"Lord of the Seven Realms, you have truly done our Prison Sect a tremendous favor."
Wuma Hanshuang and the others said, their voices filled with excitement.
"Since I promised to help awaken your sacred artifact, I naturally intend to give it my all."
"Take these back with you."
As Jie Tianran spoke, he gently waved his hand, and those black bracelets flew toward the Prison Sect members.
"Lord of the Seven Realms, why… are all these bracelets missing a piece?"
After catching the bracelets, Wuma Hanshuang and the others asked, confusion written across their faces.
"Awakening your sect's sacred artifact was never going to be a simple task."
"By a stroke of coincidence, I managed to find these artifacts among the treasures collected by the Celestial Master Divine Sect."
"They will greatly accelerate the progress of awakening the sacred artifact."
"However, completing the refinement still requires considerable effort."
"These artifacts are, in fact, unfinished items."
"But in their current state, they are still quite helpful for your awakening process. Take them back and sense their function for yourselves — you will understand."
"Once I finish crafting the remaining portion, I will have someone deliver it to you."
"That will also be the moment when the sacred artifact is fully awakened."
Jie Tianran explained.
Hearing the words "fully awakened," every member of the Prison Sect grew ecstatic.
"We thank the Lord of the Seven Realms for his trouble."
Wuma Hanshuang and the others expressed their gratitude in unison, all feeling that Jie Tianran had indeed put his heart and soul into helping their Prison Sect awaken the sacred artifact.
But only Jie Tianran and the being within his body knew the truth.
Although the bracelets did contain a form of Gu sorcery, to prevent the Prison Sect from detecting it, the sorcery woven into these bracelets was deliberately weakened — it could only be described as clearing the path.
The real killing blow was hidden in the subsequent portion.
And it, too, had to be concealed well enough to avoid detection.
That was precisely why even Jie Tianran needed a certain amount of time to complete the crafting.
After all, his true goal was to ensure the Prison Sect would find no flaw.
"Lord of the Seven Realms, for such precious artifacts, the compensation should…"
Soon, Wuma Hanshuang raised the critical question.
Though the Prison Sect and the Seven Realms Holy Mansion were partners, Jie Tianran's assistance was not without a price.
These artifacts were not part of the original arrangement.
But no matter how one looked at it, they were exceedingly valuable.
Especially to the Prison Sect.
Even after the sacred artifact was awakened, these bracelets would likely serve other purposes for the Prison Sect.
Once given, they certainly would not be returned.
Jie Tianran surely understood this, and compensation would naturally need to be discussed.
"The compensation — we can discuss that later."
"Rest assured, the fact that I am giving you these artifacts directly is a testament to my trust in your Prison Sect."
"What I value is the Prison Sect itself."
"Everything else can be worked out."
Jie Tianran said.
He did not refuse compensation outright, because doing so would more easily arouse the Prison Sect's suspicion.
Afterward, Wuma Hanshuang and the others set off toward the location of the sacred artifact.
To ensure their swift return, Jie Tianran even activated the teleportation formation of the Seven Realms Holy Mansion and employed a secret treasure to hasten their journey.
Once the Prison Sect members had been sent away, Jie Tianran gathered the Saint-tier elders once more.
He dispatched four more Saint-tier elders to the Ancestral Martial Galaxy to join the two already stationed there.
However, he ordered them not to attack the Ancestral Martial World's Alliance City.
Even if they encountered members of the Chu Alliance, they were not to engage — they were to await his command.
As for the remaining Saint-tier elders, they were to stay behind in the Seven Realms Galaxy.
In Jie Tianran's view, so long as Chu Feng and his allies hid within the Ancestral Martial World's Alliance City, there was nothing he could do.
If he wished to breach the city using his own power, he would need the strength of the Divine Era.
Therefore, the priority right now was not Chu Feng — it was the power of the Divine Era.
…
Before long, Wuma Hanshuang and the others arrived back at the Prison Sect.
When the Prison Sect's top figures laid eyes on those black bracelets, they were overcome with wild joy.
Even Baili Xukong and several elders from the neutral faction immediately put the bracelets on and began activating them.
The moment they did, their hearts surged with even greater excitement.