Chapter 55: Limitless Potential

Fang Yun retracted his gaze after the tall figure vanished from sight.

Senior Sister Bai seemed brash and straightforward, but in reality, she was quite astute.

Fang Yun mentally updated his profile on Bai Qinying after their meeting.

It was important to collect and analyze such information.

This would help him navigate life in the Celestial Cloud Sect. After all, the sect was ultimately made up of people.

Handling these things well could, at times, even indirectly boost his influence.

Whether it was Bai Qinying or Wu Junxin, these top-ten disciples on the Inner Sect Ranking were all very likely to become sect Elders in the future.

And that was to say nothing of Song Qiaoqiao.

Her maternal great-grandfather was a Supreme Elder, and she herself was a cultivator with Dual Spirit Roots. At a minimum, she was expected to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage. It wasn’t even out of the question for her to become a new Supreme Elder for the sect someday.

This was what people called potential.

Take him, for instance.

Fang Yun summoned his holographic screen and glanced at the talent interface.

’I have limitless potential myself.’

He composed himself. It was time to return the one hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones to Senior Sister Song Qiaoqiao.

Soon, Fang Yun found Residence Number Six.

KNOCK KNOCK—

The knock sounded on the door.

Fang Yun stood quietly outside, waiting.

Before long, the door opened.

Fang Yun glanced at the woman who opened the door, but quickly looked away before bowing in greeting.

"Senior Sister Song."

"Oh, it’s you, Junior Brother Fang." Seeing Fang Yun at the door, Song Qiaoqiao seemed to realize something. "Junior Brother, come in and have a seat."

"Alright."

Accepting her invitation, Fang Yun walked inside without a second thought.

Song Qiaoqiao froze for a moment at his easy acceptance, as if she hadn’t quite registered her own invitation.

She quickly composed herself.

By the time she closed the door, Fang Yun had already found a seat.

"Senior Sister," Fang Yun said with a smile as he watched Song Qiaoqiao sit down. "It shouldn’t be hard for you to guess why I’ve come looking for you today."

’This is so relaxing.’

’This feels great.’

Even though this wasn’t his residence, Fang Yun felt as comfortable as if he were in his own home.

This all stemmed from his interactions with Senior Sister Song Qiaoqiao. There was no pressure at all. He didn’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing, and even if he did, it wouldn’t matter.

"You’re here to return my one hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones."

"That’s right."

Fang Yun snapped his fingers.

He then took out one hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch, placed them on the table, and pushed them toward Song Qiaoqiao.

"You can count them, Senior Sister. Exactly one hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones, not one more, not one less."

"I trust you, Junior Brother."

With a sweep of her sleeve, Song Qiaoqiao sent all the Spirit Stones on the table into her Storage Pouch.

With that, a small weight was lifted from her mind.

"You know, Senior Sister, Senior Sister Bai Qinying actually misunderstood me on my way here to give you the Spirit Stones." Once Song Qiaoqiao had accepted the stones, Fang Yun started recounting what had just happened.

"Senior Sister Bai? You know her, Junior Brother?" Song Qiaoqiao was genuinely surprised.

’With the sect’s planting missions, frequent Alchemy, and now occasional Artifact Refining on top of that, how does Fang Yun still have time to meet someone like Bai Qinying?’

It was something Song Qiaoqiao would never have expected.

She knew Fang Yun was incredibly busy. It was that very diligence, combined with his talent, that had allowed him to accumulate so many resources and reach his current Realm.

’It’s all what Junior Brother Fang deserves.’

"Yes, we met on Battle Peak, through Senior Brother Wu Junxin. I met Senior Brother Wu on Smoke Cloud Peak..."

Fang Yun briefly explained how he’d met Bai Qinying. The story involved Wu Junxin, so he elaborated on that part as well.

"So that’s how it is." Song Qiaoqiao nodded repeatedly after listening. "I didn’t expect you to go to Battle Peak for Magical Combat spars, Junior Brother."

"You can’t just focus on cultivation. After I finished refining a new Magical Artifact, I decided I should go to Battle Peak to get some real combat experience."

Song Qiaoqiao expressed her approval of Fang Yun’s idea.

She also went to Battle Peak to spar, just not very often—usually once every two months.

"By the way, Junior Brother, was Senior Sister Bai the one who stopped you?" Song Qiaoqiao was curious about this.

"I guess so."

Fang Yun thought about it. Bai Qinying had seen him first and then called out to him.

"That just goes to show your skills in Magical Combat aren’t half bad, Junior Brother." Apparently, Song Qiaoqiao knew Bai Qinying quite well.

Fang Yun wasn’t surprised. Based on his recent interaction with Bai Qinying, he could already tell that Senior Sister Song and Senior Sister Bai must have a good relationship.

"Yes, they’re quite good."

Soon, the two of them were chatting about Magical Combat.

On this topic, Fang Yun shared some stories about his recent matches, his thoughts on Magical Combat, and the nickname that someone—he didn’t know who—had given him.

Especially the matter of his nickname.

If Song Qiaoqiao didn’t know now, then when she went to Dan Cloud Peak to see Wang Yourong later, Wang Yourong would definitely tell her.

Senior Sister Wang Yourong and Senior Brother Jiang Yan were very similar in this regard.

"Turtle Immortal..." Song Qiaoqiao covered her mouth, but in the end, she couldn’t help but laugh.

’That nickname is hilarious,’ she thought.

Fang Yun also chuckled lightly. "I can live with Turtle Immortal. At least it’s not just plain Tortoise Immortal."

"It’s great. The Inner and Outer Sect Disciples all recognize your defensive abilities, Junior Brother, which is why this nickname appeared."

According to Fang Yun, not a single junior brother or sister who had sparred with him recently had been able to break through his defenses.

To break his defense, one would need to be at least a top-tier Qi Refining Sixth Layer Outer Sect Disciple, or an Inner Sect Disciple.

As they chatted, Song Qiaoqiao suddenly remembered the issue Fang Yun had mentioned at the beginning.

He had been misunderstood by Senior Sister Bai.

She still didn’t know what the misunderstanding between Senior Sister Bai and Junior Brother Fang was about.

"So, Junior Brother... what did Senior Sister Bai misunderstand?" Song Qiaoqiao thought of it and asked directly.

"She thought I was coming over to pursue you, Senior Sister," Fang Yun said, looking into Song Qiaoqiao’s eyes.

"And did you explain things to her, Junior Brother?"

"Of course I explained. I said I was coming over to return your Spirit Stones, Senior Sister, but Senior Sister Bai clearly didn’t really believe me."

"That’s just Senior Sister Bai’s personality. Once she’s made up her mind about something, it’s very difficult to change it. She’ll probably get over it after a while."

"Senior Sister Bai also said that if I were pursuing you, Senior Sister, she would even give me some help." Fang Yun told Song Qiaoqiao everything Bai Qinying had said.

"Huh!?"

Hearing this, Song Qiaoqiao’s beautiful eyes widened.

What Fang Yun had just said had already taken her by surprise.

"Senior Sister... is there a problem?"

"If Senior Sister Bai even made a promise like that... then her opinion probably won’t change for a very long time."

A promise from Bai Qinying changed everything.

It meant that Bai Qinying would definitely remember this matter.

"But from what I know of Senior Sister Bai, she wouldn’t offer to help you for free, without any strings attached. Right?" Song Qiaoqiao looked at Fang Yun, blinking curiously.