Surprised, it took a while for Elder Qin’nyao to process what Fang Xing had just said. She’d originally intended to use Xiao Mahn as a bargaining chip to make Fang Xing work for her when it was necessary, but having money demanded from her made her feel reluctant. A quick thought flew across her mind while she maintained her expression. "Who said I wouldn’t allow you to see her?" she calmly replied.

It was Fang Xing’s turn to be confused. If she wasn’t unhappy about Shijie Linyun bringing Xiao Mahn here, why did this woman put on such a solemn face? Shijie Linyun had obviously just been scolded as well. However, since Elder Qin’nyao wasn’t forbidding him from visiting Xiao Mahn out of dislike for him, he decided to keep these thoughts to himself. "Why did you say I have guts, then?" he asked.

"Does it not require guts to so casually meet with others despite being in confinement?"

Fang Xing was initially surprised but began to smile. "The rules only say I’m not allowed to leave; no one said other people can’t come here... Didn’t you come here as well?"

Elder Qin’nyao was taken slightly aback. It was her first time speaking with Fang Xing directly, and she wasn’t very familiar with the way he acted and spoke. After a short while, she finally shook her head. "Since you’re an old acquaintance of Xiao Mahn, the occasional meeting isn’t a problem as long as it does not interrupt either of your cultivations. I am here to ask you a question. During the trip at Mount Desolation, how did Linyun treat you?"

"Shijie Linyun?" Fang Xing furrowed his brows. "I haven’t met many good people, but she’s one of them!"

Satisfied with his answer, the edges of Elder Qin’nyao’s lips curled into a faint smile. "Very good. Then let me ask you this: if Linyun met with trouble, would you do everything you could to help her?"

Fang Xing was a bit perplexed at what the old bag was trying to do. His brows continued to furrow as he answered, "Of course I’d help!"

Elder Qin’nyao smiled. "Good. Have you heard the news concerning the visit from Fuyao Palace in half a year from now?"

"Fuyao Palace again!" Fang Xing glanced curiously at Elder Qin’nyao. He’d already heard of this place twice by now after returning to the sect.

Elder Qin’nyao let out a sigh. "I’m not going to mince words. Half a month ago, someone representing the Fuyao Palace visited the Melodic Ice Palace and gifted them a Foundation Pellet. Based on their rule of treating everyone equally, during their trip to the Ephemeral Butterfly Sect three months from now, and then our Qing-Yun Sect six months from now, they should also give one of these Foundation Pellets apiece. Within our sect, those with the qualifications to obtain the pellet would be either Xiao Jianming or Linyun!"

Surprised, Fang Xing hesitantly replied, "Shijie Linyun is unlikely to defeat Xiao Jianming..." He didn’t think Elder Qin’nyao intended for Xu Linyun to fight for the Foundation Pellet. Xu Linyun was only at tier eight, and her main focus was in alchemy; when it came to battle prowess or even overall ability, could she even be considered Xiao Jianming’s opponent?

"Right now, Linyun is only at Spirit Stage tier eight, but that’s not a large problem; I can give her a few pellets so her cultivation level increases to the ninth tier within half a year. However, since her main study and focus is on alchemy, her understanding of the Qing-Yun Nine Swords is only at just the basics. Even after reaching tier nine by then, if she were to battle it out with Xiao Jianming, her chance to win is only around thirty percent..."

"Thirty percent is too high!" Fang Xing directly interrupted. He didn’t know what Elder Qin’nyao was after, but he knew for sure that—in terms of proficiency in the Qing-Yun Nine Swords—Xu Linyun was no match for Xiao Jianming.

"You’re right. Even if I say thirty percent, it’s a bit of an overestimation." Elder Qin’nyao nodded and then looked at Fang Xing. "If she had your ability that allowed you to easily take out a tier six while only being at tier four, then perhaps she might have a fighting chance..."

After going in so many circles, Fang Xing suddenly understood what Elder Qin’nyao was after. She wanted to find out his secret.

When Bai Qianzhang entered seclusion, he’d made it very clear he hadn’t passed his knowledge on to Fang Xing, yet these old guys within the sect obviously thought otherwise. Xiao Shanhe didn’t believe it and had sent Xiao Jianming to probe Fang Xing. Qin’nyao also didn’t believe it and had chosen to use the fact Xu Linyun had helped him earlier to try to probe him as well.

Without revealing many of his thoughts, Fang Xing scratched his head and smiled. "Haha, hasn’t the Blue-Flame Grand Smithing already been placed inside the Hall of Heaven’s Tribute?"

"Heh..." Elder Qin’nyao turned around and continued. "In half a year, I will organize for Linyun to fight against Xiao Jianming for the pellet. Defeat, victory, dead, alive, all will be up to her... By the way, Xiao Mahn is a good girl. I am very fond of her!" As soon as she’d finished speaking, a cloud formed beneath her feet and she flew away.

Fang Xing waved his sleeves before returning to his pavilion, his expression darkening. This old bag was bad news; not only did she use Xu Linyun to try to sway him, she’d also used Xiao Mahn to bargain with him as well...

Fang Xing sank into his Sea of Consciousness and immediately yelled out, "Old bird, come the hell out right now."

The Demonic Peng King was full of smiles as he flew over. "I studied it all night, and it seems there actually is a way to—"

"Can you get me powerful enough to kill a Foundation Stage cultivator within half a year?" Fang Xing interrupted.

Shocked, the Demonic Peng King frustratedly replied, "Then you’d best just kill me..."

"Whatever..." Although Fang Xing saw the old man rebelling, he didn’t have any other options and waved his hand. "Nevermind that part about killing a Foundation Stage cultivator. Tell me about the method you discovered!"

The Demonic Peng King proudly replied, "It’s an Ancient level technique of our Giant Peng Clan based on our innate ability. Technically speaking, humans can’t study this technique, but I can make slight tweaks to it so you humans can also learn it. Of course, you will only be able to learn it; if you want to demonstrate its true potential, the requirements on the user is also very high. At the very least, you will first have to break through into the seventh tier!"

Fang Xing considered the amount of resources he had on hand and nodded. "Not a problem!"

The Peng King then continued, "Furthermore, since this Ancient technique belongs to our Giant Peng Clan, its power is unrivaled. You must fully understand every aspect of it before you’re able to use it well. Whether or not you can manage this within half a year is dependent on you!"

Fang Xing’s gaze darkened as he coldly laughed. "The last thing your grandpa fears is a challenge!"

The Demonic Peng King nodded. "If that’s the case.. how long can this exchange for?"

"Half a year!"

The Peng King was a bit dissatisfied with this. "You did hear it correctly, right? This is an Ancient-level technique. It’s only worth half a year?"

Fang Xing laughed. "In half a year from now, if I can get rid of that guy, then it’ll be fine. If not, I’ll be the one dead. If I die at that time, do you think you can still stay alive?"

A little dumbstruck, the Peng King let out a long sigh. "Fine. It’s my bad luck..."

Fang Xing suddenly recalled something else. "Can other bird-type beasts study the skills of your Giant Peng Clan as well?"

The Demonic Peng King furrowed his brows. "It would be much easier for them than for a human, at least."

Fang Xing nodded. "In that case, give me another skill that can allow bird-type beasts to increase their speed to their maximum." Fang Xing gave a short pause before continuing, "This can be exchanged for three more months, and I will promise not to bully you as often!"

"No problem!" Once the Peng King had understood what this meant, he immediately agreed with excitement. Even when compared to exchanging for more time, the boy’s promise to stop bullying him was perhaps worth even more.

It may have sounded embarrassing since the Demonic Peng King was once a Golden Core beast king, but ever since he’d fallen into this boy’s clutches, he’d not once received any sort of respect. Every day, he was either being cursed at, beaten, or roasted alive. Every day inside the boy’s Sea of Consciousness had been hell. That the boy had agreed to stop bullying him in the future was a very good thing; he would finally be able to have some pride and dignity as a former Golden Core Stage cultivation master.

To teach skills and techniques from one True Spirit to another was extremely simple. Especially when it was done within a Sea of Consciousness with both True Spirits in front of each other, it was as simple as blinking an eye. The Demonic Peng King activated his Spirit Sense, and two golden rays immediately flew into Fang Xing’s True Spirit.

Sensing deeper, two sets of skills had appeared within Fang Xing’s mind. One was an Ancient technique called "Hundred and Eight Thousand Swords", the other was a secret skill that trained a bird-type beast’s body and purified its bloodline to increase its flying speed. While looking over the contents of these two techniques, Fang Xing activated the [Book of Revelation] to make sure both were genuine before nodding in satisfaction and turning to the Peng King. "You’re very sincere, old man; I see you didn’t rig up any part of these techniques. Very well, your grandpa is very satisfied. I won’t bully you in the future."

Then, with a loud laugh, Fang Xing exited his Sea of Consciousness.

However, these words left the Peng King a bit unsettled. "Logically speaking, this little turtle-egg bastard shouldn’t be able to tell whether my techniques are genuine or not, right? Why do I get the feeling he seemed to know it all too well?"