Chapter 227: Making Friends
“Is Senior interested in the art of tool-refining?” The short, stocky youth hesitated for a long time before suddenly forcing out such a sentence, causing Han Li to feel greatly stunned.
“What do you mean?” Han Li felt some uncertainty.
“Could it be that you want to pass down a tool-refining technique!” Han Li asked without thinking.
“Senior guessed it! The only thing I can take out is the tool-refining technique that I have on me!” the youth exclaimed somewhat dejectedly.
When Han Li heard this, he was speechless! He had only wanted to obtain a few formation flag and plate items; who wanted to learn how to refine tools? Even more so, who did this youth think he was! His tool-refining technique was so rare? The cultivators who knew about refining tools were not few in number!
“However, because of ancestral rules, Junior can only give you the experience that I have accumulated; I cannot teach you this technique personally!”the youth immediately stammered , complementing his previous sentence.
Han Li blinked his eyes,and was at even more of a loss for words!
Seeing that Han Li, upon hearing his suggestion, continued to be silent as if he were unwilling, the youth couldn’t help but begin to feel anxious. He no longer care about concealing his identity, and he hurriedly blurted out truthfully:
“My grandfather used to be a tool-refining elder from the Divine Weapons Sect; his technique in tool-refining had long since reached great heights! My own tool-refining technique was taught to me hand in hand by my grandfather. For Junior to hand over his tool-refining heart to you today is already breaking the ancestral rules! As for how much Senior can gain depends completely on Senior’s good fortune! However, I can guarantee that they are all secrets that have never been spread to outsiders from the cultivation world!”
Han Li’s expression finally changed upon hearing that this youth was a descendant of a Divine Weapons Sect tool-refining elder!
Didn’t this Divine Weapons Sect stand side-by-side with the Heavenly Star Sect and the Thousand Wonders Monastery as one of the three great sects in the State of Yuan Wu! The tool-refining techniques there, as well as the formations of the Heavenly Star Sect and the Thousand Wonders Monastery’s Dao of Talismans, were all incredibly well-known by many cultivators in the neighboring states.
In this way, it seemed that the other person’s tool refinement insight was truly not average! Although Han Li would most likely not end up learning it, even having it in his possessions could be a bargaining chip. Who knew if in the future he would have some use for it?
Han Li made a decision in his heart; however, he still asked:
“Can your Five Elements Reversal Formation establishment magic tools really be further improved?”
“It definitely can be! My friend has long reached perfection in the Dao of Formations; adding on my tool-refining technique, improving this formation establishment magic tool will not pose a big problem!” Seeing that Han Li asked that question, the youth knew that he had most likely agreed. Thus, he immediately became joyful and assured Han Li, patting his chest.
Han Li nodded his head and did not continue speaking. However, he took the lid off the box in his hand, and immediately a medicinal fragrance filled with Spiritual Qi filled the soundproof barrier. The youth lightly sniffed it a few times, then used his eyes to closely examine it several more times. The delight in his eyes greatly increased, and he nodded his head repeatedly to express his satisfaction.
Seeing this, Han Li gently smiled; he reached out his hand and handed it over.
The youth hurriedly and happily stretched out his hand to receive it. However, when he grabbed a corner of the box, wanting to take it away, it seemed that this box containing the spiritual medicine had grown roots on Han Li’s hand and did not budge at all! This caused the youth to stare blankly, and a surprised expression was revealed on his face.
Han Li, seeing the other person raise his head and look at him at a loss, couldn’t help but sigh.
It seemed like this individual truly was an influential family’s young master who had not experienced many trials and hardships! He still did not recognize such an obvious hint from Han Li?
Helplessly, Han Li could only use his mouth to clarify for the other person:
“Shouldn’t you also take out that set of magic tool and your tool-refining insights? That way, we can exchange the goods at the same time! Isn’t doing it this way somewhat more appropriate?”
“Oh……, Senior spoke correctly; Junior forgot this matter in my excitement!” The short, stocky youth finally was enlightened, and he let go of the box, his face blood red. He clumsily pulled out a stack of items from his storage pouch.
“Here are eighteen formation plates and thirty-six formation flags; these are the complete set of the Five Elements Reversal Formation establishment magic tools. As long as you follow the instructions on this piece of jade and set them up exactly as described, the formation will immediately take effect. Also, this Yunxiao technique insight manual was compiled from twenty years of my tool-refining experience; I hope that Senior can avoid spreading it around in the future to prevent the Divine Weapons Sect from coming to your door. This is because many of the tool-refining techniques in here are all secrets of the Divine Weapons Sect!” the youth explained in great detail. In addition, he also gave Han Li a significant piece of advice.
When Han Li heard these words, his impression of this youth became even more favorable! Another idea suddenly emerged in his heart!
After hesitating for a moment, Han Li stuffed the box in his hand into the bosom of the other person, then received the stack of item from the other person’s hand.
Han Li’s sudden movements, which were contrary to his usual behavior, actually caused the short, stocky youth to feel at a loss, as if he didn’t know what he had done wrong.
“Yunxiao technique insight! Yunxiao is your name, right? What is your surname?” Han Li changed the indifferent expression he had used earlier; he received the items and gave them a few cursory glances before amiably asking the youth.
“Junior’s surname is Ji, Ji Yunxiao! Does Senior have any more instructions?” The youth hesitated for a moment, but he still ended up speaking. However, he did not know what Han Li’s intentions were.
“Nothing really. I just wanted to tell you that although I have received your collection of insights, I will use a sealing technique to seal it and will not touch it for five years. If in these five years, you can truly successfully improve this spell formation set for me, I will return the manual to you without having looked at a single page. What do you think?”
“Really? Then Junior can’t thank you enough! Senior can rest assured concerning this matter of improving the Five Elements Reversal Formation establishment magic tools! Even if Junior’s friend does not successfully improve it, I will still try to persuade him to make a truly great formation for Senior!” After hearing Han Li say this, the youth was overjoyed and hurriedly assured him.
Han Li gently smiled and picked up the 《Yunxiao Experience》manual, holding it in his hands.
Following Han Li’s muttered incantations, a row of silver runes suddenly appeared on his hands; after circling in his palms for awhile, they entered the book and vanished! At the same time, a silver light flashed across the “Yunxiao experience” manual, and a faint silver light dissipated from it. This caused the entire book to suddenly became a chunk of silver, with no way of opening it even a tiny bit!
“Okay, I’ve finished sealing it! Now, circulate your Spiritual Qi through the seal. In this way, when we make the exchange in the future, you will know whether or not I’ve broken the seal!” Han Li sealed the book, then threw it over. The youth caught the book with surprise and happiness.
The youth stared at it slack-jawed for a moment, but with a stomp of his foot, he left some Spiritual Qi on the seal. Then, with an expression both of doubt and gratitude, he returned the book to Han Li.
At this time, Han Li had pretty much figured out the other person’s state of mind. He knew that immediately gaining the other person’s trust was an impossible task! But when he returned the sealed book to the other person after a number of years, he would presumably be able to secure the friendship of both the youth and that magic formation master, building up a relationship with them.
Of course, determining whether or not the other person was really worth building a relationship with still required them to interact for a long period of time before it would become clear!
Thus, Han Li stowed the book away. After asking for a method to communicate with the youth, he floated away without another superfluous sentence and left the area.
The youth was left in the same location with an expression of disbelief. He had obtained this thousand year-old spiritual medicine just like that? He fiercely squeezed the hard medicine box, and an expression of both confusion and excitement was revealed in his eyes.
Han Li naturally was in a very good mood, and he headed towards the tool-refining store.
Ji Yunxiao’s tool-refining technique and his backer’s identity as a magic formation master were much more valuable than a lifeless book! If he could build up relations with them, perhaps in the future it would be very helpful for his cultivation path! Han Li had no doubts about this!
Han Li finally returned to the store that had received his contract. There, the white-haired elder was waiting anxiously for his arrival.
When he saw that Han Li really had kept his promise and returned, the store owner immediately beamed with joy and had the dark-skinned man quickly bring tea and rare fruits. He personally accompanied Han Li to sit down at the table and incessantly addressed him as Senior. Although Han Li was a thick-skinned person, his face still faintly blushed.
Next, Han Li took out the centipede’s back shell out in front of the elder. This caused the elder’s expression to change, and he immediately picked up a small piece, carefully caressing it and identifying it.
“This is the shell of an advanced grade one poisonous insect demonic beast; it truly is a very good tool-refining ingredient! Especially since the demonic beasts in the outside world are decreasing in number, encountering a poisonous insect demonic beast is an especially rare circumstance,” the elder said with a smile. The wrinkles on his face seemed to have smoothed out.
The materials the other person possessed were all within his expectations. They weren’t junk metal or any kind of miscellaneous garbage; instead, they were actually the outer shell of a poisonous insect demonic beast! They were extremely good materials, highly suited for crafting armor or shield-like magic tools.
According to his estimation, prior to being refined, these bug shells could forcefully receive an attack from a top-grade magic tool without any serious damage! If it were successfully refined, it naturally could effortlessly reach the ranks of a top-grade magic tool.
The white-haired elder became happier the more he looked at it, and he happily picked up these pieces of shell, about to begin. However, he was stopped by Han Li!
“Store owner, don’t be hasty! There are still some ingredients that I haven’t brought out yet!” Seeing the elder’s frazzled behavior, Han Li couldn’t help but knit his eyebrows together and wonder if he had found himself the wrong tool-refining master!
