"Yes, that’s right." Patriarch Zeng nodded, then continued, "Later, if any of the clan’s disciples ask, you’ll tell them that with our full cooperation, Immortal Master Fang killed the invading Demons."

’Full cooperation?’

’Did we really give our full cooperation?’

You could say the Grand Array helped with the three Demons who entered Celestial Gift Mountain, but we didn’t lift a finger against the four outside.

After a moment’s thought, he understood.

"Patriarch, you’re doing this to boost the confidence of our clan’s disciples, aren’t you?"

"That’s only one reason. I imagine Immortal Master Fang wouldn’t want news of his abilities spreading, either." Patriarch Zeng had also considered Fang Yun’s perspective.

If Fang Yun’s strength was revealed to be too exceptional, the Celestial Demon Sect would surely target him more aggressively in the future.

"I understand. It’s the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone. As for the younger generation of the clan, even if I tell them something different, I’ll make sure they don’t spread it around."

"Mm."

’It’s enough that the clan’s leadership knows the truth.’

Soon after, the leadership of the Qi Refining Zeng Clan convened a meeting. The topic they discussed most was, unsurprisingly, related to Fang Yun.

Meanwhile, Fang Yun had returned to his guest room and laid out all the Demons’ Storage Pouches on his table.

He didn’t plan on opening them just yet. He would wait until he returned to the sect.

He hoped the Storage Pouches were filled with materials; that was the outcome he most desired.

He could now make use of many materials used by Demons. Some of them could even be used for refining the primary ingredients needed to counter their Magical Artifacts.

’Three Demons at the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, two at the Ninth Layer...’

Fang Yun mentally calculated how many Talent Points he would get from the seven Demons he had killed.

Without any multipliers, that was a solid sixteen thousand Talent Points. With them, the total would exceed fifty thousand.

In terms of the Talent Points he would receive at the start of next month, this Guardian mission for the Zeng Family had already been well worth his while.

The faster he accumulated Talent Points, the faster he could raise his Life Talent to six stars.

’Once my Alchemy Talent reaches six stars, if I’m put in charge of refining Foundation Establishment Pills, it would only take a few attempts before I could consistently produce Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pills.’

’I already have a Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, and by then, I’ll most likely be a Foundation Establishment Elder.’

’A Foundation Establishment Pill would be useless to me personally after I reach Foundation Establishment, but for the sect, it’s a completely different story.’

...

「Celestial Demon Sect Territory.」

The headquarters of the Stone Demon Sect.

"What about those guys from the Celestial Demon Sect? Is there still no word?"

"That’s right, Sect Leader."

"Sect Leader, two days have passed with no word. We can only assume they’ve met with disaster."

In a cavern thick with Demon Qi, Sect Leader Shi Tianpo and a Vice Sect Leader of the Stone Demon Sect were present, along with an Elder who was there to report.

The Sect Leader and Vice Sect Leader were seated, while the Elder stood before them.

"They’ve met with disaster? That’s actually good news for us." Shi Tianpo couldn’t help but smirk.

’If the previous Sect Leader of the Stone Demon Sect were here, I wouldn’t dare say such a thing.’

’If the previous Sect Leader relayed my words to the Celestial Demon Sect, it certainly wouldn’t be good news for me.’

The Elder here was his confidant, and he was as close as a brother to the Vice Sect Leader.

"The Celestial Demon Sect disciples were led by that man, Jiang. Their target was the Zeng Family, a Qi Refining Clan affiliated with the Shen Family. The Zeng Family’s overall strength is decent; wiping them out isn’t so easy."

"Hahaha! During this period, the Shen Family’s reinforcements are sure to be fast. Without us tying down the Shen Family, those Inner Sect Disciples from the Celestial Demon Sect really thought they were something special," Shi Tianpo laughed heartily.

He recalled Jiang Yangxia of the Celestial Demon Sect, who had been polite on the surface but carried himself with an air of superiority.

He was particularly delighted that Jiang Yangxia had met his end.

’Before reaching Foundation Establishment, you should act like you’re still in the Qi Refining Stage. So what if they were Inner Sect Disciples from the Celestial Demon Sect? Without my help, they were doomed to die regardless.’

"We can’t report this to the Celestial Demon Sect yet. I’ll make a trip over there first. We’ll talk when I return."

The one who spoke was the Vice Sect Leader of the Stone Demon Sect.

The Inner Sect Disciples from the Celestial Demon Sect who came to support them were dead. They couldn’t just deliver the news to the Celestial Demon Sect empty-handed.

If they wanted to get more support from the Celestial Demon Sect—and stronger support at that—they would have to put on a show.

First, he would go take a look at the situation with the Zeng Family, that Qi Refining Influence of Spirit Refiners.

"Yes, just go and feign an attack," Shi Tianpo nodded. "Compared to the Celestial Cloud Sect, the Celestial Demon Sect’s support for us is far too weak. With so many of their Inner Sect Disciples dead this time, they should be forced to step up their aid."

"Sect Leader, when you make your report later, you can add that I was unable to avenge their Inner Sect Disciples because of a Celestial Cloud Sect Elder."

"Understood. Of course, I understand."

Shi Tianpo smiled gleefully again.

Laughter filled the cavern thick with Demon Qi.

「One day later.」

「Celestial Cloud Sect Territory.」

The Vice Sect Leader of the Stone Demon Sect had appeared twenty li from Celestial Gift Mountain, the ancestral home of the Zeng Family.

He only began to move after confirming that the Celestial Demon Sect disciples were truly dead.

He was in the early Foundation Establishment Stage, and he proceeded with extreme caution.

The Stone Demon Sect had received no word at all when the Celestial Demon Sect disciples died attacking the Zeng Family’s ancestral home. They only realized something was wrong when the Inner Sect Disciples failed to return after a long time.

Clearly, the trouble the Celestial Demon Sect disciples encountered was far from simple. Perhaps, just as he had suggested, there really was a Foundation Establishment Elder from the Celestial Cloud Sect among the Spirit Refiner Zeng Family.

The presence of a Celestial Cloud Sect Elder must have been why those disciples couldn’t even send a message out in time.

If a message had gotten out, even if not to the Stone Demon Sect, it would have reached the Celestial Demon Sect. In that case, the Celestial Demon Sect would have contacted them.

Of course, this was all just the Vice Sect Leader’s speculation.

Regardless of the Spirit Refiner Zeng Family’s actual situation, he was only here to feign an attack. He planned to retreat the moment the Zeng Family’s reinforcements were close to arriving.

When he returned to his sect, he could report on the situation and leverage it to obtain greater support from the Celestial Demon Sect.

「Within Celestial Gift Mountain.」

Patriarch Zeng, who had been about to rest, suddenly received a warning from the Array Plate. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Without a moment’s hesitation, he activated the Zeng Family’s Grand Array.

Nearly three days had passed since the last time the Grand Array was activated.

After the Grand Array had been breached, Patriarch Zeng had immediately begun to replenish its energy. For the entire following day, most of the Spiritual Qi generated by the Tier One, Upper Grade Spirit Vein in Celestial Gift Mountain had been funneled into the Grand Array.

Without this energy replenishment, it would have been very difficult to activate the Grand Array instantly.

The Grand Array activated instantly once more.

As he controlled the Array Plate, Patriarch Zeng’s expression changed drastically.

According to the Demon Power fluctuations displayed on the Array Plate, the intruder this time was not a Qi Refining Demon, but a Foundation Establishment Demon!

The only good news, for him, was that the Grand Array had activated quickly, blocking the Foundation Establishment Demon outside.

A Foundation Establishment Demon had appeared at their ancestral home.

’I have to call the Shen Family for reinforcements.’

Regardless of whether the Shen Family was under attack or not, a call for help had to be sent immediately.

’Against a Foundation Establishment-Level Demon, even having Fang Yun here as our Guardian is useless.’

"Patriarch Zeng, what’s the situation?"

Fang Yun appeared even faster this time than the last.

Unfortunately, being fast was useless this time.

"Immortal Master Fang, it’s not a Qi Refining Demon this time. It’s a Foundation Establishment Demon!" Patriarch Zeng said quickly. "Immortal Master, you should just stay here with me."

’A Foundation Establishment Demon...’

The moment Fang Yun heard those three words, his mind began to race.

"Early Foundation Establishment? And is there only one?" Fang Yun asked for confirmation.

"That’s right."

Faced with Fang Yun’s question, Patriarch Zeng didn’t know what kind of expression to make.

’With the Zeng Family’s strength, an attack from a single early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon was already a sign that they were being taken far too seriously.’

’How many more did you want to show up?’