Chapter 9: The Heavenly Silk Armor

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: The Heavenly Silk Armor

If the system returned resources of the same general type as whatever he invested, then perhaps martial skills worked the same way.

If he purchased a martial arts manual and gave it to Mira, the system should theoretically reward him with a higher-grade martial arts manual.

There was only one uncertainty.

The exact technique he received would probably be random.

He couldn’t guarantee that the system would return the particular type of martial skill he wanted.

But that wasn’t necessarily a problem.

If he bought several manuals and invested them all in Mira, he’d have multiple opportunities to trigger returns. Whatever techniques he received afterward, he could examine them and choose the ones most useful to him.

With that thought in mind, Xavier began browsing the shelves.

"First Tier martial skills... Iron Fist, Gale Kick, Swiftwind Swordsmanship..."

His eyes moved from one manual to another.

"Second Tier... Endless Life Technique..."

Xavier stopped for a moment.

After thinking about it, he nodded.

"Let’s start with ten."

He spent the next half hour carefully going through the available manuals.

The Treasure Pavilion had an impressive collection, but the vast majority were First Tier techniques.

Second Tier manuals were considerably rarer.

As for anything beyond Second Tier, there wasn’t a single one available in the store.

Martial skills, medicinal elixirs, and weapons all followed a similar grading system.

From the lowest level to the highest, they were classified from First Tier through Ninth Tier.

Xavier had heard rumors that there were martial skills beyond Ninth Tier, but information at that level was far beyond someone of his current social standing.

There was no point thinking about things he couldn’t even come close to touching yet.

Compared with medicinal elixirs and weapons, martial arts manuals were surprisingly cheap.

The reason was simple.

A physical resource could only be sold once.

A martial arts manual was different.

Once a technique had been recorded, it could be reproduced.

One manual could become thousands.

As a result, most First Tier manuals cost only a few dozen to a few hundred crowns.

Even a Second Tier manual generally cost only several thousand.

The real difficulty wasn’t purchasing the manual.

It was learning what was inside.

Buying a textbook didn’t mean you automatically understood the knowledge written in it.

Martial skills were the same.

Without someone to teach and guide you, simply holding a manual in your hands was practically useless.

After carefully selecting his options, Xavier ended up with ten manuals.

Seven were First Tier, while the remaining three were Second Tier.

The total cost came to a little over twenty thousand crowns.

The manuals covered several different categories, including close combat, weapons, movement techniques, and body refinement.

Among them, the Second Tier Endless Life Technique caught Xavier’s attention the most.

It was a body-refinement technique designed to strengthen the practitioner’s physical constitution while improving recovery and self-healing.

Xavier had deliberately selected it with Mira in mind.

Her situation was unlike that of an ordinary injured person.

Her Celestial Core had been forcibly removed, leaving her body severely damaged.

Normal treatment had already proven ineffective.

If she could somehow cultivate a technique that strengthened her body and accelerated its ability to repair itself, there was a chance it might prove useful.

Of course, Xavier couldn’t guarantee that it would work.

But with the system involved, there was no reason not to try.

After paying for the manuals, Xavier’s attention drifted toward the equipment section.

He had spent more than one hundred thousand crowns on medicinal resources and martial manuals combined.

The money he had on hand was shrinking quickly.

Fortunately, he still had the Tier 3 elixirs obtained through the system, so he wasn’t particularly worried.

A good weapon was also essential for a martial artist.

Even if one’s cultivation realm was strong, having a suitable weapon could significantly increase combat ability.

Xavier was about to browse the weapon racks when something caught his eye.

A piece of soft armor rested inside a display case.

Unlike the heavy metal armor surrounding it, this one emitted a faint, almost hazy white glow.

Xavier’s gaze lingered on it.

The Treasure Pavilion’s owner, who had been keeping a close eye on him ever since he entered the store, immediately noticed.

The shopkeeper’s eyes brightened.

He had been waiting for exactly this moment.

He hurried over with a smile.

"Good eye, young man. You noticed one of the best pieces we have."

He pointed toward the armor.

"This arrived this morning. It’s called Heavenly Silk Armor, and it’s a Third Tier defensive item."

Xavier examined it carefully.

The shopkeeper continued enthusiastically.

"The material is woven from silk produced by a Second Tier magical beast known as the Snow Mountain Heavenly Silkworm. It’s incredibly light, almost weightless, but don’t let that fool you. It’s flexible, durable, and fits closely against the body without restricting movement."

He tapped the display case.

"Its defensive strength is considerably greater than even the finest bulletproof equipment currently available on the market."

Xavier’s interest grew.

"And that’s not even the best part."

The shopkeeper lowered his voice as though revealing a secret.

"This piece was created by Lugard, one of the most renowned weapon refiners in this City. It’s considered one of his earlier works, but the craftsmanship is still exceptional."

He smiled broadly.

"Master Lugard’s creations rarely appear on the open market. We had to spend a considerable amount of money just to secure this one before another shop got it."

The shopkeeper spread his hands.

"An opportunity like this doesn’t come around often. The asking price is two million crowns. If you’re interested, I’d strongly recommend taking it."

Xavier didn’t immediately answer.

Defensive equipment generally wasn’t as valuable as medicinal elixirs.

Below the Third Tier, most protective equipment consisted of heavy armor. Martial artists at the Body Tempering and Foundation Establishment stages generally preferred not to wear it.

Their reasoning was straightforward.

Personal strength was the most reliable form of strength.

Heavy armor could interfere with movement and reduce agility, so many martial artists would rather strengthen their own bodies than rely on external protection.

Protective equipment became much more attractive once someone reached higher realms.

At that point, improving one’s personal strength became increasingly difficult, making powerful equipment a practical way to compensate.

The Heavenly Silk Armor was different from ordinary defensive gear.

It was light enough to wear without significantly affecting movement while still providing Third Tier defensive capabilities.

That combination made it exceptionally rare.

Xavier found himself genuinely tempted.

He opened his mouth.

"I’ll take—"

"I want it."

"I’ll take it."

Two voices sounded almost simultaneously from behind him.

Xavier stopped and turned around.