Seeing Lorrain’s reaction, Bai Xuan reached into his robe and pulled out a small cloth pouch, placing it gently on the counter.
“There’s also these. I brought them back from the dungeon as well. See how much they’re worth.”
Lorrain opened the pouch and emptied the contents onto the counter.
A few pieces of old gold and silver jewelry spilled out; some were deformed, while others were broken or incomplete. They looked ancient.
He flipped through them casually, picking up two pieces to examine closely before slowly putting them back.
“These are made of ordinary gold, just quite old. They have a bit of cultural value, I suppose. Eleven gold coins,” he quoted.
Bai Xuan had no objections and nodded slightly. “Deal.”
Lorrain counted out eleven gold coins and pushed them toward Bai Xuan.
Bai Xuan stowed the gold with the rest of his earnings, turned, and headed for the door.
At the entrance, he paused and slowly turned back.
“Boss, once I’ve taken care of that matter, I’ll come find you,” he reminded him again.
Lorrain didn’t look up, still busy with the work in his hands. He only gave a soft grunt in acknowledgment.
Bai Xuan said no more, pushed open the door, and stepped out.
Outside, the sunlight was perfect, casting a warm glow over him.
Standing at the shop entrance, Bai Xuan oriented himself and then walked quickly toward the other end of town.
Including the gold he just received and the savings he had accumulated, minus his daily expenses and equipment updates...
Bai Xuan currently had a total of fifty-seven gold coins, one hundred and eighty-two silver coins, and fifty-five copper coins.
He had never been this wealthy in his life.
Looking at the hoard of gold coins, he truly felt reluctant to part with them.
But this money had to be spent.
The only thing that made him a bit frustrated was that previous heavy sword; it had been incredibly awkward to use.
Perhaps because he had used polearms for so many years, switching to a sword felt unnatural no matter how he handled it.
He felt stifled during combat, and even his skill activation lacked a certain fluidity.
Staff-like weapons were more to his liking—comfortable, familiar, and far more satisfying when smashing into monsters.
As he pondered, The Fire God’s Forge appeared before him. The workshop door was ajar, and the familiar rhythmic clanging of a hammer echoed from within.
Bai Xuan pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The layout of the workshop was no different from his last visit, though there were fewer weapons hanging on the racks, likely purchased by other adventurers.
That massive double-edged axe, Rock-Crushing Mountain, still hung in its usual spot, its cold blade gleaming under the light.
Bai Xuan glanced at it. He really couldn't imagine who would actually buy such a gargantuan axe.
The person behind the counter was not Mora.
It was the human girl from before. He had seen her once when he brought the drunken Barend here.
The girl looked up, her gaze falling on Bai Xuan’s face. She blinked, startled for a moment.
Then, her eyes brightened as if she were drawn to something. She studied him for a few seconds before finally recognizing him.
Bai Xuan walked quickly to the counter and got straight to the point. “Is Master Mora in?”
The girl snapped out of it and shook her head gently. “You must be Mr. Bai Xuan. Master Mora has gone out on business. She didn’t tell me the specifics.”
She paused, her tone becoming a bit more formal. “However, the Master specifically instructed that if you arrived, I should hand over the finished weapon and collect the agreed-upon gold.”
A trace of disappointment flickered through Bai Xuan’s heart. He had originally wanted to ask Mora in person about the specific usage of the weapon.
As if sensing his disappointment, the girl pulled a thin notebook from beneath the counter and handed it to him.
“Master Mora specifically wrote this. The weapon’s effects, maintenance methods, and usage techniques are all clearly documented inside.”
Bai Xuan took the notebook and flipped it open. The handwriting was neat and the points were organized; every instruction was easy to understand.
The girl spoke again. “The weapon is in the back warehouse. I’ll have to trouble you to retrieve it yourself.”
Bai Xuan raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh?”
A faint blush of embarrassment touched the girl’s cheeks. “It’s too heavy. I simply can’t lift it.”
Bai Xuan nodded in understanding, his anticipation for the weapon growing even stronger.
The girl led him through the workshop, pushed open a heavy wooden door, and entered a dimly lit room.
The room was small. On a wooden rack directly ahead lay a simple-looking weapon.
It was roughly as tall as Bai Xuan himself. The shaft was engraved with patterns for a better grip, the top was a solid rounded head, and the base ended in a sharp spike.
It was exactly the style he had agreed upon with Mora.
However, it was more refined than he had expected. It wasn’t a crude rough embryo, but a complete finished product, though its appearance was humble and unassuming.
“This is the one,” the girl said, standing to the side. “Check it first to see if you’re satisfied. If you are, you can pay then.”
Bai Xuan picked up the notebook and carefully reviewed the details once more, confirming the weapon’s specifics.
Mora had written very clearly that this staff was currently in an Epic (Rough Embryo) state, but its foundation was already solid. If he wanted to improve it further in the future, it would require the work of a Grandmaster Rank craftsman.
The staff currently had four basic effects attached, which could be further enhanced through future upgrades.
The first was the durability trait. Thanks to the addition of Spirit Jade Powder, the staff’s texture was exceptionally solid and nearly impossible to damage by external force.
The second was weight control. The user only needed to inject mana to freely change the staff’s weight, with the upper limit determined by the user’s current strength.
The third was a healing boost provided by the Emeraldshade Gold, which could effectively increase the user’s healing effects by 10%.
The fourth was a summoning trait. Once spiritually bound to the user, the staff could be recalled no matter how far it was thrown, though the recall range was limited and required the user to test it.
Aside from these, Mora mentioned in the notes that the staff might hide other effects that could not be verified for now.
Bai Xuan closed the notebook and focused his mind to inspect the staff. A string of clear information instantly appeared before his eyes:
【Name: Unnamed】
【Quality: Epic (Rough Embryo)】
【Materials: Forged primarily with Kunyuan Heavy Iron, Goldsand Iron, and Emeraldshade Gold. Secondary materials include Starsilver, Spirit Jade Powder, and Inky Meteorite Shards.】
【Traits:
Solidified Foundation: Utilizes the properties of Spirit Jade Powder to condense all materials. The staff is extremely hard and difficult to destroy.
Spirit-Weight Equilibrium: Injecting mana can change the staff’s weight. The weight limit is determined by the user’s current level.
Emeraldshade Augmentation: Provided by Emeraldshade Gold, increases healing effects by 10%.
Soul-Bonded Recall: Once spiritually bound to the user, the staff can be recalled when thrown. Recall range: 50m.
(Locked)】
The information was identical to what was recorded in Mora’s notes.
The only difference was that the staff currently had no name, waiting for its owner to christen it.
As for the locked effect, Bai Xuan didn't know how to unlock it for the time being.
As a magical weapon rough embryo, its four basic abilities were already unlocked, but further strengthening would require finding a more powerful enchanter and craftsman.
At that moment, Lorrain’s image flashed through Bai Xuan’s mind.
That half-elf was a Level 9 Transcendent; his alchemy skills were surely high. Perhaps he could ask Lorrain to enchant the staff later.
Of course, that would be another significant expense.
As for the staff’s practical combat effects, he could experiment with them personally once he took on a commission.
He withdrew his mental inspection and turned to the girl, speaking with certainty, “I’m very satisfied.”
With that, he counted out forty-five gold coins from his pouch and placed them gently on the counter.
The moment his fingers left the gold, Bai Xuan felt a sharp pang in his heart. This was the majority of his savings.
He now had only twelve gold coins left, turning him back into a pauper in the blink of an eye.
The girl’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at the gold on the counter.
Although she had known the price would be this high, seeing so much gold at once was still a dazzling sight.
When she looked back at Bai Xuan, her gaze held a hint of newfound curiosity.
Bai Xuan didn't notice the girl’s look. He stepped forward and gripped the staff on the rack.
It was exceptionally heavy, even more so than he had anticipated.
But instead of being a burden, the weight felt incredibly comfortable.
He gave the staff a light experimental swing. The feel was perfect.
With this kind of weight, smashing monsters would surely be exhilarating. Once he injected mana to increase the weight further, its power would be even more devastating.
Suddenly, the girl spoke up. “Master Mora also mentioned that after you retrieve the weapon, you should come back again tonight. She’ll be waiting here for you; she said she has an important matter to discuss.”
Bai Xuan was taken aback.
An important matter? Was she going to talk about the remaining gold and ask him to pay it all at once? Bai Xuan speculated privately.
He suppressed his doubts and nodded gently. “Understood.”
Next was the binding process.
The girl led him to a small adjacent room and gently closed the door, leaving him a quiet space to complete the binding.
Bai Xuan gripped the staff and, following the method recorded in Mora’s notes, slowly injected his mental mana and a drop of blood into the weapon.
The binding process was much longer than he had expected.
Mana flowed continuously from his body, and the shaft gradually became warm.
Bai Xuan felt his consciousness extending outside his body, connecting bit by bit with a certain power inside the staff. It was like fumbling through the dark until he finally grasped another pair of warm hands.
Only when that sense of connection was completely stable did Bai Xuan slowly open his eyes.
The binding was successful!
He placed the staff firmly on the ground two steps away.
With a single thought, the staff flew through the air and landed back in his palm.
This level of effortless synchronization was beyond anything he had experienced with any other weapon.
Bai Xuan looked down at the staff in his hand. After a moment of contemplation, he decided on a name.
【Guide of the Bitter Path】
Since crossing into this world, he had been a wanderer, enduring much hardship and narrowly escaping death several times.
Now, he finally possessed a weapon that truly belonged to him.
It was both the light that would guide him forward and a mark proving that his bitter journey had not been in vain.
The corners of Bai Xuan’s mouth curled up. He’d give it a nickname too—the Staff of Guidance. It would guide the wounded toward life and the enemy toward death.
Satisfied, he stowed the staff. Its residual warmth still lingered on his fingertips as he stepped out of the small room.
The girl was still waiting at the front desk. As Bai Xuan approached to say his farewells, she looked up first.
Seeing him come over, she quickly reminded him, “Mr. Bai Xuan, don’t forget to come back tonight. Master Mora will be waiting for you.”
Bai Xuan nodded with a smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t forget.”
What important matter did Mora want to discuss tonight?
Bai Xuan walked down the street holding the Staff of Guidance, his palm clearly feeling the heavy texture of the shaft. Every step felt substantial.
Before he had the staff, he had looked forward to it every day. But now that this weapon of his own was finally in his hand, a strange, indefinable sense of emptiness welled up in his heart.
It was like sprinting with all one’s might for a long time only to finally reach the destination; for a moment, he felt aimless, not knowing where to direct his next burst of energy.
But this aimlessness lasted only a moment before being dispelled by the obsession in his heart.
How could he not have a goal?
The blood debt of his village had yet to be repaid, and his current strength was far from enough. There was still a long road ahead.
While assassinating Zane was not entirely impossible with his current strength...
The man was a noble and surely had guards with him at all times. Acting recklessly on his own was too risky.
For now, the safest bet was to continue gathering intelligence.
He didn't even know if the Mulan family was still in this town. Even if they weren't, he couldn't act blindly.
He had to wait until he leveled up a few more times, ideally breaking into the Level 8 Transcendent Rank. Only then would his chances of revenge be significantly higher.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, his feet unconsciously led him back to the alchemy shop.
The shop door was tightly closed, a stark contrast to the usual bustle at this hour.
Bai Xuan paused. The alchemy shop shouldn't be closed at this time.
He walked forward and knocked gently on the door.
“Come in,” Lorrain’s flat, emotionless voice came from inside.
Bai Xuan pushed the door open and saw Lorrain sitting behind the counter, his expression as cold as ever.
Noticing him enter, Lorrain’s gaze instinctively fell on the Staff of Guidance in his hand. It lingered for a split second before shifting away as if nothing had happened.
“Ready?” Lorrain asked, his tone devoid of any emotion.
Bai Xuan didn't waste words and simply nodded, indicating he was prepared.
Lorrain slowly stood up and gestured with his chin toward a small door behind the counter. “Follow me.”
Bai Xuan silently followed Lorrain through the small door and into a compact room.
The four walls were covered in shelves, neatly packed with various bottles and jars.
There were dark bottles containing potions, transparent jars holding materials, and several alchemy tools of strange design and unknown purpose.
The air was filled with a complex scent—the unique aroma of alchemical materials.
Lorrain walked to the center of the room and slowly turned around. He stood with his back to Bai Xuan, his aura remaining cold and aloof.
“Is there anything else you need to prepare?” he asked without turning his head.
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