I Can Upgrade My Talent Infinitely

Chapter 554: Chapter 384: Unexpected Situation

Eighteen years had passed since the destruction of the Celestial Demon Sect.

Last year, the Celestial Cloud Sect was left with only seven Core Formation experts.

Song Qiaoqiao’s great-grandfather, his Life Span exhausted, had also passed away in meditation.

The passing of another mid-stage Core Formation expert had, on the surface, significantly weakened the Celestial Cloud Sect’s overall strength.

But only the sect’s upper echelon knew just how much their strength had actually been diminished.

The Zhou Family, a vassal Foundation Establishment Influence of the Celestial Cloud Sect.

In the Patriarch’s study.

Patriarch Zhou was organizing information regarding the family’s recent development.

Compared to before, their Zhou Family now controlled more than one piece of territory. They now also had a foothold in the former territory of the Celestial Demon Sect.

However, that territory was being developed in cooperation with the Celestial Water Sect. The Celestial Water Sect held a sixty percent share, while the Zhou Family held forty percent.

Their smaller share was a reflection of their overall strength.

Weaker overall strength meant they could commit fewer forces and invest less into the new territory, which led to this outcome.

The size of your slice of the cake was proportional to your strength.

Patriarch Zhou found this allocation completely acceptable, but some of the family’s senior members had their complaints.

Suddenly, a message arrived.

Patriarch Zhou stopped what he was doing and quickly received the message.

"A Foundation Establishment Demon..." Patriarch Zhou’s brow furrowed.

This was not good news.

A Foundation Establishment Demon had actually appeared in their territory.

It wouldn’t have been strange for a Foundation Establishment Demon to appear in the Zhou Family’s territory, whether in the past or the future. But for one to appear now felt very problematic.

After the Upper Sect, the Celestial Cloud Sect, destroyed the Celestial Demon Sect, its deterrent effect on the surrounding Evil Forces should have lasted for forty to fifty years at the very least. It hadn’t even been twenty years, so why were they already making a move?

There was another key point.

Because they were busy absorbing the benefits from the Original Celestial Demon Sect’s territory, they hadn’t sent anyone to carry out missions in the territories of the Dragon Demon Palace, the Demon Spirit Sect, or the Black Ghost Cave.

Under these circumstances, the likelihood of the surrounding Evil Forces taking action should have been even lower, especially since they hadn’t deliberately provoked them.

The Zhou Family’s territory was near the border between the Demon Spirit Sect and the Black Ghost Cave.

The Foundation Establishment Demon that appeared most likely came from the Demon Spirit Sect’s territory.

As for a Demon from the Dragon Demon Palace’s territory, the distance was too great, making it highly unlikely.

The more Patriarch Zhou thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong.

’...The news of a Foundation Establishment Demon’s appearance... it’s best to report this to the Celestial Cloud Sect.’

Having reached this conclusion, Patriarch Zhou immediately began to send the message.

...

Celestial Cloud Sect.

In the largest cave residence on Cloud Summit.

Fang Yun, who was in the middle of his cultivation, received a message from the Management Elder of Battle Peak.

Upon receiving the message, Fang Yun immediately stopped his cultivation and went to the place where he, the Sect Leader, handled sect affairs.

The Management Elder of Battle Peak was already waiting there.

The current Management Elder of Battle Peak was a man named Zhang Qingwu.

He was seven years younger than Fang Yun and had become an Outer Sect disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect in the same year as him.

The difference was that he had joined the Celestial Cloud Sect in early July, whereas Fang Yun had become an Outer Sect disciple in early October.

It could be said that Zhang Qingwu had witnessed Fang Yun’s rise to his current heights from the very beginning.

During the selection for the Management Elder of Battle Peak, he had just reached the Peak of Foundation Establishment.

He said a single sentence that won him the support of many Elders, ultimately making him the Management Elder of Battle Peak.

That sentence was: "I joined the Celestial Cloud Sect in the same year as the Sect Leader."

Many of the Elders who supported him believed he shared a fated connection with the Sect Leader. Thus, he defeated the other top contenders to take the seat of Management Elder of Battle Peak.

Regarding this matter.

As the Sect Leader, Fang Yun was naturally aware of it.

He and Zhang Qingwu had never really interacted during their time as disciples, but what Zhang Qingwu said was true—they had indeed joined the Celestial Cloud Sect in the same year.

When he first joined the Celestial Cloud Sect, Zhang Qingwu was one of the most ordinary disciples with Dual Spirit Roots, possessing no special talents. He later became a disciple who frequented Battle Peak.

"Sect Leader." Zhang Qingwu bowed immediately upon seeing Fang Yun.

"Yes. Elder Zhang, come in with me."

Inside the hall, after Fang Yun sat down, he gestured for Zhang Qingwu to sit as well.

Then, he listened to what the Management Elder of Battle Peak had to say.

"Sect Leader, a message came from the Zhou Family. A Foundation Establishment Stage Demon has appeared."

"A Foundation Establishment Demon appeared in the Zhou Family’s territory?" Fang Yun was surprised to hear this.

When he learned that the Management Elder of Battle Peak wanted to see him, Fang Yun had assumed it was about some internal sect matter.

These days, any of the Management Elders could come to him with good suggestions for the sect’s development; as long as the suggestions were decent, he would adopt them.

In the course of its development, a large sect must constantly make minor adjustments to ensure it grows for the better.

The appearance of a Foundation Establishment Demon in the Zhou Family’s territory now was a very intriguing matter.

He hadn’t even made a move against the Demon Spirit Sect yet.

And the Demon Spirit Sect was already getting restless?

Fang Yun considered the Zhou Family’s geographical location. A Foundation Establishment Demon appearing there could basically only have come from the Demon Spirit Sect’s territory.

He deduced further.

These Foundation Establishment Demons were likely Foundation Establishment Elders from the Demon Spirit Sect itself. It was unlikely that one of the Demon Spirit Sect’s vassal Foundation Establishment Influences would make a move.

Fang Yun believed that those vassal Foundation Establishment Influences were terrified of the mysterious Spirit Refiner, fearing his appearance would lead to their annihilation.

After all, two of the Demon Spirit Sect’s vassal Foundation Establishment Influences had already been annihilated in this very way.

"Sect Leader, what do you think these Demons want to do?" Zhang Qingwu couldn’t help but ask, seeing Fang Yun lost in thought.