174: Chapter 174 Canghai Prefecture, Tianhai Sect, Outer Hall Elder

"I've been at Qingmu Peak for decades." Chen Yuan swallowed the peach flesh. "The last time I went to the Prefecture City was ten years ago. At that time, I was helping Revered Master go to the Pill Material Market to stock up, and I returned home after a three-day round trip. This time you're going for a month; what's wrong with me following along to see the world? Besides—"

He paused, glanced at Revered Master, then turned back to look at Su Cheng.

"You're running off to the Prefecture City as an Early Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator without even a helper by your side. What if something happens on the road? I am at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, after all; protecting you won't be a problem."

Since things had been put that way, Su Cheng couldn't flatly refuse.

Chen Yuan's cultivation was indeed two minor Realms higher than his. If they really encountered trouble, having one more person meant one more layer of security.

Elder Qingmu was also happy to go along with it: "Let your Senior Brother follow you. Once he's gone, I'll finally have some peace and quiet."

Su Cheng glanced at Chen Yuan.

"Fine. But there's one condition: once we reach the Prefecture City, Senior Brother must follow my arrangements. Don't ask what shouldn't be asked regarding my business."

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow. This request was somewhat blunt, but he still nodded.

"No problem. I'm just going along to look around anyway. You do your business, and I'll find a market to wander through when the time comes."

Su Cheng turned to Elder Qingmu: "Revered Master, as for those five Elders..."

"Don't worry about them." Elder Qingmu squatted back down next to the dragon beard vine, picked up his small hoe, and continued loosening the soil. "Just say my Disciple has gone out on business and the return date is uncertain. Let them wait. Those who can wait are the ones truly in need; those who can't are just following the crowd. It's a good way to filter them out."

Su Cheng cupped his hands in a respectful salute and led Chen Yuan down the mountain.

After returning to his Immortal Cave, Su Cheng spent half a day preparing for the departure.

He sorted and stored the refined Medicinal Pills by category and checked off his to-do list item by item.

Chen Yuan, on the other hand, was straightforward. He was ready to go at a moment's notice. In half a day, he packed a few semi-finished refined artifacts that were drying in his Immortal Cave into his Storage Pouch, took a bag of Spirit Stones, and had no other luggage.

Early the next morning, the two of them left the Danding Sect on their flying swords.

Su Cheng wasn't in a hurry this time. The last round trip had taken four or five days, and it had been exhausting.

This time, as long as they arrived within half a month, there was more than enough time. He planned to travel slowly and do some homework along the way.

In fact, Chen Yuan wasn't following for nothing.

During the intervals of their sword flight, Su Cheng brought out the three Spells he had recently been cultivating to ask Chen Yuan for guidance.

If nothing else, Chen Yuan's foundation in miscellaneous studies was truly solid.

After watching the activation technique of Green Vine Binding Kill twice, he offered three suggestions for improvement. One of them involved adjusting the way power was gathered at the base of the Spiritual Wood Spike. After Su Cheng tried it, the penetration power of the Spiritual Wood Spike increased by nearly ten percent.

Over the seven-day journey, through traveling, practicing, and chatting, the two of them truly honed the tacit understanding between senior and Junior Brothers.

On the evening of the seventh day, the outline of Tianlan Province City appeared at the end of their vision.

The Prefecture City was still the same. The Spirit Gathering Grand Formation on the city walls shimmered with a milky-white glow, and Cultivators flowed in and out of the city gates in an endless stream.

After entering the city, Su Cheng went straight to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.

The shop assistant at the front desk already recognized Su Cheng and, without a word, led the two of them to a VIP private room on the second floor.

Fang Zhenhai arrived in less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

The moment he pushed the door open, Fang Zhenhai's gaze first fell on Su Cheng, then turned to the middle-aged Cultivator beside him, who was short and stout, had a restrained aura, but was full of energy.

Late Foundation Establishment Stage.

Fang Zhenhai's heart tightened. The person Young Master Su brought with him couldn't possibly be of small origin.

"President Fang, this is my Eldest Senior Brother from the Danding Sect, Chen Yuan." Su Cheng's introduction was brief.

Fang Zhenhai reacted quickly as well, cupping his hands in salute: "Fellow Daoist Chen, your presence is an honor. Please forgive me for not welcoming you sooner!"

The Danding Sect.

What caught Fang Zhenhai's attention even more was that although Chen Yuan's cultivation was clearly two minor Realms higher than Su Cheng's, his words and actions deferred to Su Cheng in every way. He sat where he was supposed to sit and waited when he was supposed to wait, without any air of being the Eldest Senior Brother.

A Personal Disciple of the Danding Sect at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage was willing to listen to someone at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage. What did that mean?

It meant that Su Cheng's status within the Danding Sect was far more complex than that of an ordinary Personal Disciple.

Fang Zhenhai's waist instinctively bent a bit lower, and his heart felt several layers more of awe toward the "Mister."

"President Fang, no need for such formalities." Chen Yuan, however, was quite familiar. He plopped down in a chair and looked around at the decor of the chamber's private room. "Junior Brother Su usually discusses business here? Quite a grand setup."

Fang Zhenhai smiled apologetically. "It's all because Young Master Su thinks highly of our chamber."

Su Cheng sat down across from Chen Yuan and didn't spend much time on pleasantries.

"President Fang, my Senior Brother will be staying at the chamber during his time in the Prefecture City. Arrange for someone to handle whatever he needs."

"Certainly, no problem."

"Additionally, I have some matters to attend to alone. Senior Brother, you stay here for now."

Chen Yuan's gaze returned from a painting on the wall. He glanced at Su Cheng but didn't say much, simply nodding.

They had agreed before coming that he would "follow arrangements in the Prefecture City." There was no turning back now, and besides, he had long since decided to follow Su Cheng's lead.

Su Cheng gave a few instructions and then left alone through the back door of the chamber.

Qingfeng Alley.

Su Cheng walked into the familiar small alley. The air still carried that smell of scorched metal.

The door to Zhou Changgeng's small Artifact Refining shop was half-closed as usual, and the dust on the display case was even thicker than last time. This man really wasn't considering doing business.

Su Cheng pushed the door and entered.

"You're here?"

The curtain to the back hall was lifted, and Zhou Changgeng poked half his head out.

This time he didn't curse, likely because he had received word in advance and was mentally prepared.

"When will your Revered Master arrive?"

Zhou Changgeng stepped out from behind the curtain and sat down on that scorched black reclining chair.

"The old man replied saying he would set out soon. Based on his pace and temper, ten days at the earliest, half a month at the latest. Don't worry, if he says he's coming, he'll definitely come. I can still guarantee that much credit."

Su Cheng sat down on the low stool.

"Is it convenient to talk about your Revered Master's background?"

Last time, Zhou Changgeng had only mentioned a Third-Rank Top-Tier Artifact Refining Master and hadn't elaborated.

Su Cheng hadn't pressed him then. The business hadn't reached the main point yet, so inquiring about someone's Sect Legacy was inappropriate.

Now that the other party had agreed to come, he had to ask clearly.

Zhou Changgeng leaned against the back of the chair and fell silent for a few breaths.

"My Revered Master's surname is Sun, called Sun Boyong."

Su Cheng waited for the rest.

"Canghai Prefecture, Tianhai Sect, Outer Hall Elder."

Canghai Prefecture, Tianhai Sect.

These two names crossed Su Cheng's mind. Canghai Prefecture wasn't close to Tianlan Province, being two large prefectures away.

Su Cheng had come across the name Tianhai Sect a few times in the records of the Dharma Transmission Pavilion. It was one of the top Nascent Soul Great Sects in Canghai Prefecture, specializing in Artifact Refining and Formations.

"Your Revered Master is an Outer Hall Elder of the Tianhai Sect?"

"Yes. Late Golden Core Stage cultivation, a Third-Rank Top-Tier Artifact Refining Master. He has a very high seniority in the Tianhai Sect, but because of his foul temper, he isn't well-liked by the Sect's higher-ups. He's stayed in the Outer Hall his entire life without moving." Zhou Changgeng's tone was flat as he said this, but Su Cheng could hear a bit of mockery and a bit of helplessness in it.

"What about you?"

"I was the last Disciple he took fifty years ago." Zhou Changgeng's speaking speed slowed down. "I stayed in the Tianhai Sect for thirty-two years. My cultivation and Artifact Refining were both taught personally by my Revered Master.

Later, I had a conflict with someone in the Sect. That person relied on being the direct Disciple of a certain Elder to make things difficult for me everywhere, even cutting off my supply of Materials."

Conflicts between Disciples, as long as they didn't involve life and death, weren't easy for Revered Master to intervene in. Besides, you can see my temper; I couldn't stand that kind of grievance, so I told Revered Master I wanted to go out and make my own way."

"Your Revered Master didn't try to make you stay?"