Soon after, the two parties met in the Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm.

In a sub-realm within the voidrealm stood an ordinary tavern. At the moment, the entire establishment was completely empty.

"Daoist Ming Jian, please, have a seat," Astral Monarch Jiu Xue said with extreme politeness, cupping his hands in greeting. He had completely concealed his soul aura, appearing just like an ordinary person.

"Daoist Jiu Xue, you can be straightforward with me," Wu Yuan smiled as he sat down, pouring tea for himself. "What is your purpose, and what price are you willing to pay? If we can negotiate, we will. If not, I'll leave. There’s no need to waste time."

Astral Monarch Jiu Xue was taken aback. He hadn't expected Wu Yuan to be so direct.

"Of course we can negotiate," Astral Monarch Jiu Xue's expression returned to normal as he smiled. "I've come on behalf of Sovereign Mo Lang, simply to resolve the grievances between us and Daoist Ming Jian.

In this matter, you didn't suffer any losses. On the contrary, it's our Myriad Waves Palace that lost face. Without our Myriad Waves Palace as a stepping stone, I fear Daoist's name wouldn't have spread so quickly throughout the river of space and time," Astral Monarch Jiu Xue said with a smile.

"So in a sense, Fellow Daoist should be thanking our Myriad Waves Palace."

Now it was Wu Yuan's turn to be stunned.

"Daoist Jiu Xue, your Myriad Waves Palace is truly... shameless," Wu Yuan shook his head.

The smile on Astral Monarch Jiu Xue's face froze.

"Jiu Xue, be direct," Wu Yuan looked at Astral Monarch Jiu Xue. "What price are you willing to pay?"

"Fifty billion divine crystals," Astral Monarch Jiu Xue declared. "As long as Daoist Ming Jian can swear an oath that this karma is resolved."

"Not enough!" Wu Yuan shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist, fifty billion divine crystals is no small sum," Astral Monarch Jiu Xue frowned. "Many Astral Monarchs who have recently broken through may not even possess wealth amounting to fifty billion divine crystals."

"Before this battle, fifty billion divine crystals would have sufficed," Wu Yuan shook his head. "Now? It's not enough.

I require a mid-grade Dao Instrument capable of safeguarding the Yuan Soul." Wu Yuan stated his condition right away.

"A mid-grade Dao Instrument for the soul?" Astral Monarch Jiu Xue was immediately shocked.

"Ming Jian, even the most ordinary mid-grade Dao Instrument costs at least a hundred billion divine crystals, and that's if you can even find one for sale. One that safeguards the Yuan Soul would be several times more valuable, possibly even ten times the price."

A high-grade celestial artifact cost at least a hundred million divine crystals, with power comparable to a low-grade Dao Instrument.

Low-grade Dao Instruments, containing the complete profundities of a Law, were generally more expensive.

Mid-grade Dao Instruments? They were far more precious. Many early-stage Astral Monarchs didn’t even possess mid-grade Dao Instruments.

In reality, the value of mid-grade Dao Instruments could hardly be measured in divine crystals, because it was extremely difficult to purchase treasures of this caliber with just divine crystals.

"I know," Wu Yuan calmly replied. "But these are my terms. If you agree, I'll consent to resolving our grievances."

And if they didn’t agree? Then the grudge from their battle in the Snowlight Mist Realm would be settled in the future. Given Wu Yuan's personality, he would surely seek revenge once his strength grew. Ṝ𝘼₦о𐌱Ê𝐬

Astral Monarch Jiu Xue fell silent for a moment, realizing that Wu Yuan was serious.

"Daoist Ming Jian, please wait a moment." Astral Monarch Jiu Xue immediately made a report.

Such a precious treasure was beyond his authority to grant.

A long while passed.

"Daoist Ming Jian, the Sovereign has agreed," Astral Monarch Jiu Xue said, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. "The Sovereign promises to offer a mid-grade Dao Instrument for safeguarding the soul, but likewise, you must swear a Great Dao oath."

"Agreed," Wu Yuan replied. "However, I must see the treasure first."

If he could truly obtain such a valuable item, Wu Yuan didn't mind reconciling with Sovereign Mo Lang. It wasn't an irreconcilable grudge, after all.

Swiftly, both parties hammered out the specific details, setting the transaction location in an expanse of space on the outskirts of the Spacetime Island.

The date was set for three days later.

…

A soul defense treasure at the mid-grade Dao Instrument level?

Wu Yuan was looking forward to it.

His mind was clear. News of the battle at the Snowlight Mist Realm was bound to spread far and wide, even reaching the various super factions along the river of space and time.

The Taiyuan Divine Court rules over numerous macrocosms.

Although the Taiyuan Divine Court has stood unfaltering in the river of space and time for countless eons, maintaining relative neutrality and rarely provoking enemies, it still has adversaries.

Wu Yuan mused.

The greater the fame, the greater the benefit, as providence gathers to bring me more opportunities and blessings.

But it's equally harmful, for I may unknowingly offend some super powerhouse, causing a Sovereign or even an Overlord to secretly target me.

Wu Yuan remained vigilant.

He remembered how Astral Monarch Wan Lei died. [1] Karmic attacks were the most terrifying.

My body refiner self has the Nine Star Lotus Platforms to guard the Yuan Soul, coupled with an Apotheosis Yuan Soul, and is hiding in the core of the eldritch world, making it difficult even for an Overlord to kill.

Wu Yuan thought.

My qi refiner self, though proficient in soul secret arts, is still somewhat lacking in protection. With a mid-grade Dao Instrument, my soul's defensive capabilities will naturally increase significantly.

He couldn't rely too much on the protection of the Spacetime Island. True strength lay in one's own power.

With time, my Dao comprehension will deepen, enhancing my ability to resist karmic and soul attacks.

Wu Yuan was quite confident.

For now, he needed to make it through the current, relatively dangerous phase. Once his strength increased further, even an Overlord who had comprehended the Great Dao of Destiny would find it difficult to silently annihilate him through karma.

…

The transaction with Myriad Waves Palace was set for three days later, but Wu Yuan naturally wouldn't just wait idly.

Inside the Spacetime Treasure Hall of the Spacetime Island,

"Imprint bearer Wu Yuan, you have requested to sell this batch of treasures for approximately 13.2 billion divine crystals. Do you confirm?" a cold voice echoed within the temple.

"Confirmed," Wu Yuan replied.

Whoosh!

An invisible force enveloped the area, and with a flash of light, the mountain of treasures piled in the vast circular cavern instantly vanished.

"Imprint bearer Ming Jian, 13.2 billion divine crystals have been credited to your account. Your remaining balance is 94.68 billion..." A message from the Spacetime Immortal Voidrealm was transmitted to Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan's lips curled into a smile.

Most of these treasures were common materials, merely considered somewhat precious, hence the massive quantity. Wu Yuan had so many of them that he had to split them into batches.

After selling six batches, he finally amassed over 90 billion, consuming nearly half of the treasures and divine crystals prepared by Big Devil.

"I require the list of treasures needed for the optimal evolution pathway of my lifebound flying swords, from low-grade celestial artifacts to mid-grade celestial artifacts," Wu Yuan announced loudly.

Time passed.

Wu Yuan spent several dozen breaths selecting treasures worth approximately 86 billion divine crystals from the extensive list of items.

It was slightly less than the 90 billion Wu Yuan had initially anticipated.

"Do you confirm your purchase?" The voice in the hall resonated once more.

"Confirmed," Wu Yuan replied.

Once all the precious materials and minerals were delivered, Wu Yuan would immediately begin upgrading his lifebound flying swords.

Once my lifebound flying swords evolve to the level of mid-grade celestial artifacts, their power will be comparable to low-grade Dao Instruments.

Wu Yuan thought with anticipation.

Such a powerful lifebound flying sword would be the source of Wu Yuan's power and confidence during future battles against formidable Astral Monarchs.

However, the more powerful the lifebound flying sword became, the slower the evolution process. Even with Wu Yuan's Apotheosis root and Apotheosis Yuan Soul, he estimated it would take at least a thousand years to complete the entire upgrade.

In the future, to upgrade my lifebound flying swords to high-grade celestial artifacts, the cost... Well, I'd need to cultivate to the Sixth Tribulation High Immortal phase at least before there's any hope.

Wu Yuan mused.

The high-grade celestial artifact level was the limit to which one could upgrade a lifebound flying sword through purely external means, so the requirements were extremely high.

This was especially so for the optimal evolution pathway, many rare and precious materials couldn't be refined by those with ordinary amethyst cradle foundations.

Under normal circumstances, Astral Monarchs would only upgrade their lifebound artifacts from mid-grade celestial artifacts to high-grade celestial artifacts.

Beyond that? To upgrade them into Dao Instruments? Instead of external materials, one would need the ‘Dao’ itself.

Only lifebound artifacts that have evolved to high-grade celestial artifacts through the optimal evolution pathway can carry the complete profundities of a Greater Law.

Wu Yuan silently reflected.

Because of this, even among Sovereigns, most didn't possess lifebound artifacts at the level of Dao Instruments.

Upgrading a lifebound artifact along the optimal evolution pathway demanded an enormous price, especially the final step of transforming it into a high-grade celestial artifact. The cost was so high that even Sovereigns had to consider it carefully. Thus, those willing and capable of treading this path were exceedingly rare.

Let’s take it slow. Once all nine lifebound flying swords evolve into mid-grade celestial artifacts, I’ll then find a way to evolve them into high-grade celestial artifacts.

In the future, once a lifebound artifact evolves into a Dao Instrument, it will be equivalent to a high-grade Dao Instrument lifebound artifact.

Wu Yuan's heart was filled with ambition.

If that day truly came, all the immense sacrifices made before then would have been worthwhile.

…

While Wu Yuan was cultivating on the Spacetime Island, news of his battle in the Snowlight Mist Realm spread. Finally, it reached the highest echelons of the various factions throughout the vast river of space and time.

The first to receive the news was the Taiyuan Divine Court.

Deep within the river of space and time, in a vast and mysterious realm, a magnificent world had been created.

Its expanse far exceeded that of a single macrocosm, and was a beacon of prosperity, with countless cultivators gathered there.

This was the Taiyuan True Realm, the headquarters of the Taiyuan Divine Court. It spanned multiple spatial dimensions, illuminating the entire river of space and time, connecting numerous macrocosms.

Today, in the core region of the Taiyuan True Realm, eight towering figures sat upon thrones within a majestic hall.

One of these figures was shrouded in black mist.

"I presume you've all heard about Ming Jian's matter," the towering figure enshrouded in black mist spoke in a deep voice.

"Mm, I've heard about it.”

"An unrivaled talent."

"To possess the combat power of an Astral Monarch after merely two thousand years of cultivation, even with the aid of numerous special techniques...His swordsmanship is so profound, it has reached the level of a mid-stage Astral Monarch at least.

His natural talent is unquestionably the top in the history of our Taiyuan Divine Court—indisputably first!" A figure in golden armor spoke, his voice resonant and powerful. "His potential is limitless. As long as he doesn't perish, he is destined to stand alongside us in the future."

"I concur!"

"I agree," voices from the figures seated upon their thrones chimed in one after another.

All were in agreement.

"Very well, then let us prepare for his recruitment. He should join our Taiyuan Divine Court," the figure shrouded in black mist declared. "I shall go to meet Bei You immediately.

This time, it is not a request.

It is an order!"

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

1. Creator of Thunder Marsh World ☜