Northern Garden Immortal City, the inner city's Teleportation Hall.
The hall teemed with people, and a faint trace of flame baleful intent hung in the air. Most cultivators passing through had formidable auras, and several artifact refiners were clearly in the True Immortal Realm.
Zhao Hai mingled with the crowd, concealing his late-stage True Immortal aura until he was utterly inconspicuous.
He had originally been at the late Mahayana stage. After converting all his immortal essence without regard for the cost, he had successfully advanced to the late True Immortal stage.
He calmly joined the end of a queue. Up ahead, the immortal official in charge of teleportation was calling out loudly.
"Hundred-Creation Immortal City in the Golden Source Immortal Domain! Ten low-grade immortal crystals per person! This trip is about to depart!"
Zhao Hai paid his immortal crystals and stood quietly to one side to wait.
Just then, a young artifact refiner wearing the Divine Weapon Pavilion's uniform happened to glimpse Zhao Hai among the distant crowd. He froze for a moment, then a flicker of delighted surprise flashed through his eyes.
Without drawing attention, he withdrew to a corner and discreetly sent a message through a Sound Transmission Jade Talisman.
Meanwhile, countless tens of thousands of miles away, in Hundred-Creation Immortal City of the Golden Source Immortal Domain.
Inside a cave abode suffused with immortal qi, Master Huang abruptly opened his eyes and looked at the gently vibrating Sound Transmission Jade Talisman at his waist. After reading its message, a cold sneer appeared on his face.
"So you came to the [Myriad Artifacts Conference] after all. Let's see what your face looks like when you discover you can't even pass the Preliminary Round!"
He rose abruptly and flew straight toward the Preliminary Examination Ground in the city