Ye Qin arrived at the Bai Fu City market and the moment he stepped into the opulent Heaven's Dao Merchant Pavilion, Manager Li, who was speaking with a Golden Core cultivator, spotted him.

Manager Li had seen Ye Qin once a month ago and instantly flinched, hurrying over with an obsequious expression. "Elder Ye, the Pavilion Master mentioned you might be coming by in the next few days to collect your goods and instructed me to pay special attention. Please, come upstairs to a private room to wait a moment; the Master will be here shortly. This way, please!"

A month prior, when Ye Qin negotiated the matter of artifact refinement with the Pavilion Master, Manager Li, as the Master's confidant, had been present. He had been utterly stunned when Ye Qin produced a massive quantity of top-tier refining materials and five second-tier or higher demonic spirits possessing supernatural abilities, intending to forge five Small Divine Ability Flying Swords at once.

Due to the unique nature of Small Divine Ability level artifacts—which required hunting demon cultivators to acquire the necessary demonic spirits for their creation—they were rare. The Small Divine Ability artifacts held by various Immortal Palaces were often passed down from elder to junior over generations; a single Small Divine Ability Flying Sword might have served over a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators.

In the East Sea Cultivation World, many early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators still relied on their Golden Core Soul Artifacts, often only acquiring a Small Divine Ability artifact when they reached the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm.

Those five demonic spirits alone implied the demise of at least five formidable tenth-tier transformed demon cultivators.

In the manager's memory, forging five Small Divine Ability artifacts simultaneously was exceptionally rare among the clientele of the Heaven's Dao Pavilion. Even if the Heaven's Dao Pavilion merely acted as an intermediary for such a large transaction, the resulting profit would be substantial.

The Golden Core cultivator who had been inquiring about prices was interrupted and felt a flash of annoyance. Turning back, he realized the newcomer was a Nascent Soul cultivator, which startled him. He dared not show any displeasure and wisely turned his attention to other merchandise within the pavilion.

"Mn."

Ye Qin gave a noncommittal nod and proceeded toward the second floor of the Heaven's Dao Pavilion, while the manager hurried off to find the local Pavilion Master, a thrill running through him.

...

At this moment, Ye Qin sat in a private room atop the Heaven's Dao Pavilion, calmly savoring the aroma of exquisite spirit tea served by an attendant.

Thinking of his Great Five Elements Nascent Soul Flying Swords, Ye Qin felt a wave of emotion. From the arduous task of collecting materials for the first sword, the Southern Bright Lihuo Sword, including the Fire Crow Essence Spirit, to the final completion of the Great Five Elements Sword Array, only he knew the immense difficulty involved.

It could be said that these five Nascent Soul Flying Swords had accompanied him throughout his cultivation journey, forging a deep bond.

During the Great Heavenly Tribulation of the Nascent Soul stage, these artifacts had sustained a certain degree of damage. Even after repairs, the Golden Core-level Five Elements Nascent Soul Flying Swords, while still usable for him as a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, felt significantly weakened in power.

The stealth and silence effects of the Tianyi Youshui Sword and the Tianlai Siyin Sword, already exceedingly rare treasures, now had little effect on Nascent Soul cultivators or transformed demon cultivators, barely managing to pierce their defenses. They were extremely susceptible to damage during combat.

This was undoubtedly a huge constraint on his combat strength.

The quality of the materials used for these swords was somewhat low, making a significant upgrade in their grade difficult. He intended to cherish these five long-serving Nascent Soul Flying Swords and instead forge new Small Divine Ability level Five Elements Flying Swords using superior materials and demonic spirits.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The sudden sound of knocking interrupted Ye Qin's thoughts. He slightly raised his head and saw the Pavilion Master of the Bai Fu City branch of the Heaven's Dao Alliance push the door open, his slightly plump face wreathed in smiles. This Pavilion Master was a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, not overwhelmingly strong, but amiable. Behind him, Manager Li carefully carried a jade box.

"Pavilion Master Wang!"

Ye Qin understood immediately that the jade box likely contained his Small Divine Ability artifacts. He stood up to greet him.

"Elder Ye, you've waited long enough. The one-month deadline was tight, but fortunately, I have not failed in my mission!"

Pavilion Master Wang strode forward with a hearty laugh, presenting the jade box. "The five Small Divine Ability Flying Swords you commissioned, as well as the repaired Small Divine Ability Battleship, are all here for Elder Ye to inspect and accept."

"To forge five Small Divine Ability Flying Swords and repair a small warship within a month—perhaps only the Heaven's Dao Pavilion in Bai Fu City could manage this so smoothly."

Ye Qin smiled and nodded, opening the jade box to find one large and one small storage bag neatly placed inside.

The larger storage bag contained the repaired Great Wing Battleship.

This ship was a small, tenth-tier Divine Ability Battleship, primarily intended for battlefields. With Ye Qin now in the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, the ship's protective value was diminished. However, as the East Sea was currently in chaos, it remained useful for disciples of the Azure Pill Palace and others, so it could not be discarded.

Ye Qin retrieved the large storage bag and, after sweeping it with his divine sense, confirmed the Great Wing Battleship was restored to its original condition. He nodded and affixed it to his waist.

Next, Ye Qin took out the smaller storage bag and drew out the five flying swords.

The five three-foot-long small swords, radiating astonishing spiritual pressure fluctuations and shimmering with flowing divine light, hovered before him, shining brilliantly. The refining materials used were all top-grade, twelfth-tier quality.

The Small Divine Ability Flying Sword in the center was entirely golden, its edge spitting out golden light, piercingly sharp. Within the sword resided a Golden Eagle artifact spirit, the golden eagle spreading its wings, lifelike and vivid.

Of the two on the right, one had a translucent azure blade, housing the artifact spirit of a Sea-Swallowing Surging Tide Beast roaring to the heavens, breathtaking to behold. The other blade was crimson, its aura intensely scorching, containing the artifact spirit of a Fire Cloud Beast roaring in anger and raising its hooves.

Of the two on the left, one was a somber, light-absorbing cyan, with the artifact spirit of a Azure Python flickering its forked tongue around the blade. The last was dark yellow, broad, weighty, and unadorned, featuring a tortoise-shaped artifact spirit slamming a front paw onto the ground while issuing a silent roar with its head held high.

Ye Qin manipulated the five Small Divine Ability Flying Swords, a surge of excitement running through him. These five swords, crafted by different Divine Refiners, varied in shape and color but were all exceptionally high-grade Small Divine Ability artifacts.

With these five flying swords in hand, his combat strength would see a massive boost. It could even be said that among early to mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, he would be virtually fearless.

Pavilion Master Wang, being the liaison, could not help but feel a slight tremor of awe watching these five Small Divine Ability Flying Swords. He began introducing them to Ye Qin.

"This golden flying sword has been named the 'Golden Eye Plume Ray Sword' by the Refiner. Its spirit is the Golden Eye Eagle and possesses the ability to dispel stealth spells and illusions. When fully activated, golden feather-ray sword wheels will generate around the sword, unleashing the Small Divine Ability spell 'Plume Burst,' shooting out hundreds of rays of golden sword light, each powerful enough to instantly kill a Golden Core cultivator."

"This cyan sword is named the 'Azure Wood Python Sword.' With the artifact spirit of a highly venomous Deep Sea Azure Python, it can absorb wood poisons like toxic miasma. It can manifest the Small Divine Ability spell 'Azure Python's Toxin,' generating a stream of poisonous mist resembling an Azure Python, stretching for several miles."

"These two swords, one azure-blue and one crimson, are the 'Sea-Bearing Raging Tide Sword' and the 'Blazing Scarlet Cloud Sword,' housing the artifact spirits of the Sea-Swallowing Surging Tide Beast and the Fire Cloud Beast, respectively, offering control over fire and water. The former's Small Divine Ability is 'Stormy Sea Tide,' capable of summoning a raging ocean surge, incredibly imposing, with its power maximized in and over water. The latter's Small Divine Ability is 'Heavenly Fire Prairie Fire,' which generates fire clouds to rain down widespread Blazing Heavenly Fire."

"The final sword is called the 'Profound Spirit Earth Palace Sword,' possessing a Earth Tortoise as its spirit, capable of slowing and weighing down opponents within a certain radius around the sword. Its Small Divine Ability spell is 'Profound Spirit Earth Armor,' which generates an earth armor of extreme defense, difficult for even ordinary Small Divine Ability flying swords to pierce easily."

"These five swords were named by five Divine Refiners. Are you satisfied with these names, Elder Ye? If not, you may rename them yourself," Pavilion Master Wang said with a smile.

"No need to change them; these names will suffice."

Ye Qin praised them, clearly very satisfied.

Ye Qin collected the five flying swords and handed Pavilion Master Wang a gourd filled with Vital Qi Pills he had prepared, smiling as he said, "Here is a gourd of Vital Qi Pills for daily cultivation use. Each pill is priced at five hundred top-grade spirit stones; please take a look, Pavilion Master Wang! These pills serve as payment for commissioning the five swords and repairing the warship. Anything in excess, please exchange it directly for spirit stones for me at the stated rate."

"Vital Qi Pills? There doesn't seem to be such a spirit pill in the East Sea Cultivation World... Is this a new spirit pill Elder Ye has developed?" Pavilion Master Wang asked, puzzled.

"Indeed! Some years ago during my trials in the Sea of Blood, I accidentally gathered a spirit herb on an uninhabited spirit island and newly refined this spirit pill," Ye Qin stated.

Pavilion Master Wang's eyes widened in astonishment. "Five hundred top-grade spirit stones per pill? That is an exceedingly high price; who would buy it!" he muttered inwardly, quickly accepting the spirit pill gourd.

Pavilion Master Wang knew Ye Qin was a Divine Alchemist capable of refining new spirit pills, so he wasn't surprised by the creation itself. But such a high price shocked him. This kind of daily-use spirit pill could be taken three times a day—how many cultivators could afford that?!

In his view, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would feel the pinch taking just one pill. Consuming such an expensive pill daily would quickly bankrupt anyone.

"Pavilion Master Wang, try one, and you will understand its effect," Ye Qin said with a knowing smile.

This spirit pill contained the vital energy of the Vermillion Fruit, making it far superior to ordinary spirit pills. Only three hundred of these pills would be needed to advance from the Qi Refining stage to the peak of the late Nascent Soul stage over several years, naturally justifying the astronomical price.

He had no intention of selling this spirit pill in large quantities, only a small amount to exchange for spirit stones.

If he hadn't been in desperate need of spirit stones, he might not have offered it for sale at all.

He had not yet collected all the demonic spirits required for the Minor Three Wonders Sword Array, and commissioning the Heaven's Dao Pavilion to purchase and refine them would also incur a considerable expense.

Pavilion Master Wang hesitated, taking a Vital Qi Pill from the gourd and moving to the adjacent private room to refine and absorb its medicinal power. Only after using it could he truly judge if the pill was worth the price. Excellent spirit pills were always sought after by cultivators and never lacked buyers. If this pill proved not worth five hundred top-grade spirit stones, he would not accept it.

Ye Qin waited in the room, with Manager Li diligently serving him nearby.

A little over half an hour later, Pavilion Master Wang burst open the door of the private room, his face flushed and filled with unbelievable ecstasy. "Elder Ye... Old man has actually broken through to the fifth layer of Nascent Soul! Fifty years—fifty years of painstaking cultivation, and I've been stuck at the fourth layer of Nascent Soul, always feeling sluggish, constantly holding back a surge of energy, unable to advance further. After consuming this one Vital Qi Pill, I felt a powerful current surge through my body, and I instantly broke through to the fifth layer of Nascent Soul! Unbelievable! It was worth it; the Vital Qi Pill is absolutely worth this price. Besides the compensation for the five Divine Refiners and the commission taken by the Heaven's Dao Pavilion, I will arrange an auction to sell these Vital Qi Pills. I absolutely will not let Elder Ye suffer a loss."

Pavilion Master Wang's overwhelming excitement left Ye Qin slightly speechless. He dared not claim credit. This could only be attributed to Pavilion Master Wang's good fortune—having been stagnant at the fourth layer of Nascent Soul for so long, he coincided perfectly with the completion of Ye Qin's Vital Qi Pill, allowing him to advance a whole stage at once.