Chapter 459 - 338: Diverting the Calamity
Huo Hu?
Long-lost memories churned in Fang Qingyuan’s mind. ’Why is Ji Yuanjian asking about Huo Hu? And why is he so certain I’m still connected to him?’
’It’s been over sixty years. Back then, Huo Hu had already lost his mind. Could he possibly have survived until now in that state?’
But from Ji Yuanjian’s expression, he clearly believed Huo Hu was still alive. What’s more, Huo Hu was apparently involved in some secret Fang Qingyuan knew nothing about. Thinking back to Ji Yuanjian’s aggressive attitude just now, it seemed like a preemptive strike to seize the initiative. This inquiry was his true purpose.
’Could he be trying to make a deal? He won’t pursue the matter of my association with the Ancient Beasts of the Wilderness if I tell him Huo Hu’s whereabouts?’
’No, no, no. Ji Yuanjian can’t be trusted. He’s probably planning to catch us all in one fell swoop. He wants to pursue Huo Hu, and he wants to take me down too. It doesn’t matter that I don’t know where Huo Hu is. Even if I did, I couldn’t tell him.’
At this thought, Fang Qingyuan said calmly,
"Huo Hu... I only met him a few times. I haven’t seen him in seventy or eighty years. Fellow Cultivator Ji Yuanjian, why would you think to ask me for news of him?"
Ji Yuanjian snorted coldly. After a moment of silence, he revealed a piece of information.
"Wasn’t it you and Huo Bai who broke the imprisoned Huo Hu out of Artifact Talisman City back then? Don’t be so quick to deny it. Some of the Artifact Talisman City disciples who handled the matter are still alive."
Fang Qingyuan cursed inwardly. ’This trivial old business is from decades ago. Why are you digging it up now and refusing to let go?’
"What are you implying, Fellow Cultivator Ji Yuanjian? I admit my involvement, but I was only acting on Huo Bai’s request at the time. He couldn’t bear to see Huo Hu waste away in prison, so he asked me to mediate. I reached an agreement with Qi Wushuang to have Huo Hu released. As for what happened after that, you’ll have to ask the Huo Family. I was merely the middleman."
Qi Wushuang hadn’t known about Huo Hu succumbing to his inner demons back then, so the Artifact Talisman City disciples who handled the case would have known even less. They only knew that Fang Qingyuan had asked Qi Wushuang to release the man. No one knew where he went afterward.
Now Qi Wushuang was dead, and Artifact Talisman City belonged to the Spirit Wood Alliance. After seventy or eighty years, any Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had handled the case back then would be long dead. Ji Yuanjian’s claim of having a witness was probably just a bluff.
Seeing Fang Qingyuan shirk all responsibility and admit to nothing, and with Lechuan watching him intently from the side, Ji Yuanjian knew he wouldn’t get anything out of him now. So, he uttered a few perfunctory words and took his leave.
After he left, Lechuan looked at Fang Qingyuan with a worried expression. He also knew about the Huo Hu incident. While such a matter could no longer shake his own fundamental position, it still posed a threat to Fang Qingyuan.
After Ji Yuanjian was gone, Fang Qingyuan was still pondering. ’Did Huo Hu commit some major crime? Why is he suddenly being targeted now? What was Ji Yuanjian doing all this time?’
Fang Qingyuan was about to say something to Lechuan about Huo Hu, but a sudden impulse made him close his eyes and unleash his Mind Divine Technique.
Waves of psychic energy began to radiate out from Fang Qingyuan in all directions, and it wasn’t long before they caught up with the recently departed Ji Yuanjian.
Ji Yuanjian was already a Mid-stage Golden Core Cultivator, but he showed no sign of detecting Fang Qingyuan’s Mind Divine Technique.
Even back in the Foundation Establishment Stage, Fang Qingyuan’s divine technique could sense Golden Core Cultivators without being detected. Now, having been tempered by the baptism of the Celestial Tribulation, this technique of his had become even more wondrous and versatile.
Within a hundred-mile radius, no sentient being—so long as it had spiritual fluctuations and emotional shifts—could escape Fang Qingyuan’s perception.
After he passed the Celestial Tribulation, the True Meaning of the Great Dao bestowed by the Laws of Heaven and Earth had been absorbed by the Immortal Mansion. But since the Immortal Mansion and Fang Qingyuan were one, he could also absorb and comprehend this True Meaning.
The portion of the True Meaning of the Great Dao related to the Mind Divine Technique wasn’t large, but it was enough for Fang Qingyuan to elevate the power of this technique to a whole new level.
This divine technique, which originated from the Bee Queen, had now transformed into Fang Qingyuan’s own Original Divine Technique. Even if the Bee Queen were to lose this technique, it would not hinder Fang Qingyuan in any way.
However, Ji Yuanjian was moving at high speed, clearly not intending to linger in the area. Golden Core Cultivators flew very fast, and in just a few moments, Ji Yuanjian was already far beyond the range of Fang Qingyuan’s perception.
As he sensed Ji Yuanjian’s departure, Fang Qingyuan was about to retract his Mind Divine Technique when a few overly anxious points of light within the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect caught his interest.
So, Fang Qingyuan focused some of his mental energy on these individuals. After a moment of silent perception, he opened his eyes and smiled at Lechuan.
"Master, you have quite a few spies hiding in your sect."
Lechuan’s expression stiffened, and he then asked angrily,
"Who are they?"
......
After leaving Lechuan, Fang Qingyuan headed to the Nine-star Marketplace to start purchasing some spirit materials for constructing a cave abode.
He had destroyed Bear Wind’s lair and promised to rebuild it. Fang Qingyuan had no intention of going back on his word. More importantly, he didn’t dare to default on a debt to a Nascent Soul Demon Beast like Bear Wind.
The Spirit Stones required to buy the construction materials for the cave abode weren’t actually that expensive. The main issue was the astonishingly large area it would cover. Not wanting to attract attention, Fang Qingyuan announced publicly that all the materials were to be shipped to the Qingyuan Sect.
Once the matter with the Cloud-Clawed Lizard was resolved, Fang Qingyuan would have to announce his Golden Core status. At that time, the Qingyuan Sect’s grounds would also need to be expanded. Thinking it through, buying extra materials now would be more economical in the long run.