.

A shop assistant noticed Yang Ling and immediately stepped forward to greet him:

"Young master, are you looking to buy a weapon?"

"I'll just take a look first."

Yang Ling entered the shop and began examining the weapons hanging on the walls.

The result was quite disappointing. These weapons were very ordinary, at best comparable in attributes to a Ninth-Rank Official Saber.

Far inferior to an Eighth-Rank Official Saber, let alone compared to the Jiaogu Saber.

"Young master, if you intend to buy a weapon, you need a permit letter from the Ironclad Department."

The shop assistant reminded him.

"It seems the Zhao State's control over weapons is indeed quite strict. Probably ordinary Martial Artists don't even have the qualification to purchase weapons.

Martial Arts Techniques related to weapons are likely all held in the hands of the upper echelons."

Thinking this, Yang Ling casually smiled and said:

"I plan to buy a pickaxe. I don't know if you sell them here."

"Pickaxe?"

The shop assistant was slightly taken aback, then his gaze fell on the Vermilion Gold Pickaxe hanging from Yang Ling's waist:

"You want a mining pickaxe?"

"Right."

Yang Ling nodded with a smile.

The shop assistant looked troubled: "The master craftsman only forges weapons. If you want a pickaxe, you shouldn't have come to the Martial Market. How about you look elsewhere?"

"Haha, someone actually came to the Martial Market to buy a pickaxe. How utterly bizarre."

At that moment, a group of young people entered the shop. The leading youth looked Yang Ling up and down with an amused expression, then said to the shop assistant:

"Call your master craftsman out. Our Prince's Gang wants to commission a batch of weapons. This is a big order."

The shop assistant's eyes lit up. He hurriedly left Yang Ling to go greet them:

"Young Master Wen, please have a seat. I'll go invite the master craftsman out right away."

Seeing this, Yang Ling also had no desire to linger here any longer and planned to visit other blacksmith shops.

That Young Master Wen had just sat down when his gaze suddenly fell on the Vermilion Gold Pickaxe at Yang Ling's waist. He said casually:

"You there, that pickaxe at your waist seems to contain quite a bit of Vermilion Gold? Bring it here for me to look at."

Yang Ling glanced at the other person:

Character: Wen You

Profession: Martial Artist

Strength: 18

Agility: 13

Spirit: 7

Martial Arts: Returning Wind Saber Technique (Flawless Proficiency)

Agile Body Technique (Flawless Proficiency)

An Unranked Martial Artist.

Yang Ling smiled, "Just a broken pickaxe, nothing worth looking at."

With that, Yang Ling prepared to leave.

Wen You's face darkened. He gave a look to the person beside him.

That youth immediately stepped forward quickly to block Yang Ling's path, saying coldly:

"Our Prince's Gang leader wants to see your broken pickaxe. He's doing you a favor by showing interest! Why aren't you presenting it with both hands!?"

Yang Ling stared at the other person expressionlessly.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming somewhat tense, a burly man walked out with the shop assistant.

The burly man clasped his hands and laughed, "Young Master Wen, this gentleman is also a customer. Don't get angry. Let's first discuss the weapons you want."

"Master Craftsman, the weapons matter isn't urgent. This guy's pickaxe seems to contain quite a bit of Vermilion Gold.

I heard from my father that the Rong tribe has recently been smuggling a lot of goods from various Vermilion Gold mines back to their territory. I suspect he's involved."

Wen You waved his hand, stood up, and walked over to Yang Ling. He stared at Yang Ling with a stern face:

"What's your surname and given name? Where are you from? How did you get this Vermilion Gold Pickaxe?"

The burly man now also looked suspicious and uncertain. He too could see the Vermilion Gold Pickaxe contained a lot of Vermilion Gold. What ordinary pickaxe would be forged using so much Vermilion Gold?

"Are you an Ironclad Department Constable?"

Yang Ling asked calmly.

"Heh, our gang leader may not be an Ironclad Department Constable, but his father is the Director of the Third Division of the Ironclad Department's Bandit Apprehension Division!

Iron-Handed Wen Kongxuan, have you heard of him?"

A member of the Prince's Gang sneered.

Yang Ling roughly understood what kind of people these guys were.

Second-generation heirs from a certain circle in the prefectural capital.

At that moment, Wen You suddenly noticed a saber at Yang Ling's waist that looked familiar.

"Well, well! You even dare to privately possess an official saber from our Ironclad Department?"

Wen You said instinctively.

But as soon as these words left his mouth, the atmosphere on the scene became unusual.

The blacksmith shop's master craftsman's expression changed slightly. He hurriedly said:

"Sir, could it be that you are from the Ironclad Department?"