After Su Xiaomo and Xiao Zuiji consumed the aptitude liquid, not only did their spiritual roots improve, but their realm also advanced to peak Martial Emperor.

At this point, the Eternal Sect now had five openly recognized Divine-grade spiritual roots.

“There’s still one bottle of Saint-grade Array Formation Reformation Liquid.”

After some consideration, Jun Changxiao decided to give the aptitude liquid to Old Zhen.

Actually, he could use it himself to enhance his understanding and deployment ability of array formations, but if he did everything himself, what was the point of nurturing a group of specialists just to eat for free at home?

“If you’re so capable, give the Divine-grade sword dao aptitude liquid to Zhou Hong!” The System said.

“That won’t do.”

Jun Changxiao said, “I need to use that one myself.”

After breaking through to the Saint level, his sword dao had already reached its upper limit. Without using aptitude liquid to elevate it, it would definitely drag down his martial dao progress.

“Swish!”

He waved his hand to retrieve it, then tilted his neck back and drank it down.

Since no alcohol manufacturers had come to negotiate partnerships yet, the taste won’t be described.

“Lingyan Pavilion Exclusive Divine Armament Reformation Stone…” Jun Changxiao waved his hand to retrieve what looked like a spirit stone and murmured, “What’s this?”

If it was an exclusive divine armament, he could roughly guess it should be usable to reform Point Out the Rivers and Mountains, but why add the Lingyan Pavilion prefix?

“Obviously.”

The System said, “It’s used to reform exclusive divine armaments that meet Lingyan Pavilion requirements.”

Jun Changxiao said, “Like Qingyang’s Heaven-Slaying Thunder Marks, Zuiji’s Cloud Boat Chivalrous Shadow, and A Niu’s Lifeless Sacrifice to Heaven?”

“Should be.” The System said.

The exchange conditions for these three disciples’ exclusive divine armaments required entry into Lingyan Pavilion, while Purple Scale Demon King’s gauntlets were exchanged based on position.

“Let’s try it.”

Jun Changxiao summoned them over and retrieved the three exclusive divine armaments.

However, no matter how he tried to trigger the reformation stone with his spiritual sense, there was no response whatsoever.

“Why isn’t it working?”

“The host is trying to reform exclusive divine armaments using the method for the Unstoppable Blade reformation stone—of course it won’t work. Perhaps specialized refinement and reforging is needed.”

“Master Fan!”

…

Casting Peak, Casting Hall.

Fan Yezi carefully examined the three blocks that appeared ordinary but actually contained special energy, and finally exclaimed excitedly, “Divine Stone! This is Divine Stone!”

“Can you smelt them?” Jun Changxiao asked.

After a moment of silence, Fan Yezi said, “Should be no problem.”

During this time at the sect, infusing souls into Commerce Hall weapons and even divine armaments had given him considerable valuable experience. If it were before, he would definitely be scratching his head.

After entrusting the divine armament reformation to Hall Master Fan, Jun Changxiao returned to the study and opened the purchased goods column, focusing on Seven Profound Radiant Breaker Scroll Five, murmuring, “Buying this would just mean creating another unlucky person, wouldn’t it?”

He could now be certain that whenever he bought a scroll, it was definitely a secondhand or third-hand item, because the System stole it from someone else.

Extorting and blackmailing people who had wronged him made Jun Changxiao feel perfectly justified, but this kind of suddenly stealing other people’s things made him feel somewhat guilty.

“Heavenly treasures and earthly resources go to those with destiny.”

The System said, “Why should the host care about what means were used to obtain them?”

“…”

Jun Changxiao rolled his eyes.

This guy really had abandoned all bottom lines to get him to spend money.

“Moreover.”

The System said, “The host used contribution points to buy it—is there anything wrong with a fair transaction?”

“That makes sense.”

Jun Changxiao was moved by his words.

The System continued persuading him: “The scroll was created by Seven Profound Saint Venerable. Other people who obtained it probably used some despicable and shameless methods.”

“Buy it!”

Convinced by a qualified salesperson, Jun Changxiao ultimately didn’t hold to his bottom line.

“Ding! The host consumed 20,000 contribution points…”

“Ding! Because Seven Profound Radiant Breaker Scroll Five is sealed and stored in the Starry Sky Fortress, it cannot be transported to the spatial ring. This purchase has failed.”

“Ding! Sect Contribution Points: 50000/70000.”

The expression on Jun Changxiao’s face immediately froze.

After countless purchases from the commerce hall, this was the first time he’d encountered a purchase failure!

“Damn it!”

After a moment, Jun roared at his limit and shouted furiously, “If the purchase failed, then fine, but why did you still deduct my 20,000 contribution points!”

The System said, “When the host purchases items, payment comes first, then delivery. But due to irresistible reasons causing purchase failure, the contribution points naturally won’t be refunded.”

“Profiteer! Profiteer!”

Jun Changxiao almost coughed up blood.

The System consoled him, “Although the purchase failed, it did provide the sealed storage location. The host can go find it.”

This statement made Dog Sheng even more devastated.

The agreed-upon purchase transaction meant the System stealing had nothing to do with him, but now it was telling him to go find it himself—didn’t that make him complicit in the theft?

Wait a minute!

Starry Sky Fortress?

Jun Changxiao immediately calmed down and said, “Isn’t that the place the bald guy mentioned?”

…

In the endless universe, there was an extremely dark region.

Continuing deep inside, one would see a castle-like massive structure floating, shrouded in an extremely eerie aura that gave the feeling of hell itself.

This place.

Was the Starry Sky Fortress.

Rewinding to the moment Jun Changxiao attempted his purchase.

In a sealed chamber within the fortress, the Scroll Five placed on a table suddenly trembled lightly, as if about to disappear at any moment.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Just then, a figure flew over swiftly, hands rapidly forming seals as rays of brilliant energy appeared out of nowhere, instantly suppressing the restless manual.

Shortly after.

The scroll stopped trembling and everything returned to normal.

The figure standing nearby, wearing plain robes and a golden mask that made their gender indiscernible, spoke in a hoarse voice: “Someone was actually able to use spatial power to break through this seat’s Nine Seals Grand Array!”

“Buzz!”

Just then, a faint array materialized in the chamber, its surface inscribed with extremely complex patterns—clearly very advanced and profound.

Impressive, my brother.

Every time Jun Changxiao purchased a scroll, whether it was He Wudi, Black-White Double Evil, or the Rose Empress, the theft succeeded every time. Only this time did he encounter resistance!

Of course.

Stealing also depended on timing.

He Wudi was being chased by a group of powerful cultivators and knew he couldn’t escape, so he planned to throw the scroll away—and that’s when it was stolen.

Black-White Rakshasa were fighting fiercely over the scroll’s ownership, so it was stolen during the chaos.

As for the Rose Empress, she kept it close to her body thinking it was safe, but still lost it in confusion.

But this Scroll Five had a Nine Seals Grand Array that was extremely sensitive to spatial power. When the System attempted theft, it immediately alerted the owner who rushed over and used multiple seals to suppress it, managing to preserve it.

It wasn’t that the System was bad at stealing—the others were just too careless.

“Swish!”

“Swish!”

Array nodes and lines appeared throughout the chamber, the defensive layers multiplying many times over from before.

After the masked person finished their work and returned to the magnificent hall, an armored warrior approached and saluted: “Master, we just received news that two of the five Star Space Overlords with second-class status have died, and the other three have disappeared.”

“Oh?”

The masked person’s voice carried surprise.

The armored warrior said, “According to our subordinate’s investigation, they were last seen in the cosmic region outside Xingyun Continent.”

“Send people to investigate.”

“Yes!”

—