"How much is 'a little bit'?"
The white-haired youth and the elder with a childlike face exchanged glances, then couldn't help but chuckle wryly.
As everyone knew, swordsmen were men of grandeur.
Roaming the martial world, they prided themselves on living freely and unrestrained, never shying away from splurging.
From elders to disciples, extravagance was the norm.
As a swordsman sect without other sources of income like alchemy or artifact forging, the Hengyun Sword City wasn’t exactly wealthy.
But that was only relative to provincial-level powers.
Even if Li Mo emptied the Qingyuan Sect’s treasury, it wouldn’t amount to much in their eyes.
The Sword City owed Li Mo a favor, and since the divine technique he’d comprehended wasn’t a sword art, they couldn’t very well make things difficult for him.
"Both of you, esteemed seniors, are masters of the Dharma Body, with unyielding sword spirits. Naturally, you regard wealth as mere dust."
"The first proposal is mainly to express my sincerity—just a token of goodwill."
He knew how to humor old men.
The white-haired youth puffed out his chest. "Indeed, how could we swordsmen ever care for mere gold and silver?"
This kid was a man of grandeur.
Swordsmen loved dealing with such people.
The elder stroked his beard and asked with a smile, "In your opinion, what would be a reasonable price to observe the sword marks once?"
Li Mo gestured with his fingers again.
"Two thousand taels of gold?"
Li Mo shook his head.
Young Li shook his head again.
"Two hundred thousand?"
The white-haired youth maintained a calm expression, but inwardly, he was slightly stunned.
Did this kid have a gold mine at home?
Two hundred thousand taels—of gold, no less—was enough to fund the Sword City disciples’ "carefree wanderings" for a year.
Yet Li Mo still shook his head.
Could it be two hundred taels? That really would be just a token.
Shaking his head slightly, the white-haired youth asked again,
"What’s your second proposal?"
Li Mo had been about to state his price, but since the senior had asked about the second option, he had no choice but to say,
"The second proposal is to wait for me for a while."
"Once my strength grows enough to meet the conditions for fully executing the divine technique, I’ll return to record it."
"I’m confident I can fulfill this promise within three years."
The Heaven-Overturning, Earth-Shaking, Humanity-Slaying Hammer didn’t just have requirements in cultivation realm.
It also imposed conditions that would be considered harsh by ordinary standards.
Li Mo said solemnly, "If the two seniors have any concerns, we could also set a three-year..."
The three-year pact request failed.
When it came to hammer technique talent, no one doubted him in the slightest.
Out of the four present, three agreed without hesitation.
The ice block didn’t speak, but her expression made her thoughts clear.
First time feeling so conflicted because of trust, huh.
"The second proposal is reasonable enough."
The elder pondered, then asked again,
"The third is for me to leave a complete sword art in the Sword City."
"The sword art I used during the Sword Testing Assembly—the two seniors must have witnessed it. It’s no less than a divine technique."
Li Mo didn’t feel the slightest bit of reluctance.
He’d be thrilled if the two elders chose the third option.
"That sword art that could break all techniques, turning the mundane into the divine?"
The two Dharma Body experts straightened up.
Seeing his earnest expression and clear gaze, they couldn’t help but silently praise him.
This kid had once said he wished "every swordsman under heaven could become a Sword Immortal"—those were truly heartfelt words.
His magnanimity was more befitting of a true swordsman.
In truth, Young Li’s reasoning was simple.
First, it would fulfill the Hengyun Sword City’s rules. Second, there might be unexpected returns on investment.
The Nine Swords of Dugu was extremely difficult—only those truly extraordinary could gain anything from it.
The two Sword City Dharma Body experts didn’t hesitate.
After exchanging glances, the white-haired youth nodded and said,
"Then let’s proceed with the third proposal."
"Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider the first one?"
Li Mo double-checked.
After all, that was also a form of investment... and an immediate one at that.
"For us swordsmen, wealth is but fleeting clouds."
"You’re looking down on us now."
The white-haired youth shook his head with a smile.
"Alright then." Li Mo scratched his head.
Swordsmen roamed the martial world, often throwing money around without a second thought.
He’d always been curious where they got all that money from.
Shaking his head, he took out brush and ink and began writing the Nine Swords of Dugu’s general principles.
The two Dharma Body experts examined it together, their faces filled with awe.
This sword art’s conception was incredibly profound!
But it was also incredibly, incredibly difficult.
It was hard to imagine how Li Mo had managed to master it to such a degree...
"It truly is no less than a divine technique."
"Indeed. If one could refine this sword art to perfection, they might even grasp a sword Dao."
Li Mo—what an honest lad.
Without hesitation, he left the complete sword art principles in the Hengyun Sword City. One must remember, the sword arts left behind by Ying Bing and Jiang Chulong were merely one or two moves from divine techniques.
A complete divine technique was enough to make Dharma Body experts covetous and even tempt Sage-level figures.
"In that case, we’ve taken quite the advantage of you."
"Is there anything else you need? Feel free to ask!"
"I’ve studied painting and would like to sketch the Strange Stone. I hope the seniors will permit it."
Li Mo didn’t beat around the bush—he’d had this in mind for a while.
The two Dharma Body experts felt they were all men of grandeur.
Such a trivial matter—was it even worth mentioning?
"Ahem, just one thing to note."
"Absolutely do not take out your hammer in front of the Strange Stone."
One more imprint, and the Strange Stone wouldn’t have another side left.
Both hosts and guest were thoroughly satisfied.
As they were saying their goodbyes.
The elder, still studying the Nine Swords of Dugu, casually asked,
"Oh, by the way, what exactly was that gesture of yours earlier? How many taels did you mean?"
The white-haired youth also looked up.
Not two thousand, not twenty thousand, not even two hundred thousand.
Such a straightforward kid like Li Mo—surely he didn’t mean two hundred.
Li Mo paused at the doorway.
He didn’t even use that unit of measurement anymore.
"I meant two golden mountains."
"Two golden mountains. Like... mountains as big as the sect gates."
Li Mo gestured for emphasis.
The three walked away.
The white-haired youth and the elder stood frozen in place, silent for a long, long time.
They’d even forgotten about the Nine Swords of Dugu, their minds occupied by a single burning question.
This unit of measurement...
Who the hell taught you that?