Congratulatory Gift

"To have me serve as your shield... you certainly know how to scheme," Dao Lord Penglai said with a smile. "There's really no other way. Once I announce that we possess the ability to forge such Dao artifacts and then begin purchasing materials for pinnacle Dao artifacts, whether others believe it or not, they will more or less show us some face. That way, once the news spreads, we won't end up unable to acquire any materials at all," Yaoguang replied. Materials of such strategic value were hoarded by many factions until their dying days; they were not something one could simply buy whenever one wished. "Aren't you afraid that even I might not be able to resist growing covetous toward the hundreds of billions worth of resources you carry?" Dao Lord Penglai asked with a chuckle. "I trust Dao Lord's vision extends far beyond that." Yaoguang smiled and said, "Your goal is to enter the Gate of the Immortal Realm and ascend to the Immortal Realm. Before such an ambition, not to mention hundreds of billions, even a windfall of trillions wouldn't be worth a second thought." "Alright, don't flatter me anymore. Any more praise and I'll start feeling embarrassed," Dao Lord Penglai replied, her smile radiant. "I am merely speaking the truth," Yaoguang replied with a smile. "This won't affect the forging of my Dao artifact, will it?" Dao Lord Penglai asked. "Barring any accidents, I should need Dao Lord's assistance fifty years from now. If all goes smoothly, Dao Lord will receive a satisfactory pinnacle Dao artifact in sixty years," Yaoguang said. "Fair enough." Dao Lord Penglai nodded, before asking with a hint of curiosity, "Although this surely touches upon your secrets... why did you suddenly decide to acquire materials to forge pinnacle Dao artifacts?" "It has to do with Dao Integration," Yaoguang explained. "The more I learn about pinnacle Dao artifacts, the more I realize that, to some degree, they allow cultivators to experience the profound mysteries of Dao Integration in advance. Therefore, if I can truly forge one or two pinnacle Dao artifacts suited for myself—or even semi-immortal artifacts—I imagine it would substantially increase the success rate of Dao Integration." "Pinnacle Dao artifacts increasing the success rate of Dao Integration..." Dao Lord Penglai pondered slightly, then suddenly remarked, "Although I have never owned a pinnacle Dao artifact, that notion... might not be entirely without merit." With that, she glanced at Yaoguang. "Among the six immortal path factions—your Heavenly Dao Sect, the Taiyi Immortal Sect, the Sanqing Sacred Hall, the Tianyuan Immortal Dynasty, and two others—there has almost never been a lapse in Dao Lords. At times, two or three Dao Lords have even coexisted within the same era. The Sanqing Sacred Hall, which currently boasts three Dao Lords under one sect, is the prime example. And every single one of these factions, without exception, possesses a semi-immortal artifact!" To a certain degree, a semi-immortal artifact was essentially a pinnacle Dao artifact forged using immortal artifact materials. "I also believe it is very likely, but it must align flawlessly with one's natal Dao art," Yaoguang said. "Natal Dao art..." As Dao Lord Penglai pondered, she reached out a hand. Invisible ripples stirred in the void, as though an entire world were about to slowly unfold. Yet as the Dao Lord extended her thumb and index finger, the space between them steadily compressed, and the unfolding world collapsed rapidly in the process. In the end, it condensed into a crystal-clear gem that seemed to hold a miniature world inside, resting in her palm. "This is..." Seeing the crystal, Yaoguang's pupils contracted. "Your natal Dao art is the Grand Dao of the Void. This is a Guixu Mysterious Crystal I obtained from the demon race, which can serve as the primary material for an immortal artifact." As Dao Lord Penglai spoke, she handed the crystal directly to Yaoguang. "Consider it an advance congratulatory gift for when you achieve Dao Lord." Yaoguang swiftly accepted the supreme treasure, which would easily fetch at least a hundred billion if sold. He wanted to make a polite refusal, but... This Guixu Mysterious Crystal, capable of serving as the primary material for an immortal artifact, was far too vital to him. It was equivalent to directly advancing his Dao Integration progress from one-third to two-thirds. Thus... He could not bear to let it go under any circumstance. In the end... He dispensed with pretense. He simply said, "Thank you." "Mm. I will publicly announce that I have commissioned you to forge a pinnacle Dao artifact." After speaking, Dao Lord Penglai added, "However, even if you only claim to be attempting to forge one, it is foreseeable that this will inevitably attract many covetous eyes..." "With you here, Dao Lord, before my ability to forge pinnacle Dao artifacts is definitively confirmed, all the other Dao Lords will merely watch and probe from the sidelines, won't they?" Yaoguang said, adding, "And by the time you are ready to ascend, I believe I will have developed sufficient capability to face threats at the Dao Lord level." Hearing his words, Dao Lord Penglai smiled faintly. "I do love seeing this supremely confident look on you." Smiling, she turned her gaze toward the distant pond of boundless green leaves. "Go ahead and acquire your materials. As long as you don't provoke eight or ten Dao Lords into joining forces against you, I can hold off three to five ordinary Dao Lords for you—at the very least, keeping you alive won't be a problem." "I have never doubted your strength in the slightest, Dao Lord," Yaoguang said solemnly. "There are always stronger foes and higher peaks. Don't take my title as Beihai Star's foremost Dao Lord too seriously. Just forge my Dao artifact as quickly as you can, so I can handle the probes of those Dao Lords with a bit more ease," Dao Lord Penglai did not forget to urge him. "Await my good news." Having said that, Yaoguang wasted no time and directly took his leave. Dao Lord Penglai made no move to detain him. *** To the side, Acting Sect Master Shi Lin had listened to the exchange between Yaoguang and her master, and for a long while, she couldn't process it. When she finally digested the full implication of Yaoguang's words, this unremarkable Void Shattering cultivator couldn't help but widen her eyes! The Artifact Saint! That enigmatic Artifact Saint of the Southern Domain... Was Yaoguang himself?! He was a cultivator who had cultivated for barely a century, yet not only was he ranked among the top ten on the Dao Lord Candidate List, but he also commanded such exquisite, consummate artifact-refining craftsmanship that he could forge Dao artifacts?! No! Forging Dao artifacts was one thing! Just as her master said, one should never look upon or measure a true genius through ordinary eyes! The crucial point was... Pinnacle Dao artifacts! Those were pinnacle Dao artifacts! What Yaoguang's conversation with her master just revealed was... He could forge pinnacle Dao artifacts that provided substantial boosts even to the power of Dao Lords?! How... How was that possible?! Artifact refiners among Dao Lords who could achieve this were exceedingly rare, let alone a Void Shattering True Monarch like Yaoguang?! Under heaven... How could there be something so absurd?! Did the gap between mortals and geniuses really have to be so vast that it shattered one's entire worldview?! How were ordinary people supposed to live with themselves?! Shi Lin remained in a daze of shock, only snapping out of it after Yaoguang had risen and taken his leave. After seeing Yaoguang off and returning to Dao Lord Penglai's dwelling, the Void Shattering cultivator could not hold back: "Master, Sect Master Yaoguang... he..." "A peerless genius!" Dao Lord Penglai knew what she wanted to say, and she herself could not help but sigh in admiration. "He is even more outstanding than I was back in the day. That is why... if he fails to become a Dao Lord in the future, it would be far too great a tragedy." *Hiss!* Shi Lin drew in a sharp breath. Yaoguang... Was he truly so extraordinary?! Compared to him, individuals like Taiqingzi and Qin Xianhuang, whom her master had secretly aided in the past, were not even in the same league. "I thought Master's talent was already the greatest under heaven, yet this man surpasses even Master..." Shi Lin blurted out, utterly failing to notice how presumptuous her words were. However, Dao Lord Penglai merely smiled without taking offense. "So, do you still hold any grievances about my choosing him as the fallback for the Penglai Immortal Sect?" "None," Shi Lin immediately replied. "Whether it is the Penglai Immortal Sect or everything this disciple possesses, it was all bestowed by Master. This disciple has never harbored the slightest complaint." "I believe that is your sincere sentiment..." Dao Lord Penglai turned her head away. "Regrettably, others might not feel the same." For a moment, Shi Lin did not know how to respond. Only after a while did she say, "I will counsel my junior brothers and sisters..." "No need. Respect the fate of others," Dao Lord Penglai said calmly. "Did Dao Lord Juntian not also allow True Monarch Buzhou to perish at Yaoguang's hands without expressing the slightest reaction?" "This..." Shi Lin was struck speechless. She truly did not know how to respond to that. "Go. In my name, spread the news," Dao Lord Penglai instructed. "Understood," Shi Lin replied, bowing respectfully before retreating. *** Meanwhile, having concluded his visit to Dao Lord Penglai, secured her backing, and even obtained the Guixu Mysterious Crystal, Yaoguang returned toward the Heavenly Dao Sect laden with spoils. As he journeyed toward the sect, he browsed through the spatial artifact that Dao Lord Penglai had given him earlier. The materials within this artifact were likewise worth hundreds of billions, and many of them could serve as complementary secondary materials for forging pinnacle Dao artifacts. *Unfortunately, the materials in this artifact are part of the transaction for that pinnacle Dao artifact. Until I finish forging the artifact, this 'transaction' cannot be counted as complete. Even the Guixu Mysterious Crystal is a congratulatory gift for when I achieve 'Dao Integration,' so before I reach Dao Integration, it likewise cannot be incorporated into the calculations of [Merchant]...* Yaoguang felt a pang of regret. Otherwise, if he could count this haul of two hundred billion, the growth progress of the [Dao Integration · Void] branch would have increased by at least fifteen hundred-thousandths. *** The battleship sliced through the sky, heading straight for the Heavenly Dao Sect. Upon entering the Heavenly Dao Sect's territory, the sect's surveillance system detected the battleship's arrival. Once they learned of Yaoguang's return, the entire Heavenly Dao Sect sprang into motion. By the time he arrived, not only had Zhen Xuanyuan, Chiyun, and Gu Li come out to greet him, but even Supreme Elders Dongxi, Yuanxing, and Liaochen, whom he had never met before, also appeared outside the Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation to welcome his arrival. Among them, Zhen Xuanyuan, Chiyun, and Gu Li were familiar faces, but upon seeing Dongxi, Yuanxing, and Liaochen, a thought crossed his mind. Zong Wenxian had seemingly led these Supreme Elders to keep watch on the Light God race for the secret repository of the deceased Dao Lord Zhuanlun. Yet now... The secret repository had already become Yaoguang's spoils of war, and he had slaughtered most of the Light God race's God Emperors, bringing the matter to a close. Where was Zong Wenxian now? With that in mind, Yaoguang—who had originally intended to seek out Venerable Golden Book immediately to search the Heavenly Dao Sect's treasury for pinnacle materials—was suddenly in no hurry. Seeing Zhen Xuanyuan leading several Supreme Elders forward to welcome him, he asked directly, "Where is Sect Master Zong Wenxian? Has he returned? Tell him to come see me."