Everyone condemned Xia Yi for his outrageous behavior, though no one seemed to want to personally rush to the Realm of Dark Underworld to get the treasure back.
Nie Tian glanced around and noticed that Zhao Luofeng and Ling Dong from the Heaven Palace Sect also had long faces. It didn’t seem like they had planned this with Xia Yi.
Now that Xia Yi had taken the Heavenly Flame Beast’s eye, even though Nie Tian still wanted it, there was nothing he could do.
Even though he had the Bone Blood Demon at his command, he didn’t have confidence that he would be able to force Xia Yi to cough up the Heavenly Flame Beast’s eye.
With the patriarch of the Heaven Palace Sect in secluded cultivation, the late Soul realm Xia Yi was now the most powerful figure throughout the Domain of the Falling Stars.
Anyone who attempted to take the Heavenly Flame Beast’s eye back would probably end up failing, or worse, being killed.
Floating in the air, Zong Zheng from the Ice Pavilion Sect shot a cold gaze at Zhao Luofeng and asked, “Do you have anything to say about this, Sectmaster Zhao? It was you who proposed to hold the victory convention here in the Thunder Mountain Sect. Now that such a change has occurred, shouldn’t you account for it?”
Everyone’s gazes then converged on Zhao Luofeng.
Zhao Luofeng laughed bitterly, then said with a helpless tone, “I admit that we’re partially responsible. We’ll atone for this incident as soon as our patriarch enters the Void domain. But right now... I’m afraid that my sect and I don’t have what it takes to take the Heavenly Flame Beast’s eye back from Xia Yi. Also, I doubt that any of you have the ability to do so either.”
Elder Ling Dong chimed in, “My suggestion is that whoever can take it back from Xia Yi will get to keep it. What do you think?”
Everyone remained silent.
Lu Minhuang, who was also from the Realm of Dark Underworld, pondered briefly and said, “I don’t think it’s wise to fight Xia Yi just to take back that Heavenly Flame Beast’s eye. Xia Yi said it himself; all of the members of his sect are still in an arcane realm.
“Under such circumstances, he’s held back by nothing.
“Even if we join up to fight him, we might not be able to take him. What if he escapes and later seeks opportunities to unleash his fury on our sects? What will we do them?”
Upon hearing these words, all of the Soul realm experts present exchanged glances with one another, none making a sound.
Nie Tian realized that even though Xia Yi had ignored the rules and taken the Heavenly Flame Beast’s eye in front of everyone, since he was far too powerful, the others didn’t seem to have a proper solution.
From the look of it, Xia Yi would get to keep the Heavenly Flame Beast’s eye for the time being.
Everyone present looked somewhat frustrated. Without much discussion, they each returned to their temporary residences.
On the fifth day after Nie Tian’s arrival, Hua Mu came.
Hua Mu met Nie Tian in private as soon as he arrived, expressing his desire to obtain the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon.
“Uncle Hua, Master Zhen and the Dong Clan have also come to me to express their hope that I can help them obtain the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon,” Nie Tian said, without holding anything back. “To be honest, I’m not very interested in keeping the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon, and I’m willing to help purchase it. It’s just that I don’t know who I’m supposed to give it to...”
“I see your dilemma.” After pondering a few seconds, Hua Mu smiled and said, “How about this: you just help us get the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon. Afterwards, we’ll study it with the Tool Sect and the Dong Clan. If we can derive groundbreaking enlightenment from this pinnacle of the outsiders’ equipment forging skills, all of the equipment forgers in the Domain of the Falling Stars will benefit from it!”
“That’d be the best.” Nie Tian felt relieved after hearing Hua Mu’s words, then with a concerned expression, he asked, “Can you tell me about that demonic plant inside of you, Uncle Hua?”
Hua Mu let out a deep sigh and said, “I was on a team that went to a Demon realm. The trip was full of dangers, and I was barely able to make it back... with a mysterious seed. I didn’t know how powerful it was back then, and thus tried to refine it after my return. As a result, that demonic plant got out of my hands and found its way into me through the spot between my eyebrows, eventually becoming a part of me.
“It’s called a Heavenly Demonsbane, the third most powerful among the killer plants in the Demon realms.
“I’ve been doing my best to suppress it all these years, but it still grows inside of me. The higher my cultivation base becomes, the faster it grows.
“Right now, I don’t know how to get rid of it. All I can do is avoid sustaining heavy injuries.
“Once I suffer heavy injuries, and I’m weakened, the plant will take control of my body. You’ve seen what happens once it takes control...”
“Are you sure there’s no way to get rid of it?” Nie Tian asked, surprise filling his eyes.
Hua Mu smiled bitterly. “Not that I know of. I even have a feeling that I’ll have to live with it for the rest of my life. I can only hope that I’m strong enough to stop it from possessing me again. Perhaps only if I can leave the Domain of the Falling Stars and visit other domains will I have a chance of learning a way to get rid of it.”
With these words, he cast an anticipatory gaze at Nie Tian.
Apparently, he considered Nie Tian his only hope of walking out of the Domain of the Falling Stars.
Then, after the two of them caught up briefly, Hua Mu left to inform Lu Yuanxi, Zhen Huilan, and Dong Wangling of the agreement between him and Nie Tian regarding the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon.
On the sixth day, the sects finally determined every party’s contribution points.
Each sect was given points that matched their contributions in the victory.
The prices of the thousands of valuable items were also determined by renowned appraisers from different parties.
Nie Tian then received a brand new list where the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon was priced at 1.5 million contribution points.
Below it were the seventh grade outsider corpses; each middle seventh grade outsider’s corpse was priced at three hundred thousand contribution points, and each early seventh grade outsider’s corpse was priced at one hundred thousand contribution points.
The few precious tools that were equal to the humans’ Spirit Channeling grade treasures were priced between three to five hundred thousand contribution points.
Most of the other rare materials and incantation scrolls were priced less than a hundred thousand contribution points.
Nie Tian noticed that the Nine Stars Flower, which was in the third rank, was only priced at fifty thousand contribution points.
Meanwhile, after the joint efforts of Lu Yuanxi, Zong Zheng, and the other Soul realm experts, Nie Tian was eventually given a total of two million contribution points, which was more than enough to get the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon.
Among the major sects, the Heaven Palace Sect was the one that got the most contribution points, which was one million contribution points.
This was because the decisive battle had taken place at the Heaven Palace Sect’s headquarters, which had been razed to the ground by the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon, along with their Five Elements Fortune Formation.
The one milion contribution points were to reward the Heaven Palace Sect for their contribution in the battle, as well as make up for their heavy losses.
The other major sects received between six to eight hundred thousand contribution points, with the Spirit Condor being given eight hundred thousand.
These numbers had finally been agreed upon by the sects after rounds of meeting and extended argument.
Now that the contribution points were determined, every sect studied the list of spoils and pondered what they should get for their sects and themselves.
The Spirit God Sect and the Poison Sect spread the word that they would only purchase Phantasm and Fiend corpses, along with their incantation scrolls and tools.
The morning of the seventh day dawned very early.
However, at first light, the Qi warriors from every sect had already been waiting on the spacious square.
Five long stone tables were placed at the center of the square. On the first table sat the storage ring that held the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon, which was very eye-catching.
On the second table were about a dozen storage rings, which contained second rank outsider corpses, materials, and tools.
Many more storage rings could be seen on the third, fourth, and fifth tables. All of them were stuffed with less valuable items.
Standing in front of the first stone table, Zhao Luofeng from the Heaven Palace Sect announced with a resonant voice that traveled across the entire Heavenly Thunder Mountain Range, “Alright, all of the major sects in the Domain of the Falling Stars are now gathered in this place. The recent outsider invasion not only brought us a crisis, but also fortune.
“Thanks to our joint efforts, we destroyed the outsider forces and gained abundant spoils from our victory!”
Zhao Luofeng’s expression was grim sometimes and spirited at other times as he went on with his speech. Then, after a few inspiring words, he announced the opening of the victory convention.
Di Ruyun, the Soul realm patriarch of the Heaven Expanse Sect, spoke as soon as Zhao Luofeng was finished. “The Heaven Expanse Sect and the Heaven Palace Sect would like to purchase the broken Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon together! The Heaven Palace Sect has one million contribution points. We have six hundred thousand contribution points. Together, we have enough contribution points to purchase the cannon!”
“That’s right,” Zhao Luofeng said.
From the look of it, the Heaven Palace Sect and the Heaven Expanse Sect had long since set their minds on the Heaven-shattering Crystal Cannon and were determined to obtain it.