In Room Jiazi No. 1, Jiang Changfeng wore a helpless expression, knowing that Gongsun Liang had dumped this mess on his shoulders to clean up. He couldn't help but curse silently.
On the stage, Li Nuo waited a moment. Seeing that Gongsun Liang had no intention of bidding further, she began the countdown with a delighted smile. After three rounds, the unknown smithing material went to Yang Kai.
Someone promptly delivered the material to Room Jiazi No. 5. Yang Kai stowed it directly into his space ring, his face beaming with satisfaction.
Hua Youmeng watched with great curiosity, having no idea what the material actually was that could make Yang Kai so pleased.
The auction drew to a close, and the participating warriors filed out one after another. Once the crowd had thinned, Jiang Changfeng shamelessly approached Li Nuo to retrieve the Saint Crystals Gongsun Liang had pledged as collateral.
That was a billion Saint Crystals, after all — there was no way he was leaving them behind.
In Room No. 2, Zi Wuji paced back and forth in agitation, glancing up toward the outside from time to time, as though waiting for something.
After a long while, the door swung open and Ji Jun's figure appeared.
Zi Wuji's expression shifted and he asked urgently, "Elder Ji, how did things go?"
Ji Jun grinned and cupped his fists. "I did not fail the Second Young Master's orders — both matters are done."
"Really?" Zi Wuji was overjoyed. "Wonderful! Once the grand affair is accomplished, Elder Ji shall merit the greatest credit!"
Ji Jun shook his head. "The Second Young Master is too kind. I've watched you grow up since you were a child — doing this much for you, there's no need to speak of any credit."
As he spoke, he produced a jade bottle. "Please see, Second Young Master — this is the Void King Pill I just purchased from Miss Li Nuo. Miss Li Nuo said that you stood up against injustice today and lent a helping sword, and she greatly admires you for it. So she charged only the price you bid earlier — a mere six hundred million Saint Crystals."
"Oh?" A flash of surprise crossed Zi Wuji's eyes. "Li Nuo has such boldness?"
Ji Jun wore a skeptical expression as well. "No merchant is without cunning. For Li Nuo, a businesswoman, to voluntarily forfeit four hundred million Saint Crystals — there must be a reason behind it. Perhaps she knows that gentleman."
Zi Wuji mused thoughtfully, "You mean to say she gave me such a steep discount out of consideration for my secret assistance to that gentleman?"
"I can think of no other explanation!" Ji Jun nodded seriously.
"That does make sense." Zi Wuji pondered for a moment and accepted Ji Jun's reasoning. "If that's the case, then we must give the Tongtian Auction House our full support in the future. But never mind that for now — what about the other matter I asked you to handle?"
"That gentleman has already agreed. I had Miss Li Nuo arrange a private chamber for you and him. Second Young Master, please follow me!"
A gleam of delight flashed in Zi Wuji's eyes, and he promptly followed Ji Jun out.
In the backyard of the Tongtian Auction House, inside a secluded chamber, all restrictions were fully activated. Li Nuo and Hua Youmeng stood quietly outside. Before long, Zi Wuji and Ji Jun arrived.
The two women bowed promptly. Li Nuo smiled. "That gentleman is inside. Please, Second Young Master."
"Many thanks for your trouble, Miss Li Nuo," Zi Wuji said politely, cupping his fists.
"Second Young Master is too modest — it was a small matter."
"Regardless, this prince will remember today's kindness. Should the opportunity arise in the future, I will surely repay it!"
Li Nuo smiled radiantly and said nothing further.
Zi Wuji then pushed the door open with Ji Jun and stepped inside.
Within the room, Yang Kai sat alone in a chair, eyes tightly shut, seemingly comprehending something.
Seeing this, Zi Wuji immediately held his breath and waved Ji Jun off with a gesture, signaling him to leave.
Ji Jun frowned and whispered, "Second Young Master…"
"Elder Ji, I know what I'm doing," Zi Wuji said, looking at Ji Jun with earnest sincerity.
The latter relented and withdrew.
Now only Yang Kai and Zi Wuji remained in the room. Yang Kai neither moved, nor opened his eyes, nor spoke a word. Zi Wuji didn't dare disturb him rashly either, and simply stood in place, waiting quietly.
He assumed Yang Kai was meditating on some profound insight, when in reality Yang Kai's soul had already slipped into the Small Mysterious World.
Inside the Small Mysterious World, it was utterly empty — nothing but Yang Kai's colossal Dharma Body, the fire bird Liu Yan, and the stone puppet Xiao Xiao.
The Dharma Body had been formed from refining an entire suspended continent, making it impossibly massive. No space ring could contain it; only a treasure-realm space like the Small Mysterious World could hold it.
Since last bringing the Dharma Body inside, Yang hadn't paid it much attention. Now, upon seeing it again, he was surprised to find that the Dharma Body's size had shrunk considerably.
He felt a surge of joy. It seemed that with the passage of time, the Dharma Body was gradually refining away the impurities within it. Though its size diminished, it was growing stronger.
This was no different from smithing — the Stone Puppet clan's innate divine abilities were more than sufficient to carry out this process on the Dharma Body, which would continue to grow ever smaller in the future.