Two years passed in a flash.
In the Central Continent Spirit Domain, a small fleet of seven Spirit Ships returned from the Northern Domain, speeding across the sky.
The sun was setting, casting a blood-red glow.
On the flagship’s deck, Li Mu and Fang Yunjian stood side by side, their gazes piercing through layers of clouds to admire the beautiful scenery they were flying past.
Before them, majestic mountains rose, ancient trees reached the sky, their branches and leaves lush, like a flowing landscape painting; occasionally, one could even see a streak of escape light cutting across the sky, which was the sight of high-level Cultivators soaring on their swords.
Two years, for a Cultivator, was merely a small interlude on their cultivation path, but within this interlude, they had experienced much: first, they traveled to the Southern Wilderness Spirit Domain to set up formations and arrange guarding Cultivators for two Sealed Lands, Extreme Yang and Extreme Fire; then, to the East Illusion Sea Region and Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region; and finally, to the Northern Domain, where they successively inspected several Seal Grand Formations and laid down layers of defenses.
"Executive Fang, Wanbao City is not far ahead. How about we delay returning to the sect for a bit? I plan to go take a look!" Li Mu turned to Fang Yunjian, his eyes shining with eagerness as he gestured.
This time, Li Mu’s sudden suggestion to change course for Wanbao Pavilion had its own unavoidable reasons.
Transplanting a large number of six-order, seven-order, and even a few eight-order Spirit Plants from several Secret Realms into the Painting World Treasure Mansion for cultivation consumed an astronomical amount of Spiritual Qi and high-grade Materials to assist their growth.
Li Mu had almost invested all his treasured possessions from the tianxuan ring into it, but it was still far from enough.
To sustain the growth of those precious Spirit Plants in the Painting World Treasure Mansion, Li Mu decided to search for more high-grade Materials in Wanbao City and, out of necessity, prepared to sell a batch of Spirit Pills and Dao Artifacts.
Upon hearing Li Mu's suggestion, Fang Yunjian was slightly stunned, then nodded with a smile and said, "Our mission for this trip is complete, Elder Li, your suggestion is certainly acceptable! Soon, Wanbao City, as a major commercial hub of the Central Continent Spirit Domain, has many treasures, and perhaps we can have unexpected gains."
The two reached a consensus, then immediately ordered the fleet to change direction and accelerate towards Wanbao City.
A day passed, and as the distance closed, the majestic and magnificent outline of Wanbao City gradually came into clear view.
Before them, towering pavilions pierced the clouds, brightly lit and dazzling, emitting a captivating brilliance that illuminated the entire night sky as if it were daytime.
In the center of this brightly lit city, an exceptionally tall building was particularly eye-catching: it was the headquarters of Wanbao Pavilion, standing majestically, piercing the clouds. Its exterior was resplendent and shimmering, and against the backdrop of the night, it appeared solemn, dignified, and exuded an air of nobility.
Soon, the seven Spirit Ships docked at the Floating Skyport, and the Cultivators on board disembarked one after another to rest.
Li Mu and Fang Yunjian, on the other hand, walked directly into the bustling heart of Wanbao City, their figures quickly swallowed by the surging crowd.
"Executive Fang, you go explore the shops first and see if there's anything you need." Li Mu suddenly stopped and said to Fang Yunjian, "I have some matters to attend to, I'll come find you later."
Although Fang Yunjian was a bit puzzled, he didn't ask further; he simply nodded and continued on his own, knowing Li Mu's character meant that if he said so, he must have important matters to handle.
Li Mu, on the other hand, turned and quickly walked towards the headquarters of Wanbao Pavilion, handing his Guest Elder token to the greeter at the entrance.
Upon seeing the token, the greeter maid's expression immediately changed, and she respectfully bowed, saying, "It turns out Great Master Li has arrived, please forgive our lack of welcome. Please wait a moment, I will immediately inform Grand Manager Wan."
The excited greeter maid sent her companion to report to Grand Manager Wan, while she herself enthusiastically led Li Mu to the VIP room.
A short while later, an old man in luxurious attire with a dignified face hurried in; it was none other than the Grand Manager of Wanbao Pavilion, Wan Renlang.
"Great Master Li, what a rare guest, what a rare guest! Today, we finally had the pleasure of your presence!" As soon as Wan Renlang entered, his face was wreathed in smiles, and he cupped his hands in greeting, his voice filled with warmth and respect, saying, "Ever since last time, this old man has been looking forward to your return, so we could fulfill our duties as hosts."
Last time, Wanbao Pavilion's Auction of Li Mu's five Dao Weapons caused a huge sensation, setting a record for the highest transaction at Wanbao Pavilion's Auction. Now seeing Li Mu again, Wan Renlang's eyes sparkled with anticipation and excitement, as if he saw endless business opportunities.
"Chief Manager Wan, you are too kind. Li's visit this time, besides catching up, actually has a matter to request." Li Mu responded with a smile, getting straight to the point.
"Great Master Li, you overstate it. Your matter is our Wanbao Pavilion's matter. How can you speak of requesting? Please state whatever you need! As long as our Wanbao Pavilion is capable, we will spare no effort." Wan Renlang's expression grew more solemn upon hearing this, and he quickly promised.
As his voice fell, Wan Renlang glanced around, then with a wave of his hand, activated the isolation formation of the VIP room to prevent any leakage of information.
Seeing this, Li Mu smiled slightly, and with a thought of his Divine Thought, the tianxuan ring in his hand flashed with spiritual light, and three Dao Swords emerged. They floated in mid-air, their blades shimmering with a faint spiritual glow, manifesting as three small jade-colored Dragons. Without exception, they all exuded a powerful Dragon might.
"Seventh-Order Dao Sword, Great Master Li, this is...!" Wan Renlang's spirits lifted as he looked at the three Seventh-Order Dao Swords, immediately becoming excited and asking with concern.
"Chief Manager Wan, these three Dao Swords are the latest Seventh-Order High Grade Dao Weapons I have refined, named 'Dragon Tooth Dao Sword'." Li Mu slowly introduced, "Their refining Materials are extraordinary, taken from the teeth of an eight-order demonic Dragon, tempered by Heavenly Fire to remove all demonic nature, and then supplemented with other high-grade Materials. Each one possesses immense power, capable of tearing through the Void Realm and splitting the earth with ease. If properly nurtured for a thousand years, advancing to the eight-order is not out of the question."
Li Mu looked at the three Dragon Tooth Dao Swords, a hint of reluctance in his eyes. Under the Talent Divine Power - Identify Myriad Spirits, their nearly identical attributes were displayed before him.
【Dragon Tooth Dao Sword】
【Grade: Seventh-Order High Grade Dao Weapon】
【Attributes: Dragon Tooth Flame, Dragon's Golden Sharpness, Heavenly Fire Tempering Spirit, Endless Dragon Might, Dragon Tooth Burning Heaven, Dragon's Fury】
【Status: Perfectly fused with the sharpness of Dragon Tooth, tempered to the extreme by Heavenly Fire, unparalleled power.】
【With the eight-order demonic Dragon tooth as its core, purified of demonic essence by Heavenly Fire, and tempered by countless thunder and fire trials, it finally became a Seventh-Order Dao Weapon. This artifact weighs: one million six hundred and fifty thousand jin. The Dragon Tooth is incomparably sharp, capable of easily tearing the Void Realm; the power of Heavenly Fire can burn the heavens and destroy the earth, leaving nothing alive in its path. Within the Dao Weapon Dragon Domain, it can manifest the might of myriad Dragons.】
"Chief Manager Wan, what is the price of these three Dao Swords?" Li Mu looked at Wan Renlang, getting straight to the point.
Using the corpse of the eight-order demonic Dragon, Li Mu refined many Dragon Armor Dao Weapons, Dragon Tooth Dao Swords, and Dragon Bone Dao Artifacts; however, most of them became exclusive sets for the thirteen Puppet Dragon Guards.
The remaining three Dragon Tooth Dao Swords, Li Mu planned to sell them in exchange for some urgently needed high-grade Materials. After all, for him, whether those high-grade Spirit Plants in the Treasure Mansion Space could grow successfully was related to the progress of his future cultivation, and it would always be the most important thing.
Upon hearing this, Wan Renlang's gaze lingered on the three Dragon Tooth Dao Swords, his expression solemn and serious.
"Great Master Li, each of these three Dragon Tooth Dao Swords is an invaluable treasure." Wan Renlang slowly began, looking at Li Mu with a hint of reverence in his voice, and solemnly said, "But since you intend to sell them, our Wanbao Pavilion is naturally willing to offer a fair price."
"If put up for Auction, it's possible they could fetch five million High-Grade Spirit Stones. If our Pavilion acquires them, then..." Saying this, Wan Renlang held up four fingers and said in a deep voice, "For the three Dragon Tooth Dao Swords, our Wanbao Pavilion is willing to acquire them at a price of four million High-Grade Spirit Stones per sword, totaling twelve million High-Grade Spirit Stones. What do you think, Great Master Li?"
Upon hearing this, Li Mu nodded slightly. Although this price was a bit lower than his expectation, it was still within an acceptable range. As a commercial giant spanning several Spirit Domains, the price offered by Wanbao Pavilion was considered relatively fair.
"Alright, however, I wish to exchange these Spirit Stones for high-grade Materials." Li Mu nodded, indicating.
"Of course, no problem! I was just worrying about how to get so many High-Grade Spirit Stones to pay Great Master Li! Your request just solves my problem." Wan Renlang said with a relieved smile, "As for high-grade Materials, our Wanbao Pavilion has a very rich inventory."
Saying this, Wan Renlang hesitated for a moment, then took out a purple-gold token from his Pregnant and handed it to Li Mu, saying, "Great Master Li, this token records information about our Pavilion's valuable treasury. There are countless high-grade Materials, please take a look."
Li Mu took the token, nodded gratefully, then focused his Divine Thought and immersed it into the token, beginning to browse Wanbao Pavilion's collection.
It must be said that Wanbao Pavilion's collection was indeed an eye-opener; its sheer quantity and high quality exceeded Li Mu's imagination.
Li Mu's Divine Thought traversed through the virtual treasury constructed by the token, first noticing dozens of Seven-Order Five Elements Materials, Yin and Yang Materials - Grand Profound Essence Crystal, Liu Jin Boundary Crystal, Heavenly Grand Jade, zhen huang armor earth, Undetermined True Water, ...
Without hesitation, Li Mu took out a blank Jade Slip from his tianxuan ring, and with a focused Divine Thought, continuously recorded the high-grade Materials he had his eye on.
After completing his selection, Li Mu handed the token and Jade Slip back to Wan Renlang, informing him that the Jade Slip contained all the high-grade Materials he had chosen.
Wan Renlang took the token and Jade Slip, swept them with his Divine Thought, and then his pupils slightly contracted, clearly shocked by the quantity and rarity of the Materials Li Mu had chosen.
Each of the high-grade Materials chosen by Li Mu was priceless. Even with Wanbao Pavilion's deep foundation, they were hard-earned acquisitions. With his selection, Wanbao Pavilion's thousands of years of treasured reserves were significantly depleted.
But on second thought, Li Mu had exchanged three Dao Weapons for such a vast amount of Spirit Stones. Compared to that, these high-grade Materials were not an excessive demand.
"Great Master Li, your discerning eye is truly unique; the Materials you've chosen are all the best of the best, and their value is considerable." Wan Renlang said with a sigh, then he showed a slight smile and awkwardly reminded, "Great Master Li, the batch of high-grade Materials you've chosen is quite large, and their quality is extremely high. Their value far exceeds the total price of the three Dao Weapons. Would you like to filter out some you don't need?"
Upon hearing this, Li Mu gently shook his head, his gaze firm as he said, "Pavilion Master Wan, these Materials are all indispensable for me to refine Magic Treasures and improve my cultivation. How much more is needed? Please tell me."
Seeing Li Mu's resolute attitude, Wan Renlang, though a bit troubled, knew the temperament of this Artifact Refining Great Master. So he smiled and said, "Great Master Li, you overstate it. It is an honor for our Wanbao Pavilion to conduct business with you. Since you value this batch of Materials so highly, our Wanbao Pavilion will naturally go all out. However, regarding the price, I still need to discuss it with you in detail, to avoid any misunderstandings in the future."
Saying this, Wan Renlang took out an exquisite ledger from his sleeve, opened it, and began to introduce the prices of the Materials Li Mu had chosen one by one: "Seventh-Order Grand Profound Essence Crystal, due to its unique properties, can stabilize space and enhance the toughness of Spirit Treasures, its value is considerable, each jin is worth fifty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones; Liu Jin Boundary Crystal, containing pure metallic spiritual power, is an excellent choice for refining Dao Artifacts, each jin is forty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones; Heavenly Grand Jade, as warm as jade yet incomparably hard, can greatly enhance the defensive power of Magic Treasures, each jin is thirty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones; zhen huang armor earth, sourced from ancient battlefields, contains rich earth-attribute spiritual power and a trace of imperial Qi, having a miraculous effect on enhancing the power of Dao Artifacts, each jin is sixty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones; Undetermined True Water, constantly changing, is an excellent Material for refining water-element Magic Treasures and enhancing their spirituality, each hundred drops twenty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones,..."
Wan Renlang retrieved a ledger, and while introducing, he quickly calculated and summarized, finally arriving at an astonishing figure.
"Great Master Li, the batch of Materials you have chosen is worth a total of fifty-five million High-Grade Spirit Stones, far exceeding the value of the three Dragon Tooth Dao Swords. However, considering our long-term cooperative relationship and your status as a senior Guest Elder of our Pavilion, our Pavilion is willing to bear a portion of the premium. After deducting the value of the three Dao Weapons, there is still a deficit of forty million High-Grade Spirit Stones!" Wan Renlang looked at Li Mu, smiling somewhat awkwardly.
Upon hearing this, Li Mu frowned slightly, estimating the value of the selected Materials. The total value was slightly higher than Wan Renlang's estimate, but being able to obtain so many rare Seven-Order Materials from Wanbao Pavilion, this price was still acceptable.
"Pavilion Master Wan is straightforward, and Li will naturally not be vague either." Li Mu smiled slightly, and from his sleeve, he once again took out four Dao Artifacts of different styles, as well as three pill bottles emitting a rich medicinal fragrance, and seven Seven-Order Dao Talismans imbued with terrifying power.
"These are some of Li's collections over the years. The three bottles of Dao Pills and these Dao Talismans were acquired through exchanges with other Cultivators. Each item is meticulously refined or hard to come by. These three bottles of Dao Pills are: Returning Void Pill, Thousand Longevity Pill, and Myriad Spirit Pill, containing powerful spiritual energy and medicinal effects."
"The Returning Void Pill can increase the chance of condensing a Void Refining Domain by thirty percent; the Thousand Longevity Pill can increase Lifespan by a thousand years; the Myriad Spirit Pill can improve Aptitude, Heavenly Spiritual Root, and even has a certain chance of acquiring a Heavenly Spirit Body; as for these Seven-Order Dao Talismans, they are Seven-Order Violet Heaven Thunder Talismans, each containing power sufficient to threaten Body Integration Stage experts."
Li Mu meticulously introduced the various spiritual items before him, finally looking at Wan Renlang and gesturing, "Chief Manager Wan, please appraise these and see if they can offset the remaining amount."
Wan Renlang looked at the Dao Artifacts, Dao Pills, and Dao Talismans on the table, a flicker of unusual light in his eyes. He clearly sensed the extraordinary nature of these Dao Artifacts, Dao Pills, and Dao Talismans, and couldn't help but secretly marvel. (End of Chapter)
