The evening glow dyed the Repair Hall’s backyard a warm orange hue. The air carried the scent of dry earth and the faint, charred aroma of spiritual materials.

Under the old locust tree in the yard, Su Ming was bent over, holding a carving knife in his hand. He pointed at a small formation plate on the stone table before him, explaining in a low voice to Zhang Asheng beside him.

“Asheng, look at the Li Position of this ‘Constant Temperature Formation Plate’. The output of fire elemental power isn’t always better when it’s greater.” Su Ming’s tone was steady. His carving knife lightly traced an extremely fine loop at the edge of a formation line. “Too rigid and it becomes brittle; too hot and it becomes unstable. You need to add a ‘reflux line’ here, letting the excess heat cycle back to the formation’s core to create a self-sustaining loop. It’s like… leaving a vent when boiling water, understand?”

Zhang Asheng was listening intently, sweat beading on his forehead, but his eyes shone with intense focus. He nodded repeatedly. “Hall Master, I understand! It’s about not letting the fire energy suffocate inside!”

Just then, the courtyard gate was gently knocked.

The knocking was neither hurried nor slow, yet it carried a steady, rhythmic quality, completely different from the usual urgent knocks of outer sect disciples rushing to get their magical implements repaired.

Su Ming’s brow lifted slightly. He set down his carving knife, signaled for Zhang Asheng to step back for now, then stood up and went to open the door.

The latch slid open, revealing a face that was familiar yet somehow slightly unfamiliar.

The visitor wore white robes, the hem stained with a bit of dust—the mark of a long journey.

He carried a longsword on his back. His features were still handsome, but the arrogance and flamboyance that once marked his brow had lessened, replaced by a layer of weathered composure.

It was none other than Formation Peak’s genius, Luo Feng.

“Junior Brother Su, my apologies for the disturbance.”

Luo Feng stood outside the gate, his gaze settling on Su Ming, his expression complex.

He held a delicate jade box in his hand. Instead of stepping directly in, he gave a slight bow, his tone carrying a hint of apology. “I’ve come… to apologize.”

Su Ming was momentarily taken aback. He stepped aside to make way, clasping his hands in greeting. “Senior Brother Luo, what brings you to say such a thing? Please, come in.”

The two sat down by the stone table in the yard. Su Ming poured a cup of clear tea. The steam from the hot tea wafted up gently in the evening breeze.

Luo Feng held the teacup but did not drink. He merely let out a bitter chuckle. “Half a year ago, Elder Qingquan mentioned that after your outer sect assessment, he wished to invite you to Emerald Wave Pond for a meeting. At the time, I confidently promised I would take you there. Yet this delay has stretched on for several months. Making you wait in vain was my fault.”

Hearing this, understanding dawned on Su Ming.

Truthfully, these past few months he had been busy with the Repair Hall’s expansion and his own cultivation, and hadn’t really kept this matter at the forefront of his mind.

However, the fact that Luo Feng would specially visit his door to apologize for it showed genuine sincerity.

“Senior Brother, you are too serious.” Su Ming offered a gentle smile. “In cultivation, time holds little meaning; several months are but the snap of a finger. Moreover, I see you are travel-worn. Your aura, though restrained, carries a faint hint of wind and thunder. I presume you accepted some formidable, important task?”

“Junior Brother Su’s eyes are indeed sharp.”

Luo Feng placed the jade box in his hand on the table and sighed softly. “Just before your assessment, I accepted an urgent sect mission—to refine formation plates for a Yin Vein node in the Northern Mang Ghost Domain.”

“The Northern Mang Ghost Domain?” Su Ming’s gaze sharpened. That was a truly perilous place, perpetually shrouded in Yin and baleful energy. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators dared not venture deep lightly.

“Exactly.” Luo Feng nodded, a flicker of trepidation passing through his eyes. “That node was experiencing violent Yin energy disturbances, urgently requiring a set of core formation plates for a ‘Nine Palaces Soul Locking Formation’ to suppress it. This formation concerned the safety of all living beings within a hundred-mile radius. I had no choice but to devote myself entirely, entering seclusion for a full three months. It was only yesterday that I achieved some success.”

At this point, Luo Feng looked at Su Ming, his gaze sincere. “Once I entered that seclusion, I missed the opportunity to take you to meet the Elder. I truly feel ashamed.”

Hearing this, Su Ming’s expression turned solemn. He stood up and offered Luo Feng a formal, respectful bow.

“Senior Brother, you toiled for a crucial sect mission, placed yourself in a dangerous location, and protected an entire region. This is a great act of righteousness. I, Su Ming, am merely an outer sect disciple. What virtue or ability do I possess to make Senior Brother hold such concern for me? If Senior Brother speaks of apology again, you will only belittle this junior.”

These words Su Ming spoke were utterly sincere. Although he cultivated the “Way of Survival,” that did not hinder his respect for those who truly had a sense of duty.

In his Consciousness Sea, Lin Yu clicked his tongue in admiration. “Well said, watertight. It both praises the other party and makes you seem magnanimous. Disciple, your social etiquette is becoming increasingly polished.”

Seeing Su Ming’s frank and open expression, the knot of unease in Luo Feng’s heart also dissipated considerably.

He pushed the jade box on the table towards Su Ming and gently opened it.

A wave of bone-chilling cold instantly spilled out, lowering the temperature in the immediate surroundings by several degrees.

Inside the box lay an ice-blue jade talisman. Its surface was carved with intricate, complex formation lines, shimmering with a radiant, flowing light. One look told it was no ordinary item.

“This is a ‘Cold Jade Formation Rune’,” Luo Feng explained. “It’s a protective item I refined during my Foundation Establishment stage, using essence gathered from ten-thousand-year-old glacial ice. When activated, it can withstand a full-power strike from an early Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

Luo Feng paused. A profound, abyss-like aura faintly emanated from him—a pressure far exceeding the Foundation Establishment stage. Though it flashed by in an instant, it sent a violent tremor through Su Ming’s heart.

“Now that I’ve reached the Golden Core stage, this item is of little use to me.” Luo Feng smiled, a trace of pride in his tone. “Consider it an apology gift. Junior Brother, please do not refuse.”

“Since Senior Brother Luo has put it that way, I have no choice but to accept.” Su Ming took a deep breath. Without false modesty, he accepted the jade box generously. “Congratulations on your great progress along the Dao and your successful attainment of the Golden Core.”

Luo Feng waved his hand, his expression turning serious again. “Let’s set aside reminiscing for now. Actually, Elder Qingquan concluded his travels and returned to Emerald Wave Pond three months ago. He specifically asked about you.”

Su Ming’s heart stirred. “What did the Elder say?”

“I reported truthfully about the things you’ve done at the Repair Hall, including that standardized process and your unique insights into material handling.” Luo Feng looked at Su Ming. “After hearing it, the Elder only said one thing.”

He cleared his throat, imitating the Elder’s tone. “‘The foundational method values perseverance above all. Since he is in the process of tempering himself, let him temper a while longer. If the mind is not settled, even the highest skill is a castle in the air. Bring him to see me after your Nine Palaces formation plate is completely successful.'”

Luo Feng pointed at himself. “The core formation plate for my ‘Nine Palaces Soul Locking Formation’ is currently only seventy percent complete. It will take at most another month to finish it completely. When that time comes, regardless of your cultivation level, Junior Brother, I will personally take you to Emerald Wave Pond.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep