Chapter 243: Chapter 228: Influence Rises Again

Fang Yun appeared beside the corpse.

He had already put away the Earth Yellow Sword.

Looking at the corpse on the ground, Fang Yun mentally reviewed the battle, turning it into experience for the future.

’He didn’t notice me at all before he died, even though I was right behind a nearby tree... These four-Spirit-Pattern Half-Hidden Spirit Boots have an incredible concealment effect. Even an early Second Tier Demon Beast probably won’t be able to detect me...’

The already decent concealment effect became even more terrifying when amplified by his four-star Combat Talent.

This was exactly the effect Fang Yun had hoped for.

For his future operations in the Supreme Profound Mountain Range, if he cautiously targeted early Second Tier Demon Beasts, his actions would likely be smooth and very safe.

The death of one early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon had netted him 50,000 base Talent Points. With his current bonus, the total came to over 220,000 Talent Points.

Fang Yun searched the dead Foundation Establishment Demon.

’A Celestial Demon Sect Elder.’

Having finally killed a Celestial Demon Sect Elder, Fang Yun’s mood improved even more.

As for why a Celestial Demon Sect Elder had appeared in the Supreme Profound Mountain Range, he didn’t even have to think to guess the reason.

Capturing the Demon alive would have been too difficult for him. Killing him directly was simpler. Not only did it immediately grant him Talent Points, but it also prevented any complications, like the Foundation Establishment Demon sending back unfavorable information.

After a quick cleanup of the area, Fang Yun continued on his way.

Now that he possessed the Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact, the Half-Hidden Spirit Boots, he couldn’t just leave the Supreme Profound Mountain Range. He had to kill at least one early Second Tier Demon Beast before heading back.

A Demon Beast of this tier was a treasure trove of useful resources. If it dropped a Demon Core, that would be even better.

Fang Yun’s trip to and from the Supreme Profound Mountain Range took two days in total.

On this trip to the Supreme Profound Mountain Range, in addition to killing the early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon, he also took down an early Second Tier Demon Beast and another whose strength was equivalent to the Peak of Qi Refining.

This was Fang Yun’s most fruitful trip to the Supreme Profound Mountain Range yet.

The Talent Points he acquired exceeded 450,000.

He was extremely pleased.

After returning to the sect, Fang Yun’s first stop was the Evil Extermination Hall.

This time, upon arriving at the Evil Extermination Hall, Fang Yun saw a familiar elder.

"Elder Wei," Fang Yun called out.

It wasn’t surprising to see the most powerful elder of the Evil Extermination Hall within its walls.

"Elder Fang." Wei Tiexin looked somewhat surprised as he turned to see Fang Yun.

Sect elders and disciples only came to the Evil Extermination Hall for one reason.

To claim the Contribution Point reward for killing a Demon.

Wei Tiexin remembered that Fang Yun was extremely busy with both Alchemy and Artifact Refining, and he hadn’t gone out on any Guardian missions recently.

"Killed another Foundation Establishment Demon?" Wei Tiexin asked casually as he approached Fang Yun.

’Foundation Establishment Demons weren’t that easy to kill. Fang Yun was probably here because he’d gone out for a stroll to clear his head, ran into a Qi Refining Stage Demon, and killed it out of convenience.’ Wei Tiexin considered this. ’If Fang Yun was constantly cooped up with Alchemy or Artifact Refining, it would be incredibly stressful. So, in his mind, it was most likely that Fang Yun had gone out for a breather to relieve some of that pressure.’

"That’s right," Fang Yun nodded.

"It really was a Foundation Establishment Demon!"

Wei Tiexin hadn’t expected his casual question to hit the mark.

Fang Yun took out the head of the Celestial Demon Sect Elder, proving that he had indeed killed an early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon.

"This is... an Elder from the Celestial Demon Sect. He had a Feather Concealing Bird’s bloodline transplanted. Finding and killing him is no easy feat." Wei Tiexin examined the head closely. Even without Fang Yun producing the token as proof, he could tell this early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon was from the Celestial Demon Sect.

The Evil Extermination Hall had a long-standing mission to gather intelligence on Evil Demons and Crooked Paths.

Aside from the Supreme Elders and the Sect Leader, the person in the entire Celestial Cloud Sect most knowledgeable about Demons was undoubtedly Wei Tiexin.

"I got lucky," Fang Yun replied.

"Indeed. There was certainly an element of coincidence in finding him." Wei Tiexin acknowledged Fang Yun’s luck but also his strength. After all, Fang Yun had killed the early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon this time without any outside assistance. "When it comes to luck, Elder Fang, you’re truly in a class of your own. You’re a natural at dealing with these Evil Demons and Crooked Paths. If only you could become an elder in our Evil Extermination Hall."

As he said this, Wei Tiexin felt a pang of regret.

"Elder Wei, it’s best you don’t say that in front of my master."

"Hahaha, I know, of course I know."

Wei Tiexin laughed, clapping Fang Yun on the shoulder, then personally handled the registration for him.

"For killing an early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect, the reward is five thousand Contribution Points!"

When Fang Yun took back his Identity Token, his Sect Contribution Point total had once again broken into the five-digit range.

Killing a Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect, regardless of whether they were at the Qi Refining Stage or Foundation Establishment Stage, always awarded more Sect Contribution Points than killing other Demons.

"Where did you kill this Foundation Establishment Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect?" Wei Tiexin asked.

"In the Supreme Profound Mountain Range," Fang Yun replied.

"So you weren’t just out for a stroll after all."

Once he learned that Fang Yun had killed the Celestial Demon Sect’s Foundation Establishment Demon in the Supreme Profound Mountain Range, Wei Tiexin didn’t press for more details.

If Fang Yun had killed the Foundation Establishment Demon near the sect, the situation would be entirely different. But since the kill was in the Supreme Profound Mountain Range, Wei Tiexin didn’t have to think hard to guess why that Demon had been there in the first place.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then Wei Tiexin gestured for Fang Yun to go about his business.

「In less than five days.」

Word of Fang Yun killing a Foundation Establishment Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect had spread among some of the elders.

The source of the news was, naturally, Wei Tiexin.

"Elder Fang has already killed two Foundation Establishment Demons. I’ve been an elder for over twenty years and haven’t killed a single one."

"You’ll have plenty of chances to kill a Foundation Establishment Demon in the future. In the twenty years you’ve been an elder, nothing major has really happened."

"Elder Tong, you sure know how to console someone. But Elder Fang’s strength is still formidable. Even in a one-on-one fight, I couldn’t guarantee that I could kill an early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon."

"Elder Fang has a special constitution. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to him."

As the news spread and more elders heard about it, they all expressed their acknowledgment of Fang Yun’s strength.

According to the source of the news, Wei Tiexin, Fang Yun had completed the kill on the early-stage Foundation Establishment Elder from the Celestial Demon Sect without any outside help. Although Fang Yun had also killed an early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon back in his Qi Refining days, that kill had relied on external forces, a Grand Array, and the Demon’s own carelessness.

This time was different. Facing one of their sect’s elders, a Demon wouldn’t dare be careless; it would certainly have fought Fang Yun with all its might.

The last kill had involved too much luck; this one was a display of true, solid strength.

And it had been less than two years since Fang Yun’s breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

This demonstrated just how quickly Fang Yun’s strength was growing, all while dedicating a significant amount of time to Alchemy and Artifact Refining.

「At the end of the month.」

Fang Yun was in high spirits. His influence within the sect had arduously climbed another percentage point, reaching 57%.

For him, that extra three percent bonus translated into several thousand more Talent Points.

At the beginning of the month, this same three percent bonus had pushed his total Talent Point settlement past 550,000.

Five hundred and fifty chances to draw for Combat Talents had advanced his next Combat Talent upgrade by seven or eight months.

...

「Mid-September.」

As usual, Fang Yun went to the Dan Cloud Pavilion on Dan Cloud Peak to accept an alchemy mission.

Unlike before, the alchemy mission he accepted this time was not for Spirit Ascension Pills, but for the Cyan Clarity Pills that Bai Heyan had mentioned previously.

Fang Yun had long been prepared for this.

He had mastered the Pill Formula for the Cyan Clarity Pill long ago.

After accepting the alchemy mission, he rushed back to his cave residence without delay.

Refining the Cyan Clarity Pill was very important to him, as it was crucial for his breakthrough from the peak of the early Foundation Establishment Stage to the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage.

To be honest, he was actually quite nervous.

「In the Alchemy Room.」

Fang Yun didn’t immediately begin refining the Cyan Clarity Pill. Instead, he carefully inspected the Spirit Medicines in his hands, one by one.