Chapter 21: The Second-Layer Qi Refining That Amazes Everyone

At this point, Fang Yong said, "Just to be safe, let's add me as well. With three spiritual talismans, it should be enough to repel those innate martial artists!"

Fang Hong then chimed in, "Aren't we discussing countermeasures right now? Let's see if there are other ways. Don't make it sound like we're afraid of death! If necessary, I'm also willing to activate the talismans; I'd rather just lie down for the rest of my life!"

Fang Yun listened for a while and began to understand. Was the activation of the spiritual talismans really that costly? Could it potentially render someone bedridden for life?

Was this still a spiritual talisman?

Fang Yun thought of the dozen or so spiritual talismans he had, and suddenly felt uneasy. These talismans seemed quite dangerous; if he activated all of them, wouldn't it turn him into a mere shell of a person? This was completely different from the image of the cultivation world he had imagined!

So, Fang Yun cautiously asked, "Does activating the spiritual talismans really require such a huge cost? If that's the case, shouldn't we consider other options? Isn't there a clan artifact? Wouldn't using that be better?"

Upon hearing Fang Yun's question, Fang Lin turned with a bitter smile to explain, "Clan leader, actually, for cultivators like you, activating the spiritual talismans doesn't require a cost. Your own magical power is the best price! But for us innate martial artists, the quality of our true essence is too inferior compared to magical power. To activate the talismans, we must extract our most abundant blood essence to complete the activation!

Everyone's blood essence is limited; once used for activating talismans, the cost becomes unpredictable! As for the clan artifact you mentioned, activating it would come at an even greater cost, requiring at least the blood essence of two or three innate martial artists, which is feasible! Generally, we wouldn't activate the clan artifact unless the family faced life-and-death situations!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yun suddenly realized. So that's how it was!

He had been startled, thinking that the cultivation world he had entered was a bizarre Cthulhu-like realm. It turned out to be a normal world; it was just that others lacked the energy in their bodies, leading them to pay with their lives instead.

At this moment, Fang Lin continued, "Unfortunately, Clan Leader, your training time is too short. Otherwise, if you activated the talismans, fewer people would need to bear the cost!"

At this point, Fang Jianting, who had remained silent, thumped his cane on the ground again.

"What nonsense are you talking? The clan leader has a precious body and has only trained for a short time; how can we waste valuable magical power to activate the spiritual talismans? Besides, there might be cultivators hidden among the enemies; the clan leader is our last trump card. Unless absolutely necessary, the leader must not act rashly.

As sons of the Fang family, we're asking you to activate the spiritual talismans, not to put your lives at risk. Stop hesitating here. Think back to 80 years ago when we had only five innate martial artists; didn't everyone activate the talismans to repel the invaders then? Even though I was the only one left alive at that time, none of the others had any regrets. It's precisely this spirit that has allowed our Fang family to endure for hundreds of years in this world. What? Has it become impossible for your generation?"

After hearing Fang Jianting's admonition, everyone lowered their heads in shame. "Yes, great-grandfather. You are right; even if it costs us our lives, we will hold off the enemy's attack! We won't bring shame to the ancestors of the Fang family!"

Fang Yun looked at this impassioned scene and opened his mouth, unsure if he should interrupt them. He felt that with his second-layer Qi refining level, activating a few spiritual talismans shouldn't cost too much. He even thought that he could probably use that clan artifact with his cultivation level; it would just take a little less time. It shouldn't be as exaggerated as they said.

Just when Fang Yun was unsure how to speak up, everyone had already finished their passionate pledges. The next step would be for Fang Yong, the leader of the guard team, to arrange countermeasures against the enemy. However, before that, Fang Yong asked Fang Yun, "Clan leader, considering the possibility of enemy cultivators appearing, have you broken through to the first layer of Qi refining? Can you handle their cultivators? If not, we need to make other arrangements!"

At this point, Fang Yong looked at Fang Yun with some nervousness. If Fang Yun truly couldn't handle the potential enemy cultivators and they had to face them alone, the cost would be enormous. It was likely that the elders present would end up dying in battle.

Upon hearing Fang Yong's question, Fang Yun finally felt relieved. He wouldn't have to forcibly explain his cultivation level, which would have made him feel like he was showing off. However, with his second-layer Qi refining, Fang Yun really didn't feel he had anything impressive to offer. If he wanted to show off, he would have to wait until he reached the Foundation Establishment stage; then, he would have some grounds for it.

So, Fang Yun replied lazily, "I broke through to the second layer of Qi refining a while ago! I just don't know what level of cultivators the pirates might bring. Whether I can handle them is still uncertain!"

Fang Yong instinctively nodded, "As long as you've broken through, we have a chance." Then he suddenly realized and looked at Fang Yun in shock, "Did you just say you broke through the first layer or the second layer of Qi refining?"

What Fang Yun had just said was heard clearly by all the elders present. However, they couldn't believe that Fang Yun had broken through to the second layer of Qi refining so quickly. They all stared at Fang Yun, wanting him to confirm his answer.

Fang Yun awkwardly rubbed his nose, "I really am at the second layer of Qi refining. It's nothing impressive; I'm still at the very bottom of the cultivation world. Plus, I have no combat experience. Don't place too much hope on me, or it might backfire!"

The others could no longer hear Fang Yun's subsequent explanation. After receiving a confirmed answer, they exchanged glances, then fell silent. They didn't know what kind of expression they should show to reflect their shock.

Only Fang Jianting, leaning on his cane and looking down, was chuckling. As he laughed, his voice unexpectedly turned into sobs. "Good, good, good! The clan leader is a prodigy; our Fang family has hope for a resurgence!!!"

Thinking about the difficult inheritance experience of the Fang family over the years, where they had almost faced extinction time and time again, it was clear that their struggles stemmed from the weak strength of the family's cultivators. If the cultivators in the family had been stronger, they could have sought more resources to cultivate more cultivators, and the Fang family wouldn't have been in such dire straits.