Chapter 492 - 353: His Identity
’Are Spirit Refiner Sword Cultivators at the early stage of Core Formation really this powerful?’
His fists, as hard as iron, couldn’t withstand the might of a single sword strike.
The slash from the pale golden long sword sliced his head right off.
Decapitated, Qi Chuqiao’s life force rapidly drained away. As his consciousness faded, all signs of life soon vanished.
In his final moments, he felt he had truly experienced the power of a Spirit Refiner Sword Cultivator, yet his mind was still clouded with questions he couldn’t answer.
"What happened?"
"The Early-stage Core Formation Demon is dead!"
Compared to the Early-stage Core Formation Demon, Qi Chuqiao, the reactions of the Zhou Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators were much slower.
By the time they reacted, the Early-stage Core Formation Demon’s body and head were already separated.
All they saw was a faint flash of golden light. They heard the Early-stage Core Formation Demon let out a single roar, and then he was dead.
"A Core Formation Senior from the Celestial Cloud Sect must have arrived."
"The senior got here much faster than I expected."
"Same here. I never thought a Core Formation Senior would arrive so fast."
The Zhou Family’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators began to murmur amongst themselves.
Only when Patriarch Zhou finally came to his senses did he think to lower the Grand Array’s protective shield.
The one who had just struck was, of course, Fang Yun, who had rushed to the scene.
He had already put away his Lifebound Magical Treasure, the Profound Jade Sword.
He had first traveled using the magical treasure, the Light Silk Boots, but as he neared the ancestral land of the Foundation Establishment Zhou Family, he switched to his Lifebound Magical Treasure, the Half-Hidden Spirit Boots.
He approached without a sound and struck with all his might.
Against a Demon at the early stage of Core Formation, he wanted to ensure a one-hit kill, giving his target no chance to escape.
A direct, reckless charge would have been too risky.
Fang Yun preferred a sure thing.
A clean, guaranteed kill of the Early-stage Core Formation Demon was much more satisfying.
’With the Early-stage Core Formation Demon dead, at the start of next month, I’ll find out exactly how many basic Talent Points I’ll get and see the difference compared to killing someone at the Peak of Foundation Establishment.’
After appearing, Fang Yun first collected the Demon’s corpse, along with the Storage Pouch he carried.
’The Storage Pouch of an Early-stage Core Formation Demon should hold plenty of good stuff.’
’Even if there’s nothing special, he must have a stash of Demon Stones he’s collected.’
As the Zhou Family’s Grand Array shield came down, Fang Yun, having collected his spoils, appeared before Patriarch Zhou in a flash.
Only the upper echelons of the Zhou Family were present.
"Greetings, Senior Fang!"
"Thank you for your timely rescue, Senior Fang!"
Led by Patriarch Zhou, they greeted Fang Yun and expressed their thanks.
They had recognized Fang Yun the moment he appeared.
Of all the Core Formation experts in the Celestial Cloud Sect, they could forget anyone’s face but Fang Yun’s.
The reason was simple. As with the other Foundation Establishment Influences affiliated with the Celestial Cloud Sect, Fang Yun’s impact on them was simply too great.
Most of this impact stemmed from the Foundation Establishment Pills he refined for them. As long as the Spirit Medicine they provided was of sufficient quality, they would receive a Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill in return.
This was all thanks to Fang Yun.
If the Celestial Cloud Sect didn’t have Fang Yun, there was no way five members of the family’s leadership would be standing here today.
Fifty years ago, the most Foundation Establishment Cultivators the Zhou Family ever had at one time was three.
"Keep the fact that I came to help among yourselves." This was the first and last thing Fang Yun said to them.
Patriarch Zhou was the quickest to react.
"Completely understood, Senior Fang!"
With a slight nod, Fang Yun vanished from their sight in the blink of an eye.
The Celestial Cloud Sect only had a few Core Formation experts, so there was no need for him to hide his identity from the Zhou Family’s leadership. However, when it came to any other cultivators, the less they knew, the better.
Information was far more likely to leak from the family’s Qi Refining disciples than from its leadership.
Appearing before them also allowed Fang Yun to confirm one thing: whether any of the Zhou leaders harbored ill intent toward him. It was a necessary precaution.
"Patriarch, what did Senior Fang mean by that?" one of the Zhou leaders asked, still dazed.
Fang Yun had come and gone so quickly it left the man’s head spinning.
"Senior Fang’s meaning is simple. To anyone, inside the family or out, we only need to say that a Core Formation expert from the Celestial Cloud Sect came to our aid and killed the Early-stage Core Formation Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect. There’s no need to specify who, exactly, that was..."
Patriarch Zhou began to explain.
He also warned the other family leaders to keep a tight lid on it.
Of all the Core Formation experts in the Celestial Cloud Sect, an instruction from Senior Fang was something you absolutely had to carry out.
"...And now, I finally understand who that mysterious Spirit Refiner is, the one the Celestial Demon Sect could never identify."
Hearing this, even the most dazed of the Zhou Family’s Foundation Establishment leaders understood.
The mysterious Spirit Refiner was Fang Yun!
"Those who received Senior Fang’s aid in the past were all incredibly tight-lipped. You couldn’t get a single scrap of information out of them."
At that moment, Patriarch Zhou couldn’t help but recall trying to pry information from other Celestial Cloud Sect-affiliated Foundation Establishment Influences. Those guys wouldn’t reveal a single thing, and what was more infuriating, they would put on an air of profound mystery.
’Now, the leaders of the Zhou Family could put on the same act.’
The thought brought a deep sense of satisfaction to Patriarch Zhou.
"I never would have imagined it... Not only is Senior Fang’s talent for Alchemy and Artifact Refining astounding, but his combat strength is utterly terrifying as well! If I remember correctly, he only reached Core Formation less than twenty years ago, yet he can instantly kill an Early-stage Core Formation Demon from the Celestial Demon Sect."