Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

’Holy shit, what kind of predatory words are these?’ Fang Qingyuan was stunned. It seemed that when it came to crude talk, older Golden Core Female Cultivators were even more shameless.

After teasing Fang Qingyuan, Di Suhua burst into laughter, seeming incredibly pleased. She raised her wine jug and began chugging it down, the very picture of wild abandon.

Seeing the interaction between Fang Qingyuan and Di Suhua, Di Qing and Lechuan, who were watching from above, were both delighted. At their age, they had seen everything, and Di Qing even felt the urge to fan the flames himself.

Huo Yao’er was a genius in the eyes of outsiders, and in the eyes of others, Fang Qingyuan was also a bona fide genius.

Although Fang Qingyuan only achieved Core Formation at the age of one hundred and thirty, it was a case of bursting forth after a long period of accumulation. Because his foundation was so solid, after entering the Golden Core Realm, he shot straight to the Third-Layer Golden Core in one go. This was not an experience just any Golden Core Cultivator could have.

Furthermore, Fang Qingyuan’s Lifebound Talent from his Foundation Establishment years was an innate qi related to longevity. Now, after his Core Formation, it was surely even more formidable. A typical Golden Core Cultivator had a lifespan of five hundred years, but with the boost from this Divine Technique, he could live for at least eight hundred. If his reserves were sufficient, a thousand-year lifespan was not out of the question.

Fang Qingyuan was now only one hundred and forty years old but had already cultivated to the Fourth-Layer Golden Core. Even if he progressed step-by-step from now on, reaching the Late-stage Golden Core Perfect Realm would only take another one hundred fifty to two hundred years. By then, Fang Qingyuan would be just three hundred years old with another five hundred years left to live. Even if he never achieved Nascent Soul Formation, he would still be an overlord in his own right.

A Golden Core Cultivator expected to live for eight hundred years was so valuable that it was enough for Di Qing to cast aside his pride and try to coax Fang Qingyuan into joining the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect.

Di Suhua’s actions also had Di Qing’s full support. He hoped to use her sex appeal to win over Fang Qingyuan, who was a complete novice in the ways of men and women.

Lechuan was also delighted to see this, as he knew his disciple well. He was already looking forward to seeing Di Qing’s frustrated expression after suffering a double loss.

After the two of them enjoyed the scene for a moment, each with his own thoughts, they turned to serious matters. Di Qing’s expression changed, and he began to air his grievances.

"Brother Le, to be honest with you, I’ve been thinking about it over and over these past few days. I’m preparing to move our headquarters."

"Move your headquarters?"

Lechuan looked at Di Qing and thought to himself, ’This man is truly bold.’ For four hundred years, Celestial Gate Mountain had been the heart of the Southern Border Territory. Since the Wei Family established themselves, then through several decades under his own control, and now several more under Di Qing’s, the value of this place after so many years was immeasurable.

Lechuan subconsciously ignored the dozen or so years it was in Zhao E Lian’s hands.

Not to mention anything else, just the Celestial Gate Mountain Marketplace alone—with the reputation it had built over several centuries, the many families who depended on it for their livelihood, and the mortals—supported over a million people.

In the Southern Border, Celestial Gate Mountain was the very essence of the region. If Di Qing were to move the sect, the blow to their many years of accumulated foundation would be more than just severe.

"I have no choice. Celestial Gate Mountain is only a third-rank top-grade spiritual land. With so many people cultivating here, it’s long been overburdened. The daily disputes among my disciples over cultivation cave mansions are giving me a massive headache.

"Besides, this place is too close to the Nanchu Sect. Every time one of my sect’s Spirit Beasts accidentally flies into their territory, those Daoist Cultivators become relentless. It’s just eating a few mortals’ livestock. Is it really necessary to react so strongly?"

Di Qing poured out a torrent of grievances. Just as the Nanchu Sect accused, the various free-roaming Spirit Beasts and flying creatures of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect would unwittingly fly into the Nanchu Sect’s territory, leading to occasional incidents of them harming people.

The two sects had frequent friction due to their proximity, and they also had unpleasant quarrels over issues of official contact.

Sometimes, the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect would send a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but to provide muscle, they would pair him with a Golden Core Spirit Beast. How was the Nanchu Sect supposed to handle a delegation of that caliber?

If they also sent a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, they’d be outmatched by the Golden Core-level power. If they sent a Golden Core Cultivator, well, the other party was just a Spirit Beast, and there was a huge disparity in status.

In the eyes of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, Spirit Beasts were family. Disciples had to address these Spirit Beasts as "Martial Uncle." But in the eyes of the Nanchu Sect’s Daoist Family, weren’t they just tools, mere Companion Beasts?

Different perspectives led to a rift, and as the rift grew, conflicts intensified. To deal with this, the Nanchu Sect even specially relocated a sect from the Qi Yun Land—called the Chu En Sect, it seemed—to the border between their two territories to act as a buffer.

Unfortunately, this sect lost more than half of its disciples during a Tribulation Cultivator raid. Now, it was even more dilapidated and could no longer bear the high hopes the Nanchu Sect had placed on it.

Aside from these factors, Di Qing revealed the true reason for wanting to move the headquarters: Yue’e Ancestor was coming.

Yue’e Ancestor’s arrival wasn’t just about her coming to visit with her Moon Rabbit. It was a statement of intent, showing that she was officially making her southern migration plan the focus of her future efforts.

The relocation of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect’s headquarters would affect the livelihoods of a million people. But for a Divinity Transformation Ancestor to move her entire territory... the people and events involved would surely become the most captivating major event in this world in the last century, aside from pioneering wars.

The number of power vacuums it could create and the business opportunities it contained were enough to make one tremble just thinking about it.

Moreover, if Yue’e Ancestor was coming, wouldn’t the powers under her command have to follow? Even if of the original eight Nascent Soul powers, Huo Gan was dead and the Zhao Family had defected, there were still Nascent Soul Clans like the Di Family, the Hu Family, and the Nai Wen Family who would follow.

A single Nascent Soul power could relocate at least a million people, including several thousand Golden Core, Foundation Establishment, and Qi Cultivation Cultivators.

With so many people, Celestial Gate Mountain was already unbearably crowded. If the Di Family also arrived, it would be even more unsuitable. Thus, the idea of moving the headquarters sprouted in Di Qing’s mind.

As for the location, Di Qing already had a plan. Years ago, Huo Gan had led a group on a small pioneering war in the Southern Border, during which they drove off a Nascent Soul Ancient Beast and secured a fourth-rank low-grade territory.

Di Qing wanted to move the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect there, taking advantage of this great wave of migration to build his own sect’s new base.

’Hmm, the Di Family will have to cover some of the Spirit Stones spent on building the new sect base, and Yue’e Ancestor will have to make a gesture as well. After all, everyone is leaving their homes and livelihoods to follow you, Ancestor. It would be unreasonable to expect us to cover all the resources ourselves.’

This was Di Qing’s calculation. Now, as he complained to Lechuan, he had another idea in mind: borrowing money.

To be precise, he wanted Lechuan to invest in the future Marketplace that Di Qing planned to build deep in the Barbaric Wilderness.

How ironic. Lechuan himself was still looking for investors for the Marketplace he was planning, with nothing settled yet, and here was Di Qing already trying to get something out of him.

In response, Lechuan’s attitude was very clear: ’I’ll provide all the support you need, except for Spirit Stones. Feel free to see what’s left of our White Mountain Beast Taming Sect and take whatever you want.’

After a somewhat awkward banquet, Fang Qingyuan and Lechuan took up temporary residence at the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. For this, Di Qing even specially prepared two Top-Grade Cave Mansions for them, though it was unclear which disciples had been kicked out to make room.

In the following days, Fang Qingyuan grew restless. Di Suhua was constantly pestering him, wanting to discuss the mysteries of Dual Cultivation. This left Fang Qingyuan with lingering fears, forcing him to go out every day to avoid her.

On this day, Fang Qingyuan declined the company of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect disciples and went to the heartland of the sect. Looking at the familiar scenery, a subtle melancholy washed over him.

As the second master of Celestial Gate Mountain, the feeling of revisiting this old place was indeed complicated. Fang Qingyuan could vaguely see traces he had left behind during the few short years he served as Vice Sect Leader here.

For example, the Spirit Trees he had planted, the river channels he had regulated, and the Arrays he had added.

Arriving at the cliffside spot where Lechuan used to enjoy spending his time, Fang Qingyuan gazed at the roiling clouds in the distance. He recalled how Lechuan had taught him the *Qi Eating Technique of Glimpsing Truth and Understanding the Profound* in this very place.

This technique had served as his accumulated provisions, becoming a crucial part of his ascension ceremony during his Core Formation and providing irreplaceable value to Fang Qingyuan’s Divine Techniques.

’I’ve benefited from the Immortal Mansion, but I don’t rely on it completely. A large part of my current status is due to my own efforts, right?’

Gazing at the clouds, Fang Qingyuan pondered his own thoughts. As for Di Suhua, he absolutely could not give in to her.

’Hmph, I have five stunning beauties waiting for my favor at home. Why would I ever submit to you, Di Suhua? Keep dreaming.’

’But if it were Huo Yao’Er, could I still hold out?’

Recalling Huo Yao’Er’s cool expression and the contrasting, rich aura of life that radiated from her, Fang Qingyuan felt a fire ignite in his heart. He secretly guessed that Huo Yao’Er must also possess some special Dao Body to be so attractive to him.

’It’s definitely not because I’m lusting after her beauty. It must be a mutual attraction between our Great Daos, between our Core philosophies. Yes, that’s it.’

Fang Qingyuan made excuses for his budding thoughts. No wonder Huo Yao’Er had to come here to lie low. A Female Cultivator of such unparalleled beauty who also possessed a special Dao Body would probably be taken by any Nascent Soul Cultivator who saw her.

It was only because the Huo Family had its roots in the Beast Taming Sect, where such malicious deeds were less likely to happen. Otherwise, if she were in White Mountain or the Outer Sea, it’s hard to say if the entire Huo Family would even still exist after the deaths of Huo Gan and Xianhe.

Just as Fang Qingyuan was thinking about this and that, his spiritual sense detected a Golden Core being heading his way.

Sensing the unique fluctuations, Fang Qingyuan’s expression shifted. Talk about speaking of the devil. He had just been thinking of Huo Yao’Er, and now she had delivered herself to his doorstep.

’Well, "delivered herself to his doorstep" isn’t quite right. It’s more like she actively sought me out, because Huo Yao’Er’s purpose was very clear: she was coming for him.’

When she arrived, Huo Yao’Er stopped about ten feet away from Fang Qingyuan. Her expression was natural as she said:

"I heard from my brother that you saved Huo Hu with him back then. You were also involved in tying up the loose ends from a hundred years ago. In fact, one could say you were the mastermind behind the whole affair."

Fang Qingyuan was taken aback. ’Is she here to hold me accountable?’

"You can’t just say things like that! How can you blame me for your Huo Family’s business? I may have suggested it, but wasn’t it what Huo Bai wanted to do back then anyway? I just voiced what was already in his heart."

Fang Qingyuan shamelessly made excuses for himself. Huo Yao’Er simply shook her head upon hearing this and said calmly:

"My purpose in saying this isn’t to blame you, Fellow Daoist. I’m just stating that my Huo Family and you were allies back then, and we are still allies now. Today, my Huo Family is in trouble. I have a proposal: to deepen the relationship between our two families, why don’t I marry you?"

"Huh? What?"

’If it’s this strange, there must be a catch.’ Although Fang Qingyuan wanted to behold her beauty and have a taste of that Dao Body of hers, such a sudden proposal truly shocked him and made him turn pale.

"We’ve only just met, and you want to marry me? Fellow Daoist Huo, what are you thinking?"

Huo Yao’Er’s expression remained calm. She showed none of a young girl’s coyness when discussing the matter. As if she were merely talking about what she ate today, she said naturally:

"There are many reasons. If you want to hear them, I’ll tell you."

A long time later, Fang Qingyuan’s expression was wooden. He had only one thought at that moment: ’The Huo Family probably isn’t normal. While you can’t say they’re all psychopaths, the probability of them producing a few lunatics has always been remarkably consistent.’

’Huo Hu was like that back then, and now Huo Yao’Er is too. Does this mean only lunatics can be cultivation geniuses?’

’Or perhaps cultivation geniuses are highly likely to be lunatics?’

In response to all this, Fang Qingyuan really wanted to say, ’Fellow Daoist Huo Yao’Er, you are far too extreme.’