“Elder Hua, let me escort you out. Yingguang Lake Mountain is too large, and I’m afraid you might get lost,” Fang Chen said with concern.
Hua Qirong politely declined, “No need, I’m not walking back. You should go rest and recuperate immediately. If you need any healing pills, feel free to come to Yunyun Peak and take them yourself.”
Fang Chen said, “Alright, thank you, Elder Hua.”
Hua Qirong continued, “Additionally, you subdued the demon tiger and prevented it from causing greater casualties, which is a great merit. I will report this to the sect and obtain sufficient rewards for you. And since you almost lost your life due to a flaw in the Beast Prison, the sect must also compensate you… I’ll go back and think about what I should prepare for you.”
Upon hearing this, Fang Chen was overjoyed: “Thank you, Elder Hua!”
“No need, this is what you deserve.”
Hua Qirong laughed lightly, “Oh, and this time, don’t think about getting things for your junior brother… I’ll strive to get you more cultivation resources! With your talent that allows you to achieve Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, you can make better use of those resources.”
In her eyes, Fang Chen, who could achieve Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, was no longer a waste. He was a top-tier genius! Once she reported this to the Sect Leader, he would soar like a cloud transforming into a dragon, shaking the entire Danran.
Fang Chen’s expression turned urgent, and he hurriedly waved his hands, “No need, Elder Hua, you don’t need to get me cultivation resources. How about giving me more defensive weapons or escape Dharma Treasures instead? Preferably the kind that can instantly escape even from a deadly formation…”
Cultivation resources? What’s the difference between that and buying advanced mathematics textbooks for an elementary school student? He’d better honestly take things that could keep him alive!
Hua Qirong found this strange, “Are you sure? Those are all external objects! Who doesn’t need cultivation resources? Strengthening oneself is the correct path. Borrowing the power of external objects is definitely not sustainable in the long run.”
“Absolutely sure!”
Fang Chen immediately nodded, very forcefully.
Seeing Fang Chen’s insistence, Hua Qirong, who disliked forcing others, had no choice but to give up: “Then I promise you.”
“Thank you, Elder Hua.”
Fang Chen clasped his fists in gratitude.
“There’s one more thing,” Hua Qirong said, “Your entry into the inner sect needs to be postponed for now. As for the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment and subduing Yixiong, I won’t let people know for the time being. I’ll have to ask you to keep a low profile for a while.” Get faster updates on novelping(.)com.
Fang Chen said, “It’s fine, Elder Hua, I won’t feel wronged.”
He appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly he was overjoyed. He actually didn’t want to enter the inner sect or reveal his Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment too soon. For him, without finding a solution to his cultivation problems, entering the inner sect would be pointless. What if he obtained a bunch of resources, cultivated for several years, and ended up still being at Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment Tier One? That would be too embarrassing!
Seeing Fang Chen’s sensible demeanor, Hua Qirong couldn’t help but sigh. Making Fang Chen lose the attention and reputation he deserved made Hua Qirong feel somewhat apologetic. But since Yixiong could escape from the Beast Prison, it indicated there must be a traitor within the sect. Hua Qirong planned to keep Fang Chen hidden until that person was caught. After all, only a few people knew about what happened inside the Yin-Yang Furnace, and Hua Qirong could fabricate a reason to cover it up.
“Don’t worry, I guarantee you won’t miss out on the rewards you deserve!”
Hua Qirong thought for a moment and decided to give Fang Chen some reassurance.
“Alright, thank you, Elder Hua!”
Fang Chen smiled.
Afterwards, Hua Qirong bid farewell to Fang Chen and left the small courtyard, soaring into the air and disappearing as a streak of light.
Watching Hua Qirong leave, Fang Chen turned and went back inside.
As Hua Qirong left Yingguang Lake Mountain, Jiang Ningyi and Ling Wan’er had already returned to Sea Turtle Platform. Along the broad downhill path at Sea Turtle Platform, thousands of tall trees stood on both sides, lush and flourishing. Jiang Ningyi and Ling Wan’er walked along this downhill path.
“Senior Sister, I originally thought Senior Brother Fang had a terrible temper, even worse than Old Zhang’s, and I disliked him greatly. But I have to say, he has the right to have a bad temper-he’s truly impressive! He actually managed to defeat that demon tiger and survive inside the Yin-Yang Furnace! And because of his bad temper, not letting us inside, we coincidentally escaped disaster! So, I won’t hold it against him for scolding me! I’ve decided to go back and ask Old Zhang to prepare gifts for me. Tomorrow, I’ll ask Brother Xiao Qing to accompany me to apologize and thank Senior Brother Fang.”
Ling Wan’er said while twirling a green grass blade in her hand. Originally, due to her anger, she had intended not to make amends for dealing with Fang Chen at Yunyun Peak. But since Fang Chen defeated Yixiong this time and saved Jiang Ningyi, she changed her mind. Because Ling Wan’er knew that when Yixiong appeared, he had criticized Fang Chen for not letting Jiang Ningyi inside, so she realized Yixiong’s initial target was likely Jiang Ningyi. If Fang Chen had let her and Jiang Ningyi enter from the beginning, then the ones entering the Yin-Yang Furnace and facing certain death would have been her and Jiang Ningyi. Therefore, Fang Chen had indirectly saved their lives!
“But still, his temper is too bad. I don’t want to interact with someone like him in the future, lest I get scolded again accidentally,” Ling Wan’er muttered.
But a life-saving grace is a life-saving grace. Recalling how Fang Chen had implicated Jiang Ningyi, Ling Wan’er still felt some anger in her heart. Scolding her was one thing, but scolding Jiang Ningyi?
After Ling Wan’er finished speaking, Jiang Ningyi suddenly said, “Wan’er, you might have misunderstood Senior Brother Fang.”
Ling Wan’er was startled.
“Senior Brother Fang… doesn’t have a bad temper.”
Jiang Ningyi looked at Ling Wan’er, her exquisite and beautiful face showing a complicated expression, “He scolded us just now only to save us.”
“What?”
Ling Wan’er was momentarily stunned, “Really?”
Facing the question, Jiang Ningyi didn’t answer directly. Instead, she asked, “Wan’er, I’m asking you a question. Senior Brother Fang managed to survive inside the Yin-Yang Furnace for an hour. What do you think of his formation skills?”
“Well…” Upon hearing this, Ling Wan’er couldn’t help but exclaim, “They must be exceptionally outstanding! I think none of the senior brothers and sisters at the Foundation Establishment level in the sect can match Senior Brother Fang’s formation proficiency.”
As countless green leaves swayed in the wind, Jiang Ningyi stopped walking and asked calmly, “Then do you think Senior Brother Fang could have been aware when the demon tiger activated the Yin-Yang Furnace’s formation disk?”
Hearing this, Ling Wan’er’s gaze suddenly tightened. Realizing something, she stammered, “This… presumably he could have, right?”
Ling Wan’er wasn’t foolish either. With Jiang Ningyi speaking to this extent, all the facts were already clear! When Hua Qirong praised Fang Chen’s formation skills earlier, Jiang Ningyi had suddenly realized… Fang Chen’s humiliation earlier wasn’t to vent his anger! It was to save her and Ling Wan’er!
Otherwise, why did Fang Chen, when he first saw them, initially step forward but then retreat back inside? This was definitely because Fang Chen had already realized the demon tiger was activating the Yin-Yang Furnace, waiting for them to enter the formation. As soon as she entered the formation, given the demon tiger’s cultivation level, she would either die or be severely injured. Precisely because Senior Brother Fang realized these things, he insulted and drove her away. Because, with Senior Brother Fang’s meticulous thinking, he would certainly realize that if he had clearly told her about the danger earlier, she definitely wouldn’t have left. Only by using such an extreme method would he stimulate her and force her to leave.
It was precisely because she thought of this that Jiang Ningyi felt extremely guilty. After all, she had also felt angry because of Fang Chen’s actions implicating and humiliating her, thinking she had misjudged Fang Chen…
Now she realized she was merely narrow-minded, projecting her own thoughts onto others! Senior Brother Fang possessed the heart of a gentleman, his essence like gold and jade. Even though he had been misunderstood and cursed at for years, he remained unaffected and unstained. How could he possibly be like ordinary people?
At this moment, Jiang Ningyi had gained a deeper understanding and knowledge of Fang Chen…