I Can Upgrade My Talent Infinitely

"Elder Ma, this information you’ve brought back is very important."

"Hall Master Xue, I thought so as well, which is why I returned immediately to report it." As Ma Shichen spoke, he shot a meaningful glance at the Spirit Destruction Hall Master.

The news he reported was important, so his reward had to be substantial.

As the Spirit Destruction Hall Master, how could he not understand what Ma Shichen was implying?

After further assessing the intelligence’s value, the Spirit Destruction Hall Master sent Ma Shichen off to collect his reward.

"Thank you, Hall Master Xue."

After Ma Shichen left, the Spirit Destruction Hall Master quickly took action.

First, this news had to be reported to the sect’s upper echelon.

The person he needed to see was the most powerful of all: Supreme Elder Lu Yaoling.

「Half a quarter hour later.」

The Spirit Destruction Hall Master was finally granted an audience with Lu Yaoling.

"Hall Master Xue, have you come to see me now because you plan to enter seclusion for Core Formation?" Lu Yaoling asked, looking at the Spirit Destruction Hall Master. This was the first thing that came to his mind.

Otherwise, there was no other reason for the Hall Master to seek him out at this hour.

The Spirit Destruction Hall Master had already reported on the state of the sect three months ago.

"That’s not it, Supreme Elder. I have an important piece of information to report."

"Important information? Tell me."

"Yes." The Spirit Destruction Hall Master looked up at Supreme Elder Lu Yaoling and immediately began relaying the news he had received from Ma Shichen. "We have new intelligence. A Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiner from the Celestial Cloud Sect has taken the initiative to act within our Earth Realm."

"Elder Ma Shichen was attacked by an early-stage Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiner from the Celestial Cloud Sect while he was out."

After explaining the source of the information, the Spirit Destruction Hall Master fell silent, waiting for Supreme Elder Lu Yaoling to speak.

Unlike his own reaction upon first hearing the news, he couldn’t discern Lu Yaoling’s thoughts from his current expression.

After a long while, Lu Yaoling finally spoke.

By this point, he had already finished his deliberations.

"I need more comprehensive intelligence. In particular, find out if the Celestial Cloud Sect’s Spirit Refiners are targeting only us."

"Supreme Elder, I will arrange for the information to be gathered at once."

"Mm."

After Lu Yaoling nodded, the Spirit Destruction Hall Master departed immediately.

After arranging to carry out Supreme Elder Lu Yaoling’s task, he had his own matters to attend to as well.

"The Celestial Cloud Sect..."

Lu Yaoling murmured to himself after the Spirit Destruction Hall Master had left.

The current Celestial Cloud Sect was undoubtedly at its strongest point in history, boasting a full eight Core Formation Spirit Refiners.

In fifty years, two of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s Core Formation higher-ups would see their Life Span depleted and pass on. Even if the Celestial Cloud Sect didn’t produce a single new Core Formation Cultivator in those fifty years, they would still have six.

In terms of numbers alone, that would be on par with their Celestial Demon Sect’s current strength.

His own remaining Life Span was less than fifty years, so if neither side produced a new Core Formation Cultivator, the Celestial Cloud Sect would still have more of them.

The more Lu Yaoling thought about it, the more he seemed to understand the reason for the Celestial Cloud Sect’s actions.

Faced with this situation, he had to gather the other high-ranking members of the Celestial Demon Sect in the conference hall for a serious discussion.

After receiving his message, the other Supreme Elders and the Sect Leader of the Celestial Demon Sect quickly gathered in the conference hall.

Sitting in the central seat, Lu Yaoling didn’t waste any time and got straight to the point, stating the reason for calling them all together.

"A Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiner from the Celestial Cloud Sect has appeared in our Earth Realm and has taken the initiative to attack one of our Elders. What do all of you propose we do?"

He had made the last major decision, which now made it difficult for him to push through any new ones.

This time, he would just watch them and see what they had to say.

’My last major decision wasn’t wrong,’ Lu Yaoling thought. ’Even though it ultimately failed, doesn’t the Celestial Cloud Sect’s current action prove that I was right?’

’If our major operation last time had actually destroyed the Celestial Cloud Sect and seized their territory, there wouldn’t be a Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiner from their sect in our lands now, attacking our Elder.’

’The outcome was a failure, but the decision was correct.’

There were a few things he had prepared to say, but Lu Yaoling didn’t plan on saying them now. It wouldn’t be too late to speak up once the discussion was nearly over.

"Is the information accurate?"

The one who asked was a Supreme Elder named Cao Yuchen.

He was the Supreme Elder whose power in the sect was second only to Lu Yaoling’s.

It was he who had naturally taken the lead in uniting the other high-ranking members of the sect to oppose Lu Yaoling.

"Since I’ve gathered you all here, I can naturally guarantee the information’s accuracy," Lu Yaoling replied.

"The Celestial Cloud Sect’s Spirit Refiners are getting bolder and bolder! We haven’t initiated any trouble, yet they dare to make the first move!"

"Clearly, the Celestial Cloud Sect no longer takes us seriously."

Whether it was their own past experiences or historical events, everything told them that the Celestial Cloud Sect would not proactively attack them. This was taken for granted.

Today, that certainty had been shattered.

"Supreme Elder Lu, I believe that if it weren’t for your previous actions, the Celestial Cloud Sect would never have even considered attacking us now." Supreme Elder Cao Yuchen directed the blame at Lu Yaoling.

He said it as if everything was Lu Yaoling’s fault.

"Supreme Elder Cao, why don’t you use that tiny bird brain of yours and think for a moment? Is the action of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiner my fault?

This is clearly a result of their growing strength. Look at how many Core Formation Spirit Refiners the Celestial Cloud Sect has now.

Eight! A full eight of them! At the most powerful point in our Celestial Demon Sect’s history, we also only had eight Core Formation Cultivators at one time."

"Oh?" Cao Yuchen retorted, looking at Lu Yaoling. "So, Supreme Elder Lu, you believe the current Celestial Cloud Sect already possesses strength comparable to our sect at its historical peak?"

"Not to that extent. I am simply telling you that the current Celestial Cloud Sect is at its most powerful since the day it was founded."

The meeting had barely begun, and the two were already at each other’s throats.

When it came to arguing the issue, neither would concede to the other.

This had become a common occurrence in meetings ever since the failed operation against the Celestial Cloud Sect, which had also ended up benefiting the Demon Spirit Sect.

The two butted heads for a long time, their confrontation finally ending with a single sentence from Cao Yuchen.

"Supreme Elder Lu, why don’t you tell us your thoughts this time? As long as they’re appropriate, we will all listen to you."

"No." Lu Yaoling shook his head with a cold smile. He had already made his decision before even summoning the sect’s upper echelon. "This time, Supreme Elder Cao, you will be the one to speak."

"If that’s the case, then I will speak."

Cao Yuchen had no intention of deferring back to him.

This was the result he wanted.

’Whether now or in the future, the Celestial Demon Sect should be led by me, not by listening to the radical Lu Yaoling.’

"Regarding the matter of a Celestial Cloud Sect Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiner appearing in our Earth Realm and attacking our Elder, let us not be hasty. If our reaction to this is too strong, I fear we will fall right into the Celestial Cloud Sect’s trap."

As he said this, Cao Yuchen shot a glance at Lu Yaoling.

"Especially at a time like this, we should not think about striking back at the Celestial Cloud Sect, let alone allowing a situation like the last one to repeat itself."

"I say, Supreme Elder Cao, there was no need for that last sentence. Do you think I am not aware of whether our Celestial Demon Sect currently has the strength to destroy the Celestial Cloud Sect?"

"My apologies for my loose tongue. My apologies. It’s good that Supreme Elder Lu has no such intentions."

Though he said this, Cao Yuchen showed no sign that he actually thought he had spoken out of turn.

Lu Yaoling said nothing further, simply listening as Cao Yuchen continued to speak.

By the time Cao Yuchen finished, Lu Yaoling completely understood his line of thinking.

"The Celestial Cloud Sect’s Foundation Establishment Spirit Refiners are already acting like this, and yet Supreme Elder Cao can remain indifferent? Has there ever been a Supreme Elder like you in the history of our Celestial Demon Sect?"

"Supreme Elder Lu, I am not being indifferent. This is called gaining a better understanding of the Celestial Cloud Sect’s intentions so that we can act more effectively later. As for the question you raised, hearing it makes me want to ask you one as well:

Has the Celestial Cloud Sect ever been this powerful in its history?

The eras are different, so how can the decisions be the same? Oh, I remember now, you’ve already answered my question earlier."