Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

’What a charming little thing.’ Tu Dai’er wasn’t particularly fond of children, but upon seeing this one, she felt a natural sense of affection bloom within her.

She stepped forward, just about to play with the child, when Fang Qingyuan appeared behind her and called out:

"Fellow Daoist Tu, please come over for a word."

Tu Dai’er gave Fang Qingyuan a small smile, casually pinched the child’s cheek, and then turned to face him. Noticing his rather grim expression, she asked breezily:

"What is it?"

Fang Qingyuan’s gaze passed over her and landed on the child. The little boy’s face was still streaked with tears, and he wore an aggrieved expression.

"One moment. Let me handle the matter at hand."

Fang Qingyuan went to the child’s side and picked him up. He then casually swept his Mind Divine Techniques across the entire cave estate’s Spiritual Land before sending a voice transmission to Jiang Wanqin, who was inside, crying even more intensely:

"What are you crying about? Are you getting upset with a child who doesn’t know any better? If you can’t do this, I’ll give him to someone else to raise."

Jiang Wanqin wiped away her tears, stood up, and walked out of the cave estate. With her head bowed, she came to Fang Qingyuan’s side and said:

"I’m sorry, Senior Brother. I shouldn’t have lost my composure."

Seeing Jiang Wanqin admit her mistake, Fang Qingyuan sighed inwardly. ’Raising a child is hard, especially when they’re too young to understand. They don’t listen to reason and just follow their whims. Jiang Wanqin is also inexperienced. It’s only been a short while, and she’s already worn herself ragged.’

However, this also proved that Jiang Wanqin was taking the matter to heart. So, Fang Qingyuan handed the little Jue Wu Gou back to her and advised:

"I’ll assign two wet nurses to help you. You don’t have to do everything personally."

Jiang Wanqin nodded earnestly and, holding the teary-eyed Jue Wu Gou, walked back to her cave estate.

Fang Qingyuan turned and smiled at Tu Dai’er.

"My apologies for the scene, Fellow Daoist Tu."

"It’s nothing at all. Is this a new disciple of yours?"

Jue Wu Gou looked to be about two or three years old, so one glance was enough to know he wasn’t a child Fang Qingyuan had fathered within the last year. In fact, when Tu Dai’er had gently caressed Jue Wu Gou’s cheek earlier, she had already inspected his aptitude and discovered he possessed a Celestial-grade Spirit Root.

An Immortal Seedling with such aptitude would be a priority for cultivation, even in a place like Black Wind Valley.

"I’ve waited some sixty years for one like this. It wasn’t easy."

After this brief moment of reflection, Fang Qingyuan changed the subject and began asking for specific information about Chunyu Hua’s group.

But since they weren’t from the same sect, the information Tu Dai’er had was incomplete.

Even so, it was enough for Fang Qingyuan to get a good sense of the situation. He combined her report with intelligence gathered through the Qingyuan Sect’s various channels and information purchased from the "Black Hand." With these three sources, Fang Qingyuan now had a general understanding of Chunyu Hua and his companions.

....

After getting the information he wanted from Tu Dai’er, Fang Qingyuan immediately hurried to the estate established by the Great Zhou Academy in White Mountain.

In the territory of every Divinity Transformation Cultivator, one could always find an estate established by the Great Zhou Academy. Much like the enclaves the Beast Taming Sect established throughout the Cultivation Realm, these estates served a unique purpose.

Eliminating Demon Cultivators, investigating illicit activities, and even mediating conflicts between sects—as long as such matters were reported to the Great Zhou Academy, its Cultivators would almost always investigate.

Of course, this authority was limited to mediation. Outside the traditional territories of the Confucian Family, the members of the Great Zhou Academy in White Mountain had no real power of enforcement.

When a serious incident occurred, they could only truly exert influence by using a Heaven-Reaching Order to summon a Nascent Soul Level Inspector Envoy. As such, the academy estate in White Mountain was largely symbolic.

The Qingyuan Sect’s many years of respectful tributes had left the local Steward, Ji Jiaqing, quite pleased with them. Thus, when he reached out, Ji Jiaqing immediately agreed to meet.

Bringing gifts, Fang Qingyuan departed from the Qingyuan Sect in his personal flying shuttle. He took a detour around the outer edge of the Death Swamp, carefully avoiding the territories of the major White Mountain powers still engaged in conflict, before finally arriving at the Great Zhou Academy’s estate.

After having the accompanying disciple unload the gifts, Fang Qingyuan was led toward the rear of the estate.

The estate was situated in what was formerly Loose Cultivator Land, once a lawless zone. However, as the Spirit Wood Alliance’s sphere of influence expanded over the years, many local sects joined its ranks. This, in turn, further diminished the influence of the White Mountain academy estate.

Previously, when conflicts erupted between the Independent Cultivation Sects, they were willing to have the White Mountain estate mediate. But now, with most of them in the Spirit Wood Alliance, such matters could only be handled by the Alliance itself.

The White Mountain estate wasn’t large, consisting of only five courtyards. At most, it was the size of a wealthy family’s residence. It couldn’t compare to the Qingyuan Sect, of course, but it was smaller than even the grounds of an ordinary sect.

This was also a rule of the Great Zhou Academy: these estates were forbidden from establishing formal sect gates. Moreover, the location of the estate would change every few decades; when a new Steward took over, a new residence would be constructed.

Fang Qingyuan followed a Foundation Establishment Disciple in Confucian-style robes to the second-to-last courtyard. At the door to the courtyard’s eastern room, the disciple gestured for Fang Qingyuan to enter.

"The Dean is waiting for you inside."

Fang Qingyuan offered his thanks and stepped through the doorway. The furnishings in the outer room—the furniture, Meditation Cushions, calligraphy scrolls, and stationery—were all quite plain. Wisps of blue-green smoke curled up from an incense burner to the side, lending the space a comfortable, lived-in atmosphere.

"So, you’re Fang Qingyuan?"

The question suddenly came from an inner room. Fang Qingyuan had already sensed someone was inside, so he was not surprised.

"I am. Greetings, Dean Ji."

Fang Qingyuan replied in a clear voice. As he finished speaking, a Golden Core Female Cultivator in Confucian robes emerged from the inner room. Dressed in simple white, she looked as elegant as a figure in a painting.

Her expression, however, carried a hint of weariness. Upon seeing Fang Qingyuan, she gestured for him to take a seat.