Custom Orders

Prior to holding the Dao artifact auction, Yaoguang had already put all of the Zixiao Type 31 Flying Swords and Jiuzhou Battleships on display, intending to promote them alongside the event. Although the Zixiao Type 31 Flying Sword was not of particularly high grade, its cost-effectiveness was astonishing, giving it an exceptionally broad appeal. As for the Jiuzhou Battleship, its target demographic was primarily Incandescent White Golden Cores, Deep Blue Golden Cores, and Void Piercing Battle Immortals. Yet its exceptional performance for the price led many factions overseen by Void Piercing experts to readily purchase three to five vessels for their own daily travel. Their clans naturally could not compare to top-tier Void Refining experts who traveled aboard Dao artifact-grade battleships, nor could they match the Void Piercing cultivators of supreme sects whose vessels reached the rank of peak spirit treasures. The Jiuzhou Battleship cost only as much as an ordinary spirit treasure-grade vessel, yet its overall performance rivaled high-grade spirit treasure battleships, making it an ideal fit for numerous factions. Half a month before the auction commenced, the Jiuzhou Battleship had already drawn no fewer than thirty orders. Once word arrived that Yaoguang had slain a Void Refining cultivator—leading the world to truly acknowledge this deputy sect master's abilities—orders for both the Zixiao Type 31 Flying Swords and the Jiuzhou Battleships surged even faster. Without Yaoguang stepping in personally, all the artifact refiners of the Nine Cauldrons Sect working around the clock would not be able to finish these orders over the next hundred years. In other words, the sect's artifact refiners were guaranteed substantial income and complete self-sufficiency for the coming century. This sight secretly astounded the Void Piercing cultivators who had arrived to attend the auction, as well as those who had simply come to watch the spectacle. *** The auction venue was set atop a mountain peak piercing into the clouds. At the foot of the mountain, battleships ferried guests up to the summit one after another to attend the auction. Although any cultivator could easily traverse the height of this peak on their own, taking a carriage even over short distances during important gatherings was standard practice for prominent figures; here too, the ride was an emblem of status. These battleships likewise sparked endless murmurs of discussion. "The Southern Domain seems to be shifting its trade." "Originally, the pillar industries here were Profound Essence Liquid, Longevity Fruits, Carefree Grass, and Immortal Fine Gold. Now, it seems they have added the production of Zixiao Type 31 Flying Swords and Jiuzhou Battleships. Furthermore, compared to planting and nurturing natural treasures, the prospects for these flying swords and battleships are vastly superior. Just looking at the orders taken over the past few days... they must already be worth a billion, right?" "Who wouldn't want a battleship of their own? If the Jiuzhou Battleship is truly as good as Nandu claims, then once the first batch is delivered and word of mouth spreads, it will inevitably draw orders from even more factions. When that time comes, this single line of business alone could bring in tens of millions in annual revenue! Add in the Zixiao Type 31 Flying Swords... and the Southern Domain's gross output will surge by fifty percent." "This Sect Master Yaoguang possesses strength, ability, talent, and mysterious forces backing him. Now, Sect Master Zong Wenxian is in real trouble." Conversing as they ascended, the guests soon arrived at the mountain summit. By the time the auction's scheduled hour arrived, the number of Void Piercing cultivators present exceeded a hundred, and Void Refining cultivators numbered more than thirty. Nearly every one of the Ten Immortal Sects, the Six Buddhist Temples, the Four Great Celestial Dynasties, and the Three Immortal Martial Sects had sent Void Refining cultivators. Certain factions were even represented by more than one. Yet while Void Piercing and Void Refining cultivators were numerous, not a single Void Shattering expert was present. This was because any Void Shattering cultivator represented the pinnacle combat strength of a supreme sect. Whenever they visited another sect of comparable standing, they typically needed to give advance notice to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Although the Heavenly Dao Sect would certainly have welcomed them had any Void Shattering cultivator simply requested to attend, it remained an extra formality. Moreover, Void Shattering cultivators almost always possessed several Dao artifacts of their own, and bidding on this Void Sword would unlikely be for personal use anyway. As a result, they simply refrained from attending in person, dispatching Void Refining or Void Piercing subordinates instead. Furthermore, a wise gentleman does not stand under a crumbling wall. Yaoguang hosting the auction within Nandu, under the direct shadow of the Tiandu Dragon Slaying Formation, gave them a distinct sense of unease, which served as another deterrent. *Whoosh!* When the guests had mostly assembled, Yaoguang flashed across the void and appeared directly atop the mountain summit. Facing over a hundred Void Piercing and some thirty Void Refining figures, only he, the deputy sect master, possessed the stature to preside over the auction in person. His Dao art, which stirred virtually no spatial ripples at all, also startled the many experienced Void Piercing and Void Refining cultivators present. "What an exquisite Dao art!" "Is that his lifebound Dao art?! Before he appeared, I didn't sense the slightest anomaly... Truly unbelievable!" "No wonder he could refine a Void Refining demonic cultivator of the Shadow Moon Sect to death. This Sect Master Yaoguang's... divine abilities are astonishing." Many voiced murmurs of praise and wonder. Appearing before them, Yaoguang swept his gaze over the crowd and smiled. "Due to certain unexpected events... well, what those events were, everyone should already know, so the Dao artifacts up for auction today have increased from one to two. An additional halberd containing the Grand Dao of Thunder has been added. However, the reserve price for each will be one billion Pure Yang Great Pills. If the reserve price is not met, the item will be considered unsold." These words immediately stirred a small wave of commotion through the venue. Even though many already knew that Yaoguang had refined Peak Master Xie Tong, the Void Refining demonic cultivator of the Shadow Moon Sect, to death and seized his Dao artifact as spoils of war, hearing him openly acknowledge it in person still sent a chill through their hearts. In particular, Peak Master Qianren, who sided with Zong Wenxian, wore an expression fraught with solemn dread. This Deputy Sect Master Yaoguang was growing far too quickly. "Everyone here is a pillar of their respective clan or faction, occupied with ten thousand affairs every day. I will not waste your time and will cut straight to the point. The first item to be auctioned is, naturally, the originally promised treasure—the Void Sword." With a flick of his sleeve, a void-attribute Dao artifact flying sword, somewhat resembling the Swimming Dragon Sword, materialized in the air. As he lightly activated the sword with the power of the Grand Dao of the Void, the Dao rhyme embedded within it immediately dispersed, swiftly triggering a resonance with the Grand Dao. Under this unique resonance, Void Piercing cultivators would find both the power and efficiency of their Dao arts vastly enhanced. "Magnificent! What a superb Void Sword!" "The smith who forged this Dao artifact possesses an extraordinarily deep grasp of the path of the void! The craftsmanship is beyond reproach!" "A splendid Dao artifact! If I could wield this treasure, my comprehension of the path of the void would surely multiply! Where it would have taken a thousand years to reach the Void Refining realm, that time could be compressed to within three hundred years!" The instant the Dao artifact appeared, countless Void Piercing and Void Refining cultivators' eyes lit up. Streams of divine sense surged toward the artifact without pause, inspecting every facet of its power. Yaoguang did nothing to hinder them. Only after nearly half an hour had passed and no one harbored any lingering doubts regarding the Void Sword's qualities did he speak: "Very well. Everyone, please place your bids. Keep within your means, and do not cause disruptions. Otherwise..." He paused, his aura harmonizing seamlessly with the Tiandu Dragon Slaying Formation. "Do not blame me for showing no mercy." In the past, such words might have provoked resentment from Void Refining cultivators who prided themselves on their seniority and eminent stature. Yet with the recent fate of the Shadow Moon Sect's Void Refining demon fresh in their minds, coupled with Yaoguang's aura now bound directly to Nandu's grand defensive formation... Not a single person stepped forward to court trouble. A palace master from the Penglai Immortal Sect took the lead, speaking with a chuckle: "The true value of this Void Sword exceeds one billion. However... allow me to cast a brick to draw jade and open the bidding at the reserve price of one billion Pure Yang Great Pills. Please feel free to raise the stakes, everyone." With this Void Refining palace master opening the floor, the Void Piercing and Void Refining cultivators from the other factions wasted no time. 1.1 billion, 1.2 billion, 1.3 billion, 1.4 billion... Across Beihai Star, cultivators who had planted their Dao seeds using the Grand Dao of the Void as their lifebound Dao art were the most numerous. Moreover, the Void Sword was an offensive Dao artifact built specifically for slaughter. Bids from the gathered Void Piercing and Void Refining experts came in rapid succession, swiftly driving the price to 1.4 billion! This sum already surpassed the earlier Longxiang Flying Boat by a wide margin. After a fierce round of competition, the flying sword was ultimately purchased by Pan Yuan of the Immortal Martial Sect for the towering price of 1.53 billion. Once the price was finalized, although this Void Refining cultivator felt some heartache over the cost, he still wore a beaming smile as he said, "I do not have enough Pure Yang Great Pills on hand, but I possess some Void Dao Pills and materials of equivalent value. Here is the inventory list. Sect Master Yaoguang, please take a look." He handed a jade talisman directly to Yaoguang. When Yaoguang inspected the listed materials, particularly the exchange rate for the Void Dao Pills... It was unexpectedly set at the official market rate of 1 to 10,000, which took him somewhat by surprise. While many great sects used this standard ratio for Void Dao Pills, turning to the black market or exchanging Pure Yang Great Pills for Void Dao Pills typically made a single Void Dao Pill worth 12,000 Pure Yang Great Pills. And given that the Void Dao Pills on the list were valued at a full three hundred million... The actual price this Void Refining cultivator of the Immortal Martial Sect offered exceeded the winning bid by a full sixty million. With a moment's reflection, Yaoguang understood. When Perfected Lord Pan Yuan of the Immortal Martial Sect first arrived in Nandu, his demeanor had been arrogant and overbearing, nearly leading to blows with Li Hanqiu, who had been overseeing the situation at the time. Deliberately providing an extra sixty million Pure Yang Great Pills' worth of materials now... This was an apology for that earlier transgression. Realizing the intent behind the gesture, and considering that the two sides had not actually fought back then, Yaoguang smiled and said, "These materials are more than sufficient to cover the Void Sword. This Dao artifact belongs to Perfected Lord Pan Yuan." "Many thanks, Sect Master Yaoguang." Pan Yuan was all smiles. Next, Yaoguang moved to auction the Thunder War Halberd. Because there had been no prior promotion, and practitioners of the Grand Dao of Thunder were far fewer than those of the Grand Dao of the Void, this Dao artifact fetched only 1.09 billion, claimed by a Void Refining deputy cult master from the Demon God Cult. "The two of you may refine your Dao artifacts right here in Nandu. Protected by the Tiandu Dragon Slaying Formation, even if a Void Shattering expert arrives in person, I can guarantee your complete safety," Yaoguang offered with a smile. However, both Pan Yuan and the winning deputy cult master of the Demon God Cult came from supreme factions and had brought numerous experts with them, so they had little fear of an ambush. "We appreciate Sect Master Yaoguang's kind intentions, but since we have the capability to bid on Dao artifacts, we naturally possess the means to safeguard them," Pan Yuan replied with a grin. Yaoguang nodded slightly. "The Dao artifact auction concludes here. However, before everyone departs, I have one more piece of good news to share..." He smiled faintly. "Starting today, Nandu will accept custom orders for void-attribute Dao artifacts. We will provide price quotes based on your specific requirements, and prior to the artifact's completion, we will collect only a ten percent deposit. Everyone is welcome to place an order."