Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

After leaving Lechuan Mansion, Fang Qingyuan was in a hurry to enter seclusion to nurture his realm. Consequently, when Vice Sect Leader Mao Cheng came to report on sect matters, Fang Qingyuan did not grant him an immediate audience.

It was not until half a month later, after he had stabilized his new realm from advancing to the ninth level and replenished the deficit in his Magical Power, that Fang Qingyuan had the attendant outside his door invite Mao Cheng in.

Mao Cheng was his usual long-winded self. He told Fang Qingyuan many things, and Fang Qingyuan listened patiently. Finally, Mao Cheng mentioned that a certain type of Spirit Beast had been selling quite well recently, which piqued Fang Qingyuan’s interest.

The Qingyuan Sect had split off from the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect, so its roots lay in beast taming. Thus, over the years, the Qingyuan Sect had also dabbled a bit in the business of taming and selling Spirit Beasts. However, this small-scale endeavor was nothing compared to the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect.

Furthermore, the dozen or so Cultivators who left the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect back then were all at the Qi Cultivation stage. As a result, the Qingyuan Sect had never grasped the more advanced techniques of the Beast Taming Sect. They simply had a few more unique tricks up their sleeves than other sects that knew nothing of beast taming. If they tried to rely on this craft for a living, one or two Cultivators might get by, but the entire sect would probably starve.

But thirty years had passed. After the split, the original Beast Taming Disciples who had only inherited a few minor techniques had to avoid competing with the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect. As a result, their beast taming craft had gradually developed in a different direction over the years. Though Fang Qingyuan had never paid it much mind, he had seen many disciples commanding insects and arachnids, and toying with venomous insects.

The way of venomous insects was somewhat sinister and malicious, clashing with the Qingyuan Sect’s righteous image. Therefore, Fang Qingyuan had not paid it any attention before, nor had the sect’s resources been allocated toward it. In Fang Qingyuan’s heart, he believed the sect should focus on steady and stable development.

But now, from what Mao Cheng was saying, one of the few types of insectile beasts the sect sold had recently been selling very well. This was rather strange. ’Have they bred some new, exotic species?’

His interest piqued, Fang Qingyuan dismissed Mao Cheng to rest. He then took Jinbao and went to a mortal settlement at the very edge of the sect’s territory, outside the main gates. This was the place where those Qi Cultivation Disciples tinkered with venomous insects and sold them for Spirit Stones.

The Qingyuan Sect’s territory wasn’t actually very large, only about the size of a county. After so many years of development, the mortal population had exceeded 200,000. This had led to some people migrating to the formerly barren lands of treacherous mountains and rivers on the sect’s borders, alleviating the population pressure in the fertile lands at the foot of the Qingyuan Sect’s mountain.

Fang Qingyuan arrived in the village and concealed his presence. He had no desire to disturb the normal lives of these mortals.

He saw a ground littered with rubble, and a large swamp stretched out before the village. In a place like this, where venomous insects ran rampant in the summer and no decent crops could be grown, only mortals who couldn’t make a living at the foot of the sect’s mountain would choose to settle here.

However, this terrain was perfect for those Qi Cultivation Disciples who were fond of insectile beasts. Here, they could tinker around freely. With such a large swamp, they could breed even more varieties of venomous insects.

Fang Qingyuan casually strolled into a relatively large courtyard. As he looked around, he saw several Qi Cultivation Disciples. Some were teasing common venomous insects like scorpions and centipedes, while others were gathered around a massive bronze cauldron, shouting and cheering for the insects fighting to the death inside.

Seeing this, Fang Qingyuan frowned. ’Are they betting on insects?’

So, Fang Qingyuan moved closer and craned his neck to look into the bronze cauldron. He saw about a dozen Water Scorpions, each the size of a fist. They were fighting each other with raised pincers and scoop-like mandibles. Every so often, a loser would find its final rest in the victor’s belly.

When only one Water Scorpion remained, a disciple to the side cheered, carefully retrieved it, and placed it into his Spiritual Beast Breeding Bag.

"How did you win again? Lou Yuan, don’t tell me you’ve caught a mutated dragonfly mother?"

The Qi Cultivation Disciple called Lou Yuan looked smug. The peach fuzz on his face hadn’t completely disappeared, giving him a childish air. He held up the Spiritual Beast Breeding Bag in his hand, extended his other hand, and said to the others:

"A bet’s a bet. Hand over the Spirit Stones."

After the others dejectedly and painfully handed over a Low-grade Spirit Stone to Lou Yuan, the boy quickly stuffed it into his robes, patting it down securely.

Fang Qingyuan watched all this calmly from the side, thinking to himself, ’I should appear right now and catch them red-handed. The rules of the Qingyuan Sect strictly forbid private gambling duels. This may not be a duel between people, but insect fighting is forbidden all the same.’

However, his curiosity about Lou Yuan suppressed his impulse to reveal himself. He wanted to see just what secrets this Lou Yuan was hiding.

After getting the Spirit Stone, Lou Yuan said goodbye to the others and quickly ran out of the courtyard. He expertly navigated his way to the simple market outside and took out a Low-grade Spirit Stone from his robes. He gave it to a burly mortal man in exchange for half a slab of pork and some loose gold and silver.

Lou Yuan carefully wrapped the gold and silver in a piece of cloth. He then glanced at the slab of pork, which was bigger than his own body. With a point of his finger, amidst the burly man’s envious and awestruck gaze, the pork floated into the air and drifted away behind Lou Yuan, following in his footsteps.