Chapter 222: Tool-Refining Expert
Han Li only saw twenty or thirty cultivators in the outer areas. There didn’t seem to be many people in the desolate market.
“Could everyone have gone to the Stardust Pavilion in the center?” Han Li started to mutter somewhat in his heart.
However, he did not intend to immediately head over to the Stardust Pavilion.
That was because that tool-refining store’s claim was too arrogant! If the talisman refining store failed, then they would return the material’s equivalent twofold in spirit stones! This piqued his curiosity. Thus, when Han Li finished circling around it, he couldn’t help but walk inside.
The storefront could not be considered to be large, consisting of only three rooms and an outer courtyard!
When Han Li entered the foremost hall, he saw a middle-aged figure dressed like a Confucian scholar in the midst of a discussion with a white-haired yet red-faced elder. A muscular man with dark skin stood to the side with a respectful expression.
The middle-aged man and the elder were currently fixated on their discussion; although they saw Han Li enter, they indifferently continued their conversation. It was the strong man who did his duty and walked forwards a few steps, then asked very politely:
“Does this guest want to buy magic tools or place an order to have one made?”
“Let me first take a look at the magic tools in your store before deciding whether or not I want to place an order!” Han Li replied evenly.
“Very well. Does this guest want to look at mid-grade or high-grade magic tools?” the muscular man asked happily, seeing that business had actually come to their door.
“Top-grade magic tools! In addition, I want the finest ones amongst all the top-grade magic tools!”
Han Li was not loud, but this sentence immediately shocked the muscular man into a daze! The two people who were talking up a frenzy immediately shut their mouths and stopped talking, instead blankly staring and sizing up Han Li!
“This guest wants to see top-grade magic tools, and even wants the finest ones?” After regaining his senses, the muscular man couldn’t help but confirm whether or not he had heard correctly!
Top-grade magic tools were not something that any ordinary person could buy, frequently costing hundreds of low-grade spirit stones. Average cultivators, even if they saved up spirit stones for their entire lives, might not even be able to buy one, while Han Li had asked to see the best top-grade items right off the bat. Naturally, this explained why the muscular man had lost his self-control for a moment!
“Little Black, come back! You cannot be disrespectful to this Senior!” That white-haired elder finally recognized Han Li’s ident.i.ty as a Foundation Establishment cultivator. His expression couldn’t help but change, and he hurriedly commanded the muscular man to retreat.
“This little elder is the owner of this store; if Senior has any business, just say so!”
This elder and that Confucian scholar were still Qi Condensation cultivators; for an “expert” like Han Li to come into a small shop like his, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat unsettled.
“There’s not much. It depends on whether or not your place has any good magic tools. If you have any ones that are suitable, I will buy one or two!” The elder instantly let out a sign after hearing these words from Han Li, but he still spoke somewhat awkwardly:
“Unfortunately we can only disappoint Senior; although my shop does have two or three top-grade magic tools, they are only used to promote this store. They are not actually so extraordinary.” The elder, when faced with a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Han Li, did not dare to conceal anything, and so he could only say the truth.
Upon hearing this, Han Li felt quite disappointed. However, he also couldn’t help but silently berate himself for his stupidity! Even if the sign hung outside of the store were to be even more exaggerated, it was still only a method for them to attract business; he had actually treated it as if it were true!
Han Li shook his head, and turned around, about to leave. However, when he neared the door, he still turned his head around and spoke somewhat unhappily.
“So you’re saying that the claim that you have the ability to refine top-grade magic tools is also just empty words!”
“No! Senior is mistaken. This small shop does business with integrity; the sign outside is completely true with no falsehoods! As long as you have the appropriate materials, Elder Xu can really refine a top-grade magic tool,” the white-haired elder hurriedly replied, seeing that the shop’s reputation had been involved.
“You can refine top-grade magic tools?” Han Li felt very surprised, and a look of doubt flashed across his eyes. His words were filled with questions.
He had thought that there was someone else who could refine the magic tools; he hadn’t expected it to be this elderly person.
No wonder Han Li didn’t believe it. Refining top-grade magic tools was not like refining mid or high-grade magic tools, which could be refined by common fire. Instead, similar to refining a Foundation Establishment Pill, it required tempering by Earth Fire or Innate True Fire to successfully refine it.
But this elder was only a Qi Condensation cultivator and would not possess Innate True Fire, while this location did not seem like a place with Earth Fire. So how could this person refine a top-grade magic tool?
“This is the first time Senior has come to this elder brother’s shop, so it’s very normal to not understand this! The origins of Elder Brother Xu’s Dao of Tool-refinement originates from his clan, and his talent in refining tools is definitely not below that of tool-refining masters from other great sects. In addition, for the past few hundred years, the Xu Clan had taken care of an elementary grade two Fire Raven; the demonic fire it spits out is even somewhat stronger than Innate True Fire, so it’s more than enough to refine top-grade magic tools.” The middle-aged Confucian scholar that had been sitting silently on the side suddenly opened his mouth and explained on behalf of the elder. However, this only increased Han Li’s doubts.
“Demonic fire? I’ve only heard of using True Fire and Earth Fire to refine pills or tools; I’ve never heard that it was also possible with demonic fire!” Han Li expressed slight disbelief with knitted eyebrows.
“Hehe! There are things that Senior does not know! Using demonic fire to refine tools or even pills requires a few special skills that are not officially recognized by the great sects. It has been thought of as a minor, unorthodox technique and is not very widespread. If our clan hadn"t haphazardly obtained this Fire Raven, we also would not take the time to research this path.” The elder continued the Confucian scholar’s words and addressed some of Han Li’s doubts.
“So it’s like that!” Although Han Li had heard the other person’s description, he still had not seen it personally, and so he was still somewhat apprehensive.
“Does Senior also want to order a custom top-grade magic tool?” asked the elder with curiosity, seeing that the other person had lowered their head to ponder over something.
“If I give you enough materials to refine a top-grade magic tool, how much certainty do you have?” Han Li raised his head and asked noncommittally.
“This depends on the quality of the materials as well as the requirements Senior has towards the magic tool. If the materials are average and the requirements for the magic tool are also average, I have a one-third chance of succeeding. However, if the refinement of the top-grade magic tool fails, the store will not refund the materials, because the rates of failure are too high! The two-fold compensation is only with regards to mid and high-grade magic tools; otherwise, perhaps this little elder would have already compensated himself to death!” Upon hearing Han Li ask this, the little elder was secretly happy in his heart, and he immediately and respectfully replied.
One had to know that what tool-refinement experts like him lacked the most was high-quality materials to refine with. The process of refining a few top-grade magic tools would greatly increase his tool-refining skill!
In addition, although the individual in front of him did not sound old, he was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator! The materials he could bring out would definitely not be normal. This caused him to look forward to it very much!
“I do have some materials, and I can let you try to refine them once. However, while you are refining the magic tool, I must be watching from the side. You can rest a.s.sured knowing that I will definitely not disturb you, and as long as the refinement is a success, I will give the leftover ingredients to you as a reward! I won’t let you work in vain!” Han Li made up his mind and said the aforementioned words after a moment of silence.
To Han Li, exchanging those precious Inky Flood Dragon materials for spirit stones was not as beneficial as directly refining them into a useful magic tool!
One had to know that although the number of top-grade magic tools he had currently was high among Qi Condensation disciples, he was unclear about it when compared to Foundation Establishment cultivators! However, he guessed that other people definitely would not have too few either.
“Excellent! Does Senior want to refine it right now? This little elder can begin at any time!” the elder cried out with antic.i.p.ation, seeing that Han Li really wanted to let him refine a top-grade magic tool. He immediately became excited and agreed to Han Li’s conditions.
“There are still some things I need to buy; when I finish my business, I will come back and we can begin!” Han Li shook his head and added after hearing this.
“Okay then! In that case, Junior will wait for Senior!” The elder, seeing that Han Li did not seem to want to let him begin his work immediately, couldn’t help but feel somewhat disappointed, but immediately afterwards, he recovered his state of mind. The elder said this respectfully.
Knowing that everything had been arranged, Han Li did not want to stay here any longer. After casually saying goodbye, he turned around and walked out of the store.
But before he had even walked a few tens of feet away from the store, the voice of the Confucian student suddenly came from behind him.
“Senior, please stop for a moment!”
Han Li’s figure paused; after hesitating for a moment, he stopped moving. Then, he turned around and saw the Confucian scholar chasing behind him. At this time, he was looking at Han Li with a face full of smiles.
“Is there something you need?” Han Li knitted his eyebrows and asked coldly.
He did not really like people who disturbed him for no reason.
“This Junior wanted to ask Senior if you came to this market intending to buy something. This Junior’s name is w.a.n.g Ziling, and I am often around this market. Perhaps my help can save Senior a significant amount of time!”
Hearing this, Han Li sized up the Confucian student with some confusion; suddenly, he lightly smiled and asked:
“Are you a frequent hire?”
Although the Confucian scholar couldn’t see Han Li’s expression clearly due to the cloak, he could clearly hear the laughter in Han Li’s voice, and his heart loosened up. He immediately replied:
“Senior guessed correctly; this Junior occasionally spends his time there. I am not exclusively hired by that one store, so Senior can feel free to relax!”
Han Li somewhat carelessly nodded his head, but he indifferently said:
“Although I don’t mind whether or not you are specifically hired by the store, this time I want to buy a few formation flags and formation plates. It seems like the best decision is to go to the Stardust Pavilion. I don’t think that I need any help!”