Chapter 48: Gratification

[Avery Rose Combo]
[Heavy Dance Flash Step Slash]
[Royal Cross]
[...]

Xian stared at the combat technique manual in his hand, his wide-open eyes seemingly trying to pierce right through the dust-covered book covers.

"Wait, where's my golden finger?"

"Do something, at least!"

He focused with all his might, concentrating every ounce of his attention.

However, those familiar translucent characters did not materialize before his eyes as they usually did.

Having transmigrated to this world for so many days, he had basically confirmed that his "attribute panel" golden finger only took effect on weapons, equipment, and changes to his own specialized attributes.

Yet, when he actually came to the Sundry Shop with the idea of picking up a bargain and tried to use his golden finger to find a few usable combat techniques, only to end up completely empty-handed—

He still couldn't help feeling a sense of disappointment.

"Perhaps it's because these are all bogus goods, which is why their attributes can't be seen?"

Offering himself a sliver of comfort, Xian muttered inwardly.

The air inside the sundry shop fell silent.

Beside him, Kukunuer, who had been very considerately pretending to busy himself with his own affairs while actually observing Xian out of the corner of his eye for quite a while,

revealed a trace of hesitation across his neatly groomed face.

His emerald-green eyes glanced toward the empty doorway of the shop. Seeing that there happened to be no one around and that what he was about to say shouldn't offend the black-haired young man before him,

he gathered his thoughts and slowly spoke up:

"Customer, judging by your attire, you must be a respected adventurer."

"No offense intended, but... judging by the prices I've set, you can probably guess that the quality of these cheap items is indeed quite mixed."

"If you're just taking them back for reference or as a pastime, buying a few is totally fine."

"But if you're really hoping to unearth those 'combat techniques' necessary as prerequisites for professionals from among them, no matter how good your luck is, it's honestly going to be quite difficult."

As he spoke, seemingly feeling that he had been a bit too blunt,

the gnome Kukunuer nervously touched the buttons on his vest and added:

"Mainly, I'm worried you might get hurt. After all, many of the training methods inside these combat technique manuals are far from orthodox."

"If you don't mind, I can give you a few for free, but please, absolutely do not practice them as if they were real 'combat techniques'."

Xian naturally felt no strange emotions regarding the shopkeeper's warning.

He merely smiled and shook his head at the other man, politely declining while indicating that he was completely fine.

A few days prior, he had already learned some knowledge about "combat techniques" in this world from Wood and the half-elf.

Without the ability to accurately distinguish their authenticity, ninety-nine point nine-nine percent of the so-called "combat techniques" circulating in the market were traps that pointlessly consumed an adventurer's time and energy.

The trial-and-error cost was simply too high.

In the blink of an eye, half a year or a few months would be wasted.

Without other opportunities or the assistance of relevant professionals, trying to master a formal combat technique solely relying on a skill book bought from a roadside sundry shop was undoubtedly a pipe dream.

The reason Xian asked Kukunuer for prices was partly to test whether his golden finger would work, and partly to try his luck.

Now, he had his answer.

However, leaving without buying even a single book still felt somewhat regrettable.

After a moment of thought, Xian squatted down and picked out two combat technique manuals from the cardboard box.

He pinched their spines and shook them in the air to shed the dust accumulated on top.

"I'll take these two. How much?"

"No need, customer. Consider them a complimentary gift from me."

"It's fine."

He had no intention of owing such favors, nor did he want to take advantage of a few copper coins.

Xian pressed the copper coins into Kukunuer's embrace and walked straight out of the sundry shop.

The protagonist's bargain-hunting experiences from countless novels he had read in his past life made him instinctively avoid those flashy-sounding combat technique manuals that were more than half a knuckle thick.

Instead, he chose the two thinnest and simplest-looking ones:

[Forward Thrust] and [Parry Upward Slash].

He casually stacked them and shoved them into his backpack.

Xian glanced ahead at the bustling, noisy, and prosperous street, pondering inwardly:

"Well, as for next..."

"It's time to visit the blacksmith shop."

...

...

As a well-reviewed boutique blacksmith shop in River Valley Town that even made it into the [Adventurer's Manual], "Rock Hammer" naturally never lacked business.

When Xian arrived at the entrance with his backpack, the shop owner, "Barn Steelbeard," was entertaining a middle-aged man with an honest face and plain clothing.

The man was holding a two-handed polearm, his gaze scanning carefully from the butt end of the shaft all the way to the spearhead at the very top.

From time to time, he would swing it a couple of times, seemingly testing whether its weight and feel were appropriate.

After haggling with Barn a bit more, he counted out four gold coins and some miscellaneous silver and copper coins from his purse with a pained expression, holding them up with both hands to present to the other.

Of course, from the look of slight joy mixed within his heartache after completing the transaction, one could still tell that this honest-looking middle-aged man was extremely satisfied with the polearm in his hands.

As he passed by Xian, he even nodded apologetically, seemingly feeling bad for delaying his time.

Treating him merely as a passerby, Xian returned a nod, paid him no further mind, and walked straight toward Barn, the owner of "Rock Hammer."

"Oh?"

With just a single glance, this burly fellow who claimed to possess dwarven blood yet stood a whole head taller than a hobgoblin recognized Xian.

However, compared to the changes that had occurred on the young man himself, his focus lay elsewhere.

"Your mission this time must have been quite dangerous!"

Barn looked at the still blood-stained and tattered leather armor on Xian, exclaiming with pointed meaning.

After all, it was only a short while ago that he had personally sold that leather armor to the customer; seeing a fine-quality item worth 10 gold coins reduced to its current state, how could he not notice?

"I did run into a tricky fellow, but thanks to your leather armor, otherwise I probably wouldn't have made it back."

Xian did not reveal the specific details, instead laughing it off with a compliment.

As if that remark had scratched exactly where it itched, Barn's hearty laughter immediately echoed throughout the blacksmith shop.

"Hahaha, that's good then!"

"It probably can't be worn anymore anyway. Take it off, I'll count it as three silver coins for you!"

His expression was filled with gratification mixed with a deep sense of accomplishment.

As a blacksmith with pursuits of his own, having the equipment he forged sell for a high price could perhaps prove others' recognition of his craftsmanship.

Yet, what moved him the most was still feedback like this from the buyer, obtained through actual combat tests.

Even if the equipment he had once meticulously forged had now been reduced to a piece of scrap metal, as long as it had fulfilled its mission and allowed its master to stand safely right before him,

it made Barn far happier than selling goods worth hundreds or even thousands of gold coins.