"Congratulations, Brother Hu!"
"Heartfelt congratulations, Brother Hu! Skin Tempering Major Achievement! Looking at all the new students in the Martial Arts Academy, who can contend with him?!"
Outside the practice room, several lackeys who had been waiting heard the commotion and immediately swarmed in, their faces full of fawning flattery, showering him with compliments as if they cost nothing.
One of the lackeys, with a sharp-nosed, monkey-like face, had his eyes dart around and quickly added, "Brother Hu is mighty! Not only has his cultivation Broken Through, but don't forget, his 'Thunderbolt Saber Art' already reached the Minor Achievement Realm several months ago! Among the new students, who can possess such talent and strength as him?!"
Hearing this, Gao Hu's smug expression grew even more pronounced, his mouth almost reaching his ears. He reveled in the feeling of being the center of attention, enjoying the respect that power brought!
Skin Tempering Major Achievement! Saber Art Minor Achievement!
Among this batch of new students, he, Gao Hu, was the undisputed number one!
As he thought of this, a cool and exquisitely beautiful figure, Lin Qingyao, involuntarily appeared in his mind.
That graceful figure, that otherworldly temperament... A hint of undisguised greed and possessiveness flashed in Gao Hu's eyes. Such beauty, only he, Gao Hu, was worthy of possessing!
However, he also knew that Lin Qingyao was not only beautiful, but the Lin Family behind her was an even more powerful, deeply entrenched, top-tier Family in the city, far beyond what his Gao Family could compare to. To get her, his current strength was far from enough! He had to become stronger! Strong enough to make even the Lin Family unable to ignore him!
As for that poor boy he encountered in the Martial Arts Practice Hall today, who didn't know his place and dared to provoke him... Dongfang Yueming?
That name didn't even flash through Gao Hu's mind, nor did even a blurred image of him!
To him, that was nothing more than an ant he could crush at will, a bothersome stone by the roadside, not even worthy of him expending a single thought to remember. The arena match a month later? That was merely the laughable squeal of an ant before its death.
His, Gao Hu's, goal was Lin Qingyao, a higher Martial Dao Realm, and to become a person above others!
A mere good-for-nothing was completely unworthy of entering his sight!
Carrying a craving for a weapon, Dongfang Yueming left his dormitory. The excitement from allocating points earlier hadn't completely faded, but a cold reality lay before him.
He pulled out his almost completely defunct personal terminal, looking at the balance displayed on it — three hundred and fifty federal credits.
This was all his savings from living frugally, plus the meager relief funds he had received previously.
"Sigh..." Dongfang Yueming couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh in his heart. With this little money, let alone buying any Cultivation resources, even a basic weapon would be a stretch.
He strolled to the temporary market within the academy. This was a small trading area spontaneously formed by students, where many would display and sell Mortal Beast Materials they had hunted, low-grade medicinal herbs they had gathered, or old equipment they no longer needed, in exchange for federal credits or contribution points. The scene was quite lively.
Various processed Mortal Beast flesh, bones, and furs emitted a faint fishy smell, mixed with the fresh scent of some herbs, forming the unique aroma of this place. Dongfang Yueming paid no attention to this; his gaze bypassed the various stalls directly and finally landed on a few stalls selling weapons.
Most of the items displayed at these stalls were standard academy-issue or old weapons discarded by students, mainly swords and sabers. According to the academy's grading, weapons suitable for Body Tempering Realm Martial Artists were roughly divided into E-grade, D-grade, and C-grade, with material and sharpness improving successively.
Dongfang Yueming picked up an E-grade long saber that looked somewhat decent and weighed it. It felt heavy in his hand, and the blade gleamed with a cheap metallic luster in the sunlight, even having a few small nicks.
"Boss, how much for this?" he asked casually.
The stall owner was an older student who looked a bit lazy. He lifted his eyelids: "E-grade standard saber, lowest price, five hundred federal credits, no bargaining."
Five hundred!
Dongfang Yueming's mouth twitched, and he silently put down the saber.
His meager three hundred and fifty was not even enough to buy the worst saber!
Embarrassment! Unprecedented embarrassment! He had perfect saber techniques and nearly a thousand points, yet he couldn't even afford a weapon to wield them!
Just as Dongfang Yueming was frowning, contemplating whether he should take on a lower-level odd job to earn some money first, a slightly slick voice sounded from behind him:
"Yo, Student Dongfang, looking at weapons? Planning to get one?"
Dongfang Yueming turned around to see Qian Jingming had approached him at some point, his face adorned with his signature shrewd smile, his two small eyes darting about him.
"No use looking, I can't afford it," Dongfang Yueming glanced at him, speaking without much cordiality. He thought the other party was still trying to sell his "Qu Ti Powder" of questionable effect.
"Oh, who said you have to be able to afford it right now?" Qian Jingming's eyes darted around, as if seeing through Dongfang Yueming's predicament. He lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously, "Tight on cash? Student Dongfang, I, Qian, have wide connections! If you're short on money, you can borrow! Interest is negotiable!"
"Loan?"
Dongfang Yueming was startled; he truly hadn't considered this. In this world, he had no relatives or friends, and was just a poor student who had just enrolled. Who would lend him money? This Qian Jingming didn't look like a philanthropist either.
But his current predicament made him, by some strange impulse, ask, "How much can you... loan?"
Hmm? This reaction isn't right?
Qian Jingming muttered to himself. He had originally thought that if he offered a loan, even if the other party was tempted, he should be hesitant, wary, and repeatedly inquire about interest and conditions.
But this Dongfang Yueming... seems not surprised at all, but rather quite eager? Does he think he can definitely pay it back? Or... does he not know the risks of borrowing at all?
However, with business coming his way, Qian Jingming naturally wouldn't let it go. He rubbed his hands together and tentatively asked, "Well, that depends on how much Student Dongfang you need? A few hundred? A thousand?"
Dongfang Yueming was now completely focused on quickly improving his strength and then taking on tasks to earn contribution points, so he was less sensitive to money and didn't bother beating around the bush: "Not too much, let's start with... thirty to fifty thousand federal credits to get by." He thought, buying a better saber and some Cultivation Techniques should be about right.
"Pfft—!!"
Qian Jingming almost spat out a mouthful of old blood!
He widened his eyes, looking at Dongfang Yueming in disbelief, as if he were looking at an alien: "Thir... thirty to fifty thousand?!"
His voice changed tone, he shrieked, "Student Dongfang! Do you think federal credits are cabbages?! You're asking for thirty to fifty thousand just like that?! How will you pay it back?!"