Gathering Momentum

The moment those words were spoken, everyone present was momentarily taken aback. Immediately after, a Void Refining expert from the Taiyi Immortal Sect abruptly rose to his feet. "Sect Master Yaoguang, are you speaking the truth?! You accept custom commissions for void-type Dao artifacts?!" Before Yaoguang could answer, one Void Refining cultivator after another chimed in with questions of their own. "You can craft Dao artifacts?! Is that true?!" "Sect Master Yaoguang, may I ask which Artifact Saint you have enlisted to craft these custom Dao artifacts? Can we only commission void-type Dao artifacts, or can we commission Dao artifacts corresponding to other Great Daos as well?" "An Artifact Saint?! Has another Artifact Saint been born on our Beihai Star? Or has an Artifact Saint from beyond the starry sky arrived here? This is truly magnificent! Custom-tailored commissions—those are exclusive Dao artifacts! The cultivation speed of Void Piercing and Void Refining cultivators with exclusive Dao artifacts compared to those without is literally night and day!" With Yaoguang’s announcement, not a single person could remain seated. The Void Refining and Void Piercing cultivators of the Penglai Immortal Sect even began wondering whether this so-called "Artifact Saint" behind Yaoguang was Dao Lord Penglai himself. They were not the only ones harboring suspicions; the Void Refining and Void Piercing cultivators of the Heavenly Dao Sect felt the same way. "Dao artifacts! Accepting custom commissions for Dao artifacts! How is that possible?! Does an Artifact Saint truly stand behind them?!" "This is a huge problem. The sect master is in deep trouble now. For Yaoguang to actually..." "Utter nonsense! Yaoguang must be using this to build momentum! He still holds several void Dao artifacts in his hands. By advertising that he can craft custom Dao artifacts, he is tricking the world into believing an Artifact Saint stands behind him. He will then use that Artifact Saint's prestige to recruit personnel everywhere, expanding his power so that he can contest the sect master once he attains the Void Shattering realm in the future! An Artifact Saint?! What kind of precious being is that? Once someone ascends to Artifact Saint, the news spreads everywhere. How could it have stayed quiet until now, only to be revealed by Yaoguang?" The Void Refining and Void Piercing experts of the Heavenly Dao Sect were variously shocked, skeptical, or speculating—and some were even exasperated to the point of fury. Several Void Piercing cultivators who firmly stood on Zong Wenxian's side outright believed that Yaoguang was putting on a bluff, preparing for his future bid to contest Zong Wenxian for the sect master's position. And this view found resonance with quite a few people. An Artifact Saint! In terms of weight, an Artifact Saint ranked even a cut above a Void Shattering Grand Supreme Elder. Whenever an Artifact Saint was born within any faction, they would do everything possible to keep them hidden, preventing them from contacting the outside world and keeping them far from any danger. However... If an Artifact Saint publicly declared their intent to align with a top-tier faction, that faction would spare no effort to bring them back to their sect, even if it meant dispatching three to five Void Shattering experts and risking a conflict with another premier power. Therefore, the idea that Yaoguang was backed by an Artifact Saint capable of forging Dao artifacts simply defied reason. Naturally, that was the reasoning of those who stood resolutely behind Zong Wenxian. Many Void Piercing and Void Refining cultivators knew that the Void Sword was already the second Dao artifact Yaoguang had sold. Furthermore, during his battle against the demonic cultivators of the Shadow Moon Sect, witnesses had seen him deploy multiple Dao artifacts. For a Void Refining cultivator to carry so many Dao artifacts was completely unnatural. Yet if an Artifact Saint stood behind him... Everything made sense. "Everyone, our delivery times range from ten to several hundred years," Yaoguang's divine sense resonated across the venue once more. "If you do not trust us, you may wait and observe. However, we will fulfill orders strictly in the sequence they are placed. Therefore, the crafting of Dao artifacts will be first come, first served." "Time to take a gamble!" With those words, the Void Refining cultivators who already suspected an Artifact Saint truly backed Yaoguang stood up one after another. "Sect Master Yaoguang, are you speaking the truth? I happen to need a void Dao artifact forged! May I ask if you can take my order?" Prince Zhenyue of the Great Shang Immortal Dynasty was the first to take action. "Is Prince Zhenyue's lifebound Dao art One Thought of the Void? Do you wish to forge a Dao artifact tailored to that Dao art?" Yaoguang asked. "Precisely," Prince Zhenyue nodded. He was an expert who had broken through to the Void Refining realm three thousand years ago. However, because he had borrowed heavily when attempting his breakthrough back then, repaying the debts had consumed a vast amount of his time. Only recently had he finally accumulated enough capital to purchase a Dao artifact. One Thought of the Void was a sealing-type void Dao art, theoretically possessing great synergy with the properties of the Heaven-Sealing Stele. Yet for many Void Refining cultivators, obtaining a Dao artifact aligned with the same Great Dao was already a blessing from heaven; how could they dare ask for a perfect match? That was also why he had come here to bid on the Void Sword. Now that Yaoguang had declared he could take custom commissions, it came as an unexpected, delightful surprise. Even though he could not yet be certain whether the news was true or false, he was willing to stake at least a hundred million Pure Yang Great Pills to give it a try. "We can do it," Yaoguang replied. "Crafting this type of Dao artifact is not difficult. It can be delivered within a century." As he spoke, he made a slight calculation. "Based on the characteristics of the One Thought of the Void Dao art, I will charge you a fee of 1.5 billion, with a deposit of 150 million. Can you accept this?" "Delivered within a century?" Prince Zhenyue was taken aback. A century?! "Delivered within a single century? Hah, unless a Dao Lord intervenes, even an Artifact Saint at the Void Shattering realm would be hard-pressed to forge a Dao artifact in a hundred years. Sect Master Yaoguang, please do not make a mockery of our Heavenly Dao Sect's reputation," a Void Piercing elder from the Heavenly Dao Sect could not help but speak up at this moment. His words swiftly cooled the impassioned fervor of many Void Refining cultivators present. How could anyone forge a Dao artifact within a century? If the turnaround were truly that fast, Dao artifacts would have flooded the world long ago. Why would they remain so scarce? Could this turn out to be a massive scam? Although the deposit was only ten percent, multiplied across many buyers, it would still amount to an astonishing fortune. Given Yaoguang's monstrous talent, if he took the deposits, dusted himself off, and fled deep into the cosmos, who could do anything to him? While such a possibility was extremely low, it brought many Void Refining cultivators back to their senses. Yaoguang glanced at the speaker and recognized him. Elder Zuo Xingchen of the Immortal Lineage. Without guessing, one would know he belonged to Zong Wenxian's faction. "While I am not entirely intolerant of doubt, since your lineage does not trust me, then from this day forward, do not come to the Southern Domain to do business," Yaoguang said calmly. The lineage he mentioned clearly referred to the entire Immortal Lineage. Those words caused the Void Piercing elder's expression to change drastically. Immediately after, Yaoguang looked back toward Prince Zhenyue. "If you do not believe me, I will not force the matter." Prince Zhenyue looked at Yaoguang, but what crossed his mind was something else entirely... It was the rumors surrounding Yaoguang himself. Rumors claimed he was connected to Dao Lord Penglai. If that was true, with Dao Lord Penglai stepping in, crafting a Dao artifact suited to One Thought of the Void within a century would be child's play. Even if the rumor was false... It still did not matter. If Yaoguang had genuinely achieved the Void Refining realm in such a short time without the backing of a Dao Lord and possessed the strength to slay a veteran Void Refining expert like Xie Tong... Just how terrifying was his talent? In the future, let alone attaining the Void Shattering realm, even achieving Dao Integration to become a Dao Lord was not beyond hope. Even if Yaoguang truly swindled him, he could simply consider it an early investment in a peerless figure destined for the Dao Lord realm. With that thought, Prince Zhenyue said with deep resolve, "I naturally trust Sect Master Yaoguang." He immediately brought out a portion of the resources he had originally intended to use for bidding on the Void Sword. "Sect Master Yaoguang, the items herein should easily be worth 150 million Pure Yang Great Pills. Many of them are materials I collected over the years in the hope of one day finding someone to forge a suitable Dao artifact for me. Please have a look." "Very well," Yaoguang nodded slightly. "Providing the corresponding materials for the Dao artifact of your own accord may allow me to deliver the item even sooner." Even sooner... Unless a Dao Lord truly stood behind Yaoguang, they could not begin to imagine it. Prince Zhenyue smiled. "Sect Master Yaoguang and the master behind you can craft it at your own pace. If it cannot be delivered within a century, dragging it out another century or two is perfectly acceptable to me. I have waited three thousand years already; there is no rush." Yaoguang gave a slight nod and received the spatial treasure. As he accepted the materials from Prince Zhenyue, several other Void Refining experts immediately stepped forward. "Sect Master Yaoguang, I would also like to ask you to custom-craft a Dao artifact for me..." "My lifebound Dao art is Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate. May I ask Sect Master Yaoguang to forge a corresponding Dao artifact for me? Name whatever price you wish." "Count me in as well, Sect Master Yaoguang..." Clearly, these Void Refining cultivators shared thoughts similar to Prince Zhenyue's. If Yaoguang failed to deliver on time, or even ran off with the funds, they would treat it as an early investment in a future Dao Lord. Even if he could not deliver in the short term, once he became a Dao Lord and could effortlessly forge Dao artifacts, he would hardly default on his debts. Naturally, there was significant risk involved. Namely, that Yaoguang might fail to achieve Dao Integration smoothly. Yet since it was an investment, it was impossible to be entirely free of risk. Before long, out of the thirty-odd Void Refining experts present, a full six had placed orders. Three Void Piercing cultivators also took a gamble and paid deposits exceeding a hundred million each. The immense sum of capital provided by these nine people was already no less than the proceeds from selling a Dao artifact, bringing his total personal wealth to a level surpassing four billion. Watching this unfold, Zuo Xingchen, Qianren, Li Baijie, Lu Wanshi, as well as Yue Kuhai and the others, deeply furrowed their brows. Four billion! Wealth equivalent to four billion Pure Yang Great Pills! Even for Sect Master Zong Wenxian, saving up such a colossal fortune would likely take a thousand years. After all, as the sect master, his routine expenditures were also an astronomical figure. Moreover, the Void Refining stage was a realm heavily reliant on resources. With these earnings... The time Yaoguang needed to reach the peak of the Void Refining realm would be drastically shortened. "We can't afford to provoke him," Lu Wanshi finally exhaled a long breath after a long silence. His furrowed brow smoothed out. He glanced at Qianren. "Unless the sect master launches some remarkable, highly effective major move next... our Lu family... does not intend to provoke Sect Master Yaoguang any further." In truth, Qianren was having second thoughts as well, but he found it awkward to show it. He merely said, "Yaoguang refined and killed a Void Refining cultivator of the Shadow Moon Sect, and now he carries such an astonishing fortune on him. The Shadow Moon Sect is bound to take action. In my view, he may not necessarily survive the tribulations ahead." "Then let us wait and watch. But moving forward... our Li family will also alter its stance. If the Shadow Moon Sect or the sect master still makes no move within ten years, our Li family will withdraw from the Southern Domain," Li Baijie followed up. Qianren nodded. He knew Li Baijie was afraid—and if put in his place, he would be afraid too. Such terrifying talent, backed by such immense resources, and possessing an entire domain of his own. Once he hid inside the Tiandu Dragon Slaying Formation, even Void Shattering experts could only stare helplessly. His momentum had truly become unstoppable.