Luo Tong was obsessed with forging, and Shui Miao knew this well.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the ultimate realm was undoubtedly their ultimate goal.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Rakshasa Sea.
The Rakshasa Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected external surroundings into the conch as illusions, allowing for clear identification.
The Nether Conch swiftly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep-sea trench.
“I found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the very place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the illusion and noticed dozens of evil dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul gestured toward the illusion. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the evil dragons, which is filled with abundant reserves of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses a wealth of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This just proves that a warrior is merely a warrior, relying solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before he meets his demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao said nothing, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous expert who risked his life to slay demons was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to spectate. Their battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Rakshasa Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. With the dwarves no longer supporting you, this is the perfect chance to grab some resources.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
Since the four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you believe they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Rakshasa Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear-cut in their morals and deeply loyal.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, with all its treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come here and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under Luo Tong’s soul’s control, deftly avoided numerous arrays’ detection.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array I currently possess has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
However, Shui Miao then thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. Conversely, if he refused, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to exploit him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of spiritual insight to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this insight contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fiery red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the door’s lintel. Shui Miao sensed the pearl was pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon statue’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was piled high with artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts—not a single Immortal Artifact in sight. Of course, there was no shortage of various spirit stones.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“Still, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The further in you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to enter the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and observed a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After probing it with his spiritual power, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one.”
Still, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even as a broken artifact, it was the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as repayment for her kindness.
“This sword… pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it’ll make good material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, why would they genuinely damage their artifacts?
“Of course they possess potent artifacts. Their most fearsome is the Dragon God Claw, yet it consumes dragon essence. Activating it costs five centuries of one’s lifespan. Who would willingly sacrifice their life in such a manner if they can evade it?” Luo Tong’s spirit cast a disinterested gaze across the second level. “Dull. These are merely fit for crafting materials. Shui Miao, take them if you wish. If not, leave them be. My true form is already abundant with superior materials, after all.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Clearly, this was the secret passage to the innermost treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level of the treasury.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the multicolored light emitted by a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the mythical stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses numerous times in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with significant benefits, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. He immediately concentrated his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s soul. *It’s crucial to remain vigilant against others’ ill intentions—I must not be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soulful eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings, his mind suddenly springing to life.
“He’s indeed tempted by greed and starting to deceive me with lies!”
Perceiving the thoughts of Luo Tong’s soul, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. Thankfully, he was only contending with a fragment of Luo Tong’s soul. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft is undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursue.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, dark and lightless, with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadows of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly dove deeper, and after a while, it entered a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting with the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the shadowy projections and saw dozens of evil dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit gestured towards the projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the evil dragons, which is rich in spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses sufficient spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This is why warriors are merely warriors, relying solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before he meets his demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao said nothing, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that straightforward, righteous experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters were the most deserving of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to watch the show. Their chaotic battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarf race. Since you’ve lost the support of the dwarves, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea because of them, and countless treasures are plundered. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures now, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear-cut in their sense of good and evil and deeply loyal.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily made its way into the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures across the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible pain. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s spirit, deftly avoided numerous arrays’ detection.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel alarmed. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array I currently possess has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, anywhere, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry; I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he lose without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If Luo Tong revealed the details, it would show that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he refused, it would indicate that he was merely敷衍 him, intending to use him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the door’s lintel. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon statue’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact in sight, though various spirit stones were plentiful.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything great. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to infiltrate the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost, Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. He picked it up and observed a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one from scratch.”
Nonetheless, Shui Miao kept the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it remained the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. Should he ever manage to repair it, he intended to return it to Meng Sanniang as a token of gratitude for her acknowledgment and kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also useless!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material, which is pretty good.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course, they possess powerful artifacts. Their most formidable one is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated using dragon essence, and each use costs five hundred years of life. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can live peacefully?” Luo Tong’s spirit glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These things can only be used as materials for forging. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, forget it. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
The moment they stepped out of the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were instantly captivated by the dazzling五彩光芒 emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses numerous times in the past, Shui Miao understood that in the face of significant interests, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately summoned his spiritual power to subtly detect the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s spirit. *It’s crucial to remain vigilant against others, even if I harbor no ill intentions—I must not be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit’s eyes darted around, his thoughts suddenly becoming active.
“He’s truly lured by profit and has begun to scheme against me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Sensing the mental activity of Luo Tong’s spirit, Shui Miao felt fortunate that he was only dealing with a fragment of his spirit. If Luo Tong’s true form had been present, he might not have gained any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly mobilized…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, dark and lightless, with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensory array that projected virtual images of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’tt have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the virtual image and saw dozens of evil dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul gestured towards the virtual image and said, “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the evil dragons, housing an immense reservoir of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an ample supply of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence, how long could he possibly endure? This merely illustrates that a warrior is just a warrior—relying solely on brute strength without strategy. It’s only a matter of time before he meets his demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, honorable expert who risked his life to slay demons and monsters was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to watch the show. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve accumulated are no less than those of the dwarf race. Since you’ve lost the support of the dwarves, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he would have the means to dominate in the Immortal Realm, able to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea because of them, and countless treasures are stolen. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could also see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious, “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice, “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were crafted by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which holds these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living crafting artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible hardship. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s soul, deftly avoided the detection of numerous arrays.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel alarmed, “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, anywhere, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to face Luo Tong’s true form in the future, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered so many arrays, why not just ask him directly what he had done? If Luo Tong told him the truth, it would show that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. But if he refused to disclose, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to use him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized that this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their creation.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the door’s lintel. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the golden dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the golden dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage that led into the treasure vault, emerging from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasure vault was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact in sight, though various spirit stones were plentiful.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasure vault has three levels. The further in you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again, slipping into the second level of the treasure vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, he immediately noticed the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, positioned on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and inspected it closely, only to discover a perfectly round hole drilled through the mirror. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head and remarked, “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than crafting a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the Illusion Demon Mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was a broken artifact, it was still the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If he had the chance to repair it, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity. It’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby, “However, it can still be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have actually damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most powerful artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated using dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. If they can live peacefully, who would be willing to risk their lives?” Luo Tong’s soul glanced around the second level with disinterest, “Nothing interesting here. These can only be used as materials for forging. Shui Miao, if you like them, take them all. If not, forget it. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the radiant, multicolored light emanating from a stone in the treasure vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens!
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses on numerous occasions, Shui Miao understood that in the face of immense benefits, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. Without hesitation, he summoned his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations within Luo Tong’s soul. Caution was paramount—while he harbored no intent to kill, he couldn’t risk being deceived once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soul’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly becoming active.
“He’s truly lured by the prospect of gain and has begun to scheme against me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Perceiving the thoughts within Luo Tong’s soul, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. It was fortunate that he was only contending with a fragment of his soul. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage that day.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of craftsmanship was undoubtedly their ultimate goal.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadows of the outside world into the conch, allowing them to identify their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly dove deeper, and after a while, it entered a deep-sea trench.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the Dragon Sovereigns’ home turf. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. He might hold out for a while, but he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the shadowy projections and noticed dozens of vicious dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul pointed at the projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts hidden in this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that affects the mental and physical abilities of intruders. Beneath the array is the vicious dragons’ lair, which contains ample spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao has plenty of spirit stones, being trapped here for long, attacked by dozens of vicious dragons under the array’s influence, how long can he possibly hold out? This just goes to show that brute strength alone is futile. Sooner or later, he’ll be defeated by his own recklessness.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He admired such straightforward, righteous experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to spectate. Their battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The vicious dragons have dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. With the dwarves no longer supporting you, this is the perfect chance to replenish your resources.” Luo Tong’s soul made a valid point. With enough forging materials and time, Shui Miao could craft another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate the Immortal Realm and secure a solid foothold.
“Isn’t this taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was dishonorable.
Luo Tong’s soul paused for a moment before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to remember, these are vicious dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through honest work? Countless innocent lives are lost to them in the Raksha Sea every year, and countless treasures are stolen. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures, you’re indirectly aiding him!”
Luo Tong could tell that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear-cut morals and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the vicious dragons had devoured and killed countless innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Guided by Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao grew curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place.”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly. “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were crafted by me? Let me tell you, even this treasure-filled Dragon Palace was built by me, and I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for us artifact forgers, not having enough materials is torture. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come here and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
Under Luo Tong’s soul’s control, the Nether Conch deftly avoided numerous detection arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession must also have been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. But don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for his carelessness. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not inquire about his actions? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would indicate he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he declined, it would suggest he was merely humoring Shui Miao for potential future exploitation.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of spiritual insight to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this insight contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch this…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There were no Immortal Artifacts, though spirit stones and other resources were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to collect so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to enter the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was sparsely furnished, with only five or six weapon racks. As soon as Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and noticed a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his spiritual insight, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even as a broken artifact, it was still the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity. It’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The vicious dragons don’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, do they?” Shui Miao wondered. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts.
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most formidable one is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s powered by dragon essence. Using it costs five hundred years of life. Who would willingly sacrifice their lifespan for a fight?” Luo Tong’s soul glanced around the second level disinterestedly. “Boring. These can only be used as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, forget it. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level of the treasury.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the radiant, multicolored light emanating from a stone in the treasury.
“Could it be… the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the mythical stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits lifted immediately.
Having been deceived and suffered losses multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that in the face of significant利益, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately concentrated his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s soul. *It’s crucial to remain vigilant against others, even if I don’t intend to harm them. I must not be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soul’s eyes darted around, his mind already scheming.
“He’s indeed tempted by greed and starting to deceive me with lies!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s soul’s thoughts, Shui Miao felt relieved that he was only dealing with a soul fragment. If Luo Tong’s true form were here, he might not have stood a chance.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual energy surged within him…
“I found them!”
Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha! That guy Wu Chang Yi Dao is truly an idiot! Fighting with the Dragon Lords on the sea surface was one thing, but chasing them here? This is the bottom of the sea—their home since birth! Even if he has a treasure that reverses time to increase speed, he won’t be fast here underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, dark and lightless, with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadows of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly dove deeper, and after a while, it entered a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting with the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the shadowy projection and saw dozens of vicious dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul gestured toward the projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the vicious dragons, which houses an immense reservoir of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an abundance of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and relentlessly assaulted by dozens of vicious dragons under the array’s influence, how long can he possibly endure? This is precisely why martial artists remain just that—martial artists. They rely solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before they are outwitted and slain.”
“…”
Shui Miao said nothing, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that straightforward, righteous experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters were the most deserving of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to spectate. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The vicious dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily stunned before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are vicious dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea because of them, and countless treasures are stolen. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures now, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could also see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the vicious dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer had any reservations.
At that moment, the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded remarkably smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures across the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You have to understand, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, deftly dodged left and right under Luo Tong’s soul’s control, avoiding detection by numerous arrays.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel alarmed. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array I currently possess has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might have remained in the dark forever. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not inquire about what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. Conversely, if he refused, it would indicate that he was merely敷衍 him, intending to utilize him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their creation.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the door’s lintel. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the golden dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the golden dragon statue’s mouth. They traversed a narrow, thirty-meter-long passageway and emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside the treasure vault.
Inside the Dragon Palace treasure vault, countless artifacts were piled mountain-high, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact in sight, though various spirit stones were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything great. This treasure vault has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, shrank the Nether Conch again, and slipped into the second level of the treasure vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost, Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. He picked it up and inspected it closely, only to discover a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging an entirely new one.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the Illusion Demon Mirror in his Saint Yuan Ring. Even if it was a broken artifact, it was still the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If he had the chance to repair it, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “However, it could still be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
There were five or six other artifacts on the second level, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The vicious dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have actually damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they possess formidable artifacts. Their most potent artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it requires dragon essence to activate. Using it once reduces their lifespan by five hundred years. If they can live in peace, why would they gamble with their lives?” Luo Tong’s soul cast a disinterested glance around the second level. “How dull. These items are only fit for forging materials. Shui Miao, if you fancy them, take them all. If not, let it be. My true form has an abundance of fine materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the multicolored light emitted by a stone in the treasure vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens!
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses numerous times, Shui Miao understood that in the face of significant interests, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately concentrated his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s soul. It was crucial to remain vigilant—he couldn’t afford to be deceived once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soul’s eyes darted around, his thoughts suddenly becoming active.
“He’s truly lured by the promise of profit and has begun to scheme against me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Perceiving the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s soul, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, he was only contending with a fragment of his soul. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly mobilized…
Shui Miao looked at the illusion and noticed dozens of evil dragons circling around Wu Chang Yi Dao, seemingly forming a formation to trap him.
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of mastery was undoubtedly their ultimate goal.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Rakshasa Sea.
The Rakshasa Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected virtual images of the outside world into the conch, allowing them to identify their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep-sea trench.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the very place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the virtual image and noticed dozens of evil dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul gestured toward the phantom image and declared, “Observe, within this trench lie several concealed artifacts. These artifacts form an invisible array capable of disrupting an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath this array lies the lair of the evil dragons, rich in spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an abundance of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless assaults by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This merely underscores that a warrior, relying solely on brute courage, is destined to meet his demise sooner or later.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous expert who risked his life to slay demons and monsters was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to spectate. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Rakshasa Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve accumulated are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to grab some benefits.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he would have the means to dominate in the Immortal Realm, able to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to remember, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Rakshasa Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
At that moment, the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s soul, dodged left and right, avoiding detection by numerous arrays.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel alarmed. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession must also have been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I’m not interested in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why? It would be a bewildering loss.
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not inquire about his actions? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. Conversely, if he refused, it would indicate that he was merely placating Shui Miao, intending to exploit him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the door’s lintel. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the golden dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the golden dragon statue’s mouth. They traversed a narrow, thirty-meter-long passageway and emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside the treasure vault.
The Dragon Palace treasure vault was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact in sight, though various spirit stones were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything great. This treasure vault has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again, allowing them to infiltrate the second level of the treasure vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. He picked it up and inspected it closely, discovering a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the Illusion Demon Mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was a broken artifact, it was still the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If he had the chance to repair it, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity. It’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “However, it can still be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most formidable artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated using dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can live peacefully?” Luo Tong’s soul glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These things can only be used as materials for forging. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, forget it. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level of the treasure vault.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! A stone? Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
The moment they stepped out of the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were instantly captivated by the dazzling multicolored radiance emanating from a stone in the vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens!
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses numerous times, Shui Miao realized that in the face of great interests, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately summoned his spiritual power to subtly detect the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s soul. Vigilance was crucial—while he harbored no intent to kill, he couldn’t afford to be deceived once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soul’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly becoming active.
“He’s indeed tempted by greed and starting to play tricks on me, spouting nonsense!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s soul’s thoughts, Shui Miao felt relieved that he was only dealing with a strand of his soul. If his true form were here, Shui Miao might not have gained any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Shui Miao didn’t say anything, but inside, he felt a slight urge to help Wu Chang Yi Dao. He believed that a straightforward, noble, and demon-slaying expert like him was truly worthy of respect.
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft is undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursue.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Rakshasa Sea.
The Rakshasa Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected external surroundings into the conch as illusions, allowing those inside to identify them.
The Nether Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting with the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the very place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the illusion and noticed dozens of evil dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit pointed at the illusion. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts hidden in this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can affect an outsider’s spiritual energy and mobility. Beneath the array is the evil dragons’ lair, which contains ample spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao has enough spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and attacked by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly last? This just goes to show that a warrior is just a warrior, relying solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before he gets himself killed.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous expert who risked his life to slay demons was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to spectate. Their chaotic battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and plunder its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Rakshasa Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. With enough forging materials and time, Shui Miao could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you believe they earned it through hard work? Countless innocent lives are lost in the Rakshasa Sea every year because of them, and countless treasures are plundered. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible plight. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I wish, I can enter and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under Luo Tong’s spiritual control, deftly avoided numerous arrays’ detection.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Rest assured, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly alarmed, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not inquire about his actions? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he declined, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to utilize him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of spiritual knowledge to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this knowledge contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fiery red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrunk the Nether Conch and slipped through the golden dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading into the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts—not a single Immortal Artifact in sight. Of course, there was no shortage of various spirit stones.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The further in you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrunk the Nether Conch again to infiltrate the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, he immediately noticed the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, positioned on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and inspected it closely, observing a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After probing it with his spiritual energy, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain—it’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than crafting a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even as a broken artifact, it was still the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang and repay her for her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material, which is something.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most formidable artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated using dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can avoid it?” Luo Tong’s spirit glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These things can only be used as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, it’s no loss. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and gently pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
The moment they stepped out of the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were instantly captivated by the dazzling, multicolored glow emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the mythical stone said to have mended the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffering losses multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that in the face of immense benefits, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. He immediately gathered his spiritual energy, subtly sensing the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s spirit. *It’s crucial to stay vigilant—not to harm others, but to ensure I’m not deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this thing is?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit’s eyes darted around, his thoughts suddenly becoming lively.
“He’s indeed tempted by profit and starting to play tricks on me, spouting nonsense!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s spirit’s mental activity, Shui Miao felt relieved that he was only dealing with a strand of his spirit. If Luo Tong’s true form were here, he might not have gained any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual energy was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen wasn’t wrong. Shui Miao needed sufficient materials and time to forge another Supreme Treasure. Then, he could wreak havoc in the Immortal Realm with the ability to advance or retreat as needed.
“So we’re just taking advantage of their misfortune?”
Shui Miao hesitated. After all, the Four Dragon Lords had protected him before. He felt reluctant, considering this kind of opportunistic theft to be despicable.
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of mastery was undoubtedly their ultimate goal.
Thus, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadows of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly dove deeper, and after a while, it entered a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the very place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the shadows and noticed dozens of evil dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit gestured toward the shadowy projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an intruder’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the evil dragons, stocked with abundant reserves of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses a wealth of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and relentlessly attacked by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This just proves that a warrior is merely a warrior—all brute strength and no strategy. It’s only a matter of time before he meets his demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous expert who risked his life to slay demons and monsters was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to spectate. Their battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect chance to grab some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. With enough crafting materials and time, Shui Miao could forge another supreme artifact. Then, when he ascended to the Immortal Realm, he would have the means to dominate and maneuver freely.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit was taken aback for a moment before responding, “Heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to remember, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you believe they earned it through honest work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear-cut about good and evil, and deeply loyal.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily made its way into the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Guided by Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother. Hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were crafted by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which holds these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living crafting artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
Under the control of Luo Tong’s spirit, the Nether Conch deftly dodged left and right, avoiding detection by numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Rest assured, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly alarmed, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
But then Shui Miao thought, since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. However, if he chose to withhold the details, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to exploit him at a later time.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their crafting.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage that led into the treasure vault, emerging from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasure vault was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether artifacts—there wasn’t a single Immortal artifact in sight. Of course, there were plenty of spirit stones and other resources.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasure vault has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to enter the second level of the vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was sparsely populated, with only five or six weapon racks. Stepping out of the Nether Conch, Shui Miao immediately spotted the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, placed on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and examined it, noticing a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After sensing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is completely destroyed. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically useless. Repairing it would be harder than crafting a new one.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao kept the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it remained the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon clan. If he could repair it someday, he intended to return it to Meng Sanniang as a gesture of gratitude for her kindness.
“This sword… what a shame, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material, which is good.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
There were five or six other artifacts on the second level, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they possess formidable artifacts. Their most potent one is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s powered by dragon essence. Utilizing it even once reduces their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly endanger their life like that if they can help it?” Luo Tong’s spirit cast a disinterested glance around the second level. “Boring. These are only fit for crafting materials. Shui Miao, take them if you wish. If not, let it be. My true form has an abundance of quality materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were immediately captivated by the dazzling multicolored light emanating from a stone in the vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses on numerous occasions in the past, Shui Miao was well aware that when faced with significant benefits, even the strongest of friendships could become fragile. Without hesitation, he summoned his spiritual energy to discreetly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s spirit. It was crucial to remain vigilant—he couldn’t afford to be deceived once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s spiritual gaze swiftly scanned the surroundings, and his mind suddenly sprang to life.
“He’s truly lured by profit and has begun to scheme against me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Perceiving the thoughts within Luo Tong’s spirit, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, he was only contending with a fragment of his spirit. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly mobilized…
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wu Chang Yi Dao shared similar personalities—both clear on good and evil, and deeply loyal.
“Alright then.”
Shui Miao’s heart stirred, and he nodded in agreement.
Thinking of how the evil dragons had devoured many innocent souls aboard the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft is undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursue.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected external surroundings into the conch as illusions, allowing those inside to perceive them.
The Nether Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that reverses time to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the illusion and noticed dozens of evil dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul pointed at the illusion. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts hidden in this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can affect an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array is the evil dragons’ lair, which contains abundant spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao has plenty of spirit stones, being trapped here long-term and attacked by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly hold out? This just goes to show that a warrior is just a warrior, relying solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before he gets himself killed.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous expert who risked his life to slay demons and monsters was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to spectate. Their chaotic battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and plunder its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. With enough forging materials and time, Shui Miao could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that exploiting others’ misfortunes was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid life talismans here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under Luo Tong’s soul’s control, deftly avoided the detection of numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly alarmed, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not inquire about his actions? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would indicate that he did not regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he declined, it would suggest that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to utilize him at a later time.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact in sight, though various spirit stones were plentiful.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to collect so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The further in you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to enter the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, her eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. She picked it up and scrutinized it, noticing a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. Luo Tong’s soul, sensing it with his divine consciousness, shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than crafting a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao kept the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it still remained the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. Should he ever have the opportunity to repair it, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a gesture of gratitude for her kindness.
“This sword… what a shame, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “Still, it could serve as good material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most powerful artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s fueled by dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can avoid it?” Luo Tong’s soul glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These things are only useful as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, leave them. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the radiant五彩光芒 emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits lifted immediately.
Having been deceived and suffered losses numerous times in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with significant benefits, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately gathered his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s soul. *It’s crucial to remain vigilant against others’ intentions—I must not be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soulful eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings, and his mind suddenly sprang to life.
“He’s truly lured by profit and has begun to scheme against me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Perceiving the thoughts within Luo Tong’s soul, Shui Miao felt a surge of relief. It was fortunate that he was only contending with a fragment of Luo Tong’s soul. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage in today’s encounter.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly mobilized…
Guided by Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen, the infiltration proceeded unusually smoothly.
Curious, Shui Miao asked, “Luo Tong Senior, you seem very familiar with this place?”
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft is undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursue.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, dark and lightless, with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadows of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting with the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the shadowy projection and saw dozens of evil dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the deep trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit gestured toward the projection. “Observe, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array capable of disrupting an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the evil dragons, which harbors vast reserves of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an ample supply of spirit stones, how long can he possibly endure being trapped here and relentlessly assaulted by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence? This is precisely why warriors are merely warriors—they rely solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before they are outwitted and ultimately slain.”
“…”
Shui Miao said nothing, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous, and demon-slaying expert was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to watch the show. Their chaotic battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve accumulated are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit was momentarily stunned before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures now, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could also see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer had any reservations.
At that moment, the supreme Nether artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible pain. So, when I forged artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The supreme Nether artifact, the Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s spirit, dodged left and right, avoiding detection by many arrays.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel alarmed. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, anywhere, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might have remained in the dark forever. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he lose without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered many arrays, why not ask him directly what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would indicate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. Conversely, if he refused, it would suggest that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, with intentions to exploit him in the future.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized that this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they arrived before a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the golden dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the golden dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long hidden passage leading into the treasure vault. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
Inside the Dragon Palace treasure vault, countless artifacts were piled like mountains, but at a glance, they were all Nether artifacts—there wasn’t a single Immortal artifact. Of course, various spirit stones were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything great. This treasure vault has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, shrank the Nether Conch again, and slipped into the second level of the treasure vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, her eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost, Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. She picked up the mirror and scrutinized it, noticing a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Yuan Ring. Even if it was a broken artifact, it was still the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If he had the chance to repair it, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “However, it can still be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
There were five or six other artifacts on the second level, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they possess formidable artifacts. Their most potent artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it requires dragon essence to activate, and each use consumes five hundred years of one’s lifespan. Who would be willing to gamble their life in such a manner if they can live in tranquility?” Luo Tong’s spirit cast a disinterested glance around the second level. “How dull. These items are only fit to be used as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you wish. If not, it’s of no consequence. My true form is already abundant with superior materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s spirits were dazzled by the multicolored light emitted by a stone in the treasure vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses numerous times in the past, Shui Miao understood that in the face of significant interests, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately summoned his spiritual power to subtly detect the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s spirit. “One must not harbor the intent to harm others, but must always remain vigilant against potential threats.” He was determined not to be deceived again.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this thing is?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly becoming active.
“He is truly lured by profit and has begun to deceive me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s spiritual thoughts, Shui Miao felt a wave of relief. Thankfully, he was only contending with a fragment of his spirit. Had his true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of craftsmanship was undoubtedly their ultimate goal.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Rakshasa Sea.
The Rakshasa Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected virtual images of the outside world into the conch, allowing them to identify their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep-sea trench.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the virtual image and noticed dozens of vicious dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit pointed at the virtual image, “Look, there are clearly several artifacts hidden in this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can affect an outsider’s mental and physical abilities. Beneath the array is the vicious dragons’ lair, which contains abundant spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao has enough spirit stones, being trapped here for a long time and attacked by dozens of vicious dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly hold out? This just goes to show that a brute is a brute, relying only on reckless courage. It’s only a matter of time before he gets himself killed.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous, and demon-slaying expert was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to watch the show. Their chaotic battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The vicious dragons have dominated the Rakshasa Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. With enough forging materials and time, Shui Miao could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to remember, these are vicious dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Rakshasa Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the vicious dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
At that moment, the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious, “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled softly and lowered his voice, “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible plight. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s spirit, dodged left and right, avoiding detection by numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished, “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not inquire about his actions? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would indicate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he declined, it would imply that he was merely being evasive, intending to exploit Shui Miao later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One last barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they arrived before a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fiery red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading into the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There were no Immortal Artifacts, though various spirit stones were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again, slipping into the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, he immediately noticed the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, positioned on one of the racks. Picking it up for inspection, Shui Miao observed a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head, “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it was still the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby, “But it can still be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The vicious dragons don’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, do they?” Shui Miao wondered. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most formidable one is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated by dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can avoid it?” Luo Tong’s spirit glanced around the second level with disinterest, “Nothing interesting here. These can only be used as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, forget it. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level of the treasury.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! A stone? Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were instantly captivated by the dazzling multicolored radiance emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with significant利益, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. He immediately gathered his spiritual energy to discreetly sense the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s spirit. It was crucial to remain vigilant—he couldn’t afford to be deceived once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly becoming active.
“He is truly lured by profit and has begun to deceive me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s spirit’s thoughts, Shui Miao felt relieved that he was only dealing with a strand of his spirit. If his true form were here, Shui Miao might not have gained any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of craftsmanship was undoubtedly their ultimate goal.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Netherworld artifact, the Abyssal Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Abyssal Conch contained a sensing array that projected virtual images of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Abyssal Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the very place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. At best, he can hold out for a short while, but he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the virtual image and noticed dozens of vicious dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit gestured towards the virtual projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an intruder’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the vicious dragons, which holds vast reserves of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an abundance of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and continuously attacked by dozens of vicious dragons under the array’s influence, how long can he possibly endure? This just goes to show that a warrior is merely a warrior—all brute strength and no strategy. It’s only a matter of time before he meets his demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that straightforward, righteous experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters were the most deserving of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to spectate. Their battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The vicious dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarf race. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. With enough crafting materials and time, Shui Miao could forge another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Isn’t this taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit paused for a moment before responding, “Heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to remember, these are vicious dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Countless innocent lives are lost to them in the Raksha Sea every year, and countless treasures are plundered. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear-cut in their sense of justice and deeply loyal.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the vicious dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Netherworld artifact, the Abyssal Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were crafted by me? Let me tell you, even this treasure-filled Dragon Palace was built by me, and I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living crafting artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come here and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Abyssal Conch, under Luo Tong’s control, deftly avoided numerous arrays’ detection.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. But don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to face Luo Tong’s true form in the future, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he refused, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao and intended to exploit him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their crafting.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Abyssal Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Netherworld treasures—not a single Immortal artifact in sight. Of course, there was no shortage of various spirit stones.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Netherworld treasures.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Abyssal Conch again to enter the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was sparsely populated, with only five or six weapon racks. Stepping out of the Abyssal Conch, Shui Miao immediately spotted the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, placed on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and noticed a perfectly round hole drilled through it. Luo Tong’s spirit sensed it with his divine consciousness and shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is completely destroyed. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically useless. Repairing it would be harder than crafting a new one.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it was still the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon race. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The vicious dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, why would they genuinely damage their artifacts?
“Of course they possess formidable artifacts. Their most potent relic is the Dragon God Claw, yet it is powered by dragon essence. Each use diminishes their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly endanger their life in such a manner if it can be avoided?” Luo Tong’s spirit cast a disinterested gaze across the second level. “Dull. These are merely suitable for crafting materials. Shui Miao, take them if you wish. If not, leave them be. My true form is already abundant with superior materials, after all.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level of the treasury.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Abyssal Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s spirits were dazzled by the multicolored light emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the mythical stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that in the face of immense利益, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately concentrated his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s spirit. *It’s crucial to stay vigilant—I must not be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit’s eyes darted around, his thoughts suddenly becoming active.
“He’s indeed tempted by greed and starting to deceive me with lies!”
Perceiving the mental activity of Luo Tong’s spirit, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. Thankfully, he was only contending with a fragment of Luo Tong’s spirit. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage that day.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
“Hmph, of course! I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these formations,” Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen waved his hand generously, responding quite readily.
Shui Miao was secretly shocked. He blamed himself for being too careless. If it weren’t for Bu Yi and the others leaving, he might have remained deceived forever. If he ever fought against Luo Tong’s true body in the future, wouldn’t he lose hopelessly and mysteriously?
However, Shui Miao suddenly considered that since Luo Tong had tampered with many formations, perhaps he should ask what tricks he had planted. If Luo Tong told him, it would prove he didn’t treat him as an outsider. If he didn’t, it would mean he was merely humoring him, intending to use him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen transmitted a divine thought to him.
Shui Miao’s heart stirred and discovered that the thought contained three methods Luo Tong had used to tamper with treasures during forging.
“Haha! Just one last barrier to go! Watch me…”
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, dark and lightless, with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadowy images of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to identify their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly dove deeper, and after a while, it entered a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the shadowy images and saw dozens of evil dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit gestured toward the shadowy figures. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an outsider’s mental focus and physical movement. Beneath the array lies the lair of the evil dragons, which houses an immense reservoir of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an abundance of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence, how long can he possibly endure? This is precisely why warriors are merely warriors—they rely solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before they meet their demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao said nothing, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that straightforward, honorable experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters were the most deserving of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to spectate. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve accumulated are no less than those of the dwarf race. Since you’ve lost the support of the dwarves, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he would have the means to dominate in the Immortal Realm, able to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit paused for a moment before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea because of them, and countless treasures are stolen. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear-cut in their sense of good and evil and deeply loyal.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the heavily guarded Dragon Palace.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which holds these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible pain. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s spirit, deftly avoided the detection of numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, anywhere, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to face Luo Tong’s true form in the future, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not inquire about what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would indicate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he refused, it would suggest that he was merely敷衍 him, intending to use him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with piles of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact, though various spirit stones were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything great. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again, entering the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, he immediately noticed the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, positioned on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and observed a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it was still the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang to repay her for her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material, which is good.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they possess formidable artifacts. Their most potent artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it requires dragon essence to activate. Each use diminishes their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly endanger their life in such a manner if they can live in tranquility?” Luo Tong’s spirit cast a disinterested glance around the second level. “Boring. These items are only suitable as materials for forging. Shui Miao, take them if you wish. If not, let it be. My true form is already abundant with excellent materials.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such a intense aura! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
The moment they stepped out of the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were instantly captivated by the radiant, multicolored glow emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits lifted immediately.
Having been deceived and suffered losses on numerous occasions in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with significant利益, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. Without hesitation, he channeled his spiritual energy to discreetly detect any mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s spirit. Vigilance was paramount—he was determined not to be deceived again.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly becoming active.
“He’s indeed tempted by profit and starting to play tricks on me, spouting nonsense!”
Perceiving the thoughts within Luo Tong’s spirit, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, he was only contending with a fragment of his spirit. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have been able to secure any advantage that day.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, dark and lightless, with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing formation that projected the outside world into the conch as shadows, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch swiftly dove deeper, and after a while, it entered a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting with the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them all the way down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the shadowy projection and saw dozens of evil dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up a formation, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul gestured towards the projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts create an invisible formation that can disrupt an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath this formation lies the lair of the evil dragons, housing an immense reservoir of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an abundance of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and relentlessly attacked by dozens of evil dragons under the influence of the formation—how long can he possibly endure? This is why warriors remain mere warriors. They rely solely on brute courage and inevitably meet their demise. It’s only a matter of time.”
“…”
Shui Miao said nothing, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that straightforward, righteous experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters were the most deserving of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to watch the show. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve accumulated are no less than those of the dwarf race. Since you’ve lost the support of the dwarves, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your formation. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea, and countless treasures are stolen by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures now, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind was made up, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer had any reservations.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s soul, deftly avoided the detection of numerous formations.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if what you say is true, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Formation in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these formations.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to face Luo Tong’s true form in the future, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered many formations, why not ask him directly what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the details, it would show that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he refused, it would indicate that he was merely敷衍 him, intending to use him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage that led into the treasure vault, emerging from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasure vault was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact in sight, though various spirit stones were plentiful.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasure vault has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again, slipping into the second level of the vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. He picked it up and inspected it closely, noticing a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable formations remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than crafting a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it remained the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he intended to return it to Meng Sanniang as a token of gratitude for her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it could serve as good material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most powerful artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated using dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can avoid it?” Luo Tong’s soul glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These things can only be used as materials for forging. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, leave them. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and pushed it aside slowly, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level of the vault.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the radiant, multicolored light emanating from a stone in the vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens!
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits lifted immediately.
Having been deceived and cheated multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with significant利益, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. He immediately concentrated his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s soul. *Though I harbor no ill intentions, it’s crucial to remain vigilant. I must not be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soul’s eyes darted around, his thoughts suddenly becoming active.
“He is truly lured by profit and has begun to deceive me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Perceiving the mental fluctuations from Luo Tong’s soul, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, he was only confronting a fragment of his soul. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected external surroundings into the conch as illusions, allowing those inside to perceive them.
The Nether Conch swiftly descended, and after a while, it submerged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. At best, he can hold out for a short while, but he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the illusion and noticed dozens of evil dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul gestured towards the illusion and said, “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the evil dragons, which holds vast reserves of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an abundance of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This simply proves that a warrior is merely a warrior, relying solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before he meets his demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that straightforward, righteous experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters were the most deserving of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to spectate. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarf race. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. With enough crafting materials and time, Shui Miao could forge another supreme artifact. By then, he would have the means to dominate in the Immortal Realm, with both offensive and defensive capabilities.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you believe they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea due to their actions, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures now, you’re essentially aiding him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the heavily guarded Dragon Palace.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; just call me big brother. Hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures across the Three Realms were crafted by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living crafting artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under Luo Tong’s soul’s control, deftly avoided the detection of numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If it weren’t for Buyi and the others leaving, he might have remained in the dark forever. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. Conversely, if he refused, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to exploit him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their crafting.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fiery red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts—not a single Immortal Artifact in sight. Of course, there were plenty of spirit stones and other resources.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to collect so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything great. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to enter the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was sparsely populated, with only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao stepped out of the Nether Conch, he immediately spotted the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, placed on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and noticed a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After sensing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is completely destroyed. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s useless now. Repairing it would be harder than crafting a new one.”
Nonetheless, Shui Miao carefully placed the mirror inside his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it remained the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon race. Should he ever manage to restore it in the future, he intended to return it to Meng Sanniang as a token of gratitude for her benevolence.
“This sword… what a shame, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “However, it can still be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most powerful artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated using dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can live peacefully?” Luo Tong’s soul glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These can only be used as crafting materials. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, it’s fine. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! A stone? Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the radiant, multicolored light emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits lifted immediately.
Having been deceived and suffered losses on numerous occasions, Shui Miao had come to understand that in the face of immense利益, all friendships could turn fragile. He promptly summoned his spiritual energy to discreetly perceive the mental fluctuations of Luo Tong’s soul. It was crucial to remain vigilant against others—he couldn’t afford to be duped once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soulful eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings, his thoughts suddenly springing to life.
“He is truly lured by profit and has begun to deceive me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s soul’s thoughts, Shui Miao felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, he was only dealing with a fragment of his soul. If Luo Tong’s true form had been present, he might not have gained any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force surged within him…
“But these aren’t really good things. This vault has three layers. The deeper we go, the better the treasures stored inside.”
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft is undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursue.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme-grade Netherworld Artifact, the Abyssal Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Abyssal Conch contained a sensing array that projected the external environment into the conch as shadowy illusions, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Abyssal Conch swiftly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the shadowy illusion and noticed dozens of vicious dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul gestured towards the illusion and remarked, “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array capable of disrupting an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the vicious dragons, which is rich in spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses an ample supply of spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of vicious dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This merely illustrates that a warrior, relying solely on brute courage, is destined to meet his demise sooner or later.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous, and demon-slaying expert was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to spectate. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The vicious dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarf race. Since you’ve lost the support of the dwarves, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are vicious dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures now, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could also see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the vicious dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme-grade Netherworld Artifact, the Abyssal Conch, stealthily made its way into the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible hardship. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
Under the control of Luo Tong’s soul, the Abyssal Conch deftly avoided the detection of numerous arrays.
Shui Miao couldn’t help but feel alarmed. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array I currently possess has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If he disclosed the information, it would indicate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he refused, it would imply that he was merely being evasive, intending to exploit Shui Miao later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of spiritual insight to him.
With a thought, Shui Miao realized this insight contained three methods Luo Tong used when tampering with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the door’s lintel. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrunk the Abyssal Conch and slipped through the golden dragon statue’s mouth. They traversed a narrow, thirty-meter-long passageway and emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside the treasure vault.
The Dragon Palace treasure vault was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Netherworld treasures—there wasn’t a single Immortal artifact in sight. Of course, there was no shortage of various spirit stones.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Netherworld treasures.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasure vault has three levels. The further in you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrunk the Abyssal Conch again, slipping into the second level of the treasure vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao stepped out of the Abyssal Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost, Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. He picked it up and inspected it closely, only to discover a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his spiritual energy, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than crafting a new one from scratch.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Yuan Ring. Even if it was a broken artifact, it was still the sacred relic of the Dream Demon Clan. If there was a chance to repair it, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity. It’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “However, it would make good material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
There were five or six other artifacts in the second level, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The vicious dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have actually damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they possess formidable artifacts. Their most potent artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it is activated using dragon essence. Each use reduces their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life in such a manner if they could live in peace?” Luo Tong’s soul cast a disinterested glance around the second level. “Nothing of interest here. These items can only serve as materials for forging. Shui Miao, take them if you wish. If not, it’s of little consequence. My true form is already abundant with fine materials.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! A stone? Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Abyssal Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the multicolored light emitted by a stone in the treasure vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens!
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with immense benefits, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. He immediately summoned his spiritual energy to subtly detect any fluctuations in Luo Tong’s soul and mental state. Caution was paramount—while he harbored no intent to kill, he couldn’t risk being deceived once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soul’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly becoming active.
“He’s indeed tempted by greed and starting to play tricks on me, spouting nonsense!”
Perceiving the thoughts within Luo Tong’s soul, Shui Miao felt a wave of relief. Thankfully, he was only contending with a fragment of Luo Tong’s soul. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage in today’s encounter.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
“It’s the Phantom Mirror!”
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, dark and lightless, with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadows of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“I found them!”
Luo Tong’s soul suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the shadowy projection and saw dozens of evil dragons swimming around Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s soul pointed at the projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts hidden in this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can affect an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array is the evil dragons’ lair, which contains ample spiritual energy reserves. Even if Wuchang Yidao has enough spirit stones, being trapped here for a long time and attacked by dozens of evil dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly hold out? This just goes to show that a warrior is just a warrior, relying only on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before he gets himself killed.”
“…”
Shui Miao said nothing, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous expert who risked his life to slay demons was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to watch the show. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect time for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect opportunity to grab some benefits.” Luo Tong’s soul was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s soul was taken aback for a moment before responding, “Good heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea because of them, and countless treasures are plundered. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao were similar in nature—clear about good and evil, and deeply loyal.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind was made up, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily made its way into the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s soul, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s soul chuckled and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which holds these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible hardship. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under Luo Tong’s soul’s control, dodged left and right, avoiding detection by numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s soul waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If it weren’t for Buyi and the others leaving, he might never have discovered this. If he were to fight Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he lose without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would demonstrate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. Conversely, if he refused, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to exploit him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s soul transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their forging.
“Ha! One last barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they arrived before a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s soul summoned a fiery red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s soul collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the golden dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passageway leading into the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There wasn’t a single Immortal Artifact in sight, though various spirit stones were plentiful.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to have collected so many Nether Artifacts.”
“Still, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The further in you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again, slipping into the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and inspected it closely, noticing a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. After probing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s soul shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one from scratch.”
Nonetheless, Shui Miao kept the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it remained the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. Should he ever find a way to restore it, he intended to return it to Meng Sanniang as a gesture of gratitude for her kindness.
“This sword… what a shame, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s soul shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it could serve as good material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Demon Devouring Heaven Sword.
There were five or six other artifacts in the second level, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most powerful artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s fueled by dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they could avoid it?” Luo Tong’s soul glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These things can only be used as materials for forging. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, it’s no big deal. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s soul moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong’s souls were dazzled by the radiant, multicolored light emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s soul stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and cheated numerous times in the past, Shui Miao was well aware that in the face of significant interests, all friendships could turn fragile. He immediately concentrated his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s soul. *Better safe than sorry. I must not be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s soul’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly becoming active.
“He’s truly lured by profit and beginning to scheme against me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s soul’s thoughts, Shui Miao felt relieved that he was only dealing with a strand of his soul. If his true form were here, Shui Miao might not have been able to gain any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly summoned…
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft is undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursue.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Netherworld artifact, the Abyssal Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Abyssal Conch contained a sensing array that projected the external environment into the conch as shadows, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Abyssal Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a short while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the shadows and noticed dozens of vicious dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit gestured toward the shadowy projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can disrupt an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array lies the lair of the vicious dragons, which holds abundant reserves of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses sufficient spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of vicious dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This is precisely why I say martial artists are merely martial artists—they rely solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before they are outwitted and ultimately slain.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that straightforward, righteous experts who risked their lives to slay demons and monsters were the most deserving of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to spectate. Their chaotic battle is the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The vicious dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to grab some benefits.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, and Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit was momentarily taken aback before responding, “Heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are vicious dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea because of them, and countless treasures are plundered. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures now, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear-cut in their sense of good and evil and deeply loyal.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the vicious dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Netherworld artifact, the Abyssal Conch, stealthily entered the heavily guarded Dragon Palace.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible hardship. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Abyssal Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s spirit, deftly avoided the detection of numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if what you say is true, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array I currently possess has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, anywhere, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand magnanimously, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might have remained in the dark forever. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even understanding why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered many arrays, why not ask him directly what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would show he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he refused, it would indicate he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to use him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during their forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of a chicken egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Abyssal Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passageway that led into the treasure vault, emerging from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasure vault was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Netherworld treasures—there wasn’t a single Immortal artifact in sight. Of course, various spirit stones were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to collect so many Netherworld treasures.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasure vault has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the items stored.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to what appeared to be an ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Abyssal Conch again to infiltrate the second level of the treasure vault.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was sparsely populated, with only five or six weapon racks. Emerging from the Abyssal Conch, Shui Miao immediately spotted the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, placed on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and examined it, only to find a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After sensing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is completely destroyed. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically useless. Repairing it would be harder than forging a new one.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Yuan Ring. Even if it was broken, it was still the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. If he had the chance to repair it, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her for recognizing his talent.
“This sword… what a shame, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red long sword nearby. “However, it can still be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The vicious dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they possess formidable artifacts. Their most potent artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it is activated using dragon essence. Each activation consumes five hundred years of their lifespan. Who would be willing to gamble their life in such a manner when they can live in peace?” Luo Tong’s spirit cast a disinterested glance around the second level. “Boring. These items are only suitable as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you wish. If not, it’s of no consequence. My true form has an abundance of superior materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! Stone—Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Abyssal Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were instantly captivated by the dazzling五彩光芒 emanating from a stone in the treasure vault!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens!
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffering losses multiple times, Shui Miao realized that in the face of significant interests, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately gathered his spiritual energy to subtly detect the mental fluctuations in Luo Tong’s spirit. “Always be wary of others’ intentions—no matter how harmless they appear,” he resolved, determined not to be fooled again.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s spiritual eyes swiftly scanned the surroundings, and his thoughts suddenly sprang to life.
“He is truly lured by profit and has begun to scheme against me, spouting utter nonsense!”
Sensing the mental activity of Luo Tong’s spirit, Shui Miao felt a wave of relief. Fortunately, he was only contending with a fragment of Luo Tong’s spirit. Had Luo Tong’s true form been present, Shui Miao might not have secured any advantage that day.
As Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force was instantly mobilized…
“This sword is a pity—it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen shook his head at the broken blood-colored longsword beside him, “But it can still be used as material for forging.”
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Therefore, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected shadows of the outside world into the conch, allowing those inside to perceive their surroundings.
The Nether Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep trench on the seafloor.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a treasure that can reverse time to increase his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao looked at the shadowy projection and saw dozens of evil dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit pointed at the projection. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts hidden in this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array that can affect an outsider’s spiritual power and mobility. Beneath the array is the evil dragons’ lair, which contains a vast reserve of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao has plenty of spirit stones, being trapped here for a long time and attacked by dozens of evil dragons under the influence of the array—how long can he possibly last? This just goes to show that a brute is a brute. He relies solely on brute courage, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets himself killed.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous expert who risked his life to slay demons and monsters was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we’re not here to spectate. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The evil dragon clan has dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had protected him before, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant. He thought taking advantage of others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit paused for a moment before responding, “Heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to understand, these are evil dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your grand array. Where do you think their wealth comes from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By looting their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s resolve shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the evil dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me ‘senior.’ Just call me ‘big brother.’ Hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many treasures in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is a terrible hardship. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come here and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under the control of Luo Tong’s spirit, deftly avoided the detection of numerous arrays.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was secretly alarmed, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered many arrays, why not ask him directly about his actions? If Luo Tong disclosed the information, it would show that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. If he refused, it would indicate that he was merely humoring Shui Miao and intended to use him later.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of divine consciousness to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this divine consciousness contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the doorframe. Shui Miao sensed that the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passageway leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside the treasury.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts. There were no Immortal Artifacts, though spirit stones and other resources were abundant.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to collect so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t particularly valuable. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to enter the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, his eyes immediately fell upon the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. He picked it up for a closer inspection, observing a perfectly round hole drilled through its surface. Sensing it with his divine consciousness, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head in dismay. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is utterly ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain. It’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one from scratch.”
Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it was still the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… what a pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material. That’s something.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The evil dragon clan doesn’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, right?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely damaged their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most powerful artifact is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s activated using dragon essence. Using it once shortens their lifespan by five hundred years. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can avoid it?” Luo Tong’s spirit glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Nothing interesting here. These can only be used as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, it’s no loss. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Clearly, this was the secret passage to the innermost level of the treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such intense energy! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were instantly captivated by the dazzling, multicolored radiance emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the legendary stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens!
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffered losses multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with significant interests, all friendships could become fragile. He immediately concentrated his spiritual energy to discreetly gauge Luo Tong’s mental state. It was crucial to remain vigilant—he couldn’t afford to be deceived once more.
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit’s eyes darted around, his mind already scheming.
“He’s indeed tempted by greed and starting to deceive me with lies!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s spirit’s thoughts, Shui Miao felt relieved that he was only dealing with a strand of his spirit. If his true form were here, Shui Miao might not have been able to gain any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual energy surged within him…
There were five or six other treasures in the second vault, but unfortunately, all were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how did their treasures get broken? Don’t the Evil Dragon Clan have any powerful treasures?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tian Xiong were only pretending, they wouldn’t have truly damaged their treasures, would they?
“Of course they have powerful treasures. Their most powerful one is the Dragon God Claw, powered by Dragon Essence. But using it shortens their lifespan by five hundred years each time. Who would willingly risk their life for a fight when they could live peacefully?” Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen glanced disinterestedly at the second vault, “These are only good for forging materials. Shui Miao, if you like them, take them all. If not, leave them. My true body has plenty of good materials already.”
Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen approached a weapon rack and slowly pushed it aside, revealing a round little hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the final treasure vault.
Thus, the two entered the last layer.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“So intense! Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
Luo Tong’s obsession with forging was something Shui Miao was well aware of.
For someone obsessed with forging, reaching the pinnacle of their craft was undoubtedly the ultimate goal they pursued.
Thus, Shui Miao had no reason to doubt Luo Tong’s motives.
At that moment, Shui Miao followed Luo Tong into the supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, and descended toward the depths of the Raksha Sea.
The Raksha Sea was filled with a bloody aura, shrouded in darkness, and permeated with an exceptionally intense sinister energy.
Fortunately, the Nether Conch contained a sensing array that projected virtual images of the outside world into the conch, allowing them to identify their surroundings.
The Nether Conch rapidly descended, and after a while, it plunged into a deep-sea trench.
“We’ve found them!”
Luo Tong’s spirit suddenly exclaimed excitedly, “Haha, that Wuchang Yidao is such a fool! Fighting the Dragon Sovereigns on the surface is one thing, but he actually chased them down here. This is the seabed, the very place where the Dragon Sovereigns grew up. Even if he has a time-reversing artifact to boost his speed, he won’t be able to move quickly underwater. Even if he can hold out for a while, he definitely won’t last long.”
“Are you saying he doesn’t have enough spirit stones?”
Shui Miao observed the virtual image and noticed dozens of vicious dragons circling Wuchang Yidao in the trench. They seemed to have set up an array, trapping him.
Luo Tong’s spirit gestured toward the virtual image. “Look, there are clearly several artifacts concealed within this trench. These artifacts form an invisible array capable of disrupting an outsider’s mental and physical abilities. Beneath the array lies the lair of the vicious dragons, stocked with abundant reserves of spiritual energy. Even if Wuchang Yidao possesses sufficient spirit stones, being trapped here for an extended period and subjected to relentless attacks by dozens of vicious dragons under the array’s influence—how long can he possibly endure? This merely illustrates that a warrior is just a warrior, relying solely on brute courage. It’s only a matter of time before he meets his demise.”
“…”
Shui Miao remained silent, but inwardly, he felt a desire to help Wuchang Yidao. He believed that such a straightforward, righteous, and demon-slaying expert was truly worthy of respect.
“Alright, Shui Miao, we didn’t come here to spectate. While they’re busy fighting, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to sneak into the Dragon Palace and loot its treasures. The vicious dragons have dominated the Raksha Sea for countless years, and the treasures they’ve amassed are no less than those of the dwarves. Since you’ve lost the dwarves’ support, this is the perfect place to gather some resources.” Luo Tong’s spirit was right. As long as Shui Miao had enough forging materials and time, he could create another supreme artifact. With that, he could dominate in the Immortal Realm and have the means to advance or retreat as needed.
“Aren’t we just taking advantage of the situation?”
The four Dragon Sovereigns had once protected him, so Shui Miao felt somewhat reluctant, thinking that profiting from others’ misfortune was despicable.
Luo Tong’s spirit paused for a moment before responding, “Heavens, you’re so naive! But you have to remember, these are vicious dragons! They protected you only because you trapped them in your array. Where do you think their wealth came from? Do you think they earned it through hard work? Every year, countless innocent lives are lost in the Raksha Sea, and countless treasures are plundered by them. Their wealth is ill-gotten! Besides, didn’t you want to help Wuchang Yidao? By taking their treasures, you’re essentially helping him!”
Luo Tong could see that Shui Miao and Wuchang Yidao shared similar personalities—clear distinctions between good and evil, and a strong sense of loyalty.
“Alright!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted, and he nodded in agreement.
Remembering how the vicious dragons had devoured and killed many innocent lives on the ghost ship, Shui Miao no longer hesitated.
The supreme Nether Artifact, the Nether Conch, stealthily entered the Dragon Palace’s inner sanctum.
Under the guidance of Luo Tong’s spirit, their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Shui Miao was curious. “Senior Luo Tong, you seem very familiar with this place?”
“Don’t call me senior; call me big brother instead, hehe…” Luo Tong’s spirit chuckled softly and lowered his voice. “Do you know how many artifacts in the Three Realms were forged by me? Let me tell you, even this Dragon Palace, which houses these treasures, was built by me. I even hid a life talisman here. You see, for those of us who make a living forging artifacts, not having enough materials is agony. So, when I crafted artifacts for them, I left a backdoor. Whenever I want, I can come in and take treasures as easily as walking into my own backyard.”
The Nether Conch, under Luo Tong’s spiritual control, deftly avoided numerous arrays’ detection.
Shui Miao was astonished. “Brother Luo Tong, if that’s the case, then the Ten Yin Kunyuan Array in my possession has also been tampered with by you. If you wanted, you could take it back anytime, right?”
“Hehe, of course. I won’t hide anything from you. Don’t worry, I have no interest in these arrays.” Luo Tong’s spirit waved his hand dismissively, answering frankly.
“…”
Shui Miao was inwardly shocked, blaming himself for being too careless. If Bu Yi and the others hadn’t left, he might never have discovered this. If he were to confront Luo Tong’s true form someday, wouldn’t he be defeated without even knowing why?
However, Shui Miao suddenly thought that since Luo Tong had altered numerous arrays, why not simply ask him what he had done? If Luo Tong disclosed the details, it would indicate that he didn’t regard Shui Miao as an outsider. Conversely, if he refused to share, it would suggest that he was merely humoring Shui Miao, intending to exploit him at a later time.
Before Shui Miao could ask, Luo Tong’s spirit transmitted a stream of spiritual insight to him.
Shui Miao focused his mind and realized this insight contained three methods Luo Tong used to tamper with artifacts during forging.
“Ha! One final barrier! Watch me…”
Upon reaching the Dragon Palace, they faced a massive golden door. Luo Tong’s spirit summoned a fire-red pearl the size of an egg and placed it into the mouth of a carved golden dragon above the door’s lintel. Shui Miao sensed the pearl contained pure fire-attribute spiritual energy. Soon, a stream of golden liquid flowed from the dragon’s mouth. Luo Tong’s spirit collected the liquid, then shrank the Nether Conch and slipped through the dragon statue’s mouth into a narrow, thirty-meter-long passage leading to the treasury. They emerged from the mouth of another golden dragon inside.
The Dragon Palace treasury was filled with mountains of artifacts, but at a glance, they were all Nether Artifacts—not a single Immortal Artifact in sight. Of course, there were plenty of spirit stones and other resources.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to collect so many Nether Artifacts.”
“However, these aren’t anything special. This treasury has three levels. The deeper you go, the better the treasures.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to a seemingly ordinary wall lamp, removed the wick, and shrank the Nether Conch again to enter the second level of the treasury.
“It’s the Illusion Demon Mirror!”
The second level was largely vacant, housing only five or six weapon racks. As Shui Miao emerged from the Nether Conch, he immediately noticed the Illusion Demon Mirror of the thousand-year-old female ghost Bai Lian, resting on one of the racks. Shui Miao picked it up and observed a perfectly round hole drilled through it. After sensing it with his spiritual insight, Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head. “This Illusion Demon Mirror is completely ruined. Only some fragmented and irreparable arrays remain—it’s practically worthless. Repairing it would be more challenging than forging a new one.”
Nevertheless, Shui Miao stored the mirror in his Saint Ring. Even if it was broken, it was still the sacred artifact of the Dream Demon Clan. If he could repair it someday, he could return it to Meng Sanniang as a way to repay her kindness.
“This sword… pity, it’s also ruined!”
Luo Tong’s spirit shook his head at a broken blood-red longsword nearby. “Still, it can be used as material.”
Shui Miao turned and recognized it as Hua Tianxiong’s Saint Devil Devouring Heaven Sword.
The second level contained five or six other artifacts, but unfortunately, all of them were damaged.
“Brother Luo Tong, how were their artifacts destroyed? The vicious dragons don’t seem to have any powerful artifacts, do they?” Shui Miao was puzzled. If Bai Lian and Hua Tianxiong were acting, they wouldn’t have genuinely destroyed their artifacts!
“Of course they have powerful artifacts. Their most formidable one is the Dragon God Claw, but it’s powered by dragon essence. Using it once costs five hundred years of life. Who would willingly risk their life like that if they can avoid it?” Luo Tong’s spirit glanced around the second level with disinterest. “Boring. These things are only useful as forging materials. Shui Miao, take them if you like. If not, leave them. My true form has plenty of good materials anyway.”
Luo Tong’s spirit moved to another weapon rack and pushed it aside, revealing a small, round hole.
Undoubtedly, this was the secret passage to the innermost treasury.
Thus, the two entered the final level of the treasury.
“Uh! This… this is…”
“Such an intense aura! A stone? Brother Luo Tong, what kind of stone is this?”
As soon as they emerged from the Nether Conch, Shui Miao and Luo Tong were instantly captivated by the dazzling multicolored radiance emanating from a stone in the treasury!
“Could it be… could it be the legendary Nüwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s spirit stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm whether this was the mythical stone used by Nüwa to mend the heavens.
Hearing the name “Nüwa Stone,” Shui Miao’s spirits soared.
Having been deceived and suffering losses multiple times in the past, Shui Miao understood that when faced with significant benefits, even the strongest friendships could become fragile. He immediately gathered his spiritual energy to subtly detect Luo Tong’s mental fluctuations. *It’s crucial to stay vigilant—I cannot afford to be deceived again.*
“No! This can’t be the Nüwa Stone. The Nüwa Stone couldn’t be this large. Shui Miao, what do you think this is?!”
Luo Tong’s eyes darted around, his mind suddenly springing to life.
“He’s indeed tempted by greed and starting to deceive me with lies!”
Sensing Luo Tong’s thoughts, Shui Miao felt fortunate that he was only dealing with a strand of his spirit. If Luo Tong’s true form were here, he might not have been able to gain any advantage today.
As Shui Miao’s mind raced, a powerful devouring spiritual force stirred within him…
“Could it be… could this be the legendary Nuwa Stone?!”
Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen stared wide-eyed, unable to believe or confirm that this was the legendary Nuwa Stone capable of mending the heavens!
At the mention of Nuwa Stone, Shui Miao’s spirit surged.
Having suffered many setbacks and been deceived numerous times, Shui Miao knew well that friendship could easily crumble in the face of great profit. He immediately focused his spiritual power to subtly sense Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen’s mental fluctuations. One must not harbor ill intentions, but one must be cautious. He would never be deceived again.
“No! This definitely isn’t the Nuwa Stone. The Nuwa Stone couldn’t possibly be this big. Shui Miao, what do you think this thing is?!”
Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen’s eyes darted around, his mind racing.
“He’s definitely tempted by profit and now trying to deceive me with lies!”
Shui Miao sensed Luo Tong’s Yuan Shen’s thoughts and inwardly felt relieved. Fortunately, he was only facing a Yuan Shen projection. If Luo Tong’s true body were here as well, today might not have ended in his favor.
Shui Miao’s mind raced, and a powerful Soul Devouring Force was instantly activated…
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