Chapter 415: Chapter 314: One Surprise After Another
Upon learning the cultivation level of the Ghost Cultivator who had come as reinforcement, Fang Yun was a little disappointed.
He had certainly hoped a Peak of Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator would come, as that would have netted him more basic Talent Points.
The Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator had already reached the battlefield and was now directly above him.
’I’m too late... No, wait!’
This Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator’s reactions and senses were quite sharp.
The moment Fang Yun struck, the Ghost Cultivator had already detected the fluctuation of Spiritual Power.
At this very moment, the Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator had no time to wonder why a Foundation Establishment Stage Spirit Refiner was here. Defending against the incoming attack was all that mattered.
Against a Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator, the nine-Spirit-Pattern Earth Yellow Sword could easily land a killing blow while consuming very little Spiritual Power.
’An Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact? How is that possible?’
He had never seen an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact like this before. It clearly pulsed with the Spiritual Power of an Upper Grade Spiritual Artifact, so why did it possess such devastating power?
This question only occurred to the Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator as his consciousness rapidly faded.
’Why is there a Spirit Refiner here?’
’My opponent was supposed to be a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Demon.’
’Could it be that Spirit Refiners want to get involved in the conflict between our Mountain Ghost Valley and the Withered Demon Sect?’
With his life force rapidly draining away, the Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator could do nothing else.
After once again destroying the body to erase all traces, Fang Yun collected the Late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s Storage Pouches—there were two in total.
Fang Yun immediately left the area.
’There’s no point in continuing this ambush. If I wait any longer, a Core Formation Stage Ghost Cultivator might show up.’
’A Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator died without sending any word back. This is definitely a serious matter. Mountain Ghost Valley is highly unlikely to send another Foundation Establishment Stage Ghost Cultivator.’
Just as Fang Yun expected, a Core Formation Stage Ghost Cultivator did indeed appear there later.
By the time the Core Formation Stage Ghost Cultivator arrived, Fang Yun was already far away. It wouldn’t be long before he was out of the Mountain Ghost Valley’s Earth Realm.
To leave the Mountain Ghost Valley Earth Realm more quickly, he deliberately altered his route back to the sect.
...
「Mid-November.」
Back within the Celestial Cloud Sect’s Earth Realm, Fang Yun was now not far from the sect’s main location.
Last month, by killing the mid-stage Foundation Establishment Demon and the Late-stage Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivator, his Talent Point settlement at the start of this month had exceeded 2.5 million. This shortened the time required to upgrade his Combat Talent to seven stars by ten months.
On the rest of his journey back, he didn’t kill any more Foundation Establishment Level Demons or Ghost Cultivators, and only dispatched a few at the Qi Refining Stage when it was convenient.
Upon returning to the sect, Fang Yun felt as if a long time had passed, though in reality, his journey had only taken a little over four months.
On Artifact Casting Peak, at the entrance to his cave abode, Song Qiaoqiao was already waiting for him.
Before he left the Celestial Cloud Sect, Song Qiaoqiao had asked him to notify her the moment he returned. Thus, the instant he was back in the sect, he had sent word to her.
"Qiaoqiao."
"Were you delayed by something on the road?" Song Qiaoqiao asked with concern, watching Fang Yun land. "I heard from my great-grandfather that you should have been back at the sect by the end of October."
"I wasn’t delayed on the road. I was cleansing my Spirit Root at the Purple Mist Sect."
The stone door to the cave abode opened, and the two of them spoke as they walked inside.
"In the ’Land of No Master’ Secret Realm, I was lucky enough to obtain a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object that can cleanse one’s Spirit Root, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object Burning Spirit Clear Flame. I wasn’t prepared for it, so I could only use the simplest method to preserve it. That’s why I had to cleanse my Spirit Root at the Purple Mist Sect..."
Fang Yun gave a brief explanation for his late return, reassuring Song Qiaoqiao that he hadn’t encountered any trouble and that she shouldn’t worry; even if he had, he was back safely now.
"Oh, I see! That’s wonderful news!"
Song Qiaoqiao was happy that Fang Yun had now used two different Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects to cleanse his Spirit Root.
She was also quite curious about what level Fang Yun’s Spirit Root had reached after the cleansing.
Driven by curiosity, she asked directly, "Fang Yun, you should be comparable to someone with Three Spirit Roots now, right?"
"Yes. It’s somewhere between Three Spirit Roots and Dual Spirit Roots."
A smile bloomed on Song Qiaoqiao’s face. Roughly speaking, Fang Yun’s Spirit Root Talent was now second only to hers.
Compared to his original Spirit Root Talent, Fang Yun’s chances of achieving Core Formation had increased dramatically, and breaking through to the Peak of Foundation Establishment would also become much easier.
Speaking of Spirit Root Talent, their conversation naturally turned to the topic of cultivation and their respective cultivation levels.
An improved Spirit Root Talent affects one’s cultivation. By Fang Yun’s estimate, while it originally would have taken him more than a decade to reach the peak of the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, he should now be able to achieve it in less than ten years.
Even though he hadn’t yet cultivated since the cleansing, he could still make a rough estimate of the time required.
As for Song Qiaoqiao, it would only take her about seven or eight years to reach the true Peak of Foundation Establishment.
"Qiaoqiao, you’ll have to work hard now. I’ve already met your great-grandfather’s requirement," Fang Yun teased later in the conversation, raising his eyebrows at her.
He knew Song Qiaoqiao was already working plenty hard.
"Yes, I will succeed!" Song Qiaoqiao replied with great determination.
Her supplementary aids for the subsequent Core Formation were not as good as Fang Yun’s. With only a single Lower Grade Core Formation pill, her chances of successfully breaking through to the Core Formation Stage were now lower than his.
This was a situation Song Qiaoqiao was happy to see.
Not only that, but she also encouraged herself. ’I have to reach Core Formation first! That way, I can encourage Fang Yun when he makes his attempt later.’
They chatted for more than two hours.
Fang Yun and Song Qiaoqiao left the cave abode together. Song Qiaoqiao intended to go back and continue her cultivation, while Fang Yun needed to find Sect Leader Duan Qingyun.
’Now that I’m back from the Purple Mist Sect, I must report to the Sect Leader.’
After successfully meeting with Sect Leader Duan Qingyun, Fang Yun told him about cleansing his Spirit Root.
After hearing this, Duan Qingyun said "Good!" three times in a row. This wasn’t just a tremendous stroke of good fortune for Fang Yun; it was a major boon for the entire Celestial Cloud Sect.
Duan Qingyun subsequently learned that Fang Yun had also obtained a great deal of Spiritual Materials in the ’Land of No Master’ Secret Realm.
Naturally, these Spiritual Materials were for Fang Yun to handle as he pleased. He could use them himself or hand them over to the sect in exchange for Sect Contribution Points.
Duan Qingyun was well aware of how many Sect Contribution Points Fang Yun had. As an Elder, Fang Yun—like the Core Formation Stage Sect Leader and Supreme Elders—basically had no shortage of Sect Contribution Points.
Toward the end of his conversation with the Sect Leader, Fang Yun asked about the current situation between the sect and the two Demon Cultivation Core Formation Influences.
"Sect Leader, in the months I’ve been away, have the Celestial Demon Sect and the Demon Spirit Sect made any major moves?"
"No." Duan Qingyun shook his head. "The situation is more or less the same as before. If they were to force an attack, they would be the only ones to suffer the loss."
The source of Duan Qingyun’s confidence was the number of Sect Elders and the increase in Foundation Establishment Cultivators among their affiliated Foundation Establishment Influences.
’It’s good that nothing has happened.’
After bidding farewell to the Sect Leader, Fang Yun returned to his cave abode at once.
This time, the first thing he did was take out the Jade Scroll containing the Core Formation Technique, the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*.
’Absorbing the information from the Core Formation Technique now will help me prepare for the future. I need to see what Spiritual Materials are required to refine the Lifebound Magical Treasure for the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*.’
Taking out the pale red Jade Scroll, Fang Yun pressed it to the center of his forehead.
The Jade Scroll instantly dimmed by a third, and at the same time, a torrent of information flooded into Fang Yun’s Sea of Consciousness.
Since Foundation Establishment Cultivators have opened their Sea of Consciousness, absorbing information from a Jade Scroll is extremely convenient and causes no discomfort.
’This Cultivation Technique! It can actually do that?!’
After completely absorbing the information on the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique*, Fang Yun opened his eyes, unable to suppress the joy in his heart.
The *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique* contained a Clone Technique.
The Clone Technique was meant to assist in Artifact Refining; the clone itself possessed negligible combat strength.
For Fang Yun, however, the clone could be used not only for Artifact Refining, but also for Alchemy and planting. This would drastically increase his efficiency in gaining Life Talent Points.
Cultivating the Clone Technique also required the ability to multitask, which was the same condition needed for wielding multiple Lifebound Magical Treasures.
Fang Yun was well aware of this. Thanks to the boon from his High-Star Life Talents, he often relied on instinct to proceed even when he didn’t meet the technical requirements for refining. This approach had never steered him wrong. In fact, he now had to do the same when refining the Middle Grade and Upper Grade Spiritual Artifacts used to fight Demons.
Obtaining the *Skillful Heaven-Stealing Technique* at the Purple Mist Sect had been a wonderful surprise in itself. Now, after absorbing its details and discovering the Clone Technique, it felt like a surprise on top of a surprise.
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