Chapter 267: Chapter 240: Mutated Spirit Root (2)

Other than that, his impression of Fang Yun had always come from his sister and parents.

With the three of them constantly talking about him, the young boy had long since formed a preliminary impression of Fang Yun.

When he finally met Fang Yun, the man matched his initial impression.

However, there was one thing he wanted to say but didn’t: his sister’s description of Brother Fang Yun was a bit too exaggerated.

"That’s right. Hard work is important, especially when paired with talent."

The sister guided her younger brother while their parents watched quietly from the side without speaking.

Compared to them, Huang Mengzhu, as an Inner Sect Disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect, was far more qualified to teach her brother.

Huang Datong exchanged a look with his wife.

Their own futures were already set. They hoped the siblings could go much further, and that they would live to see both of them reach Foundation Establishment.

This was their greatest wish.

「At dusk.」

Huang Mengzhu finally bid her family farewell and returned to the Celestial Cloud Sect.

Her little brother had tested positive for a Wind Spirit Root.

Upon returning to the sect, Huang Mengzhu’s first thought was to tell Fang Yun the good news. Her master, Xu Qingxuan, was only her second thought.

Artifact Casting Peak was the closest peak to the sect’s main gate.

Soon, Huang Mengzhu arrived in front of Fang Yun’s cave residence on Artifact Casting Peak.

’My luck is pretty good. Brother Fang Yun isn’t in seclusion for Alchemy or Artifact Refining.’

KNOCK KNOCK.

After Huang Mengzhu knocked lightly on the cave residence’s gate twice, the stone door slowly retracted into the walls on either side.

"Brother Fang Yun."

"Oh, it’s Mengzhu. Is there something you need?" asked Fang Yun, pausing his cultivation.

"I have some good news for you, Brother Fang Yun." Huang Mengzhu walked briskly to his side and didn’t beat around the bush, directly sharing her good news. "I tested my little brother’s Spirit Root today, and he has a Wind Spirit Root!"

"A Mutated Spirit Root. That’s excellent news."

This was indeed good news, not just for him, but for the entire Celestial Cloud Sect.

Among the upper echelons of the Celestial Cloud Sect, disciples and Elders with Mutated Spirit Roots had another name: Core Formation Seeds.

Bai Qinying was a Core Formation Seed, and now so was Huang Mengzhu’s younger brother.

Overjoyed, Huang Mengzhu told Fang Yun a few more things about her little brother.

Fang Yun listened attentively before asking, "Does your master know about this yet?"

"Not yet. It’s getting late, so I’ll go to Smoke Cloud Peak tomorrow to tell her."

"In that case, I’ll make some arrangements for Mengyang. He can officially become an Outer Sect Disciple of the sect tomorrow."

The Celestial Cloud Sect normally recruited disciples in July of each year.

It was only March now.

With a Mutated Spirit Root, Huang Mengyang was fully qualified to be admitted as a disciple ahead of schedule. And with his arrangements, the boy would enjoy even better treatment.

With his talent and Fang Yun’s backing, Huang Mengyang was now like a young Bai Qinying, whose grand-uncle was a Management Elder of Dan Cloud Peak and had provided her with excellent cultivation resources right after she joined the Celestial Cloud Sect.

"Thank you, Brother Fang Yun."

"Don’t mention it. If I didn’t do it, your master would have."

A little less than an hour later, a happy Huang Mengzhu departed.

Fang Yun quickly began making arrangements for Huang Mengyang.

He just needed to entrust this matter to the Celestial Cloud Pavilion.

He was in a great mood. When a promising seed grew up, the sect would become that much stronger.

His Talent Points bonus was deeply tied to the sect’s strength. Compared to the other high-ranking members of the sect, Fang Yun had a much greater desire to see the sect grow powerful.

...

「Mid-June.」

「The Xiao Family’s Foundation Establishment Ancestral Land.」

Bai Qinying had accepted a Guardian mission from the sect and was stationed here.

By now, she had been guarding this place for nearly a year and a half.

During this time, she had done nothing but cultivate to improve her strength. There had been no sign of any Foundation Establishment Level Demons whatsoever.

Logically speaking, the Xiao Family, like the Shen Family and Red Flame Valley, should have been a frequent target for Demon attacks.

The territories of these three Foundation Establishment Influences were all adjacent to the Celestial Demon Sect’s Earth Realm.

Today, Bai Qinying was preparing to return.

From now on, she planned to take on support missions for the sect, just like Fang Yun.

This time, guarding the Xiao Family’s ancestral land, she had persevered for much longer than when she had guarded the Shen Family’s ancestral land—a full six months longer.

"Elder Bai, be careful on your journey," Patriarch Xiao said, bidding Bai Qinying farewell.

"Mm."

After leaving the Xiao Family’s ancestral land, Bai Qinying increased her flight speed.

On the way back to the Celestial Cloud Sect, she paid close attention to her surroundings.

If she was lucky, perhaps she would encounter a Qi Refining Demon roaming the Celestial Cloud Sect’s territory.

If she really did run into a Qi Refining Demon, she would naturally take care of it in passing.

As she passed through a certain area, Bai Qinying, who was constantly observing her surroundings, felt that something was wrong.

She stopped and carefully scanned her surroundings.

Suddenly, a black shadow lunged at her.

Reacting quickly, Bai Qinying unleashed a bolt of white thunder.

Cangyun Thunder Skill!

Compared to when she first sparred with Fang Yun in Magical Combat after her Foundation Establishment, she had now cultivated this Thunder Skill to the Great Success Realm and could instantly unleash a powerful White Thunder.

The black shadow was struck by the white thunder.

He crashed to the ground with a BOOM, his arms, which were covered in black scales, crossed protectively in front of him. Wisps of white smoke rose from them.

"A Feng Family Demon."

Bai Qinying identified the Foundation Establishment Demon in a single glance.

At this very moment, a faint glimmer of excitement flashed in her eyes.

She had been on guard duty for a year and a half without seeing a single Foundation Establishment Demon, and today she had finally found one.

"You seem very happy?"

Patriarch Feng looked at Bai Qinying in surprise.

He was at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, while Bai Qinying was only at the initial stage. There was a clear gap in their strength.

He had been in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment for over fifty years and was considered an expert among Demons at his level.

’I know a little about Bai Qinying. It’s only been about ten years since she broke through to Foundation Establishment, right? Even if she’s a Thunder Spirit Root Cultivator famed for her powerful offensive abilities, what could she possibly have to fight me with after just ten short years?’

Excited as she was, Bai Qinying was not impulsive.

’Encountering one Foundation Establishment Demon here means there could be a second. Right now, I need to confirm if there’s another one nearby.’

"Very happy. In a moment, I’ll make you... Wait, where do you think you’re going!"

Seeing Bai Qinying turn and flee, Patriarch Feng immediately gave chase.

’Cunning Spirit Refiner.’

He knew he had just been tricked. Bai Qinying’s joy had been an act, intended to put him off his guard and create the illusion that she wouldn’t run away.

He wasn’t about to let Bai Qinying escape just like that.

After all, the Celestial Demon Sect had placed a high bounty on Cultivators with Mutated Spirit Roots like Bai Qinying, and the reward was something every Foundation Establishment Demon coveted.

Patriarch Feng had already seen the latest bounty list. Currently, the highest bounty for a Celestial Cloud Sect Elder was on Fang Yun, with Bai Qinying ranked third.

Bai Qinying was fast, but Patriarch Feng was faster.

"You won’t make it to the Xiao Family’s territory."

The closer he got to his prey, the more excited Patriarch Feng became. This thrill of the chase was a change brought about by transplanting the bloodline of a Demon Beast.

He had only been trying this ambush for seven days, and he already had a result.

Patriarch Feng felt his luck was truly excellent.

Ambushes like his were just a way to test his luck. With insufficient information, lying in wait was the only option for now.

The time was not yet ripe to attack the Xiao Family’s ancestral land. The right moment would be when a large number of the Celestial Demon Sect’s Elders, or even its Core Formation Supreme Elders, made their move.

That way, when the attack on the Xiao Family’s ancestral land began, they would not be able to receive powerful reinforcements.

The distance between the two grew shorter and shorter.

Until they were only seven zhang apart.

Bai Qinying struck again. This time, it wasn’t with white thunder, but with a long rope crackling with purple arcs of electricity.

"Go!" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The long rope was fast and nimble. With the distance now close enough, it instantly bound Patriarch Feng.

"A mere Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact can’t hold me."

More and more black scales appeared on Patriarch Feng’s body, and his form began to swell.

Just as he thought he could easily break free from the rope, he felt that something was very wrong.

The rope was paralyzing and corroding his Demon Power.

’This is...’

’How is this possible!?’

He knew that Fang Yun of the Celestial Cloud Sect could refine Upper Grade Magical Artifacts specifically designed to counter them, the Demons—that was why Fang Yun’s bounty was so exceptionally high.

But this was a Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact! Not an Upper Grade Magical Artifact.

According to the Celestial Demon Sect’s Elder Mo Yuanhai, it would take Fang Yun at least a hundred years to be able to refine a Lower Grade Spiritual Artifact capable of dealing with them.