I Can Upgrade My Talent Infinitely

Chapter 335 - 274: No Need to Worry

After withdrawing at Pang Feng’s signal, the Demon Spirit Sect Leader had been waiting outside the entire time.

As Pang Feng’s voice echoed out, the Demon Spirit Sect Leader quickly entered.

"Supreme Elder." The Demon Spirit Sect Leader bowed, then immediately turned to Lu Yaoling. "Senior Lu, this way, please."

"Mm."

Lu Yaoling’s face remained grim on the way out of the Demon Spirit Sect.

The Demon Spirit Sect Leader could see their talk hadn’t gone well. He remained silent, knowing that trying to start a conversation would only be asking for trouble.

After seeing Lu Yaoling off, the Demon Spirit Sect Leader returned to Supreme Elder Pang Feng’s residence.

"Supreme Elder, what is the situation now?"

The Demon Spirit Sect Leader asked directly as soon as he saw the Supreme Elder again.

As the Sect Leader of the Demon Spirit Sect, the Supreme Elders had delegated a great deal of authority to him. He had to handle numerous affairs, so he was privy to almost everything the Supreme Elders knew.

"That Sword Cultivator from the Celestial Cloud Sect succeeded in reaching Core Formation. That Lu fellow came over, hoping we would increase our pressure on the Celestial Cloud Sect."

The Demon Spirit Sect Leader understood immediately. His Supreme Elder had clearly refused Lu Yaoling.

"When it comes to dealing with the Celestial Cloud Sect, we’re already openly supporting the Celestial Demon Sect. The forces we’ve committed are more than enough. Any more is out of the question." The Demon Spirit Sect Leader was, of course, firmly on his Supreme Elder’s side.

Now that the Celestial Cloud Sect’s overall strength had increased, dealing with them would require even greater forces and a larger investment.

If the Ghost-Controlling Sect were to pull some kind of stunt right now, we might find our Demon Spirit Sect in a precarious position before we could even destroy and carve up the Celestial Cloud Sect.

"The Celestial Cloud Sect has grown stronger, so the Celestial Demon Sect should just quiet down. It’s not like the Celestial Cloud Sect is going to do anything to them anyway. Even if the Celestial Cloud Sect did take the initiative to attack, the Celestial Demon Sect could wear down their strength, which wouldn’t be entirely a bad thing for us."

Pang Feng was now voicing the thoughts he had kept to himself earlier.

He had considered many things when rejecting Lu Yaoling’s proposal.

If the Celestial Demon Sect’s power was sufficiently depleted, then when they, as strong reinforcements, turned to attack the Celestial Cloud Sect, the Demon Spirit Sect would get a larger share of the spoils after the Celestial Cloud Sect was destroyed. This, in turn, would strengthen their own sect.

"The Supreme Elder is wise. Our Demon Spirit Sect has already gone above and beyond." The Demon Spirit Sect Leader first offered his praise, then reaffirmed his stance.

"You can handle the arrangements for what comes next."

"Yes, Supreme Elder."

The Demon Spirit Sect Leader affirmed that he would arrange everything perfectly.

...

「More than half a month had passed since Miao Qinghong’s successful Core Formation.」

In that time, Feng Tianrui had officially become the Management Elder of Battle Peak. The former third-in-command, Long Xiangwen, had been promoted to second-in-command. As for the new third-in-command of Battle Peak, no one had been appointed yet.

’This third-in-command position will probably go to Bai Qinying,’ Fang Yun thought.

「Two days ago, Fang Yun had heard some news.」

The news came from the Celestial Demon Sect.

Apparently, the Core Formation Demons of the Celestial Demon Sect had made a declaration: if the Celestial Cloud Sect handed him over, the Celestial Demon Sect would guarantee not to attack them for at least two hundred years.

Fang Yun could only laugh when he heard the news.

’Even if I didn’t have my current influence in the sect, and was only known for my talent in Artifact Refining and Alchemy, the Celestial Cloud Sect would never hand me over.’

’The same would be true for any other elder, even one with little influence.’

’If they set such a precedent, never mind what the other Core Formation Sects would think of them, even their own affiliated Foundation Establishment Influences would be disappointed. And that’s not even considering the internal morale of the Celestial Cloud Sect itself.’

’The implications were just too numerous.’

’I wonder why the Core Formation Demons of the Celestial Demon Sect even had such an idea?’ Fang Yun mused.

’Did the bloodline transplant have such a huge side effect that it made them stupid?’

Pushing the thought aside, Fang Yun went about his business.

He was currently in the middle of his cultivation.

The Liquid Spiritual Power in his Qi Sea now filled one-third of its total volume.

Once it reached one-half, he would be at the peak of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

Two Fire Lotuses floated above his Qi Sea. The second one had appeared when his Liquid Spiritual Power reached thirty percent capacity.

He was halfway through refining and absorbing an Upper Grade Spirit Ascension Pill.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

A knock came from outside the stone door of his cave residence.

Hearing the sound, Fang Yun ceased his cultivation and emerged from the Cultivation Room. The stone door of his cave residence opened simultaneously.

The person who entered was Song Qiaoqiao, dressed in a white, palace-style gown.

Song Qiaoqiao rarely used to dress this way, but she started wearing it often because Fang Yun liked it.

"Qiaoqiao."

"I heard from my great-grandfather that the Celestial Demon Sect wants us to hand you over."

Fang Yun immediately knew why she had come.

"I heard about that two days ago. The Celestial Demon Sect making such a demand is just absurd. You don’t need to worry."

Song Qiaoqiao nodded in understanding. Her great-grandfather had explained the situation to her in detail.

Even if the Core Formation Demons from the Celestial Demon Sect attacked them directly, the sect would never hand Fang Yun over.

"Actually, I think that after making this threat, the Celestial Demon Sect’s subsequent actions will decrease."

"Tell me more."

The two of them naturally started chatting about the current situation.

It was mainly Fang Yun expressing his views while Song Qiaoqiao listened intently.

"Elder Miao is now our Celestial Cloud Sect’s Sword Cultivation Supreme Elder. I’m sure the Celestial Demon Sect is well aware of the strength of a Core Formation Stage Sword Cultivator. Looking back at certain points in our sect’s history, whenever the Celestial Cloud Sect was strong, the Celestial Demon Sect was usually much quieter..."

Fang Yun’s analysis of the current situation was based on historical precedent.

Historically, the Celestial Demon Sect had initiated major wars many times.

The outcome of these great wars often depended on the Celestial Cloud Sect’s own strength. The one time they were nearly annihilated by the Celestial Demon Sect was also the weakest point in the Celestial Cloud Sect’s entire history.

At that time, the Celestial Cloud Sect didn’t even have a single Array Elder.

After analyzing all the information, Fang Yun came to the most probable conclusion.

This joint campaign by the Celestial Demon Sect and the Demon Spirit Sect was nearing its end. The likelihood of them launching a direct assault on the Celestial Cloud Sect’s territory was now much lower than before.

’This means I’ll have fewer sources for Talent Points, but my development might be more stable...’

As he discussed the situation with Song Qiaoqiao, Fang Yun considered this in his mind.

’Wartime versus peacetime.’

’If I had to choose right now, I would definitely pick peacetime.’

’Gaining Talent Points from combat is fast, but it comes with risks.’

’Gaining Talent Points from Life Talents is slower but much more stable. Plus, as my Artifact Refining and Alchemy skills improve, the rate at which I gain Life Talent points will also steadily increase.’

’Besides, the sect has already advanced from level three to level four.’

’This is all the more reason why stability is better right now.’

’If the war were to drag on and even one of the sect’s Core Formation Cultivators were to fall, the sect’s level could drop from four back to three. I’d lose out on a lot of bonus Talent Points.’

The two of them chatted for nearly four hours. Naturally, their conversation covered more than just the current situation; they also discussed many issues related to Alchemy.

In Alchemy, it was now always Song Qiaoqiao asking Fang Yun for advice.

In terms of pure Alchemy skill, Song Qiaoqiao could now firmly rank third among the Elders of Alchemy on Dan Cloud Peak.

After Song Qiaoqiao left, Fang Yun continued to refine the Upper Grade Spirit Ascension Pill.

「Another half a month or so went by.」

In the time since Miao Qinghong’s successful Core Formation, he hadn’t accepted a single reinforcement mission.

This didn’t mean there were no reinforcement missions.

Rather, he hadn’t been free whenever they came up.

One thing Fang Yun could sense was that the frequency of reinforcement missions had decreased.

Today, Fang Yun planned to go to Dan Cloud Peak to accept an Alchemy mission.

He had a visitor before he could even leave his cave residence.

This time the visitor was Bai Qinying.

"Senior Sister Bai."

"Junior Brother Fang, I came to tell you some good news."

"Good news? Let me guess."

Fang Yun thought for a moment. Knowing Bai Qinying, her "good news" was usually good news for herself.

"On Battle Peak, you’ve now taken Elder Long’s previous position?"

"Nope."