A group of commanders and high-level experts personally invited Ye Chen to a floating palace. Carved railings and jade ornaments, small bridges over flowing water, dancing cranes, and galloping spirit deer could be seen, with wisps of mist swirling about the place, making it seem as if one had arrived in a paradise on earth, utterly captivating.
This place was usually reserved for entertaining important guests, and now Ye Chen was also treated as an honored guest, given a high level of respect.
A graceful and charming maid, about sixteen years of age, bowed gracefully, performed a curtsy, and presented a cup of top-grade Clear Spirit Dao Tea.
"Thank you!"
Ye Chen was modest and polite, sitting upright in the guest seat. After taking a small sip of the Dao Tea, he got straight to the point: "I wonder why you esteemed seniors have brought this junior here?"
The dozen or so high-level figures exchanged glances. Then the Demi-Saint elder who had invited Ye Chen spoke up, his expression kind and carrying a hint of expectation: "May I ask if Young Friend Yue has used up all his meritorious service value?"
"It's all used up." Ye Chen casually placed the military merit token on the table. His words left everyone dumbfounded. To have used up over nine million meritorious service value so quickly was simply unbelievable.
Just thinking about Ye Chen having spent over nine million meritorious service value made the various experts feel a surge of excitement, speculating about what treasures he must have exchanged for. Among them, there were certainly supreme treasures from the Heaven-grade treasure vault; otherwise, it would be impossible to spend such an astronomical figure all at once.
Thinking of those incredibly expensive yet immensely rare supreme treasures in the Heaven-grade treasure vault, even though those present were all high-level figures within the faction, they couldn't help but feel their hearts grow fervent at this moment.
Treasures of that level would even make Saint Lord-level figures covet them, let alone them.
"May I ask, what treasures did Young Friend Yue exchange for?" Another high-level figure couldn't help but ask, voicing the doubt in everyone's minds. Immediately, numerous fervent gazes fell upon Ye Chen.
Ye Chen's expression remained unchanged. Instead of answering, he asked a question in return: "Esteemed seniors, does this junior need to report in detail what treasures he exchanged for in the treasure vault?"
The experts were momentarily speechless, rendered unable to reply, because as Ye Chen said, there was indeed no need to report.
If it were an ordinary person, they would naturally be displeased, but the person before them had Wang Ming as his backing, someone they couldn't afford to offend.
Ye Chen smiled slightly, stood up, and cupped his hands: "Esteemed seniors, if there is nothing else, this junior will take his leave and not disturb you any further."
Clean and decisive, without the slightest hesitation, which only made the various experts feel anxious.
"Young friend, please wait!"
A voice halted Ye Chen's departure. It was a powerful Saint who spoke personally. His hair appeared grayish-white, and his brow carried a heavy sense of majesty. He looked only middle-aged, but in reality, he was already very old, with many descendants. His cultivation could be described as unfathomable, ranking among the top even among the present high-level figures.
He was Cangxue Saint, a very powerful Saint, a truly high-ranking and powerful figure within the faction, second only to Saint Lord-level commanders. Even army Commanders had to bow and salute upon seeing him. Yet now, his expression was gentle, his majesty gone, as he said softly: "Young friend, there's no need to be impatient. We still wish to discuss a matter with you. Please hear us out before leaving."
"Senior, please speak!"
Ye Chen said, though in his heart, he already had some guesses about why these high-level figures had invited him here—it was undoubtedly for the supreme treasures he had obtained from the Heaven-grade treasure vault.
However, he was skilled and bold. Within the faction, he had Wang Ming, and on his person, he had Old Yan—two powerful figures backing him. He also possessed the damaged Heavenly King Spear. To be honest, he truly had nothing to fear.
Cangxue Saint said: "Young friend, having entered the treasure vault this time, you must have exchanged for several supreme treasures from the Heaven-grade treasure vault. If you are willing, we would like to exchange for the Heaven-grade treasure vault treasures on your person."
Just as expected, Ye Chen had already guessed as much.
Although these experts were all high-level figures within the Qingyang Domain faction, holding high positions and great power, the value of every supreme treasure in the Heaven-grade treasure vault started at over a million meritorious service value, some even reaching several million—astronomically high. Even they didn't possess such a vast amount of meritorious service value to exchange for them.
Though they coveted them, they had no way to obtain them. It just so happened that Ye Chen met the conditions and must have exchanged for more than one supreme treasure.
Therefore, they thought of using the method of exchanging other treasures to acquire them.
Ye Chen's eyes lit up. Although the treasures he had exchanged for were tempting, it was possible these people possessed treasures that would tempt him even more. He said: "I wonder what treasures you esteemed seniors are willing to exchange for this junior's treasures."
"May I ask what supreme treasures Young Friend Yue exchanged for?"
"Void Tree, Heavenly King Spear, Void God Platform, Bronze Fragment." Ye Chen answered truthfully. There was no need to hide this point because these people were high-level figures; it would be easy for them to find out what supreme treasures he had exchanged for from the Heaven-grade treasure vault.
Immediately, the seated experts widened their eyes in astonishment. After a long moment, they couldn't help but ask: "Young Friend Yue, is that all? Nothing else? For example, Great Dao Blood, Heavenly King's Notes, Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasure, and so on?"
Ye Chen shook his head: "Apologies, I've disappointed you esteemed seniors. The meritorious service value on me was only enough to exchange for these treasures."
Hearing this, the group of high-level experts looked at each other, shook their heads, and sighed, all showing unconcealed disappointment.
Although these few supreme treasures could, in a way, be considered extraordinary—otherwise, they wouldn't qualify to be listed in the Heaven-grade treasure vault—truth be told, aside from the Heavenly King Spear, the other supreme treasures were more or less useless to them.
The Void Tree could condense Void Fruits, but it only bore fruit once every thousand years—far too long a time. Some among them might reach the end of their lifespan without being able to wait for it.
The Void God Platform, aside from being able to tear through space for travel, seemed to have no other significant function.
The Bronze Fragment was even more of an unknown. If it hadn't been obtained from a Heavenly King Invincible and was extremely difficult to damage, it wouldn't have qualified to be listed in the Heaven-grade treasure vault either.
Counting them all, only the Heavenly King Spear could be considered somewhat tempting to them. Unfortunately, the Heavenly King Spear had been shattered in the Domain War of the past, and the damage was quite severe, nearly disintegrated. It could only be used a handful of times at most, which made them feel regretful.
"What a pity. If it were Great Dao Blood, or a Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasure, or a Dao platform, that would be best." Several Saints secretly shook their heads. For them, only these few supreme treasures held the greatest value.
Ye Chen gave a helpless smile: "Apologies, esteemed seniors. I didn't exchange for any of those treasures; the meritorious service value was too high. However, this junior is somewhat curious: if I did possess those treasures, I wonder what treasures you seniors would be willing to exchange for them?"
Though disappointed, the experts still answered: "If you, young friend, possessed those two treasures, we could gather enough spirit stones to exchange for them, or spirit veins, or even divine spirit sources and other rare divine treasures. Even a Saint weapon wouldn't be impossible."
But after hearing this, Ye Chen inwardly sneered. Did they really think he was easy to bully?
Although spirit stones were divine ores condensed with heaven and earth spiritual energy and could be used for cultivation, to him, they were practically worthless. Wang Ming, as the Fourth Great Bandit, naturally possessed abundant spirit stones. If needed, he could just ask him for some.
Spirit veins were merely veins of spirit stones. Only divine spirit sources could be considered sacred and rare divine objects, of immeasurable value and possessing incredible effects, but they still fell short compared to Great Dao Blood or a Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasure.
As for Saint weapons?
He even possessed five Saint Lord-level Dao weapons; how could he care about ordinary Saint weapons?
Originally, he had been considering taking out the Ten-Thousand-Year Medicine Treasure and several drops of Iceflame Heavenly King's Great Dao Blood on his person for exchange, but now it seemed he could only abandon that idea.
In the end, neither side reached any agreement, and they parted ways disappointed.
Watching Ye Chen's departing figure, the experts sighed: "What a pity. If it weren't for the fact that this youngster has the support of the Fourth Great Bandit Wang Ming behind him, this old man would have considered taking action."
The Fourth Great Bandit Wang Ming stood like a demonic mountain in everyone's hearts, causing both fear and awe. They simply didn't dare to take action against Ye Chen, fearing they might offend this terrifying great bandit.
Moreover, Ye Chen's true identity also made people wary. That a young True King didn't have a sufficiently deep background or force supporting him was something no one would believe. Even Kings almost always had Immortal Sacred Lands behind them, let alone an Immortal True King.
In past generations, Immortal True Kings almost always came from supreme Sacred Lands. They guessed that even if Ye Chen wasn't from one, it was probably similar, and thus he was not to be provoked.
Wang Ming's support was likely also due to the background and forces behind him.
Leaving the main palace, Ye Chen went straight to a Floating Divine Island, the one where Wang Ming resided. It was similarly elegant and ethereal, with surging spiritual energy.
Wang Shan was already waiting. Upon seeing Ye Chen, he immediately bowed: "Disciple-nephew pays respects to Martial Uncle."
"Please rise, no need for formalities." Ye Chen smiled slightly and entered the hall. Wang Ming, who was reading cultivation notes, was not surprised by his arrival and said with a smile: "Did those fellows want to trade with you for the supreme treasures from the Heaven-grade treasure vault?"
Ye Chen smiled, neither confirming nor denying, and briefly explained the situation.
"These fellows think too highly of themselves, wanting to exchange supreme treasures for useless things like spirit stones. How laughable." Wang Ming sneered.
"Wang Ming, arrange a quiet side hall for me. I exchanged for some spirit herbs, Heaven and Earth Treasures, and a few pill formulas from the treasure vault. The pills recorded on them have wondrous effects for tempering the body, refining bones, and activating blood energy. I feel they would be good for the Primordial War Cavalry. I plan to personally refine a batch of pills." Ye Chen said.
Wang Shan was astonished. He had thought his Martial Uncle Ye Chen was only peerlessly talented on the path of cultivation, but he hadn't expected him to also possess such extraordinary skills as alchemy.
Even when looking across the myriad realms, alchemists were a profession of noble status because the pills they refined possessed many divine effects that spirit herbs and Heaven and Earth Treasures did not. They could increase cultivation, heal injuries quickly, and some miraculous immortal pills could even extend one's lifespan by an entire generation. Thus, it was also a respected professional system.