Having returned to the Sect, two days had already passed.
Yuan Ming didn't go straight back to his residence, but instead made a detour to the Fire Workshop.
"Junior Brother Yuan, you've been out for quite a long ti recently, and many of the Fire Refining Hall's duties have been left unattended. I'm afraid you don't have enough contribution points left to deduct, do you?" Fang Ge saw Yuan Ming and couldn't help but put on a serious face.
Hearing this, Yuan Ming knew that Brother Fang Ge was always fair and wasn't deliberately making things difficult for him. He spoke out of duty, and there was even a hint of concern for him.
After all, not participating in the Sect's daily duties for a long ti ant not only would there be no contribution points to collect, but there would even be a deduction of the existing points.
The Sect certainly wouldn't support idlers.
"Brother Fang Ge, the recent alliance eting at White Deer Hill had itching to focus on cultivation, so I neglected my duties here. I apologize for making you worry on my behalf. However, rest assured, I did complete quite a few other tasks earlier, so I still have so contribution points left," Yuan Ming said with a smile, approaching him.
"You manage your own affairs. I'm only reminding you. But Artifact Refining is a skill that requires practice. If you don't do it for too long, you'll inevitably beco rusty," Fang Ge nodded. He had no intention of scolding and simply spoke his thoughts.
"I understand. Just the other day, I found a very interesting tal while I was out in the workshop. I wonder if you could take a look for ?" Yuan Ming suggested with a smile.
"Show it to ," Fang Ge replied, clearly interested.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming imdiately twisted his wrist and took out a fist-sized dark red tal block and handed it to Fang Ge.
"Is this... Fire Red Copper? This thing is not easy to find," Fang Ge said after carefully observing the tal for a mont, a rare expression of surprise appearing on his face.
"So it's Fire Red Copper. Brother Fang Ge is indeed experienced and knowledgeable," Yuan Ming pretended to suddenly realize and comnted.
"Junior Brother Yuan, how much of this spiritual material do you have, and would you consider selling so to ?" Fang Ge, who was hard-pressed to let go of the tal, eagerly inquired.
He had been trying to refine a Magic Artifact of a particular quality, and a shortage of this material had kept him from completing it.
"This item is of no use to . If you like it, Brother, feel free to take it," Yuan Ming replied.
Hearing this, Fang Ge's joyful expression stiffened, and he quickly realized that Yuan Ming wasn't unfamiliar with the item; it was clear that he had been looking for an opportunity to give it to him.
"Junior Brother Yuan, I appreciate your kindness. But things must have a price. Tell what you want for it now; I cannot take advantage of you," Fang Ge said earnestly.
"Alright, to be honest, I got it at the workshop market as a bargain, just two spirit stones," Yuan Ming sighed.
He was lying; he had actually found it while rummaging through the storage bag of so unlucky fellow.
"I'll give you three spirit stones," Fang Ge proposed after so thought.
"Just two. This is a token of my appreciation. If it were a business transaction, I wouldn't sell it," Yuan Ming said, looking at him with a half-smile.
"Alright," Fang Ge swiftly agreed without any hesitation.
After happily accepting the tal, Yuan Ming bid farewell and then proceeded to the Artifact House to see Mu He.
Yuan Ming had also prepared a gift for him.
Unlike Brother Fang Ge's strictly by-the-book manner, Mu He readily accepted the gift without even thanking him.
More than receiving gifts, he was interested in Yuan Ming's previous endeavor to refine the Green Fish Sword.
Upon learning that Yuan Ming had successfully had the sword refined by an outsider, Mu He earnestly requested to see the sword for himself.
Unable to refuse, Yuan Ming took out the Cold Star Sword and presented it for Mu He's appreciation.
After inspecting it, Mu He was even more enthusiastic than the Three Cave Masters, exclaiming "exquisite" repeatedly as he cradled the Cold Star Sword in his arms, refusing to put it down and insisting on seeing Yuan Ming demonstrate its power for him. This сhаptеr wаs mаdе pоssiblе by thе МV_LЕМРYR соmmunity.
Yuan Ming finally managed to extricate himself and left the Artifact House to head straight for the residence of the Three Cave Masters.
However, the Three Cave Masters were not there.
Unable to find the person he was looking for, Yuan Ming turned and went to the valley between the mountains of the Fire Refining Hall and the Alchemy Hall.
The Fisherman was rolling up his sleeves and trousers, bending over and wielding a hoe to loosen the soil of the dicinal fields. Seeing Yuan Ming arrive, he placed the hoe on his shoulder and straightened his back.
"Elder Fisherman, I have brought you so wine. Is there any at to eat today?" Yuan Ming promptly took out the two jars of fine wine he had prepared, holding them high with both hands and calling out from afar.
"You, young man, it's been quite a while since you've co to see this old man," the Fisherman complained slightly.
"These past days have been busy indeed. Haven't I co to visit you as soon as I had the chance?" Yuan Ming responded with a smile.
Hoisting his hoe, the Fisherman walked onto the field ridges, casually pulling up a spiritual dicine from the ground.
"Did you manage to buy those Central Plains spices I asked you for last ti?" the Fisherman inquired, waiting for Yuan Ming to approach.
"I only managed to find so Sichuan pepper and cinnamon. The rest are really hard to co by," Yuan Ming replied truthfully.
"Hmm... Not bad, not bad at all. With these two, we can already make sothing with a different flavor," the Fisherman said delightedly, leading the way ahead, guiding Yuan Ming back to his thatched cottage.
After seating Yuan Ming, the Fisherman went out to practice his traditional skill of fishing.
In a short while, when he returned, his fish basket was filled with three plump Silver Scale Colorful Fish.
The fisherman never needed Yuan Ming's help and quickly prepared the Silver Scale Colorful Fish before stewing it in a pot.
While waiting for the fish to stew, Yuan Ming got so wine bowls and poured wine for both the fisherman and himself. They started eating and drinking with so sauce-coated at and side dishes that Yuan Ming had brought back.
After two bowls of wine, the fisherman first praised them heartily, then, noticing how Yuan Ming was drinking his wine, he beca displeased.
"Look here, Yuan, what are you doing, sipping like it's tea? You're barely having any," the fisherman said discontentedly.
"I was just trying to leave more for you," Yuan Ming said with an awkward smile.
"I've been here for so many years, and it's not often I et soone I take to like you. Drink up when you're here. I won't say much else, but there's always enough fish," the fisherman said and took a big swig of the wine himself.
Yuan Ming followed suit and drank heartily as well.
"Don't restrain yourself when drinking, and don't use your mana to dissipate the alcohol. It's better to feel a bit drunk," the fisherman emphasized.
"Elder, is there sothing troubling you?" Yuan Ming asked, sensing that the fisherman was a bit off today.
"I'm just a wanderer with no worries. Co on, let's eat so fish," the fisherman said, shaking his head. He then picked up a big piece of fish with his chopsticks and started eating.
Seeing that the other party did not wish to talk, Yuan Ming did not press further, and the two chatted sporadically.
This was one of the rare places in Biluo Cave where he could truly relax.
"How did you co to Biluo Cave?" the fisherman suddenly asked.
Yuan Ming thought for a mont and did not hide anything; he recounted how he had struggled for survival as a Fur Beast Slave and how he joined the sect.
The fisherman listened attentively to the whole story, said nothing, and simply clinked bowls with Yuan Ming, both taking a big gulp.
Before they knew it, the sun had set, and in the gaps between the mountains, they could see the twilight gradually being engulfed by darkness. Yuan Ming's cheeks were flushed red from drinking, and he felt a buzz of tipsiness.
"Yuan, while I'm three sheets to the wind, I'll tell you, this place wasn't originally called Biluo Cave," the fisherman said as he looked into the distant shadows.
"What was it called then?" Yuan Ming said, surprised.
"This place had no na before. I nad it Three Stars Mountain because these three peaks stand side by side, corresponding to three stars in the sky," the fisherman explained.
"You nad it?" Yuan Ming asked, increasingly curious.
"Yes, I did," the fisherman nodded.
Yuan Ming's hand, holding the wine bowl, suddenly froze.
"You... you're not..."
In his heart, he had always suspected that this kind old man might be the stabilizing force of Biluo Cave, the elusive Great Elder whose na was known but who remained unseen.
But after more interactions, Yuan Ming thought it unlikely.
However, hearing him now, Yuan Ming couldn't help but wonder again. He reasoned that aside from the Great Elder, he couldn't imagine who else would have the authority to na or rena Biluo Cave.
"I'm not," the fisherman said with a glance, guessing Yuan Ming's thoughts.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming, without realizing it, breathed a sigh of relief.
Deep down, he didn't want the fisherman to be the Great Elder.
"There must be so unknown story behind the renaming of Three Stars Mountain to Biluo Cave," Yuan Ming said, puzzled.
The fisherman didn't answer directly but began to tell a story:
"Do you know, in the Central Plains there's a bird called the cuckoo? They don't build nests but lay their eggs in the nests of magpies. To ensure their offspring hatch, they push the magpie eggs out to break them, thereby taking over the magpies' nests," he said.
Yuan Ming was familiar with the tale of the cuckoo usurping the magpie's nest and listened with bated breath, the drunkenness fading away.
"May I ask, Elder, what beca of the magpies whose nest was taken?" he asked cautiously.
"The magpies? They built themselves a little nest under the tree. They planted flowers and fished every day, and lived quite comfortably," the fisherman replied with a slight smile and an air of tranquility.
"So, you were the forr master of Biluo Cave!" Yuan Ming exclaid in astonishnt.
"When one is idle, they tend to beco nostalgic. I just miss the pristine beauty of Three Stars Mountain," the fisherman sighed.
"Well, it's good. No conflicts, no worries. Elder, you truly are clear-headed," Yuan Ming consoled.
The fisherman neither agreed nor disagreed, simply taking a light sip from his cup.
"I've always known that the fisherman wasn't ordinary, but I didn't expect you had such a past," Yuan Ming reflected.
"These Three Stars Mountain, I lost them after a fight. Although my heart was full of reluctance and bitterness, there was a bet beforehand. I honored the gamble and admitted defeat; after all, a loss is a loss. At that ti, Chen Cangqiong had a certain degree of tolerance. He didn't kill or drive away but wanted to recruit to serve under him," the fisherman confessed in response to Yuan Ming's question.
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