Before long, Yuan Ming followed Nan Shangfeng to a room approximately twenty zhang in size, with intricate and mysterious runes engraved all over the floor and walls, clearly indicating the presence of more than one array.

"This is where I occasionally retreat for closed cultivation. The arrays on the walls and floor are used to assist with cultivation and seal the chamber," Nan Shangfeng hastily explained, fearing Yuan Ming might misunderstand.

Yuan Ming glanced around briefly, nodded, and said, "The Level 5 Wanxiang Gathering Spirit Array and the Level 4 Hundred Gates Sealing Array are quite decent... with some modifications, they can also be used."

"It's impressive that Fellow Daoist Wan can even improve a Level 5 array!" Nan Shangfeng couldn't help but express his amazement upon hearing Yuan Ming's remarks.

He increasingly felt that the person before him was unfathomable.

"Here are the three pieces of spirit wood. Please accept them, Fellow Daoist Wan." He then handed over three wooden boxes to Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming was not at all polite and accepted them; "Name a price."

"It's merely three pieces of spirit wood, not worth mentioning. Fellow Daoist Wan, please accept them," Nan Shangfeng said nervously.

"I just mentioned that I would buy everything you purchase at the original price. Don't be falsely modest. State the number of Spirit Stones or offer an exchange for other spiritual materials," Yuan Ming stated.

"To not lie to you, Fellow Daoist Wan, these three pieces of spirit wood were exchanged for two well-crafted Magic Treasures. Fellow Daoist Wan can just offer equivalent items in exchange." Nan Shangfeng hesitated slightly before saying.

Although high-level spirit wood is precious, it usually has limited use and isn't as versatile as Magic Treasures. It can fetch a high price for those who specifically need it, but generally, its value is less than that of Magic Treasures of a similar level.

Yuan Ming, hearing this, thought for a moment and took out seven or eight Magic Treasures he had previously seized from Ye Wuya and Zi Mei, placing them in front of Nan Shangfeng for selection.

Nan Shangfeng scanned them, immediately drawn to a purple gauze robe and an emerald green hairpin among them.

With Yuan Ming's consent, he picked up the two Magic Treasures and examined them closely.

The purple gauze robe, named "Joyful Zen Robe," was a high-level Magic Treasure given to Zi Mei by a Su Nu Sect elder for dual cultivation. Used with the Dual Cultivation Method, it can significantly increase the cultivation speed of both parties.

The emerald green hairpin was crafted using the special technique of emerald inlay, incorporating a feather containing the soul of a Peacock Demon King, an attack type Magic Treasure. Not only is it beautiful, but it also contains deadly poison, capable of catching others off guard.

"I like both of these Magic Treasures, Fellow Daoist Wan. If you don't mind, I would like to exchange them for the spirit wood," Nan Shangfeng said with a look of joy, clearly satisfied with the Magic Treasures.

"That's acceptable," Yuan Ming agreed without hesitation.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wan," Nan Shangfeng said happily.

He was eager to find those female cultivators to test the effectiveness of the Joyful Zen Robe.

"You can indulge in Joyful Zen anytime, but don't be careless about what you promised me. Also, let me remind you, since I dared to stay in your Space Spiritual Treasure, I naturally have a way to leave. So don't entertain any sinister thoughts of sealing me inside," Yuan Ming said coldly, casting a glance at him.

With the Sky-reaching Demon Pillar in his possession and the Undying Tree's ability to traverse the void, he had no concerns.

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Wan, I wouldn't dare cross any lines. There is actually a misunderstanding between us," Nan Shangfeng said, his spine chilling as he hurriedly spoke.

"Alright, your people should be waking up soon. Take them out, and I'll be in closed cultivation here for a while," Yuan Ming said.

Taking the order, Nan Shangfeng ran out as if granted amnesty.

He brought the now-awakened Ruan Lianyu and Ruan Lianxin and gathered everyone to wake them up together.

After waking up, everyone felt somewhat bewildered, as if they had just woken from a deep sleep.

"Listen, there is a task for you now. Please handle it with care," Nan Shangfeng instructed without explaining anything to them.

"Please instruct us, Young Master," the others said, cupping their fists.

"Spread the word that I, Nan Shangfeng, am collecting a large amount of high-level spirit wood. The price is negotiable, and the better the item, the higher the price," Nan Shangfeng said with a wave of his hand.

Although Yuan Ming didn't ask him to purchase high-level spirit wood, he wasn't foolish. With his fate in Yuan Ming's hands, he naturally needed to find a way to win favor.

"As you command," everyone said in unison and dispersed.

Nan Shangfeng, along with two guards, also left the inn.

In the Void Palace's secret chamber, Yuan Ming sensed Nan Shangfeng's actions through the Soul Descent Rune.

Nan Shangfeng's Soul Descent Rune was unique; he had a soul crow residing in it for security, allowing better monitoring of Nan Shangfeng.

Yuan Ming quickly turned his attention back and took out the three newly acquired pieces of high-level spirit wood, feeding them to the World Tree's bark. The Power of Ten Thousand Wood Origin within the bark increased significantly again.

...

Three days later, while Nan Shangfeng was busy using various channels to help "Wan Tianren" collect high-level spirit wood, an unexpected visitor came to the door.

When Nan Shangfeng saw that person, he couldn't help but startle, asking, "Mountain Master Zhu Yu, why are you here?"

"Young Master Nan, I had quite a time looking for you. Come with me quickly; the people from White Emperor City and Heavenly Dragon Hall have arrived and wish to meet with you," Zhu Yu said anxiously.

"Looking for me? What do they want with me?" Nan Shangfeng leaned back in his chair, resting his legs on the front table.

"Of course, it's about the Ten Thousand Treasure Auction; this operation must not fail," Zhu Yu replied.

"That's a troublesome bunch. I don't want to deal with them. Can't you handle it for me?" Nan Shangfeng sighed and said.

"This is the Sect Master's order; otherwise, I wouldn't trouble you," Zhu Yu said with a forced smile.

"Since it's Master's order, let's go then. The sooner it's discussed, the sooner we can return," Nan Shangfeng got up from the chair reluctantly upon hearing it was the Daluo Sect Master's order.

Zhu Yu took him away from the residence and soon arrived at another inn within the workshop.

Unlike other bustling inns, this place was almost devoid of people, permeated by an indescribable tension.

"Truly a bunch of fools, ruining a perfectly good inn like this, afraid that others won't know there's a problem here," Nan Shangfeng shook his head disdainfully, walking into an isolated elegant room deep within the inner courtyard.

Outside the elegant room, layers of faint light halos enveloped the entrance, clearly indicating a Forbidden Array was set up inside.

Zhu Yu reached the doorway, swung his hand lightly, and a stream of light hit the door.

Immediately, a gold stream of light rippled out, as if pulling back a golden curtain on the door, revealing an opening just tall enough for a person, from which broken sounds of conversation intermittently emitted.

Nan Shangfeng pushed the door and stepped through the opening, followed closely by Zhu Yu.

Afterwards, the door closed again, the golden curtain pulled back into place, everything returned to its original state.

Inside was a rather large hall, a redwood round table placed in the center around which four people sat.

One of them was a handsome young man in white tight clothing, holding a folding fan with golden patterns, gently swaying it.

Across from the young man in white sat a young woman wearing a lotus flower short skirt, her hair in two short braided pigtails, looking stunningly pure, both bearing smiles as if discussing something.

"Junior Sister Yu Huan, long time no see, I didn't expect Heavenly Dragon Hall would send you this time. Had I known, I would have come sooner. This is a Green Glass Bead Chain I saw at the workshop a few days ago, refined from the Demon Cores of eighteen Qingli Beasts, it's effective in cooling and beautifying, matching you perfectly, let me help you wear it," Nan Shangfeng's eyes lit up, walking towards the short-skirt woman, producing an azure necklace with great flattery.

"No need, Senior Brother Nan, perhaps you should give it to your concubines instead," the smile vanished instantly from the short-skirt woman's face; she didn't even glance at Nan Shangfeng, as wisps of white chill spread within three feet of her.

"How could those concubines compare to Junior Sister Yu Huan by even a tenth? Never mind, since you don't like the Green Glass Bead Chain, I'll find you something rarer next time," Nan Shangfeng halted, appearing quite apprehensive of the white chill, yet didn't leave.

"Brother Nan, I'm here too. Although Junior Sister Long is here, you didn't even glance at an old friend, that's rather too much," the young man in white tapped the table, expressing dissatisfaction.

"Oh, Jin Chen, you're here too," Nan Shangfeng glanced at him indifferently.

The young man in white's face sank suddenly at this.

Inside the Void Palace, Yuan Ming observed the people in the hall via Soul Descent Rune.

Besides Jin Chen and the woman named Long Yu Huan sat two others, who turned out to be East Pole Island Master Ouyang Qiang and Luo Jia Mountain Master Bai Yuan, neither of whom had spoken from the beginning.

This didn't surprise Yuan Ming.

Though the Dongji Sea Area was remote and resource-poor, it was also a vast territory, with Dongji Palace, Azure Dragon Pond, and Luo Jia Mountain each commanding parts of the Dongji Sea Area, all having backing behind them.

He had seen from Nan Shangfeng's memories that Daluo Sect backed Azure Dragon Pond, White Emperor City supported Dongji Palace, as for Luo Jia Mountain's rise, it couldn't be separated from Heavenly Dragon Hall.

The young man in white and the short-skirt woman were both acquaintances of Nan Shangfeng; the young man in white was called Jin Chen, the son of the White Emperor City Lord, while the short-skirt woman Long Yu Huan was the Closed-door Disciple of the Heavenly Dragon Hall's Hall Master.

"Brother Nan, we'll talk about casual matters later. Now that you're here, we can discuss the main business," Jin Chen put away his playful expression and said seriously.

Nan Shangfeng looked impatient but sat down, waving his hand, "What business is to be discussed? Is it that the Ten Thousand Treasure Auction will have some shady dealings again? Every auction pulls this same act, utterly boring."

"No rush, Brother Nan, it's not about that matter, Palace Master Ouyang, you're leading this operation, so why don't you explain in detail to Brother Nan," Jin Chen turned to Ouyang Qiang, saying.

Ouyang Qiang nodded and looked at Nan Shangfeng, "Young Master Nan, this gathering concerns two people: Yuan Ming and Yun Luo Fairy."

In the Void Palace, Yuan Ming's heart gave a slight jump.

He was just speculating on why Daluo Sect, White Emperor City, and Heavenly Dragon Hall were meeting, only to find out it was to capture him!

"It seems these people are indeed relentless!" Yuan Ming couldn't help but touch his nose with a bitter smile, thinking helplessly to himself.

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