Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

At the mention of this, the Barbaric Giant Crocodile let out a playful laugh. She lay comfortably in the muddied pool, gazing at the Water Mirror before her as she spoke to Di Yuanpu.

"That tiger... he’s strong, but not very bright. I’ve already earned his initial trust. When the time is right, I’ll catch him by surprise and can definitely wound him severely."

Seeing the Barbaric Giant Crocodile’s casual attitude, Di Yuanpu quickly cautioned her:

"Don’t get careless. That Banshan Cloud Tiger is the trickiest one to deal with in Awakening Lion Valley, aside from the Old Lion himself. It’s already a late-stage Nascent Soul and on the verge of reaching Divinity Transformation. You’re only a mid-stage Nascent Soul. Even with a sneak attack, your odds of success aren’t high. It’s better to leave it to the Jade Rabbit Ancestor. She despises these carnivorous beasts, so that would be a much safer bet."

On the other side of the Water Mirror, a human-like expression of dismissal appeared on the Barbaric Giant Crocodile’s face. But seeing Di Yuanpu’s constant warnings, she had no choice but to say:

"Alright, I get it. Oh, right. A few human Cultivators have been hanging around the tiger recently. They seem to be Demon Cultivators, and they’re getting quite close to him. I have no idea how they managed to get this deep into our territory."

"Demon Cultivators?"

Di Yuanpu frowned. Every Demon Cultivator was treacherous to the extreme. If they got entangled with these Ancient Beasts of the Wilderness, the consequences would become unpredictable.

At this thought, Di Yuanpu continued his instructions:

"Be careful. Do your best to memorize what these Demon Cultivators look like. I’ll investigate their origins from the outside. They were probably run out of the civilized world, which is why they’ve fled deep into Awakening Lion Valley to seek the protection of the Ancient Beasts. Once I know who they are, I’ll go to the Cultivators of the Great Zhou Academy for support. They’ll naturally send people to deal with these troublemakers."

After dismissing the Water Mirror, Di Yuanpu returned to the sand table before him, continuing his strategic simulations. The gray flag representing Bear Wind was among the pieces. With every move of a small black flag, he would have to pause and ponder for a long time.

After a long while, a disciple at the door announced,

"Reporting to the Ancestor, the Supreme Ancestor summons you. She says there is an important matter to discuss."

Di Yuanpu was startled. ’Why would Yue’e summon me now? It’s not time for the scheduled meeting.’

But the Ancestor had summoned him, and he could only obey. He sealed the array on the sand table and set off for the Grand Council Hall.

When he arrived before the hall, Di Yuanpu immediately spotted Fang Qingyuan standing to one side. In front of Fang Qingyuan sat an unfamiliar Golden Core Female Cultivator.

Yue’e Ancestor was seated on the main throne, her expression unreadable. Even so, the ominous feeling in Di Yuanpu’s heart grew stronger.

’Since when could a mere Golden Core Cultivator sit so comfortably before the Ancestor? Didn’t Di Qing and Lechuan, both Golden Core Sect Masters, have to stand to the side during meetings?’

Lechuan’s head was bowed low, hiding his expression, but one could imagine he was not taking this well.

Di Yuanpu strode forward and paid his respects to Yue’e. Then, he scrutinized Tu Dai’er, trying to pinpoint what it was about her that made him so uneasy.

"What are you looking at? How rude."

Tu Dai’er spoke, her tone icy. Her words made Di Yuanpu realize he had lost his composure.

’That shouldn’t have happened. How could I have shown such a glaring weakness?’

"Sister Tu, stop teasing the junior. Yuanpu was only acting for the good of the sect."

The woman who looked like Tu Dai’er snorted, then shot Fang Qingyuan a triumphant glance. A cold sweat broke out on Di Yuanpu.

’She’s a Divinity Transformation Cultivator! The only one Yue’e Ancestor would call ’Sister’ would be a peer of the same realm.’

’I fell right into her trap. She rattled my mind without me even realizing it, causing me to lose my composure. What a treacherous technique.’

After a brief moment of shock, Di Yuanpu silently retreated to Yue’e’s side, where Xiong Youde was visibly trying to stifle a laugh.

Seeing Xiong Youde’s gloating expression, Di Yuanpu felt a surge of frustration. He realized he had been targeted on purpose.

’As his thoughts churned, Di Yuanpu recalled his ancestor calling her ’Sister Tu’. His heart skipped a beat. A Divinity Transformation Cultivator from the Tu Family with such a nasty temperament... it could only be *her*.’

’Remembering her reputation—notoriously biased, siding with her own people over reason, and fiercely protective—gave Di Yuanpu a headache. He glanced at the meek-looking Fang Qingyuan and gritted his teeth in frustration. ’How did you get tangled up with someone like *her*? If I’d known you had this connection, I would have stayed as far away from you as possible!’’

"Yuanpu," Yue’e Ancestor began, her voice calm, "I summoned you because Sister Tu has made a request. She wishes to take the Golden Wind Owl Bear Beast for herself. Knowing you also had designs on it, she came to discuss the matter with you personally to see how we should proceed."

Yue’e Ancestor spoke calmly, but before she could finish, Tu Wuzhao, speaking through her vessel, cut in.

"I’ve had my eye on that Bear Beast for twenty years. I only left it be because I was preparing to undergo my wind tribulation these past few years. Who knew that in my moment of inattention, you’d nearly snatch it away? So tell me, Junior Cultivator, how do you plan to compensate me?"

Faced with Tu Wuzhao’s baseless accusation, Di Yuanpu opened his mouth to argue but then hesitated. Just then, Yue’e, from her throne, cleared her throat and intervened on his behalf.

"Yuanpu wasn’t aware of this, and there’s no crime in ignorance. Besides, it was only a plan, nothing has been put into action. Let’s do this: we won’t touch the Bear Beast. Sister Tu, please take it away as soon as possible so it doesn’t interfere with the Beast Taming Sect’s established agenda. The pioneering of Awakening Lion Valley is inevitable. No one can stand in the way of that."

Seeing her objective achieved, Tu Wuzhao nodded with a grin. Watching the two Divinity Transformation Cultivators settle the matter in a few words without consulting him at all, a surge of indignation welled up in Di Yuanpu’s heart, only to be replaced by a feeling of utter helplessness.

’Based on his understanding of his ancestor, Yue’e Ancestor had once again made a concession proactively. She had probably agreed before the other party even named their price.’

’Over the years, Di Yuanpu had come to understand his ancestor’s personality quite well. She seemed agreeable, but in reality, she was just too soft-hearted. Kind and lenient toward others, but lacking in authority.’

’Sigh, whatever. At least with a superior like her, I don’t have to worry about being targeted or suppressed, nor do I have to fear being sacrificed as a pawn. Besides, Yue’e Ancestor watched me grow up, and my family has lived under her protection for generations. Could I really turn my back on her now?’

While Di Yuanpu was busy rationalizing his situation, Fang Qingyuan was overjoyed to hear Yue’e Ancestor’s words. His gaze briefly swept over the back of Tu Dai’er in front of him. ’Now *this*,’ he thought, ’is a true pillar of support.’

Since arriving on Celestial Gate Mountain, Tu Wuzhao had first held a secret meeting with Yue’e, trading some unknown price to make her relent. Then, she had toyed with Di Yuanpu in front of everyone, clearly to stand up for Fang Qingyuan.

How could such a considerate and thoughtful act not deeply move a Golden Core Cultivator like Fang Qingyuan?

’If Tu Wuzhao treats all the Cultivators in Black Wind Valley this way, it’s no wonder they can display such formidable combat strength.’

’When facing powerful external enemies, an organization either unites or falls apart. Black Wind Valley has stood for ten thousand years; it’s clearly not on the verge of collapse. It must mean the Cultivators of Black Wind Valley are incredibly tight-knit.’

But honestly, seeing Di Yuanpu’s expression now, Fang Qingyuan finally felt vindicated for the grievances he had suffered before.

But while Fang Qingyuan felt vindicated, Lechuan, standing silently in the background, felt his heart churn like a stormy sea.

Upon seeing Tu Dai’er, he had felt deeply uneasy. Lechuan knew a little about Tu Dai’er’s identity, but not much.

Last year, Tu Dai’er had used his connections to participate in the Jixia City trials under the guise of being from the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect. At the time, Lechuan hadn’t believed her story and had his suspicions, but he could never have guessed her true objective.

Her first goal had been to steal Gui Zheng’s Wind Stabilizing Pearl. Her second, by using Lechuan’s connections, was to get close to Fang Qingyuan. And the reason for getting close to Fang Qingyuan was Jinbao.

Finally, when Jinbao awakened, she had even projected her divine sense from afar. Fang Qingyuan hadn’t told Lechuan about any of this.

The events of the past year involved Jinbao’s biological father, that Divinity Transformation Ancient Beast, as well as Tu Wuzhao and Monk Ku Rong—matters concerning three different Divinity Transformation experts. Fang Qingyuan didn’t want Lechuan to be drawn into it all.

Such were the causes that led to the present effect. Unaware of Fang Qingyuan’s situation, Lechuan had judged the value of Bear Wind based on his old perceptions. Had he known the truth, he never would have handled the matter of Bear Wind in such a way.

But what was done was done. Now, how would this master and disciple face each other?