Chapter 601: Chapter 407: Sabotaging the Plan (Part 2)

"Fifth Cave Master, I told you that you were overthinking things. If we were to move against the Celestial Cloud Sect, the mysterious Spirit Refiner was bound to act. This outcome was entirely within my expectations." The Third Cave Master had anticipated this long ago. After all, if he were the mysterious Spirit Refiner, that’s exactly what he would have done.

Not only that, but his methods would be far more ruthless than the mysterious Spirit Refiner’s.

Annihilating a mere six Foundation Establishment Influences is child’s play. If he had that kind of power, he would have taken out at least ten to start.

"It seems the Third Cave Master understands the mysterious Spirit Refiner very well."

"No, I simply understand myself."

"..."

The other Cave Masters found the Third Cave Master’s statement baffling. The way he put it, it was almost as if *he* were the mysterious Spirit Refiner.

"Great Cave Master, you visited the Ghost-Controlling Sect. What did they have to say? They promised Ghost Head Castle they would act when the time was right, but isn’t this timing a little too sudden? It’s not like the Ghost-Controlling Sect to move so quickly." The Second Cave Master looked toward the Great Cave Master.

He couldn’t quite understand the Ghost-Controlling Sect’s behavior.

Before the Great Cave Master could answer his question, the Third Cave Master spoke.

"Regardless of the Ghost-Controlling Sect’s timing, we shouldn’t have acted in concert with them. If we had moved later, perhaps the mysterious Spirit Refiner wouldn’t be striking in our Earth Realm right now and would have limited his actions to the Ghost-Controlling Sect’s territory."

"Third Cave Master, you’re the last person who should be saying that," the Fourth Cave Master interjected, relying on his understanding of the man. "If we hadn’t coordinated with the Ghost-Controlling Sect and left the decision to you, you would have undoubtedly moved even faster than they did."

Only then did the Great Cave Master answer the Second Cave Master’s question.

"As for the timing, I couldn’t pry any information out of Old Ghost Tang. If he doesn’t want to talk, he won’t reveal a single word."

The Great Cave Master’s expression soured as he recalled his recent trip to the Ghost-Controlling Sect.

It must have been his worst experience visiting the Ghost-Controlling Sect.

The Ghost-Controlling Sect must have struck some sort of deal with Ghost Head Castle, but it was difficult for them to guess the specifics of their conversation.

"Our decision was indeed flawed this time. We shouldn’t have moved so early," the Second Cave Master said, reflecting on his own part in it.

But it was useless to say any of this now.

The operation was already underway. If they were to be frightened off by the mysterious Spirit Refiner’s warning, the Black Ghost Cave would become a laughingstock among the Ghost Cultivator Influences in the Qionglin Domain.

In fact, because of the mysterious Spirit Refiner’s warning, they might even have to escalate their actions against the Celestial Cloud Sect.

...

「Dragon Demon Palace Territory.」

「Within the ancestral lands of the Qin Family, a subordinate Foundation Establishment Influence.」

Elder Jin Daolei of the Black Dragon Hall stared at the message Patriarch Qin had brought him.

He was about to explode with rage!

The mysterious Spirit Refiner had made a move. This time, his targets were the subordinate Foundation Establishment Influences of the Black Ghost Cave and the Ghost-Controlling Sect.

"The Black Ghost Cave and the Ghost-Controlling Sect! They could have acted sooner, they could have acted later, but they just had to act right now! They’re deliberately trying to ruin my plans."

Jin Daolei had been waiting here with the Qin Family all this time.

He was waiting for an opportunity to kill the mysterious Spirit Refiner.

If the Black Ghost Cave and the Ghost-Controlling Sect hadn’t made their move, the mysterious Spirit Refiner should have struck this place. Then, he, lying in wait, would have killed the Spirit Refiner, completing the first objective assigned by his sect.

Faced with Jin Daolei’s fury, Patriarch Qin kept his head down, not daring to speak.

He didn’t dare speak, but his mind was racing.

’The Black Ghost Cave and the Ghost-Controlling Sect are both Ghost Cultivator Influences. You can’t control them, so what’s the use of throwing a tantrum?’

’Besides, even if the Black Ghost Cave and Ghost-Controlling Sect hadn’t acted, there’s no guarantee the mysterious Spirit Refiner would have shown up here...’

As Patriarch Qin, even though they now had the protection of an Elder from the Black Dragon Hall at the Peak of Core Formation, he still hoped the mysterious Spirit Refiner would stay away.

He believed the Elder from the Black Dragon Hall could handle the mysterious Spirit Refiner, but he doubted it could be done without inflicting heavy losses on the Qin Family.

They said the mysterious Spirit Refiner liked to operate in silence. For all he knew, he himself could be killed by the Spirit Refiner before the Black Dragon Hall Elder even had a chance to make a move.

Patriarch Qin stopped himself from dwelling on the thought. It was far too ominous.

"Am I right?"

"Ah..." Patriarch Qin was stunned for a moment. ’Why is he asking me?’ "Senior, you are correct."

After his momentary stun, Patriarch Qin nodded repeatedly. No matter what Jin Daolei said, agreeing was the only safe answer.

"Do you have any thoughts on this?"

"Senior, my thoughts are quite simple." Patriarch Qin’s mind raced. "I just hope that the mysterious Spirit Refiner dies at your hands, Senior. That way, we won’t have to live in constant fear. When faced with a Spirit Refiner who has already reached Core Formation, a Foundation Establishment Influence like ours has absolutely no power to resist."

For the most part, what Patriarch Qin said was the truth.

He genuinely did want the mysterious Spirit Refiner to be killed.

"Such a perfect opportunity, ruined by the Black Ghost Cave and the Ghost-Controlling Sect. Now... will the mysterious Spirit Refiner even come this way?"

This time, Jin Daolei didn’t ask Patriarch Qin, but instead began to ponder on his own.

Seeing this, Patriarch Qin lowered his head again.

He still hoped Jin Daolei would stay. It was a layer of security.

Whatever Jin Daolei was thinking, he knew he couldn’t say a word to influence him. If he said the wrong thing, Jin Daolei might just kill him before the mysterious Spirit Refiner even showed up.

This was an Elder of the Black Dragon Hall, after all. His attitude toward them was completely different from that of the Dragon Demon Palace’s own Core Formation Cultivators.

...

...

「Time flowed by like water.」

Ten years had now passed since Fang Yun made his move against the Black Ghost Cave and the Ghost-Controlling Sect.

「In a Cultivation Room within a cave abode at the Celestial Cloud Sect’s First Sub-Sect.」

Miao Qinghong was at the most critical juncture of her breakthrough to the Late-stage Core Formation.

「An hour later.」

Miao Qinghong’s entire aura had transformed.

Late-stage Core Formation!

She had successfully broken through.

Miao Qinghong, who was sitting cross-legged on a meditation cushion, extended her right hand and opened her palm. A miniature, illusory sword materialized above it.

This was no blade condensed from Spiritual Power, but one formed from a Sword Cultivator’s Sword Intent.

"Three parts substance, seven parts illusion."

To form a fully corporeal blade from Sword Intent, a Sword Cultivator would need to reach the Nascent Soul Stage at a minimum.

"Time to go spar with the Sect Leader."

With that thought, Miao Qinghong immediately sprang into action.

Before leaving the First Sub-Sect, she had to give a quick report. At the very least, the other Supreme Elder stationed there needed to know her whereabouts.

「Celestial Cloud Sect, Main Sect.」

Miao Qinghong arrived back at dusk.

When Miao Qinghong went to find Fang Yun, he was in the middle of his cultivation.

If he had been busy with Alchemy or Artifact Refining, she would have needed to wait some time before she could ask him to spar.

"Congratulations on your breakthrough to the Late-stage Core Formation, Elder Miao." Fang Yun greeted Miao Qinghong first with congratulations, then added with a smile, "You are now the one and only Late-stage Core Formation Cultivator in our Celestial Cloud Sect, Elder Miao."

The Celestial Cloud Sect hadn’t had a Late-stage Core Formation Cultivator in over five hundred years.

"Breaking through to the Late-stage Core Formation is one thing, but true strength is what matters. Sect Leader, how about a friendly spar?"

"With an invitation from Elder Miao, I have no reason to refuse."

With that, Fang Yun rose to his feet.

He was also curious to see just how powerful the Attacking Methods of a Late-stage Core Formation Sword Cultivator truly were.

Miao Qinghong’s breakthrough to Late-stage Core Formation was another significant boost to the overall strength of their Celestial Cloud Sect.

The overall strength of a Late-stage Core Formation Sword Cultivator is typically on par with that of a Cultivator at the Peak of Core Formation. And when it comes to Attacking Methods, Sword Cultivators are even more formidable.

As Fang Yun and Miao Qinghong headed off to spar, Song Qiaoqiao, who had been nearby, tagged along.

The three of them arrived at the summit of Battle Peak.

After Song Qiaoqiao activated the isolation Grand Array on the peak, Fang Yun and Miao Qinghong were already facing each other, hovering in mid-air.

"Please, feel free to attack with your full strength, Elder Miao. You don’t need to worry about my safety," Fang Yun said with confidence.

"Good!"

Since Fang Yun had said as much, Miao Qinghong took him at his word and held nothing back.

She had long wanted to shatter the Sect Leader’s powerful defenses.

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