Chapter 227: Chapter 216: Emotional Foundation (Part 2)

He had no intention of teasing Song Qiaoqiao. Fang Yun was simply very clear about what needed to be done at each stage.

He would never have told Song Qiaoqiao he wanted to meet her great-grandfather before he had reached Foundation Establishment.

As time went on, Song Qiaoqiao seemed to grow accustomed to Fang Yun’s forwardness.

Seeing this, Fang Yun began to speak again. The two quickly resumed their cheerful conversation, but now, an extra layer of unspoken understanding had formed between them.

As they chatted, a ray of spiritual light appeared before Song Qiaoqiao.

She quickly absorbed the information within it.

"What is it?" Fang Yun asked curiously.

"Elder Bai is calling a meeting," Song Qiaoqiao replied. She then looked at Fang Yun and asked, "Are you going to the Artifact Casting Peak after this? Or to Dan Cloud Peak?"

"My master told me to stay on the Artifact Casting Peak."

"I see." Song Qiaoqiao thought for a moment before making a decision. "You should come with me to this meeting."

"With your Alchemy Talent, even if you don’t become an Elder of Dan Cloud Peak in the future, I feel you’re qualified to attend meetings like this."

’As long as someone’s talent is high enough,’ Song Qiaoqiao now felt, ’some rules can be bent.’

For example, granting Fang Yun some of the authority of a Dan Cloud Peak Elder.

Of course, this wasn’t something she could decide on her own. This meeting, however, might be the perfect opportunity.

"Who doesn’t like special treatment?" Fang Yun didn’t refuse her invitation to the Dan Cloud Peak Elder meeting.

They still had more to discuss, but it could wait until after the meeting.

And so, Fang Yun followed Song Qiaoqiao to the grand hall on Dan Cloud Peak where the meetings were held.

When they arrived, the other four Elders of Alchemy were already in their seats.

In the hall, Bai Heyan occupied the main seat at the center, with the other three Elders of Alchemy seated on either side.

The four Elders glanced first at Song Qiaoqiao, then their gazes all converged on Fang Yun.

Fang Yun’s aura now revealed him to be a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, a fact that did not surprise Bai Heyan in the least.

"Elder Fang, do you plan on becoming one of our Dan Cloud Peak’s Elders of Alchemy in the future?" a mustachioed old man asked.

Fang Yun knew this mustachioed man was named Wan Xuanye. On Dan Cloud Peak, his status was second only to the Management Elder, Bai Heyan.

Fang Yun had learned from Song Qiaoqiao that Wan Xuanye had connections to one of the sect’s Supreme Elders.

If there was anyone on Dan Cloud Peak who dared to directly oppose Bai Heyan, it was undoubtedly Wan Xuanye.

Based on Song Qiaoqiao’s information, Fang Yun deduced that Bai Heyan and Wan Xuanye often held opposing views, and that Wan Xuanye had a chance of replacing Bai Heyan as the Management Elder of Dan Cloud Peak.

"No, I plan to go to the Artifact Casting Peak," Fang Yun stated directly. There was no reason to hide it.

"Then what are you doing here now?" Wan Xuanye immediately demanded.

Just as Song Qiaoqiao was about to answer, Bai Heyan spoke.

"Elder Fang’s arrival is timely. The topic of the meeting I’ve called today is, in fact, related to him."

Before Fang Yun had arrived at Dan Cloud Peak, his master, Xiong Xingfeng, had already come ahead of him.

Xiong Xingfeng had gone straight to Bai Heyan, naturally to discuss matters concerning Fang Yun.

Xiong Xingfeng was well aware that for Fang Yun to go far with his Five Spirit Roots, he would need an immense amount of resources. Because of this, he had never tried to stop Fang Yun from practicing Alchemy. If Fang Yun had possessed Dual Spirit Roots, Xiong Xingfeng would have certainly pushed him to focus solely on the path of Artifact Refining, as his achievements would have been far greater.

At a nod from Bai Heyan, Song Qiaoqiao took her designated seat. Fang Yun sat beside her, in a seat closer to the hall’s entrance.

There were eight seats in total within the hall.

This suggested that at one point, Dan Cloud Peak had as many as eight Elders of Alchemy—the highest number it had ever supported.

"Elder Bai, what is this matter concerning Elder Fang? You can tell us now."

The speaker this time was He Jiawen, Jiang Yan’s master.

Fang Yun knew that He Jiawen, Jiang Yan’s master, was on his side in most situations.

"Mm," Bai Heyan nodded. "Elder Fang has already reached Foundation Establishment. Even back in his Qi Refining Stage, his Alchemy Talent was plain for all to see. Therefore, even if Elder Fang does not become an Elder of our Dan Cloud Peak, he will still be assigned tasks, and the rewards for some of those tasks will be increased."

"On what grounds?"

The moment Bai Heyan finished speaking, Wan Xuanye was the first to object.

"On the grounds of his Alchemy Talent, of course," Bai Heyan said unhurriedly. They were all Alchemy Masters; here, the only strength that mattered was one’s skill in Alchemy. The fact that Fang Yun, while still in the Qi Refining Stage, had killed an early-stage Foundation Establishment Demon—a first in the sect’s history for a Sect Disciple—was not a relevant accomplishment to bring up at this table.

"Elder Wan, tell me, how many batches of Spirit Ascension Pills has Elder Fang refined to date? And how many have you refined? Furthermore, can your pill yield when refining Spirit Ascension Pills even compare to Elder Fang’s?"

Bai Heyan stared at Wan Xuanye, posing three questions in a row.

The questions struck Wan Xuanye completely silent.

When Fang Yun was still just a Sect Disciple, he could have found something to say. But now, facing a Fang Yun who had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t find any angle for rebuttal.

’Back when Fang Yun was a Sect Disciple,’ he thought, ’I could have argued: who could guarantee that he would even reach Foundation Establishment? If he kept failing, feeding him Second-Tier pills would have been a waste. He would never be able to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, much less Third-Tier pills. If one’s Realm doesn’t advance, talent alone is useless.’

"I can answer the first question," Song Qiaoqiao spoke up. "To date, Elder Fang has refined a total of seventy-nine batches of Spirit Ascension Pills."

Facing the silent Wan Xuanye, Bai Heyan pressed him again.

"Elder Wan, the number of Spirit Ascension Pill batches you’ve refined is, at a conservative estimate, more than ten times that of Elder Fang, isn’t it?"

Among all Second-Tier pills, refining missions for the Spirit Ascension Pill were the most common. Its main ingredient, the Three-Core Spirit Flower, was also the most widely cultivated Second-Tier, Lower-Grade Spirit Medicine in the sect.

Second-Tier Spirit Medicines took over ten years to mature. The Second-Tier, Lower-Grade Three-Core Spirit Flower, specifically, required twelve years.

"Yes," Wan Xuanye finally said, breaking his silence.

’If I stay silent any longer,’ he thought, ’Bai Heyan will get exactly what he wants out of this meeting.’

"Let me think... Elder Wan, you haven’t refined Spirit Ascension Pills in some twenty years, have you? Don’t tell me your technique for refining them has grown rusty."

For an Alchemy Master, being told their technique had grown rusty was a grave insult.

After successfully refining more difficult pills, when one returned to simpler ones, even if the quantity didn’t increase, the quality certainly shouldn’t decrease.

"My technique for refining Spirit Ascension Pills is as sharp as ever." Wan Xuanye thought for a moment. ’Fang Yun just reached Foundation Establishment. This might be an opportunity for me.’ "Elder Bai, you just want me to compete with Elder Fang, don’t you? Well, there’s no time like the present. Let’s have our competition right now."

A faint smile touched Bai Heyan’s lips as he looked at Wan Xuanye.

He had figured out Wan Xuanye’s motive.

"Elder Wan, I believe you’ve misunderstood. That wasn’t my intention. I only need you and Elder Fang to state the results from your single best batch of Spirit Ascension Pills. Then, I will verify it against the records."

"I’m not the same man I was twenty-odd years ago." Wan Xuanye knew that for Bai Heyan to make such a proposal, it must mean his own past record was inferior to Fang Yun’s. His gaze shifted to Fang Yun. "Wouldn’t you agree, Elder Fang?" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

’That old fox Bai Heyan won’t let me compete against Fang Yun right now,’ Wan Xuanye thought. ’My only option is to go through Fang Yun.’

"Indeed. Elder Wan speaks reason," Fang Yun said with a faint nod.

’My five-star Alchemy Talent is no joke.’ he thought. ’Due to the unique nature of my talent, I am different from ordinary Cultivators. I know exactly why Wan Xuanye wants to compete right now.’

"Hahaha! Now that’s more like it," Wan Xuanye laughed, delighted.

’Fang Yun is still too young,’ he thought. ’He just broke through to Foundation Establishment. He probably hasn’t even tried refining a pill yet. One needs time to adapt to new power.’