Chapter 1295: Tianyuan Martial Artifact

“The Tomb of the Setting Sun!”

This was the common name given to this borderland by both humans and demons!

Legend has it that in ancient times, the Spirit Realm did not have seven suns but nine. However, when humans and demons first arrived in the Spirit Realm, a war erupted among the True Spirits, engulfing more than half of the Spirit Realm’s races.

Hundreds of beings, whose cultivation rivaled that of immortals from the True Immortal World, clashed fiercely in the Spirit Realm for reasons unknown.

The outcome was devastating—not only did eighty to ninety percent perish in this calamitous upheaval, but vast regions were transformed, mountains crumbled, seas shifted, and the earth split open. Even two of the suns in the sky were destroyed in the conflict.

This borderland was said to be formed from the crater left by the fall of one of those suns.

Yet, this so-called “crater” was so vast that even a high-level cultivator flying at full speed with a magic treasure would take over a year to traverse from one end to the other. It contained countless mountain ranges and dozens of massive lakes spanning millions of kilometers, not to mention forests, plains, and other terrains.

Thus, even if millions of cultivators entered the Tomb of the Setting Sun, they would vanish like drops in the ocean.

Given its immense size, multiple human cities had been built around it, the most famous being the massive “Sunfall City,” governed by cultivators themselves.

Built right next to the Tomb of the Setting Sun, Sunfall City was comparable in scale to other cultivator cities, but the number of mid- to high-level cultivators within its walls ranked it among the top three in the Tianyuan Domain. Moreover, aside from cultivators, the city also housed a large number of mid- to high-level body refiners.

In terms of strength alone, these body refiners were no weaker than Foundation Establishment or Core Formation cultivators, and their numbers exceeded those of cultivators by more than tenfold.

Were it not for the scarcity of top-tier body refiners and the presence of a Nascent Soul cultivator overseeing the city, calling Sunfall City a “cultivator city” would have been a stretch.

Ironically, on the opposite side of the Tomb of the Setting Sun, within demon territory, there was also a city of demon cultivators named Sunfall City.

It was said that this demon city was even larger than its human counterpart, teeming with mid- to high-level demon cultivators. Once, a particularly resourceful human cultivator even ventured there to catch a glimpse of it from afar and returned with grandiose descriptions!

Han Li, naturally, had no interest in demon cities.

At the moment, he was standing on a street in Sunfall City, eyeing the tall, pristine shops on either side with a faint trace of surprise.

This was just an ordinary street in the city, yet the shopkeepers seated inside were either Qi Condensation cultivators or low-level body refiners.

The goods on display ranged from demon beast materials to magical tools and spirit artifacts—everything imaginable—with not a single shop catering to ordinary mortals.

Han Li had just entered Sunfall City and had already passed through several streets, all identical in this regard.

Despite the city’s vast size, ordinary mortals still made up the majority of its population, bustling through the streets. Most were young and strong, appearing extremely busy as they assisted the cultivators and body refiners in the shops.

As Han Li reached a street corner, his gaze swept the area before he suddenly approached a gaunt man who was animatedly chatting with a few others.

The man was a Qi Condensation cultivator, while his listeners were ordinary mortals, all looking troubled as they endured his enthusiastic rambling.

“You wouldn’t believe it—that Fangtooth Beast was about to pounce on me, but with just a flick of my hand, I summoned my Black Cloud Sword and sliced off both its claws in an instant! This magic tool cost me ten mid-grade spirit stones. Though it’s only a low-grade artifact, its power is—huh? Who are you?”

A hand landed on the gaunt man’s shoulder, startling him. He turned to see a seemingly young man smiling at him.

The gaunt man was about to scold the stranger when his eyes caught sight of a faintly glowing yellow ring on Han Li’s finger. His expression shifted, and he forced a smile.

“I’m Tian Xing. What can I do for you, brother?”

Body refiners who wore spirit rings were either of unusual status or possessed mid-tier strength or higher—neither of which a mere Qi Condensation cultivator like him could afford to provoke.

“Nothing much. I saw you chatting so animatedly and thought you must know this city well. I’d like to ask a few questions. If possible, would you be willing to serve as my guide for a few days?” Han Li replied calmly.

“Ah, so you’re new to the city! You’ve come to the right person. I, Tian Xing, may not boast about much, but I’ve lived in Sunfall City for decades—there’s nothing here I don’t know. Though, may I ask how you plan to compensate me?” The gaunt man grinned.

“Ten spirit stones per day,” Han Li stated bluntly.

“That’s a bit low, brother. Could you add a little more? After all, I am a cultivator. With such a paltry sum, I could earn more just by gathering herbs outside the city.” The man’s eyes darted shrewdly as he sized Han Li up again.

“Hmph! Ten stones is plenty. Do you think finding herbs outside is so easy? What if you run into a demon beast and get eaten alive? Twelve stones per day—take it or leave it.” Han Li disliked haggling but refused to let the man take advantage.

“Deal! You lot can chat among yourselves. This immortal has business to attend to.” Seeing Han Li’s displeasure, the gaunt man quickly agreed and waved off the mortals behind him.

Relieved, the mortals scattered instantly.

“Where would you like to visit first, Immortal?” the man asked eagerly, secretly assessing Han Li’s strength.

Unlike cultivators, body refiners’ power lay in their physical prowess, making it impossible to gauge their level through spiritual sense alone.

“First, take me to a nearby shop selling spirit artifact materials. Then, give me an overview of the city.” Han Li turned and walked off without looking back.

“Of course! Sunfall City is divided into eight districts. Three are residential areas for ordinary people, while the other five are for cultivators and body refiners to live and trade. Among those five, there are further distinctions. Four are like the area you’re in now, where magic tools, pills, and materials are freely bought and sold. The last district, located at the city’s center, requires a fee of one spirit stone per person per day. That’s where top-tier spirit artifacts and treasures are traded, along with the major merchant houses of the Tianyuan Domain. Rumor has it they even sell spirit treasures!” The gaunt man chattered excitedly as he followed Han Li.

“Spirit treasures? I’m not interested in those. Tell me something else.” Though inwardly intrigued, Han Li kept his expression neutral.

“Ah, right—you’re a body refiner. Spirit treasures would be useless to you. But those merchant houses also stock many top-tier spirit artifacts. Oh! Here’s something you’ll find interesting. I heard an auction house acquired a set of Tianyuan Battle Gear once used by the Holy Emperor himself and plans to auction it off. The set consists of five pieces, each a top-tier masterpiece rivaling ordinary cultivator treasures—let alone all five together. It’s said the gear’s power scales with the user’s physical strength. Before the Holy Emperor obtained a spiritual root, he used it to slay many formidable foes. Since the news broke, many high-level body refiners have postponed their travels to attend the auction.”

The man’s words made Han Li pause mid-step.

“Tian Yuan Battle Gear? Is it truly that remarkable?” Han Li’s interest was genuinely piqued.

“Absolutely! The auction house publicly confirmed it,” the man declared, thumping his chest for emphasis.

“When is the auction?” Han Li asked after a brief silence.

“No exact date yet, but it should happen within three or four months. The auction house wouldn’t dare keep so many high-level body refiners waiting.” The gaunt man grew cautious, wondering if he’d stumbled upon a high-level body refiner. Han Li’s youthful appearance suggested he might have consumed some age-defying elixir.

His demeanor grew more respectful.

Han Li asked a few more questions about the Tianyuan Battle Gear before shifting focus to other aspects of Sunfall City.

Though puzzled, the gaunt man answered dutifully, leading Han Li through several streets until they reached one specializing in spirit artifact materials.

Despite hearing about the premium goods in the city center, Han Li wasn’t in a hurry to go there.

While spirit artifact materials were rare, they were far more common than materials for crafting magic treasures or ancient artifacts. High-end markets were unlikely to carry the specific materials he needed for his own spirit artifacts.

Of course, ready-made top-tier spirit artifacts were another matter.

Han Li’s spirits lifted upon arriving.

Though his primary goal was to seek a breakthrough in the perilous Tomb of the Setting Sun, he had no intention of risking his life unprepared.

Before entering, he planned to craft two top-tier spirit artifacts to improve his odds in battle.

The Tianyuan Battle Gear sounded impressive, but acquiring it would be difficult. With his ample spirit stones, he could potentially bid for it, but doing so would draw unwanted attention. After brief consideration, he dismissed the idea, opting instead to forge his own gear.