After half a monthās journey, Xu Nian arrived at Haohai City.
He also wanted to see what Dongfang Ping was planning to do.
"Did you hear that? Xu Nian fought with six Immortal Sovereign level experts in the western suburbs of Haohai City for three days and nights."
"I heard. Of those six Immortal Sovereign level experts, four died and two were injured, but Xu Nian was also injured."
"What do you think Xu Nian is thinking? Not hiding his presence, openly showing himself, what is he trying to do?"
...
Walking on the streets of Haohai City, Xu Nian could hear people discussing him all around.
Of course, the Xu Nian they were talking about was Dongfang Ping.
"Four dead and two injured, Dongfang Pingās power has advanced again. Could he be using these people to enhance his own strength?" Xu Nian mused to himself.
Lately, he had heard quite a few things about Dongfang Pingās battles.
All of them involved Dongfang Ping slaying Immortal Sovereigns.
However, there had yet to be news of him facing experts above the Mid-level Immortal Sovereign.
Nor was there any mention of using Divine Power Liquid.
Itās clear that Dongfang Ping was deliberately avoiding confrontations with these two types of experts.
"Huh, whatās this?"
Xu Nianās gaze was suddenly drawn to a bracelet in a shop by the roadside.
The bracelet looked extremely ancient, with many sword marks on it.
However, the material was exceptionally special.
It should be part of a set of armor.
"Divine Artifact material?"
Xu Nian stepped closer and took a look, finding that the material used for the bracelet was indeed of Divine Artifact level.
However, the braceletās quality barely reached the Divine Artifact level.
The divine radiance on it had been completely worn away, losing its function as a Divine Artifact.
It could only be considered a scrap.
Because it had lost its divine brilliance, few could recognize it as a Divine Artifact.
It seemed the shopkeeper was among them.
"If I take this bracelet back, maybe I can refine it again." Xu Nian smiled and muttered to himself.
Lately, he had been studying Divine Artifacts.
He even asked the Emperor Ye Tian for an Artifact Refining Technique for creating Divine Artifacts.
He planned to refine an Earth Attribute Divine Sword for himself, and also intended to reforge the Gale Sword.
However, the material for Divine Artifacts in the Immortal Realm was exceedingly rare.
So lately, with nothing better to do,
he practiced with Black Meteorite Ink Gold, a top-grade Immortal Artifact material he refined in the Divine Wind Valley absolute ground.
After a period of hammering, he had initially succeeded in creating top-grade Immortal Artifacts.
No doubt, Xu Nian had strong talent in both Alchemy and Artifact Refining and picked it up quickly.
Even the Divine Emperor Ye Tian had to admit it.
"Shopkeeper, how much for this bracelet?" Xu Nian asked with a smile.
"One hundred drops of Eighth-Grade Divine Marrow." The shopkeeperās eyes lit up, glancing at the bracelet, then at Xu Nian, smiling.
"So expensive?" Xu Nian was a bit surprised.
One hundred drops of Eighth-Grade Divine Marrow already equaled one drop of Ninth-Grade Divine Marrow, a very high price in the Immortal Realm, beyond what most Immortal Sovereign experts could afford.
Even with Xu Nian having hunted four Immortal Sovereigns, he had only gathered two hundred drops of Eighth-Grade Divine Marrow.
"Not expensive, itās a Divine Artifact after all." The shopkeeper smiled.
"Divine Artifact? Selling for just one hundred drops of Divine Marrow?" Xu Nian asked, amused.
He was sure the shopkeeper didnāt actually know if the bracelet was truly a Divine Artifact and was just using it as an excuse to jack up the price.
"Of course itās a Divine Artifact. Have you seen any Immortal Artifact with such material? If you donāt believe me, try it with a top-grade Immortal Artifact and see if you can leave a mark on it." The shopkeeper laughed.
"But even if itās a Divine Artifact, thereās no divine radiance left on this bracelet, and even with Immortal Essence it would be ineffective. Itās probably not even as good as an Immortal Artifact." Xu Nian laughed.
"Then how much would you offer?" the shopkeeper asked.
He knew Xu Nian was right.
At this point, the bracelet was no different from a piece of Divine Iron.
And in the Immortal Realm, no one could refine Divine Iron, not even the top artifact refiners.
Which was why this bracelet had been on the shelf for so long without selling.
Without anyone to refine it, it might as well be scrap iron.
Of course, Xu Nian himself couldnāt refine it, but for now, according to the Artifact Refining Technique the Emperor Ye Tian had given him, he had a way.
"Fifty drops!" Xu Nian said decisively.
"Alright, fifty it is." The shopkeeper agreed.
He then prepared to sell it to Xu Nian.
"I offer one hundred drops."
However, at this moment, a voice rang out.
A young woman in a red dress walked in.
She was accompanied by two middle-aged men.
The woman was beautiful with an extraordinary presence, suggesting she came from a powerful background.
Her cultivation wasnāt very high, but not low either, at the Early Stage Immortal King level.
However, the two middle-aged men behind her were quite formidable, reaching Early Stage Immortal Sovereign level.
Among them, one man gave Xu Nian a sense of danger.
The fierce-looking man met Xu Nianās gaze sharply.
"A master with a Law True Body level." Xu Nian mused.
A terrifying gaze, containing the power of laws.
This was clearly a sign of Law True Body Great Success.
"One hundred drops? Alright, sold to you." The shopkeeper was instantly delighted.
Xu Nian frowned.
"I saw this bracelet first, shouldnāt you respect the order?" Xu Nian said.
The woman glanced at Xu Nian arrogantly, dismissing him.
"You didnāt outbid her, so naturally, it goes to her. I hadnāt sold it to you yet anyway," said the shopkeeper.
"Then I also offer one hundred drops," Xu Nian responded.
"Huh?" The shopkeeper hesitated.
"Iāll offer two hundred drops," said the woman boldly.
The shopkeeper was instantly overjoyed, but he didnāt speak, looking instead at Xu Nian.
Xu Nian sighed and left.
The woman, seeing Xu Nian give up, smiled dismissively.
After handing over two hundred drops of Immortal Marrow, she walked out of the Weapon Pavilion.
"Iāve never failed to get what I want. Remember, the name is Sima Xiangling."
The woman left the shop with an arrogant remark, then departed with the two Immortal Sovereign level experts.
"Sima Xiangling?"
Xu Nian was slightly surprised.
With a surname like Sima, she should be the eldest daughter of the Sima family, the top family in the Immortal Realm.
The Sima familyās presence might not be just about Gongsun Wanāer.
Perhaps it also had something to do with him.
But Xu Nian didnāt bother to care, given that his mission pact with Gongsun Ling had been dissolved.
Itās just a pity about that Divine Bracelet.
"Oh well, I havenāt found the Divine Fire needed to smelt a Divine Artifact yet. There will be more chances in the future," Xu Nian mused.
If not for that Immortal Sovereign strongman who had reached the Law True Body realm, he might not have yielded to Sima Xiangling.