Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

Chapter 226 - 171: Chu Duo’s Request

At the pavilion on the back mountain, Lechuan and Chu Duo stood facing each other. Fang Qingyuan waited quietly to the side for their discussion to conclude.

Chu Duo hadn’t come here simply to congratulate Lechuan on taking a disciple. He had another purpose—a fact obvious to anyone.

Fang Qingyuan had originally assumed that Chu Duo had private matters to discuss with Lechuan, but to his surprise, Lechuan had brought him along as well. ’Does this have something to do with me?’

While Fang Qingyuan was lost in thought, Lechuan and Chu Duo finished their discussion. Judging by the look on Lechuan’s face, however, it hadn’t gone well.

Lechuan called Fang Qingyuan over and said to him:

"This is Chu Duo. He has a favor to ask of you. Assess the situation and decide for yourself whether to agree. If you feel it’s inappropriate, just refuse him."

Lechuan’s tone was stiff. He was clearly displeased with Chu Duo’s request, but given Chu Duo’s status, he couldn’t refuse him outright. Thus, he could only leave the decision up to Fang Qingyuan himself.

Hearing this, Fang Qingyuan knew Chu Duo’s request must be a difficult one. Sure enough, as soon as Chu Duo started speaking, Fang Qingyuan’s brows knitted together tightly.

A slight smile appeared on Chu Duo’s sinister, hawk-like face. He spoke to Fang Qingyuan in a pleasant tone:

"Nephew Qingyuan, I’ve heard the talent you awakened is ’Innate Qi.’ I have an impudent request. In our Nanchu Sect’s medicine garden, we have a Seven Emotions Five-Colored Heart Lotus. I’d like to ask for your help in using your Divine Technique’s talent to irrigate this Spirit Plant with some Innate Primordial Qi and enhance its medicinal properties."

When Chu Duo finished, Fang Qingyuan fought the urge to retort sharply. But as he looked into Chu Duo’s narrow eyes, he hesitated, even with Lechuan right beside him.

"My Innate Primordial Qi is the very foundation of my lifespan. How could I possibly use it on a mere Spirit Plant? Uncle Chu, you must be joking."

Fang Qingyuan immediately refused. At the same time, he felt a sense of sorrow over the state of affairs in the Beast Taming Sect. ’Very few people know about my talent, so how did Chu Duo of the Nanchu Sect find out? And how did he have the gall to even ask?’

Chu Duo wasn’t angered by Fang Qingyuan’s refusal. He simply continued:

"Nephew Qingyuan, you haven’t even heard my terms yet. Don’t be in such a hurry to refuse."

Seeing Chu Duo’s confident expression, Fang Qingyuan grew curious. ’What could he possibly offer that would make him think I’d agree to expend my own lifespan to irrigate his sect’s Spirit Plant with my Primordial Qi?’

"First, we at Nanchu have collected some Longevity Elixir Pills. Since you are so young, Nephew Qingyuan, I presume you’ve never taken such elixirs before. Therefore, their effects on you should be excellent. We are prepared to offer you elixirs that grant thirty years of life in exchange for an equivalent of thirty years of your Innate Primordial Qi.

Second, I will immediately return your ten-percent share of Yuanling Square Marketplace. I also own a thirty-percent share in Jiuye Marketplace, and I am willing to cede ten percent of that to you as well.

Third, consider it a personal favor owed to you by me, Chu Duo. If you ever need help in the future, you can come to me once."

It was rare for Chu Duo to say so much at once. All three conditions were quite valuable to Fang Qingyuan. With the Longevity Elixir Pills as compensation, it seemed on the surface that Fang Qingyuan wouldn’t be losing out; in fact, it looked like a great bargain.

However, exchanging Innate Primordial Qi for Longevity Elixir Pills meant he had to consider the problem of elixir toxins. Besides, the more Longevity Elixirs one consumed, the less effective they became. Eventually, an elixir meant to grant ten years of life would be lucky to provide only ten or twenty percent of its original potency.

The other two conditions were meant to make up for this difference. ’But why is Chu Duo so insistent on me using my ’Innate Qi’ Divine Technique?’ Fang Qingyuan wondered. ’Can’t someone else do it?’

Instead of rushing to agree, Fang Qingyuan voiced his doubts. Chu Duo, not hiding anything, patiently explained.

It turned out that Fang Qingyuan’s Innate Qi Divine Technique wasn’t limited to just increasing his own lifespan; it could also extract his Innate Primordial Qi and infuse it into other things.

Other Cultivators lacked this talent and could only consume their life force by practicing self-destructive Dismantling Techniques. But with this talent, one could easily manipulate their Innate Primordial Qi, directing it at will.

That was why Chu Duo had gone to such lengths to personally request Fang Qingyuan’s help. If anyone could control their Innate Primordial Qi, Chu Duo would have done it himself instead of coming all this way.

Fang Qingyuan hadn’t known any of this. He had learned about his Innate Qi Divine Technique from Zhao Liangde, but as for its wondrous applications, he wasn’t sure if Zhao Liangde had been unaware himself or had simply forgotten to mention them.

After hearing Chu Duo’s explanation, some of Fang Qingyuan’s frustration dissipated. However, the matter was too important for him to agree on the spot, so he said:

"Forgive me, Uncle Chu, but this is no small matter. Today is also the auspicious day I officially become a disciple. How about I give you an answer tomorrow?"

Seeing Fang Qingyuan’s delay, Chu Duo’s expression grew cold and sinister. A palpable sense of danger immediately washed over Fang Qingyuan.

Chu Duo said softly:

"Then I will come again tomorrow. I hope to hear good news then."

With that, Chu Duo turned and left, completely ignoring Lechuan. This caused Lechuan’s own expression to turn cold.

After Chu Duo was gone, Lechuan sighed and said:

"Chu Duo is determined to get his way this time. It’s my fault for my poor oversight, allowing word of your talent to leak and bring this disaster upon you."

Fang Qingyuan sighed internally at Lechuan’s self-blame. This new master of his had just gifted him a Top-Grade Magical Artifact; he couldn’t very well put him in such an awkward position.

’As a Sect Disciple, I can’t just reap benefits without giving anything in return. Besides, it’s clear Chu Duo thinks he has me cornered.’

Never mind anyone else, Chu Duo alone—a Late-stage Golden Core Cultivator—could overwhelm all the Cultivators of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. And that was without mentioning the Nanchu Sect’s overprotective Nascent Soul Ancestor.

Although the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect had allies within the sect, the Nanchu Sect was also a vassal of the Qi Yun Sect. The power behind them was not to be underestimated. If it came down to pure backing, the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect was no match for Nanchu.

Of course, the matter wouldn’t necessarily lead to open conflict between the two sects. But it would create a rift in their relationship that would be difficult to mend later.

Previously, Fang Qingyuan hadn’t cared much for the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. But now that he was Lechuan’s closed-door disciple, he had a stake in its future. ’I’ll only be using some Immortal Mansion Primordial Qi, not truly draining my own life essence. What’s there to be reluctant about?’

’Of course, I can’t agree too readily,’ he thought. ’I need to secure the benefits and make sure he doesn’t think he can ask me again in the future.’

Furthermore, Fang Qingyuan found it very strange. Why would Chu Duo ask a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him to irrigate a Seven Emotions Five-Colored Heart Lotus with Primordial Qi? And only for thirty years’ worth? Infusing the Spirit Plant with that much Primordial Qi was only equivalent to a few decades of natural growth. Its medicinal properties would increase, but not by a significant margin.

Regarding this point, Lechuan hesitated for a moment before explaining the real reason to Fang Qingyuan. The ingredient Chu Duo wanted him to irrigate was a supplementary herb for a batch of Tier Four Longevity Elixir Pills. This batch of elixirs was actually intended for the Nanchu Sect’s backer within the Qi Yun Sect—the true pillar of the Chu Family, Chu Zhen, who was already over 2,200 years old.

Chu Zhen was an Elder of the Qi Yun Sect’s Miscellaneous Affairs Peak, a man of high status and immense authority. However, he had lived too long and was now approaching the end of his life. The people of the Nanchu Sect were naturally unwilling to let him die, but Chu Zhen had already exhausted all kinds of life-extending methods. It was uncertain how much effect this batch of Tier Four Elixir Pills would even have on him, assuming it was successfully refined.

The Seven Emotions Five-Colored Heart Lotus was a high-grade Tier Three Spirit Plant, which was quite rare. The specimen Chu Duo found was a bit young. It could have been used as an ingredient as is, but when Chu Duo learned about Fang Qingyuan’s awakened Lifebound Talent, he sought him out. He wanted Fang Qingyuan to irrigate it with his Lifebound Primordial Qi simply to enhance its medicinal efficacy, even if just by a little.

Chu Zhen probably wasn’t even aware of Chu Duo’s gesture. He might not even care about the Tier Four Longevity Elixir Pills. Regardless, Chu Duo was dead set on this, and Fang Qingyuan truly had no way to refuse.

This was because Chu Duo was not a reasonable man.

After learning the inside story, Fang Qingyuan let out a few self-mocking laughs and said to Lechuan:

"Master, there’s no need for you to argue with Chu Duo over this anymore. I’ll go. It wouldn’t be good to harm the relationship between our two sects over something like this."

Lechuan was deeply moved by Fang Qingyuan’s words. In his eyes, his disciple was agreeing to Chu Duo’s demands for the sake of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. For his disciple to be so considerate of the bigger picture made him, as the master, feel he had lost face.

"If you don’t want to do it, just refuse him. I’ll go sort things out with Chu Duo. At the end of the day, I’m from the Beast Taming General Mountain. The name of the Huo Family’s Ancestor still carries some weight."

Feeling guilty, Lechuan tried to persuade Fang Qingyuan again, but Fang Qingyuan insisted that there was no need to trouble the Huo Family over such a small matter. Besides, he wasn’t actually getting a bad deal.

He wasn’t just avoiding a loss; he was about to make a huge profit. This was because neither Chu Duo nor Lechuan knew a crucial fact: Fang Qingyuan’s Innate Primordial Qi could be replenished from his Immortal Mansion.

The other two believed that even if the expended Innate Primordial Qi were replenished, there would be significant net loss. But Fang Qingyuan’s Innate Primordial Qi had the Immortal Mansion as its reserve, making it easy to restore. As long as the life within the Immortal Mansion flourished, he would have an endless supply of Innate Primordial Qi at his disposal.

The Immortal Mansion was Fang Qingyuan’s greatest advantage. The information gap it created was enough for him to profit handsomely from both sides. On one hand, he would gain Chu Duo’s elixirs, marketplace shares, and a personal favor. On the other, he would earn Lechuan’s goodwill and a sense of obligation.

And so, the very next day, his apprenticeship ceremony had only just concluded. Before he could even finish counting his gifts, Fang Qingyuan was taken by Chu Duo from Celestial Gate Mountain directly to the Nanchu Sect. Along the way, he even met the Nanchu Ancestor, Chu Hongshang.