Forty years is enough time for an infant to grow into a burly man, or for a child with a Spiritual Root to become a low- to mid-level cultivator. Yet for an ancient city with a heritage spanning over a million years, such a span is but the blink of an eye.
Yuyang City is one of the earliest ancient cities established in the Tianyuan Realm during its founding era.
Though it is only a mid-sized city, and successive city lords have never sought to expand it, this city has remained unscathed through countless beast tides, never once facing any significant danger.
This peculiar phenomenon exists because Yuyang City is one of the few mortal cities with the highest concentration of body refiners, renowned throughout the Tianyuan Realm.
It is said that the current Tianyuan Sacred Emperor once honed his body refinement techniques to perfection here, earning great fame before departing.
The city is home to countless body refinement sects and schools, with high-level body refiners—rare elsewhere—abundant within its walls. At its heart stands the “Sacred Tower,” a repository of body refinement techniques and insights, unparalleled in both quantity and quality within the Tianyuan Realm.
Drawn by these treasures, countless low- and mid-level body refiners flock to the city each year. With such formidable strength, mere beast tides pose no threat whatsoever.
Moreover, Yuyang City is also famed in the Tianyuan Realm as a hub for crafting spiritual artifacts. Every year, vast quantities of spiritual tools are produced here and swiftly purchased by body refiners or merchant houses.
Several auction houses specializing in rare spiritual artifacts thrive, their coffers overflowing.
These auction houses naturally employ a number of exceptional artifact masters.
An “artifact master” is akin to an alchemist or formation master among cultivators—a specialist in crafting spiritual tools.
However, these individuals are unique. First, they must have trained in body refinement techniques, possess some skill in formations, and be born with exceptionally strong spiritual sense.
Only those who meet all three criteria can become artifact masters. To rise as a master among masters, relentless practice and genuine talent are essential.
The artifact masters employed by these auction houses are naturally the cream of the crop. Their creations are not only immensely powerful but also possess extraordinary auxiliary abilities.
Of course, such artifacts are meticulously crafted, often taking half a year or more to produce. Yet each one dazzles at auction, fetching astronomical prices.
Longxing Auction House is one of Yuyang City’s largest, its rise recent but its reputation rivaling that of older, more established houses.
Its owner has thus ascended to a position of considerable influence in the city.
But on this day, in one of Longxing’s grand halls, a rotund man in embroidered robes paced anxiously, his gaze frequently darting toward the entrance.
“Feng Er! Go check the gate again—see if Master Han has arrived.” After a while, the fat man stopped and bellowed.
“Yes, Master!”
A young man’s voice answered promptly, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps fading into the distance.
The fat man, parched from his pacing, plopped onto a wooden chair, eliciting ominous creaks. Unconcerned about the chair’s durability, he grabbed a teapot from a nearby table and gulped down several mouthfuls, utterly devoid of decorum.
“What troubles you, Brother Fan? Such agitation—are you unwell?” A clear voice rang from the doorway as a man strode in.
“Brother Han! You’ve finally arrived. That idiot Feng Er didn’t even announce you.” The fat man sprang up, his jowls quivering with delight.
“Don’t blame Feng Er. I told him to wait outside.”
The speaker was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man with faint wrinkles on his forehead and three strands of black beard. He carried a long bundle and regarded the approaching fat man with an amused smile.
Their familiarity was evident.
“Haha! I knew you’d never break a promise, Brother Han, but this matter is crucial—it concerns decades of my toil in Yuyang City. I couldn’t help but fret. Is this the item you crafted?” The fat man’s eyes gleamed as he eyed the bundle.
“Indeed. Take a look, Brother Fan.” The man smiled, handing over the bundle before calmly seating himself.
Fan eagerly unwrapped the package, revealing a three-foot sword in a pale golden sheath, its hilt adorned with three spirit stones of varying hues—an extraordinary spiritual artifact.
Handling the sword with newfound care, Fan slowly drew the blade.
A dragon-like chime rang out as golden light burst forth, coalescing into a tiny golden flood dragon that danced before him.
Eyes alight, Fan flicked the hilt, and the radiance condensed into a gleaming sword etched with flood dragon patterns.
“Marvelous! This is undoubtedly the finest spiritual artifact Yuyang City has seen in a century—capable of materializing its essence! With this, Zhu Douyan and his ilk won’t stand a chance. Brother Han, you’ve done me a great service once again.” Sheathing the sword, Fan hugged it tightly, laughing uproariously with unbridled joy.
“The credit lies in the materials you provided. Without them, even the greatest skill couldn’t produce a top-tier artifact,” the man replied calmly, sipping his tea without much enthusiasm.
“Only you could achieve this, Brother Han. Those so-called masters pale in comparison,” Fan said with a grin.
“Flattery isn’t necessary. This sword is the last artifact I’ll craft for you. Soon, I’ll leave Yuyang City—likely never to return,” the man said, stunning Fan into silence.
“Leave? Why? Did my servants displease you? Just say the word, and I’ll have their legs broken and replace them at once!” Fan blurted in panic.
“Years ago, when my cultivation faltered, you aided me, enabling my breakthrough. For decades, I’ve repaid that debt by crafting artifacts exclusively for your auctions, remaining anonymous. Now, Longxing is among the city’s top auction houses, and with this sword, it may rise to the pinnacle. The apprentices I’ve trained may not match my skill, but they’re competent enough for your needs. You know my true passion lies in body refinement, not artifact crafting. Staying here no longer benefits me,” the man explained.
“Has your cultivation hit another bottleneck?” Fan gasped.
The man merely smiled in response.
Fan was dumbstruck.
Few knew this man’s true prowess, but Fan had witnessed it firsthand. A decade ago, when danger struck, this friend had slain over a dozen mid-level body refiners in his manor, displaying power rivaling the city’s elite. If he faced another bottleneck now, breaking through would elevate him to unimaginable heights.
“Knowing is enough. I thank you for keeping my secret and gathering resources to aid my cultivation. But our paths diverge here. Farewell.” With a final bow, the man turned and strode out without looking back.
Fan’s lips twitched, but no words came. Only when the man vanished did his face darken with sorrow.
Helping this man had been the wisest decision of his life. Through his power alone, an obscure merchant like Fan had risen to prominence in Yuyang City. Yet now, with debts repaid, the man departed without hesitation.
There was nothing Fan could do to stop him.
Outside Longxing Auction House, the man mounted a deer-like beast and rode toward the nearest city gate.
Hours later, atop a hill miles from Yuyang City, he gazed at the distant walls before dismounting. With a flick of his sleeve, his beard fell away, and his middle-aged visage transformed into that of a youth in his twenties.
His face was none other than Han Li’s, the same man who had once ventured with the Golden Jade Sect to retrieve treasures.
With a final glance at the city, Han Li turned and strode into the wilderness, soon vanishing as a speck on the horizon.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage