"This artifact originates from a frontier planet in the western reaches. Legend has it that a revered monk bestowed it upon their ancestors, instructing them to enshrine it in a sacred alcove to ward off malevolent forces.

They followed the tradition faithfully, though they never noticed any significant effects. Coincidentally, they were in need of resources for spiritual cultivation, so I traded it for a substantial amount of Genuine Gathering Pill," Barlo explained to Ye Liuyun.

Along with the artifact, Barlo handed Ye Liuyun a gourd containing an exceptionally refined concentration of demonic energy. "Absorb this directly—no need for purification. Just balance your intake," he advised.

Truth be told, Ye Liuyun wasn’t lacking in the primal energies of the demon realm. He simply found the absorption and refinement process too time-consuming, so he had been allocating those resources to strengthen his demon subordinates instead. Now, with this readily absorbable demonic energy, his task had become far simpler.

"You’ve thought of everything!" Ye Liuyun’s gratitude toward Barlo was genuine. These three resources would prove immensely valuable to him.

Just when he assumed that was all, Barlo produced yet another item—a golden crystalline sphere, unlike anything Ye Liuyun had ever seen. The sheer metallic essence radiating from it was palpable.

"This is the primal force of a unique world," Barlo revealed. "An unparalleled resource for body tempering. Though a fraction has already been used, eighty percent remains—enough to elevate your physical form to the next level. A down-and-out martial cultivator sold it to us in exchange for a hefty sum of resources."

"Excellent, excellent!" Ye Liuyun accepted the treasures eagerly, already considering how to repay Barlo’s generosity.

But he had little of comparable worth to offer. After a moment’s thought, he decided to leave the shapeshifting fox demon, Liehu, in Barlo’s care. The fox had taken human form, and at first glance, Barlo didn’t even recognize him.

"Liehu has fully awakened his demonic nature," Ye Liuyun explained. "His spiritual power is formidable, and his intellect is sharp. He’ll serve as a capable right hand to you."

Barlo expressed his thanks but hesitated. "Though I’m no longer part of the Hanyong Tribe, seeing you release Xiaoran and Wan Gang brought me great relief. It showed me you’re not the type to prioritize only yourself—which is why I wholeheartedly gathered these resources for you. There’s no need for repayment. If Liehu is useful to you, keep him by your side."

Ye Liuyun nodded but didn’t take the fox back. "You’ll need him more. With the trade market expanding, your responsibilities must be mounting. He’ll lighten your load."

To ensure smooth cooperation, Ye Liuyun even facilitated a master-servant contract between Barlo and Liehu, granting Barlo full control.

"Thank you for your trust, Alliance Leader!" Barlo was deeply moved.

It wasn’t about the fox itself—it was the gesture. Ye Liuyun had entrusted him with vast responsibilities, never micromanaging his decisions, and now had even transferred Liehu’s contract to him. Such unwavering confidence was rare.

Moreover, the contract Ye Liuyun had initially signed with Balor was one of equality, never intending to control him. This alone spoke volumes about Ye Liuyun’s integrity and fairness. It was also the reason Balor managed the trade planet with such dedication, free from any selfish motives.

"Come now, let’s skip the formalities between us. We’re both working for the good of the entire star system—what matters most is that there’s no rift between us!" Ye Liuyun said cheerfully in the end.

"Couldn’t agree more!" Balor replied with a grin.

Instead of leaving immediately, Ye Liuyun stayed behind to refine the resources he had acquired. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

First, he absorbed the Fire Spirit, imbuing the Golden Crow with full sentience, allowing it to grow stronger on its own. The moment the Golden Crow assimilated the Fire Spirit, its form became even more vivid and lifelike, and the power of its sacred flames instantly surged to a higher level.

Ye Liuyun then refined the Earth’s Core Blue Flame, just barely surpassing the Golden Crow’s sacred fire, bringing the opposing forces of yin and yang flames back into near-perfect equilibrium.

Stimulated by the Golden Crow’s flames, the Netherworld Ghostfire flickered with an ethereal, shifting blue-white flame—the essence of yin fire. Though its form was unstable, its nature was the same as the Golden Crow’s, capable of enhancing the power of yin flames.

Ye Liuyun reached out to it with his divine sense and received a faint response. Encouraging it to consume more Netherworld Ghostfire, he urged it to strengthen its consciousness quickly so it could catch up to the Golden Crow and not be left behind.

As if understanding him, the yin flame instantly devoured more ghostfire essence, restoring balance between the two opposing forces. Satisfied, Ye Liuyun no longer worried about one overpowering the other.

Next, he retrieved the gourd and began refining the demonic energy inside. Initially, he hadn’t considered it a major resource—just something Balor had provided to help balance his energies.

But upon opening it, he was surprised to find the demonic energy so pure that it required no refinement at all. He could absorb it directly and immediately convert it into divine light energy through the fusion of Buddha and demonic power.

"Balor really has a knack for finding such treasures! Seems our Silver Fox Star System isn’t lacking in resources after all!" Ye Liuyun marveled at Balor’s resourcefulness, feeling even more hopeful about their star system’s potential.

The gourd’s interior was vast, and after absorbing all the demonic energy within, Ye Liuyun’s reserves nearly doubled. Then, after refining the sacred relic, his divine light energy also doubled in strength.

Now, his Buddha-demonic fusion power had grown even more formidable. If he were to use his curses against Hatu of the Giant Demon Clan, Hatu wouldn’t stand a chance against his divine light energy—and even when converted into demonic energy, Ye Liuyun’s power would surpass Hatu’s. This deepened Hatu and the Giant Demon Clan’s reverence and loyalty toward him.

The final resource was that metallic primordial energy.

This was Ye Liuyun’s first time refining such primordial power, but he immediately sensed its extraordinary effects. Using just half of it had already made every cell in his body as hard as steel—far surpassing the results he had achieved with Ironhide Fruits.

He continued absorbing and refining until the entire reserve of primordial energy was exhausted. While it did nothing for his Xuan Yuan cultivation, it transformed his physique, reinforcing his body until it was as unyielding as metal.

Unable to resist testing his newfound resilience, Ye Liuyun sought out the Demon Vine. He let it strike him freely without retaliating, and even when the vine unleashed its full power, it couldn’t leave so much as a scratch on his skin.

Next, he approached Hatu, first asking him to strike with his bare fists, then with ordinary weapons, and finally with the spiked club forged from the ancient demon’s leg bone. Even then, the most Hatu could manage was a faint white mark—no actual damage.

Hatu was a third-level Sovereign, and as a Giant Demon, his strength was already immense. Yet even with the club in hand, he couldn’t harm Ye Liuyun. This confirmed that Ye Liuyun’s body could now withstand attacks from third-level Sovereigns without issue.

*Maybe I could even take on a fourth-level Sovereign without serious injury,* he mused to himself.

With all these resources fully refined, Ye Liuyun concluded his training in high spirits. Now, when he ventured back into the starry expanse, he did so with even greater confidence.