Chapter 2550 — Revealing a Secret

"Nothing much. A former acquaintance of mine had a disciple with exactly this attribute. He became an artifact forger rather than an alchemist." White Collar Leader did not elaborate; clearly he was reluctant to discuss the past.

Wei Zhao nodded and asked nothing further.

"A pity. Still, it may be for the best. I'll help you gather some training materials for artifact forgers. Your kind of constitution is a rarity seen once in a thousand years, all the more precious. If you truly possess the metal attribute, then becoming an artifact forger is no mere dream—and you would surpass an alchemist!" White Collar Leader consoled him.

"Thank you, Teacher Bai!" Hearing this, Wei Zhao was genuinely moved. He and White Collar Leader shared only an ordinary teacher-student relationship. White Collar Leader's kindness had begun with the time Wei Zhao had stepped in to save him, but by now the debt of gratitude had long since been repaid, yet White Collar Leader still tirelessly helped him solve his problems.

"Ha, what need for courtesy? I'm your teacher—isn't this simply my duty?" White Collar Leader laughed. "Well then, Xiaoyi, have you any thought of taking me as your master now?"

"Teacher Bai, you are already my teacher—that is no different from a master in the old sense. A teacher for a day is a father for life. I am already your disciple, so what is there to question?" Wei Zhao smiled. "Only, I hope that bearing the title of White Collar Leader's disciple I won't bring you disgrace!"

"Haha, good, I am very happy today!" White Collar Leader nodded. "In fact, you know as well as I do that the teacher-student status within a school differs from a true master-disciple bond. There are some people—though I was their teacher at school, once they graduate I would never permit them to trade on my name."

"I understand." Inwardly Wei Zhao wondered: You mean Right Panhu, don't you?

"Originally, I called you here to give you something truly fine—some things my own master taught me back then—to see whether they might inspire you. But now it seems they are of little use." White Collar Leader sighed, speaking with a touch of disappointment.

"Eh? Useful, of course they're useful!" Wei Zhao said at once.

"Useful? Not to trade with Right Panhu, I hope?" White Collar Leader laughed. "Still, Xiaoyi, let me tell you—these things really are excellent. Giving them to Right Panhu would be a waste. But if you truly wish to trade with him, I could give them to you... Though these were what my master taught me back in the day..."

When White Collar Leader said this, his voice suddenly rose considerably. The two had been conversing in lowered tones, and given the distance and Right Panhu's hearing, he could make out nothing; but this sentence of White Collar Leader's let Right Panhu hear every word distinctly.

"That... I..." Wei Zhao's face reddened at once. That truly had not been his intention—he had wanted to bring the material to Han Jingyi for reference, to see whether she might learn something new from it. As for trading it to Right Panhu, that would depend on the material's true value; if it really was the sort of exceedingly useful and precious data, Wei Zhao naturally would not let Right Panhu see it.

Right Panhu stood behind the two at no great distance. Previously, hampered by his poor hearing, he could make out nothing and was fretting over it, when suddenly a sentence from White Collar Leader struck his ear like a thunderclap, and Right Panhu instantly pricked up his ears!

Truly fine things? Things White Collar Leader's master had taught him back in the day? Was this not exactly what the hidden Right family needed? This time he had heard clearly and could not be mistaken. Right Panhu was overjoyed—he simply had to get his hands on this material!

At this thought, Right Panhu slowed his pace. To keep Wei Zhao and White Collar Leader from growing suspicious, he deliberately slowed his steps and did not follow too closely. After all, he now knew Wei Zhao would obtain a first-rate set of material; all Right Panhu had to do was prepare to negotiate with Wei Zhao to trade it away.

"Ha, I only said it in passing. Since the material is given to you, if you wish to exchange it for some benefit to yourself, I won't say a word against it." White Collar Leader smiled. He truly did look after Wei Zhao.

"Hmm... may I really trade it to Right Panhu?" Wei Zhao asked, a little uncertain.

"In fact, you may," White Collar Leader said. "These are some things my master left me. The material in them is not especially important. In short, decide for yourself."

"Thank you, Teacher Bai," Wei Zhao said gratefully.

"Ha, think nothing of it. What matters most is a notebook of alchemist insights I compiled and refined myself. That notebook—you had best not give it away," White Collar Leader said. "I'll bring it to you next time."

"That... there's no need, is there...? I can't become an alchemist anyway..." Wei Zhao said, sweating a little.

"You can't, but Han Jingyi can, can't she?" White Collar Leader smiled.

"Teacher Bai, you knew all along?" Wei Zhao was startled and looked at White Collar Leader in surprise. He had not expected White Collar Leader to already know about Han Jingyi.

"Everything you traded with Right Panhu—didn't it all go to her?" White Collar Leader smiled faintly. "I don't know what she is to you, but it seems she must be very close to you. If she can become an alchemist, then my support for you will not have been in vain!"

"Han Jingyi is indeed an alchemist." Wei Zhao nodded. Since White Collar Leader had already seen through this and had given him such support, Wei Zhao felt embarrassed to conceal anything further.

"Can she now successfully refine first-grade pills?" White Collar Leader nodded and asked.

"Jingjing can now refine second-grade pills with a ninety percent success rate," Wei Zhao said.

"Ninety percent—that's a very high success rate... What? Did you say second-grade pills?" White Collar Leader's eyes went wide, and he stared at Wei Zhao in disbelief. "You... you're not fooling me? She can really refine second-grade pills with ninety percent certainty?"

"That's right!" Wei Zhao nodded and smiled wryly. "White Collar Leader, would I have any reason to lie to you?"

"Second-grade, ninety percent..." White Collar Leader drew a deep breath. "Truly, heroes emerge from the young..."

In White Collar Leader's heart, there was even a touch of envy and jealousy...