"Does the elder have any interest in the art of alchemy?" The stocky young man hesitated for a long time before suddenly spilling out this sentence, leaving Han Li utterly astonished. "What does that mean?" "Do you really intend to teach me alchemy?" Han Li asked casually. "The elder has guessed it! All I can offer is the alchemy techniques I've mastered myself," the young man said, his expression somewhat subdued. Han Li found himself speechless. He had only hoped to acquire a few more sets of array flags and array discs—how would anyone want his alchemy skills? Besides, what did this young man think he was? Was his alchemy truly rare? After all, there were countless cultivators throughout the immortal realm who understood alchemy. "However, due to our family's tradition, I can only share my compiled alchemy insights with you—I cannot personally teach you the technique," the young man added, stammering once again. Han Li blinked, completely at a loss. Seeing that Han Li remained silent after hearing his suggestion, as though reluctant to accept it, the young man felt a bit discouraged. His expression grew tense, and he no longer hesitated to conceal his identity, hurriedly stating the truth: "My ancestor was once a senior master of metallurgy at the Divine Weapon Sect, and his metallurgical techniques had reached the pinnacle of excellence. My own metallurgical skills were personally taught to me by my ancestor. By passing on my current metallurgical insights to you today, I have actually violated the ancestral tradition. As for how much benefit you will derive from this, that entirely depends on your own fortune. But I can assure you—every single secret shared here is a truly rare, never-before-disclosed secret of the immortal realm!" Who knows, maybe at some point in the future it will be put to use. In his heart, Han Li had already made up his mind, yet he still asked one more question. "Can your array-setting instrument for the Inverted Five Elements Array be further improved?" "Absolutely! My friend has mastered the art of array construction to an extraordinary degree, and with my own craftsmanship in crafting instruments, there should be no major issues in refining this array-setting device!" Upon hearing Han Li's question, the young man realized that Han Li was likely to agree, and immediately brightened up, confidently promising. Han Li nodded and said nothing further. Yet he opened the lid of the box in his hand, and instantly a rich, vital aroma of medicinal herbs filled the soundproof enclosure. The young man inhaled deeply several times and carefully examined the box with his eyes, his expression growing increasingly delighted, nodding repeatedly in satisfaction. Seeing this, Han Li smiled gently and extended the box toward him. Upon seeing it, the young man eagerly reached out to take it. But when he reached for the corner of the box, intending to pull it back, the box, filled with the medicinal herbs, seemed to have taken root in his hands and remained absolutely still! This left the young man momentarily stunned, his eyes widening in surprise. Seeing the young man lift his head and gaze at him with a look of confusion, Han Li sighed. It was clear that this young nobleman had never truly faced the storms of life—how could he not understand his so obvious hint? With no choice, Han Li cleared his throat and directly stated, "You should also bring forth that set of artifacts and your techniques for crafting them. That way, we can settle the payment and deliver the goods at once. Isn't that more appropriate?" "Ah... yes, Master is right! I had completely forgotten about it under the pressure!" The short, sturdy young man suddenly realized, his face turning crimson as he released the box. He then fumbled hurriedly from within his storage pouch, pulling out a stack of materials. "There are eighteen array discs and thirty-six array flags—complete set of ritual implements for the Inverted Five Elements Array. As long as you arrange them precisely according to the method described in this jade scroll, the array will immediately activate. This Cloud Xiao Art of Inner Cultivation, which I've refined over the past twenty years of crafting artifacts, is something I hope you'll keep confidential and not share widely—especially not with the Divine Weapons Sect—since many of the techniques contained here are their closely guarded secrets." The young man explained in detail and also offered a significant piece of advice to Han Li. As to your surname, I didn't know—could you tell me?" Han Li, having changed from his initial coldness, now smiled warmly at the young man after briefly glancing over the items he had received. "My name is Qi, Qi Yunxiao. Is there anything else, Master, that you would like me to do?" The young man hesitated slightly before finally speaking, though he wasn't quite sure of Han Li's intentions. "Not much—actually, I simply wanted to inform you that although I've accepted your treatise, I will seal it using a sealing technique so that it remains undisturbed for the next five years. Should you, within this five-year period, truly succeed in refining this set of apparatus, I will return the original manuscript untouched, without even opening a single page. What do you think?" "Truly? Then I am deeply grateful—most sincerely so! As for refining the Inverted Five Elements Array apparatus, I assure you, Master, I will fully commit to it. Even if my friend fails to achieve the improvement, I will encourage him to actually set up a genuine large-scale array for you in person!" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the young man was overjoyed and quickly assured him Han Li smiled slightly at this, picked up the scroll "Yun Xiao's Insights," and placed it between his two palms. As he softly chanted a series of incantations, a cascade of silver characters suddenly surged from his hands, swirling around his palms before vanishing into the book. At the same time, the scroll flashed with a gentle shimmer, emitting a subtle silver glow that instantly transformed the entire book into a silvery hue, making it impossible to open further. At this moment, Han Li had a clear grasp of the other's mindset—he knew that winning immediate trust would be impossible. However, once several years had passed and he finally delivered the book in perfect condition, he would surely be able to establish connections with the young man and his array specialist friend. Of course, whether the other truly warranted his sincere efforts would only become evident after prolonged interaction. Thus, Han Li carefully stored the book, obtained the means to stay in contact from the young man, and then simply vanished without a single word, leaving the scene. The young man remained utterly incredulous—how could such a precious thousand-year-old medicinal herb have been so easily secured? He firmly gripped the sturdy medicine box, his eyes reflecting a blend of excitement and bewilderment. Han Li, on the other hand, felt exceptionally pleased as he walked toward the workshop of the armory. Qi Yunxiao's expertise in crafting weapons and his friend's status as an array specialist were far more valuable than a mere book. If they could establish a connection, it would surely be of great assistance to his future cultivation journey! Han Li was absolutely certain of this. Finally, Han Li returned to the shop that had taken him on as a customer, where the white-haired elder was anxiously awaiting his arrival. As soon as he saw Han Li truly keeping his word and reappearing, the shopkeeper immediately beamed with joy, serving the black-clad man tea here and there, and presenting him with rare fruits. He personally escorted Han Li to a seat at the table, constantly addressing him as "Senior" throughout. Even Han Li, known for his thick skin, felt his cheeks grow warm at the constant attention. Then, in front of this elder, Han Li first produced the beetle shells. The elder's expression brightened immediately, and he picked up a small piece, carefully examining and identifying it. "This is indeed the outer shell of a first-tier upper-stage toxic insect-type beast—a very excellent material for crafting artifacts! Especially valuable now, given that external beasts are becoming increasingly scarce, and toxic insect-type beasts are even rarer." With these words, the elder's wrinkles softened, and he smiled warmly. The materials on the other's body indeed matched his expectations—no mere scraps or random items, but rather rare, tough exoskeletons from poisonous insects and mythical beasts! Such materials were exceptionally well-suited for armor or shield-type magical artifacts. As he had anticipated, even before being refined, these exoskeletons could withstand direct blows from top-tier magical artifacts without sustaining significant damage. Once refined successfully, they would naturally qualify as top-tier artifacts themselves. The white-haired elder grew increasingly delighted, happily picking up the shells and preparing to leave. Yet he was stopped by Han Li! "Master, please don't rush yet! There are still some materials yet to be presented!" Seeing the elder's visibly impatient demeanor, Han Li furrowed his brows, momentarily questioning whether he had indeed chosen the wrong artisan. (Didn't expect to miss the top spot on our new book's monthly ticket leaderboard—now the one behind is catching up! Those with monthly tickets, please vote soon!)