Chu Fan naturally knew that Cui Fu was observing from not too far away.
Facing Cui Fu, who was approaching, he acted as if unaware and greeted him cheerfully, "Old sir, back from your stroll?"
Cui Fu nodded, then gestured towards the Treasure Pavilion with his chin, indicating they should go inside to talk.
Once inside, Cui Yue warmly invited Chu Fan to sit.
"Yue'er, I'm feeling a bit hungry. Go buy me some steamed buns from the old bun shop!"
Cui Fu suddenly spoke, clearly intending to send his daughter away.
He felt that the subsequent conversation was not something his daughter needed to know. After all, knowing too much could ultimately lead to a fatal end.
Cui Yue, unaware of her father's true intentions, nodded and asked Chu Fan, "Do... do you want any?"
"Bring me one!"
Cui Yue nodded with delight and then set off from the Treasure Pavilion.
"You must be the renowned Wuming from recent times, rumored to have reached Nan Yun City?"
Cui Fu was not one to beat around the bush; he went straight to his point.
So young, yet able to force a Grandmaster to his knees with mere presence, Cui Fu felt no one but the rumored genius powerhouse Wuming could achieve this.
However, speculation was just speculation.
He still intended to ask if Chu Fan was indeed Wuming.
Regarding Cui Fu's probing, Chu Fan smiled and retorted, "Does it matter?"
"If I say I am Wuming, can you solve my problem, old sir?"
Cui Fu smiled and didn't press further on whether Chu Fan was Wuming.
They were both intelligent people; some things didn't need to be explicitly stated, as long as they were understood.
"However, I am very grateful that you, without fear of trouble, extended a helping hand to Yue'er just now!"
Cui Fu changed the subject.
Chu Fan smiled and said, "You're being too polite, old sir!"
"As the saying goes, when you see injustice on the road, draw your sword to help."
"Those people, relying on a bit of strength, bully others. I've always detested such people and such actions."
"Therefore, no matter who the victim is, I will still act!"
Cui Fu nodded, his gaze towards Chu Fan no longer as indifferent as it was yesterday.
After a silence of about three to five seconds, he straightened his back and said with renewed spirit, "Since you managed to find your way here, it's safe to assume you've already investigated me somewhat?"
To achieve his goal, honesty was necessary.
Chu Fan didn't deny it and nodded.
"Then you should know that my purpose in staying here quietly, managing this small shop, is to stay away from trouble and not get involved in matters on the mountain."
"The scheming and politicking on the mountain are truly exhausting!"
"So, I hope you can understand that I don't wish to be entangled in past affairs!"
"You just helped the Treasure Pavilion out of a predicament, and I am very grateful. Take whatever catches your eye among the items in the shop, consider it my thanks!"
The implication was clear: just because Chu Fan helped, and the Treasure Pavilion owed him a favor, it didn't mean he had to solve Chu Fan's problems.
Once decided on retirement, no favor was too great.
Chu Fan could understand the mindset of the older generation, as he had interacted mostly with elders within the Eternal Hall.
Those elders had weathered many storms.
Entering the Eternal Hall was, in essence, seeking tranquility.
Therefore, he understood Cui Fu's concerns.
As for accepting items from the shop as thanks, Chu Fan didn't need them.
He pondered for a moment and said, "Old sir, since you have retired from your profession, I won't make things too difficult for you!"
"I've brought something. Can you perhaps examine it for me, and offer an opinion or direction? That should be fine, right?"
"A tree that doesn't move dies, but a person who moves lives."
Chu Fan truly didn't want to force Cui Fu, as his impression of him was quite good.
"Leave a little room, and you'll have a place to meet later."
Cui Fu's current unwillingness to interfere in past matters didn't mean he would never interfere again.
Such a person, becoming a friend in the future, might bring immense help.
Still owing Chu Fan a favor, Cui Fu found it hard to refuse when Chu Fan put it this way, as doing so would be rather ungracious.
Chu Fan, so young and a genius powerhouse, was someone Cui Fu didn't want to alienate.
His enemies were still present, but his own strength was gone.
As someone who had been through it, Cui Fu had to look to the future.
He needed to consider who his daughter and son would turn to for help if they were targeted by his enemies after he passed away.
The genius powerhouse Wuming would naturally be the best candidate, so he nodded and said, "Alright, bring it here and I'll take a look."
Chu Fan stood up and walked to the counter, placing the wooden box before Cui Fu.
"The protection on this wooden box is very strong. I've tried many methods but couldn't break it. Only then did I realize it likely contains array formations."
"I don't know what's inside, but I hope it's what I'm looking for!"
Cui Fu nodded, took the wooden box, placed it on his lap, and squinted as he studied it closely.
Outsiders look at the excitement; insiders see the skill.
To outsiders, the wooden box was just a wooden box, nothing special.
But in Cui Fu's eyes, the wooden box was clearly not just a wooden box.
He was seen frowning and then suddenly relaxing his brow, followed by a sudden movement of his hands as his fingers pressed onto the wooden box.
"Buzz..."
The wooden box suddenly emitted a trembling sound, its surface glowing with a faint luminescence. A semi-transparent substance could be seen wrapping around the box.
Cui Fu continued to change his hand gestures, pressing repeatedly on the wooden box.
The wooden box trembled continuously, but the substance on its surface never dissipated.
Although he only pressed a few times, the cold sweat on Cui Fu's forehead indicated that it consumed considerable effort.
After trying for another ten breaths, Cui Fu had to stop.
"Huff, huff..."
Greatly exhausted, he breathed heavily, his face slightly pale.
He returned the wooden box to Chu Fan and said, gasping for breath, "The protection on this wooden box is indeed an array formation!"
"However, the person who set up this array formation is very strong, at least a Grandmaster-level array formation master."
"With my current strength, it's impossible to break it. Even at my peak, it would take at least a year of dedicated study to break this array formation."
"If you want to obtain what's inside, you'll have to find someone else who also studies array formations!"
Facing this result, Chu Fan was not disappointed.
From Cui Fu's strenuous efforts just now, he had already sensed that Cui Fu's strength was limited, and it was highly unlikely he could break the array formation on the wooden box.
"Old sir, as one of the few people in this era who studies array formations, you must know other masters in this field, right?"
People in the same industry tend to have their own circles.
Since Cui Fu couldn't solve it, Chu Fan had to look for someone else, hoping Cui Fu could introduce him to someone who studied array formations more deeply.
To Chu Fan's anticipation, Cui Fu shook his head and said with shame, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you!"
"As you know, this is a declining era. Array formations are a niche field, with very few people studying them!"
"My old friends have either disappeared over the years or died!"
The Demon God was helpless with this outcome.