1290 Quite Ordinary

"Breaking the engagement? Exchanging it for ten Celestial Artifacts?" Bai Cailing was repeating those words to herself as her face wore a startled look. She was stunned!

Bai Cailing and the Jade Lake members had previously desired such an outcome and had wanted to exchange Celestial Artifacts for the wedding contract, but at that time Elder Xu wouldn't accept it and forced them to honor the engagement of Bai Cailing to Xu Que. But now, Elder Xu had unexpectedly changed his mind and asked for ten Celestial Artifacts in exchange for breaking the engagement. This was extremely hurtful! She was the Jade Lake's saint, yet unexpectedly she wasn't worth ten Celestial Artifacts? If news of this matter spread, the Jade Lake would be disgraced.

An odd look appeared on the faces of Jade Lake's several Guardians. If they hadn't needed to depend upon Elder Yu to help with their peach trees, they would have flown into a rage. However, Bai Cailing had already recovered her calm, and she said with a faint smile, "Elder Xu, are you sure that you want ten Celestial Artifacts in exchange for breaking the engagement?"

"I'm sure of it!" Xu Que spoke firmly and earnestly. Since the beginning of this ridiculous saga, he had never seriously considered getting married to Bai Cailing, and he had only wanted to use the marriage contract to show off. But since he was in urgent need of Celestial Artifacts, he would obviously choose them.

"Fine, ten Celestial Artifacts are no trivial matter, but, after I go back to the Jade Lake, we will surely gather them quickly..." Bai Cailing nodded. She didn't care about her reputation, and everything would be fine as long as she could put this whole engagement fiasco behind her. However, before Bai Cailing could finish speaking, Xu Que interrupted her. He said, "Wait, I have thought this matter over carefully once again. Good lasses like you are quite rare, and I guess I won't cancel the engagement for now."

"He isn't going to cancel it now?" The crowd present was stunned once again. Elder Xu was changing his mind quickly and carelessly, yet he still had the nerve to say that he had thought this over carefully.

"Elder Xu, this..." Bai Cailing was slightly disappointed. She had wanted to take advantage of this chance to resolve the misunderstanding regarding the wedding contract. She couldn't get used to being called daughter-in-law by Elder Xu. Her face even became flushed every time he said it.

"You can relax. After I have thought about this seriously, I don't find myself able to break up your marriage," Xu Que continued speaking. As a matter of fact, the reason why Xu Que had changed his decision so quickly was that Bai Cailing couldn't take out ten Inferior Celestial Artifacts right away. He couldn't wait for her to return to the Jade Lake and get the artifacts. And, since they weren't able to give him the Celestial Artifacts right away, why would he still break the engagement? He thought it would be much smarter to hold on to it as leverage and use it to extort them later... No, that wasn't the right word, he would use it to negotiate with them later.

"Hold on! Elder Xu, as a matter of fact..." Bai Cailing didn't want to let this chance slip by, and she quickly started to speak up once again.

"My daughter-in-law, you don't have to say anything else. I was mistaken, and I shouldn't have tried to break up your marriage for some trifling Inferior Celestial Artifacts. I know that you love Xu Que. After all, he's so cool and outstanding," Xu Que interrupted Bai Cailing, and spoke while wearing a serious look.

Black lines instantly appeared on Bai Cailing's forehead. She had wanted to explain this matter, but she couldn't say anything now. They were in front of so many people, and she didn't know how she should mention this matter. Moreover, she was afraid that this affair would become messier the more she spoke, and the misunderstanding would become graver.

"Oh, by the way, my daughter-in-law. Didn't you say that you wanted to lend me a Middle-grade Celestial Artifact? Could you lend it to me now? And, everyone else, do you have any Inferior Celestial Artifacts that you're not using? Could you please lend them to me." Xu Que looked at the crowd and spoke, wearing an honest and harmless look.

Bai Cailing trusted Xu Que. After all, she had offered to lend him a Middle-grade Celestial Artifact a while ago, and so she obviously couldn't reject him. This was why she immediately took out the same golden wheel she had offered before and handed it over to Xu Que. Jade Lake's other Guardians were hesitant, and they exchanged glances, before one of them took out a bronze piece reluctantly. It was a defensive Inferior Celestial Artifact. He had handed it over to Xu Que.

"Mister Xu, I also have an Inferior Celestial Artifact that I am not using now, and I can lend it to you." Ji Wuyun smiled and took out a jade badge. It was an offensive Celestial Artifact! To all these people, this old man was likely someone above an Immortal King, and he surely wouldn't renege on giving back the objects that he had borrowed. Moreover, if they lent these objects to him, they could let him owe them a favor. Regardless of how they looked at this matter, it didn't seem as if they would suffer any losses.

"Okay, thank you all very much. I really appreciate what you're doing." Xu Que smiled, nodded at them, and received the Celestial Artifacts. There were two Inferior Celestial Artifacts and a Middle-grade Celestial Artifact. If he put them in the System, he would be able to exchange them for 1.6 million drops of weapon- refining essence. Ji Wuyun's jade badge that was an Inferior Celestial Artifact could be unexpectedly exchanged for 400,000 drops of weapon-refining essence. It was obvious that it was of a high quality, and it was one of the best Inferior Celestial Artifacts. As for the golden wheel given by Bai Cailing, it was a Middle-grade Celestial Artifact, and it could be exchanged for 1 million drops of weapon-refining essence.

The 1.6 million drops of weapon-refining essence were added to the 20 Inferior Celestial Artifacts owned by Xu Que. Then he recycled them all in the System, and he managed to get 5 million drops of weapon-refining essence. Xu Que didn't hesitate for one second. He immediately used the 5 million drops of weapon-refining essence on the rod.

BANG! At this moment, a formless power engulfed the black rod, while a boundless aura emanated from it and engulfed the land. The rod that Xu Que had left close to the divine fire released a brilliant radiance that could almost be compared to the divine fire. This amazing sight made everyone's expressions change drastically.

"How...how is this possible?"

"Is this a High-grade Celestial Artifact?"

"Did it turn from a Middle-grade Celestial Artifact into a High-grade Celestial Artifact? How...how did he manage to achieve this?"

"It seems as if he didn't have anything a while ago."

Many alarmed cries echoed out, and they found it difficult to believe what they had just seen. They had assumed that Xu Que had borrowed their artifacts to use them as support, before adding other materials to the rod. No one imagined that Xu Que would just collect their artifacts without saying what he wanted them for, and then just wave his hand mysteriously. Yet now the rod had turned into a High-grade Celestial Artifact. "How could such an outrageous technique exist in this world?" This thought was racing through everyone's heads. Mo Junchen also wore a startled, dumbstruck look. Even an experienced King Refiner like him had never seen such a technique.

SWOOSH! Meanwhile, the rod finally fell from the air. The whole thing was a gorgeous dark purple color, with beautiful patterns on both ends. It was magnificent, and, as it fell through the air, it formed a dark purple light beam that fell into Xu Que's hand.

BANG! After Xu Que received the rod, he felt a tremendous power pass through his palm into the ground beneath his feet. The ground was shaken, and it cracked open, which made Xu Que end up sinking a bit into the ground while a boundless aura emanated from his body.

The crowd's expression became grave, and they sucked in their breaths. What a powerful High-grade Celestial Artifact! This object was too outstanding! Envy was apparent in many people's eyes. Even a talented youth such as Ji Wuyun stared attentively at the rod in Xu Que's hand without averting his gaze from it for even a moment. Even the Soulbound Weapon of someone with a great status like Ji Wuyun was just a Middle-grade Celestial Artifact. The only person who possessed a High-grade Celestial Artifact in the whole Dark Shadow Pagoda was their Faction Leader.

DING! "Congratulations to the host for getting a High-grade Celestial Artifact. Since a part of this Celestial Artifact belongs to the System, it isn't able to open a new collection of Celestial Artifacts. Host, please choose a name for the Celestial Artifact." The System's prompt rang out in Xu Que's mind.

"What name shall I choose for this wonderful object?" Xu Que raised the corners of his mouth into a satisfied smile. He looked with admiration at the rod in his hand, and, the more he observed it, the fonder of it he became. He was extremely satisfied with this product, and he nodded faintly before he said, "This rod's name will be Tough-Acting King's Purple-Gold Rod." After Xu Que spoke, he cast a glance at the people around him who all wore envious expressions and he shook his head. He sighed and said, "Alas, this rod is still quite ordinary. I will just forget about it and take it back to my son so he can play with it."