Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

This was the true measure of Lechuan’s capabilities and connections, and it would determine just how much effort Yuan Duo was willing to exert. Did anyone really believe a Nascent Soul Cultivator like her would go all out just because the Hu Family’s ancestor had made a request?

Lechuan was prepared for this. He opened his mouth and reported:

"On our side, we have six Golden Core Cultivators, nearly a hundred Foundation Establishment disciples, and two thousand Qi Cultivation disciples. In addition, we have various War Beasts and Companion Beasts. All told, we can muster a battle array of five thousand."

Lechuan had included Fang Qingyuan in this count. Aside from the Cultivators sent as reinforcements from Zongshan, most of the forces were from surrounding branch sects that Lechuan had called in favors from. Situ Jingyu was among them.

Logically, the reinforcements from Zongshan should have been much larger. But time waits for no one. Lechuan and Fang Qingyuan were in a hurry to make their move to secure Bear Wind’s participation. If they waited for Zongshan to finish coordinating its personnel, they would lose several years.

According to Lechuan’s analysis, the Yue’e Ancestor was still hesitant about this backup plan. She couldn’t bear to part with Zongshan’s Tier Five Spirit Land, yet she was struggling to fend off Kaelv Ming’s pressure. As a result, she was currently paralyzed by indecision.

If Yue’e had made her decision sooner, the support Lechuan received would have been far greater than this. Of course, who would have been in charge here at that point was another question entirely.

After hearing Lechuan’s report, Yuan Duo nodded, satisfied. She then walked into the private chambers prepared for her and gave an order:

"Find the Cloud-Clawed Lizard’s lair within six months. Until then, do not bother me with trivial matters."

SLAM! The door shut. Fang Qingyuan and Lechuan looked at each other, nonplussed, before signaling for the sect members to disperse.

「Three days later.」 Fang Qingyuan accompanied Lechuan to the Nanchu Sect, ready to put the final piece of their plan into place.

...

Within the Nanchu Sect, Chu Hongshang was in the middle of a tirade. Standing below her, Chu Shen and Chu Duo wore looks of utter helplessness.

Next to Chu Hongshang stood a pale, chubby Daoist, who was the primary target of her anger.

"Can’t you show some backbone? That Nangong Zhi said all those things about you, and you’re not even angry. At least show some sort of reaction!"

The Daoist on the receiving end of her complaints had a gentle expression, as mild as a ball of dough. Seeing how furious she was, he said quietly:

"Fellow Daoist Nangong was telling the truth. Ever since our Ancestor passed away, our Chu Family has been ostracized within Qi Yun. We’ve surrendered most of our power and assets to avoid the trouble that comes from envy, but our reputation has still suffered, and our old friends no longer associate with us. To act tough at a time like this would be most unwise."

"You dare talk back to me? Chu Shentong, you’ve gotten bold, have you?"

Chu Hongshang shifted slightly, reached out, and hooked Chu Shentong’s ear. A gentle tug was all it took for the color to drain from his face.

Below, both Chu Shen and Chu Duo averted their eyes, not daring to look. Only a Daoist cradling a sword stepped forward to try and smooth things over.

"Aunt Hongshang, please calm down. Divine Power Uncle didn’t mean to contradict you. With so many people here, please let him save some face. He is the head of the Chu Family, after all."

"Hmph. When I achieved Core Formation, this brat was still in diapers. What business is it of yours, Chu Wen, if I teach him a lesson? And speaking of you, you’re hailed as the number one cultivator of the Chu Family’s current generation. So let me ask you: when do you plan on your Nascent Soul Transformation?"

As her anger turned toward him, Chu Wen’s expression changed. He finally understood that one should never try to reason with an angry woman, much less an angry woman who was vastly more powerful than he was.

Hearing this, the shoulders of Chu Shen and Chu Duo began to shake. They were struggling to hold back their laughter. Seeing Chu Wen’s predicament, they wanted to laugh but didn’t dare.

Just as the atmosphere reached its most awkward, a disciple announced from the entrance:

"Lechuan, Sect Leader of the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect, and Fang Qingyuan, Sect Leader of the Qingyuan Sect, have come seeking an audience."

....

As Fang Qingyuan followed Lechuan into the grand hall, he sensed a strange atmosphere. It seemed serious, yet also somewhat jovial. It was, in a word, bizarre.

This was a subtle sense he owed to his Mind Divine Techniques; Lechuan, on the other hand, had no such perception. Lechuan simply saw a chubby, pale man sitting beside Chu Hongshang and searched his mind for information about him.

’Chu Shentong, an Early-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator. He was Chu Zhen’s designated successor and is now the head of the Qi Yun Chu Family. Despite being just over five hundred years old and possessing outstanding aptitude, his personality is overly gentle, and he lacks the worldly cunning needed to handle affairs, earning him the nickname "Ah Dui."’

"I greet Elder Hongshang and Elder Shentong, as well as Fellow Daoist Chu Wen, Fellow Daoist Chu Shen, and Fellow Daoist Chu Duo."

Lechuan stepped forward with a greeting, which Fang Qingyuan echoed before falling silent. ’This is where Lechuan shines,’ he thought. ’No need for me to say anything.’

However, with Chu Shentong present, certain things could not be said as originally planned. This was an unforeseen complication.

"Is this your closed-door disciple, Fang Qingyuan? It’s only been a few years, and he’s already reached the Golden Core realm. The younger generation is truly formidable."

Chu Shen remarked with feeling. Chu Duo’s predatory gaze followed, his narrow eyes making any intended admiration appear as a cold, scrutinizing stare.

Fang Qingyuan felt as if a venomous scorpion had fixed its eyes on him. Back in his Foundation Establishment Stage, his senses hadn’t been sharp enough to get a deep read on Chu Duo. But now, with his heightened mental acuity, he could perceive the man’s true power.

’He must be one of the very top Golden Core Cultivators,’ Fang Qingyuan thought. ’So why has he delayed his Nascent Soul Transformation for so long?’

’And Chu Wen beside him—the treasured sword he’s cradling seems to be an incredibly powerful artifact as well. I can only imagine the spectacle if he were to draw it.’

’Among the Chu Family members present, only Chu Shen seems to specialize in worldly affairs; his combat prowess isn’t obvious. But Chu Duo and Chu Wen are both Late-stage Golden Core Cultivators with immense combat strength. The Chu Family is truly brimming with talent.’

As for Chu Hongshang and Chu Shentong seated above, Fang Qingyuan wisely made no attempt to probe them. He wasn’t confident he could observe Nascent Soul cultivators of their caliber without being detected.

Therefore, he simply offered a humble reply:

"It was merely a stroke of luck. I am unworthy of Elder Chu’s praise."

After they were seated and served tea, Lechuan made small talk for a while before finally getting to the point.

Unexpectedly, the matter proceeded more smoothly than they could have imagined. Chu Hongshang, who had been looking for an outlet for her simmering rage, agreed without a second thought the moment she heard Lechuan’s offer.

The reward Lechuan offered was a share of the Cloud-Clawed Lizard’s remains. He made an agreement with Chu Hongshang that, upon success, she would have first pick of any three parts from the beast’s carcass.

The only caveat was that this excluded the Demon Pill. The pill was critical for Lechuan’s own Nascent Soul Transformation, as he needed the True Meaning of the Great Dao within it to nourish his own cultivation. It was non-negotiable.

Other than that, Chu Hongshang could unconditionally choose any three items, be they parts of the Cloud-Clawed Lizard’s corpse or treasures from its hoard.

Furthermore, Lechuan would also have to pay a large sum of the Spirit Stones he had accumulated over the years to the Nanchu Sect. It was safe to say that after this undertaking, his entire net worth would be reduced to zero.

Everything was proceeding so smoothly that it felt unreal to Fang Qingyuan. But with Chu Shentong present, there was no reason for Chu Hongshang to be making idle promises.

Only after the two of them had departed did Chu Shentong finally voice his true opposition.

"Do you have any idea how many eyes are on us right now? If you act so rashly, aren’t you worried this is all just some conspiracy?"

Chu Hongshang snorted and retorted:

"We can’t stay on the defensive forever. Those who want to move against the Chu Family won’t give up just because we’re lying low. We might as well take this chance to bait them out into the open. Let’s have a true, head-on battle and win ourselves a century of peace."

"It’s too risky. I disagree. Time is on our side. If we can just endure for a few more years, things will get easier once I reach the Mid-stage Nascent Soul realm. Until then, we must bear with it."

Chu Hongshang looked at Chu Shentong’s round face and raised her hand, causing him to flinch and quickly cover his ears. But she only tucked a stray strand of hair back, then said teasingly,

"Won’t it take you two hundred years to reach the mid-stage? I can’t wait that long. Besides, what makes you so sure that I won’t reach the Mid-stage Nascent Soul realm before you do?"

Chu Shentong froze, staring at her. Only then did he notice that something new was gestating within the violent True Meaning of the Destruction Dao that radiated from her.