After hearing him out, the Half-Human Mist did not rush to name his terms. He asked in a buzzing voice, "You can enter and leave the Nether Realm?"
Shi Chun said, "Yes. I have a way in and out."
The Half-Human Mist buzzed again, "Repeatedly?"
Shi Chun said, "Yes."
The Half-Human Mist asked, "What standing do you have in the outside world?"
Shi Chun said, "My name is Shi Chun, Senior. I came from the Land of Exile and was only released a few years ago. Two years ago, my companions and I founded an artifact-refining school. We have barely a dozen people altogether. You could say I have no standing to speak of. I've been chased around like a dog. I happened to hear your story here, so I sought a way to ask for your help."
"The Land of Exile..." The Half-Human Mist sounded distinctly surprised, evidently not expecting to encounter someone like that here. Then he immediately stated his terms. "Very well. My condition is that you tell me how to enter and leave the Nether Realm."
Shi Chun had anticipated this. He shook his head. "It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, Senior. Even I can't explain it clearly. I stumbled upon this method by accident, and it is tied to the cultivation art I practice. If you insist on mastering it, you would first have to destroy your own law source and start cultivating again, to see whether you could master my cultivation art.
"There's no need for me to argue the point. If we reach an agreement, your discerning eyes will tell truth from falsehood. When we cross between the two realms, you'll see it for yourself and know that I wasn't lying."
The churning Half-Human Mist fell silent for a while, then