"I wonder if Senior is interested in artifact refinement?" The stout young man hesitated for a long time before blurting out this question, which left Han Li quite astonished.
"What do you mean?" Han Li was somewhat confused.
"Could it be that you want to teach me artifact refinement?" Han Li asked casually.
"You guessed it, Senior! The only thing I have to offer is my knowledge of artifact refinement!" the young man said with a hint of sorrow.
Han Li was speechless upon hearing this! He only wanted to get a few sets of formation flags and formation plates — who wanted his artifact refinement techniques? Besides, did this young man think of himself as someone special? Was his artifact refinement technique really that rare? After all, there were far too many cultivators who understood artifact refinement in the cultivation world!
"However, due to our ancestral rules, I can only pass on the artifact refinement insights I've compiled to you, Senior. I cannot teach you the art in person!" the young man hastily added, stammering.
Han Li blinked, even more at a loss for words!
When the young man saw that Han Li remained silent after hearing his suggestion, seemingly unwilling, he couldn't help but grow anxious. He no longer cared about concealing his identity and quickly revealed the truth:
"My grandfather was an artifact refinement elder of the Divine Weapon Gate, and his skills in artifact refinement had already reached the pinnacle! My own knowledge of artifact refinement was taught to me by my grandfather, hand by hand. When I pass on my artifact refinement insights to you today, Senior, I'm actually already violating ancestral rules! As for how much Senior can benefit from it, that depends entirely on your own fortune! But I can guarantee that these are absolutely secret arts that have never leaked out of the cultivation world!"
When Han Li heard that the young man was a descendant of an artifact refinement elder of the Divine Weapon Gate, he finally showed a change in expression.
Wasn't the Divine Weapon Gate one of the three great orthodox sects of the Kingdom of Yuanwu, alongside the Celestial Star Sect and the Myriad Wonders Temple? The artifact refinement techniques of the Divine Weapon Gate, the formations of the Celestial Star Sect, and the talisman arts of the Myriad Wonders Temple were all renowned throughout the cultivation world of the surrounding nations.
In that case, the young man's artifact refinement insights were indeed out of the ordinary! Although he would most likely never learn them, they would still be a bargaining chip in his hands. Perhaps someday, they would come in handy.
Han Li made his decision internally, but he still asked one more question.
"Can this set of magical artifacts for deploying the Inverted Five Elements Formation really be improved?"
"Absolutely! My friend is already a master of formations, and combined with my expertise in artifact refinement, improving these deployment artifacts shouldn't be a major problem!" When the young man heard Han Li's question, he knew the latter had most likely agreed, and he immediately became overjoyed, thumping his chest in assurance.
Han Li nodded and said nothing more. He then opened the lid of the box in his hand, and immediately a medicinal fragrance filled with spiritual energy pervaded the sound barrier. The young man took a few light sniffs, then examined it closely several times with his eyes, his expression growing increasingly delighted as he repeatedly nodded in satisfaction.
Seeing this, Han Li smiled faintly and extended the box toward the young man.
The young man's face lit up with joy as he eagerly reached out to accept it. But when he grabbed one corner of the box and tried to pull it away, the box containing the spiritual medicine seemed to have taken root in Han Li's hand — it didn't budge at all! This left the young man momentarily stunned, a look of surprise in his eyes.
When Han Li saw the young man look up at him with a bewildered expression, he couldn't help but sigh.
It seemed this one really was a pampered young master who had never experienced the storms of life! Hadn't he made such an obvious hint? Didn't he understand yet?
With no other choice, Han Li moved his lips and spoke directly to the young man:
"Shouldn't you also bring out that set of magical artifacts and your artifact refinement insights? That way we can trade fairly — goods for goods! Wouldn't that be more appropriate?"
"Oh... Senior is right. In my haste, I completely forgot!" The stout young man suddenly realized his mistake, his face flushing red as he let go of the box and fumbled hurriedly to pull a stack of items from the storage pouch inside his robe.
"There are eighteen formation plates and thirty-six formation flags here — a complete set of deployment artifacts for the Inverted Five Elements Formation. As long as you set them up exactly as described in this jade slip, without a single deviation, the formation can be activated immediately. And this volume, the 'Yunxiao Heart Manual,' contains my twenty-odd years of artifact refinement insights. I hope Senior will try not to spread it around after reading it, lest the people of the Divine Weapon Gate come knocking. Because many of the artifact refinement methods recorded within are secrets of the Divine Weapon Gate!" the young man explained in great detail, and even offered Han Li a considerable word of warning.
Upon hearing this, Han Li found himself developing a favorable impression of the young man! A sudden, unexpected thought sprang up in his mind!
After a brief hesitation, Han Li quickly thrust the box in his hand into the young man's arms, then took the stack of items from him.
This sudden, uncharacteristic action from Han Li left the stout young man momentarily confused and at a loss.
"Yunxiao Heart Manual! Yunxiao must be your given name, then. What is your family name?" Han Li's demeanor changed entirely from his earlier coldness, and after receiving the items, he addressed the young man with a warm and friendly tone.
"My surname is Qi. Qi Yunxiao! Does Senior have any further instructions?" The young man hesitated briefly before speaking, though he couldn't fathom Han Li's intentions.
"Nothing, really. I just wanted to let you know that while I've accepted your manual, I will seal it using a sealing technique and won't touch it for five years. If within those five years, you can truly improve this set of artifacts for me, I will return the book in its original condition without having read a single page. What do you think?"
"Truly? Then this junior is deeply grateful! As for the matter of improving the Inverted Five Elements Formation artifacts, Senior, please rest assured! Even if my friend fails in the improvement, I will persuade him to personally set up a genuine formation for Senior!" Overjoyed by Han Li's words, the young man hurriedly made his promise.
Seeing this, Han Li smiled faintly, picked up the 'Yunxiao Heart Manual,' and placed it between his palms.
As a low chant left Han Li's lips, a string of silver runes suddenly emerged between his hands, circling briefly above his palms before burrowing into the book and vanishing! At the same time, the 'Yunxiao Heart Manual' flashed with a silver light, emitting a faint glow. The entire book suddenly took on a metallic silver appearance, and could no longer be opened even slightly!
"All right, the seal is complete! Now leave your spiritual power on the seal. That way, when I return it next year, you'll know whether I've broken the seal or not!" Han Li tossed the sealed book back, and the young man caught it with a mixture of surprise and delight.
The young man opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, then stamped his foot and actually left his spiritual power on the seal. With a complicated expression mixing gratitude and lingering doubt, he handed the book back to Han Li.
At this point, Han Li had a pretty good read on the young man's state of mind. He knew that gaining the young man's trust completely in one go was impossible! But in a few years, when he returned this book with its seal perfectly intact, he would surely be able to forge a genuine friendship with the young man and his formation master friend.
Of course, whether this person was truly worth befriending wholeheartedly — that would only become clear after a long period of interaction.
And so, Han Li put away the book, asked the young man for a way to contact him, and without a single unnecessary word, departed gracefully from the place.
The young left behind still couldn't believe it. The thousand-year spiritual herb had been obtained so easily! He pinched the hard medicine box tightly, his eyes shining with a mixture of excitement and bewilderment.
Meanwhile, Han Li walked toward the weapon crafting shop in high spirits.
Qi Yunxiao's artifact refinement skills and his friend's identity as a formation master were far more valuable than any dead book! If he could establish a relationship with them, it would surely be of great help to his future cultivation path! Han Li was absolutely certain of this!
Han Li finally returned to the shop that had taken on his commission. The white-haired elder was anxiously awaiting his arrival.
When the shopkeeper saw that Han Li had indeed kept his word and returned, he beamed with delight, ordering the dark-skinned man to bring tea and rare fruits in quick succession, and personally sat down with Han Li at the table, addressing him as "Senior" again and again. Even someone as thick-skinned as Han Li felt his face flush slightly from the excessive flattery.
Next, Han Li first took out the centipede back shells in front of the old man. This made the elder's expression shift as he immediately picked up a small piece, carefully fingering and examining it.
"These are the shells of a first-rank upper-grade poisonous insect-type demon beast — indeed excellent materials for artifact refinement! Especially in these times when demon beasts in the wild are becoming increasingly scarce, and poisonous insect-type demon beasts are even harder to come by." The wrinkles on the old man's face smoothed out somewhat, and he spoke with a beaming smile.
The materials the young man possessed were indeed as he had expected — not some scraps of copper and iron or miscellaneous junk, but the sturdy shells of rare poisonous insect demon beasts! These were excellent materials ideally suited for crafting armor or shield-type magical artifacts.
As he had estimated, these insect shells could withstand a direct hit from a top-grade magical artifact even before being refined! If the refinement was successful, they would naturally become top-grade magical artifacts with ease.
The white-haired elder grew more delighted the more he looked, and was just about to pick up the shells and leave with them. But Han Li stopped him!
"Shopkeeper, don't be in such a rush! There are still more materials I haven't brought out!" Seeing how impatient the old man was, Han Li couldn't help but frown slightly, somewhat wondering whether he had picked the wrong artifact refiner.