Dominating Martial King-Chapter 51 - 48 Excessive Praise Can Kill

51: Chapter 48: Excessive Praise Can Kill

51 -48: Excessive Praise Can Kill

When Chu Xisheng and his two companions headed to the Weapons Market, Xie Zhenqing had already returned to ‘Debating Martial Arts Tower’.

The Debating Martial Arts Tower of Xiushui County wasn’t located within the county, but situated inside the Ancient Market.

The reason was that the largest black market in East State not only attracted people from all walks of life and countless figures from the Jianghu but also served as a converging point for information from all directions.

The Debating Martial Arts Tower gathered rumors from the Jianghu and spied on the movements of various powers here, which was far more convenient than doing so in Xiushui County itself.

When Xie Zhenqing, her face covered with a veil, hurried to the outside of Debating Martial Arts Tower, there were already several youths carrying weapons waiting outside to greet her in advance.

Their faces pale, they knelt on the ground: “We deserve to die for our sins!

Due to a moment of laziness and negligence, we let Miss fall into a dangerous predicament.”

These people weren’t Xie Zhenqing’s subordinates, but her house guards.

Xie Zhenqing, however, waved her hand nonchalantly: “Enough, it was I who told you not to come to meet the boat.

No one expected that Heluo Fish would cause trouble in the waters of Xiushui County.”

While speaking, she climbed up to the third floor with a series of steps.

This floor was about ten zhang wide and eight zhang broad, partitioned with thirty writing desks, where dozens of scholars were engrossed in writing.

Xie Zhenqing walked directly to a writing desk by the window and signaled: “Old Dong, I remember you wrote an article three days ago, wasn’t it about the young heroes of Xiushui County?”

Old Dong was a middle-aged man in his forties with a disheveled appearance.

His name was Dong Lishan, and he was the ‘proofreader’ of Debating Martial Arts Tower, a genuine court official with the Ninth Grade rank.

Upon hearing her, he slightly raised an eyebrow and pulled out a few sheets of paper filled with tiny characters from a large pile of articles, and approached Xie Zhenqing.

“Tower Master, this is an article jointly written by a few of my colleagues and me, already proofread, ready to be sent to the State City,” he said.

Xie Zhenqing took the manuscript and carefully looked through it, quickly finding the section about ‘Chu Xisheng’.

In fact, half a month ago’s edition of ‘Debating Martial Arts * East State Chronicles’ had already published anecdotes about Chu Xisheng.

And in this article, Dong Lishan had not only provided a more detailed account but also included the real combat assessments from the Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall.

After all, as the largest martial arts academy in Xiushui County, the Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall’s internal combat assessments were of interest to many.

However, Xie Zhenqing handed the article back: “Revise this article, you need to emphasize the section about Chu Xisheng more!

Use more exaggerated language, the higher the estimation of his combat power, the better!” free𝑤ebnovel.com

Dong Lishan was startled and looked at Xie Zhenqing, puzzled.

He thought the article’s praise of Chu Xisheng was already excessive.

The rumors about Chu Xisheng in the Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall were greatly exaggerated and unrealistic.

And their article was based on those very rumors.

Dong Lishan quickly surmised and tentatively asked, “Tower Master, has Chu Xisheng offended you?

Or are you acting on someone else’s behalf?”

He suspected that Tower Master Xie intended to ‘praise to kill’ Chu Xisheng.

Xie Zhenqing’s face suddenly turned blue as she coldly snorted.

Had Chu Xisheng merely offended her?

She involuntarily touched her face beneath the veil and immediately felt some traces.

These were footprints left on her face by Chu Xisheng.

The worst part was that she had been completely unaware of it.

After coming ashore, she had walked several streets with the footprint still on her face until a kind-hearted girl pointed it out to her.

Every time Xie Zhenqing thought about the strange looks she received along the way, she felt she might have been better off dead.

“Why are you asking so many questions?” Xie Zhenqing glared coldly at Dong Lishan, “Just follow the orders!

I want to see the draft paper tonight.”

With no choice, Dong Lishan shook his head and said: “As you command, I will revise the draft immediately.

So, should I write that Chu Xisheng’s strength is at the Eighth Rank, or just below Seventh Rank?”

If it was about ‘praise to kill,’ naturally the more exaggerated, the better.

Yet Xie Zhenqing hesitated, recalling Chu Xisheng’s handsome face and the rope he had thrown to her when she was in mortal danger.

She had intended to teach Chu Xisheng a slight lesson and give vent to her anger, but she never thought about taking his life.

However, if Chu Xisheng’s strength is described too extravagantly, it would also affect the reputation of their “Debating Martial Arts Mechanism.”

“Assess his combat power as just below Eighth Rank!”

Xie Zhenqing, arms crossed over his chest, pondered and said, “However, it can be said that he is the most gifted amongst the young elites of Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall.

No!

He is the most gifted in this generation of Xiushui County.

The twenty true inheritor positions at Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall at the end of the year are undoubtedly his.

He is also the genius young hero that Xiushui County anticipates the most in the future.”

Her eyes gleamed with expectation, already imagining the scene when the next issue of “Debating Martial Arts Mechanism * East State Chronicles” would be published in half a month’s time.

※※※※

Chu Xisheng had already arrived at Tiger Street in the south of the Ancient Market.

This place was one of the largest weapon markets within the entire domain of East State.

On both sides of this street, which was less than fifty yards long, stood over a hundred weaponry shops and blacksmiths.

In the middle of the street, there were no fewer than five hundred stalls, displaying a dazzling array of various items: swords, spears, sabers, halberds, axes, hooks, whips, maces, hammers, grapplers, tridents, clubs, and staffs—everything was available.

In the Daning Dynasty, where the martial spirit prevailed, businesses dealing with blacksmithing and weapons were among the most profitable in the world.

Legend has it that during the early years of Daning, the Grand Ancestor of Daning, Taizong, and Emperor Ningwu—three wise emperors— had all attempted to prohibit the use of weapons and confiscate weaponry from the public.

The result was unrest and uprisings throughout the lands, borders ablaze with war, almost toppling the thriving Daning dynasty.

Therefore, the court had to compromise, and the prohibitions on weapons and martial practices seemed virtually non-existent.

Martial artists boldly carried various weapons into and out of state cities and counties, and the business of weaponry in each region faced no restrictions.

As long as heavy crossbows, strong bows, and Zhuge Crossbows—weapons of significant military importance—didn’t appear, the court exerted no control.

Accompanied by Chu Yunyun and Lu Luanyi, Chu Xisheng browsed several stores and inquired about prices.

He then entered the weaponry shop ‘Divine Weapon Hall’ located at the very end of the street.

He glanced around before confidently walking to the counter, placing the knapsack he carried on it.

“Shopkeeper, I have a few weapons to sell.

Could you give me an estimate?”

He looked at the old man in a brocade robe behind the counter, who appeared to be in his sixties and had a sallow complexion, “Coach Ye from Zhengyang Martial Arts Hall recommended this place to me, saying that your prices are fair.”

“Coach Ye?” The appearance of the old man in the brocade robe changed subtly as he raised his eyelids to look at Chu Xisheng.

He then concentrated on examining the three Hundred-refined Light Steel Sabers and a treasure sword revealed from the knapsack.

The old man carefully pulled each weapon out to examine meticulously.

Chu Xisheng had performed maintenance on these sabers and swords before coming, not only polishing them but also coating them in grease.

At this moment, they were shining brightly, their edges intimidating, and they looked highly sellable.

However, the old man remained unswayed by their appearance.

He inspected each meticulously, testing their edges with his hand and tapping the blades and backs of the swords with his fingers, listening to the reverberation of the metal.

After a long time, he looked at Chu Xisheng with a beaming smile, “Young brother, these three sabers have been around for a while but are well-maintained; their blades are still sturdy.

All in all, they can be valued at ninety silver taels of Demon Silver.

Furthermore, this sword is quite extraordinary, ranked as just below Seventh Rank, engraved with runes, making the blade even sharper and granting it a degree of Wind Resistance.

Our ‘Divine Weapon Hall’ can price this weapon at 700 taels of Demon Silver.”

Chu Xisheng exchanged glances with Chu Yunyun, and a hint of joy appeared on their faces.

The offer from Divine Weapon Hall was indeed the highest among several weapon shops.

With these 790 taels of Demon Silver, not only could they obtain all the magic materials needed by Chu Yunyun, but there would also be over four hundred taels left to acquire the secret medicine materials for the third layer of the Nourishing Essence Skill for Chu Xisheng.

However, Lu Luanyi snorted coldly, “Do you even recognize the goods?

This rune sword has been forged for less than a year using Cold-forged Blue Iron, and it’s a sword crafted by your own Divine Weapon Hall.

Only 700 taels of Demon Silver for it?

Are you treating us like idiots?

Eight hundred taels would be more like it.”

“Then eight hundred taels it is!” the old man in the brocade robe continued smiling, saluting Lu Luanyi with a fist, “This young lady has quite the eye.”

Chu Xisheng had not expected that bringing Lu Luanyi along would result in an extra hundred taels of Demon Silver.

He felt embarrassed by his previous disdain for her.

Yet, as soon as the three of them left with a stack of silver notes, the old man in the brocade robe casually tossed the sword he held to a muscular young man clad in iron armor.

“Three hours later, take this sword for Young Master Long Heng of the Long Family to examine.

It’s Eagle Sword Duhong’s blade.

If he’s interested, he can take it for 1,200 taels of Demon Silver.”

The brawny young man held the sword, his expression shifting slightly, “If Young Master Long asks about the identity of the person selling this sword, how should I respond?”

“Tell the truth.”

The old man in the brocade robe cast a meaningful glance toward the door, “The name of Ye Zhiqiu is not to be trifled with; delaying for three hours on her account is more than enough explanation.”