Check out my new translation!
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"It was me!" Li Sushang stepped forward, chest lifted, head held high.
"Just now, I obtained my family's Taixu Sword Qi. I not only directly comprehended the Taixu Sword Deity Realm, but even stepped onto the threshold of the Sixth Realm!"
She was immensely proud of this matter; thus, she concealed nothing, spilling the truth in one breath.
Li Sushang spoke with heroic grandeur, while Lingsha was utterly stunned.
"The Sixth Realm?! You just now comprehended it? From a Curio Trash Can?"
"That's right!" Li Sushang nodded with a bright smile. "These Curio Trash Cans are truly miraculous. I never expected they could even strengthen and expand my family's martial arts to this extent. I only spent a few million Credits—honestly, I feel like I've wronged Shopkeeper Sylvester a little."
"This…"
Lingsha fell silent.
She knew a thing or two about Yaoqing's Taixu Sword Qi. After all, it was one of the top sword arts of the Xianzhou Alliance—one practically had to try not to know it.
Even merely understanding a little was enough to know that the Taixu Sword Qi had only five Realms. And with only the fifth, the Divine Realm, the Taixu lineage once swept across an entire Xianzhou, almost invincible.
Yet Li Sushang was telling her she had broken through the original limits of the sword art, adding a Sixth Realm?
The Taixu Sword Deity was already overwhelmingly strong—her ancestor had used it to become one of the top authorities of the Alliance.
If she truly comprehended a Sixth Realm…
How strong would she be?
Nearly rivaling Marshal Hua?
"Truly, heroes rise from youth," Lingsha murmured, hardly knowing what else to say.
Though the matter was astonishing, since the one to receive such fortune was one of her own people, she felt at ease—relieved, even.
She chuckled lightly. "Since Miss Li Sushang has achieved so much, why not try competing for the position of Sword Champion of the Luofu? That position has been vacant for many years."
"Hm? Oh—right!"
At her suggestion, Li Sushang's eyes lit up. She slapped her right fist into her left palm.
How had she not thought of it!
"Thank you, Lady Lingsha. I will seriously consider it. I still need to go home and report the good news to my mother. I won't take up more of your time. May fortune smile on your bucket openings! Farewell!"
Lingsha nodded and let the two depart.
She lifted her head to look up at the shop's signboard.
A surge of heat rippled through her heart.
If this humble shop had just turned a normal Cloud Knight soldier into a sword arts grandmaster of the highest caliber… then could she also take a step forward?
With such thoughts, Lingsha tidied her garments and stepped into the shop.
Sylvester looked at the half-stocked shelf of trash cans, slightly frowning in thought.
Such a huge commotion earlier had scared off all customers waiting in line.
Did that mean he wouldn't be able to clock out after two hours today?
Tsk, Pillow-Head Li… ruining my plans.
He drank the last sip of tea, intending to buy a leisure book or listen to one of many fictional narrations to endure the remaining work hours.
But just as he opened the door, a beautiful woman approached.
She held a long-handled incense burner, a sign of refined taste. Her limbs faded from pale jade to vivid crimson, revealing her unique race.
Her figure was mature and shapely, yet her pretty youthful face carried a hint of innocence.
From appearance alone, she was unmistakably a young maiden—but every gesture told any who looked at her that she was not the sort easily fooled.
On the contrary, cleverness and keen perception were her true nature.
"Greetings, Shopkeeper Sylvester. I am Lingsha. This is my first time visiting your esteemed shop—please guide me kindly."
She gave him a warm smile, like a gentle elder-sister next door.
"Welcome, new Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission."
Sylvester skipped pleasantries and directly revealed her identity.
Returning to the counter, he wore a professional smile. "You arrived just in time. The earlier incident scared off every customer—I was just about to step out. If you were one minute later, Miss Lingsha, you would have found the door closed."
"Then it must be destiny guiding me here—to buy a few things, perhaps?"
Lingsha did not find his well-informed nature surprising.
As an honorary general of the Luofu, even if he never handled affairs directly, how could personnel changes slip past him?
It was the professional smile that struck her—so familiar, warm yet distant.
Just like her own.
"You can think of it that way. Perhaps Lady Lingsha's luck is extraordinary—maybe after Miss Li Sushang, another top-tier Curio will appear."
Sylvester spread his hands and smiled. "A Gold-grade Curio at least—it's nothing strange."
As for whether she would really get one… well. You'd see.
It wasn't impossible.
Just that it had never happened since the shop opened.
In other words, if she was lucky enough to break history, then she had a chance.
Hearing this, Lingsha bowed gracefully. "Then I shall thank Shopkeeper Sylvester for his generosity in advance."
Though she hadn't opened a single bucket yet, Sylvester's words did move her.
After witnessing Li Sushang's transformation firsthand, who wouldn't be tempted?
Spending a few million Credits and becoming one of the strongest figures in the universe while lying down—surpassing ancestors and forging a new future?
To not be tempted would be a lie.
And hearing the words Gold-grade directly from the mouth of the Curio shop's owner gave a subtle sense of assurance—almost like her luck had already improved.
Lingsha's confidence surged. After handing over her Jade Abacus to Sylvester, she glanced at the display shelf.
Then she casually selected two trash cans.
Only ten remained—she could simply buy them all if necessary.
Pa! Pa!
Two trash cans opened, and she closed her eyes.
She knew there would be a flash of light, so she avoided it beforehand.
As for discerning the Curio grade by color… she preferred to filter out such flashy effects, keeping the mystery intact until she could examine the Curio's true nature shortly after.
Sylvester nodded. As a fellow observer, he understood her mentality well.
Hadn't he once been the same?
As they said—never skip the gacha animation…
The light faded, revealing two items on the counter.
One was a vibrantly colored beverage.
The other was an iron crutch, the type used by lame patients—tucked under the armpit to assist walking.
"This…"
Lingsha somewhat regretted not checking the colors. She looked at the two Curios with mild annoyance.
She recognized the first: the infamous foul-tasting drink Startaro Bubble, only slightly above Mung Bean Soda, practically worthless
But as for the iron crutch—was it also a normal item?
Sylvester smiled faintly. Folding his ten fingers together, his arms forming a 人 shape, he said, "As you can see, Miss Lingsha. The first Curio is [Startaro Bubble], an ordinary item you can find anywhere. But the crutch is different."
"With just one point alone, you will understand—it contains conceptual power. And compared to the newly famous [Massacre Ruler], it contains even more conceptual density."
"!"
Lingsha's expression shifted instantly. Her golden-red vertical pupils widened, giving her a slightly adorable, stunned appearance.
But internally, joy was already beginning to bloom.
She hadn't expected to obtain something so valuable on her second Curio!
Was it truly destiny guiding her to open trash cans here?!
"But…"
Just as she was celebrating inwardly, Sylvester's tone shifted—his mouth lifting into an ambiguous smile.
"But its effect… may be a little embarrassing."
"Its name is [Old Man's Iron Crutch]."
He pinched his fingers slightly, signaling that the embarrassment was very minor.
Lingsha slowly nodded.
So that meant… it probably wouldn't cause much trouble… right?