Chapter 404 - 310: 10 Years Later 2
However, because his breakthrough wasn’t a natural one brought about by a Foundation Establishment Opportunity, Liu Xun hadn’t awakened any natal abilities or gained a talent for Divine Techniques. Still, Liu Xun was very content with this, knowing he couldn’t hope for more.
Qi Wenchu was a clansman of Qi Wushuang. Over a decade ago, after Qi Wushuang’s death, the Shandu Land was annexed by the Spirit Wood Alliance. Of Qi Wushuang’s forces, some were absorbed by the neighboring Nanchu Sect, some submitted to the Spirit Wood Alliance and the Li Huo Alliance, and the rest chose to become Loose Cultivators, unwilling to pledge allegiance to any power.
But life as a White Mountain Loose Cultivator was difficult. A few years ago, while handling caravan business in Nine Stars Square, Fang Qingyuan happened to run into Qi Wenchu. This descendant of Qi Wushuang possessed an exceptional skill for growing Spirit Plants and was looking for a patron at the time. Remembering that Qi Wushuang had once helped him, Fang Qingyuan took an interest and invited him to join the Qingyuan Sect. Qi Wenchu was now a Guest Minister of the sect.
Qi Wenchu, who was at the Early-stage Foundation Establishment, had initially come alone. A few years later, he brought four Qi Cultivation Cultivators with him. Eventually, nearly eight hundred of his clansmen followed, all seeking refuge with the Qingyuan Sect.
Counting Fang Qingyuan, the Qingyuan Sect now had a total of five Foundation Establishment Cultivators and over a hundred Qi Cultivation Cultivators. In the surrounding Land Realm, it was considered an undisputed major sect.
But with more people came greater expenses. The Qingyuan Sect, which had once struggled just to support two Foundation Establishment Cultivators—Fang Qingyuan and Jiang Wanqin—and fifty Qi Cultivation disciples, now had to provide for five Foundation Establishment Cultivators and over a hundred Qi Cultivation Cultivators. The financial pressure in recent years had been immense.
The Qingyuan Sect had been established for nearly thirty years, but its territory was still the same size as when it was first demarcated by the Great Zhou Academy. The borders of its domain hadn’t shifted at all, and the mortal population at the foot of the mountain was about to exceed two hundred thousand.
The new generation of Qi Cultivation Disciples were proud of their sect’s foundation, but at the same time, they could only watch helplessly as other sects conquered new lands and greedily snatched up resources.
As for the disciples’ desire to strengthen the Qingyuan Sect through expansion, Fang Qingyuan had always suppressed such notions.
The Great Zhou’s three-generation enfeoffment was both a protection and a shackle, and the Qingyuan Sect did not yet have the strength to break free from it.
For the past decade, the Far East Alliance had been brutally suppressed by the Li Huo Alliance. Originally an alliance of several dozen clans, a third of its territory had been swallowed up. If the Pill Alliance hadn’t intervened, there would likely be little of it left by now.
Yet this turmoil within the Far East Alliance had little to do with the Qingyuan Sect. The Li Huo Alliance devoured other small sects and Cultivation Clans but turned a blind eye to the Qingyuan Sect, all because of the enfeoffment.
Otherwise, with the Qingyuan Sect’s current strength, it would have been considered insignificant in the eyes of the Li Huo Alliance.
’Setting those thoughts aside, the overall strategy is definitely to keep a low profile and build up our strength. But right now, the sect is on the verge of having to live on borrowed money. We have to find new sources of income.’
As Fang Qingyuan listened to Mao Cheng’s rambling report on sect affairs, his thoughts turned to the succession of the Vice Sect Leader. Mao Cheng was getting on in years; Fang Qingyuan couldn’t let him die in the post. Besides, given his current condition, the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. Thus, Fang Qingyuan had begun preparing to find a successor for him.
There were two candidates: Jiang Tianfang and Liu Xun. Both had handled plenty of administrative duties and were capable of managing the Qingyuan Sect’s affairs. The issue was that Jiang Tianfang was a war orphan and still only at the Qi Cultivation stage. If he were made Vice Sect Leader, Fang Qingyuan worried many in the sect wouldn’t accept his authority.
Liu Xun presented a similar problem. He had only been with the sect for ten years. Although he had followed Fang Qingyuan for just as long as many of the original members, the sect’s perception of him was even worse than their perception of Jiang Tianfang. Moreover, Liu Xun had spent little time on external affairs in recent years, focusing instead on breaking through to Foundation Establishment and then stabilizing his new realm, so his prestige was not high.
In truth, most people in the sect wanted Chen Huicheng to be the Vice Sect Leader. But Chen Huicheng was too honest and inflexible. Though his cultivation base and seniority were high, he just wasn’t suitable for the role.
’They each have their own drawbacks,’ Fang Qingyuan mused. For the time being, he couldn’t decide. He figured he would observe them for a few more years and wait until Mao Cheng was completely unable to continue before making his choice.
The monthly meeting passed without any major incidents. After two hours, Fang Qingyuan dismissed the assembly.
Jiang Wanqin was the first to leave. She flew back to her dwelling, cheerful and excited, looking for all the world like an office worker finally clocking out on a Friday afternoon.
Jiang Tianfang helped Mao Cheng out of the hall, while Liu Xun left alongside Qi Wenchu. Shen Wancheng, as usual, departed alone. As Chen Huicheng was leaving, however, he stopped and spoke to Fang Qingyuan.
"Sect Leader, regarding the Alchemy Manual you brought back before, I have a few questions I can’t resolve. I was wondering if you could perhaps pass my questions on to that Master and ask for his guidance?"
After speaking, Chen Huicheng took an Alchemy Notes from his storage bag. It contained the questions that had come up for him recently while he was refining Elixir Pills.
"I’ll do my best. This Alchemy Master is quite busy, so he may not have the time. Huicheng, don’t get your hopes up too high."
Fang Qingyuan reached out to take it and gave him a nod. After offering a few words of reassurance, he quickly returned to his own dwelling amidst Chen Huicheng’s thanks.
Activating the Guardian Array, Fang Qingyuan focused his mind and entered the Immortal Mansion. He went to the Purple Bamboo Forest, placed Chen Huicheng’s Alchemy Notes before the Bee Queen, and said with a smile:
"Alchemy Master, how have you been lately?"
The Bee Queen ignored her master’s teasing. She used her Divine Sense to unfurl Chen Huicheng’s Alchemy Notes. A smile touched the features of her strangely human-like face. After studying the notes for a moment, she used her Divine Sense to lift a nearby calligraphy brush and began to write in the notebook.
Seeing the Bee Queen at work, Fang Qingyuan chose not to linger. He had never had any talent for alchemy. He walked out of the Purple Bamboo Forest and gazed upon the Immortal Mansion Space, which now spanned nearly two thousand mu, a feeling of deep satisfaction welling in his heart.
Ever since his cultivation had advanced to the Foundation Establishment Eighth Layer, the area of the Immortal Mansion had increased by a third. It had grown from just over fourteen hundred mu to nearly two thousand.
In terms of his previous life, this was an area equivalent to more than 180 football fields, or about the size of a small administrative village.
Most of this land was now covered in Spirit Rice that was nearing harvest. One section was dedicated to ponds of lotus flowers, lotus roots, and swimming fish. All of these were harvested once a year to be sold for Spirit Stones.
As for the rest, the Purple Bamboo Forest, the Crystal Fish Pool, the Spirit Medicine Garden, and the Peach Tree Fruit Forest were each situated in their own corners. In addition, there was the Storage Room for Fang Qingyuan’s supplies, the array that bound the Longevity Profound Cyan Vine, the medicinal pool for Yinbao’s evolution, Jinbao’s hibernating den in the Bear House, and the enclosure for raising Iron-Seeking Rats—all neatly arranged in one concentrated area.
These were all areas that Fang Qingyuan had planned out long ago. Although they seemed numerous, their combined footprint was less than five hundred mu. All the remaining land was reserved as Spirit Fields for growing Spirit Rice.
Fang Qingyuan was about to perfect the Foundation Establishment Eighth Layer. When he reached the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment, the Immortal Mansion’s area would increase by another seven hundred mu.
’If I reach the Golden Core realm, I wonder if it will increase tenfold?’ Fang Qingyuan was very much looking forward to finding out.