It was half past six in the afternoon.
The Mist and Rain Auction House was bustling, and it was getting even more lively. In just an hour and a half, the first auction of the Zero Era would begin.
However, at this moment, Liu Yuhan felt a bit perplexed...
Just half an hour ago, she had followed Yi Tianchen's advice and had dinner with Mu Wanqing and a few others to quickly prepare for the auction. But just a few minutes ago, she received a message from Yi Tianchen before he logged off: bring Shattered Dream to Maple Village.
Maple Village was indeed a magical place; it was where Dragon's Roar had broken the seal!
Now that Yi Tianchen wanted her to take Shattered Dream there, it couldn't help but make her think—had he found a way to break the seal on Shattered Dream?
With this thought, Liu Yuhan's calm heart suddenly stirred. Fortunately, many of the main tasks at the Auction House had already been arranged. Even if she left now, Mu Wanqing, Li Tielong, Lin Yan, and others could manage things without her, so there wouldn't be chaos when the auction started.
After giving a brief explanation, Liu Yuhan left the Auction House alone. She first went to the warehouse to retrieve the long-stored Shattered Dream and then rented a carriage. After exiting Southern Wilderness City, she headed straight for Maple Village...
In less than ten minutes, a notification popped up—
"Ding"
System Notification: Your friend [Fallen Leaves Whisper] is online.
...
"Did you finish eating that quickly?" Liu Yuhan sent a message.
As it turned out, Yi Tianchen not only ate fast but also replied quickly: "Yeah, I'm almost at Maple Village. Where are you now?"
"Arriving in ten minutes!"
After cutting off the communication, Liu Yuhan's speculation about the unsealing of Shattered Dream intensified. She was well aware that Yi Tianchen wouldn't be preoccupied with trivial matters right before the auction; the only explanation was that this matter was of utmost importance and had a significant impact!
Once the seal of Shattered Dream was lifted, it would become the second artifact on the server!
Soon, the carriage stopped outside Maple Village. After displaying the Maple Village VIP Medal, several guards respectfully welcomed them. They hurriedly made their way to the familiar grass hut where Yi Tianchen had been waiting, accompanied by the short blacksmith, Kahn.
"We can begin," Yi Tianchen said, his gaze fixed on Liu Yuhan.
Liu Yuhan couldn't help but be slightly taken aback; it was only then that she noticed, besides Yi Tianchen and Dwarf Blacksmith Kahn, there was an incredibly familiar object nearby—the golden furnace used to unseal Dragon's Roar and a burlap sack filled with iron tree charcoal.
" Liu Yuhan, take out Shattered Dream!" Yi Tianchen stepped forward.
As expected, everything aligned with her previous assumptions. Although she still didn't fully understand the reasons behind it, trusting Yi Tianchen, Liu Yuhan promptly retrieved Shattered Dream and handed it to Dwarf Blacksmith Kahn before standing beside Yi Tianchen.
"How... did you do it?" Liu Yuhan asked.
"By accident!"
Yi Tianchen chuckled; this was indeed true. Back then, he had recklessly attempted to merge with that flying claw simply because he noticed the retractable iron chain could solve the casting problem of Hundred Steps Flying Sword. He never expected it would lead him to discover the opportunity to unlock Shattered Dream's seal.
"Kid, stop dawdling and get to work blowing air for the old man!" Dwarf Blacksmith Kahn climbed up the ladder and ordered without looking back.
Yi Tianchen was momentarily stunned: Oh no, how could I have forgotten about this?
Yi Tianchen couldn't help but regret not bringing someone along to assist him, while also trying to maintain a serious expression. After all, he couldn't just let Liu Yuhan handle it alone, could he? If word got out, it might stir up quite a bit of outrage.
The process was largely similar to the last time he had unsealed Dragon's Roar, but this time the control over the heat was even more critical. Additionally, there was a series of catalyst fusions to manage, especially the fusion of the Divine Shadow Stone, which would directly determine the Grade of Shattered Dream after the seal was lifted.
Everything was progressing smoothly!
Yi Tianchen's previous experience had not gone to waste; he had developed quite a knack for controlling the heat. He even received occasional praise from Dwarf Blacksmith Kahn, which naturally shortened the time required for the unsealing process.
Five minutes passed… ten minutes passed… twenty minutes passed…
For Yi Tianchen, every minute was filled with anticipation, while for Liu Yuhan, each passing moment brought an unprecedented shock—some stemming from the impending unsealing of Shattered Dream and some from Yi Tianchen himself.
Since that declaration of "I won't let you lose," this person had invested so much for her.
Suddenly, a sound resembling an explosion erupted from the furnace. However, judging by Dwarf Blacksmith Kahn's expression, it was not a bad sign at all; rather, it was something worth celebrating. In the next moment, a brilliant beam of light shot up into the sky.
"Haha! Good job!"
Dwarf Blacksmith Kahn suddenly burst into laughter. It was unclear whether he was praising himself or Yi Tianchen. He continued, "Lost for a thousand years, returned in a day—it's unimaginable! Your prowess is even greater than it was a thousand years ago."
"…"
Yi Tianchen and Liu Yuhan were left speechless. Was this old man out of his mind?
Soon, a second beam of light shot up from the top of the furnace, intertwining with the first in midair, quickly catching the attention of nearby players.
Before long, a third and fourth beam followed...
Time flowed slowly in the almost frozen moment, as dazzling and mesmerizing colors continued to swirl above the tranquil and peaceful Maple Village. With nightfall approaching, faint glimpses of the spectacle could be seen from afar in Southern Wilderness City, instantly stirring up a commotion.
Then came the sixth... and seventh beams...
Finally, when seven beams of different colors shot into the sky and intertwined, the entire sky was filled with a lingering neon glow. Compared to the low-key emergence of Dragon's Roar when its seal was lifted, the appearance of Shattered Dream was overwhelmingly shocking and widely known.
"An artifact?!"
In Southern Wilderness City, a mage peered through the window of the System Tavern, his brows furrowing as he murmured to himself, "The second artifact on a Server-wide scale has appeared so quickly? Who is this person? What kind of artifact could it be?"
As he spoke, the mage lowered his gaze to the staff tightly gripped in his hand...
At the same time, on the Server-wide equipment leaderboard, a sudden surge confirmed the astonishing scene---
No.1: Shattered Dream, Artifact - Bow, Level: 50!
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