Alex's mind raced as he desperately tried to think of a reasonable explanation. No matter how many possibilities he considered, his story still had too many obvious holes.
Traveling alone between cities without strength, status, or wealth was practically asking to die in this world. The enormous forest surrounding Greenheart City alone made such a journey extremely dangerous for an ordinary cultivator.
Meanwhile, Mo Yue quietly watched Alex struggle to find the right words. However, unlike before, she did not continue questioning him or force him to explain his background.
Everyone in the cultivation world carried secrets.
Some people hid their cultivation techniques, while others concealed their origins or treasures that could bring disaster if their existence became known.
Information itself was a weapon in this world, and sometimes it could be even more dangerous than a blade. The less others knew about you, the fewer weaknesses they could discover.
Mo Yue understood this principle very well.
"Anyway," she said after a moment, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "if you don't have enough money, there isn't much we can do. Weapons like these aren't cheap to forge, after all."
She glanced toward the weapons surrounding them before continuing in a calm voice.
"The craftsmen of Rising Moon spend countless days and nights creating these weapons. The materials alone can be expensive, and the better the weapon, the more difficult it becomes to produce."
Her tone was calm and apologetic rather than mocking, which made Alex feel slightly more comfortable.
Alex quietly let out a faint sigh of relief inside his mind.
'At least she stopped questioning me.'
Even so, disappointment remained in his heart.
Ever since entering the shop, Alex had genuinely wanted a weapon of his own. It was not simply because the swords looked beautiful, although that was certainly part of the reason.
After his recent battles, he had realized how important a proper weapon could become during combat. Fighting magical beasts with nothing but his fists every time was far too dangerous.
Unfortunately, wanting something and being able to afford it were completely different matters.
"Then I shouldn't disturb Miss Mo Yue any longer," Alex said politely while giving her a small nod. "I'll take my leave."
He turned around and prepared to walk toward the entrance.
However, before he could take another step, a deep voice suddenly echoed from behind them.
"Mo Yue... what are you doing here?"
Alex immediately stopped.
He turned around and saw an old man walking toward them from deeper inside the store.
Despite his age, the old man's body was sturdy and muscular, and every step he took carried a powerful presence. A short black beard covered part of his face, while his long hair was neatly tied behind his back.
He wore simple white robes that did not appear particularly special, yet the aura surrounding him made those ordinary clothes seem strangely imposing.
As the old man came closer, Alex noticed an old scar stretching across part of his face.
"Nothing, Grandpa," Mo Yue replied casually. "I just made a new friend and was showing him some weapons."
"New friend?"
The old man's gaze shifted toward Alex.
The moment their eyes met, Alex's body unconsciously became tense.
It was not killing intent.
Nor was it ordinary pressure.
Yet for a brief second, Alex felt as though countless invisible eyes were staring directly through him, peeling away every layer of secrecy he possessed.
His heartbeat seemed to slow for an instant.
'What an intense gaze...'
Alex immediately realized that this old man was no ordinary cultivator.
In fact, he was probably the strongest person Alex had encountered since arriving in this world.
The old man silently observed him for several moments. His eyes moved across Alex's body as though carefully examining every detail.
Then, for the briefest instant, surprise flickered across his eyes.
It disappeared so quickly that neither Alex nor Mo Yue noticed it.
Nobody except the old man himself was aware of that brief reaction.
His expression soon returned to normal, and he looked back toward his granddaughter.
"You usually don't make friends," the old man said calmly. "So? Did he buy anything?"
Mo Yue shook her head helplessly.
"He wanted to, but he doesn't have enough money."
"Oh?"
The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully before glancing toward Alex once again.
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then he suddenly smiled faintly.
"Well... I can't exactly let my granddaughter's friend leave empty-handed, can I?"
Hearing her grandfather's words, Mo Yue's eyes widened slightly. She looked at him with clear disbelief.
"How about this?" the old man continued. "I'll personally help you choose a weapon."
He turned toward Alex before adding calmly, "Boy, follow me."
"Ah... alright," Alex replied after a brief pause.
Although he was confused by the sudden offer, his curiosity toward the weapons quickly won over his hesitation.
Mo Yue immediately followed behind them as well.
The old man led them deeper into the massive store, farther than Alex had gone before. As they continued walking, the noise from the outer showroom gradually disappeared.
The farther they went, the quieter the surroundings became.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a large wooden door.
Without saying anything, the old man reached forward and pushed it open.
A cold wave of air immediately flowed out from inside the room.
"Come in," the old man said calmly before stepping inside.
Alex exchanged a brief glance with Mo Yue before following him through the doorway.
The moment Alex entered the room, his eyes widened slightly.
Weapons filled almost every corner of the chamber.
Swords rested on elegant wooden stands, while axes, spears, bows, and countless other weapons were arranged neatly along the walls.
Some weapons looked ancient and heavy, while others possessed a sharp and refined appearance that made them seem almost alive.
The atmosphere inside this room was completely different from the outer showroom.
If the weapons outside were displayed to attract customers, then the weapons here felt like precious treasures carefully hidden away from the public.
Alex slowly looked around the room, unable to hide his curiosity.
He still did not understand much about weapons, but even he could tell that the items stored here were extraordinary.
The old man calmly walked between the weapon racks.
After examining several weapons, he suddenly stopped in front of one particular sword.
He picked it up and looked toward Alex for a brief moment before shaking his head lightly.
Without saying anything, he placed the sword back.
A few moments later, he picked up another sword.
"Swing it," the old man said as he handed the weapon to Alex.
Alex accepted the sword and did exactly as he was told.
He swung it several times, trying to understand how it felt in his hands.
However, before Alex could say anything, a strange sensation suddenly appeared.
Then, a system message appeared inside his mind.
Alex froze for a moment.
'Huh... what was that?'
The system's message had appeared and disappeared so quickly that Alex barely had time to process what he had just seen.
On the other hand, the old man standing in front of him became visibly surprised for the briefest moment.
However, before anyone could notice his reaction, his expression returned to normal.
Alex looked down at the sword in his hand with confusion.
'System, what was that? How can a sword attack someone? It doesn't even have consciousness to begin with.'
The system answered calmly.
Alex became even more curious after hearing the explanation.
'Oh... does this mean non-living things can have consciousness?'
Before the system could provide any further explanation, the old man spoke again.
"Try this one."
Once again, the old man handed Alex another sword.
Alex took it and began testing its weight and balance.
Then the same strange sensation appeared.
Alex's expression remained calm, but inside his mind, he was becoming increasingly confused.
The old man's reaction, however, was becoming harder to hide.
Every time Alex touched another sword, the old man carefully observed him.
And every time the system detected the strange interference and blocked it, the old man's surprise became slightly more obvious.
After several attempts, the old man finally stopped.
He looked toward Mo Yue and gestured for her to come closer.
She walked toward him, and the old man leaned toward her ear before quietly whispering something.
Mo Yue's expression immediately changed.
Her eyes widened as she stared at her grandfather in disbelief.
"Grandpa, are you sure?" Mo Yue asked in a stunned and slightly worried voice.
"I am," the old man replied firmly.
He paused for a moment before adding in a lower voice, "However, don't tell this to any of your brothers."
Mo Yue hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
She then turned around and walked into another room.
Alex watched her leave with curiosity, but he did not ask what they had discussed.
A short while later, Mo Yue returned.
She was carrying a carefully prepared box in both hands.
She walked toward her grandfather and Alex before placing the box down.
The old man looked at it silently.
Mo Yue slowly opened the box.
Inside was a sword completely wrapped in a white cloth.
Alex's eyes immediately fell upon it.
For some reason, the moment he saw the covered sword, he felt that something about it was different from every weapon he had touched before.