Since that’s the case, I won’t insist further. However, before the auction ends, if you change your mind, you can still come to find me. But once the auction is over, I won’t give you another chance. Remember this well. After Zuo Qinghui finished speaking, he turned and left with his disgruntled disciples from Changchun Temple. As soon as he left, Luo Xing’er grabbed Yuan Ming’s arm and pouted, “Senior, Changchun Temple is really overbearing. Will they target you?” “No!” Yuan Ming shook his head with a smile, “Don’t worry. As long as I stay within Xiaohu City, what can they do to me?”

“They just want to use me to capture Pu Zhengqing, especially since I survived a fight with him.” “You’re right, but publicly refusing an elder from Changchun Temple has cost them face, and there will be trouble eventually.” Hearing this voice, Luo Xing’er turned around joyfully, “Grandmaster Song.” Yuan Ming looked up and saw a young female cultivator dressed in a plain long skirt with a hairpin, beautiful as jade and fragrant as flowers. Despite her simple attire, she radiated an undeniable brilliance. Luo Xing’er’s call of ‘Grandmaster’ reminded Yuan Ming of her identity; she was his grandmother’s master, Elder Song Huitong of Shengye Sect, who was actually at least two to three hundred years old but somehow maintained her youthful appearance.

Yuan Ming immediately greeted her with a bow, and Song Huitong waved her hand, asking, “I’ve heard from Fen Yun that you’re a decisive person. Now that you’ve refused Brother Zuo, you must have your plans, right? You saved Xing’er and have a deep connection with Fen Yun. It’s only right that we help you. If there’s anything you need, feel free to tell me.” “Thank you for your kind offer, Elder. I do have a favor to ask. In my last fight with Pu Zhengqing, my magical artifact was nearly depleted. I’m looking to replace it. Do you know any artifact refiners who can upgrade top-grade magical artifacts to supreme-grade? Could you recommend one to me?” Yuan Ming didn’t hesitate to ask directly.

Song Huitong pondered for a moment and nodded, “This matter is neither difficult nor easy. The person I know is quite peculiar. Even with a recommendation, whether they’ll refine for you depends on your own persuasion.” “If Elder can make the recommendation, I would be eternally grateful, successful or not,” Yuan Ming said earnestly. After speaking with Yuan Ming, Song Huitong left alone, and Yuan Ming wandered around the Shengye Sect’s booth for a while before leaving. Besides Shengye Sect, there were many other booths from sects Yuan Ming had never heard of, and he was greatly enlightened. Passing by a booth decorated with a blazing phoenix, Yuan Ming encountered two cultivators he had met once before.

Di Chen was still wearing his red dragon robe but now hung his head in dejection, while Di Yue, with her red lips and white teeth, stood with hands on hips, seemingly scolding her brother. Perhaps sensing Yuan Ming’s gaze, Di Yue suddenly looked up, and upon seeing him, her face lit up with joy. “Fellow Daoist, over here.” Di Yue waved at Yuan Ming, her black and red ponytail swaying with a dash of heroism. Hearing his sister’s call, Di Chen looked up and glanced at Yuan Ming. Unlike his sister, Di Chen seemed to ignore Yuan Ming, but upon seeing the joy on his sister’s face, his eyes shifted from confusion to wariness. Yuan Ming couldn’t ignore Di Yue’s warm demeanor and approached the siblings at their booth.

“Fellow Daoist, didn’t I tell you to leave a message at the Five Elements Inn in the city? Why haven’t you contacted me for so long? I was worried you had left Leizhou,” Di Yue said. “Ha Gong,” Yuan Ming gave his usual alias. “You’re that Ha Gong? The one who repelled Pu Zhengqing?” Di Chen suddenly remembered. Yuan Ming nodded, and Di Yue exclaimed in surprise, “I didn’t expect you to be Fellow Daoist Ha Gong. I must thank you for showing mercy last time and sparing my brother some dignity.” “Sister, why do you keep bringing up the past? You’ve mentioned it several times,” Di Chen said impatiently.

Di Yue’s eyebrows rose in anger, “I have to tell you, with your attitude, who knows how many people you’ll offend in the future! It was just a sparring match, and at the time, I didn’t know you were Ha Gong, the one who defeated Pu Zhengqing. I thought, how could that vine monster be so powerful? I didn’t even use my full strength last time. Let’s have a rematch outside the city later; I want to see just how strong someone who can defeat soul cultivators really is!” Di Chen suddenly realized and then excitedly prepared to challenge Yuan Ming. But in the next instant, with a light slap, Di Yue gently hit Di Chen on the head and gave Yuan Ming an apologetic look. “Sorry, Fellow Daoist Ha Gong, my brother has been spoiled and loves to cause trouble and fight. Please don’t take his words to heart.”

Yuan Ming nodded, his thoughts drifting to the carefree cultivator he had met in the Southern Border. Di Yue apologized to Yuan Ming and then resumed her stern demeanor, scolding Di Chen fiercely. Di Chen seemed a bit wronged but apologized to Yuan Ming under his sister’s coercion. Yuan Ming laughed it off, not minding at all, but Di Yue said, “Fellow Daoist Ha Gong, to show our sincerity, if you see anything you like at our Huoque Gate booth today, I’ll give you a 20% discount. Please don’t refuse.”

Hearing this, Di Chen was not pleased, but he didn’t dare to contradict Di Yue openly. After hesitating, his eyes suddenly brightened. “Sister, there’s no need to trouble yourself. I have a protective magical artifact here that I don’t need right now and want to sell. I can just sell it to Fellow Daoist Ha Gong at a discount as an apology.” Saying this, he took out a wooden box as tall as a person from his storage ring and placed it on the ground with a thud, opening the lid. Di Yue looked surprised, while Yuan Ming curiously examined the magical artifact Di Chen had brought out. It was a full-body armor made of fine steel, polished to a mirror finish that could reflect a person’s image. The joints seemed to have been specially treated to ensure flexibility without compromising defense. The armor was a top-grade magical artifact with three different runes carved on it. Yuan Ming recognized only one, the rare and more precious than the solid rune, the perfect rune. Just this one rune could increase the armor’s defense by more than fifty percent. Yuan Ming was somewhat moved by Di Chen’s willingness to sell such a precious item.

But the armor seemed too heavy; wearing it in combat would be quite inconvenient. “How many spirit stones for this?” Yuan Ming asked. “Hehe, if Fellow Daoist Ha Gong likes it, just two thousand spirit stones. Let’s consider it a friendship price. Our Huoque Gate has some expertise in artifact refining, and this magical artifact was made with great effort. I personally refined it using materials I gathered myself. It’s a pity I don’t have much use for it and can’t bear to let it gather dust. If you like it, two thousand spirit stones, no, one thousand eight hundred.” Di Chen suddenly became eloquent. Yuan Ming hesitated for a moment, but seeing Di Chen’s sincere face and needing a top-grade defensive magical artifact, he decided to buy the armor. Just then, Di Yue interjected, “Wait, Ah Chen, which three runes did you use on this armor?” “Naturally, the stable, perfect, and arrow-avoiding runes,” Di Chen replied with a sheepish smile. Di Yue’s eyebrows furrowed, “Are you sure it’s the stable rune, not the thousand-pound rune? Did you refine this armor for people to wear? With this weight, one would collapse from exhaustion during a fight!”

Yuan Ming chuckled upon realizing the situation and looked at Di Chen. “Sister, you can’t say that. But indeed, the defense is very strong; I’ve already tested it,” Di Chen said, feigning innocence. “You’re clearly trying to deceive someone,” Di Yue glared at Di Chen, then turned to Yuan Ming, “Sorry, Fellow Daoist Ha Gong, if you need a top-grade defensive magical artifact, I can personally refine one for you. This armor isn’t suitable for you.” Unexpectedly, Yuan Ming shook his head, satisfied, and patted the wooden box, “No need, I really like this piece of armor from Brother Di Chen. Let’s make it one thousand spirit stones, and let Di Chen take a bit of a loss.” “Deal!” Di Chen immediately agreed, surprised that Ha Gong was not only unsophisticated but also wealthy. Yuan Ming didn’t buy the armor to test his own strength, but for his spirit pet Vajra, who could truly live up to the phrase ‘born with divine strength.’ As a physical cultivator, Vajra’s natural strength was far beyond ordinary, and now with this armor, few could break through his defenses. The only downside was that the armor was designed for a normal human body, with only two arm guards, and would need some modifications to fit Vajra better.

Not wanting to trouble others further, Yuan Ming asked, “Could you add two more armholes to this armor?” Before Di Chen could reply, Di Yue volunteered, “That’s an easy fix. Leave it to me.” “That would be wonderful. I wouldn’t dare refuse such enthusiasm from Fellow Daoist Di Yue,” Yuan Ming replied. “There’s another matter I’d like to ask for your help with. My brother and I came to Xiaohu City for the auction and to ask the Tian San Alliance to investigate the disappearance of our sect’s disciples on their way from Zhao Country to the Northern Wastes,” Di Yue explained. “The recent crackdown has only motivated us to update faster. Please take a moment to exit reading mode. Thank you.”

Some people die, but not completely…