The Choice

Taiyi Immortal Sect. After having his disciple Chaoyang see off the Heavenly Dao Sect Void Piercing cultivator who came bearing a letter, True Monarch Taiyuan was filled with emotion. "The matter of an Artifact Saint standing behind Yaoguang has already been confirmed. In fact, Yaoguang's ability to grow at such a rapid pace might not be solely due to Dao Lord Penglai's vigorous backing, but also the full support of that Artifact Saint... Of course, it's also possible Dao Lord Penglai gave Yaoguang personal guidance out of respect for that Artifact Saint, allowing his cultivation through the Void Piercing, Void Refining, and Void Shattering realms to advance by leaps and bounds. But what I never imagined was that this Artifact Saint's forging mastery had reached such an extraordinary level." This Sect Master of the Taiyi Immortal Sect thought about the weight carried by an Artifact Saint capable of forging pinnacle Dao artifacts... Even though this Artifact Saint seemed to require piling up materials to forge a true pinnacle Dao artifact, potentially investing several times the cost of an ordinary pinnacle Dao artifact... Still, this level of skill was unquestionably number one among the many artifact refiners of Beihai Star. Aside from exceptional beings who had attained Dao Lord and immersed themselves in the Dao of artifact forging for tens of thousands of years, calling him the number one Artifact Saint of Beihai Star was by no means an exaggeration. *Swish!* At that moment, two streaks of light tore through the void simultaneously, arriving at True Monarch Taiyuan's residence. These two... One was Supreme Elder Yuhuang. The other was named Hongyan. Compared to the other Supreme Elders, this Supreme Elder's cultivation was nothing out of the ordinary, yet his stature could rival the Chief Supreme Elder of the Taiyi Immortal Sect, or even True Monarch Taiyuan himself as Sect Master. For he was an Artifact Saint-level figure, of a kind extraordinarily rare across the entirety of Beihai Star. Over the course of his long life, the Dao artifacts forged by his own hands numbered a full five! Thus, upon seeing this Supreme Elder arrive, True Monarch Taiyuan stood up as well. "Hongyan, Yuhuang—what brings the two of you here?" "Sect Master, have you heard the news? Dao Lord Penglai has actually spared no expense to commission the mysterious Artifact Saint behind Sect Master Yaoguang to forge a pinnacle Dao artifact?! This... this is unbelievable!" Supreme Elder Hongyan's eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. "It is indeed rather startling." True Monarch Taiyuan nodded. "On Beihai Star, Artifact Saints capable of forging Dao artifacts are exceptionally scarce. Across all the Dao Lord lineages in our human domain, factions possessing an Artifact Saint likely number fewer than the fingers on one hand. The mysterious Artifact Saint behind Yaoguang can not only forge Dao artifacts, but fashioning high-grade Dao artifacts is surely well within his grasp. Otherwise, he could never have convinced Dao Lord Penglai to place such a heavy wager on him, joining with him to use the Sect Master succession ceremony as an opportunity to purchase forging materials at high prices from factions like ours in an attempt to forge a pinnacle Dao artifact." Beside them, Supreme Elder Yuhuang nodded in deep agreement and added, "I finally truly understand how Yaoguang managed to reach such a level in a mere hundred years or so. With an Artifact Saint like that backing him, able to freely comprehend and wield all sorts of Dao artifacts tailored to him, it probably isn't much different from receiving personal guidance from a Dao Lord." "Indeed," True Monarch Taiyuan smiled. "It's just that... his wish to seize this chance to procure pinnacle Dao artifact materials is likely overambitious. Pinnacle Dao artifact materials are strategic resources closely guarded by top major sects, to say nothing of immortal artifact materials. If one could produce one or two portions of immortal artifact materials, trading them for a finished pinnacle Dao artifact would be no trouble at all." "Dao Lord Penglai looted the collections of the Tianhai Sword Pavilion clean and has charged into the depths of the Demon territory more than once, plundering demon tribes and demon saints alike. Deeply wealthy and assertive, no one knows just how vastly rich she is. Now that she has personally vouched for this and signaled Yaoguang to offer double the price for pinnacle Dao artifact and even immortal artifact materials... there are bound to be factions tempted by the offer," Supreme Elder Yuhuang remarked impartially. "Double the price..." Pondering this, True Monarch Taiyuan sank into quiet contemplation. After a moment, he said, "You mean..." "Double the price is enticing enough in its own right," Supreme Elder Yuhuang said. "On top of that, it provides a chance to forge good relations with a god-given genius like Yaoguang—who holds promise for Dao Integration—as well as the mysterious Artifact Saint behind him. Driven by these considerations, some factions might very well sell portions of pinnacle Dao artifact materials to this mysterious Artifact Saint half as a favor. With that rapport established, it would be far easier to approach him later if they ever need this Artifact Saint's help to forge high-grade Dao artifacts." Hearing this, True Monarch Taiyuan could not help turning his gaze toward Supreme Elder Hongyan. "What do you think?" If those pinnacle Dao artifact materials were given to Supreme Elder Hongyan, they would certainly boost his efficiency in forging Dao artifacts significantly; if immortal artifact materials were utilized as well... Forging a high-grade Dao artifact would be well within reach. Therefore, on whether to part with these materials, he still had to consider Supreme Elder Hongyan's opinion. "Yaoguang is a Void Shattering cultivator who advanced only several decades ago. No matter how dazzlingly talented he is or how many perfected Dao arts he has mastered, if he wants to climb onto the Dao Lord Candidate List—especially into the top ten—then besides raw personal strength, he must inevitably rely on external assistance: namely, high-grade Dao artifacts! Dao artifacts personally forged by that mysterious Artifact Saint!" Supreme Elder Hongyan said solemnly, "Therefore, for Yaoguang's succession ceremony, I intend to accompany you, Sect Master. I want to inspect those high-grade Dao artifacts on him in person, and assess the mysterious Artifact Saint's exact forging mastery from them!" "Oh? Elder Hongyan, you plan on going too?" "Yes. If Yaoguang is willing to let me examine the high-grade Dao artifacts crafted by that mysterious Artifact Saint, we can sell them a portion of pinnacle Dao artifact materials at standard market price." Supreme Elder Hongyan added, "Any financial shortfall, I will cover out of pocket." "You are too modest, Elder. Examining high-grade Dao artifacts is for the sake of improving your own forging mastery. The sect can easily bear such an expense," True Monarch Taiyuan said with a smile. "Still... why not simply meet that mysterious Artifact Saint in person?" "At this juncture, he will never agree to show himself," Supreme Elder Hongyan said with absolute certainty. "Oh? Why is that?" True Monarch Taiyuan felt curious. As fellow Artifact Saints, wouldn't meeting, exchanging insights, and spurring each other forward be perfectly natural? "Sect Master, you haven't realized the true gravity contained in the news that this Artifact Saint is attempting to forge a pinnacle Dao artifact." Hongyan shook his head. "No—not just you, Sect Master; I'm afraid almost no one has realized what this attempt to forge a pinnacle Dao artifact truly signifies!" This Artifact Saint spoke with a mix of envy, admiration, and yearning: "Aside from the three thousand Great Daos, the paths to Dao Integration also include unorthodox, alternative ways. Since ancient times, tales of 'skill approaching the Dao' have been told time and again. For an Artifact Saint capable of forging high-grade Dao artifacts while still in the Void Shattering realm, the devotion he has poured into artifact forging and his deep comprehension and study of the craft absolutely meet the standard of 'skill approaching the Dao.' Once he seizes this opportunity and successfully forges a pinnacle Dao artifact, his mental will will undergo a complete transformation. When that happens, there is a very high probability he can harness that sublime, transcendent state to enter the Dao through artifact forging and attain the Dao Integration realm in one fell swoop!" "Enter the Dao through artifact forging?!" "Dao Integration?!" Hearing Hongyan's words, both True Monarch Taiyuan and Supreme Elder Yuhuang revealed shocked expressions. In particular, True Monarch Taiyuan realized something almost immediately: "Are you saying that the reason Dao Lord Penglai is spending a hundred billion—or even hundreds of billions—to support the mysterious Artifact Saint behind Yaoguang in forging a pinnacle Dao artifact is actually to help him achieve the Dao? To use this unorthodox, alternative path to first enter the Dao through artifact forging, and then, carrying that sublimated state of spirit, truly step into the realm of Dao Integration?" "Yes," Supreme Elder Hongyan nodded heavily. "With two to three hundred billion—or even three to four hundred billion—what kind of pinnacle Dao artifact couldn't one buy? But if this mysterious Artifact Saint can truly enter the Dao through artifact forging and become a Dao Lord, then in the future, what he can forge won't simply be pinnacle Dao artifacts. He will at least be qualified to forge semi-immortal artifacts, or even..." He paused, a flicker of fervor appearing in his eyes: "True immortal artifacts!" Immortal artifacts! Those two words sent a violent shock through both their hearts. Even though forging immortal artifacts was merely an aspiration for the distant future... Even a semi-immortal artifact could immediately boost a Dao Lord's combat prowess to a dramatic degree. When that time came, in every Dao Contention—apart from a tiny handful of special tracks like the Grand Dao of the Void—whoever could stand out from the rest would likely depend on who could befriend this mysterious Artifact Saint and obtain a semi-immortal artifact forged by him! "Does Elder Hongyan mean... that we should invest in this mysterious Artifact Saint in advance?" True Monarch Taiyuan asked. "The risk is immense. After all, both entering the Dao through artifact forging and successfully completing Dao Integration are colossal challenges for him. At most, the path this mysterious Artifact Saint walks simply makes him more likely to succeed on the road to Dao Integration than others, Yaoguang included." Having said that, Supreme Elder Hongyan shifted his tone: "Yet if he truly succeeds... that would be a monumental boon to reap for ages to come, and none of us would be an exception..." These words caused True Monarch Taiyuan and Supreme Elder Yuhuang to exchange glances, momentarily unable to reach a decision. "From how this mysterious Artifact Saint nurtured Yaoguang and convinced Dao Lord Penglai, we can tell he is likely proficient in both Void and Origin Dao arts. Moreover, he chose to join the Heavenly Dao Sect rather than other factions... perhaps he has dipped into the Grand Dao of Truth as well... As it happens, don't we have a portion of material suitable for a void-type immortal artifact in our hands? If we wish to invest, we have the qualification to do so." "That is an investment cost of over a hundred billion!" True Monarch Taiyuan could not help remarking. "That is why I cannot make this decision. You must discuss it among yourselves—and best contact the Dao Lord to seek his final judgment," Supreme Elder Hongyan said, adding, "In any case, there is still some time before the succession ceremony." "Go and meet this mysterious Artifact Saint," True Monarch Taiyuan said in a deep voice. "We know nothing of his exact attainment... Only if you meet him can we make a final ruling." "I've said it already: it is very difficult," Hongyan said. "Right now, he must be pouring all his focus and energy into the forging of that pinnacle Dao artifact. For ordinary people to see him is virtually impossible." He glanced at True Monarch Taiyuan. "Sect Master, when you are on the verge of charging toward the Dao Integration realm, would you allow yourself to be distracted by anything else? Especially when... revealing your identity and location could leave you vulnerable to an ambush?" "He hasn't actually begun Dao Integration yet," True Monarch Taiyuan reasoned. "Furthermore, an incomparably precious immortal artifact material is, in my opinion, immensely persuasive." Hearing this, Hongyan sank into thought. After a good while, he said, "If you trust me, Sect Master, I can give it a try. Although I cannot forge high-grade Dao artifacts, I consider myself to have ample attainment in the Dao of artifact forging. As for how high this mysterious Artifact Saint's level truly is, if I can meet him in person and exchange a few thoughts, I can basically gauge it... and likewise determine whether he is worth us spending such a fortune to invest in." "I naturally trust you, Elder Hongyan," True Monarch Taiyuan said solemnly. He continued immediately, "Still, this matter is of great consequence after all. I will convene the Supreme Elder Council at once and contact Dao Lord Dihui... The Dao Lord is merely several decades of journey away from Beihai Star, so we should receive a reply quickly. At that point, we shall make the final decision at the council meeting." Supreme Elder Hongyan nodded. In truth, his heart was deeply stirred. Not just his—True Monarch Taiyuan felt the same. After all, if this investment proved sound, the returns it could bring to the Taiyi Sect would be immense. The Taiyi Immortal Sect acted swiftly. In less than a day, the Supreme Elder Council convened. And the response from Dao Lord Dihui was equally swift. In just one day, this Dao Lord and the other Supreme Elders of the Supreme Elder Council had arrived at a conclusion: Trust the vision and judgment of Hongyan, an Artifact Saint, and have him meet the mysterious Artifact Saint behind Yaoguang. The entire matter was... Entrusted fully to Hongyan to decide.