With his half-demonized right hand, the Stone Demon Sect’s Vice Sect Leader seized the deep yellow Long Sword hurtling toward him.

He believed that if the Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact had only one Spirit Pattern, Fang Yun might have been able to control it. But with two Spirit Patterns, the difficulty of control would be much greater.

It was the difference between a small, undeveloped child trying to swing a club and trying to swing an even heavier one.

Just as he expected, he suppressed the Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact with ease.

’Next, I’ll make this Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact break free from Fang Yun’s control completely.’

Just as the Stone Demon Sect’s Vice Sect Leader had this thought, the deep yellow Long Sword in his grasp suddenly broke free from his suppression.

Caught off guard, the Stone Demon Sect’s Vice Sect Leader reacted a fraction of a second too late.

The deep yellow Long Sword, its power erupting in an instant, lopped off his head with incredible speed.

His head rolled several times across the ground before the Stone Demon Sect Vice Sect Leader’s body slowly crumpled, all traces of Demon Power gone.

At the moment of his death, the eyes on his severed head widened in disbelief.

Clearly, the Stone Demon Sect’s Vice Sect Leader could not believe what had just happened.

He couldn’t understand how a Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact with only two Spirit Patterns could unleash such power. What was even more inconceivable was that the one controlling it was merely a Spirit Refiner at the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, even if he did possess the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Body.

In a situation like this, it shouldn’t have mattered if he had a Seven-Aperture Exquisite Body or any other special constitution.

However, just before he died, he found the answer to one question that had been nagging him.

The seven Inner Sect Disciples from the Celestial Demon Sect must have died just as he had—at the hands of Fang Yun of the Celestial Cloud Sect.

No wonder they couldn’t even send out a single message before they died.

"Done."

As the earthen-yellow barrier faded, Fang Yun immediately began to search the corpse of the Stone Demon Sect’s Vice Sect Leader.

’Not an Elder of the Celestial Demon Sect.’

Fang Yun glanced at the Token. This meant he would get fewer Contribution Points, but that wasn’t anything to be disappointed about.

What he cared about most was how many Talent Points a Demon at the early Foundation Establishment Stage would provide.

He would have to wait until the beginning of next month to find out.

「A short while earlier.」

Patriarch Zeng was controlling the Grand Array with all his might, resisting the attacks of the early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon.

The Demon was only attacking a few specific points, which reduced the difficulty of controlling the Grand Array.

A notification appeared on the Array Plate.

Fang Yun had reached the designated position.

The moment Fang Yun’s Spiritual Power erupted, he opened a gap in the array directly in front of him, hoping that, just as Fang Yun had said, the Demon would be caught off guard and suffer a serious injury.

A moment later.

The fluctuations of Demon Power didn’t weaken. Seeing the notification on the Array Plate, Patriarch Zeng knew Fang Yun had failed.

Yet less than half a breath later...

...the fluctuations of Demon Power rapidly dwindled, then vanished completely.

’This wasn’t an injured early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon—it was a *slain* early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon!’

"Patriarch, what’s wrong?"

The surrounding family leaders sensed that something was amiss with their patriarch.

When the Grand Array activated, they had all run toward the patriarch, but Fang Yun had been faster.

After learning that a Demon of the early Foundation Establishment Stage was outside, they could only remain here obediently.

They could have certainly helped Fang Yun against a Qi Refining Stage Demon, but against a Foundation Establishment Level one? Any attempt to help would likely have been a hindrance.

"The early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon... is dead..."

As soon as Patriarch Zeng spoke, the surrounding leaders were all struck dumb, unable to utter a single word.

’If the early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon was dead, it could only have been killed by Fang Yun.’

Fang Yun, not even at the peak of the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, actually had the ability to kill a Demon in the early Foundation Establishment Stage.

They knew very well just how vast the gap was between the Foundation Establishment Stage and the Qi Refining Stage.

"Just as Immortal Master Fang predicted, the early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon was careless. But the result was even better than he estimated."

As Patriarch Zeng spoke, he operated the Array Plate. The earthen-yellow barrier protecting Celestial Gift Mountain retracted, and the Grand Array switched to a low-power, minimal-consumption mode.

At this power level, the ancestral land’s Grand Array only served a detection function.

"Patriarch, aside from the Foundation Establishment Demon’s carelessness, we can’t deny Immortal Master Fang’s own strength."

"I’m well aware of that."

Once the family leaders recovered from their shock, they all began to talk about Fang Yun.

They didn’t go out to greet Fang Yun because the last time he killed a Demon, he had gone straight to his guest room instead of coming here.

This time, however, Fang Yun didn’t return to his room, but appeared before them.

"Immortal Master Fang!"

When Fang Yun appeared, they all stood up. The way they looked at him was completely different now.

"I was just lucky, thanks to all of you."

At Fang Yun’s words, the faces of Patriarch Zeng and the other Zeng Family leaders bloomed into wide smiles, as if they truly did have a hand in killing the early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon.

"Luck wouldn’t have been enough without Immortal Master Fang’s strength," Patriarch Zeng said.

"Indeed."

"The Patriarch is right."

The Zeng Family leaders chimed in with their agreement.

"By the way, Patriarch Zeng, you haven’t contacted the Shen Family, have you?"

"I have not."

"Good. I’ll wait here for Senior Shen to arrive."

Patriarch Zeng and the family leaders immediately understood what Fang Yun was planning.

Regardless of the reason, killing a Foundation Establishment Stage Demon while still in the Qi Refining Stage was no small feat.

It was a testament to Fang Yun’s strength, but that was precisely why the information couldn’t be allowed to spread as it was.

「Two hours later.」

A Shen Family Elder appeared on Celestial Gift Mountain.

"What’s going on? Where is the Foundation Establishment Demon?"

He had received the patriarch’s message and rushed over in a panic.

But Celestial Gift Mountain was perfectly fine, and he couldn’t sense any trace of a Demon’s aura.

"It’s already dead," Fang Yun said, taking out the head of the Stone Demon Sect’s Vice Sect Leader.

"It’s him! He deserved to die!"

The Shen Family Elder was overjoyed to see the head. This was the same Stone Demon Sect Vice Sect Leader who had injured him last time.

Beyond his joy, however, he had many questions.

"What exactly happened?"

"Senior Shen, it was like this..." Patriarch Zeng began, glancing at Fang Yun before launching into his explanation.

After hearing Patriarch Zeng’s account, the Shen Family Elder had to admit that Fang Yun’s luck was truly incredible to be able to kill an early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon under such circumstances.

’It’s a good thing the Stone Demon Sect’s Vice Sect Leader was so careless.’

"Senior Shen," Fang Yun called out, then got straight to the point. "I hope you can help me concoct a story. A story where this Foundation Establishment Demon from the Stone Demon Sect actually died at your hands."

"Of course! No problem at all!"

The Shen Family Elder agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

Of course, the Shen Family’s patriarch and the other Elder would have to know the truth of this fabricated story, but the younger generation would only hear the tale.

It would make him much more prestigious among the family’s younger generation.

Moreover, it would be a story of great revenge. A tale of how, after his previous defeat, he came to the aid of the Zeng Family and slew the Foundation Establishment Demon from the Stone Demon Sect, giving him no chance to escape.

As he began to weave the tale in his mind, a satisfied smile spread across the Shen Family Elder’s face.

Killing the Vice Sect Leader of the Stone Demon Sect was a great honor for the Shen Family’s Foundation Establishment cultivators.

And it would help Fang Yun as well.

It was truly the best of both worlds.