Chapter 421: Chapter 317: Fang Yun Strikes (2)
The Grand Array of Red Flame Valley was tough. Despite only being at the Second Tier, Upper Grade, it had a continuous supply of Spiritual Qi from a Spirit Vein. Even for him, breaking it in a short amount of time would be extremely difficult.
And that was if he used his full power to attack it. As things stood, he hadn’t broken through.
Qi Chuqiao’s mission wasn’t to break the Grand Array of any of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s subsidiary Foundation Establishment Influences and kill the Spirit Refiners inside. It was to lure over a Core Formation Spirit Refiner from the Celestial Cloud Sect.
To stop him, or even pose a threat to him, the Spirit Refiner dispatched by the Celestial Cloud Sect would have to be one of their stronger members.
This was precisely his goal.
By tying up one of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s more powerful Core Formation Spirit Refiners, his side would gain an advantage in the situation unfolding at the sect’s headquarters.
Of course, destroying one of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s subsidiary Foundation Establishment Influences would be a nice bonus, but that would require him to break the Grand Array first.
Secondary objectives could wait for another opportunity.
’It’s about time.’
Qi Chuqiao calculated the time. He couldn’t continue his attack any longer.
It was time to move on to the next destination.
He ceased his assault and immediately began his next move.
When the early-stage Core Formation Demon halted his offensive and vanished without a trace, the Valley Master of Red Flame Valley was stunned.
He didn’t know what this early-stage Core Formation Demon was up to.
The moment the Celestial Demon Sect’s Core Formation Demon appeared, the Valley Master of Red Flame Valley had immediately relayed the news to the Celestial Cloud Sect and requested reinforcements.
With the great war still ongoing, the Valley Master of Red Flame Valley understood exactly what the appearance of a Core Formation Stage Demon signified.
It meant the Celestial Demon Sect was likely launching its final offensive.
He just didn’t know if the Celestial Demon Sect’s main offensive was aimed at annihilating the Celestial Cloud Sect itself, or simply weakening its subsidiary Foundation Establishment Influences.
In the opinion of the Red Flame Valley’s Valley Master, he felt the latter was far more likely.
Why?
Because he believed the Celestial Cloud Sect was currently too powerful. Even with the Demon Spirit Sect as an ally, the Celestial Demon Sect would find it difficult to destroy them. That made subsidiary Foundation Establishment Influences like theirs an attractive alternative target.
"Valley Master, the Core Formation Demon has fled."
"I know."
"Should we inform the Celestial Cloud Sect of this now? I’m worried that shortly after we send the message and the Celestial Cloud Sect calls off their reinforcements, the Core Formation Demon will just come back."
The Vice Valley Master at his side voiced the exact concern the Valley Master himself had.
"We still have to inform the Celestial Cloud Sect. Use two Sound Transmission Talismans. The message will be more detailed that way." The Valley Master of Red Flame Valley couldn’t worry about being wasteful at a time like this.
A single Sound Transmission Talisman could only carry limited information. The message the Red Flame Valley’s Valley Master needed to send was too complex to be conveyed concisely. Multiple talismans were the better option, short of using a higher-grade Sound Transmission Talisman, which Red Flame Valley didn’t currently possess.
...
「On the road to Red Flame Valley.」
Miao Qinghong received a message from the sect.
’What’s the situation?’
She quickly processed the contents of the message.
"The Core Formation Demon at Red Flame Valley has left... Its next move is currently unknown."
From Miao Qinghong’s perspective, this was undoubtedly a reactive and disadvantageous position to be in.
The Core Formation Demon wouldn’t just abandon his prolonged assault on Red Flame Valley for no reason. His departure meant he had a new objective, and now she was forced to wait for the demon to make his next move.
She was the only Core Formation cultivator dispatched from the sect, and she had to be the only one.
Miao Qinghong hovered in mid-air, deep in thought.
’I can’t just keep reacting like this!’
An idea formed in her mind.
"Since it has no next move, I’ll go check out the Celestial Demon Sect’s territory."
Her mind made up, Miao Qinghong slightly adjusted her course, transformed into a streak of sword light, and once again shot forward at maximum speed.
Heading into the Celestial Demon Sect’s territory offered her flexibility. She could target their subsidiary Foundation Establishment Influences, or she could head directly for the Celestial Demon Sect itself.
Of course, she wouldn’t be reckless enough to go straight to the Celestial Demon Sect. Before that, she would need to gather some intelligence.
She was betting that most of the Celestial Demon Sect’s Core Formation Demons were already making their moves against them.
...
「Celestial Cloud Sect.」
Elder Deng Fusheng was currently staring at the Array Plate in his hands.
As the sect’s only Foundation Establishment Array Master, Sect Leader Duan Qingyun had quickly passed on the news of the Core Formation Demon to him.
Even before the Core Formation higher-ups had gathered, he had already begun to control the Sect’s Grand Array.
Under his control, the sect’s Third Tier Grand Array of All Things Five Elements would activate exceptionally quickly and unleash its power effectively.
However, to perfectly unleash the full might of the Sect’s Grand Array, his current skill in arrays was insufficient. Given enough time, he was hopeful he could meet the requirement even without breaking through to the Core Formation Stage, but unfortunately, he was out of time.
If the sect had a Core Formation Stage Array Master, he was certain the Celestial Demon Sect’s Core Formation Demons wouldn’t dare to act now, let alone target the Celestial Cloud Sect’s headquarters.
"Chunyu, watch closely. If the Core Formation Demons appear, your master will be able to teach you a proper lesson."
Deng Fusheng gave a small smile to the young woman beside him.
Eleven years ago, when Zheng Chunyu was at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, he had already marked her as his future disciple. After she broke through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and became an Inner Sect Disciple, she naturally became his apprentice.
Compared to him, her master, his disciple’s talent for arrays was far superior.
At the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, she could already perfectly unleash the power of many Second Tier Grand Arrays.
By his calculations, his disciple would reach the peak of the Qi Refining Tenth Layer in another six months, and then attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.
To ensure his disciple could successfully break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, the sect had prepared not only a Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, but also a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object to aid her.
With her Four Spirit Roots, aided by the Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill and the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object, her chances of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage were as high as ninety-seven percent.
"Master, what do you think the chances are that the Core Formation Demons will appear?"
"Eighty percent, I’d say." Deng Fusheng gave his honest estimate.
"So you think they’ll come, Master." Since reaching the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, besides her daily cultivation and array studies, her master would occasionally discuss the current situation with her. As a result, Zheng Chunyu had her own understanding of why the Core Formation Demons might appear. "They’re coming for Elder Fang, aren’t they?"
"That’s a factor, yes. But if the Core Formation Demons attack again in the future, I believe it will definitely have something to do with you."
Neither Fang Yun nor Zheng Chunyu were Cultivators the Celestial Demon Sect’s Demons wanted to see grow powerful.
As far back as five years ago, Deng Fusheng knew that the Celestial Demon Sect had listed his disciple as a key target. If they ever got a chance to kill her, they would certainly take it.
"Master, you’re praising me again."
"Hahaha, I’m not praising you. You know your master loves to speak the truth. If you can reach your full potential in the future, your importance to our Celestial Cloud Sect will be second only to Elder Fang’s."
Deng Fusheng didn’t dare say his disciple’s importance to the sect would surpass Fang Yun’s, because Fang Yun was simply skilled in too many things. If Fang Yun had only mastered a single discipline, he wouldn’t be speaking this way now.
Just as Zheng Chunyu was about to say something more.
She saw her master, Deng Fusheng, wipe the smile from his face, his expression turning deathly serious.
At the same time, the Array Plate in his hands began to change rapidly.
In that instant, Zheng Chunyu knew: the Celestial Demon Sect’s Core Formation Demons had arrived.
The All Things Five Elements Array began to activate.
The fastest to react, naturally, were the four Core Formation cultivators atop Cloud Summit.
"They really came."
"Let’s see how many Core Formation Demons there are."
"That demon went to Red Flame Valley first, then to White Crane Castle. Elder Miao should be on her way to White Crane Castle now. Should we inform her of the situation at the sect?"
"Of course."
"Right!"
Not long after the Sect’s Grand Array of All Things Five Elements activated, they noticed the two Core Formation Demons with the most powerful auras.
Both were at the late-stage Core Formation.
Behind these two late-stage Core Formation Demons were five more Core Formation Demons.
Of the five, three were at mid-stage Core Formation and two were at early-stage Core Formation.
And the early-stage cultivators were by no means the least threatening.
The expressions on the faces of Duan Qingyun and the other Core Formation cultivators of the Celestial Cloud Sect were already growing grim.
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