Chapter 446 - 330: A Blessed Union
"This is... a Core Formation Phenomenon!"
"Wonderful! Another Elder has successfully reached Core Formation. The Celestial Cloud Sect has one more Supreme Elder."
"I remember clearly, the last time a Core Formation Phenomenon appeared was ten years ago."
Vast amounts of Spiritual Qi converged in the sky, continuously drawing in the surrounding Spiritual Qi and forming the Core Formation Phenomenon that marks a breakthrough to Core Formation.
The moment they saw the Core Formation Phenomenon, disciples hurrying through the sect all stopped in their tracks to gaze up at the sky.
The appearance of a Core Formation Phenomenon meant the sect had gained another high-ranking member.
For the entire sect, this was a joyous occasion of the highest order.
"From now on, our Celestial Cloud Sect will have more and more Supreme Elders at the Core Formation Stage."
"Yeah, once we cultivate to the Peak of Foundation Establishment, we’ll also have a chance at Core Formation."
Two early-stage Foundation Establishment Elders were chatting. They had both become sect Elders within the last ten years and were considered newly-promoted.
"During the Foundation Establishment Stage, there are more than enough pills to aid breakthroughs. Under these circumstances, if we still can’t cultivate to the Peak of Foundation Establishment, it means we aren’t living up to our potential, and we’d be letting down Elder Fang."
"I heard that for Cyan Clarity Pills, which assist with breaking through from the peak of the early Foundation Establishment Stage to the middle stage, the Dan Cloud Pavilion now only has Upper Grade ones for sale."
"The Middle Grade Cyan Clarity Pills are just too popular."
"No! It must be that the Upper Grade Cyan Clarity Pills are a bit too expensive."
"Hahaha, you get what you pay for."
Both of them had succeeded in Foundation Establishment with Three Spirit Roots. When attempting to break through to the middle Foundation Establishment Stage, they were more inclined to purchase Middle Grade Cyan Clarity Pills to assist them.
For them, Upper Grade Cyan Clarity Pills weren’t cost-effective; it felt like a bit of a waste.
Elders like them, who had no backing and had successfully reached Foundation Establishment using Middle Grade Foundation Establishment Pills, were often poorer after becoming Elders than they had been as disciples.
Only those Elders with Three Spirit Roots or even Mixed Spirit Roots who weren’t short on Spirit Stones and Contribution Points were truly fond of the Upper Grade Cyan Clarity Pills.
The main reason for the shortage of Middle Grade Cyan Clarity Pills was the sheer number of buyers.
As for the quantity of Middle Grade Cyan Clarity Pills being refined, due to a decline in the quality of Spirit Medicine, the number of Middle and Upper Grade Cyan Clarity Pills Fang Yun produced was actually about the same now.
The decline in the quality of the Spirit Medicine was related to a change in strategy at the Spirit Field Institute.
This adjustment was also made based on the Elders’ circumstances.
The Elders at the Spirit Field Institute reduced the care given to the Jade Patterned Profound Lotus and Moon Orchid—the main Spirit Medicines for refining Cyan Clarity Pills—in order to increase the care for the Purple Ji Flower and Star Water Ganoderma.
The Purple Ji Flower and Star Water Ganoderma are the main Spirit Medicines for refining the Purple Essence Pill.
When Elders with Three Spirit Roots cultivated to the peak of the middle Foundation Establishment Stage and were attempting to break through to the late stage, they were more inclined to purchase an Upper Grade Purple Essence Pill to aid their breakthrough.
At this stage, only Elders with Dual Spirit Roots preferred the Middle Grade Purple Essence Pill, as it was sufficient for their needs.
As for those with Abnormal Spirit Roots, a Lower Grade Purple Essence Pill would have been enough for them, but the Celestial Cloud Sect no longer had any Lower Grade Purple Essence Pills for sale.
Unless the task of refining Purple Essence Pills was handed over to other Elders.
Even before the Core Formation Phenomenon appeared over the Celestial Cloud Sect, Fang Yun had already stopped his cultivation.
A prompt appeared on his light screen.
Sect Influence 1%↑
It had risen by another percentage point. Fang Yun was naturally pleased; a single percentage point was equivalent to an extra four percent bonus to his monthly Contribution Points.
The moment the prompt appeared, he thought it was a cumulative increase.
The kind that slowly grinded its way up from 81.99% to 82%.
But then, the abnormal fluctuation in Spiritual Qi let him know that wasn’t the case.
"Qiaoqiao has successfully reached Core Formation!"
Song Qiaoqiao had successfully reached Core Formation. From now on, she would be a Supreme Elder of the sect.
If one had to say who in the sect he was closest to, it was undoubtedly Song Qiaoqiao.
Every Elder in the sect knew about the relationship between them.
This was an inevitable outcome. Nowadays, one of the first things any newly-promoted Foundation Establishment Elder learned about was his situation.
All of this was the result of his personal influence.
"My indirect influence should be maxed out," Fang Yun couldn’t help but mutter.
There wasn’t much room left for his indirect influence to grow. The sect’s influence had risen to 82%, but it hadn’t crawled there from 81.99%; it had jumped from somewhere around eighty-one point seven or eight percent.
Fang Yun felt his speculation on this matter was quite accurate.
If the influence on the light screen showed the numbers after the decimal point, he could prove his theory.
Fang Yun didn’t dwell on the matter of indirect influence.
’In any case, an increase in influence is a good thing.’
Without overthinking it, he quickly left his cave abode and headed toward the Main Peak, Cloud Summit.
After spotting Supreme Elder Zhong Yankun in the distance, Fang Yun immediately went to his side.
At this moment, Fang Yun didn’t address him as Supreme Elder.
Instead, he called out with a smile.
"Hello, Great-Grandfather."
"So you’re calling me that already." Zhong Yankun turned to Fang Yun, a smile also on his face.
His great-granddaughter had successfully reached Core Formation as he had wished. Today was arguably his happiest day; he felt even more joyful now than when he himself had achieved Core Formation.
"There’s no reason for me not to, from now on," Fang Yun replied.
According to the goals Zhong Yankun had set for each of them, only by achieving those goals could he and Song Qiaoqiao officially become Tao Companions.
With Song Qiaoqiao’s successful breakthrough to Core Formation, the remaining goals had been met.
He, on the other hand, had met Zhong Yankun’s requirements long ago.
"Yes, Qiaoqiao has successfully reached Core Formation."
The goals he had set for the two of them had hinged on his great-granddaughter.
Now that his great-granddaughter had successfully reached Core Formation, the next step was for her and Fang Yun to choose an auspicious date to become Tao Companions and pay their respects to him, their elder.
"It’s only right that you start calling me that ahead of time." From beginning to end, the smile had not left Zhong Yankun’s face.