The Wizard: Grinding Experience Starting with Knight Breathing Techniques 25

Chapter 0025: The Shining Tavern (Requesting Continued Reading)

A wisp of white smoke rose into the air. Li Wei stamped his foot, his whole body suddenly exploding with energy!

He transformed into an arrow leaving the bowstring, his knight’s longsword piercing the void.

Golden Cross Slash!

A shockwave of force!

Clang!

The burly man wielding a blade instantly felt his grip shatter, a violent tremor coursing through his arm, almost making him drop his weapon.

“This is… a Knight-in-Training!”

“You’re a Knight-in-Training too!”

“How is this possible? How can there be such a young Knight-in-Training in this remote place?”

The burly man was incredulous. Although the youth was powerfully built, his face revealed his young age; at most, seventeen or eighteen years old.

A Knight-in-Training of such a young age was either a scion of a powerful noble family, blessed with abundant resources, or a truly gifted individual.

“Aren’t you one too? Scared?” Li Wei grinned.

With a backhanded swing of his sword, he shattered the already inferior, rusty cleaver held by the burly man, the blade snapping in two.

The burly man stared at the broken blade, dumbfounded.

During this moment of stunned silence, Li Wei’s sword pierced the man’s simple cloth armor, embedding itself in his chest and tearing it apart.

Then, Li Wei withdrew his sword and stood tall. All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

The other bandits hadn’t expected Li Wei to eliminate their leader so quickly. They had witnessed their leader’s strength firsthand. Under his leadership, they had successfully carried out several robberies, albeit small-scale attacks targeting impoverished civilians with little to steal. Yet, the leader had cultivated an image of invincibility in their minds.

Therefore, when their leader decided to establish the “Wild Grass Gang” and develop in this area, they all readily agreed.

Now, with their leader’s corpse lying in the snow, they panicked and scattered like animals.

Li Wei naturally wouldn’t let them escape. Those who dared to rob him should be prepared to die.

With a few arrows, those who fled were all killed and fell in the snow. Those who remained, seeing escape was impossible, prostrated themselves, begging for mercy.

“Knight-Sir, please don’t kill us! We’re ordinary people, just trying to make a living.”

“I didn’t intend to kill you, I only wanted to rob the dried rations on your back to fill my own belly! Truly, by the merciful Heavens, please believe me!”

“You can’t kill me! I have a blind wife at home who depends on me! Please, I beg you!”

They spoke in a chorus, their eyes revealing an intense desire to live, as if the teenage boy before them were the terrifying Grim Reaper.

“Go,” Li Wei said calmly, his eyes flickering.

“Thank you, you’re a good man.”

“We won’t dare again.”

These men, uncertain and apprehensive, finally turned and fled.

Li Wei, his gaze cold, watched them, drawing his bow.

…

In the snow, Li Wei gathered some firewood, piled the thirteen corpses together, and used flint to start a roaring fire.

“May the flames warm your world after death,”

Li Wei muttered to himself, his tone gentle and calm.

Among the thirteen bandits, the youngest was about his age, still a child.

Li Wei believed most of them had spoken the truth before their deaths. Under extreme fear, it’s difficult to lie.

But what did that matter to Li Wei?

If he hadn’t possessed strength, the one whose body would have been disposed of would have been him.

These people had become bandits, perhaps for various reasons, but most importantly, it was this chaotic and dark age that had created them.

But their reason for death was only one: they had attempted to harm Li Wei.

In the end, Li Wei collected over a dozen silver coins from these unfortunate souls before continuing his journey.

Soon, he arrived at Icewind City.

From a distance, he saw the silvery-white city perched amongst the mountains, and the most striking pure white Holy Radiance Cathedral in the city center, with a hint of Gothic architecture.

“Truly magnificent. It’s not inferior to my father’s Tulip City in the Tulip Territory. Tulip City is exquisite and luxurious, while Icewind City is majestic and grand, with a distinctly northern style.”

After presenting his travel permit, Li Wei entered the city without difficulty.

Compared to his cold and desolate Black Water Valley, with a population of barely a thousand,

Icewind City was bustling. According to official incomplete statistics,

the permanent population of Icewind City alone numbered one hundred thousand.

Adding in unregistered residents, merchants, and travelers, the population was even larger.

Of course, this couldn’t compare to the modern cities of his past life with populations easily reaching millions or tens of millions, but compared to early medieval Europe with a similar level of productive forces, it was far superior.

This was understandable, considering the Emerald Kingdom was many times larger than Europe.

Li Wei didn’t delay, taking his luggage and heading directly to Icewind City’s largest trading company: the Emerald Mercantile.

A company bearing the name “Emerald” was naturally not simple, with the royal family and several dukes, such as the Duke of Black Mountain, behind it.

To invest in the Emerald Mercantile, one would at least need the title of Earl.

Therefore, this was a super-mercantile company established by a coalition of powerful nobles, almost monopolizing various industries in the Emerald Kingdom.

The Icewind City branch was just one of its many, with its headquarters located in the Emerald Capital.

Li Wei touched the heavy gold coins in his pocket, feeling reassured. With several hundred gold coins on him, he was now considered quite wealthy.

“Excuse me, do you have any Dragon Saliva Fragrance?” Li Wei asked.

He wasn’t worried about being recognized; he was just an insignificant minor lord from the Northern Territory. This era lacked the internet, and he hadn’t made a name for himself, so who would know him?

The mercantile worker, hearing the inquiry about Dragon Saliva Fragrance, knew this customer was wealthy and most likely a Knight who practiced breathing techniques. He had seen it all before.

“I’m sorry, sir, we’re currently out of Dragon Saliva Fragrance. If you… uh, don’t go! You can look at other items.”

Li Wei’s figure had already disappeared into the street.

“Good thing I prepared myself. If even the Emerald Mercantile doesn’t have Dragon Saliva Fragrance, there’s only one other place in Icewind City that might have it. If it’s not there either, I’ll just go home and grind it out slowly. It’s just a matter of more time.”

Li Wei casually bought a white wolf mask from a gift shop. After putting it on, he wound his way through the streets and alleys, eventually arriving at a warm little tavern amidst the sounds of melodious harps, cheerful whistles, and the boisterous laughter of men drinking. The tavern’s dim lights were on in the evening, and through the window, one could see a roaring fireplace inside. On the wooden sign at the tavern entrance, it read:

“The Shining Tavern.”

“Entrance Fee: Lion King Liquor.”

“Come, come, my friends, drink this cup of Lion King Liquor, and may your future shine like a Lionheart Knight!”

At the tavern entrance, a burly man stood guard. Each person entering needed to pay a gold coin to buy a ridiculously expensive cup of Lion King Liquor and drink it, proving their wealth and courage.

Because, this Shining Tavern was ostensibly a tavern, but secretly, it was an underground black market.

In short: a black market.

…Divider…

Very Important: This book has received its first round of PK recommendation. The next week’s continued reading is crucial to whether this book can advance in the PK. If the PK fails, this book will be shelved, essentially losing all exposure channels, and will be considered dead. Please, everyone, continue reading! Finally, thanks to Xi Yuan for the 100 coin reward.

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