The dwarf was very old, his beard and eyebrows completely white.
He paced back and forth in front of his shop, observing the passersby and watching everyone’s every move.
When he saw Shui Miao approach, the dwarf immediately cast a few glances toward him.
At this moment, Shui Miao was in the guise of Zhao Tianyi, a form unrecognizable to ordinary people.
“Friend, what are you looking for? I don’t have much else, only herbs from the Netherworld and the Realm of Rakshasas,” the dwarf said absentmindedly to Shui Miao, his head occasionally turning left and right, continuing to observe the crowd.
He must be scouting for information.
Bu Yi and Meng San Niang had disappeared, and Shui Miao had every reason to believe they were hiding, waiting for the right moment to reappear.
Judging from the dwarf’s demeanor, he must know quite a bit.
Shui Miao’s thoughts flickered, and he smiled slightly before saying, “I’m not here to buy anything. I want to find someone.”
“Find someone? Are you looking for someone from our Dwarven Clan? If not, I suggest you ask someone else, because I’m not very familiar with this place,” the dwarf replied, still glancing around, clearly not focused on Shui Miao.
Shui Miao felt puzzled—what exactly was this dwarf looking at?
“I’m looking for Bu Yi.”
Shui Miao looked at the dwarf and suddenly said Bu Yi’s name.
The dwarf was startled and immediately began to scrutinize Shui Miao carefully. “Friend, who exactly are you?”
“My name is Zhao Tianyi, the sect leader of Tianyi Sect. Please tell Elder Brother Bu Yi that the Immortal Realm is in chaos. We can only survive by uniting and sticking together.” Shui Miao shrugged. “Nothing else, really. Ever since we parted ways in the Realm of Rakshasas, I’ve missed him greatly, so I came specially to ask Elder Brother to pass on this message.”
“Oh, so you’re a friend of our clan leader. My apologies, my apologies. I’ll be sure to deliver your message,” the elderly dwarf said, bowing his fists toward Shui Miao before resuming his restless glances around, clearly uninterested in further conversation.
“…”
Shui Miao suddenly realized that being ignored felt quite unpleasant.
What exactly was he looking at?
As his thoughts turned, Shui Miao secretly activated the Dream Demon Cultivation Technique to probe the dwarf’s thoughts.
The old man’s cultivation level wasn’t high.
Shui Miao easily accessed his thoughts—but what he found shocked him.
There was a rumor that today’s auction would feature an extraordinary treasure, a priceless artifact. Whoever obtained it would surely triumph over all rivals in the group matches and seize the championship. Therefore, many powerful figures were expected to show up today, and the dwarf Buo Fa would appear shortly.
An extraordinary treasure?
Shui Miao couldn’t help but become curious. What kind of extraordinary treasure had appeared? Could it be the legendary artifact crafted by the Divine Artisan King Luo Tong?
Suddenly, Shui Miao’s mood was stirred, and he couldn’t help but start glancing around.
Inside the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, the auction stage was completely empty.
And there was only half an hour left until the auction began.
Shui Miao licked his lips and walked toward some shops opposite the auction venue. By chance, he noticed a shop selling immortal artifacts and became somewhat interested, stepping inside. Upon entering, he swept the shop with his divine sense and found that it contained only mid- and low-grade immortal artifacts—no high-grade ones at all.
The dwarf was very old, with a beard and eyebrows completely white. He paced back and forth in front of his shop, observing the comings and goings of people, paying attention to everyone’s actions.
When Shui Miao arrived, the dwarf immediately glanced at him a few times. Shui Miao was currently disguised as Zhao Tianyi, a form that most people wouldn’t recognize.
“Friend, what are you looking for? I don’t have much here, only herbs from the underworld and the Raksha realm,” the dwarf said absentmindedly to Shui Miao, his head constantly turning left and right, observing the crowd.
He was clearly gathering information.
Bu Yi and Meng Sanniang had disappeared, and Shui Miao had reason to believe they were hiding, waiting for the right moment to reappear.
Judging by the dwarf’s demeanor, he must know quite a bit.
Shui Miao’s thoughts flickered, and he smiled slightly, saying, “I’m not here to buy anything. I’m looking for someone.”
“Looking for someone? Are you looking for someone from our dwarf clan? If not, I suggest you ask someone else, because I’m not very familiar with this area,” the dwarf continued to look around, his mind clearly not on Shui Miao.
Shui Miao wondered, what exactly is this dwarf looking for?
“I’m looking for Bu Yi.”
Shui Miao suddenly mentioned Bu Yi’s name, looking directly at the dwarf.
The dwarf was startled and immediately scrutinized Shui Miao carefully. “Friend, who are you?”
“My name is Zhao Tianyi, the leader of the Tianyi Sect. Please tell Brother Bu Yi that the immortal realm is in chaos, and we must unite and stick together to survive,” Shui Miao shrugged, “That’s all. I missed him dearly since we parted in the Raksha realm, so I came specifically to ask you to pass on this message.”
“Oh, so you’re a friend of our clan leader. My apologies, I will definitely deliver this message,” the old dwarf clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to Shui Miao, then continued to look around, showing no intention of engaging in further conversation.
“…”
Shui Miao suddenly felt the discomfort of being ignored.
What is he looking at?
Shui Miao’s thoughts turned, and he quietly activated the Dream Demon technique to probe the old dwarf’s thoughts.
The old man’s cultivation was not profound.
Shui Miao easily accessed his thoughts… but what he found surprised him.
There was a rumor that today’s auction would feature a peerless treasure, a treasure of immense value. Whoever obtained it would surely dominate the group stage and claim the championship. Therefore, many powerful figures were expected to attend, and the dwarf clan’s Bu Fa would also appear later.
A peerless treasure?
Shui Miao couldn’t help but wonder, what kind of peerless treasure had emerged? Could it be a masterpiece crafted by the legendary Artifact Sage, Luo Tong?
Suddenly, Shui Miao’s curiosity was piqued, and he began to look around as well.
The auction platform in the Treasure Pavilion was empty.
The auction was set to begin in just half an hour.
Shui Miao licked his lips and walked towards some shops opposite the auction venue. By chance, he noticed a shop selling immortal artifacts and walked in with interest. Scanning the shop with his divine sense, he found that it only contained mid to low-grade immortal artifacts, with no high-grade ones in sight.
The shopkeeper was a somewhat handsome middle-aged man, though his clothes were shabby—a worn green robe and cloth shoes. However, his physique was robust, with well-developed muscles. He was engrossed in studying a formation manual and, without looking up, said, “Mid-grade immortal artifacts are five thousand top-grade spirit stones each, low-grade ones are one thousand top-grade spirit stones each. No bargaining.”
Top-grade spirit stones were refined by the Spirit Stone Bureau.
These stones could be used by cultivators for direct cultivation or as currency for transactions.
The middle-aged man’s prices were relatively high compared to other shops.
Shui Miao picked up a flying sword and examined it, finding the craftsmanship quite refined. Seeing the man’s diligent and serious demeanor, he asked curiously, “Did you craft these yourself?”
“Oh, yes. I’m currently a third-grade Artisan, only capable of crafting mid-grade immortal artifacts like flying swords and protective talismans. Friend, you seem to know about crafting as well?” The man’s keen insight had already noticed that Shui Miao didn’t seem like a typical buyer but more like someone knowledgeable about crafting.
Shui Miao nodded. Since there was still some time before the auction, he thought it would be nice to chat with someone.
Seeing that Shui Miao indeed knew about crafting, the man seemed to have found a kindred spirit and eagerly invited Shui Miao to sit down.
After some conversation, Shui Miao learned that the man’s name was Li Pan, a native immortal.
Li Pan’s method of crafting immortal artifacts was different from Shui Miao’s. He used traditional forging techniques, heating materials in a furnace and hammering them, much like an ancient blacksmith. Crafting a single artifact could take months or even years.
In the immortal realm, this method of crafting was still very popular.
This was also why Li Pan’s physique was so robust—swinging a hammer every day made it hard not to be strong.
As for Shui Miao’s spiritual crafting, it was the most mysterious method in the immortal realm, with no one willing to teach it.
After talking with Li Pan, Shui Miao realized how rare and valuable his skills were.
Shui Miao also learned that in the immortal realm, there were specialized bureaus for testing crafting skills. Skilled artisans could be highly valued by the Heavenly Court and even recommended by the Immortal Emperor to take exams in higher realms, becoming Artifact Sages.
This path gave Shui Miao an idea for networking with influential figures.
When Li Pan learned that Shui Miao used spiritual energy to craft artifacts, his face immediately showed immense admiration.
Shui Miao was generous and immediately offered to teach Li Pan how to craft using spiritual energy.
Upon hearing this, Li Pan knelt before Shui Miao, wanting to become his disciple.
Shui Miao quickly helped Li Pan up, suggesting they could address each other as brothers.
Shui Miao then taught Li Pan how to control objects with his mind, but Li Pan’s spiritual energy was too weak.
Enhancing spiritual energy wasn’t something that could be done overnight. It required gradual cultivation, a lot of medicinal nourishment, and a good understanding. Li Pan’s aptitude was poor, but he had perseverance and an indomitable spirit. Recognizing this, Shui Miao taught him the mental cultivation techniques of Sima Zongheng and Zhuge Suanpan, shared his own experiences of cultivation and growth, and imparted some formation knowledge.
Li Pan was deeply grateful and vowed to master this knowledge, not to disappoint Shui Miao.
To support Li Pan, Shui Miao even gave him two recently crafted immortal artifacts to sell for money, improve his life, and focus entirely on the study of crafting.
Li Pan was both surprised and delighted by the two high-grade immortal artifacts and couldn’t bear to sell them, keeping them as mementos instead.
Shui Miao could only do so much in this chance encounter.
At that moment, a large crowd suddenly poured into the Treasure Pavilion, and among them were many celestial soldiers and generals!
What was going on?
Shui Miao was stunned. Why were celestial soldiers and generals involved in the auction of treasures?
At least one hundred and fifty celestial soldiers and generals arrived, protecting an immortal official dressed in luxurious robes. The rest of the crowd was a mix of various people, numbering at least five hundred.
Shui Miao dared not act rashly and looked around, spotting Bu Fa accompanied by Bu Xiang.
The celestial soldiers and generals maintained order as the immortal official stepped forward, raising his hand to signal for silence.
He then announced, “Everyone, today’s auction is commissioned by a wealthy merchant and organized by the Heavenly Court’s Military Bureau. We will be auctioning two never-before-seen treasures. One is the Time Protection Pearl, a top-grade immortal artifact that not only protects but also speeds up your movements—a true rarity that can greatly enhance combat power. The other is the Supreme Artifact, the Frozen Domain, an absolute super weapon…”
“…”
Hearing this, Shui Miao was shocked. There was something fishy about this!
It was understandable that the Immortal Venerable Hu had commissioned the Heavenly Court’s Military Bureau to sell the Time Protection Pearl. But selling the Frozen Domain as well? That was unlikely. He was a man seeking revenge and wouldn’t have given up his family heirloom so easily.
Shui Miao suspected that Immortal Venerable Hu had been killed by the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor.
Apart from him, Shui Miao couldn’t think of anyone else ruthless enough to seize the Frozen Domain.
But Shui Miao couldn’t understand why the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor, who surely coveted such a treasure, would be in such a hurry to sell it.
Unless…
Shui Miao’s thoughts turned, and he suddenly thought of a shocking conspiracy!
With the impending war between immortals and gods, someone might be targeting wealthy merchants. By auctioning off top-grade treasures, they could lure the rich into a bidding war, secretly record their identities, and then eliminate them to accumulate capital for some grand scheme! And the mastermind behind this was likely the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor.
Yes, and Hua Yuting!
Hua Yuting had just visited the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor, and then Immortal Venerable Hu met his demise!
Damn it… I must uncover the truth!
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, becoming clearer. Looking at the celestial soldiers and generals, he noticed that some were clearly observing the crowd.
The immortal official continued to detail the attributes of the artifacts and began the auction for the Time Protection Pearl.
The starting bid was one hundred thousand spirit stones.
After a moment of silence, someone suddenly shouted, “One hundred and ten thousand!”
“Two hundred thousand spirit stones!”
As soon as the first bid was made, a burly man immediately raised the bid to two hundred thousand.
Everyone was stunned and turned to look at the man.
The man sneered, “Do you even have that many spirit stones to compete with me?”
“…”
The crowd was taken aback.
“Five hundred thousand spirit stones.”
At this moment, Bu Xiang raised his hand, pushing the bid to five hundred thousand.
The man immediately responded without hesitation, “Two million spirit stones.”
“…”
Everyone was completely shocked. They had never seen such aggressive bidding.
This wasn’t an auction; it was blatant flaunting of wealth!
Bu Xiang and Bu Fa exchanged glances, and Bu Fa raised his hand, “Two million and ten thousand spirit stones.”
“Five million.”
The man raised his hand again.
At this point, Shui Miao noticed the immortal official giving a subtle nod to a celestial general beside him.
“This is bad!”
Shui Miao worried for Bu Fa and Bu Xiang, but in this situation, there was nothing he could do to help!
The dwarf was very old, with his beard and eyebrows completely white. He paced back and forth in front of his shop, observing the comings and goings of people, paying attention to everyone’s movements.
When he saw Shui Miao approaching, the dwarf immediately glanced at him a few times. Shui Miao, currently disguised as Zhao Tianyi, was unrecognizable to most people.
“Friend, what are you looking for? I don’t have much here, only medicinal herbs from the Underworld and the Rakshasa Realm,” the dwarf said absentmindedly to Shui Miao, his head constantly turning left and right, keeping an eye on the crowd.
He was clearly gathering information.
Bu Yi and Meng Sanniang had disappeared, and Shui Miao had reason to believe they were hiding, waiting for the right moment to reappear.
Judging by the dwarf’s demeanor, he must know quite a bit.
Shui Miao’s thoughts flickered, and he smiled slightly, saying, “I’m not here to buy anything. I’m looking for someone.”
“Looking for someone? Are you looking for someone from our dwarf clan? If not, I suggest you ask someone else, as I’m not very familiar with this area,” the dwarf continued to glance around, his attention clearly not on Shui Miao.
Shui Miao wondered, what exactly was the dwarf looking for?
“I’m looking for Bu Yi.”
Shui Miao suddenly mentioned Bu Yi’s name.
The dwarf was startled and immediately scrutinized Shui Miao carefully. “Friend, who are you?”
“My name is Zhao Tianyi, the leader of the Tianyi Sect. Please tell Brother Bu Yi that the Immortal Realm is in chaos, and only by uniting and sticking together can we survive,” Shui Miao shrugged, “That’s all. I’ve missed him dearly since we parted in the Rakshasa Realm, so I’ve come to ask you to pass on this message.”
“Oh, so you’re a friend of our clan leader. My apologies, I’ll definitely pass on your message,” the elderly dwarf clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, then continued to look around, showing no intention of engaging further with Shui Miao.
“…”
Shui Miao suddenly felt the discomfort of being ignored.
What exactly was he looking at?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he secretly activated the Dream Demon technique to probe the dwarf’s thoughts.
The old dwarf’s cultivation wasn’t particularly profound.
Shui Miao easily accessed his thoughts… but what he found surprised him.
There was a rumor that today’s auction would feature a legendary treasure, a priceless artifact that could ensure victory in the upcoming tournament. Thus, many powerful figures were expected to attend, and Bu Fa of the dwarf clan would also appear soon.
A legendary treasure?
Shui Miao’s curiosity was piqued. What kind of legendary treasure could it be? Could it be a masterpiece crafted by the legendary blacksmith Luo Tong?
Suddenly, Shui Miao’s mood was also stirred, and he began to look around.
The auction platform in the Treasure Pavilion was empty.
The auction was only half an hour away.
Shui Miao licked his lips and walked towards some shops opposite the auction venue. By chance, he noticed a shop selling immortal artifacts and walked in with interest. Scanning the shop with his divine sense, he found that it only contained mid to low-grade immortal artifacts, with no high-grade ones in sight.
The shopkeeper was a somewhat handsome middle-aged man, though his attire was rather shabby—a worn green robe and cloth shoes. However, his physique was robust, with well-developed muscles. He was engrossed in studying a book on formation techniques and, without looking up, said, “Mid-grade immortal artifacts are five thousand top-grade spirit stones each, low-grade ones are one thousand top-grade spirit stones each. Non-negotiable.”
Top-grade spirit stones were refined by the Spirit Stone Bureau.
These stones could be used by cultivators for direct cultivation or as currency in transactions.
The middle-aged man’s prices were relatively high compared to other shops.
Shui Miao picked up a flying sword and examined it, finding the craftsmanship quite refined. Noticing the man’s diligent demeanor, he asked curiously, “Did you forge these yourself?”
“Oh, yes. I’m currently a third-grade blacksmith, only capable of crafting mid-grade immortal artifacts like flying swords and protective talismans. Friend, you seem to know something about forging?” The man’s keen insight had already detected that Shui Miao wasn’t just a customer but someone knowledgeable about forging, so he stopped to chat.
Shui Miao nodded. Since the auction hadn’t started yet, he might as well have a conversation.
Seeing that Shui Miao indeed knew about forging, the man, as if finding a kindred spirit, quickly invited him to sit down.
After some conversation, Shui Miao learned that the man’s name was Li Pan, a native of the Immortal Realm.
Li Pan’s forging method differed from Shui Miao’s. He used traditional forging techniques, heating materials in a furnace and hammering them, much like an ancient blacksmith. Crafting a single immortal artifact could take months or even years.
In the Immortal Realm, this method of forging was still very popular.
This was also why Li Pan’s body was so robust—swinging a hammer daily made it hard not to be muscular.
As for Shui Miao’s spiritual forging, it was the most mysterious method in the Immortal Realm, with no one willing to teach it.
After talking with Li Pan, Shui Miao realized how rare and valuable his skills were.
Shui Miao also learned that in the Immortal Realm, there were specialized bureaus for testing forging skills. Skilled blacksmiths could gain favor from the Heavenly Court and even receive recommendations from the Immortal Emperor to take exams in higher realms, potentially becoming a Forging Sage.
This path gave Shui Miao an idea for networking with influential figures.
When Li Pan learned that Shui Miao used spiritual energy to forge artifacts, his face immediately showed immense admiration.
Shui Miao generously offered to teach Li Pan how to forge using spiritual energy.
Upon hearing this, Li Pan immediately knelt before Shui Miao, wanting to become his disciple.
Shui Miao quickly helped him up, suggesting they address each other as brothers.
Shui Miao then taught Li Pan how to control objects with his mind, but Li Pan’s spiritual energy was too weak.
Enhancing spiritual energy wasn’t something that could be done overnight. It required gradual cultivation, ample medicinal nourishment, and a certain level of insight. Li Pan’s aptitude was poor, but he possessed perseverance and an indomitable spirit. Recognizing this, Shui Miao taught him the mental cultivation techniques of Sima Zongheng and Zhuge Suanpan, shared his own experiences of growth, and imparted some formation knowledge.
Li Pan was deeply grateful, vowing to master this knowledge and not disappoint Shui Miao.
To support Li Pan, Shui Miao even gave him two recently forged immortal artifacts to sell and improve his living conditions, allowing him to focus entirely on forging.
Li Pan, overjoyed and reluctant to sell the high-grade artifacts, kept them as mementos.
Shui Miao could only do so much in this chance encounter.
At that moment, a large crowd suddenly poured into the Treasure Pavilion, with more than half being celestial soldiers and generals!
What was going on?
Shui Miao was stunned. Why were celestial soldiers and generals involved in the auction?
At least one hundred and fifty celestial soldiers and generals arrived, escorting a celestial official dressed in luxurious robes. The rest of the crowd was a mix of various people, totaling over five hundred.
Shui Miao didn’t dare act rashly. Looking around, he noticed Bu Fa arriving with Bu Xiang.
The celestial soldiers and generals maintained order as the celestial official stepped forward, raising his hand to signal for silence.
He then announced, “Everyone, today’s auction is commissioned by a wealthy merchant and facilitated by the Heavenly Court’s Military Bureau. We will be auctioning two never-before-seen treasures. One is the Time Protection Pearl, a supreme-grade immortal artifact that not only protects but also enhances your speed, a true rarity that can significantly boost combat power. The other is the ultimate artifact, the Frozen Domain, an absolute super weapon…”
“…”
Hearing this, Shui Miao was shocked. There was something fishy about this!
It was understandable that the Heavenly Court’s Military Bureau was facilitating the auction on behalf of a wealthy merchant. But selling the Frozen Domain? That was highly unlikely. The owner of the Frozen Domain was someone seeking revenge, and it was improbable that he had achieved his goal so quickly. Moreover, this was his cherished family heirloom—why would he part with it so easily?
Shui Miao suspected that the owner of the Frozen Domain had been killed by the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor.
Apart from him, Shui Miao couldn’t think of anyone else ruthless enough to seize the Frozen Domain.
However, Shui Miao found it hard to comprehend. Regardless, the Frozen Domain was an ultimate artifact, something the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor would surely covet. Why would he be in such a hurry to sell it?
Could it be…
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and he suddenly conceived a startling conspiracy!
With the impending war between immortals and gods, someone might be targeting wealthy merchants. By auctioning supreme treasures, they could lure the rich into a bidding war, secretly record their identities, and then eliminate them to accumulate resources for some grand scheme! The mastermind behind this was likely the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor.
And Hua Yuting!
Hua Yuting had recently visited the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor, and then the owner of the Frozen Domain met his demise!
Damn it… I must uncover the truth!
Shui Miao’s mind was in turmoil, his thoughts becoming clearer. Looking at the celestial soldiers and generals, he noticed some were clearly observing the crowd.
The celestial official provided a detailed introduction of the artifacts and began the auction for the Time Protection Pearl.
The starting bid was one hundred thousand spirit stones.
After a moment of silence, someone suddenly shouted, “One hundred and ten thousand!”
“Two hundred thousand spirit stones!”
As soon as the first bid was made, a burly man immediately raised the bid to two hundred thousand.
Everyone was stunned, turning to look at the man.
The man sneered, “Do you even have that many spirit stones to compete with me?”
“…”
The crowd was taken aback.
“Five hundred thousand spirit stones.”
At this moment, Bu Xiang raised his hand, pushing the bid to five hundred thousand.
The man, without hesitation, responded, “Two million spirit stones.”
“…”
Everyone was utterly shocked. No one had ever seen such aggressive bidding.
This wasn’t an auction; it was blatant flaunting of wealth!
Bu Xiang and Bu Fa exchanged glances, and Bu Fa raised his hand, “Two million and ten thousand spirit stones.”
“Five million.”
The man raised his bid again.
At this point, Shui Miao noticed the celestial official giving a subtle nod to a nearby celestial general.
“This is bad!”
Shui Miao silently worried for Bu Fa and Bu Xiang, but in this situation, there was nothing he could do to help!
These crystals could be used directly by cultivators for training or as currency for trade.
The middle-aged man’s prices were relatively high compared to other shops.
Shui Miao picked up a flying sword and examined it, finding it quite finely crafted. Observing the man’s serious and focused demeanor, he curiously asked, “Did you forge all these yourself?”
“Oh yes. I’m currently a Grade Three Forgemaster, capable of forging mid-grade immortal artifacts like flying swords and protective talismans. Friend, you seem to understand forging too?” The middle-aged man’s perception was sharp. He had already noticed that Shui Miao didn’t seem like a typical buyer but more like someone familiar with forging techniques, so he paused to chat with him briefly.
Shui Miao nodded. Since there was still some time before the auction began, he might as well chat with someone.
Upon realizing that Shui Miao was indeed knowledgeable in forging, the middle-aged man seemed to have found a kindred spirit and eagerly invited Shui Miao to sit down.
Through their conversation, Shui Miao learned that the middle-aged man’s name was Li Pan, a native immortal.
Li Pan’s method of forging immortal artifacts differed from Shui Miao’s. He used traditional forging techniques—placing materials into a cauldron to heat them red-hot, then hammering them out, much like ancient blacksmiths. Each immortal artifact was painstakingly hammered out piece by piece, often taking months or even years to complete.
This traditional forging method remained very popular in the Immortal Realm.
It was precisely for this reason that Li Pan’s physique was so robust—swinging a hammer day after day made it hard not to be muscular.
As for Shui Miao’s method of forging using spiritual power, it was the most mysterious technique in the Immortal Realm, one that no one would teach even if you wanted to learn.
After chatting with Li Pan, Shui Miao realized just how rare and valuable his skills were.
Shui Miao also learned that in the Immortal Realm, there were specialized bureaus that tested forging skills. Skilled Forgemasters were highly valued by the Heavenly Court and might even receive recommendations from Immortal Emperors to take higher-level exams, potentially becoming Divine Artisan Kings.
This information gave Shui Miao a new idea for connecting with influential figures.
When Li Pan learned that Shui Miao used spiritual power for forging, his face immediately lit up with admiration.
Shui Miao was generous and immediately offered to teach Li Pan spiritual forging techniques.
Upon hearing this, Li Pan immediately knelt and wanted to formally become Shui Miao’s disciple.
Shui Miao quickly helped Li Pan up, insisting they address each other as brothers.
Thus, Shui Miao began teaching Li Pan how to control objects with his mind, but Li Pan’s spiritual power was extremely weak.
Enhancing spiritual power wasn’t something that could be achieved overnight—it required gradual cultivation, extensive medicinal nourishment, and above all, innate talent. Li Pan lacked natural ability, but what he did possess was perseverance and an unyielding spirit. Recognizing this, Shui Miao taught him the mental cultivation techniques of Sima Zongheng and Zhuge Suopan, shared his own experiences of cultivation and research, and imparted some formation techniques to him.
The dwarf was very old, with a beard and eyebrows completely white. He paced back and forth at the entrance of his shop, observing the comings and goings, paying close attention to everyone’s movements.
When Shui Miao arrived, the dwarf immediately glanced at him a few times. Shui Miao was currently disguised as Zhao Tianyi, unrecognizable to most.
“Friend, what are you looking for? I don’t have much here, only herbs from the Netherworld and the Rakshasa Realm,” the dwarf said absentmindedly to Shui Miao, his head constantly turning left and right, observing the crowd.
He was likely gathering information.
Bu Yi and Meng Sanniang had disappeared, and Shui Miao had reason to believe they were hiding, waiting for the right moment to reappear.
Judging by the dwarf’s demeanor, he probably knew a lot.
Shui Miao’s thoughts flickered, and he smiled slightly, saying, “I’m not here to buy anything. I’m looking for someone.”
“Looking for someone? Are you looking for someone from our dwarf clan? If not, I suggest you ask someone else, as I’m not very familiar with this area,” the dwarf continued to look around, his attention not on Shui Miao at all.
Shui Miao wondered, what was the dwarf so intently watching?
“I’m looking for Bu Yi.”
Shui Miao suddenly mentioned Bu Yi’s name.
The dwarf was startled and immediately scrutinized Shui Miao carefully. “Friend, who are you?”
“My name is Zhao Tianyi, the leader of the Tianyi Sect. Please inform Brother Bu Yi that the Immortal Realm is in chaos, and only by uniting and sticking together can we survive,” Shui Miao shrugged, “That’s all. I missed him dearly since we parted in the Rakshasa Realm, so I came to ask you to pass on this message.”
“Oh, so you’re a friend of our clan leader. My apologies, I will definitely convey your message,” the old dwarf clasped his fists towards Shui Miao and continued to look around, showing no intention of engaging in a deeper conversation.
“…”
Shui Miao suddenly felt the discomfort of being ignored.
What was he looking at?
Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he secretly activated the Dream Demon technique to probe the old dwarf’s thoughts.
The old man’s cultivation was not profound.
Shui Miao easily accessed his thoughts… but what he found surprised him.
There were rumors that today’s auction would feature a legendary treasure, a priceless artifact that could ensure victory in the upcoming group matches. Therefore, many powerful figures were expected to attend, and the dwarf clan’s Bu Fa would also appear soon.
A legendary treasure?
Shui Miao became curious. What kind of legendary treasure had emerged? Could it be a masterpiece crafted by the Forging Sage, Luo Tong?
Suddenly, Shui Miao’s mood was stirred, and he began to look around as well.
The auction platform in the Treasure Pavilion was empty.
The auction was only half an hour away.
Shui Miao licked his lips and walked towards some shops opposite the auction venue. By chance, he noticed a shop selling immortal artifacts and walked in with interest. Scanning the shop with his divine sense, he found that it only contained mid to low-grade immortal artifacts, with no high-grade ones in sight.
The shopkeeper was a somewhat handsome middle-aged man, though his clothes were shabby—a worn green robe and cloth shoes. However, his physique was robust, with well-developed biceps. He was engrossed in reading a book on formation techniques and, without looking up, said, “Mid-grade immortal artifacts are five thousand top-grade spirit stones each, low-grade ones are one thousand top-grade spirit stones each. No bargaining.”
Top-grade spirit stones were refined by the Spirit Stone Bureau.
These stones could be used by cultivators for direct cultivation or as currency for transactions.
The middle-aged man’s prices were relatively high compared to other shops.
Shui Miao picked up a flying sword and found it finely crafted. Observing the man’s diligent demeanor, he asked curiously, “Did you forge these yourself?”
“Oh, yes. I’m currently a third-level forger, only capable of crafting mid-grade immortal artifacts like flying swords and protective talismans. Friend, you seem to know about forging too?” The man’s keen insight had already noticed that Shui Miao didn’t seem like a buyer but rather someone knowledgeable about forging.
Shui Miao nodded. Since there was still time before the auction, he might as well chat with someone.
Seeing that Shui Miao indeed knew about forging, the man seemed to have found a kindred spirit and eagerly invited Shui Miao to sit down.
After some conversation, Shui Miao learned that the man’s name was Li Pan, a native immortal.
Li Pan’s forging method differed from Shui Miao’s. He used traditional forging—heating materials in a furnace and hammering them, much like an ancient blacksmith. Crafting an immortal artifact could take months or even years.
In the Immortal Realm, this method was still very popular.
This was also why Li Pan’s body was so robust—swinging a hammer daily made it hard not to be.
As for Shui Miao’s mental forging, it was the most mysterious method in the Immortal Realm, with no one willing to teach it.
After talking with Li Pan, Shui Miao realized how rare his skills were.
Shui Miao also learned that in the Immortal Realm, there was a specialized bureau for testing forging skills. Skilled forgers could be highly valued by the Heavenly Court and even recommended by the Immortal Emperor to take exams in higher realms, becoming Forging Sages.
This path gave Shui Miao an idea for networking with influential figures.
When Li Pan learned that Shui Miao used mental forging, his face immediately showed immense admiration.
Shui Miao generously offered to teach Li Pan mental forging.
Upon hearing this, Li Pan immediately knelt before Shui Miao, asking to become his disciple.
Shui Miao quickly helped Li Pan up, suggesting they could address each other as brothers.
Shui Miao then taught Li Pan how to control objects with his mind, but Li Pan’s mental strength was too weak.
Enhancing mental strength was not an overnight task—it required gradual cultivation, nourishing with elixirs, and innate talent. Li Pan’s aptitude was poor, but he possessed perseverance and an indomitable spirit. Recognizing this, Shui Miao taught him the mental cultivation techniques of Sima Zongheng and Zhuge Suanpan, shared his own experiences of cultivation and growth, and imparted some formation techniques.
Li Pan was deeply grateful, vowing to master this knowledge and not disappoint Shui Miao.
To support Li Pan, Shui Miao gave him two immortal artifacts he had recently forged, allowing him to sell them for money, improve his life, and focus entirely on forging.
Li Pan, thrilled and surprised by the two high-grade immortal artifacts, couldn’t bear to sell them and kept them as mementos.
Shui Miao could only do so much for Li Pan, as their encounter was a matter of fate.
At that moment, a crowd suddenly surged into the Treasure Pavilion, with a significant number being heavenly soldiers and generals!
What was going on?
Shui Miao was stunned. Why were heavenly soldiers and generals involved in the auction of treasures?
At least one hundred and fifty heavenly soldiers and generals arrived, protecting a celestial official dressed in luxurious robes. The rest of the crowd was a mix of various people, numbering over five hundred.
Shui Miao dared not act rashly and looked around, spotting Bu Fa arriving with Bu Xiang.
The heavenly soldiers and generals maintained order as the celestial official stepped forward, raising his hand to signal for silence.
He then spoke, “Ladies and gentlemen, today’s auction is commissioned by a wealthy merchant and conducted by the Heavenly Court’s Military Bureau. We will be auctioning two never-before-seen treasures: one is the Time Protection Pearl, a supreme immortal artifact that not only protects but also enhances your speed, a true rarity that can significantly boost combat power. The other is the supreme artifact, the Frozen Domain, an absolute super weapon…”
“…”
Hearing this, Shui Miao was shocked. Something was wrong!
It was understandable that the Immortal Venerable Hu commissioned the Heavenly Court’s Military Bureau to sell the Time Protection Pearl. But selling the Frozen Domain as well? That was unlikely. He was someone seeking revenge; it was impossible for him to have achieved it so quickly. Moreover, the Frozen Domain was his coveted family heirloom—how could he part with it so easily?
Shui Miao suspected that the Immortal Venerable Hu had been killed by the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor.
Apart from him, Shui Miao couldn’t think of anyone else capable of seizing the Frozen Domain from the Immortal Venerable Hu.
However, Shui Miao found it hard to comprehend. Regardless, the Frozen Domain was a supreme artifact, something the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor would covet. Why was he in such a hurry to sell it?
Unless…
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and he suddenly thought of a shocking conspiracy!
With the impending war between immortals and gods, perhaps someone was targeting wealthy merchants. By auctioning supreme treasures, they could lure the rich into a bidding war, secretly record their identities, and then eliminate them one by one, accumulating capital for some grand scheme! The mastermind behind this was likely the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor.
And Hua Yuting!
Hua Yuting had just visited the Kunpeng Immortal Emperor, and then the Immortal Venerable Hu met his demise!
Damn it… I must uncover the truth!
Shui Miao’s mind was in turmoil, his thoughts becoming clearer. Looking at the heavenly soldiers and generals, he noticed that some were clearly observing the crowd.
The celestial official continued to detail the attributes of the treasures and began the auction for the Time Protection Pearl.
The starting bid was one hundred thousand spirit stones.
After a moment of silence, someone suddenly shouted, “One hundred and ten thousand!”
“Two hundred thousand spirit stones!”
As soon as the first bid was made, a burly man immediately raised the bid to two hundred thousand.
Everyone was stunned and turned to look at the man.
The man sneered, “Do you have enough spirit stones to compete with me?”
“…”
Hearing this, the crowd was once again shocked.
“Five hundred thousand spirit stones.”
At this moment, Bu Xiang raised his hand, pushing the price to five hundred thousand.
The man immediately responded without hesitation, “Two million spirit stones.”
“…”
Everyone was completely dumbfounded. No one had ever seen such a bidding war.
This wasn’t an auction; it was blatant flaunting of wealth!
Bu Xiang and Bu Fa exchanged glances, and Bu Fa raised his hand, saying, “Two million and one thousand spirit stones.”
“Five million.”
The man raised his hand again.
At this point, Shui Miao noticed the celestial official giving a subtle nod to a nearby heavenly general.
“This is bad!”
Shui Miao secretly worried for Bu Fa and Bu Xiang, but in this situation, there was nothing he could do to help!
To support Li Pan, Shui Miao even gifted him two immortal artifacts he had recently forged, suggesting he sell them to improve his living conditions so he could fully dedicate himself to forging.
Li Pan was both surprised and delighted to receive two high-grade immortal artifacts but was reluctant to sell them, immediately stashing them away as cherished mementos.
Shui Miao could do nothing but accept this—such a chance encounter could only be helped to a certain extent.
At that moment, a crowd suddenly poured into the entrance of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion—surprisingly, more than half of them were celestial soldiers and generals!
What was going on?
Shui Miao was taken aback. Why had celestial soldiers and generals become involved in this auction?
At least one hundred and fifty celestial soldiers and generals entered, guarding an official dressed in brocade robes. Others followed in a chaotic crowd, numbering at least five hundred.
Shui Miao dared not act rashly, glancing around and spotting Bu Fa entering, accompanied by Bu Xiang.
The celestial soldiers maintained order as the official stepped to the center and raised his hand for silence.
He then spoke, “Ladies and gentlemen, today’s auction is being handled by the Celestial Army Bureau on behalf of a wealthy merchant. Two extraordinary treasures will be auctioned—artifacts you’ve never seen before. One is the Time-Protecting Magic Pearl, a supreme immortal artifact that not only protects the wearer but also enhances their speed, an absolute rarity that can greatly boost combat effectiveness. The other is the Supreme Artifact, the Ice-Sealing Domain—an absolute ultimate weapon…”
“…”
Upon hearing this introduction, Shui Miao was greatly shocked—something was wrong here!
It was understandable that Immortal Lord Hu had entrusted the Celestial Army Bureau to sell some treasures. But could it be possible that he had even sold the Ice-Sealing Domain? That seemed highly unlikely. After all, he was someone seeking revenge—could he have already avenged himself so quickly? Moreover, the Ice-Sealing Domain was his cherished family heirloom—why would he part with it so easily?
Shui Miao immediately suspected that Immortal Lord Hu must have been killed by Emperor Kunpeng.
Other than him, Shui Miao couldn’t think of any other ruthless figure capable of seizing the Ice-Sealing Domain from Immortal Lord Hu.
Yet, he found it hard to understand—after all, the Ice-Sealing Domain was a Supreme Artifact, a treasure even Emperor Kunpeng would covet. Why would he be in such a hurry to sell it?
Could it be that…
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and suddenly a shocking conspiracy occurred to him!
With the impending Immortal-Deity War, someone might be planning to target the wealthy merchants. By auctioning supreme treasures, they could lure the rich to compete fiercely, secretly recording their identities, and then eliminating them one by one to accumulate capital for even greater schemes. And the mastermind behind this must be Emperor Kunpeng.
That’s right—there was also Hua Yuting!
Hua Yuting had just visited Emperor Kunpeng, and shortly afterward, Immortal Lord Hu met his fate!
Damn… I must uncover the truth!
Shui Miao’s mind churned with thoughts, his understanding becoming increasingly clear. Looking again at the celestial soldiers, he noticed someone clearly watching the crowd.
The official then elaborated further on the artifacts’ attributes before beginning the auction for the Time-Protecting Magic Pearl.
The starting price was set at 100,000 crystals.
After a moment of silence, someone suddenly shouted, “110,000 crystals!”
“Two hundred thousand crystals!”
Before the first bid had even settled, a tall, muscular man immediately called out a price of two hundred thousand.
Everyone was taken aback, turning to look at the man.
The man sneered coldly, “You think you can compete with me? Do you even have that many crystals?”
“…”
Everyone was stunned again at his words.
“Five hundred thousand crystals.”
At this point, Bu Xiang raised his hand, pushing the price up to five hundred thousand.
Upon hearing this, the muscular man immediately replied without hesitation, “Two million crystals.”
“…”
Everyone was completely shocked—never before had they seen such an exorbitant bid.
This wasn’t an auction—it was clearly a blatant display of wealth!
Bu Xiang and Bu Fa exchanged glances, and then Bu Fa raised his hand, “Two million and one hundred thousand crystals.”
“Five million.”
The muscular man raised his hand again.
At this moment, Shui Miao suddenly noticed the official giving a subtle signal to the celestial general beside him, who nodded slightly in response.
“Oh no!”
Shui Miao inwardly worried for Bu Fa and Bu Xiang, but under the current circumstances, there was nothing he could do to help them!
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