Chapter 240: Chapter 227: Middle-Grade Spiritual Artifact

「Mid-June.」

Fang Yun received a notification from the light screen.

Sect Influence +1%

For an Elder still in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, this was an exceptionally difficult increase to his influence within the sect.

His influence within the sect had risen from 55% to 56%.

Based on the experience and patterns Fang Yun had pieced together, an Elder at the Peak of Foundation Establishment possessing 60% influence within the sect was already considered to have an incredibly profound impact.

For comparison, the Sect Leader of the Celestial Cloud Sect possessed 100% influence.

Fang Yun’s current goal wasn’t too ambitious. He simply hoped to reach 60% influence by the time he advanced to the late-stage of Foundation Establishment.

’This is most likely a knock-on effect from my refining of the Spirit Ascension Pills.’ After closing the light screen, Fang Yun speculated on the main source of this increase in influence.

Many of the sect’s Elders in the early and middle stages of Foundation Establishment were using Spirit Ascension Pills to aid their cultivation.

Many Elders had likely noticed the situation in the Dan Cloud Pavilion: the number of Upper Grade Spirit Ascension Pills had increased, while the supply of Middle and Lower Grade pills had dwindled.

After being able to purchase Upper Grade Spirit Ascension Pills multiple times in a row, even the most unobservant among them would have noticed something was different.

Back in April, things had gone just as Fang Yun expected.

By that month, he had achieved perfect refinement of the Spirit Ascension Pill.

From then on, as long as no inferior-quality Spirit Medicine was used, he could produce seven Upper Grade Spirit Ascension Pills with each refinement.

Fang Yun knew this was an unrealistic expectation, however. The sect’s cultivation of the Three-Core Spirit Flower—the main Spirit Medicine for the Spirit Ascension Pill—was not yet at a level where medium and high-quality flowers comprised more than half the total harvest.

When Bai Heyan allocated Spirit Medicine to him, he had already given him the best of the batch.

Fang Yun hadn’t even begun to cultivate when he noticed his Identity Token flash.

The task he had posted in the Task Hall was complete.

’Excellent! I can finally start refining the Spiritual Artifact-grade Half-Hidden Spirit Boots.’

Refining the Spiritual Artifact-grade Half-Hidden Spirit Boots required two primary Spiritual Materials. One of them was harvested from the body of a Weaving Hidden Demon Bat.

After he hunted down a Weaving Concealment Demon Bat King, the requirements for one of the primary Spiritual Materials needed to refine the Half-Hidden Spirit Boots had changed.

It was no longer just about using the pelt of a Weaving Hidden Demon Bat; the Weaving Concealment Demon Bat King was now required as well.

The pelt of the Weaving Concealment Demon Bat King would serve as the main component, supplemented by the most refined parts from the pelts of multiple regular Weaving Hidden Demon Bats.

「The entrance to the Task Hall.」

Fang Yun, wearing his Light Wind Boots, arrived in no time.

"Elder Fang."

Inside the Task Hall, an Elder who looked to be in his early seventies greeted Fang Yun.

Fang Yun recognized him as Han Fenglin, the Elder who had submitted the Spiritual Materials for his task.

He was the second-in-command of Smoke Cloud Peak, his authority there second only to Xu Qingxuan’s.

"Elder Han," Fang Yun replied, returning the gesture.

The second primary Spiritual Material he needed was silk spun by a Wind-Traveling Silkworm, and as it happened, Han Fenglin was raising a Foundation Establishment Level Wind-Traveling Silkworm.

The Elders of Smoke Cloud Peak either followed the path of the Spirit Chef or, like Han Fenglin, the path of Beast Taming.

The Demon Beasts on Smoke Cloud Peak that were raised in captivity to provide a stable source of meat, eggs, and milk all underwent a series of complex processes handled by Beast Tamers, such as selective breeding, screening, and training.

"If Elder Fang needed silk from a Wind-Traveling Silkworm, you should have just told me. Once I’d collected enough, I would have certainly paid you a visit," Han Fenglin said with a smile.

"Thank you for your kindness, Elder Han," Fang Yun said, before offering a simple explanation. "The Wind-Traveling Silkworm doesn’t produce silk constantly. I posted the task in the Task Hall so that if another Elder happened to acquire some silk on their travels, I might be able to obtain it sooner."

"Hahaha, you have a point, Elder Fang." Han Fenglin nodded lightly. "I know you’re a busy man. Alchemy and Artifact Refining are two major disciplines, and balancing your time between them must be incredibly difficult."

After exchanging a few more words, Fang Yun and Han Fenglin became somewhat acquainted.

So far, Fang Yun still hadn’t met half of the Elders in the Celestial Cloud Sect, Han Fenglin included. But there was no rush. That could come in time; his life as a Foundation Establishment cultivator was still long.

It had only been a year and a half, all told, since he became a Foundation Establishment Elder of the sect.

Approaching the Task Hall’s Steward, Fang Yun collected a sufficient quantity of Wind-Traveling Silkworm silk.

He exchanged a few parting words with Han Fenglin, and after making the customary promises to get together soon, he returned to his cave residence on Artifact Casting Peak.

Han Fenglin knew Fang Yun was likely headed off to refine artifacts, so he didn’t wish to disturb him further.

Before they parted, he told Fang Yun that if he ever had time, he was welcome to visit him on Smoke Cloud Peak to share some Spirit Wine and Spiritual Food.

Han Fenglin himself had only recently entered the late-stage of Foundation Establishment.

He was aware that the number of Upper Grade Spirit Ascension Pills in the Dan Cloud Pavilion had recently been increasing at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, for a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like him, the pills were no longer very effective.

He was looking forward to the day Fang Yun would begin refining Primordial Spirit Pills.

The Primordial Spirit Pill was an excellent medicinal pill for aiding the cultivation of someone at his stage.

「Artifact Casting Peak.」

「Fang Yun’s Cave Residence, Artifact Refining Room.」

The primary Spiritual Materials for refining the Spiritual Artifact version of the Half-Hidden Spirit Boots were laid out before him.

Next, Fang Yun examined the supplementary Spiritual Materials he had on hand.

’Let’s see... with these supplementary Spiritual Materials, I might be able to refine the Half-Hidden Spirit Boots into a Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact with four Spirit Patterns.’

Using the Spiritual Materials he had gathered, Fang Yun began to mentally formulate a viable plan.

If he still only had his five-star talent for Artifact Refining, Fang Yun wouldn’t even dream of being able to create a Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact like the Half-Hidden Spirit Boots with just these materials.

But a six-star talent for Artifact Refining was a different story.

Over the past two months, he had already figured out a great deal about his six-star talent for Artifact Refining.