155: Chapter 155 The Fifth Life, The Blazing Sun Illuminates the Martial Path (103)

Immediately, seeing the slightly furrowed expression on Chu Shi's face, he hurriedly and cautiously added:

"In the past, we sold our Magical Artifacts directly to the External Affairs Hall, where the prices were suppressed very low, resulting in a loss of at least thirty percent."

"Opening a shop to sell them ourselves will earn us much more. You don't need to worry about the daily operations of the shop."

"The Chu family has already sent two experienced Yellow-rank Artifact Refiners and an old shopkeeper to manage it. You only need to refine a few top-grade magical artifacts when you have free time to anchor the shop."

Chu Shi nodded, his expression softening.

"That is fine," he said indifferently.

"But remember, everything must yield to my martial arts cultivation. I will not spend too much time on artifact refining."

"This disciple understands! I will absolutely not delay Senior Brother's cultivation!" Shi Tie hurriedly nodded.

Afterwards, he hesitated for a moment before asking again: "Senior Brother, the shop hasn't been named yet. Would you like to give it a name?"

Chu Shi waved his hand: "No need. Let Uncle take care of it; just something easy to say will do."

"Understood." Shi Tie said no more, bowed respectfully, turned, and retreated.

The courtyard returned to silence.

Chu Shi stood up and brushed the non-existent dust from his robes.

He looked up toward the highest point of Lieyang Peak, where clouds and mist swirled, and a magnificent palace could be vaguely seen, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

Chu Shi walked slowly along the crimson stone steps. The mountain wind howled, blowing his moon-white robes.

The higher he went, the denser the heat in the air became, as if even breathing carried a scorching temperature.

The stone steps beneath his feet were slightly hot from being scorched by the intense sun year-round, and every block was carved with ancient flame runes, with pure fire-attribute energy faintly circulating within them.

This was the first time he had climbed to the top of Lieyang Peak in the past half year.

Half an hour later, Chu Shi finally reached the end of the stone steps.

A magnificent palace stood atop the peak, its entire body crimson, with golden crows spreading their wings carved onto the eaves, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

Chu Shi adjusted his robes, walked to the palace door, and bowed respectfully: "Disciple Chu Shi requests an audience with Master."

"Come in." A loud and casual voice came from inside the palace.

Chu Shi pushed the door open and entered.

Peak Master Lieyang, Master Li Er, was sitting on a prayer mat in the center of the great hall, holding a wine gourd in his hand and taking a large gulp of wine with his head tilted back.

He wore a casual red robe, and his hair was loosely tied with a wooden hairpin. He didn't look like a great expert in charge of a peak at all, but rather like a drunkard from the pugilistic world.

Seeing Chu Shi enter, Master Li Er put down the wine gourd, looked him up and down, and a satisfied smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

"Not bad." Master Li Er nodded, his tone carrying undisguised appreciation.

"In half a year, you have not only refined a Mysterious-rank low-grade Treasure Artifact but your aura has also become so much more composed. It seems sending you to old man Jin was indeed the right decision."

"It is all thanks to Master's wise guidance, and Elder Jin also taught me everything he knew," Chu Shi said respectfully.

"Hmph, that old thing." Master Li Er sneered, yet his face held a smile.

"Was he reluctant to let you go? Did he try to hold onto you, wanting you to stay and be his successor?"

Chu Shi was slightly taken aback, then nodded: "Elder Jin did indeed have that intention. However, I have already clearly stated that my heart is set on the path of martial arts."

"I knew it." Master Li Er laughed heartily, picked up the wine gourd, and took another drink.

"That old thing has only this one obsession in his life: he always wants to find a successor. It's a pity, though; the people he takes a fancy to are all good seeds for martial arts."

"Back then, when he wanted to take me in, I almost blew up his artifact refining furnace. Now he wants to take you in, and you are determined to walk the path of martial arts. I think he won't find a successor in this life."

He paused, his tone becoming a bit more serious: "However, that old thing is truly good to you. The artifact refining notes he gave you, and that Crimson Flame Furnace, are all his prized possessions. I asked him for them several times back then, but he couldn't bear to give them to me."

Chu Shi felt a warmth in his heart and nodded: "This disciple will remember Elder Jin's kindness."

Afterward, Chu Shi rolled his eyes in his heart and secretly complained. Of course he couldn't bear to give them to you, given your trash artifact refining aptitude.

"Alright, enough of that." Master Li Er waved his hand, his expression becoming serious.

"You've returned this time because you are preparing to break through to the Copper Bone Realm, right?"

"Yes." Chu Shi bowed and said, "This disciple's Iron Skin Realm is already complete, and my mental fortitude has been honed. I implore Master for guidance."

Master Li Er did not speak immediately. He took two items out of his storage bag and placed them on the stone table in front of him.

One was a yellowed animal skin scroll that looked very old. The other was a piece of metal only the size of a fingernail, dark gold all over. It looked unremarkable, yet it gave people a feeling of being unusually heavy and immortal.

"This is the cultivation formula for the Copper Bone Realm alloy." Master Li Er pointed to the animal skin scroll, "Take a look first."

Chu Shi stepped forward, picked up the animal skin scroll, and slowly unrolled it.

The scroll was covered in dense handwriting written in cinnabar, recording the ratios and refining methods for various metals.

Chu Shi scanned it quickly, his brows slightly furrowed. This formula seemed similar to an alloy he had seen when refining Treasure Artifacts.

The main materials were red copper, tin, and lead; it was just that the proportions were slightly adjusted, and a few auxiliary spiritual herbs had been added.

What was refined according to this formula should be bronze. However...

Chu Shi's gaze fell on the dark gold piece of metal. What was this? The formula didn't seem to mention this thing.

"Master, this is..." Chu Shi looked up, glancing at Master Li Er in confusion, and asked while pointing at the dark gold piece of metal.

Master Li Er picked up the metal and weighed it on his fingertips. The metal was extremely heavy; the small piece actually weighed nearly a hundred jin.

"This is the true core secret of the Copper Bone Realm." Master Li Er's tone was extremely solemn.

"It is also an unspoken secret that various major Holy Lands and imperial dynasties have guarded with their lives for thousands of years."

Chu Shi was shocked and listened intently.

"You guessed correctly; what this formula refines is indeed bronze."

Master Li Er said slowly, "Many people think that the Copper Bone Realm is just refining bones with pure copper. But in reality, pure Copper Bones are just the most basic and worst kind of Copper Bone."

"Truly top-grade Copper Bones are all refined using various special copper alloys. Such as brass, bronze, white copper, blue copper, red copper... and so on."

"And my Great Sun Holy Land's Lieyang Peak lineage mainly inherits the technique of Bronze Copper Bone. Bones refined with bronze are significantly stronger than pure Copper Bones in both strength and defense. However..."