Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

After only a few rounds of combat, a thin line of blood erupted from the brawny swordsman’s chest—a wound inflicted by the Gudiao.

The Gudiao was a metal-attribute Demon Beast, its plumage sharper than steel. Each feather was comparable to a Middle-Grade Magical Artifact, and when hundreds of them rained down at once, even the sword-wielding Golden Core Cultivator struggled to parry.

But this was only because he had been caught unprepared. Thanks to one of Fang Qingyuan’s Divine Techniques, the Gudiao had pinpointed the foreign Golden Core Cultivator’s aura and launched a surprise attack, leaving him in a sorry state.

However, once the sword-wielding Golden Core Cultivator recovered, he grew serious. He raised his longsword, and its light shone as pure and clear as water. As his sword’s presence unfurled, all sound within a three-mile radius seemed to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Waves of Sword Qi surged, visibly warping the flow of Spiritual Qi in the area.

One sword to command the field, its intent as deep as the ocean.

Vortexes of Spiritual Qi flickered in and out of existence around the Cultivator, numbering in the hundreds, then thousands, in the blink of an eye. Each vortex exerted a pulling force from a different direction—left, right, up, down—making the surrounding Spiritual Qi unpredictable and immediately slowing the Gudiao’s assault.

Fang Qingyuan sensed all this from a distance, growing more suspicious of the Golden Core Cultivator’s identity. ’This guy doesn’t look like a Loose Cultivator with no backing,’ he thought. ’That Deep Sea Sword Intent is too grand and majestic. He seems to be from a prestigious sect.’

’Would someone of his caliber really be ordered around by Ji Yuanjian, just to do some tailing work?’

Fang Qingyuan couldn’t figure it out for the time being, but that wouldn’t stop him from enjoying the show. He knew that as a Golden Core Demon Beast, the Gudiao had more tricks up its sleeve. After all, its feathers were highly venomous.

Sure enough, just two breaths later, black blood began to pour from the wound on the sword-wielding Golden Core Cultivator’s chest, and it was impossible to stanch.

It was only a small cut, yet an unnatural amount of black blood was gushing from it—a clear sign of the Gu poison.

The Gudiao was no ordinary Demon Beast. Its Gu poison was notoriously difficult to deal with. Even among Golden Core Demon Beasts, the Gudiao ranked among the most powerful.

But Fang Qingyuan had underestimated the sword-wielding Golden Core Cultivator’s methods. Cultivators from major sects were known for their formidable combat strength, and this brawny man was certainly not lacking in Magical Artifacts.

After stepping into the Golden Core Realm, a Cultivator could use their Golden Core Power to nurture and refine a Lifebound Magical Treasure. Fang Qingyuan had only just reached the Golden Core Realm himself and hadn’t yet had time to find a suitable one.

But the sword-wielding Golden Core Cultivator before him was not lacking. His Lifebound Magical Treasure was a Deep Sea Pearl.

When this treasure was brought out, the scales of victory began to tip. The moment the pearl appeared, it released a brilliant radiance. Under its light, the Gu poison in his body was suppressed. Furthermore, with the pearl’s support, his sword’s presence rose to another level, and he began to overwhelm the Gudiao.

A short while later, the Gudiao was finally defeated. It let out an indignant cry, beat its long wings fiercely, and fled upwards.

However, a piercing sword shadow shot forth. Though launched second, it arrived first, piercing through the Gudiao’s chest and sending a burst of feathers into the air.

The Gudiao shrieked again, its cry now hoarse. All the feathers on its body suddenly stood on end, then shot out with a hum. They were incredibly fast and dense as rain, transforming into streaks of light that converged on the sword-wielding Golden Core Cultivator.

This was one of the Gudiao’s Innate Divine Techniques, and its power was immense. The sword-wielding man didn’t dare be careless. He recalled his sword to defend with all his might, while the Gudiao seized the opportunity to flee into the distance.

Despite defeating the Gudiao, the man showed no sign of joy. First, the Gu poison was difficult to purge, and his current condition was poor. Second, he could sense that Fang Qingyuan had been watching silently from thirty miles away, not moving an inch the entire time.

And so, he held his sword at the ready, bracing for a second fight.

After a long moment, his imposing aura suddenly vanished. His face was deathly pale. Finally, he recalled the pearl into his Dantian and staggered away, fleeing the Barbaric Wilderness.

...

Fang Qingyuan had already arrived at the place where the Gudiao was nursing its wounds. This wasn’t its old lair, but a remote, hidden cave.

When the sandpiper and the clam clash, it is the fisherman who profits. Fang Qingyuan hadn’t expected the sword-wielding Golden Core Cultivator’s methods to be so fierce. After seeing the Deep Sea Pearl, he hadn’t dared to make a move, even though his opponent was severely injured.

For one, he was wary of the man’s power. For another, Fang Qingyuan worried that if he forcibly dealt with him, word might get out.

Leaving aside the man’s sect, there was his connection to Ji Yuanjian. Fang Qingyuan refused to believe that Ji Yuanjian was unaware that this man had come to tail him.

If this man died in the Barbaric Wilderness, even with the Gudiao as a convenient scapegoat, Fang Qingyuan felt it would bring him endless trouble.

If the man had been an Independent Practitioner Golden Core with no backing, killing him would have been a simple matter. But since he clearly had powerful supporters, Fang Qingyuan worried that the man’s masters might come to investigate, which would interfere with his own important plans.

By comparison, the Gudiao was a much more tempting prize. A Golden Core Demon Beast was a treasure from head to tail, especially one that was so heavily injured. Capturing it would be like getting his hands on hundreds, even thousands, of Top-grade Spirit Stones.

The Gudiao’s intelligence might not be sharp, but its instincts were undeniable. The aura here was concealed, and a tribe of Foundation Establishment Demon Beasts outside served to confuse any pursuers. It was a perfect place to recuperate. But what the Gudiao could never have imagined was that from the very beginning, its location had never once escaped Fang Qingyuan’s notice.

Sensing the negative emotions flickering through the Gudiao’s mind—anger, regret, indignation—Fang Qingyuan felt a flow of satisfaction. His steps light, he strolled casually into the cave. The next moment, an entirely one-sided battle erupted.

...

Inside the Immortal Mansion, the Bee Queen and Jinbao were playing a game of Go while Nanli watched from the side.

Jinbao had been spending all his time in the Immortal Mansion lately. The space was now vast, no longer cramped like it used to be. The Spiritual Qi was also much richer, and with two playmates around, Jinbao had grown fond of staying inside.

Jinbao sat on a large, green stone, his expression deeply conflicted. He held a tiny black game piece in his massive bear paw, uncertain where to place it.

The Bee Queen, on the other hand, looked far more relaxed. She was lounging on a Jade Couch with a large cup of golden Flower Nectar in front of her, occasionally taking a sip through a straw. She was delighted by Jinbao’s troubled expression.

Seeing the Bee Queen happy, Nanli practically preened with delight. Over the past few years, Nanli had become the Bee Queen’s loyal little follower.

Jinbao scowled at the little bird’s smugness, and his paw began to itch. He secretly raised his paw, but just as he did, a deafening crash echoed from not far away. The three beasts turned to look and saw the massive body of a strange, giant bird fall from the sky and slam heavily onto the ground.

The three Companion Beasts all jolted in surprise. Nanli was the first to dart over, with Jinbao right behind. As he got up, whether intentionally or not, Jinbao’s rear brushed against the game board, flipping it over. The board, which had held far more white pieces than black, clattered to the ground.

The Bee Queen’s brow furrowed as she watched, but she couldn’t be bothered with it now. She struggled to get up and began to inch forward, arching her body like a caterpillar.

As the Bee Queen struggled along, a gentle force enveloped her in the very next breath, lifting her into the air.

Then, Fang Qingyuan’s divine soul quietly materialized. He carried the Bee Queen and flew quickly to the Gudiao’s corpse.

Just moments ago, Fang Qingyuan had killed the Gudiao, annihilating both its body and soul. He had then sent the carcass into the Immortal Mansion. Now, it was time to process his prize.

At this point, Jinbao and Nanli were already circling the corpse. Seeing that Jinbao was about to take a couple of bites, Fang Qingyuan quickly stopped him.

’This Gudiao is riddled with Gu poison! Jinbao, how can you just try to eat anything you see?’