Chapter 58: Astounding Skills (1/2)
“Look, look! It’s starting!”
“Haha, to think that the one who taunted the Four Great Swordsmithing Clans was just a young man!”
“After waiting for so long, that sword is finally going to be unveiled! I wonder what kind of sword is worth ten thousand gold taels!”
“It’s not ten thousand gold taels, it is 19200 gold taels! He is going to pay the sum to everyone else if he were to lose!”
“Heavens! Isn’t he going to be bankrupt then?”
“Of course! Do you think that one will get away unscathed after provoking the capital’s Four Great Swordsmithing Clans?”
“That poor fellow!”
…
Outside the pavilion, a sea of people had gathered and there was a huge commotion outside. After seven days of hunger marketing, the curiosity for the sword in the Bluebottle Pavilion had reached its peak.
Exactly what kind of sword could it be, to not allow anyone to view or touch it?
What kind of treasured sword could it be, for the owner to dare to price it at 19200 gold taels?
And now, the truth was about to be revealed.
“Everyone, are you ready?”
Hearing the commotion outside, Wang Chong turned around and looked at everyone in the pavilion:
“If anyone wishes to buy it, it’s worth 19200 gold taels now. This is your final chance!”
Hong!
The reply that Wang Chong received was a burst of laughter. Even the Cheng Clan’s Elder Cheng Youqing couldn’t help but chuckle. From the very start, no one had bought the sword when it was priced at 600 gold taels. Now that it had reached an astronomical sum of 19200 gold taels, it was ridiculous to think that anyone would buy it.
Otherwise, wouldn’t the person be too foolish!
“Youngster, you have a good sense of humor. However, I think you should just unveil your sword!”
“Indeed! Let everyone see the sword that you claim to be worth 19200 gold taels!”
Someone chirped in, and the people in the pavilion burst into laughter once more.
“Don’t spout nonsense, what do you mean by 19200 gold taels? It will be doubled by today!”
“Right! Right! It is currently 38400 gold taels! If anyone dares to spout nonsense, I will fight with him!”
“Lad, there are so many people here. Surely you won’t think of escaping, will you?”
“Hehe, do you think he’ll be able to escape?!”
…
Ridicule, derision, and laughter resounded in the Bluebottle Pavilion. The gazes all those all around revealed their disdain and scorn for the young man.
Only Mosaide and Zhao Fengchen was silent.
They were staring at Wang Chong with a look of contemplation.
“Wang Chong, is it really alright?”
Hearing the ridicules from all direction, Wei Hao’s face turned pale once more.
“Don’t worry!”
Wang Chong patted Wei Hao’s shoulder and said without any hesitation at all. For some reason, feeling the firm will within Wang Chong’s heart, Wei Hao suddenly felt assured.
“Alright! Since no one is interested, let’s start the sword duel gamble then!”
Wang Chong lifted his head to take a look.
“Wait a moment!”
Suddenly, a voice interjected. Wang Chong lifted his head and saw a familiar figure walking out from the crowds.
“Huang Jiao!”
Wang Chong and Wei Hao’s eyelids twitched. They immediately recognized the person. He was the one who had led the pack to wreck havoc at the Bluebottle Pavilion on the first day, saying that Wang Chong was simply attracting attention and scattering the crowd.
“Hehe, lad. It’s true that you are the one who initiated the sword duel gamble. However, there should be rules to it too!”
Huang Jiao sneered coldly. He didn’t have a good impression of Wang Chong and as such, his words were impolite.
“What do you want to say?”
Wang Chong replied impassively.
“With so many swords here, do we just randomly pit them against one another? The swords that everyone has taken out are all their prized possession, and every one of them is incredibly sharp. Even if one were to win the face-off, it would cause some scars and damage to the sword. If so, there isn’t any point to winning at all.”
“Thus, I have an idea. Why don’t we first report how sharp how our weapons are, and how deep can it cut into a metal? This way, those whose weapons aren’t sufficient sharp can back down from the challenge. This way, not only can they prevent any damage toward their weapon, the weapons of others would be spared as well. What do you all think?”
Huang Jiao said gleefully.
“Good idea! It’s a good idea!”
Huang Jiao’s suggestion immediately gained the approval of many.
“We’ll report first then! The sword of our Li Clan is forged through continuous refinement and hammering. Not only is it tough, it is extremely sharp as well. It can cut through 4.5 centimeters of raw metal!”
A forty-year-old man who had the words ‘Qingtan City Li Clan’ weaved on the cloth covering his chest stood out. Pointing to the sword they presented that was hanging on the pavilion, he said gleefully.
“Hmph, you dare to take out such a weapon as well? Our Blue Fields: Zheng Clan had been researching the art of swordsmithing for generations, and our swords can cut through 5.1 centimeters of raw metal!”
The moment the man from Li Clan just spoke, a member of another swordsmithing clan immediately stood forward with a proud expression.
“There’s no need for you two to bicker! The Son of Bloodshed of our Impenetrable Metal Sword Workshop is crafted from using the Heavy Metal of the deep ocean. It can easily cut through your swords of your caliber as though a lump of rotten metal!”
The various weapon shops and workshops also stood forward. Soon, the Bluebottle Pavilion descended into an intense debate, and even the merchants from the Western Regions who weren’t adept at speaking the Han language joined in as well.