Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

Chapter 232 - 177: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

On Celestial Gate Mountain, amidst the cliffs behind Lechuan Mansion’s rear courtyard, Fang Qingyuan stood beside Lechuan. He watched the Golden Core Cultivator before him raise a hand, cast a rod, and send a long, thin fishing line into the mists ahead.

Fang Qingyuan had been practicing the Profound Insight Qi Eating Technique for nearly half a year, so his vision was naturally different from before. Using his Qi Observation Technique, he could see with perfect clarity.

Amidst the miasma of impure, pestilent, and plague-ridden qi below the cliff, a wisp of pure qi was separating itself from the foulness, like a lotus flower emerging from the mud, yet remaining unstained.

This tiny wisp of pure qi slowly attached itself to Lechuan’s fishing line and gradually grew stronger over time. Before long, the line Lechuan had cast out began to shimmer with a soft, iridescent glow.

Within this wisp of pure qi, Fang Qingyuan could see a few strands of Innate Primordial Qi. If absorbed by a person, this pure qi could likely extend their life by a short while.

After watching for a while, Fang Qingyuan felt he had learned a great deal. But as more time passed, he found himself thinking that his master possessed an incredible amount of tranquility.

After a long time, Fang Qingyuan’s mind began to wander. Just then, Lechuan suddenly spoke.

"What are your thoughts on the attack against your senior brother?"

A jolt went through Fang Qingyuan’s heart, and he pulled his thoughts back. He chose his words carefully.

"This disciple’s experience is limited, but I will be bold and offer a few words for Master’s consideration. The attack on Senior Brother Liangde is no small matter. The perpetrators knew our identity as members of Beast Taming Mountain, yet they still dared to act. They are certainly no ordinary people. The White Mountain Loose Cultivators wouldn’t have the means to do this. I suspect one of the major powers in White Mountain is responsible."

Zhao Liangde’s cultivation had already reached Foundation Establishment Perfection, and he even had Heiye, a Golden Core Demon Beast, with him. Even if Heiye couldn’t use its full strength inside that Secret Mansion, it wasn’t a situation where just any Golden Core Cultivator could have caused such an outcome.

Zhao Liangde was still in a coma. Although his life wasn’t in danger, he likely wouldn’t be able to manage sect affairs for some time. And no one could say for sure if he had any hidden physical injuries that might cause problems later.

Furthermore, Heiye was missing and had not yet returned to the mountain. As a result, the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect had instantly lost a third of its combat strength. When the news spread, panic set in, and most of the disciples on the mountain were recalled.

Yet even under these circumstances, Lechuan still had the mind to fish for qi on the back mountain. He had summoned Fang Qingyuan to his side, but Fang Qingyuan had no idea what his master wanted to talk about.

Fang Qingyuan was also feeling quite uneasy. Ever since joining the Beast Taming Sect, the Southern Border Beast Taming division had never faced such a disaster, aside from the incident with the Elder Dean and Wei Tong all those years ago.

Connecting this to the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had been killed in battle earlier, everyone in the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect realized that someone was intentionally targeting them.

Being targeted by such a powerful enemy made Fang Qingyuan deeply unsettled. The enemy had even dared to make a lethal move against Zhao Liangde, the second-in-command of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. ’I’ve only just reached Foundation Establishment,’ he thought. ’If they set their sights on me, my chances of survival would be slim.’ So, after hearing the news, Fang Qingyuan had obediently stayed on Celestial Gate Mountain, not even daring to visit the Marketplace at the foot of the mountain.

’It’s a shame I already paid the deposit,’ he mused. ’I wonder if Huang Xuejing from the Celestial Seal Society has finished the custom Talismans I ordered.’

After hearing Fang Qingyuan’s analysis, Lechuan nodded.

"Your reasoning is sound. I was too careless before. Nearly twenty years of peace made me complacent. As for who made the move, though I don’t know for certain, I have my suspicions."

"Who?"

Fang Qingyuan asked hurriedly. ’Which power would dare to target the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect? Are they tired of living?’

But the words that Lechuan spoke next sent a chill down Fang Qingyuan’s spine.

"It was most likely the White Mountain Spirit Wood Alliance!"

"What? The Spirit Wood Alliance? We have no past grievances with them. Why would they target us like this?"

Fang Qingyuan was stunned by this news. The Spirit Wood Alliance was deep within White Mountain and didn’t even share a border with the Southern Border Territory. He never would have expected them to be the ones to strike.

Fang Qingyuan had previously suspected the Artifact Talisman Alliance. Because of the Wei Family incident years ago, Lechuan had sent Beast Taming Disciples to help the Wei Family, and they had clashed for real with the Artifact Talisman Alliance at Celestial Attraction Mountain. Cultivators on both sides had been killed, creating a long-standing grudge. If they had been the ones to act, Fang Qingyuan would have been prepared for it.

But it was the Spirit Wood Alliance. This was beyond Fang Qingyuan’s comprehension. Moreover, the Spirit Wood Alliance was many times more powerful than the Artifact Talisman Alliance.

They had two Nascent Soul Cultivators and nine Golden Core Cultivators under their command. If a power like that was truly determined to target the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, Lechuan and Heiye alone would certainly be no match for them.

Furthermore, the Spirit Wood Alliance and the other four alliances—Thick Earth, Sharp Metal, Lianshui, and Scorching Fire—were all closely allied. Once a true war began, the other houses would inevitably be drawn in. Including the Beast Taming Sect’s side, it would become a massive war with over a dozen Nascent Soul Cultivators and hundreds of Golden Core Cultivators. Even Lechuan would be unable to control the situation.

Of course, looking at Lechuan’s current demeanor, Fang Qingyuan could see he wasn’t about to declare war. It was clear that Lechuan also knew that such a war was unlikely to happen.

"The Spirit Wood Alliance acted because the situation has changed. They received word of this change before I did, so we’ve lost the initiative."

Seeing Fang Qingyuan’s bewildered expression, Lechuan slowly revealed the hidden truth. The potential directions for the next great pioneering war had been narrowed down significantly. And for some reason, the Wilderness Forest had suddenly become one of the top contenders.

The Spirit Wood Alliance’s sudden attack was influenced by this development.

"Take a look at this topographical map. Do you notice anything?"

Lechuan tossed his fishing rod aside and, using the clouds before them, channeled his Magical Power to form a topographical map in front of Fang Qingyuan.

Fang Qingyuan stared at the cloud pattern for a long time before speaking.

"The Spirit Wood Alliance is deep within White Mountain, and most of their territory borders the endless Wilderness Forest, much like our Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. If the next pioneering war really does unfold here, then the Barbaric Territory opened up during the process will connect to the eight hundred miles of Barbaric Wilderness we conquered before."

"Precisely."

Lechuan nodded in satisfaction. With a wave of his hand, he marked out a large, dark area representing the undeveloped Barbaric Territory. Within it, the territory occupied by the Spirit Wood Alliance on the White Mountain side was a full four to five thousand miles wide.

The Southern Border itself was a territory opened up just three hundred years ago, pushing relatively deep into the Barbaric Wilderness. The only reason the Southern Border wasn’t considered part of White Mountain’s territory was because a vast Death Swamp separated them.

But if the Spirit Wood Alliance’s sphere of influence were to push another three to four thousand miles into the Wilderness Forest because of this pioneering war, their border would then connect with the new territory the Southern Border conquered ten years ago. In that case, the two powers would become neighbors.

’But for the Spirit Wood Alliance to strike first and suppress the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect over something uncertain ten years in the future... that’s just too tyrannical.’

Fang Qingyuan stared at the area on the map representing the Spirit Wood Alliance’s territory, a ruthless glint in his eyes. ’I will remember this grudge,’ he vowed internally.

"The Spirit Wood Alliance is so tyrannical. Are we just going to take this lying down?"

The more Fang Qingyuan thought about it, the angrier he became. After all, their sect was one of the hegemon-level powers in this world. Even if they were just an isolated sub-sect, more than a hundred thousand miles from Zongshan, the name of the Beast Taming Sect was not to be trifled with. ’How dare the Spirit Wood Alliance do this?’

If nothing else, the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect’s backer, the Huo Family’s ancestor Huo Gan, was right here. If they asked the old master to demand an explanation, the Spirit Wood Alliance’s two Nascent Soul Cultivators would be stuck on White Mountain. Due to the rules, their physical bodies couldn’t descend. Even if the Spirit Wood Alliance had a Secret Technique to summon their own ancestors to battle, they wouldn’t dare treat the arrival of a Nascent Soul Cultivator demanding answers lightly.

However, when Fang Qingyuan mentioned Huo Gan, a bitter expression appeared on Lechuan’s face as he revealed the truth to Fang Qingyuan.

"Ancestor Huo Gan went deep into the Wilderness Forest several years ago, and we still haven’t received any word from him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have learned of the news from above so much later than the Spirit Wood Alliance.

For the sake of his Nascent Soul-level Spiritual Crane, the old master can’t be bothered with anything else right now. His only goal is to capture that Human-faced Serpent to strengthen his crane. Until he catches that Human-faced Serpent, we can’t count on the ancestor to stand up for us."

"How could this be? No wonder the Spirit Wood Alliance dared to act in the shadows. They must have known about this. In that case, won’t our sect be bullied by them endlessly from now on?"

Fang Qingyuan spoke his thoughts aloud, suddenly overwhelmed with frustration. To be bullied like this with no one to turn to for justice filled him with a stifling sense of indignation.

Seeing Fang Qingyuan in this state, Lechuan, though also feeling troubled, offered some comfort.

"Not necessarily. The Spirit Wood Alliance only dares to make small moves behind our backs and catch me off guard. But now that I know, they can forget about continuing like this. We can’t count on Senior Uncle Huo Gan right now, but the reputation of our Southern Border Beast Taming Sect cannot be allowed to fall. In the days to come, before the pioneering war truly begins, I’ve decided to lock horns with the Spirit Wood Alliance and drill our troops. Better that than to choke when it’s time for a real fight."

Seeing the normally refined and gentlemanly Lechuan speak such coarse yet heroic words stirred a fire in Fang Qingyuan’s own blood. To be bullied so brazenly and continue to endure it... Fang Qingyuan feared that if he did, a Heart Demon would arise when he attempted Core Formation in the future.

So, he immediately declared:

"Please rest assured, Master. This disciple will support your decision with all my strength. Everyone on Yuanling Mountain will follow your lead."

After stating his resolve, Fang Qingyuan’s tone changed, and he added weakly,

"It’s just... this disciple has only just reached Foundation Establishment, and my Companion Beast is only at the Mid-stage of Qi Cultivation. My combat power is frankly pathetic. Could I perhaps be of more use in other ways? I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle fighting on the front lines."

Seeing this side of Fang Qingyuan, Lechuan didn’t get angry. Instead, he chuckled.

"I knew you were a slippery one. Don’t worry, it won’t be your turn to fight on the front lines. I’ve already invited experts from several other sub-sects, as well as support from the Zongshan Huo Family’s faction. This time, I’m going to show the Spirit Wood Alliance exactly why our Beast Taming Sect is one of the hegemonic powers of this world. As for you, I have another important role in mind."

Hearing that he wouldn’t have to fight and kill on the front lines, Fang Qingyuan breathed a sigh of relief. Curious about the "important role" Lechuan mentioned, he asked,

"What does Master have planned for me?"

"Liangde is unable to manage affairs right now, and a great deal of miscellaneous work has piled up in the sect. The position of chief of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak is vacant. You will serve as the acting chief for a while."