Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 305: Chapter 173: Getting a New Crossbow for Free_2

Gu Sheng was hesitating about how to persuade Elder Huang to temporarily lend him the second-generation silencer.

Elder Huang saw Gu Sheng’s troubled expression and couldn’t help but chuckle, ”What’s on your mind? Why do you look so glum?”

Gu Sheng pursed his lips and braced himself, ”Could you perhaps lend me this silencer for the time being? I’ll repay you once I earn some money! Don’t worry, as a disciple of the Holy Pill Sect, I definitely won’t skip payment!”

Upon hearing this, Elder Huang burst into hearty laughter and handed the Stone-breaking Crossbow back to him. ”Lend it? What nonsense! I’ve spent over ten years racking my brains to solve the silencing issue for bow weapons without finding a good solution. If it weren’t for you today, who knows how many more years I’d waste! These materials are valuable, sure, but compared to my precious time, they’re dirt cheap! Take this; it’s yours!”

Gu Sheng’s face lit up instantly upon hearing this, and he repeatedly expressed his thanks to Elder Huang.

Although Gu Sheng had indeed provided ideas and inspiration, in this world, there’s no such thing as intellectual property rights. Besides, Elder Huang wasn’t just a top-grade Yellow Level casting master but also a powerful Marrow Refining Realm expert. If he were truly unreasonable, Gu Sheng would have no recourse.

Having solved a problem that had plagued him for over a decade, Elder Huang was in great spirits. After rummaging around the counter for a while, he pulled out a few pre-forged parts and rapidly assembled them into the shape of a crossbow arrow.

Quarter of an hour later, a brand-new crossbow appeared in Elder Huang’s hands. Its appearance and size resembled the Stone-breaking Crossbow, but its power was undoubtedly far superior. Gu Sheng, having witnessed Elder Huang’s crafting process earlier, knew that the materials used for the bowstring and body of this new crossbow were far better than those of the Stone-breaking Crossbow.

When Elder Huang took the second-generation silencer from Gu Sheng and attached it to the new crossbow, it fit seamlessly, as if custom-designed!

”The arrow!”

Gu Sheng picked up the earlier crossbow arrow and handed it to Elder Huang before attempting to crawl under the table again. Elder Huang grabbed him by the collar with a laugh, ”Just stand behind me.”

Gu Sheng nodded, cautiously hiding himself completely behind Elder Huang’s sturdy back.

The Stone-breaking Crossbow’s rebounded arrows were already fearsome enough; the thought of Elder Huang’s new crossbow terrified Gu Sheng, who valued his life too much to take any chances.

”Thwack!”

This time, the sound of the arrow was slightly louder than before, but it was still acceptable. Though it was the same arrow, the difference in power was staggering!

This time, the arrow didn’t rebound but instead pierced directly into the granite wall. When Gu Sheng walked over to inspect, he saw that nearly two-thirds of the arrow had sunk into the wall and couldn’t help but gasp in shock.

”Good heavens! With this sort of power, even a Silver Bone Realm expert would shake their head in disbelief!”

Elder Huang grinned broadly, ”If your aim is accurate, even a Silver Bone Realm expert, if hit, wouldn’t die but would be crippled! I primarily considered your limited strength when crafting this. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t mind making you a low-grade Yellow Level treasure crossbow. When you break through to the Golden Bone Realm, come find me, and I’ll make one for you! Think of it as my thanks for helping me solve my ten-year-old dilemma!”

Saying this, Elder Huang tossed the new crossbow to Gu Sheng.

Though this crossbow wasn’t a treasure weapon, many of the materials used were items Gu Sheng had seen listed on Qingqing’s resources sheet, all of which were incredibly valuable. Based on material costs alone, this crossbow likely exceeded fifty thousand taels!

And that’s just the raw material cost. If labor and the final product were factored in, Gu Sheng estimated it’d sell for at least a hundred thousand taels!

Gu Sheng accepted the new crossbow with reverence, unable to put it down.

”Feel free to help yourself! I’ve got more materials here for refill; take what you need.”

After Elder Huang left, Gu Sheng grabbed some seaweed as reserves and exited the casting room, heading back downstairs with Qingqing.

This time, Qingqing’s gaze towards Gu Sheng carried more curiosity and respect. Having worked in the Mu family’s Holy Pill City marketplace for years, Gu Sheng was the only person besides Elder Huang to ever enter his casting room!

The casting room of a Forging Master and the alchemy chamber of an Alchemist were as private as the boudoir of a maiden. Unless the relationship was exceptionally close, entry was impossible!

Qingqing clearly remembered a time when a member of the Mu family’s primary branch sought to visit Elder Huang’s casting room, only to be mercilessly rejected. When this person tried to force their way inside, they ended up crying for mercy after being beaten by Elder Huang. In the end, Mu family headquarters had to send an elder to personally escort the culprit back to apologize to Elder Huang.

It was now evident that Elder Huang had truly acknowledged Gu Sheng in his heart!

And this was no trivial matter!

Although Elder Huang appeared to be advanced in age, martial artists had much longer lifespans than ordinary people. While common folk considered seventy or eighty years a long life, even a Blood Refining Realm martial artist, barring accidents, could live robustly to a hundred years. Marrow Refining Realm martial artists living to one hundred and fifty years was commonplace, and those who invested in self-care could even reach two hundred!

At ninety-two, Elder Huang was still in his prime!

In his youth, Elder Huang was a forging prodigy who famously crafted his first treasure weapon by the age of thirty! After joining the Mu family’s marketplace, his artifact refining skills advanced rapidly; in just two decades, he could independently craft top-grade Yellow Level treasure weapons with an exceptionally high success rate! This earned him widespread fame and made him a special-grade consecrate of the Mu family!

Elder Huang’s skills within the top-grade Yellow Level were already honed to near perfection. Rumor had it that if he could acquire a Dark Level blueprint, he’d finally ascend to the ranks of a Dark Level casting master!

Although it was possible to create a blueprint oneself, this was an extraordinarily challenging process, requiring immense creativity and refinement, akin to parting mountains or splitting rivers—tasks beyond the reach of ordinary mortals!

Blueprints, like alchemy formulas, were typically preserved and passed down through ancient traditions.

The Mu family did possess a Dark Level blueprint, but such an artifact was held as the foundation of their enterprise, never casually shown. They once proposed that Elder Huang marry into the Mu family, becoming one of their own, in exchange for access to the blueprint. However, Elder Huang declined, unwilling to entangle himself with powerful families. He preferred his peace and solitude in crafting, a stance that had kept him at the top-grade Yellow Level for all these years.

Despite this, Elder Huang’s status in the Red Cloud Prefecture remained unrivaled; wherever he went, he’d undoubtedly be treated as an honored guest.

For someone of Elder Huang’s caliber to recognize Gu Sheng spoke volumes about the young man’s innate talent in crafting!

Gu Sheng was remarkably young, gifted in martial arts, extraordinarily talented in artifact refining, and fairly handsome—a top-notch young prospect! What maiden wouldn’t fancy such a gem? Qingqing couldn’t help letting a trace of shyness creep into her gaze as she looked at Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng, however, was too absorbed in the joy of acquiring a new weapon to notice Qingqing’s subtle shift in demeanor. His hands caressed the new crossbow like a child playing with a newfound toy.

”Could you help me figure out if I still need to pay anything?”

Gu Sheng hadn’t stayed long this time, and Qingqing quickly handed him a refund of one hundred taels along with the receipt.

”There’s no need for additional payment this time. Here’s your refund and the receipt; please check them.”

Without even glancing at them, Gu Sheng stuffed the receipt and silver note into his pocket.

”If you need anything next time, feel free to find me anytime.”

”Of course!”

Walking out of the Mu family’s marketplace, Gu Sheng saw star-like patterns etched on the crossbow body and smiled, ”With this design, I’ll call you the Shattering Star Crossbow!”

Overwhelmed with joy, he planted a kiss on the crossbow’s body before reluctantly stowing it away.

With the formidable power of the Shattering Star Crossbow, even Silver Bone Realm experts would struggle to withstand it. Gu Sheng felt fully prepared for his upcoming hunts!

As he headed out of Holy Pill City towards the Holy Pill Sect, Gu Sheng suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look at someone he’d just brushed past.

”Huh? Isn’t that Mu Qinghe? What a coincidence!”