180: Chapter 180 Wise people don't pry into the secrets of other wise people.

The old man's expression remained unchanged as he patted the wanbao mirror. "This old man is Sun Boyong, an Outer Hall Elder of the Tianhai Sect in Canghai Prefecture, and a Third-Rank Top-Tier Artifact Refining Master."

"Although this mirror of yours is crudely made, the concept behind it is inspired. You are a talent worth cultivating."

"Follow this old man to learn Artifact Refining. Within ten years, I guarantee you will reach the threshold of the Second-Rank; within fifty years, pushing for the Third-Rank is no empty boast."

This self-introduction was short, direct, and without any polite pleasantries; it was all substance.

Su Cheng silently processed this for a couple of breaths.

Sun Boyong, an Outer Hall Elder of the Tianhai Sect and a Late Stage Golden Core great Cultivator—this offer of apprenticeship wasn't out of politeness; he was serious.

But the problem was, he already had a Revered Master.

"I am overwhelmed by Senior's favor," Su Cheng said, bowing with hands clasped. "However, I already have a Sect. I am a Personal Disciple of Elder Qingmu of the Danding Sect, so it is inconvenient for me to join another Revered Master."

Sun Boyong's expression didn't ripple much. It would be strange if such a Genius young man didn't already have a Revered Master.

"Danding Sect?"

"Immortal Master Qingmu, a Third-Rank Alchemy Great Master and a Golden Core Elder of the Danding Sect."

Sun Boyong nodded and didn't mention the apprenticeship again.

The Danding Sect was a Nascent Soul Great Sect, a colossus on the same level as the Tianhai Sect.

It would likely be difficult for him to compete for the boy. If he forced the issue, it might cause hostility between the two Sects, so he simply let it drop for now.

"In that case, we'll leave it for another day." The old man raised his gourd into the air and gave it a slight wave toward Su Cheng. "I'll do you this favor. As for the payment, you just owe me a favor. When and where I'll use it, we'll decide then."

He took a swig of wine and added, "Also, until you've repaid this favor, don't go getting yourself killed. If you truly run into something you can't handle, come find me at the Tianhai Sect's Outer Hall in Canghai Prefecture. Just give them my name."

These words were spoken casually, but their weight was anything but light.

Zhou Changgeng stood behind them, dazed.

Having followed his Revered Master for decades, he understood the man's temperament all too well.

The old man had never asked for a favor from a Cultivator an entire Major Realm lower than himself in his whole life; he considered it beneath him.

Let alone proactively telling someone to come find him if they ran into trouble.

Today, he had broken two precedents in one go.

What did this indicate? It indicated that in Sun Boyong's eyes, Su Cheng, this Early Foundation Establishment Stage kid, would not only be able to repay this favor in the future but was also worth placing an early bet on to protect.

Su Cheng's mind raced.

Owing a favor was the cost.

But Sun Boyong's "don't die" and "come find me" were protection.

A Late Stage Golden Core Third-Rank Top-Tier Artifact Refining Master and Outer Hall Elder of the Tianhai Sect had proactively offered his name as a shield for an Early Foundation Establishment Stage Junior.

This weight, anywhere in Canghai Prefecture, was enough to make most Foundation Establishment or even Golden Core Cultivators think twice.

What was truly valuable wasn't the favor itself, but the chain of connections behind it: Canghai Prefecture, Tianhai Sect, Late Stage Golden Core Cultivator, and Third-Rank Top-Tier Artifact Refining Master.

Once this connection was established, he would have another backer in Canghai Prefecture, outside of Tianlan Province.

When the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce expanded outward in the future, this card could become a crucial move at any time.

And the cost was merely an as-yet-unredeemed favor.

No matter how he calculated it, this deal was a profit.

"I accept Senior's favor," Su Cheng said, bowing. "I have also taken Senior's words to heart."

Sun Boyong took another satisfied swig of wine, placed the wanbao mirror on his lap, and cut straight to the main topic.

"Three months. If nothing unexpected happens, reaching the low-tier Treasure Artifact level won't be a problem. You provide the Materials yourself; I'll have Changgeng give you a list later. However, the Five Elements connection method at the core..."

He raised a finger and tapped the center of the wanbao mirror.

"I won't touch this part. For the rest of the mirror, I can strip away all the outer Array Inscriptionss and redo them, replacing the base material with Treasure Artifact-grade Spirit-Bearing Alloy and upgrading the rune Restrictions to High-Grade Second-Rank specifications."

"But that vortex in the core—even if I had the ability to dismantle and reassemble it, I couldn't replicate your method of infusing that special spiritual power."

"So after I'm finished, you'll have to do the final step yourself: connecting the new structure to the old core."

Su Cheng listened intently. Translated, these words meant: Sun Boyong would be responsible for the casing and the channels, while Su Cheng would be responsible for the engine.

"I understand. However, I might not be able to stay in the Prefecture City for long, as there are matters to attend to at the Sect."

"Regarding the Materials, I will arrange for someone from the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce to coordinate with Brother Zhou. I will provide whatever Senior needs."

"If there's something the Chamber of Commerce can't obtain, we can also use the Lin Family's channels."

"If neither of those paths works, I'll trouble Brother Zhou to have the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce send word to me, and I'll find a way at the Danding Sect."

Zhou Changgeng patted his chest from behind. "Leave the messaging to me."

Sun Boyong waved his hand, indicating that these trivial matters were not his concern.

"Fine, you can go now. This old man needs to study this mirror first."

Su Cheng rose and bowed, pausing at the door.

"Senior, is the spirit spring brew to your taste?"

Sun Boyong glanced at him from behind the gourd and gave a grunt of affirmation.

Su Cheng left.

Only the Revered Master and disciple remained in the shop.

Sun Boyong held the wanbao mirror and turned it over a couple of times, muttering to himself as if whispering to the mirror.

Zhou Changgeng hesitated for a while but eventually couldn't help himself.

"Revered Master, when you mentioned taking him as a disciple right in front of me just now, shouldn't you have considered my feelings at least a little?"

"Your feelings?" Sun Boyong didn't even look up. "If you had even half of that kid's vision and perspective, would your Revered Master have to travel to this desolate place to see you?"

Zhou Changgeng was left speechless, only managing to mutter after a long moment, "But didn't you come anyway?"

Sun Boyong's movements paused for a second before he resumed studying the wanbao mirror, pretending he hadn't heard.

Only after a while did he speak, his tone a bit softer than before.

"This kid has secrets."

"I saw that long ago."

Zhou Changgeng reverted to his normal way of speaking in front of his Revered Master, pulling up a chair to sit down.

"Last time he came, I felt something was off. An Early Foundation Establishment Stage young man from a small town, calling the president of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce his brother, and carrying a strange Magical Artifact with Five Elements Fusion."

"This time is even more ridiculous; he's actually a Personal Disciple of the Danding Sect."

"How much did you see?"

"Not much. Last time, when he left the wanbao mirror for me to optimize, I looked at it carefully for two days. I could figure out the outer Array Inscriptions structure."

"But that mass of power at the core that glues the Five Elements together..."

Zhou Changgeng shook his head. "It's not that my level is insufficient to see through it, but rather that the logic of that thing's operation isn't within my known system at all."

"I can only be certain it's not a conventional Artifact Refining technique. As for the rest, if he doesn't say, I can't guess."

Sun Boyong didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.

"But there's one thing I can see." Zhou Changgeng rubbed his fingers together. "This kid is to my liking."

Sun Boyong raised an eyebrow.

"The first time he came to the door, he spoke clearly without beating around the bush or putting on airs, and he paid every cent he owed."

"Later, when he asked me to modify the wanbao mirror, he specifically asked me what kind of wine my Revered Master liked before he left. Tell me, an Early Foundation Establishment Stage kid, thinking about preparing a gift for an old Senior he's never even met upon their first encounter—that kind of thoughtfulness isn't faked."

Zhou Changgeng paused.

"And this kid really is to my liking."

Sun Boyong put down the wanbao mirror.

"So what you're saying is, secrets aside, he's not a bad person?"

"He's not a bad person, and he's worth befriending deeply." Zhou Changgeng said this decisively. "He definitely has things on him that I shouldn't know, but that's his business. I just focus on my craft, and he just pays the price he should. We each eat by our own skills. As for the rest..."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"A wise man doesn't pry into a wise man's secrets."

Sun Boyong shook the gourd; the wine inside had reached the bottom.

"Befriend him. No need to be deliberate; just maintain your current state. As for that favor I asked for, things in the unseen world are uncertain. But in my hundreds of years of life, this is the first time I've had this kind of feeling in front of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator."

"What kind of feeling?"