At the mountain's base, hundreds of powerhouses from various races knelt prostrate. Luo Feng took in the scene and could immediately identify about one-third as Universe Venerables, with the rest being Immortal level powerhouses.

"Nearly two hundred Universe Venerables kneeling," Luo Feng sighed inwardly. "The ability to forge ultimate treasures certainly holds immense drawing power."

"Oh? Why aren't you going up?" Bonisa hovered beside Luo Feng, looking at him with curiosity.

"I just said I wanted to learn," Luo Feng smiled, looking down at Bonisa. "Of course, I wish to learn the techniques of the legendary Artisan God Master, but I'm not confident. So, it's more out of curiosity... I came to observe." "They're all here trying their luck too. Out of five hundred or so, it'd be considered good if two or three are accepted as disciples," Bonisa gestured toward the assembled alien powerhouses kneeling in the distance—be they energy beings, flesh-and-blood entities, or rock lifeforms—all prostrated on the ground.

Silently waiting...

"How long have they been kneeling?" Luo Feng asked.

"Just wait until the Artisan God Master appears," Bonisa shrugged dismissively. "Kneeling for a thousand or ten thousand years is normal. But anyone who can't even sustain the resolve to kneel for a long stretch, not exceeding 100 epochs, isn't worthy of learning the art of forging ultimate treasures."

Luo Feng nodded slightly.

"I won't stay with you; I'm going to find my friends," Bonisa circled Luo Feng once before flying directly toward a deep blue structure in the distance, disappearing inside to visit acquaintances.

Luo Feng, however, looked up at the towering Artisan God Mountain and began to walk toward it step by step.

"So many alien races."

Luo Feng glanced at the various uniquely styled buildings scattered around. These numerous, ancient structures had been erected by alien powerhouses visiting the Artisan God Master over successive eras. Most were empty now, yet some still housed resident alien figures.

"They must be alien powerhouses seeking treasures," Luo Feng mused.

"The fourth black metal plate is on Artisan God Mountain; the Artisan God Master is on the mountain." With his might, how could he possibly obtain the fourth black metal plate? Even if he stole it, the Artisan God Master, who controlled time and space, could easily capture him." Luo Feng looked up at the mountain. "How am I supposed to get it?" Lost in thought, Luo Feng had already reached the base of the mountain.

"Stop!"

"Friend, halt!" A deep voice and a crisp voice sounded simultaneously.

Luo Feng turned his head.

Dozens among the dense cluster of over five hundred kneeling Universe Venerables and Immortal level powerhouses looked his way. Among them, an alien being with four limbs and a body over three hundred meters tall turned toward Luo Feng. Three golden eyes fixed upon him, and the crisp voice spoke: "Friend, Artisan God Mountain is where the Artisan God Master and his disciples reside. No other powerhouse may enter the mountain without the Artisan God Master's consent; otherwise, it is disrespect to the Artisan God Master."

"Oh," Luo Feng laughed. "Thank you, I was just lost in thought."

"Are you also here to ask the Artisan God Master to take you as a disciple?" the alien inquired, looking down at Luo Feng. Though kneeling, he towered over Luo Feng.

"I am merely curious. If there is hope, I will certainly strive for it," Luo Feng replied, while inwardly wondering what kind of life form this alien Venerable was, as his memories held no record matching this being.

"Indeed, one must not abandon hope if even a sliver exists," the Golden-Eyed Venerable chuckled. "I was hailed as a Master Forger in the Ancestral God Secret Realm, full of confidence before arriving. But coming here... I realize I am insufficient compared to the peerless geniuses in weapon forging from all the races in the universe. Look there, that Demon Race Immortal; he is only Immortal level, yet he can already forge ordinary heavy treasures. His probability of being accepted as a disciple by the Artisan God Master is much higher than mine."

Luo Feng stared in astonishment at the beast resembling a giant golden ape, also kneeling there, its aura weaker—likely Immortal level.

"Immortal level... forging ordinary heavy treasures?" Luo Feng blinked.

"Geniuses are truly omnipresent," Luo Feng sighed internally.

The Golden-Eyed Venerable lamented, "I was flattered as a Master Forger in the Ancestral God Secret Realm, but here, I see I still have a long way to go. Though we special lifeforms are powerful in combat... we hold no absolute advantage in forging weapons. Look at these alien Immortals; if they weren't brought to Artisan God Star in the Yin Fa Secret Realm by their race's powerhouses when they were just Immortals, how could they possibly be here? Most of these several hundred Immortals can probably forge pseudo-heavy treasures."

Pseudo-heavy treasures?

Luo Feng pondered secretly. What level was a pseudo-heavy treasure? It seemed to be an internal designation among Master Forgers, one that he, an outsider, did not know.

"Good thing I didn't try to request apprenticeship," Luo Feng thought. "If I had, it would have been truly humiliating."

"You should try as well," the Golden-Eyed Venerable urged. "The Artisan God Master's criteria for taking disciples are extremely strict, considering not just talent but many other aspects. If your forging talent isn't bad, and you can forge pseudo-heavy treasures... perhaps with a bit of luck, you could become a disciple. See how I persist."

"I am just curious, that's all," Luo Feng kept repeating.

Luo Feng immediately distanced himself from the group of over five hundred alien forging geniuses who were sincerely seeking apprenticeship. He found a simple courtyard for himself at the foot of the mountain.

"Forging?"

"Damn it."

"Forget pseudo-heavy treasures; I can't even handle a slightly decent weapon. When the Meteor Star ship was modified, inscribing secret patterns, I still had to rely on personnel from the Virtual Universe Company." Luo Feng shook his head secretly. He was purely an amateur, completely ignorant. Standing among these peerless forging geniuses from across the vast universe, Luo Feng felt a tinge of shame.

Standing at the entrance of his courtyard, Luo Feng looked out at the five hundred-plus kneeling alien figures in the distance, then glanced up at the imposing Artisan God Mountain: "Originally, my plan was to follow the other powerhouses seeking apprenticeship, infiltrate Artisan God Mountain, and then slowly figure out a way to take the black metal plate. But now it seems no one can ascend the mountain except the Artisan God Master and his disciples." "What should I do?" "How on earth can I obtain the black metal plate?" Luo Feng was troubled.

Unable to devise any plan, Luo Feng didn't panic. Instead, he quietly kept watch at the base of Artisan God Mountain, carefully observing its movements, searching for an opportunity.

In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.

During this half-year at the foot of Artisan God Mountain, Luo Feng became acquainted with most of the alien powerhouses residing in the other structures. These waiting powerhouses were all Universe Venerables, and many were even Universe Overlords. They had come here to seek ultimate treasures from the great Artisan God Master.

"I lead a clan; all manner of treasures rely solely on me," a four-armed giant said, sitting cross-legged beside Luo Feng. "Although I joined the Nine Domain Alliance, the highest-ranking beings there are Universe Masters. Even though I am a Universe Overlord, my resource allocation is severely lacking."

"A clan led by someone with the status of a Universe Master can exchange three sets of top-tier heavy treasure sets for one ordinary ultimate treasure. I need four sets of top-tier heavy treasure sets!" The four-armed giant shook his head. "That's just an example... in every aspect, we are at a disadvantage." Luo Feng nodded slightly.

"It's different from the peak races," the four-armed giant sighed. "The Six Peak Races have vast influence and countless treasures; their clan members live very well. They barely suffer any losses when trading within the clan. But for a race like mine, with just one Universe Overlord... Humph..." "You Luo You, if one day I fall, help me ensure that my Can Yan Clan can be passed down." Luo Feng replied, "Venerable Yu He, don't speak like that. If you fall, the Nine Domain Alliance will revive you. If Luo You needs to help, I naturally will."

Venerable Yu He was one of the alien powerhouses Luo Feng found easiest to talk to.

He was the great leader of the Can Yan Clan.

If he fell... the entire Can Yan Clan would face utter annihilation.

Venerable Yu He needed to constantly look after his clan, so he was unwilling to trade treasures within the Nine Domain Alliance; it was too costly.

"I have no choice but to seek the Artisan God Master! The Artisan God Master can forge an ultimate treasure using materials from various heavy treasures, which is far better than trading within the clan," Venerable Yu He lamented. "This way, I can still reserve resources for the clan. The clan must develop; I must be strong, and the later generations must also rise... Alas..."

Luo Feng inwardly admired him.

He himself was considered strong, yet he had no worries because the Human Race was immensely powerful. But this Venerable Yu He, though of similar strength to him, bore the weight of his entire clan's survival and decline.

"Shi Luoduo was also a Universe Overlord, his fate quite similar to this Venerable Yu He," Luo Feng reflected. "With Shi Luoduo, the Golden Horn Clan could exist independently in the universe. But if Shi Luoduo falls... the Golden Horn Clan would have to rely on a stronger power, becoming a vassal race." Just as Luo Feng and Venerable Yu He were conversing,

Suddenly, "Look, the Artisan God Master's disciples."

"It's the Artisan God Master's disciples." Luo Feng and Venerable Yu He rose simultaneously. Even from the various palaces and building clusters, figures of alien Venerables emerged—all those who came seeking ultimate treasures. Looking out from the numerous structures, there were easily over a thousand beings emerging.

These alien powerhouses all had longing in their eyes, as requesting the Artisan God Master to forge an ultimate treasure carried a much lower price than trading for one in the Alliance.

Over a thousand alien Venerables gazed toward the dozen or so figures descending from the distance—some massive, some small, some covered in hair, some made of metal...

The dozen or so figures landed.

"Senior Brothers," one of the powerhouses among the kneeling five hundred-plus alien aspirants spoke respectfully, "When will the Artisan God Master see us?"

"Why are you in such a hurry? Teacher has gone visiting friends. He might not return for a thousand or ten thousand years. Wait patiently," one of the Artisan God Master's disciples replied. Immediately after, they transformed into streaks of light and flew away rapidly.

"Visiting friends?"

Luo Feng, in the distance, narrowed his eyes.