Gu Weiyuan had lost the Holy Bone, yet he only sent one person back for revenge.

This was because he had something more important to do and simply couldn’t spare any more men.

No one knew that Gu Weiyuan was actually acquainted with a Divination Master from the Celestial Secret Pavilion, and the two were bosom friends—not brothers by blood, but as close as could be.

Although the White Bone Sect had been suppressed by the three Major Sects in recent years, making its situation seem dire, it always managed to turn misfortune into fortune, even gradually accumulating considerable strength.

This was all because the Divination Master had provided him with a wealth of precious intelligence.

The reason Gu Weiyuan had traveled a thousand leagues to the Cyan Cloud Sect’s territory, bringing nearly all of the White Bone Sect’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators with him, was because he had received a message a year ago.

The divination had revealed that an opportunity for him to break through to the Golden Core realm lay within the territory of the Cyan Cloud Sect.

For a Cultivator at the Great Perfection stage of Foundation Establishment, nothing was more important than breaking through to the Golden Core realm.

He had to pursue even the slightest possibility, to say nothing of the fact that this information came from a Divination Master of the Celestial Secret Pavilion, making its reliability absolute.

Across the Seven States of the Southern Domain, Golden Core Cultivators were the absolute apex.

No matter where they went, they were Daoists revered by all.

But for Gu Weiyuan, Core Formation meant even more.

Only if he broke through to the Golden Core realm would the revival of the White Bone Sect cease to be a fantasy and become a viable plan.

Otherwise, no matter how much capital he accumulated or how many followers he recruited, a sect without a Golden Core True Man to preside over it was, in the eyes of those so-called "Renowned and Righteous Sects," nothing more than a group of sewer rats, a crooked path that couldn’t bear the light of day.

Only a Golden Core could stand against another Golden Core; only then could they command the world’s respect and fear.

’But where on earth is the Spiritual Object for my Tier Breakthrough?’

Gu Weiyuan grew increasingly agitated as he dwelled on this.

He had already been searching here for a full year, yet he still hadn’t found a single clue.

He knew that a fateful opportunity was not set in stone; every day he delayed, new variables could arise.

Thus, after a brief moment of regret, Gu Weiyuan pushed all thoughts of the Holy Bone to the back of his mind.

He continued to command his subordinates, having them search everywhere for his Core Formation opportunity.

「Xianghe Market.」

Xiao Chen strolled down the street, taking in the bustling sights of Hezhou.

After leaving the Jade Carving Studio, he gradually made his way to the eastern side of the Marketplace.

Only then did he realize that Xianghe Market did have street stalls; they were all just concentrated in the East Market on the eastern side.

The moment he stepped into the East Market, he was greeted by the familiar sound of vendors hawking their wares.

"Fellow Daoists, look over here! Specially made Clear Frost Jade Talismans, fresh off the press and ready to sell!"

"Top-quality Spring Pills, twenty percent off today! Only five bottles left! First come, first served! Get them before they’re gone!"

"Fellow Daoists, come one, come all! Take a look! These are Artifact Fragments from the front lines of Luoyan Mountain, all bundled up and sold cheap! It’s a steal!"

Xiao Chen stopped in front of the last stall.

The stall was covered with all sorts of Artifact Fragments, most of them exceptionally small.

The larger fragments were about the size of a watermelon, but they were basically just thin, empty shells.

The smaller ones were only the size of a walnut, making it impossible to tell what kind of Magical Artifact they had come from.

"Friend Daoist, one Fragment is only ten Spirit Stones. Care to try your luck?"

Seeing him stop, the vendor immediately launched into a passionate sales pitch.

’So cheap?’

Xiao Chen asked curiously, "Interesting. What’s the story here?"

The vendor immediately explained, "Daoist, everything on my stall is an Artifact Fragment from a Magical Artifact shattered when our comrades at Luoyan Mountain fought against Demon Cultivators."

"Among these, quite a few are Fragments from Upper Grade, or even Top Grade, Magical Artifacts."

"Of course, whether or not you can find them all depends on your eye."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen guessed how it worked. ’It’s essentially a form of gambling.’

He pressed, "But even if I buy a Fragment, what’s the use?"

The vendor smiled and pointed behind him. "Daoist, the Treasure House is just around the corner. They specialize in buying back damaged Magical Artifacts and valuable Artifact Fragments, using a Secret Technique to recover the useful Spiritual Materials."

"If you get lucky and pick a good one, you can go there and exchange it for Spirit Stones."

"Every Fragment on my stall is just ten Spirit Stones. Buy five, and I’ll even throw in an extra one for free."

’I have to admit, this game does sound pretty interesting.’

Xiao Chen had never seen this kind of game back in Li State. Since he was in a good mood and out for some fun, he decided to try his hand at treasure hunting.

So he squatted down in front of the stall and began to carefully examine the Artifact Fragments.

"Daoist, there’s a rule here I have to tell you about first,"

the vendor said, noticing his inexperience. "This game is about having a good eye. You can look, but you can’t touch."

"If you can’t get a clear look, just say the word, and I can hold it closer for you."

"But there’s one rule: once you pick it up, you have to buy it. No backing out."

This rule was mainly to prevent Cultivators from using their Magical Power to directly test the grade of the artifacts.

The Treasure House evaluated the artifacts for purchase based on sensing their Magical Power.

Xiao Chen hadn’t intended to cheat anyway, and he even asked proactively, "If that’s the case, then I can’t use a Spiritual Eye Technique either, right?"

Unexpectedly, the vendor just laughed and waved his hand. "Daoist, as long as you don’t touch them, you can use any other method you like."

’Oh?’

Xiao Chen’s eyes narrowed. ’You’re the one who said that.’

However, he didn’t immediately use his Eye of Truth to investigate the fragments.

’Since I’m just here to have some fun, I should try my luck first.’