Chương 52: The Hammer and the Sickle — The Martial Path of Workers and Farmers

Name: Shadow Reaper Grade: Fourth-Rank Treasure Weapon Description: Forged primarily from precious-grade materials, including century-old Black Obsidian Iron and Beastblood Copper. The weapon was further infused with the flesh and blood of a Mantis Treasure Beast, inheriting part of its innate supernatural ability. Compact and deceptively unassuming, the Shadow Reaper excels at concealment and assassination. It strikes from the darkness, catches enemies off guard, and aims for instant kills—one slash, one corpse.

Equipment Requirement: Third-Rank Internal Force Realm Equipment Bonuses: Increased Constitution and Comprehension Enhanced Blade Arts Talent Weapon Traits: Shadow Concealment (Fourth Rank): Masks the user's presence and figure. Effectiveness increases in darkness. Blood-Sealing Strike (Fourth Rank): Greater damage when attacking vital points. Special Gains: Fragment of martial memory: Shadow Mantis Reaping Art Important memory fragments from the weapon's previous owner"What a treasure!"

Su Zhe forced himself to remain calm, though his heart was already pounding with excitement. If I get this weapon... Combined with the Phantom Shark Mask, my assassination abilities will reach an entirely new level. Outwardly, his expression never changed. Inside, however, waves of joy crashed through him like a raging sea. He pointed toward the old farming tools.

"Old sir, how much are these?" The white-haired vendor looked him up and down in surprise.

"Young master, what would someone like you want with a farmer's tools?" Most of the goods spread before him were used agricultural implements. They were rusted and worn. Anyone wanting to use them again would need to sharpen and refurbish them first. The old man had only brought them to market because he couldn't be bothered fixing them himself. Judging from Su Zhe's clothing, he was obviously a wealthy young gentleman. That outfit alone was worth several years of income for an ordinary farming family.

The old man was thoroughly confused. Su Zhe smiled.

"My family employs a few farmhands and owns some farmland. A few tools broke recently. New ones are expensive, so I figured I could save a little money."

"Oh... I see." A trace of disgust flashed through the old man's eyes. This world wasn't much different from ancient China, aside from the existence of martial cultivation and supernatural powers. As a result, land annexation was just as severe. Countless small farmers had lost their fields to landlords, powerful clans, local gentry, and wealthy elites. Once a farmer lost his land, life became miserable. The lucky ones became tenant farmers, cultivating land owned by others.

At harvest time, they paid taxes to the government and handed most of what remained to the landlord. Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Those even less fortunate turned to hunting, fishing, or other trades that depended entirely on nature's whims. A good year might bring riches. A bad year brought starvation. And when famine struck, many became wandering refugees.

Naturally, men who survived through hard labor rarely had favorable opinions of landlords. Almost every village had its share of greedy local tyrants. Hearing Su Zhe's explanation, the old man's dislike deepened.

"Take everything. One hundred and fifty copper coins." He barely bothered to look up. The price was outrageously inflated. A brand-new hoe cost only around fifty copper coins. The sickle, hatchet, and other tools were all old and rusted. Together, they weren't worth more than seventy. The old man disliked Su Zhe, but he also didn't want to offend a rich young master. So he intentionally quoted a ridiculous price, hoping to drive him away.

"Very well, old sir." Su Zhe reached into his robe. With his fingers, he pinched off a small piece of silver from a larger ingot—roughly equivalent to the requested amount—and placed it before the old man. The vendor froze. He stared blankly at the silver. Smoke drifted lazily from the pipe in his hand. Before he could react, Su Zhe had already bundled up the tools, slung them over his shoulder, and walked away.

"Damn it..." The old man stuffed the silver into his pocket.

"I ran into one of those rich fools. Should've asked for more." He had expected his outrageous price to scare away the young noble he found annoying. Instead, the amount meant practically nothing to Su Zhe. The more he thought about it, the more regretful he became. Yet strangely, he couldn't feel happy. By all rights, he'd just made an excellent deal. So why did his chest feel empty? The old man frowned. For some reason, he felt as though something immensely important had slipped away forever.

Meanwhile, Su Zhe was in excellent spirits. He hummed a tune as he wandered through the temple fair. Most of his attention was focused on weapons. There were some decent blades for sale, but none could compare to the craftsmanship of the Blacksmith Guild. Their prices were even higher.

"Now that I possess the Sacred Fusion Art..."

"As long as I gather enough low-grade weapons, I can fuse them into higher-grade ones."

"The problem is quantity. The cost adds up quickly."

"Overall, buying directly through the guild remains the better option." After making a full circuit of the market, he reached his conclusion. Opening his Fifth Immortal Aperture had dramatically increased his strength. Unfortunately, it had also drained nearly all of his savings. Thanks to Sun Tiexin's support, he could purchase weapons from the Blacksmith Guild at the lowest prices available. Even so, the sheer quantity required meant money had become his most pressing concern.

Aside from the old farmer's hidden treasure, he found nothing else worth picking up. His dream of striking gold twice in one day failed to materialize. A little disappointed, he purchased a pound each of plum blossom cakes, crabapple cakes, osmanthus lotus cakes, and other expensive sweets before preparing to head home.

"Aunt loves sweets," he thought.

"Even now that we have money, she still can't shake her frugal habits." Carrying the pastries, he walked through the bustling marketplace. The lively atmosphere felt strangely out of place around him. Tall, handsome, and carrying himself with an air of refinement, Su Zhe stood out from the crowd like a crane among chickens. Many young ladies attending the fair stole glances in his direction. Some hid their flushed faces behind silk fans. Others whispered among themselves.

A few bolder ones were already considering sending someone to investigate his background. The attention left Su Zhe feeling exhausted.

"I don't enjoy this sort of excitement."

"How could any of this compare to the satisfaction of breaking through in martial cultivation?" Shaking his head, he headed back toward the Su residence. When he reached the end of the street, however, he noticed a dense crowd gathered around a public notice board. In an era where most people struggled to eat their fill, Su Zhe's six-foot-one frame towered above the masses. A quick glance over their heads revealed the notices. WANTED Mad Shark, King of the River Pirates. Reward for information: 300 taels of silver.

Official Notice A heretical cult has recently appeared in Lu County. Numerous villagers in surrounding areas have died under mysterious circumstances. Cult members have already infiltrated the county. Dozens of local martial artists have been killed. All citizens are advised to remain vigilant.

"Heretical cultists?" Su Zhe frowned. The term was unfamiliar to him. Having grown up in the impoverished Su Family Fishing Village, his knowledge of the wider world was limited. Fortunately, several scholarly men standing nearby were enthusiastically explaining the situation to the crowd. Listening in, Su Zhe gradually gained a clearer understanding.

Lu County Led by the Blacksmith Guild, the Canal Guild, and the county government, all major and minor factions throughout Lu County had begun mobilizing to eradicate the cult. The cultists had arrived in force. Their ranks contained numerous powerful experts. Every martial artist above the Third Rank was expected to participate in the campaign. After spending enormous resources on intelligence gathering, the three major powers finally discovered the cult's base of operations.

The enemy was entrenched in the Yandang Mountains. From there, they were spreading their influence throughout Lu County, corrupting minds and recruiting martial artists into their ranks. The three major factions resolved to launch a full-scale assault, much like the previous campaign against the River Pirate Gang. Su Residence"Junior Brother, I've delivered Master's instructions." A senior disciple from the Hall of Artisan Hearts sat across from Su Zhe in the courtyard. Su Zhe nodded solemnly.

"Please reassure Master. Once my uncle and aunt return, I'll inform them and leave for the Hall immediately." The senior disciple relaxed. After finishing a cup of tea, he took his leave. Su Zhe let out a long sigh. Then he opened the book resting on the table. Records of Divine Bestowals During the Founding Emperor's Era He had purchased it earlier at the marketplace.

"So this is what a heretical cult really is..." Completely absorbed, he dipped a finger into his tea, moistened the page, and turned to the next chapter...