Chapter 293: Chapter 253: Limited Influence
In terms of power, Fang Yun was now comparable to Miao Qinghong back when she was in the early stage of Foundation Establishment.
"Elder Fang, did you personally kill the Celestial Demon Sect Demon, Lu Hongyu?" Wei Tiexin asked, wanting to verify.
Fang Yun replied, "More or less. There was some luck involved."
Among the Elders of the Evil Extermination Hall, only Yang Yingjie wasn’t particularly surprised by Fang Yun’s latest battle record.
Based on the information he had gotten from Fang Yun, Fang Yun was already capable of refining Middle Grade Spiritual Artifacts designed to counter Demons.
It was difficult to get overly specific details.
Yang Yingjie now surmised that Fang Yun had most likely already refined and used such a Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact.
Fang Yun was still only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. A late-stage Foundation Establishment Demon underestimating him upon seeing his Realm would present an opportunity.
After coming to the Evil Extermination Hall to exchange his kills for Sect Contribution Points, Fang Yun had to rush over to Battle Peak, so he didn’t chat long with the Elders there.
Once Wei Tiexin finished tallying the Demons he had slain and the Sect Contribution Points were credited to him, he left the Evil Extermination Hall.
Killing Lu Hongyu, a late-stage Foundation Establishment Elder of the Celestial Demon Sect, yielded thirteen thousand Contribution Points.
The Battle Peak Conference Hall.
After leaving the Evil Extermination Hall, Fang Yun soon arrived.
Not many of Battle Peak’s Elders were present, which meant most had not yet returned.
Since they hadn’t returned, there was no news from them either.
For now, they could only wait.
"Elder Fang, you’ve done an excellent job," Feng Tianrui said.
As the second-in-command of Battle Peak, he had not participated in the reinforcement mission this time. After Miao Qinghong decided to reinforce the Spring Spirit Sect, she had him stay behind at Battle Peak.
The fact that Feng Tianrui said this meant that Bai Qinying and Elder Zhou had already recounted Fang Yun’s performance while reinforcing the Xiao Family’s ancestral lands.
"It was my duty."
After his response, Fang Yun sat back down in his previous seat, next to Bai Qinying.
Feng Tianrui’s recognition of Fang Yun’s strength grew ever deeper. If it hadn’t been Fang Yun reinforcing the Xiao Family, or if Fang Yun hadn’t acted immediately, the Xiao Family might have met the same fate as White Crane Castle.
In the face of this large-scale demonic offensive, Feng Tianrui hoped that as many of the sect’s subordinate Foundation Establishment Influences as possible would survive.
Not long after Fang Yun entered, the head of Battle Peak returned.
"Elder Miao, what’s the situation with the Spring Spirit Sect?" Feng Tianrui immediately asked.
All the Elders present turned their gazes to Miao Qinghong.
As the Management Elder of Battle Peak and the sect’s strongest cultivator below the Core Formation Realm, the outcome of her mission was of great importance.
"The Spring Spirit Sect has held. Among the Foundation Establishment Demons, the one at the Peak of Foundation Establishment and the one at the late-stage have been killed."
They remembered the message from the Spring Spirit Sect mentioning four attacking Demons: one at the Peak of Foundation Establishment, one at the late stage, and two at the middle stage. Based on what Miao Qinghong just said, it meant the two middle-stage Foundation Establishment Demons had escaped.
"That’s good."
To Miao Qinghong, this result was merely acceptable.
The other Elders naturally held higher expectations for her.
Miao Qinghong added that the Foundation Establishment Demons who had attacked the Spring Spirit Sect were all from the Celestial Demon Sect.
In other words, the deaths of the Peak and late-stage Foundation Establishment Demons represented a significant loss for the Celestial Demon Sect.
After Miao Qinghong finished her report, Feng Tianrui relayed everything he knew without waiting for her to ask.
When Feng Tianrui finished his account, Miao Qinghong couldn’t help but look toward Fang Yun.
She compared her own late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm to his early-stage one; Fang Yun’s achievements were far superior to hers.
This, however, did not surprise Miao Qinghong.
Back when Fang Yun was still an Inner Sect Disciple in the sect’s tournament, during his Magical Combat against Bai Qinying, she had been certain that her senses hadn’t deceived her.
At the time, she had thought, ’Once Fang Yun reaches Foundation Establishment and becomes a Sect Elder, his strength won’t be any less than mine, even though I’m a Sword Cultivator.’
’Even though Fang Yun isn’t a Sword Cultivator, he’s special!’
Miao Qinghong’s gaze prompted Fang Yun to recall things from the past.
He had hidden a great deal about his combat abilities. If anyone in the Celestial Cloud Sect understood him best in that regard, it would have to be Miao Qinghong.
’But even her "best understanding" is a far cry from the reality of my situation.’
’My Combat Talent isn’t static.’
From Fang Yun’s perspective, this concealment was a minor issue. Even if Miao Qinghong knew he was holding back, it wouldn’t be a problem.
First of all, he cultivated Spiritual Power. Second, his contributions to the Celestial Cloud Sect were clear to every Elder.
So, even if Miao Qinghong knew he was hiding things, it wouldn’t matter. At most, she would just assume he had some personal secrets that he preferred not to share.
After Miao Qinghong returned, the waiting continued.
The only sounds that occasionally broke the silence in the conference hall were the voices of Miao Qinghong and Feng Tianrui discussing matters.
Although the other Elders had yet to return, no bad news had been sent back, so overall, they remained relatively optimistic.
Normally, when Bai Qinying and Elder Zhou went to reinforce White Crane Castle, upon discovering it had already been annihilated by Demons, they should have immediately sent word back to the sect.
However, because of the subsequent events involving Fang Yun and the Xiao Family, Bai Qinying and Elder Zhou decided not to send a message immediately, waiting instead to report everything upon their return.
Besides, long-distance transmissions were limited. They could only have reported that White Crane Castle was destroyed; more specific details would have to wait for an in-person report anyway.
As time passed, some Elders returned.
The Elders who had not yet returned had their reasons for staying behind, but they too sent back some news.
The news they brought back was, for the most part, neither good nor bad.
The subordinate Foundation Establishment Influences had held their ground, and the Foundation Establishment Demons had already withdrawn with the Qi Refining Demons.
This was the gist of most of the reports.
This was especially true for the subordinate Foundation Establishment Influences bordering the Demon Spirit Sect. As soon as reinforcements arrived, the Demons would immediately withdraw, showing no intention of fighting whatsoever.
After organizing the information, Feng Tianrui addressed the assembled Elders. "We haven’t directly clashed with the Demon Spirit Sect’s Foundation Establishment Demons yet. However, they led the main assault on four locations and participated in the attacks on at least two others."
"Even though they seem to be just going through the motions, the level of support the Demon Spirit Sect has shown the Celestial Demon Sect this time is immense."
"Indeed. This is not good news."
A lengthy discussion began in the Battle Peak conference hall.
Fang Yun just listened quietly, not saying a word.
’For now,’ he thought, ’the Demon Spirit Sect’s actions against our Celestial Cloud Sect are still covert. If they ever start acting as openly as the Celestial Demon Sect, our situation will become dire.’
’This great war could escalate into a situation like the one a thousand years ago.’
’Back then, the Celestial Cloud Sect was nearly destroyed.’
’We’ll have to be even more careful with our actions from now on.’
’All our current actions are just minor skirmishes in the grand scheme of the war between Core Formation Sects. The real war will be one fought between Core Formation Cultivators.’
Fang Yun considered his current strength. ’I can already influence the fate of some Foundation Establishment Influences,’ he thought, ’but in a true war between Core Formation Influences, my impact would still be limited.’
’I still have plenty of time to grow stronger.’
’Once my Combat Talent is upgraded to six-star and my Realm breaks through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, then my influence will truly become significant.’
As the discussion went on, Fang Yun’s mind was racing.
When the meeting for the Battle Peak Elders concluded, Miao Qinghong was the first to depart, heading toward the Main Peak, Cloud Summit.
Having compiled all the information, as the Management Elder, she needed to give a full report to the Sect Leader.
Fang Yun and Bai Qinying left the conference hall together.
"Junior Brother, when do you think you’ll break through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment?" Bai Qinying asked.
Fang Yun had Five Spirit Roots, and there was a sufficient supply of Upper Grade Cyan Clarity Pills to aid his breakthrough. Thus, Bai Qinying took it for granted that he would eventually break through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment without issue.
"In about seven years or so," Fang Yun replied.
The goal Fang Yun had now set for himself was to break through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment before he turned forty-five.
And before that, he would do his best to upgrade his Combat Talent to six-star.
’Ideally, all of this should be accomplished within seven years.’
