Chapter 172: The Next Stage
After his breakthrough.
About two-thirds of the medicinal power from the upper-grade Qi Condensing Pill remained in Fang Yun’s body.
Once his aura stabilized, Fang Yun quickly expelled the remaining medicinal power from his system.
’Finally, the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.’
In the later stages of Qi Refining, the gap between the Eighth and Ninth Layers was quite large.
This difference was most apparent in one’s Spiritual Power.
Fang Yun looked inward at his Qi Sea. It was much larger than it had been at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, which also meant it would take more time to accumulate Spiritual Power and reach the peak of the Ninth Layer.
There was already a noticeable gap in Spiritual Power between someone just entering the Ninth Layer and someone at the peak of the Eighth Layer.
Fang Yun slapped his Storage Pouch. Under his control, a series of upper-grade Magical Artifacts—Yellow Iron Swords and Profound Iron Shields—flew out.
The combined number of swords and shields came to thirteen.
’Now that I’m at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, with the aid of my three-star Combat Talent, I can easily control thirteen upper-grade Magical Artifacts simultaneously... and it seems I still have power to spare...’
When he was at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, that number was twelve.
With a thought, Fang Yun had another Profound Iron Shield fly out of his Storage Pouch.
’I can control fourteen upper-grade Magical Artifacts with precision.’
Fang Yun nodded and continued to increase the difficulty.
He could control fifteen upper-grade Magical Artifacts, but only with some strain. Sixteen was a struggle, and seventeen was extremely difficult.
Eighteen was, for the moment, beyond his reach.
The next moment, Fang Yun recalled all the upper-grade Magical Artifacts into his Storage Pouch.
"This high-grade Storage Pouch my master gave me is really useful." Feeling the lightness of the pouch at his waist, Fang Yun couldn’t help but remark.
Not only was its storage space vast, but it also automatically reduced the weight of the items inside. If he needed even more weight reduction, he just had to inject Spiritual Power into it.
A high-tier Storage Pouch was already considered a Spiritual Artifact; some Foundation Establishment Cultivators couldn’t even get their hands on one.
Next, Fang Yun took the Profound Crystal Shield out of his Storage Pouch.
Now at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, he had already tested the upper-grade Magical Artifacts. It was time to see how he handled a lower-grade Spiritual Artifact.
The quality of his Spiritual Power had also improved, moving from the Eighth to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.
Fang Yun tried to activate the Profound Crystal Shield’s defensive capabilities with his full power.
This time, he succeeded!
’The Ninth Layer of Qi Refining combined with my three-star Combat Talent... The effect of using a lower-grade Spiritual Artifact is even better than I expected...’
Fang Yun quickly took stock of the changes in his mind.
The Spiritual Power consumption had decreased somewhat, but more importantly, he could now activate the full power of a lower-grade Spiritual Artifact.
This was an incredible feat.
After all, with the aid of his Combat Talent, his ceiling for using lower-grade Spiritual Artifacts was much higher than other Cultivators’.
Frankly, he now possessed the rudimentary ability to kill an early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, even without resorting to a surprise attack.
He exhaled.
’Time to keep working hard!’
After putting away the Profound Crystal Shield, Fang Yun immediately began to restore his depleted Spiritual Power.
Now that he had the rudimentary ability to kill an early-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Fang Yun began to plan. In terms of combat strength, he had entered a new phase.
As for his Realm, however, he was still in a developmental stage.
It would remain that way until he reached Foundation Establishment.
Once his Spiritual Power was fully restored.
Fang Yun quickly took another upper-grade Qi Enhancement Pill and began to refine and absorb it.
Two hours and twenty-two and a half minutes.
This was his new efficiency for refining and absorbing an upper-grade Qi Enhancement Pill at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining—quite a bit faster than when he was at the Eighth Layer.
’At my current rate, it will take me until at least March of the year after next to reach the peak of the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining...’ Fang Yun considered his future plans, calculating in his head. ’...But if I push myself during the Four-Sect Trials, I should be able to save a good amount of time...’
The Secret Realm in the Four-Sect Trials did have an effect that could raise one’s Cultivation, but it was very slight. The trials were primarily meant to temper the disciples.
However, if one killed enough of the energy beings within the Secret Realm, the boost to a Ninth Layer Qi Refining Cultivator’s Cultivation was still decent.
After learning about the Four-Sect Trials.
This was another reason for Fang Yun to participate. However, the greatest temptation was still the first-place prize: a Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
After clearing his mind, Fang Yun took another upper-grade Qi Enhancement Pill and began the process of refining and absorbing it.
「In the morning.」
Having finished his cultivation, Fang Yun still felt quite energetic, so he decided to head to Dan Cloud Peak to refine some pills.
As he opened his door, Fang Yun saw an Inner Sect Disciple whose right hand was wrapped in cloth bandages.
"Senior Brother Lu, have you been waiting long?"
"Not at all. I just arrived," Lu Zefeng said, shaking his head.
He had just come from Battle Peak to share some good news with Fang Yun, but upon arriving at his residence, he saw the message on the plaque outside the door.
He was just about to leave and come back the next day when Fang Yun opened the door.
"Congratulations Senior Brother Fang on breaking through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining!"
Lu Zefeng said, immediately offering his congratulations after sensing Fang Yun’s aura.
’Fang Yun must have been breaking through to a new Realm during his seclusion. A quick sense of his aura confirms it, just as I thought.’
Since Fang Yun had reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, Lu Zefeng’s way of addressing him had changed.
He had already planned to do this. Now that Fang Yun was at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, he was at the same Realm as Lu Zefeng, not to mention he was first on the Inner Sect Ranking.
There was no reason not to call him Senior Brother.
After Lu Zefeng took the initiative to change how he addressed him, Fang Yun, in turn, changed how he addressed Lu Zefeng.
"Junior Brother Lu, are you here to see me about Artifact Refining?" Fang Yun asked.
"No. I came to tell you, Senior Brother, that I successfully made it onto the roster for the Four-Sect Trials."
Just this morning, he had defeated a senior sister with a lower ranking on the Four-Sect Trials roster.
He had studied her beforehand; her defensive techniques were countered by his own abilities.
"Congratulations!" Fang Yun said at once. "Tomorrow is the deadline, isn’t it?"
Fang Yun remembered an Elder saying during the Inner Sect Grand Competition that the roster would be finalized ten days before the start of the Four-Sect Trials.
The date for the Four-Sect Trials had already been set for the first day of the new year.
"That’s right, which is why I chose this specific time to make my move."
Lu Zefeng had his own little strategy. By getting on the roster at this late hour, his spot was basically secured.
On the day Fang Yun was accepted as a master’s disciple, he had promised he would get into the Four-Sect Trials to help him. Now, he had fulfilled that promise.
"Where are you heading now, Senior Brother Fang?"
"To Dan Cloud Peak."
"I need to go to Dan Cloud Peak to purchase some pills as well. Let’s go together."
"Alright."
As he spoke, Fang Yun closed his door and retrieved the plaque, storing it in his Storage Pouch.
The two chatted as they walked toward Dan Cloud Peak, only picking up their pace later in the journey.
...
「Wind Ling Sect.」
Inside a cave residence.
An old man in a green robe spoke to a female Inner Sect Disciple with an icy demeanor.
"Caixuan, we’re counting on you to bring back that Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill."
"Rest assured, Elder. The Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill will belong to our Wind Ling Sect," Lin Caixuan replied with a nod.
Her special constitution gave her not only great strength but also immense confidence.
"Over at the Celestial Cloud Sect, the one most likely to succeed is that Fang Yun, the one with the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Body," the green-robed elder continued.
He didn’t want the Top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill that he himself had refined to end up as a prize for a disciple from another sect.