The sun bathed the streets in a soft golden hue, its light dancing over rooftops and dew-covered tiles. Amidst the bustle of the rising day, a quiet pavilion rested on the edge of the marketplace, half-shadowed beneath the spreading arms of a crimson maple tree.
Ye Tian sat alone within, a slender porcelain cup nestled in his fingers, fragrant tea swirling in the morning breeze.
The pavilion was modest but elegant;its carved wooden beams traced with cloud motifs, each corner lifted in graceful arcs like a crane mid-flight. The floor beneath him was dark sandalwood, polished smooth by years of use. Paper lanterns swayed gently above, their tassels trembling with the rhythm of a wandering melody played by a bard sitting one of the empty table's.
Ye tian watching the bustling street while seeping tea from his porcelain cup enjoying the street view.
He poured himself another cup, the steam curling like spirit threads in the air. As he was about to take a seep from his cup;
a murmur began to spread through the crowd.
"Look, it's Young Master Bai..."
"Quick, make way!"
"He's from the Bai Family, right?"
Whispers rose like a tide, and the bustling atmosphere of the pavilion shifted in an instant.
From the entrance, a young man strolled in with a self-important air. His clothes were luxurious, every thread screaming wealth and status. In his hand, he lightly waved an ornate folding fan, not for the heat, but purely to show off. His expression was one of deep arrogance, as if the entire world was beneath his feet.
Following closely behind him were several attendants, their chins raised high. They wore smug expressions and glanced at others like they were insects. Every step they took seemed to claim more space than necessary, pushing others aside without a word.
Ye Tian glanced at them without much interest, but the atmosphere around him had completely changed.
The once lively and free-flowing energy of the pavilion had frozen into uncomfortable silence. People stepped back, lowering their voices and avoiding eye contact, as if the presence of Young Master Bai was a storm cloud no one wanted to get caught under.
Without sparing anyone a glance, the group moved straight toward the stairs and ascended to the second floor like they owned the place. The proud footsteps, the faint smirks on their faces, and the fear in everyone else's eyes made it clear;this was not someone to offend carelessly.
Ye tian was displeased by this sudden turn of events but he ignored it.
A server approached, bowing politely. "Honored guest, your dishes have arrived."
Before him were set a bamboo tray of lotus dumplings, a bowl of cloud broth with ginseng root, and a plate of crisp-fried river fish garnished with snow-pepper. Light, balanced, and well-crafted. Just as he liked.
He took his time. Chopsticks moved with the grace of someone who had long since mastered restraint. Though the food was plain compared to what he'd once known, ; but it has its own charm, a kind of taste he never tasted before.
Once finished, Ye Tian rose, settling a few spirit coins on the lacquered table. "Keep the change," he said, adjusting the plain black robe draped over one shoulder.
Outside, the market had grown livelier. Rows of stalls lined the stone-paved street like colorful petals unfurled. Vendors shouted their wares; Medical herbs, hand-forged talismans, spiced meats on skewers, even questionable other items from traveling peddlers. Children darted between carts, laughing as old storytellers gestured wildly, painting heroes in the air with their words.
Ye Tian walked slowly, hands behind his back, a faint crease between his brows.
"…Tch. If Wu Liang hadn't forced me to come here, I would've finally made it to the Fragrance Pavilion," Ye Tian muttered under his breath, sounding more like a man mourning a missed dream than complaining.
Just saying the name left a trace of longing on his tongue. The Fragrance Pavilion;he'd heard about. Beautiful women with voices like silk, dancers like blooming flowers in motion, flowing wine, music, and indulgent pleasures few could afford. A place where worries melted away.
But Wu Liang had been strangely firm about coming here instead.
How did she even know I was planning to go
there? he wondered, frowning.
Still, he hadn't argued much. Wu Liang wasn't someone who spoke without reason.
It had already been several days since they arrived in this unfamiliar world. Everything here was still a mystery;its people, its power structure, and, more importantly, its dangers.
The most disturbing part? His cultivation had taken a nosedive.
becoming the target of the Heavenly Dao's suppression, It was expected in foreign worlds… but this wasn't just suppression. His strength had plummeted in a way that didn't make sense. Something else was at play.
Wu Liang mentioned this star was likely part of the Middle Realms, but even she wasn't certain. She learnt it from ling Yuahan.
Young miss ling mantioned that from the records ancestors of various power left …in the past this star was part of middle realms and they could even travel the starry sky but something happened in the past and the star declined. Even records of ancestors were erased only vague past left.
Ye Tian let out a small sigh. He wasn't too bothered about his power weakening; "Even now, I can still crush a few arrogant fools who don't know how to spell death" he thought with a faint smirk.
Ye Tian had been sent out today by Wu Liang on what she called an "important task."
His mission? To explore the surrounding area and gather intel about the local powers, terrain, and potential threats.
In her words, "We're in unfamiliar territory. We need to know our surroundings before making any moves."
But to Ye Tian, it sounded more like busywork.
"Tch. Does she think I'm just going to follow her every order? Who's the master here; me or her?" he grumbled inwardly.
Still, he found himself strolling through the streets at a leisurely pace, his hands behind his back, eyes scanning the rows of shops and stalls. Even if he wouldn't admit it out loud, he knew Wu Liang had a point.
Just as he turned down a new street, something caught his attention…a crowd had gathered ahead, murmuring and whispering with interest.
"Hm?" Ye Tian raised a brow and walked closer, slipping into the edge of the group with casual ease.
In the center of the crowd was a man; scruffy and unkempt, his robes worn thin, hair long and messy like it hadn't been cared for in months. But what stood out wasn't his clothing or posture - it was his eyes.
The man's eyes shimmered like polished silver crystal, glowing faintly under the sunlight. It was a strange contrast to his otherwise ragged appearance.
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.
Ye Tian's gaze shifted as several men was standing circling the silver-eyed man, their voices dripping with mockery and disdain.
"Hey, worthless fool," one of them sneered with full of mockery, shoving the man's shoulder roughly. "Did you manage to scrape together enough money after destroying our young master's artifact?"
Another chimed in with a laugh, "So, are you handing over your shop or not? It's a dump anyway;not even good enough for someone like our young master. But out of the kindness of his heart, he's willing to settle with it. You should feel honored."
The man kept his head low, his eyes fixed on the ground. His hands trembled slightly, and his voice came out soft and strained, "I-I… just need a little more time. I'll repay the debt, I swear…"
The reply was met with scornful laughter.
"Still pretending? Two days. That's all you've got," one of the men said coldly, stepping closer, his voice low and threatening. "And if you're still clinging to that shabby little shop, don't blame us when we tear it down ourselves."
Their lips curled into cruel grins, satisfied with the helpless look on the man's face.
Ye Tian, still among the crowd, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Interesting..." Ye Tian murmured, his curiosity piqued as he watched the commotion unfold before him.
Blending into the crowd, he leaned slightly toward the man next to him and asked in a low voice, "What's going on here?"
The man glanced at him, then gave a half-smile. "Ah, must be your first time in [[Cloud Veil City]]. Those guys over there - they belong to Young Master Bai. No one dares mess with them around here."
He paused, then nodded toward the silver-eyed man. "That fellow? He's an artifact refiner, previously he worked at cloud veil cities refiner pavilion, he claims to be of a Mystic Grade Refiner. But that's impossible he can't even refine a earth grade artifacts properly."
Ye Tian's eyes narrowed slightly. An Rank 5 refiner? That title alone was enough to make anyone take notice.
The man continued, lowering his voice, "his reputation is... not good. Word is, he's ruined more commissions than he's completed. he even downgraded an artifact during refinement. Just a few days ago, he tried to repair Young Master Bai's treasured weapon, and, well... things didn't end well. Now Bai's men are here to collect compensation."
Ye Tian fell silent, his gaze fixed on the silver-eyed man.
5 Rank... This young...even with that reputation, it's still worth checking out. A thoughtful smile crept across his face.
Since arriving in this unfamiliar star, he and Wu Liang had been stuck;trapped on this star with no clear way out. If they wanted to leave, eventually, they'd need a spacecraft. And for that, someone who could handle High-Rank refinement would be necessary.
Fine, it's decided!" Ye Tian declared to himself, his eyes shining with determination. "I'm going to take a look at him."
But he didn't approach him right away. Instead, he hung back, watching as the noisy crowd slowly dispersed and the street returned to its usual rhythm. The chatter faded, and the oppressive tension lifted with it.
Once the coast was clear, Ye Tian stepped toward the rundown little shop the man had come from. The wooden door creaked faintly as he pushed it open.
"Hey, anyone here?" Ye Tian called out, his voice casual but clear.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then footsteps echoed from within, and the silver-eyed man appeared from the back room. His long white hair was disheveled, and his robe hung loosely from his thin frame. His expression was distant and cold.
"What do you want?" the man said sharply, not even bothering to look at Ye Tian directly. "I'm busy. Don't waste my time."
Ye Tian blinked, a little surprised by the sudden shift in attitude.
Huh? Isn't this the same guy who kept his head down just moments ago, getting insulted in front of everyone? Ye Tian thought, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Now he's acting proud? What changed?
He didn't say anything just yet. Instead, he smiled faintly and stepped further into the shop.
"Ahem." Ye Tian cleared his throat lightly, stepping further into the shabby shop. "I want to commission some items for refinement. I heard you're a rank 5th Rank refiner."
As he spoke, he casually glanced around. The place was in terrible shape;dusty shelves, cracked counters, and a lingering air of neglect. It barely looked like a shop at all.
The white-haired man gave a dry chuckle, his silver eyes dim with fatigue. "And you believed that?" he said flatly. "Didn't you hear the rumors about me ?."
Ye Tian didn't get offended. Instead, he smiled faintly and reached into the air, retrieving a few paper sheets from his spatial ring. He calmly handed them over.
The man's brows drew together as he unfolded them, scanning the contents. His expression shifted slightly, the annoyance in his eyes replaced by faint curiosity.
"…These…" he muttered, eyes narrowing. "You're setting up array formations?" His voice was quieter now, more serious. "There's even a spirit-gathering mechanism here."
He looked up at Ye Tian, a little sharper now. "You… know formations?"
"This…" Ye Tian paused for a second, caught slightly off guard by the question.
Truth be told, he didn't really know much about formations. At best, he understood the basics ; just enough to not embarrass himself in a conversation. The blueprint wasn't even his. Wu Liang had given it to him a few days ago, telling him to prepare the materials for setting up an array where they were staying.
She'd even warned him ahead of time to gather everything quickly so she can arrange it, her reason was that this surroundings spirit energy was to low and not suitable for recovery.
He had nodded back then, acting confident. But now, facing a true refiner who clearly recognized the complexity of the design, Ye Tian felt a small twinge of guilt.
Still, Ye Tian didn't let his expression change much. He shrugged casually, lips curving into a relaxed smile. "I know a little," he said vaguely, his voice calm.
So Whatif I don't know, wu liang knows and it's enough.
"You can tell what this thing is?" Ye Tian asked, a bit surprised. "Impressive."
But instead of being humble, the white-haired guy smirked proudly and waved it off. "What's so impressive? This is just basic stuff!" He chuckled to himself, flipping through the blueprint like it was child's play. "And the materials listed here? They're only useful for crafting those type of items. Nothing special."
His mocking tone didn't stop there.
"Are you actually planning to set this up yourself?" he asked, his face turning serious. "Without proper knowledge, trying this would just be a waste of resources. You'll ruin everything."
It felt like a slap to Ye Tian's pride.
Is he insulting me? Ye Tian's jaw tightened. His fist twitched slightly at his side, and for a moment, he seriously considered punching the smug expression off the guy's face.
But he swallowed his annoyance and gave a cold snort. "You don't need to worry about that," he said sharply. "Can you refine it or not?"
He took a step forward, his tone firm and eyes narrowing.
"You do your job, I pay you. That's it."
For a brief second, he even forgot he was here to check this guy if he really a Mystic grade and not argue with him.
"Fine, fine, I won't say anything more." The white-haired man raised both hands in mock surrender, then added with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes, "How about this give me two thousand high-grade spirit stones, and I'll go with you. It's not difficult to refine that item and I'll even set it up for you."
He leaned in slightly, voice lowering like he was sharing some big secret. "As you might've heard, I have to leave this place in two days. Oh, and about those spirit stones… I'll need them in advance."
Ye Tian stared at him, his smile freezing.
Two thousand? Up front? he thought, eye twitching slightly. Is this guy serious?
He didn't say anything right away. His eyes narrowed as he studied the white-haired man's smug expression.
Should I just walk away? Is this guy even reliable?
Ye Tian glanced around the half-empty shop again. The shelves were bare, the place looked like it hadn't seen business in weeks. It didn't exactly scream "grandmaster."
One had to be atleast mystic grade refiner if they want to be called grandmaster.
But then he remembered this same man had glanced at the blueprint once and immediately understood it, down to the components. That wasn't something just anyone could do.
Still…
"If you're really that skilled…" Ye Tian finally spoke, his tone laced with doubt, "Then why are there so many bad rumors about you?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it hit like a stone tossed into a still pond.
The smile on the refiner's face faltered for just a breath.
"Oh, those rumors?" The white-haired man let out a short, scoffing laugh. "They say I ruined the artifacts they commissioned?" He shook his head, a trace of indignation flashing in his silver eyes. "Tch. Those fools have no idea how lucky they were. I didn't just fix their junk I upgraded them. Gave them new life. Pulled them out of their outdated shells."
There was a strange confidence in his voice now. Not arrogance…no, it was deeper than that. It was the voice of someone who knew he was good but had long since stopped trying to prove it to the blind.
He looked up at Ye Tian and narrowed his eyes. "You don't believe me, do you?"
Ye Tian didn't reply, but his silence was answer enough.
The refiner clicked his tongue, eyes scanning the cluttered shelves before grabbing something from behind the counter. Without warning, he tossed it at Ye Tian.
"Catch." His voice was curt, edged with annoyance. "The thing you're holding pour your Qi into it."
Ye Tian caught the object out of reflex. It felt oddly cold in his hand, smooth, like it had just been polished. He glanced at it, then back at the man.
The refiner leaned back, arms folded. "Go on. See for yourself."
Ye Tian didn't overthink it; he simply inserted his spirit Qi into the ball-shaped item.
To his surprise, the object didn't just accept his energy it devoured it, greedily pulling at his Qi like a starving beast. His brows furrowed slightly, sensing the intense suction.
Then, before his eyes, the dull sphere began to glow faintly. Lines of runes shimmered across its surface, and in a smooth, fluid shift, the object transformed unfolding, reshaping until it became a sleek, hand cannon-shaped weapon.
"Huh… it's a spirit grade high tier item." His voice was low, slightly surprised. But it wasn't just the transformation that caught him off guard it was the craftsmanship, the subtle complexity humming within the weapon.
In a place like this… in a star so backwater and quiet… how could something this advanced exist? One had to know that he wasn't from this star, he had seen many times higher rank items than this from the place where he was.
But Ye Tian didn't say anything. His eyes lingered on the weapon for a moment longer, curiosity deepening. Then, he slowly returned it.
"See! Didn't I say I upgraded them?" the white-haired man exclaimed, a mix of pride and frustration in his voice. His hands gestured animatedly, like someone desperate to prove their genius. "But those idiots didn't appreciate it! I refined their outdated product into treasure, and they turned around and slandered me!"
He scoffed, then added in a quieter, bitter tone, "Because of them, no one comes to me anymore, and I even forced to leave Refiner Pavilion. Without commissions, I can't even afford spirit stones to buy materials for my own creations. So… I just practice with whatever gets handed to me."
Hearing his words ye tian was dumbfounded.
Someone comissiond you a treasure and you do research on there items? Do whatever modification without there confirmation, it's only right you will be kicked out.
He looked back at Ye Tian with a strange gleam in his eyes, almost pleading but still arrogant. "Now that you've seen the truth, are you interested in my offer?"
He sounded like a mad alchemist pitching himself for sponsorship equal parts confident and desperate.
Ye Tian's face twitched with a faintly strange expression. "Let's talk about that later," he said flatly, trying to keep his tone neutral.
"Again later?! Just give me a proper answer already!" the white-haired man snapped, clearly annoyed.
Ye Tian didn't respond immediately. His mind wandered;not because he didn't know the answer, but because he wasn't the one to make these kinds of calls. Strategy, decisions, long-term plans… that was Wu Liang's role, not his.
His gaze dropped for a moment. The man's reputation was in ruins. His spirit stones were likely drained. And in two days, he'd lose even the broken little shop he had left. He really was at the end of the road.
After a pause, Ye Tian sighed and muttered to himself, "Guess I'll let Wu Liang decide what to do with him later."
Then, looking up, he finally said, "I understand that you are really poor. Fine, I'll pay you 500 spirit stones."
"Excellent choice! You won't regret it," the white-haired man said, his eyes lighting up with sudden enthusiasm. There was a bustle in his voice now;almost like he'd been waiting ages to say that line. "Now that I think about it... we haven't even introduced ourselves, have we?"
He straightened up, dusting off his robe as if remembering how introductions were supposed to go, his expression shifting into something surprisingly dignified.
"As you can see, I'm an Artifact Refiner. Name's Mu Chen," he said, with a surprisingly refined and practiced manner;one that felt oddly out of place with his messy hair and disheveled clothes, like a noble spirit trapped in a vagabond's body.
Seeing his overly dignified introduction, Ye Tian felt a shiver crawl up his spine. That formal tone coming from someone who looked so messy was... unsettling.
"Alright, enough of that. It's kinda creepy," Ye Tian said bluntly, waving his hand as if brushing away the awkwardness. "I'm Ye Tian. Don't try to butter me up;it won't work."
His voice was casual, but there was a subtle edge to it a reminder that he wasn't here for pleasantries. "Just finish what you need to do. We've got to move out."
Outside Cloud Veil City;
Two figures soared silently through the sky on a leaf-shaped flying boat. Ye Tian stood at the front, arms folded, gaze distant. Behind him sat Mu Chen, who glanced around with a mix of awe and curiosity.
"This flying treasure... it's pretty well-crafted. Where'd you get it?" Mu Chen finally broke the silence, trying to spark conversation.
Ye Tian didn't respond. He seemed lost in thought, or maybe just ignoring him on purpose. Mu Chen scratched his head awkwardly but didn't push further.
Soon, their destination came into view. Thick fog rolled over the land like a lazy tide. Several mountains pierced through the mist like ancient guardians, and nestled between them was a small, peak;Fragrant Mist Mountain;Ye Tian's current place of residence.