Chapter 128 : Black Marsh! Dark Extinction Cross Sword (Purple)
Chapter 128: Black Marsh! Dark Extinction Cross Sword (Purple)
As for whether he would spend time and effort to grind it later, that was a matter for the future.
The third booklet in Leo’s hand was something he had taken from Reno’s body.
Leo discovered that it was neither a Breathing Technique nor a diary.
It was densely packed—more like a manual recording routes.
“Go north one thousand steps, turn right at the redwood tree, walk five thousand steps, go up the slope…”
Over a dozen pages were filled with similar route records, and not just one route, but more than ten.
“Could this be some kind of map used by the Wilderness Knight Order?”
For now, he didn’t think too deeply about it. There were a dozen pages in total—if he put in some effort, Leo could memorize all these routes.
With his Spirit Attribute now as high as 1.9, this wasn’t difficult for him.
Riding the stimulating effect of a bottle of Excitement Potion, Leo began memorizing the routes while practicing his Breathing Techniques.
As the sun rose and the moon set, the next day arrived in the blink of an eye—it was once again the day the Kingdom Merchant Caravan came to Blackstone City.
Leo invited his father, Rang Laide, to come take a look together.
When they had left Blackwater City, it had been rushed, and they had only brought important items.
His father likely still needed to purchase some things.
“Leo, when will the Kingdom Merchant Caravan arrive?” His father had been waiting at the city gate early in the morning. It had been many years since he last saw the caravan.
Leo could tell he was barely suppressing his excitement.
“Soon.”
The father and son stood there, suddenly unsure what to say.
So Leo casually started a conversation. “Father, I heard Lady Manta invited you for tea yesterday. How was it? She’s quite a nice person, right?”
“Oh my, more than just nice. As soon as I arrived, she brewed tea for me, brought pastries, and kept asking about everything.
She was so enthusiastic it made me a bit embarrassed.”
Rang Laide recalled the gathering. “There was also a knight named Anthony. He was very attentive to me as well. Leo, I didn’t expect you to be so popular in Blackstone City—so many noble ladies think highly of you.”
As he spoke, a sense of pride rose in his heart.
A successful child was his greatest achievement.
“But later, I don’t know what happened. The Madam suddenly left in a hurry. She looked quite anxious.”
“Is that so…” Leo pondered.
Logically speaking, the Alchemist Association should be arriving in Blackstone City soon.
Just as he was thinking, Leo saw a group approaching in the distance.
As always, a majestic Golden Knight led the way, followed by a long line of carriages.
Leo noticed that Rang Laide beside him had already become somewhat dazed.
His gaze was completely captivated by the imposing Golden Knight Order.
“After so many years… still this awe-inspiring…” Rang Laide had once been a Quasi-Knight. The Golden Knight Order had naturally been his dream.
But as time passed, that dream had slowly faded.
As before, Leo performed a Knight’s Etiquette toward the captain of the Golden Knight Order at the front.
“Kid, not bad. Became a Formal Knight in just a few months.”
“Thank you for your praise, sir.”
Then the Golden Knights passed by one after another.
Several members even nodded at Leo.
Perhaps it was due to his previous good service—or his improved strength.
Leo turned back.
Rang Laide tugged at his sleeve. “Leo, you seem quite familiar with these Golden Knights?”
“No, Father. They’re just my clients.”
“Clients?”
Leo didn’t elaborate. Once the market opened, he headed straight for Granny Gu’s stall.
Along the way, the Elf Girl Lilis greeted him.
Rang Laide had already grown somewhat accustomed to it.
When Leo said he was doing well in Blackstone City—
That wasn’t just talk.
That was soaring to great heights.
After all, half a year ago, when he had spent most of his savings to send Leo here, he had been nothing but a frail boy.
Now he had become a knight.
Granny Gu stepped forward upon seeing Leo. “Leo, this is…”
“My father.”
“Oh, so you’re the Lord of Blackwater City.” Granny Gu rarely spoke so politely.
“No, no, I wouldn’t dare be called ‘Lord.’ Just a small ruler of a corner—please don’t be so courteous.” Rang Laide knew that anyone doing business in the Kingdom Merchant Caravan was no ordinary person.
The respect shown to him now was entirely because of his son.
“Haha, your son always thinks of you. Every time he comes, the first thing he asks about is Blackwater City.” Granny Gu was unusually warm today. “Little Leo, what do you need this time?”
“Granny Gu, do you have any Level 4 Beastkin meat?” Leo went straight to the point.
“How much? Level 4?” Granny Gu was surprised. “No. Even if there were, it wouldn’t circulate in the market. That’s a treasure for Alchemy.
Generally, things like Level 4 Beastkin meat are handed over to the kingdom.”
“I see…” Leo’s plan fell through.
He had already accumulated quite a bit of Level 3 Beastkin meat through hunting.
So he had wanted to see if Level 4 Beastkin meat could further accelerate his Breathing Technique training.
It seemed this wasn’t something money could buy.
“If I want it, the only way is to hunt it myself…” Leo thought, then dismissed the idea.
Laforin had been injured fighting the Centaur Chieftain, and Anthony was still poisoned.
He decided not to take that risk for now.
“Then I’ll look at medicinal ingredients.”
Leo took out a long list.
He had already used most of the materials from his previous purchase, so he came to restock.
Granny Gu quickly began weighing and packing.
This time, Leo wanted more types of ingredients than before.
Her movements were swift. About ten minutes later—
“All set, Little Leo. I’ve packed everything for you. The price will be the same discount as last time.” Granny Gu glanced sideways at Lilis.
It seemed the tension between the two hadn’t completely faded.
“However… I don’t have petals of the Wind Spirit Flower.” She pointed at the list, circling the item.
“No problem.”
The petals were used to make the Tier 2 poison Withering of Hundred Herbs.
“Sir Leo, come to my stall.”
Lilis’ sharp ears had caught the conversation even from afar. “I have what you need.”
“Go ahead, Little Leo, it’s fine.” Granny Gu rolled her eyes at Lilis. “Just be careful she doesn’t use charm magic on you.”
Leo paid eighteen silver coins to Granny Gu and walked over.
“Don’t listen to that old woman. You’re a friend of the Elf Race. All the materials I sell you are of the highest quality.”
Lilis took out a handful of blue petals. “Look—top-grade Wind Spirit Flowers, all from Elf Valley. You won’t find these elsewhere.”
“Mm, the quality is indeed good.” Leo picked up two petals and smelled them.
They carried a faint fragrance.
He spent another five silver coins to buy a small pouch.
“Looking forward to your next visit.”
Rang Laide watched the entire transaction. He knew Leo must have his own use, so he didn’t ask.
But Leo clearly had close relationships with these merchants.
Especially that Elf girl, who kept giving him looks.
He wondered how Leo had gotten acquainted with such a beautiful shop owner.
But he had heard stories—beauty could bring disaster. Humans and elves intermarrying often resulted in crippled Shadow Hunters.
He wanted to warn Leo, but swallowed the words.
Leo had grown up. He didn’t need guidance anymore.
Next, Leo went to the mustached weapon merchant.
He spent twenty silver coins to buy a premium-quality Beast Bone Longbow, said to shoot up to five hundred meters.
As for swords, none at the stall surpassed the quality of his Starfall.
Then Leo inquired about custom forging.
“If you want high-quality equipment, I can ask the Kingdom Forging Association for you.
But I’ll need to confirm next time whether a blacksmith is willing. You’ll need to prepare materials, and once it’s done, I’ll deliver it…”
The fee wasn’t high—just a service charge—but the process sounded troublesome.
It might take over half a year.
And the result might not even be satisfactory.
“If only I could forge myself…”
But Leo had tried hammering at a smithy before.
It hadn’t activated any panel class.
After thinking, he still paid five silver coins for the inquiry.
Then he spent another fifteen silver coins on a premium plate armor.
His Inner Armor could block hidden weapons and arrows, but not blade strikes.
With plate armor, he might fare better against multiple enemies.
Rang Laide watched as Leo spent nearly a hundred silver coins in minutes.
He sighed, then stopped walking.
Leo had already moved toward the Golden Knight Order.
Rang Laide stayed behind.
Leo was no longer the child he had protected.
Leo had his own path.
Meanwhile, Rang Laide bought some farming tools.
He also purchased medicinal seeds from Lilis.
Seeing Leo’s need for herbs, he planned to grow them himself—and perhaps have his tenants cultivate them in the future.
……
On the other side, Leo continued as before—shoeing horses for the Golden Knight Order.
Even after becoming a knight, he remained meticulous.
This impressed the knight captain.
Few would continue such work after becoming a Formal Knight.
Not forgetting one’s roots—that was the way forward.
Meanwhile, Leo, through reading the horses’ memories, learned a new sword technique.
【Dark Extinction Cross Sword (Purple) First Stage 1/100 (Effect: Black Marsh)】
“Dark Extinction Cross Sword…”
Leo was delighted.
Originally, he hadn’t expected to fully comprehend this technique from fragmented memories.
But having just broken through to the Knight Realm—
And mastered Black Aura Coating—
His understanding and control of black aura had reached a new level.
Now, when watching the Golden Knight Order practice swordsmanship—
He was no longer an outsider.
He could see the essence.
This technique wasn’t about swordsmanship alone—
It was about integrating swordsmanship with black aura.
For example, the first stage—
Leo still couldn’t fully execute it.
His Breathing Technique had only just entered the second stage.
He could coat his body with black aura—but not his weapon.
Thus, to use this move, he had to treat his hand as a sword.
By coating his palm with black aura, upon striking—
He could create a localized Black Marsh, slowing enemies as if trapped in mud.
Leo sensed this purple technique would be extremely difficult to master.
Even with the 【Swordsmanship Comprehension】 Trait—
He couldn’t yet see its full progression.
Unlike the Mountain-Cleaving Cross Sword, which he had analyzed completely in ten minutes.
“As expected of a purple technique.”
This was his first purple sword technique—and he had learned it through observation.
A technique used as a standard by the Golden Knight Order—
It had to be powerful.
The more Leo thought about it, the more excited he became.
Moreover, among the conditions to advance to the purple-tier class 【Sword Saint】:
1. Strength reaches 5.0, current 4.0 (Not met)
2. Agility reaches 4.0, current 3.1 (Not met)
3. Spirit reaches 2.5, current 1.9 (Not met)
4. Max out two blue-quality or higher sword techniques (Not met, currently 1/2)
5. Use a high-quality sword for over 1000 hours (Not met, currently 0/1000)】
The fourth condition—
He had already met the entry requirement.
As long as he spent time to fully master this technique, that condition would be fulfilled.