Heavenly Craftsmen Tribe, Artifact Forging Hall.
Furnace fires blazed within the hall, spirit patterns flickering as dozens of Heavenly Craftsmen Tribe smiths busied themselves refining all manner of magical treasures. At that moment, Ye Xiu and Nie Qing sat side by side in the hall's central seats, calmly watching several great cultivators who had come to visit from outside.
These cultivators possessed deep, powerful auras. The weakest among them was at the middle stage of the Purple Mansion realm, while two had already reached the Spirit Transformation realm. Their pressure remained hidden rather than unleashed, yet it still made the air in the hall stagnate somewhat.
"Patriarch Nie, I had long heard that the Heavenly Craftsmen Tribe's newly appointed patriarch was young and promising. Alas, this old man had always been occupied with clan affairs and never had the chance to pay a visit. Now that I have finally met you today, you truly are outstanding beyond compare."
The violet-robed elder at the head of the group stroked his beard with a smile, though his gaze seemed to sweep over Ye Xiu from time to time.
Nie Qing smiled faintly and raised a hand in greeting. "Senior Zixiao has come from afar. Forgive me for not welcoming you properly."
"But may I ask what brings you here today, Fellow Daoist?"
The violet-robed elder—True Person Zixiao—was the master of Zixiao Pavilion, a mid-stage Spirit Transformation cultivator and a major figure in the cultivation world. The people behind him were elders from forces such as the Profound Yin Sect and Crimson Flame Valley.
The forces behind these people each had their own strengths, but they all shared one thing in common:
Their territories directly bordered the Yin Water Tribe's domain.
"If I said I had come merely to pay a visit, then