Huang Fang's composure did not last long.
The change affected Huang Fang's face as well; his external calm shattering with his eyes widening open as if he were seeing something entirely different from before, an ease that had permeated his demeanour.
"A tier two beast core?" Huang Fang repeated, the shock evident in his tone as he struggled to hide it. "How did you manage to get it? Where did you find the beast? You fought it yourself?"
These questions came one after the other, relentless, and almost surgical.
Huang Lei had been prepared for this reaction. He did not hurry to answer Huang Fang. Rather, he waited for Huang Fang to complete his tirade before he replied to him.
"In the Paleborne Forest," Huang Lei continued, his voice even, uninflected. "I encountered the creature after it had already died."
Huang Fang's shoulders tensed for a moment before he realised what he had just heard.
"Already dead?"
Huang Lei nodded. "Its body had not cooled yet. Someone else had probably finished it off not long before I got there."
His recounting of it all was direct and plain. He didn't mention the two disciples of Cloud Verdant Sect, or the exchange of blows, or the activation of his saintly body. These things weren't to be shared.
Huang Fang watched Huang Lei as if sizing him up, his eyes piercing enough to get beyond the surface. He took a long time before exhaling slowly.
"I see."
It was a dangerous land, one in which threats were plentiful. Demons of great power regularly died there, some through the intervention of cultivators, some through the attacks of even more powerful creatures. Finding a body was no impossibility, but it was a grim reminder of how tenuous such success could be.
Nevertheless, Huang Fang could not help but be amazed at the simplicity of the whole thing.
A second-tier demon beast would not be something to be taken lightly. Even at the peak of Foundation Establishment stages, to say that one could dispatch a second-tier demon beast without sustaining heavy punishment would be boastful. Wounding would be a definite possibility.
Having secured this core without having to fight it outright, he considers this an extraordinary lucky break.
"Your luck is remarkable," Huang Fang finally confessed, his speech rhythms modulating to a more grounded tone. "You must not underestimate how unusual this is."
His expression still impassive, Huang Lei nodded slightly in recognition but said nothing.
Huang Fang's expression eased, not through enthusiasm, but through experience. He regarded Huang Lei with a certain degree of respect, which was not quite sufficient to dispel the trace of trepidation he exhibited.
"This is truly a high merit," he admitted. "However, do not hurry to turn it in to the clan."
There was a brief moment of surprise in the eyes of the seated Huang Lei.
"A tier two beast core is most useful for furthering oneself," Huang Fang went on calmly. "You will reach the qi refinement peak in at most a few years. When you reach that point, possessing something like this may very well be the deciding factor between success and failure," he explained.
He paused, allowing the significance of what he said to sink in, as if to remind him of the stakes.
"The clan can wait," Huang Fang replied quietly. "Your future cannot."
Huang Lei listened attentively, his expression thoughtful, as if considering every word a stepping stone leading only to a path known to himself.
"Foundation Establishment is a true watershed," continued Huang Fang. "Preparations are much more important than mere talent. If you plan on working with Foundation Establishment Pills, then this ingredient should be retained until you are ready. Giving it out prematurely would be equivalent to limiting your choices."
Huang Lei understood the implication. For most cultivators, achieving a breakthrough without the use of a pill would be difficult, even for the most gifted among them, as they would carefully prepare by gathering ingredients over many years, allowing them to have a few chances if necessary.
He did not need to explain to Huang Fang how his own circumstances were, in essence, different from the average case.
He remained quiet for a short time, as if considering these words carefully, and then nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense," he said. "Well, in that case, I will leave the beast core with you for the time being."
Huang Fang looked at him for a brief moment longer, waiting for the rest of the plan.
"If some necessity arises later, I will come fetch it," Huang Lei added. "That way, it stays safe, and I avoid drawing unnecessary attention. How does that sound?"
Huang Fang gave the idea a brief consideration and then nodded in approval.
Maintaining this foundation during his reign ensures it remains intact. At the same time, this serves to safeguard Huang Lei against excessive public attention.
"Fine," he finally said.
He felt a faint wave of relief pass across Huang Lei's face before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.
With the crisis temporarily resolved, Huang Fang's tone once again changed to a warmer, almost paternal one.
"You must dedicate yourself completely to training," he said. "You must not let anything hold you back. Opportunities will continue to arise as long as you are strong enough to take advantage of them."
He paused, considering the next words he chose to use. "What you have gained recently is not something most cultivators receive in a lifetime. Do not waste it."
Huang Lei bent his head, an act of unswerving commitment.
I will not.
Huang Fang stood up from the chair he had been sitting on, intending to leave the room. Before he did, he looked again at Huang Lei. The rate of progress, the confidence that had settled on him, and the look of good luck that seemed to be trailing along behind him all seemed to be different somehow.
But Huang Fang decided not to pursue it further. All cultivators had their secrets, and some of them should be left alone.
After Huang Fang finally left, there was again a quiet, suspended hush in the room.