"This one's not cheap. No bargaining. Five million Eternal Coins."
Jia Chengxin stated firmly.
He clearly valued this crystal skull highly. While it wasn't a non-sale item, the price was intentionally steep. However, that reflected the true value of a heavenly treasure in the current age—prices continued to skyrocket, especially in the hands of seasoned traveling merchants like Jia Chengxin, who were acutely sensitive to market trends.
Five million Eternal Coins was an astronomical price, yet considering the nature of the crystal skull—a one-time-use treasure of extraordinary value—it was justified.
"Alright, I'll take it."
Yi Tianxing replied decisively, producing the sum and stowing the skull away.
He continued browsing through the treasure-filled pavilion. The sheer number of exotic artifacts Jia Chengxin had gathered over the years was astounding. Even though Yi Tianxing had already encountered many, he purchased anything that held value. Coin flowed like water into Jia Chengxin's coffers.
Then he stopped before an unusual item.
"What kind of treasure is this?"
Before him was a hammer, entirely violet in color. It wasn't spherical like a standard warhammer. One end was a flat square like a blacksmith's tool, while the other tapered into a pyramidal spike. The hammer exuded a mysterious Daoist rhythm, radiating an aura of destruction so overwhelming it seemed as if it could shatter anything in its path—even stars.
It was clearly a formidable offensive artifact.
"This is the Starshatter Hammer (碎星锤)," Jia Chengxin explained. "It contains the power of star-shattering. Even a real star, if struck by this hammer at a high enough grade, would be reduced to cosmic dust. It's infused with the Power of Rupture, extremely domineering. Given the right cultivation, it can easily ascend to become an Innate Spirit Treasure."
Yi Tianxing's eyes lit up.
"A fine treasure indeed. What's your price?"
"This hammer may still be at Yellow Grade, but its potential is limitless. It could become a main artifact for any cultivator. The price: Eight million Eternal Coins."
It was a kingly sum.
"Eight million—done."
Yi Tianxing didn't hesitate, immediately producing the amount and securing the Starshatter Hammer. To him, the worth of a treasure was about suitability, not just price.
Then his gaze fell on a jade box on a nearby shelf.
"What kind of arrow is this?"
Inside was a blood-red war arrow. The moment his gaze landed on it, a tidal wave of killing intent surged into his mind. Sounds of slaughter rang in his consciousness—
"Kill! Kill! Kill!!"
"Kill the heavens, the earth, men, beasts, ghosts, gods, demons—kill all!!"
"Kill the unjust, the disloyal, the unfilial, the unworthy—slay all life under heaven!"
The killing aura was so pure, so potent, it felt like it could pierce the sun and moon. Were it not for the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower (鸿蒙天帝塔) guarding his soul sea, Yi Tianxing would have been overwhelmed.
On the arrow shaft were seven blood-colored characters, each bearing the word "Kill (杀)."
"This is the Seven-Kill Arrow (七杀箭)," Jia Chengxin explained. "A heavenly treasure born from boundless slaughter, containing the purest killing intent. If it strikes, the target is likely to perish instantly. The killing intent directly invades the soul, shredding it apart. Terrifyingly fierce."
But such power came at a cost. Without tremendous cultivation and mental fortitude, controlling the Seven-Kill Arrow could lead to backlash, even soul-crushing madness.
"How much for the Seven-Kill Arrow?"
Yi Tianxing's eyes gleamed with interest. Though he had the Falling Star Bow (陨星弓), it lacked a proper war arrow. He'd used magic-formed arrows or rune/white-bone arrows, which had grown inadequate against increasingly powerful foes.
But a real artifact-level war arrow like this one? It was a perfect match.
"This arrow... let's say seven million Eternal Coins."
Despite its dangers, its power more than made up for it.
"Good!"
Yi Tianxing didn't even haggle. He paid the price and took the Seven-Kill Arrow into his hand. Immediately, he felt it attempt to invade his body, killing intent rushing into his soul—but again, it was effortlessly suppressed by the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower.
"It's time to open a new floor in the tower."
With a thought, Yi Tianxing sent the Seven-Kill Arrow into his divine sea.
Swish!
The blood-crystal-like Seven-Kill Arrow was drawn into the tower without resistance. Inside the base of the tower, in the realm of primordial chaos, the arrow seemed to instinctively know its purpose.
A surge of blood-red light burst forth as it transformed into a meteor, tearing through the chaos, breaking it open. Clear air rose, turbid air fell—heaven and earth were split. Elements of earth, fire, wind, and water surged.
But the arrow wasn't finished.
It glowed again, and the seven 'Kill' characters on its shaft lit up. In the next instant, the arrow split into seven, each a bloody shaft of killing will, firing out in all directions. Wherever they went, chaos was ripped apart, violently expanding the void.
One li...Three li...Ten li...Hundreds of li...
Finally, when the space neared a thousand-li diameter, the seven arrows exhausted their power and began converging once more.
Blood light flashed as the seven recombined—but not into the Seven-Kill Arrow.
Instead, what appeared was a Seven-Kill Arrow Gourd (七杀箭葫).
A gourd-shaped artifact, blood-red in color, etched with seven glaring "Kill" characters. Each character radiated an aura of slaughter, profound laws woven into their form.
Then, the gourd naturally merged into the newly opened tower floor, linking directly to the origin of heaven and earth within the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower.