A Calculated Investment

1,884 words

Chapter 227: The Intention to Befriend

“Senior, might you be interested in artifact refinement?” The stocky young man hesitated for a long time before suddenly blurting out this question, leaving Han Li utterly astonished.

“What do you mean?” Han Li asked, puzzled.

“You don’t mean to say you intend to teach me your refinement arts?” Han Li said, asking offhandedly.

“Senior has guessed correctly! The only thing I can offer is the artifact refinement knowledge I possess!” the young man said, somewhat dejectedly.

Han Li was speechless. He had only wanted to acquire a few more sets of array flags and plates. Who wanted his refinement arts? Besides, who did this young man think he was? Did he think his refinement arts were so rare? In the cultivation world, there were far too many cultivators who understood artifact refinement.

“However, bound by my clan’s precepts, I can only hand over a compilation of my refinement insights to you; I cannot personally teach you the art!” the young man quickly added, stammering.

Han Li blinked, even more at a loss for words.

Seeing that Han Li remained silent after hearing his proposal, as if unwilling, the young man’s expression grew tense. Forgetting to conceal his background, he hurriedly spoke the truth:

“My grandfather was once the Artifact Refinement Elder of the Divine Soldier Sect. His refinement arts had long reached the pinnacle of mastery. My own refinement arts were taught to me personally by him. Handing over my refinement notes to you today is already a violation of our clan’s precepts. How much you can gain from them in the future will be entirely up to your own fortune. But I can guarantee that they are all closely guarded secrets that have never been leaked to the cultivation world!”

When Han Li heard that the young man was a descendant of the Divine Soldier Sect’s Artifact Refinement Elder, his expression finally shifted.

Wasn’t the Divine Soldier Sect one of the three great orthodox sects of Yuanwu Kingdom, along with the Heavenly Star Sect and the Ten Thousand Wonders Abbey? Its sect’s artifact refinement arts, the Heavenly Star Sect’s formation arts, and the Ten Thousand Wonders Abbey’s talisman arts were all extremely renowned throughout the cultivation world of the nearby countries.

From this perspective, this person’s refinement notes were indeed out of the ordinary. Although he most likely would not learn them himself, keeping them in hand would still be a bargaining chip. Who knew when they might prove useful.

Han Li made up his mind, but he still opened his mouth to ask another question.

“Can your set of Reversed Five Elements Formation tools truly be improved further?”

“Certainly! My friend has already reached an extraordinary level in the Dao of formations. Combined with my artifact refinement skills, improving this set of formation tools will not be a major problem!” Seeing Han Li’s question, the young man knew that the other party had likely agreed. He immediately became overjoyed and patted his chest in assurance.

Han Li nodded and said nothing more. However, he did open the lid of the box in his hand. Instantly, a medicinal fragrance, rich with spiritual energy, filled the sound isolation barrier. The young man took a few light sniffs and carefully examined it several times with his eyes. Joy grew strong in his gaze, and he nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

Seeing this, Han Li smiled faintly and extended the box outwards.

The young man was delighted and quickly reached out to take it. But just as he grabbed a corner of the box and tried to pull it back, it felt as if the medicinal box had taken root in Han Li’s hand—it didn’t budge an inch! This stunned the young man, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

Seeing the other party raise his head, looking at him with some uncertainty, Han Li couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

It seemed this one truly was a young master from a distinguished family who had never experienced any real hardship! Could he not understand such an obvious hint?

With no other choice, Han Li simply moved his lips and spelled it out for him directly:

“Don’t you think it’s time to take out that set of formation tools and your refinement notes as well? We can then trade one for the other, goods and payment in hand. Wouldn’t that be more appropriate?”

“Oh… Senior is right. In my haste, I actually forgot!” The stocky young man suddenly understood. His face flushed bright red as he released the box and fumbled through the storage pouch at his chest, pulling out a stack of items.

“These are the complete set of eighteen array plates and thirty-six array flags for the Reversed Five Elements Formation. As long as you arrange them precisely according to the method described in this jade slip, the grand formation will take effect immediately. And this book, the Art of Soaring Cloud, contains my twenty-odd years of artifact refinement insights. I hope that after reading it, Senior will try to keep it from spreading outside, lest the Divine Soldier Sect comes looking for you. Because many of the refinement methods within are closely guarded secrets of the sect!” The young man explained in great detail and even gave Han Li a rather sincere warning.

Upon hearing this, Han Li’s fondness for the young man greatly increased! An entirely different thought abruptly surfaced in his mind.

After a moment’s hesitation, Han Li immediately stuffed the box in his hand into the other’s embrace, and then took the stack of items from his hands.

This sudden, uncharacteristic act from Han Li instead left the stocky young man bewildered for a moment, unsure of what was happening.

“Art of Soaring Cloud. Soaring Cloud must be your given name. Might I ask your surname?” Han Li’s attitude had shifted from its initial coldness. After glancing over the items briefly, he became quite affable toward the young man.

“My surname is Qi. Qi Yunxiao. Does Senior have any further instructions?” The young man hesitated for a moment before speaking up, unsure of Han Li’s intentions.

“Nothing much. I just wanted to let you know that although I have accepted these notes, I will seal them with a sealing technique and will not touch them for five years. If, within these five years, you truly manage to improve this set of formation tools for me, I will return this book to you intact, without turning a single page. What do you think?”

“Really? Then… then many thanks to Senior! I am truly, extremely grateful! As for the matter of improving the Reversed Five Elements Formation’s tools, please rest assured, Senior! Even if my friend cannot succeed in the improvements, I will still persuade him to set up a genuine grand formation for Senior on site!” Upon hearing Han Li’s words, the young man was overjoyed and quickly gave his assurance.

Seeing this, Han Li gave a faint smile. He picked up the Art of Soaring Cloud notes and placed them between his palms.

With Han Li softly chanting an incantation, a stream of silver runes suddenly surged from between his hands. After swirling above his palms for a moment, they burrowed into the book and vanished without a trace. At the same time, the Art of Soaring Cloud flashed with silver light, emitting a faint silvery glow. The entire book suddenly took on a silvery, metallic texture, making it impossible to open even a crack.

“Alright, the seal is complete. Now, leave your spiritual power upon the seal. This way, when it is returned in the coming years, you will know whether or not I have broken the seal!” Han Li tossed the sealed book over, and the young man caught it with a mixture of surprise and joy.

The young man hesitated for a moment, then stamped his foot and truly left his spiritual power on the seal. With a look blending gratitude and suspicion, he returned the book to Han Li.

At this point, Han Li had a fairly good read on the other party’s mindset. He knew it was impossible to gain his complete trust all at once. But in a few years, when he returned this perfectly sealed book, he would likely be able to build a connection with this young man and his formation master friend.

Of course, whether this person was truly worth him making a sincere effort to befriend would only be known after a long period of interaction.

Thus, Han Li put the book away, asked the young man for a method of contact, and then, without a single superfluous word, drifted away, leaving the place.

The young man remained standing there, as if he still couldn’t believe it. The thousand-year spiritual medicine had come into his hands so easily! He gave the hard medicine box a firm squeeze, his eyes filled with a mix of excitement and bewilderment.

Han Li, meanwhile, was in a very good mood as he walked back toward the artifact refinement shop.

Qi Yunxiao’s artifact refinement skills and his friend’s identity as a formation master were far more valuable than a dead book! If he could establish a relationship with them, it would surely be a great help to his future cultivation path. Han Li was absolutely certain of this.

Han Li finally returned to the shop that had taken his commission. The white-haired old man had been anxiously awaiting his arrival.

When he saw that Han Li had truly kept his word and reappeared, the shop owner immediately beamed with delight. He ordered the burly man to serve tea and rare fruit, personally accompanied Han Li at the table, and kept addressing him as “Senior.” Even someone as thick-skinned as Han Li felt his face grow hot.

Next, Han Li took out the centipede back shells right in front of the old man. The old man’s expression flickered, and he immediately picked up a small piece, carefully feeling and examining it.

“This is the outer shell of a first-tier upper-grade venomous insect-type demon beast. It is indeed excellent artifact refinement material! Especially now, when demon beasts are becoming rarer in the outside world, and venomous insect-type demon beasts are even harder to come by.” The wrinkles on the old man’s face relaxed a little, and he spoke with a beaming smile.

As he had expected, the materials on this person were not some scrap metal or miscellaneous junk, but the rare hard shells of insect-type demon beasts. These were excellent materials, very suitable for making protective armor or shield-type magical tools.

He estimated that, before refinement, these insect shells could already withstand a single blow from a top-grade magical tool without significant damage. Once successfully refined, they could easily be elevated to the ranks of top-grade magical tools.

The more the white-haired old man looked, the happier he became. He picked up the shell pieces with a joyful expression, ready to set off. But Han Li stopped him.

“Shopkeeper, wait. There are still some materials I haven’t taken out yet!” Seeing how impatient the old man was, Han Li couldn’t help but frown slightly, beginning to doubt if he had chosen the wrong artisan for this job.

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Quiet Victory – Han Li’s Long Game

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The Reversed Five Elements Formation (颠倒五行阵) is a standout piece of worldbuilding. In xianxia, formations are often divided into killing formations (that destroy enemies), trapping formations (that seal areas), and—rarest of all—illusion formations. The Reversed Five Elements Formation is a “Minor Forbidden Array” that specializes in misdirection and concealment, making it a prized defensive asset for any solo cultivator. Portable versions (using pre-made array flags and plates) are considered precious because they don’t require the user to master the complex art of formation-setting; you just place them in the right spots and activate them.

The “thank-you-for-teaching” gift that Li Huayuan earlier leveraged is a classic institutional trick in the cultivation world. In a system where masters hold all the cards, giving something “for free” (like guidance to a disciple-on-probation) and then demanding an “etiquette offering” in return is a form of soft exploitation. Han Li recognizing this pattern is part of his education in navigating sect politics—he learns not to trust generosity without a price tag.

Memory Sealing (封印之术) is a neat technique that appears across xianxia. It allows a cultivator to bind a book or jade slip to a specific time condition or a spiritual fingerprint. The silver runes Han Li uses here are a low-grade variant—enough to deter casual tampering, but not an immortal-level absolute lock. It’s a symbol of trust that also doubles as a tracking mechanism; if the seal is broken, Qi Yunxiao will know.

Memory Seal

A cultivation technique that binds a book or jade slip with silver runes, preventing it from being opened without breaking the seal. The seal can be keyed to a spiritual fingerprint for verification.

Silence Barrier

A sound-dampening technique used by cultivators to create a private space for negotiation, preventing eavesdropping.

Chapter Overview

After a tense standoff, Han Li’s transaction with the stocky young Qi Yunxiao takes an unexpected turn. What begins as a straightforward material trade morphs into a long-term strategic investment. Han Li receives a complete set of formation tools for the legendary Reversed Five Elements Formation and a rare volume of artifact refinement notes. But instead of hoarding the knowledge, he seals the notes with a time-lock spell and sets a five-year challenge: improve the formation tools, and the pristine notes will be returned. Then, in classic Mortal Stream style, Han Li does the boring-but-brilliant thing: he visits the artifact shop to transact his centipede shells, reminding us that logistics always follow a hard-won victory.

Key Plot Points

Qi Yunxiao reveals his identity as the descendant of a Divine Soldier Sect Artifact Refinement Elder and offers his personal refinement notes in exchange for the spiritual herb.
Han Li agrees, but instead of just taking the notes and walking away, he makes a counter-offer that reeks of long-term calculation: he seals the book and promises to return it unread if Qi can improve the formation tools within five years.
This move isn’t charity—it’s a social engineering play. Han Li plants the seeds of a future alliance with a gifted refiner and his formation master friend.
Han Li returns to the shop and completes the material transaction, selling the centipede shells to the white-haired shop owner who nearly runs off with them like an excited child.
The chapter closes with Han Li’s inner acknowledgment: connections with skilled craftsmen are worth more than any dead book.

Reading Guide

This chapter is what we in the biz call a “quiet victory” —no explosions, no deaths, no dramatic duel. But for readers of the Mortal Stream, these are the chapters that age like fine wine. Han Li isn’t just buying a set of array tools; he’s hedging his friendship bets. Qi Yunxiao is clearly a sheltered heir from a fallen lineage—he’s honest, desperate, and has a friend who is a formation genius. Instead of extracting maximum short-term value (reading the notes now), Han Li invests in long-term credibility. Return the notes unimproved and keep the seal intact, and Qi will trust him for life. That’s the kind of play that pays dividends ten chapters down the line.

Also, let’s appreciate the shopkeeper scene: the old man practically vibrating at the sight of rare centipede shells is a hilarious counterpoint to Han Li’s icy pragmatism. It’s the kind of grounded, human moment that makes the cultivation world feel lived in—not every interaction is a life-or-death ambush. Sometimes, it’s just a cranky craftsman trying to scam a good deal.

The Art of the Long Con

This chapter is a masterclass in deferred value—a concept that separates the ordinary rogue cultivator from someone who actually has a shot at Foundation Establishment. Qi Yunxiao’s Art of Soaring Cloud notes might contain genuine sect-level secrets, but Han Li knows that a book without context or collaboration is just a useless trophy. The real treasure? The relationship with Qi and his friend. So he turns a one-time trade into a five-year probationary alliance, and he lets Qi keep the spiritual herb to prove his goodwill. If Qi improves the formation tools, Han Li gets a better set and still has the option to read the notes. If Qi fails, Han Li can still open the seal—at no cost. This is the strategic patience of someone who plays the game board, not just the current turn.

Final Thoughts

For the journey-reader, this chapter is a palate cleanser—a chance to watch Han Li operate outside of combat. His ability to pivot from suspicious trade partner to long-term networking is just as important as his ability to dodge a flying sword. And the centipede shell transaction adds a nice touch of “boring-but-profitable” reality to the cultivation economy. Not bad for a chapter where almost nothing “happens.” Get ready, fellow Daoists; the quiet moments are where the real wars are won.