Chapter 261: Chapter 237: Upper-Grade Biqing

The tasks for refining Spiritual Artifacts just needed to be given to Fang Yun in chronological order; the first ones posted would be done first.

Fang Yun glanced at the task requirements and quickly left the Artifact Pavilion.

"Take care, Elder."

The rewards, in both Contribution Points and Spirit Stones, were higher than for standard Artifact Refining tasks.

High rewards came with high requirements.

To meet the demands of these tasks with the Spiritual Materials in his Storage Pouch, even with a five-star Artifact Refining talent, he would still face at least a seventy percent chance of failure.

’They’re really making things difficult. Thankfully, the rumors about my Artifact Refining Talent haven’t gotten too ridiculous among the Elders.’

Fang Yun thought to himself.

The more a rumor spreads, the more absurd it becomes.

Upon returning to his abode, Fang Yun went straight to the Alchemy Room instead of the Artifact Refining Room.

He had already accepted the latest task: refining Cyan Clarity Pills.

Of the Spirit Medicines he received, one of the main ingredients—the Jade Patterned Profound Lotus—was Middle Grade. The Moon Orchid, a Second-Tier, Lower-Grade herb, was of superior quality.

This was better than Fang Yun had expected.

He recalled the process of refining Cyan Clarity Pills from over two years ago.

After centering himself, he quickly began to refine the latest batch of Cyan Clarity Pills.

This was the seventh batch of Cyan Clarity Pills he had refined. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

The final result: three Middle-Grade Cyan Clarity Pills!

"So close. With the next batch, I’m eighty percent confident I can refine an Upper-Grade Cyan Clarity Pill."

Fang Yun began refining the eighth batch of Cyan Clarity Pills only after he had reviewed his experience from the last one and identified areas for improvement.

Refining this batch of Cyan Clarity Pills took slightly longer than the last.

As the pills rolled out of the Alchemy Furnace’s output port, Fang Yun caught them all in his hands.

"One Upper-Grade Cyan Clarity Pill!"

The other two were a Middle-Grade and a Lower-Grade Cyan Clarity Pill.

During the final two stages of refinement, Fang Yun had sacrificed the quality of one pill to ensure the successful creation of a single Upper-Grade Cyan Clarity Pill.

To reliably produce one Upper-Grade and two Middle-Grade pills per batch, he would need at least two more refinement sessions’ worth of experience.

The closer one came to perfection, the harder it was to improve. Even so, with the boost from his six-star Alchemy Talent, Fang Yun’s rate of progress was already astonishing.

’I’m still two Upper-Grade Cyan Clarity Pills short.’

When he reached the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage, he would need three Upper-Grade Cyan Clarity Pills to aid his breakthrough, which would greatly increase his chances of entering the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

The Upper-Grade Cyan Clarity Pill he now held wasn’t his yet.

Only after he submitted the task and purchased the pill would it truly be his.

He had priority purchasing rights, so it was useless for other Elders to try and reserve it.

Due to his unique status, other Elders of Alchemy did not have this priority purchasing right.

He was the only one.

For the time being, no Elder had openly voiced any objections.

...

「Early Autumn.」

Smoke Cloud Peak, Smoke Cloud Pavilion.

Five Elders were seated in a private room on the third floor.

After successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, Yang Yingjie had invited Fang Yun and Wu Junxin, telling them they could bring a guest.

Wu Junxin naturally brought Yao Shuixiao.

The two had become Tao Companions long ago. With the help of Wu Junxin and her parents, Yao Shuixiao had successfully reached Foundation Establishment three years prior.

Although Fang Yun and Song Qiaoqiao weren’t Tao Companions yet, everyone knew about their relationship. All that was needed to make it official was the Supreme Elder’s approval.

In the eyes of Yang Yingjie and the others, it was only a matter of time.

"Where do you plan on taking up a post, Junior Brother Yang?" Wu Junxin asked Yang Yingjie.

"Me? I plan on becoming an Elder in the Evil Extermination Hall."

"Hmm, the Evil Extermination Hall is a good choice for you, Junior Brother Yang." Wu Junxin nodded. "I imagine you’ll have your hands full there before long."

"Do you have some inside information, Senior Brother Wu?" Yang Yingjie asked curiously.

"In the past year, quite a few disciples have been swayed by the Celestial Demon Sect. We caught two just last month."

Wu Junxin shared some matters from the Law Enforcement Hall. As one of its Elders, he was intimately familiar with such things.

The Law Enforcement Hall is responsible for internal matters.

If disciples on missions failed to complete them in the allotted time but returned safely after a long delay, they would be taken in by the Law Enforcement Hall for a thorough investigation.

This was part of the Law Enforcement Hall’s duties; most of their work involved punishing disciples and Elders who violated sect regulations.

"It seems the Celestial Demon Sect has become more active," Fang Yun remarked.

As the group chatted, a knock sounded at the door, which was then pushed open.

The disciple leading the servers with the Spiritual Food was Huang Mengzhu.

"Brother Fang Yun, honored Elders, here is the Spiritual Food you ordered."

At Huang Mengzhu’s direction, the disciples following her brought in the dishes of Spiritual Food.

Two months after becoming an Inner Sect Disciple, Huang Mengzhu successfully passed the trial of Management Elder Xu Qingxuan and became her Direct Disciple.

With her master Xu Qingxuan’s help, Huang Mengzhu’s cultivation progressed rapidly.

Huang Mengzhu was now already approaching the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

After exchanging a few words, mostly with Fang Yun, Huang Mengzhu excused herself.

"To be able to make Spiritual Food like this at only the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining... I must say, Elder Xu has a great eye for talent," Yang Yingjie commented as he savored the meal.

"Why not just say Mengzhu is talented?" Wu Junxin asked Yang Yingjie with a laugh.

They were all on good terms with Huang Mengzhu because of Fang Yun, especially Wu Junxin.

Even after becoming an Elder, Wu Junxin still frequented the Smoke Cloud Pavilion.

"It’s all the same."

"By the way, Senior Sister Song, what did your great-grandfather have to say about you and Senior Brother Fang?" Yao Shuixiao asked.

This drew the gazes of Yang Yingjie and Wu Junxin to Fang Yun and Song Qiaoqiao.

"As for us, we have to wait until I reach Core Formation," Song Qiaoqiao said frankly.

After Fang Yun demonstrated his superior Alchemy Talent, the key to the matter now rested on her.

The goal her great-grandfather had set for Fang Yun was simple: he just had to break through to the Late-stage Foundation Establishment.

She knew Fang Yun already had three Upper-Grade Cyan Clarity Pills. Breaking through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage would be simple for him. As for the Purple Essence Pills needed to break through from the peak of the mid-stage to the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, he probably wouldn’t even have to wait until he reached the mid-stage. Fang Yun could likely prepare Upper-Grade Purple Essence Pills while he was still in the early Foundation Establishment stage.

"’After you reach Core Formation...’" For a moment, Yao Shuixiao was at a loss for words.

In her eyes, the requirement was far too difficult.

Only a Supreme Elder would make such a demanding request.

After Yao Shuixiao questioned Song Qiaoqiao, Wu Junxin turned to Fang Yun. "And what about you, Junior Brother Fang?"

"I just need to reach Late-stage Foundation Establishment," Fang Yun replied.

"Then it’s a sure thing."

Wu Junxin thought about the current situation on Dan Cloud Peak.

By the time he reached the peak of the early Foundation Establishment stage, he might not have to worry about the sect’s supply of pills for breaking through to the mid-stage.

With Fang Yun refining them, the quality of such pills would improve, meaning fewer would be needed for a breakthrough.

Take him, Wu Junxin, for example. To be on the safe side, it would be best for him to use three Lower-Grade Cyan Clarity Pills to aid his breakthrough to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. But in the future, the pills Fang Yun refined might not even include Lower-Grade ones—only Middle and Upper-Grade.

He would only need a single Middle-Grade Cyan Clarity Pill.

A single portion of Spirit Medicine, when refined by other Elders of Alchemy, might not even be enough for one Elder like him. But when refined by Fang Yun, it was enough for three.

Once the topic of Fang Yun and Song Qiaoqiao concluded, Yao Shuixiao brought up some matters concerning the Task Hall.

After becoming an Elder, Yao Shuixiao, like her mother, held a post in the Task Hall.

"The Task Hall has been receiving refining requests meant for you, Senior Brother Fang."

This matter also concerned Fang Yun.

"Then they’ll just have to get in line," Fang Yun said with a smile.

He was aware of this situation.

Requests from the sect’s vassal powers all had to go through the Task Hall first.

If these vassal powers needed him for things like Artifact Refining or Alchemy, their requests would certainly be a low priority.

He had to finish the tasks from the sect’s own Elders before he could get to theirs.

"That’ll be a long wait, then."

Yang Yingjie considered himself very fortunate.

Being on good terms with Fang Yun meant that if he needed a Spiritual Artifact refined, he could cut the line anytime, and it would usually be done within half a month.