Night had fallen.
Starlight flickered.
Standing within the Star River Sect's formation, Fang Hong looked up at the sky.
The stars and bright moon overhead seemed even more luminous than they did outside.
After Zhao Tianchen had rushed out in excitement at dusk, he still had not returned.
Meanwhile, Fang Hong was in his room, sorting through his assets.
Over ten thousand taels in banknotes, along with the thirty-four precious herbs he had brought when he ascended the mountain to join the sect.
As for the Water Origin Spirit Liquid, only eight bottles remained.
The Qi Replenishing Pills did not need mentioning for now. Though only five or six bottles remained, he could replenish them from his master whenever he wished.
The rest were the meeting gifts his martial uncles and elders had given him after he acknowledged his master yesterday.
A pair of Earth-grade Ao Dragon Armguards, an Earth-grade Seven Stars Red Gold Crown, and a bottle of Big Dipper Heart-Protecting Pills.
Then there were the Earth Realm peak techniques, the Fire Cloud Divine Palm and the Moon Embracing Essence Method, given by Peak Master Chen of Blazing Sun Peak and Martial Uncle Sun, that female medical saint of Bright Moon Peak.
What remained were some precious heavenly treasures.
At the same time, Martial Uncle He of Blazing Sun Peak, who was also the Head of the Artifact Refining Hall, did not know what weapon Fang Hong excelled with or what he needed.
Thus, he had not given him any weapon, but he had promised that whenever Fang Hong wished to forge one, he could go directly to him.
Oh, right. At the very end, Xu Wenfei had also given him a basketball-sized chunk of Golden Crystal Steel, a valuable material for forging weapons.
It would come in handy when he forged a weapon later.
Looking over the meeting gifts from these martial uncles and elders, though each was different, they were generally all at the Earth Realm level.
That was already giving him tremendous face.
After all, Heaven Realm treasures were rare things that could only be encountered by chance, never sought.
They themselves did not possess many, much less enough to give away as meeting gifts.
From what Fang Hong currently knew, the weapons and protective gear of this world were roughly divided into four levels.
Everything below the Earth Realm was collectively called mortal-grade. Below the Bone Refinement level were superior-grade, while those from Bone Refinement up to Organ Refinement were fine-grade.
Items that reached the Earth Realm level, or could greatly benefit Earth Realm experts, were Earth-grade items.
By the same logic, treasures that could greatly benefit Heaven Realm experts were Heaven-grade treasures.
By that measure, the Water Origin Spirit Liquid in Fang Hong's hands was actually already a low-grade Earth-grade treasure.
No wonder that Crimson Spirit Sect disciple had directly tried to ambush and kill him midway.
Treasure stirred men's hearts, after all.
Even if it had been Fang Hong, he might not have been able to resist striking from the shadows.
However, for now, he could not make the most of these gifts.
Though he had already reached Organ Refinement perfection, he had not broken through further into the Earth Realm.
Because the Starry Sky Treasure Art manual stated that it was best to master it before reaching the Earth Realm.
That way, one could directly cross over the Earth Realm and reach the Heaven Realm.
Once a martial artist broke into the Earth Realm, their qi, blood, and inner strength would be further fused into inner qi.
That would not be conducive to cultivating the treasure art.
That was why Fang Hong had not continued his breakthrough.
Otherwise, with those two Earth Realm peak techniques and Zhao Tianchen's supply of Qi Replenishing Pills—
Fang Hong would likely already have become an Earth Realm expert!
And before reaching the Earth Realm, he could not maximize the use of these treasures and treasure gear.
Once he successfully cultivated the Starry Sky Treasure Art and pushed his physical strength to the Heaven Realm in one stroke—
That would be the time to use these things.
After taking stock of his assets, Fang Hong turned his gaze back to the panel before him.
Star Body Forging Treasure Art: First Layer (0/100) Southern Dipper Body Shaping Method: Perfected Body Refinement - Muscle Chapter: Perfected ...(Further content can be expanded)
"Now I only need to learn formations. After that, I can begin cultivating this Star Body Forging Treasure Art."
"Once this treasure art succeeds, I'll be a Heaven Realm powerhouse."
"I may not be completely unrestrained, but at the very least, I'll be able to swagger sideways..."
Looking at the Starry Sky Treasure Art at the top of the panel, which still displayed zero proficiency, Fang Hong's eyes flashed with anticipation and fervor as he spoke excitedly.
Heaven Realm, Heaven Realm!
Once he attained the Heaven Realm, everything it represented would be entirely different.
One had to know that Bright Moon Peak's foremost True Disciple had merely broken through to the Heaven Realm.
Yet everyone had already regarded that disciple as a strong contender for the future position of Star River Sect Master.
It had even allowed Bright Moon Peak, which had always been suppressed by Blazing Sun Peak, to steal the limelight from Blazing Sun Peak during this period.
At that thought, Fang Hong suddenly raised an eyebrow.
He knew his Golden Finger extremely well.
Once he began cultivating the treasure art, he would soon break through to the Heaven Realm.
When that happened, it would probably stir up another storm of public debate within the Star River Sect.
Only, when the time came, Blazing Sun Peak's foremost True Disciple would probably cry.
As he silently pondered this, a strange smile appeared on Fang Hong's face.
When flowers bloom in two branches, each tells its own tale.
Zhao Tianchen, who had yet to return, was currently in the room of the Star River Sect Master.
"Sect Master, this old man has lived in seclusion in the back mountain for so many years and has never asked anything of you."
"I only ask that, in consideration of this old man's many years of service—even without merit, there has been hardship—you grant what I requested just now."
"So that the regret of this old man and my son Wuming may be fulfilled!"
Zhao Tianchen pleaded with some respect, his expression incomparably earnest and sincere.
Standing before him was a middle-aged man wearing a crown patterned with a solar corona and dressed in a white robe embroidered with crimson sun flames.
His domineering eyes occasionally flashed with blazing crimson-gold radiance.
A scorching, tyrannical aura faintly emanated from him, making it difficult for others to remain composed.
This was the current Star River Sect Master, and publicly, the strongest person in the Star River Sect.
Zhong Wanyang!
"Brother Zhao, it seems you truly think very highly of that disciple this time. Fang Hong, was it?"
Zhong Wanyang looked at Zhao Tianchen before him and asked with a hint of emotion.
As he spoke, a trace of sighing and interest flashed through his eyes.
His sigh was for Zhao Tianchen.
He and Zhao Tianchen were of the same generation, and Zhao Tianchen was even somewhat older than him.
Even now, he still remembered how high-spirited, unrestrained, and carefree Zhao Tianchen had once been.
Yet what had happened to his biological son, followed by his death, had scattered his spirit to the four winds.
Now he had aged into such a state, his body bent and stooped like dust.
It was truly lamentable.
As for what interested him, it was naturally Fang Hong.
Not long ago, when Zhao Tianchen had suddenly come to find him, Zhong Wanyang had nearly thought he had misheard.
He had always believed Zhao Tianchen might remain in seclusion until death and never emerge from the mountain again.
Naturally, he had heard that Zhao Tianchen had suddenly emerged yesterday and taken a Personal Disciple.
That alone had already made him curious.
Yet who could have expected that Zhao Tianchen would go so far for this disciple?
Not only had he emerged from seclusion to accept a disciple, he had even cast aside his old pride and come directly to him.
That immediately made Zhong Wanyang even more interested in Fang Hong!
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