Chapter 488: Refiner

"Temporal Gold Sand?!"

As soon as they heard that, the other Dao Lords' expressions changed.

"Is that the wondrous treasure containing the profound mysteries of the Great Dao of time?!"

"The Taiwei Dao Lord actually obtained such a treasure during his travels?!"

"Twenty grains of Temporal Gold Sand. You are truly generous, Dao Lord!"

One Dao Lord after another spoke up.

Even the Taiqing Dao Lord looked at him with a hint of astonishment.

"I am a void Dao Lord, and I am particularly skilled at preserving my life. On my way back, two hundred years ago, I encountered a spacetime turbulence. I took the risk of venturing inside, and fortunately, I managed to obtain something from it." The Taiwei Dao Lord offered a modest explanation.

Temporal Gold Sand.

Yaoguang was also quite familiar with this treasure. It was a type of consumable yet wondrous treasure. By drawing out the power of time within it and infusing it into oneself, a cultivator could instantly gain Dao-Lord-level comprehension of the Great Dao of time. In this state, one could make astonishing progress in comprehending time-based Dao Techniques, all in a single day.

Dao Techniques of time! It was one of the four supreme Great Dao! Anything related to treasures of this level was bound to be incredibly valuable.

160,000 years ago, a Dao Lord had put ten grains of Temporal Gold Sand up for sale on the North Sea Star. Each grain had fetched a price of ten billion. And that was only because there were too few to sustain a prolonged period of comprehension, forcing him to sell them at a lower price.

If twenty grains of Temporal Gold Sand were auctioned together, their true value could easily reach three hundred billion.

But that was not the most important point. More importantly, Temporal Gold Sand could also be used to refine immortal artifacts. It was an immortal artifact material of even higher quality than the Star Abyss World and Guixu Mystic Crystal.

While working on improving his comprehension and skill in artifact refinement, Yaoguang had searched the knowledge granted by his high-dimensional cognition for a top-tier Dao Artifact or semi-immortal artifact suited to the Torrent of Time. During his search, he had come across an immortal artifact called the Stream of Time, whose primary material was Temporal Gold Sand.

I have to get the Temporal Gold Sand! Yaoguang thought, but he did not let much show on his face.

His gaze lingered on the Temporal Gold Sand for a moment before shifting away quickly. He turned to the Pill Cauldron Dao Lord and asked, "How much of the materials remain?"

The Pill Cauldron Dao Lord quickly compiled a list and transmitted it to Yaoguang through psychic thought.

Yaoguang examined it for a moment. These materials were enough to refine two top-tier Dao Artifacts. However, some materials hadn't reached the level of immortal artifact materials, making them harder to refine and reducing their value accordingly.

Still, strictly speaking, the total value of the compensation offered by the Pill Cauldron Dao Lord could still reach around one hundred billion. If he skimmed some materials from the top-tier Dao Artifact as well, reaching one hundred and fifty billion wouldn't be difficult. Although it could not compare to the Temporal Gold Sand, it was still a decent offer.

Yaoguang immediately said, "If the Dao Lord trusts me, I’ll give it a try."

Seeing that Yaoguang seemed ready to accept the Pill Cauldron Dao Lord’s commission, the Taiwei Dao Lord could no longer sit still. "Wait!"

He gritted his teeth before asking, "Dao Lord Yaoguang, do you intend to participate in this Dao contest?"

"Unless something unexpected happens, I will give it a try," Yaoguang answered frankly.

When the Taiwei Dao Lord heard this, his hopes diminished even further. If Yaoguang participated in the Dao contest, it would be fine if he failed. He would have to remain on the North Sea Star for another ten thousand years.

But if he succeeded, he would ascend directly. If that happened, who would the Taiwei Dao Lord ask to refine artifacts for him?

In particular, an artifact paragon who specialized in the Dao of void would almost never refine artifacts for other void Dao Lords.

At this moment, the Dao Lord could only smile wryly and say, "I am willing to offer thirty-two grains of Temporal Gold Sand in exchange for you refining a personalized Dao Artifact for me."

"Thirty-two grains?"

The number left both Yaoguang and the other Dao Lords astonished, and some of them felt deeply envious.

Thirty-two grains of Temporal Gold Sand were probably worth around four hundred billion!

That might not be excessive wealth for a top-tier Dao Lord, but among ordinary Dao Lords, there were probably only a handful throughout the entire North Sea Star who possessed such wealth. Without exception, they were all figures who had mastered top-tier artifact refinement, array, or alchemy techniques.

"A top-tier Dao Artifact is only worth two hundred billion at most. Thirty-two grains of Temporal Gold Sand are worth four hundred billion, and a batch of artifact refinement materials containing immortal artifact components should be worth at least another one hundred billion. You are actually willing to offer materials worth five hundred billion for a top-tier Dao Artifact from me?" Yaoguang was somewhat surprised.

"The price of a top-tier Dao Artifact is indeed only one to two hundred billion, but a personalized top-tier Dao Artifact is worth more than that. Two to three hundred billion would be a more normal price. But that isn’t the main point. The main point is..." Taiwei Dao Lord smiled wryly. "We have no way of knowing whether the other party has left some hidden measures inside those Dao Artifacts.

Hidden measures... Yaoguang understood immediately.

Some artifact paragons did indeed leave certain hidden measures in the Dao Artifacts they refined, preventing others from using those artifacts against them.

And the Taiwei Dao Lord before him...

"Dao Lord Yaoguang, you should know that the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects signed the Joint Defense Agreement. The most important provision is that no signatory may directly or indirectly harm another signatory. Moreover, the restrictions involve karma. Anyone who violates them will have no hope of ever ascending to immortality. With your extraordinary talent, ascending to the Immortal Realm is only a matter of time. Now that there is no conflict of interest between us, I believe you would not sacrifice your path to ascending to the Immortal Realm over something that is merely a possibility," the Taiwei Dao Lord explained.

Yaoguang nodded after hearing this.

The Joint Defense Agreement! That was the reason the Taiwei Dao Lord wanted him to refine the top-tier Dao Artifact. Now that the agreement was signed, the two sides would naturally trust each other enough. They were essentially on the same side.

Something commissioned from one’s allies naturally carried far fewer security risks than something commissioned from an outsider. This Dao Lord was practically paying nearly twice the normal price for that extra insurance. His decisiveness was indeed impressive.

"If that is the case, I accept." As Yaoguang spoke, he saw that the Pill Cauldron Dao Lord seemed about to say something, so he added reassuringly, "There is no need for the other Dao Lords to rush either. The Dao contest is still seven to eight hundred years away. During that time, I may very well be able to refine all the top-tier Dao Artifacts you need."

The Pill Cauldron and Azure Crow Dao Lords wore bitter expressions. But they could not exactly blame him. Thirty-two grains of Temporal Gold Sand. The price was simply too high. If they were in Yaoguang's position, they would have chosen the Taiwei Dao Lord as well.

Worried that other competitors from the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects might emerge, the Taiwei and Taiqing Dao Lords promptly finalized the matter. "We’ll head to the Yin Lunar Sect right away and bring the materials and payment to Yaoguang Dao Lord. You can refine the Dao Artifact whenever you have the time.

"Good." Yaoguang nodded.

At the same time, he said to the other two Dao Lords, "Although the time available for refining top-tier Dao Artifacts is rather tight, as I refine more and more of them, my ability will continue to improve, and my refinement speed will naturally increase as well. In the future, I may still have time to refine your top-tier Dao Artifacts."

He smiled. "After all, it only took me two hundred years to reach this point since I began cultivating. Who can say what will happen three to five hundred years from now?"

The Pill Cauldron and Azure Crow Dao Lords felt slightly better after hearing this. Although they didn't believe Yaoguang could keep improving so rapidly in every aspect after becoming a Dao Lord, at least they had something to look forward to.

The two forced smiles and gave a fist-and-palm salute. "Then we’ll look forward to the day when you reach new heights in artifact refinement."

***

The Taiqing and Taiwei Dao Lords were remarkably efficient. Before Yaoguang could make it back from the Yin Lunar Sect, before he could return to the Heavenly Dao Sect or even to the Nine Cauldrons Sect, the two Dao Lords had already arrived and presented him with storage treasures filled with numerous artifact-refinement materials.

When they learned that Su Yaoxue, who had been assisting Yaoguang, was related to him, they even presented her with various spirit pills.

Less than half a day after the two Dao Lords left, the Central Heaven and Sovereign Radiance Dao Lords arrived as well. The Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord had even brought quite a few array masters from the Taiyi Immortal Sect.

Although their level was not particularly high, as most were only at level 11 or 12, their strength lay in numbers. With these people assisting him, Yaoguang’s efficiency in renovating the Yin Lunar Sect’s sect-protecting array would improve greatly.

During this period, Yaoguang also learned the specifics of the Dao Technique the Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord cultivated.

The Rainbow Transformation Technique. It was a movement-type Dao Technique. Its nature within the Great Dao of streaming light was similar to that of Void Flicker within the Great Dao of void.

From this alone, it was clear that the Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord also placed great emphasis on speed.

Yaoguang searched through the wealth of knowledge in his mind and quickly started comprehending the many variations of this Dao Technique. He then began preparing to refine the related top-tier Dao Artifact while simultaneously setting up the arrays.

And he wasn't just working with the Rainbow Transformation Technique! He had also already designed a top-tier Dao Artifact suited to the Central Heaven Dao Lord’s Great Truth Technique.

When Yaoguang personally demonstrated the Great Truth Technique, the Central Heaven Dao Lord was both pleasantly surprised and delighted.

Since Yaoguang had already mastered this Dao Technique and comprehended it to perfection, the top-tier Dao Artifact he refined would naturally be exceptionally compatible with him.

***

With the help of the array masters the Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord brought, the Yin Lunar Sect’s arrays were completely transformed in just nine years, becoming a Ten Hells Dragon-Imprisoning Array with powerful defensive and binding capabilities.

As for its offensive capabilities, Yaoguang was there to support it for now. In the future, he would refine a semi-immortal artifact specialized in killing and have it work in tandem with this array, giving the Nine Cauldrons Sect the ability to hold off a Dao Lord as well.

As long as they could hold off a Dao Lord, the relationships and accumulated goodwill among the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects meant they could call on other Dao Lords to help resolve the crisis.

After finishing the array, Yaoguang returned to the Heavenly Dao Sect under the Central Heaven Dao Lord’s expectant gaze. The Dao Lord had kept Heaven-Forsaken Valley reserved for him. He had not even touched anything inside.

However, outside the Heaven-Forsaken Valley, the Dao Lord had joined forces with the Sovereign Radiance Dao Lord to help reorganize the earth veins. It was said that the Taiwei Dao Lord and the Taiqing Dao Lord had also helped during the process.

In addition, the Golden Mother Dao Lord of the Mountain-River Sect, one of the Ten Great Immortal Dao Sects, who cultivated the Great Dao of earth, had also come over while the earth veins were being reorganized to curry favor with him.

As a result, when Yaoguang returned to Heaven-Forsaken Valley, he could clearly feel the area had become even more suited to artifact refinement.

"Although my artifact refinement method is somewhat different from that of other artifact paragons, with the changes that have been made, I can better draw upon the power of the earth, and even the power of the stellar core deep below, to temper the Dao Artifacts I refine. All things considered, this can increase my artifact refinement efficiency by at least twenty percent. Originally, it would have taken a hundred years to upgrade the Limitless Sword into a semi-immortal artifact. Now, eighty years will be enough." As Yaoguang spoke, he calmly took out the Limitless Sword and began refining it.

As for the top-tier Dao Artifacts for the Sovereign Radiance and Central Heaven Dao Lords, he could simply find some time to refine them. He had two to three hundred years, so there was no need to rush.