"What a waste of talent. Go back where you came from."
Before Nangong Pei could react, Shen Shitian's next words left him rooted to the spot.
"Huh?" Nangong Pei sounded somewhat incredulous.
"Didn't understand? Then let me tell you. Grandpa Shen means your talent is good, but unfortunately, your character is mediocre," Lu Wu chimed in.
"You little brat, why aren't you studying and cultivating properly at school? What are you doing here?" Shen Shitian said in a ringing voice.
At those words, Nangong Pei's expression changed drastically.
He had thought he must have misheard, but now it seemed that the brat he had looked down on actually knew Master Shen Shitian.
"You hadn't replied to my messages for over four months, Grandpa Shen, so I came looking for you," Lu Wu said. "Besides, I'm already on break."
"I've been rather busy lately. And didn't I tell you before that I'd be away for six months?" Shen Shitian had already been in high spirits.
Not seeing the little brat for over four months had made things a little quiet.
"Well, I missed you," Lu Wu said with a smile.
Ever since Grandpa Shen had discovered him two years ago, the two had kept spending time together. Four months ago, an old man had come looking for Grandpa Shen, and they had left.
He had even missed Lu Wu's awakening.
Lu Wu knew Grandpa Shen had something very important to do. He hardly ever used his phone anyway, but Lu Wu had never stopped sending messages.
"All right, all right. Since you're here, stay with me for a while," Shen Shitian said with a smile, looking toward the sharp-eyed, middle-aged man who had remained silent throughout. "Bring Lu Wu along."
"Yes."
The man nodded and looked at Lu Wu. "Elder Shen often mentions you. You can call me Uncle Jiang."
"Uncle Jiang, what does Grandpa Shen usually say about me? That I love studying and work enthusiastically..."
"Elder Shen says you're lively enough to keep his house from ever knowing peace."
"Ahem, sometimes I'm out doing odd jobs instead of staying home," Lu Wu said, somewhat embarrassed.
Seeing Lu Wu protest, Shen Shitian smiled, put away the mystic ice, and walked toward the elevator. Lu Wu followed close behind, with Jiang Chun behind them both.
The people from the Hunter Union did not follow and stayed where they were. Nangong Pei remained there too.
He watched Lu Wu leave, his expression extremely ugly. "Lu Wu, was it? I'll remember you."
"Achoo!!!"
Lu Wu suddenly sneezed in the elevator. Looking at Shen Shitian, he couldn't help asking curiously, "Grandpa Shen, is that piece of mystic ice in your hand essential for crafting magic artifacts?"
"Yes. By the way, what magic element did you awaken?" When Shen Shitian smiled, the wrinkles on his face seemed to multiply.
"Fire Element."
"Fire Element?" Shen Shitian was surprised. "I didn't expect you to have such decent talent."
"I came looking for you because I have a question about my magic element," Lu Wu said, quite pleased by Grandpa Shen's praise.
He had come because he still hadn't managed to control his seventh star, and because he hadn't seen Grandpa Shen in so long.
"Oh? What is it that made you come all this way? What would you have done if you couldn't find me?" Shen Shitian now looked just like an elder reunited with a younger family member after a long separation, speaking with a warm smile.
Standing nearby, Jiang Chun understood very clearly that Lu Wu probably held an even greater place in Elder Shen's heart than he had imagined.
"My problem isn't important. But about that piece of mystic ice in your hand-Grandpa Shen, why did you need to find someone?" Rather than answering directly, Lu Wu asked a question of his own.
"That's a secret art of your grandpa's, not passed on to outsiders. If your talent is good enough, I'll teach you all of it. I hope you'll work hard at cultivating and become able to cast magic as soon as possible."
"All right." Lu Wu did not sound particularly eager.
Compared with crafting magic artifacts, he wanted to improve the Dark Fire Ape's strength more.
Since he had the Sacrifice System, he would use it to improve himself whenever he had the chance.
When that wasn't an option, he would work hard at cultivating to improve his strength himself. Whether it was magic or the Shadow Demon, either could make him stronger!
Crafting magic artifacts, no matter the grade of the magic implement or magic tool, consumed a great deal of time and energy.
"Elder Shen's artifact-crafting methods stand in a class of their own worldwide and enjoy a tremendous reputation, yet you're not interested?" Jiang Chun was somewhat exasperated. Did this kid even know Elder Shen's standing?
"Just a decrepit old man," Shen Shitian said, quite satisfied with Lu Wu's reaction.
This was what Lu Wu was like.
He would try things that interested him, but had no desire to get involved with anything that didn't.
"It's a shame we didn't find the person we were looking for this time." Hearing that, Jiang Chun said no more on the matter.
"At worst, these old bones of mine will have to get moving again." Shen Shitian's gaze briefly sharpened.
"Grandpa Shen, what sort of Fire Element mage can refine mystic ice?" Lu Wu asked.
Since there was no distinction based on the level of Fire Element magic, he was quite curious about what requirements there were.
"Mystic ice only appears after ice elemental energy has accumulated for a hundred years. It appears even earlier than Ice Element spirit seeds or even soul seeds. It's just produced in larger quantities, and its formation conditions are somewhat simpler than those of seeds, though it takes a very long time," Shen Shitian explained gently. "The magic artifacts I make with mystic ice are more powerful."
"When it comes to crafting magic artifacts, no one can compare to Elder Shen," Jiang Chun added.
Jiang Chun himself had used Elder Shen's magic tools.
His current confidence in his ability to protect Elder Shen came partly from his own strength, and partly from the fact that the person he was protecting was Elder Shen!
"Mystic ice is ice elements accumulated over a hundred years?" Lu Wu's eyes lit up.
Doesn't that mean enough mystic ice could let me complete a sacrifice!
"What, are you interested in crafting magic artifacts now?" Shen Shitian asked, noticing the change in Lu Wu's eyes.
Even so, Shen Shitian knew full well that his approach to crafting magic artifacts required talent.
That talent had nothing to do with cultivation or magic, only with the crafting method he had created himself.
"If you're truly interested in spending time on this, I'll let you try once you've mastered your magic. If it doesn't work out, you can go to the Imperial Capital and become an apprentice to a master artifact crafter."
"I'm actually more interested in mystic ice." Lu Wu's eyes shone. "Grandpa Shen, from what you're saying, is this mystic ice an ice crystal mineral vein?"
"They're different." Shen Shitian shook his head.
He had intended to explain in detail, but the elevator had already arrived.
"You'd better tell me what your problem is. Jiang Chun isn't an outsider." Shen Shitian stepped out of the elevator.
Despite his age, his steps remained very steady.
"I've controlled six stars so far, but no matter what I do, I can't control the seventh."
Since Grandpa Shen had said that, Lu Wu naturally stopped concealing things.
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Wu noticed Grandpa Shen stop ahead of him and turn to look at him.
"You've already controlled six stars, in four months?" Jiang Chun was the most astonished.
Back then, he himself had only started trying to control his second star after four months!
"Who else knows about this?" Shen Shitian knew Lu Wu's talent was greater than he had imagined.
"Only you and Uncle Jiang, for now."
"How long have you been trying to control the seventh star?"
"Over a month, but I haven't made any progress." Lu Wu naturally knew his pace was very fast.
Those with the worst talent were probably only just starting to control their stars, while those with slightly better talent had controlled one or two.
Moreover, the further one progressed, the harder it became and the longer it took. Yet at Lu Wu's pace, he had reached the seventh over a month ago; he had simply spent a month without succeeding in controlling it.
"The seventh star is the final threshold to truly becoming a mage. It doesn't matter if it takes a little longer. Be patient." Shen Shitian had seen many geniuses, but he had truly never seen anyone progress as fast as Lu Wu.
Regarding this "difficulty" of Lu Wu's, all he could really do was tell him to be more patient.