Shu Han held his breath and approached, his Foundation Establishment stage spiritual sense quietly probing.

Scanning with his spiritual sense, Shu Han discovered that Fei Zhengyang was surrounded by three cultivators who had reached the twelfth level of Qi Refining. One of them was a handsome young man in a purple robe who appeared quite powerful, probably the Elder Brother Kong they mentioned.

Listening to their conversation, Shu Han realized that these people were creditors.

Fei Zhengyang had spent all his spiritual stones and even borrowed money to enjoy himself at the Floating Fragrance Pavilion! And the interest rate was not low! He had borrowed three hundred low-grade spiritual stones a year ago, and now he had to repay six hundred. The debt had doubled in just one year.

Despite owing so many spiritual stones, Fei Zhengyang was still generous enough to invite guests for flower wine tonight.

Shu Han didn't know what to say about this guy.

In the end, these people found out that Fei Zhengyang only had a little over twenty spiritual stones on him. They rewarded him with a beating and ordered him to repay six hundred right now or nine hundred in three months! Otherwise, they would report this matter to the sect's adjudicating elders.

After that, the group left. Fei Zhengyang, beaten to a pulp, struggled up from the ground, swearing a few times. Covering his face, he walked out of the grove. After hesitating in front of the Floating Fragrance Pavilion, he decided to return to the Treasure Peak.

Just as he was leaving, he bumped straight into Shu Han.

Fei Zhengyang, with a swollen face, asked in surprise, "Zimo, weren't you enjoying yourself inside? Finished so soon?"

Uh?

Shu Han didn't understand what he was talking about, so he just nodded.

Then, Fei Zhengyang, his eyes resembling a panda's due to the bruising, looked at Shu Han disdainfully. He said mockingly, "What happened? Did you finish so quickly? You, boy, must have been fooling around with mortal women outside, tsk tsk, you've depleted your energy! If I had known you'd be so quick, I wouldn't have spent so many spiritual stones bringing you here. A total waste."

As they walked, Fei Zhengyang lamented, "Brother, I'm finished this time. In three months, I will be handed over to the adjudicating elder. Those damned loan sharks! I only borrowed three hundred, but they want me to repay nine hundred! It's too much."

Shu Han asked, "Isn't there anyone who can control this?"

"Who dares to? The adjudicating elder is his father!"

Shu Han: ...

Fei Zhengyang raged, "What should I do? If I really can't repay it, that guy will definitely make me pay!"

Shu Han tentatively asked, "Aren't you a tool refiner? Why don't you refine some tools to repay the debt?"

"If only it were that easy!" Fei Zhengyang held his face and said, "You know very well, as a disciple of the Treasure Peak, most of my time is spent assisting Master in refining tools. I only have a little time to take on private jobs in my own Earthfire House. Also, my forging level is at most high-grade. To repay nine hundred spirit stones, it has to be a top-grade magic tool!"

Hearing this, an idea popped into Shu Han's mind. He said, "That's easy. Lend me your Earthfire House, and I'll forge the magic tool for you to repay your debt."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Huh?" Fei Zhengyang looked at Shu Han as if he were an idiot, "Brother Zimo, I feel like you've become a completely different person since you've returned! Since when do you speak about tool refining? I appreciate your kind, but it's too far-fetched."

Shu Han took out the "300 Solutions to Refining Tools" and said, "When I was on a mission outside, I received guidance from a master and fell in love with tool refining. I've successfully refined several high-grade magic tools. Since your Earthfire House is usually empty anyway, why not lend it to me? Who knows, it might solve your urgent problem."

"You've been able to refine high-grade magic tools in just over two years? Who are you trying to fool?"

Shu Han smiled and said, "If you don't believe me, let's go to your Earthfire House now. I'll show you my tool-refining skills."

"Hmph! I thought you had changed, but you're still the same, all talk and no action. Fine, since I can't touch a girl tonight anyway, I'll accompany you, a big man, to the Earthfire House."

Shu Han laughed, "If I succeed, I won't do it for free."

Fei Zhengyang shivered, playing the fool, "Brother, if you fancy anything on me, just take it."

Shu Han said, "You are a disciple of the Treasure Peak, surely you have access to the high-grade materials there, so why don't you..."

Fei Zhengyang quickly interrupted, "You're not asking me to steal materials for you, are you? That's a capital offense! If I could steal materials, would I still lack nine hundred spiritual stones?"

Shu Han quickly said, "No, no! There's always waste in tool refining. You help me get a little of the offcuts of rare materials, just a bit of each kind will do. No one will notice."

"What do you want the offcuts for?"

Shu Han said, "To study the properties of the materials and improve my tool refining skills!"

Fei Zhengyang scoffed, "I told you, you don't understand tool refining. The offcuts can't be shaped! And yet you pretend to be a tool refining master in front of me."

"You don't need to worry about how I'll use them. Just tell me if it's a deal!"

Fei Zhengyang patted Shu Han on the shoulder and said, "Deal! If you can even refine a mid-grade magic tool, then it's settled!"

Shu Han followed Fei Zhengyang to the waist of the Treasure Peak, where the disciples of the peak had hollowed out the area like a beehive, with Earthfire Houses scattered about. Each Earthfire House was connected to the main vein of Earthfire of the Treasure Peak, providing robust and endless fire power.

With the token of Treasure Peak, Fei Zhengyang led Shu Han into his own Earthfire House. The most eye-catching part of the Earthfire House was the large copper furnace in the center. This copper furnace was comparable to the one that his Master used to have, but it was the standard configuration for all Qi Refining disciples of the Treasure Peak.

Below the copper furnace was a complex formation with a pit in the center.

Fei Zhengyang activated the formation with his token, and a surging white Earthfire gushed out from the pit, instantly raising the temperature of the Earthfire House. Shu Han was skilled in alchemy and tool refining, but he had only ever used Pill Fire for refining and had never seen Earthfire. Now he realized how laborious and time-consuming it was to refine with Pill Fire, which could not be compared to the endless and stable Earthfire.

Fei Zhengyang brought a pile of cheap materials over and said, "Zimo, don't bother refining tools. Just purify these materials. Purifying and refining basic materials is the most fundamental skill."

Testing my basic skills?

Shu Han couldn't help but chuckle in his heart. Back when he was refining tools, thanks to the black jar, he had almost unlimited materials to practice with. His basic skills were incredibly solid.

Shu Han put these materials into the copper furnace. His spiritual sense began to guide the Earthfire along the formation patterns to heat the mixed materials in the furnace.

Fei Zhengyang watched with his arms crossed, "You seem to know what you're doing."

However, he soon nearly popped his eyes out.

Shu Han was actually able to use his spiritual sense to divide the Earthfire into seventeen branches and precisely refine the seventeen different materials in the furnace.

Fei Zhengyang had to admit that he couldn't match such an accurate and skilled operation.

'This guy has actually developed such advanced tool refining skills in just over three years outside?'

Immersed in the process, Shu Han purified all the materials in the furnace of impurities by midnight.

Fei Zhengyang gaped, "Zimo, you should have joined us at the Treasure Peak. With your skills after just three years of training outside, you have the potential to become a top-grade tool refiner!"

Snapping out of his focus, Shu Han asked, "So, is our deal on?"

"On!" Fei Zhengyang shook Shu Han's hand sincerely, "From now on, this Earthfire House is yours! Please help me get through this difficulty! From now on, all flower wine expenses will be on me!"

"What about the materials?"

Fei Zhengyang thumped his chest, "Leave the offcuts to me. Whatever you need, I will get a bit for you. But really, just a little bit. Don't complain about it being too little later!"