"Guardian missions... I’m not thinking about those for now." Fang Yun shook his head lightly.

Gaining Combat Talent Points from Guardian missions was too dependent on luck, far more so than back in the Qi Refining Stage.

Right now, if he wanted to take on a Guardian mission, he’d have to set aside any opinions from his master, Xiong Xingfeng, or Elder Bai Heyan. Besides, the missions for the Shen and Xiao Families were to guard their ancestral lands.

Those places usually only came under attack when other parts of the two families’ territories had already fallen.

When Bai Qinying went to guard the Shen Family’s ancestral land, Fang Yun remembered she had returned without having killed a single Demon.

So, with average luck, no matter which Foundation Establishment Clan he was assigned to guard, it would likely take him years to earn any Talent Points from combat as a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.

"Senior Sister, if you get any urgent requests for backup, please let me know right away," Fang Yun said, stating his preference.

Missions like that...

Those were the kind of missions that were truly suited for him! 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"After you reached Foundation Establishment, Junior Brother, you’re just like I was—all you can think about is killing Demons," Bai Qinying said, recalling her own mindset right after her own breakthrough. "When a relevant mission came up, I immediately volunteered. Unfortunately, the outcome wasn’t what I wanted."

’Those days on that Guardian mission... I would have been better off just staying in the sect.’

"A Foundation Establishment Demon? I’ve already killed one," Fang Yun said with a smile. "So, Senior Sister, we’re not the same."

"Well now, Fang Yun! How dare you say that to me, your Senior Sister!" Bai Qinying slammed her hand on the table and pointed at him. "You just got lucky, that’s all."

"Luck is a part of strength. You said that yourself, didn’t you, Senior Sister?"

"Sounds like you’re itching for a spar, Junior Brother. Perfect. Let me help you get more accustomed to the power of the Foundation Establishment Stage."

This reminded Bai Qinying of the past, when Fang Yun, still at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, had claimed he could help *her* adapt to her Foundation Establishment Stage powers.

Back then, Fang Yun didn’t have the ability to do so, but now that the roles were reversed, she did.

"You won’t refuse, will you, Junior Brother?"

"When Senior Sister offers her help, what reason would I have to refuse?"

"Excellent. Let’s go, then."

With that, Bai Qinying was already on her feet.

On Battle Peak, there was a specific place reserved for Elders to spar and engage in Magical Combat.

This arena was located halfway up Battle Peak, and ordinary disciples were forbidden from entering.

Night had fallen. Bai Qinying led the way with Fang Yun following behind as they arrived at the arena.

"Senior Sister, should I focus entirely on defense?" Fang Yun made a point to ask before the fight began.

"No need." Bai Qinying shook her head. "I want to see if you can defeat me now that you’ve entered the Foundation Establishment Stage."

"Alright, then I won’t focus solely on defense."

Before the battle began, Bai Qinying first adjusted her condition, striving to bring herself to her peak state.

Facing Fang Yun, who had just entered the Foundation Establishment Stage, she did not underestimate him in the slightest.

Unlike a normal Cultivator who had just entered the Foundation Establishment Stage, Fang Yun possessed the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Body. Throughout the entire Foundation Establishment Stage, the advantages of the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Body were undoubtedly at their greatest.

By now, he should have easily mastered the Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts he possessed.

"I’m starting."

"Alright."

The moment the Magical Combat spar began, streaks of White Thunder shot toward Fang Yun.

Cangyun Thunder Skill!

This was a skill Bai Qinying had only learned after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, and she had already achieved a minor level of proficiency.

Two jet-black shields spun continuously around Fang Yun, seemingly forming a defense with no blind spots. The White Thunder struck the shields and was instantly annihilated.

As he fought, Fang Yun was also evaluating Bai Qinying’s strength.

’Among early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivators, Bai Qinying’s current strength is quite impressive.’

’It would be difficult to completely block her Thunder Skill without any gaps using just a single Profound Crystal Shield.’

’And the power of this White Thunder... each strike drains a tiny bit of my Spiritual Power. The might is definitely considerable.’

’An attack from an ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would probably only drain a minuscule amount of my Spiritual Power.’

"Why aren’t you attacking?" Bai Qinying was confused by Fang Yun’s actions. "Don’t tell me I’m suppressing you so much you can’t even make a move?"

’If the early-stage Foundation Establishment Fang Yun was really this weak, she would be disappointed.’

"Senior Sister, you’re not strong enough to completely suppress me yet. I’m just getting a better feel for my own power."

"Good to hear!"

Under Bai Qinying’s watchful gaze, Fang Yun’s defense seemed to grow more and more effortless.

Suddenly, two deep-yellow swords flew out of Fang Yun’s Storage Pouch. They shot toward Bai Qinying from two different directions at extreme speed. All the while, Fang Yun never stopped controlling the jet-black shields.

Fang Yun’s attack was exceptionally fast. Bai Qinying, who had intended to switch from offense to defense, was a fraction of a second too slow to react.

"The match is decided," Fang Yun said with a smile.

At that moment, his Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts, the Earth Yellow Swords, floated on either side of Bai Qinying.

"You can already control four Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts at once!" Bai Qinying exclaimed in astonishment.

In her estimation, being able to control three Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts at the same time would have been worthy of his Seven-Aperture Exquisite Body.

Fang Yun replied, "It’s a bit of a strain."

"Then let’s go again! Until you’ve completely mastered it."

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

As he spoke, Fang Yun recalled both his Profound Crystal Shields and his Earth Yellow Swords.

"No need to go to all that trouble. You’ll just have to bring the Spiritual Artifacts back out after recalling them."

"This is also part of the practice."

’That’s what he said, but in reality, Fang Yun was doing this to see if he could get credit for defeating an early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator multiple times when the Talent Hall calculated his Talent Points next month.’

’Fang Yun knew the chances were slim, but it wouldn’t hurt to try. What if he managed to game the system?’

The two of them continued their relentless Magical Combat session.

Bai Qinying, who was practicing with Fang Yun, grew more and more anxious the longer they fought.

She was the one who kept losing. She really wanted to win just once, but Fang Yun never gave her the slightest opportunity.

"Senior Sister, let’s call it a day." After winning yet again, Fang Yun recalled his four Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts. The fluctuations of Spiritual Power around him had completely vanished.

"Ran out of Spiritual Power?"

Seeing this, Bai Qinying quickly realized what had happened. For a cultivator who had just reached Foundation Establishment like Fang Yun, controlling four Spiritual Artifacts for an extended period would make the consumption of Spiritual Power his biggest problem.

For a normal early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, however, simultaneously controlling four Tier Four Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts would drain their Divine Sense long before their Spiritual Power.

"Yeah."

Fang Yun nodded. His Qi Sea now only contained ninety-one percent of its Spiritual Power.

Watching Fang Yun walk toward her, a thought popped into Bai Qinying’s head. ’If I can just remain undefeated when we spar, and wait until his Spiritual Power is almost gone, then I’ll be the one who wins in the end! Just like that time in the Inner Sect tournament.’

’But the problem now is that my defensive techniques can’t withstand Fang Yun’s unpredictable attacks.’

’Those two Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts are just too agile under his control.’

"Watch the sword."