High Martial: I Use Everything as Swords

The Black Market was designed like an underground labyrinth.

Beyond the clamorous trading areas were vast living and service sectors.

As they passed through the noisy auction hall, their surroundings gradually grew quieter.

The roadside shops transformed from messy stalls into elegantly decorated storefronts.

Just as the two of them rounded a corner, a familiar figure appeared, pacing in front of a shop called "Lingyun Pavilion."

The person was dressed in a well-tailored, high-level protective suit, holding a gold-embossed card. His face was flushed with excitement, and his grin stretched nearly from ear to ear.

Li Wei.

Han Feng was a little surprised. ’Wasn’t this guy at the auction?’

’How did he end up here?’

At that moment, Li Wei seemed to sense something and whipped his head around.

Seeing Han Feng and Gao Fei, Li Wei’s eyes lit up. He stuffed the card into his pocket and strode over to them.

"Han Feng! Fatty Gao! What a coincidence!"

Li Wei’s voice was filled with an unconcealable excitement, completely lacking his usual "young master" airs.

Gone, too, was the antagonism he’d shown at school.

After a few interactions, especially since Han Feng had helped him fix the problem with his Xiaolong and then demonstrated his Treasure appraisal skills at the auction, Li Wei found himself liking Han Feng more and more.

"Young Master Li, did you just get out too?"

Gao Fei greeted him with a grin, but his eyes couldn’t help darting toward the Lingyun Pavilion, where Li Wei had just been standing.

That was the most high-end Potion shop in the Black Market, and rumor had it the owner was a certain Potion master.

"Don’t even mention it. My heart was about to pound out of my chest."

Li Wei slung an arm around Han Feng’s shoulder with such familiarity that anyone who didn’t know them would think they were childhood friends.

"Han Feng, I’m seriously impressed by your luck, but I also have to thank you."

Han Feng was utterly confused.

"Thank me for what?"

"You left earlier, right?"

Li Wei said, his face alight with excitement.

"After you left, your seat was empty. I felt it had good feng shui, so I moved over."

"And guess what happened?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Before Han Feng could even play along, Li Wei impatiently revealed the answer.

"There was an easter egg at the end of the auction! Only people sitting in a specific area were qualified to bid."

"It was the exact seat you were in!"

Li Wei was so excited he slapped his thigh.

"I paid a fortune and got the spot! This should have been your chance, but you missed out, and I lucked into it!"

Gao Fei leaned in curiously.

"Young Master Li, what was the easter egg? What’s got you so happy?"

Li Wei glanced around, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously.

"The right to custom-order a Tier Three Spirit Awakening Potion."

Gao Fei was truly shocked this time, sucking in a breath so sharply that the sound was even louder than when he had realized they were being watched earlier.

"A Tier Three Spirit Awakening?! Isn’t that the Divine Medicine that increases the probability of awakening a Talent?"

"That’s right!"

The smug look on Li Wei’s face was impossible to hide.

"And it’s personally crafted by a Potion master, not some mass-produced, off-the-shelf stuff."

"They say it can even be fine-tuned to the user’s Physique, increasing its effectiveness by twenty percent!"

"I’ve been stuck at this realm for years, all because I haven’t awakened a suitable Talent."

"With this Potion, I have a feeling I’ll definitely succeed!"

Gao Fei was practically drooling as he listened.

For a Martial Artist, this kind of thing was a treasure that could defy fate.

"Young Master Li, how much did that cost?"

Gao Fei asked weakly.

"Money is no object."

Li Wei waved his hand magnanimously.

"The key is that you can’t buy it even if you have the money! They only release one or two of these spots a year."

As he spoke, he looked at Han Feng with a hint of pity.

"Han Feng, seriously, if you hadn’t left, this spot would have most likely been yours."

"I have to admit, your insight is impressive. It’s a shame, but an opportunity like this, once missed, is gone for good."

Han Feng found it rather amusing to see Li Wei looking genuinely sorry for him while also being unable to resist showing off.

In truth, before he left the auction hall, the head of security had discreetly mentioned this to him.

As long as he was willing to pay the astronomical fee for materials and labor, the spot could be reserved for him directly.

After all, Han Feng’s performance with the Fog Plate had been too astonishing, and the Black Market wanted to foster a good relationship.

But Han Feng had refused.

First, he didn’t have that much money.

The cost was enough to cripple a mid-sized family; the bit he’d just earned was merely pocket change in comparison.

Second, he had his system.

Talent wasn’t a necessity for him.

As long as he had enough resources, he could simply pile them up to advance.

Therefore, this so-called great opportunity was basically useless to him.

Rather than sell everything he owned to gamble on a probability, he’d prefer to spend his money on tangible Cultivation Resources.

"That’s your good fortune."

Han Feng said with a sincere smile.

"It seems that seat really does have good feng shui, but I might not have triggered it even if I’d stayed. These things are a matter of fate."

"I really admire your mindset."

Li Wei gave him a thumbs-up.

"I couldn’t be so calm if it were me."

"But don’t worry, once I succeed, I’ll have your back at the academy."

"If that bastard Wei Dong dares to mess with you again, I’ll knock his teeth out."

Gao Fei was fidgeting anxiously as he listened from the side.

He knew the inside story.

When the security head had been murmuring to Han Feng, he had been standing right there, even though their voices were low.

’This wasn’t a missed opportunity, Han Feng clearly passed on it!’

’That’s a massive favor!’

’How can they let this Li Wei kid think it was just his own good luck?’

"Young Master Li, actually..."

Gao Fei couldn’t help but start to speak, wanting to spill the beans and earn Han Feng some goodwill in the process.

"AHEM!"

Han Feng suddenly coughed twice and discreetly stepped on Gao Fei’s foot.

The force was just right, landing squarely on his toes.

"OW!"

Gao Fei cried out in pain, swallowing the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"What’s wrong?"

Li Wei looked at Gao Fei, confused.

"N-nothing."

Gao Fei winced, grimacing in pain.

"I think I just stepped on a nail."

Han Feng calmly picked up the conversation.

"Congratulations, Li Wei. When does the Potion crafting begin?"

"Right now."

Li Wei pointed to the Lingyun Pavilion behind him.

"The master is already inside preparing. I have to go in and cooperate with some physical data collection."

"See, I just stepped out for a breath of fresh air and ran into you two."

"Then you should hurry. Don’t keep the master waiting."

Han Feng urged.

"Right, right, business first."

Li Wei checked his watch, his expression also becoming urgent.

"I’m heading in then. See you back at school."

"Oh, and the Black Market is a bit restless tonight. You two be careful and head back to school early."

With that, he waved to them and turned toward the antique-styled shop.

Watching Li Wei’s retreating figure, Gao Fei finally couldn’t hold it in any longer.

He hopped on one foot twice, clutching the other, and looked at Han Feng with a resentful expression, complaining in a low voice.

"Brother Feng, why’d you step on me? Why didn’t you let me say anything?"

"That was a spot for a Tier Three Spirit Awakening Potion!"

"If he knew you let him have it, can you imagine how huge a favor that would be?"

"We’re short on money and resources right now. If we cashed in on that favor, think of all the good stuff we could get!"

Han Feng looked at Gao Fei’s miserly expression and shook his head.

"Fatty, you’re overthinking it."

Han Feng pulled him along toward the Quiet Chamber, explaining as they walked.

"First, you had to pay to buy that spot, and it was a huge sum."

"I couldn’t afford it, so telling him would be pointless."

"Second, the security head approaching me was an internal operation of the Black Market."

"If Li Wei found out his ’good luck’ was actually arranged, do you think his pride would let him feel good about it?"

"He might even feel like we’re giving him a handout. Then, instead of being friends, we could end up as enemies."

Gao Fei froze for a moment, then scratched his head.

"I guess... that makes sense."

"These rich people have so many damn quirks. You give them something good and they still have to be picky about it."

As the two were lost in their different thoughts, the cloth curtain at the storefront was once again pushed aside.

This time, it wasn’t the young man who came out, but an old man dressed in simple white robes.

The old man had white hair and a white beard, a gaunt face, and was holding a string of Jade Beads. His every move exuded an extraordinary air.

Li Wei, who had just reached the entrance, saw this person and immediately bowed deeply, respectfully calling out.

"Master!"

The old man nodded slightly, his gaze as placid as water as he casually swept his eyes outward.

Han Feng subconsciously activated [Spiritual Vision], wanting to see what kind of extraordinary person this master who could craft a Tier Three Potion truly was.

But the sight made his heart leap.

In his [Spiritual Vision], the old man’s physical structure was completely different from that of an ordinary person.

In ordinary people, even Martial Artists at the Meridian Passage Realm, Energy flows in lines along the meridian network.

But within this old man, there were no such meridian lines at all.

Instead, there were dozens of dazzling points of light, like stars.

They were distributed in key acupoints such as the Dantian, chest, and throughout his limbs and bones.

Between these points of light, an invisible Energy Field resonated.

Enlightenment Realm!

This was a genuine Tier Three Grand Martial Artist!

However, what Han Feng found even more peculiar was the color of these points of light.

Most of the acupoints and the Dantian in the old man’s body emitted a pure, deep blue light—it was refined Water Elemental Qi.

But in the location of his heart, a strange mass of dark red Energy was coiled.

That dark red Energy was not static; it was a slowly rotating vortex.

It contracted and expanded rhythmically, like a second, beating heart.

One blue and one red, one cold and one hot.

Two energies with completely opposite properties had somehow reached a wondrous balance within the old man’s body.

The red Energy even sent out extremely fine tendrils that connected to several of the surrounding acupoints.

’Dual-attribute cultivation? Or some kind of special Secret Technique?’

Han Feng was inwardly astonished.

He had never seen this kind of energy structure in his academy textbooks, nor had he ever even heard of it.

’Perhaps this is what makes Tier Three experts so special?’

Just as Han Feng was observing in a daze, the master’s gaze happened to sweep past his location.

A barely perceptible glint of light flashed in those seemingly murky old eyes.

Han Feng’s heart tightened. He immediately retracted his gaze and pretended that nothing had happened.

He and Gao Fei both bowed their heads slightly as a sign of respect for the powerful expert.