Chapter 587 - 406: Concubines and Campaigns

Inside the Great Zhou Academy’s White Mountain Villa, Fang Qingyuan begrudgingly handed over fifty thousand Top-grade Spirit Stones to Ji Jiaqing. He had to pay twenty thousand of that sum out of his own pocket. With the collection of Demonic Qi halted, Longevity Elixirs were no longer in production, so this represented most of his personal fortune.

He had only reached the Golden Core realm four or five years ago, so the plantations in his Immortal Mansion were just beginning to yield returns. They had yet to provide him with a steady stream of revenue or the vast savings that came from long-term accumulation. As a result, after paying out those twenty thousand, Fang Qingyuan’s wealth had shrunk dramatically, leaving him with a hollow feeling inside.

Fortunately, he had just taken the opportunity to reap a small fortune from that Meng Fen, which helped him recoup some of his losses. Otherwise, Fang Qingyuan would probably be so desperate he’d be seeing red, hunting for Demon Cultivators all over the Barbaric Wilderness.

’Hey, that’s not a bad idea.’

Fang Qingyuan mused, ’The reason Hao Shi didn’t take the bait is probably because we were at the White Mountain border. There were too many Cultivators around. If he had made a move, he would have been after Qiqi’s beast soul, and it would have been difficult for him to brazenly extract it in front of so many people.’

’But in the Barbaric Wilderness, he would probably be far more willing to strike.’

"Sect Leader Fang, go home and await my word. I guarantee you’ll have good news within six months."

A pleased expression spread across Ji Jiaqing’s face. Clearly, the fifty thousand tangible Top-grade Spirit Stones had put her in an excellent mood.

Indeed. Fifty thousand Top-grade Spirit Stones represented over a century of accumulation for a Golden Core Sect, and it had all been placed in her hands. Regardless of whether she used it to report to her superiors or to get things done, Ji Jiaqing stood to gain significant personal benefits.

Having accepted Fang Qingyuan’s payment, Ji Jiaqing’s attitude toward him naturally became much more courteous. Seizing the opportunity while she was in a good mood, Fang Qingyuan voiced the doubt that was on his mind.

"If a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect were to extract a beast soul to use in some evil art, would your White Mountain Villa intervene?"

Ji Jiaqing’s expression turned serious. She pondered for a moment before replying:

"We would naturally intervene. However, when dealing with a super-sect like the Beast Taming Sect, our typical approach is to first allow them to conduct their own internal investigation before we take over. After all, we have to give the Beast Taming Sect some face."

Fang Qingyuan’s heart sank. ’This is the same as saying the Great Zhou Academy doesn’t want to get involved. Let the Beast Taming Sect investigate itself? As if they would ever bother with something like this.’

’He remembered how Qi Yun and Chu Zhen had openly used a Demon Saber to kill Gao Guangsheng in front of thousands. In the end, the Beast Taming Sect had simply weathered the Great Zhou Academy’s censure, sentenced Chu Zhen to confinement until he died of old age, and let the whole affair blow over.’

’In this case, Hao Shi was only extracting beast souls, not the souls of Cultivators. With his status in the Beast Taming Sect to back him up, why would the Great Zhou Academy ever take the initiative to get involved?’

Even so, banking on the large "offering" he had just made, Fang Qingyuan decided to press his luck and ask a few more questions:

"If I can gather irrefutable evidence that leaves the Beast Taming Sect with no room for argument, would you be willing to come forward and back me up?"

Fang Qingyuan was simply hoping that Ji Jiaqing, seeing he was capable of producing fifty thousand Top-grade Spirit Stones, would consider him an asset worth cultivating and be willing to back him. After all, this sort of thing was well within the Great Zhou Academy’s jurisdiction. The main issue was whether Ji Jiaqing was willing to butt heads with the Beast Taming Sect.

On this point, Ji Jiaqing didn’t mince her words. "As long as you can make the evidence solid, I am willing to back you up. Of course, the premise is that the proof must be irrefutable. Otherwise, my hands will be tied."

Having received Ji Jiaqing’s promise, Fang Qingyuan took his leave, satisfied. The sting of spending fifty thousand Top-grade Spirit Stones lessened considerably. ’To be precise, it was only twenty thousand,’ he thought. ’And for that, I’ve established a connection with Gui Gu’s faction within the Great Zhou Academy. All things considered, it’s a worthy trade.’

After leaving the Great Zhou Academy’s White Mountain Villa, Fang Qingyuan met up with Qiqi outside. Xiong Ba had already been sent back to the Barbaric Wilderness by Fang Qingyuan to report the progress of the matter to Bear Wind.

Seeing Fang Qingyuan’s calm expression, Qiqi came forward and asked nervously, "Is it settled?"

When Fang Qingyuan nodded, Qiqi let out a cheer and tried to leap onto his shoulder. But Fang Qingyuan’s figure flickered slightly, causing her attempt to miss.

Fang Qingyuan didn’t dare let a Golden Core Demon Beast perch on his shoulder. If Qiqi were to launch a sneak attack from such a close distance, even if he didn’t die, he would be gravely wounded.

Of course, Qiqi wasn’t crazy enough to attack Fang Qingyuan; it was merely a result of his own instinctive wariness. He now only trusted Jinbao and Yinbao, the Companion Beasts bound to him by a Soul Contract. He refused to accept goodwill from any other Spirit Beast.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Qiqi’s raccoon-like face at being dodged by Fang Qingyuan, but after a few moments, her expression returned to normal. The two of them then proceeded as if nothing had happened, heading side by side in the direction of the Qingyuan Sect.

....

Within the Qingyuan Sect, Vice Sect Leader Liu Xun wore a grim expression. As someone skilled in diplomacy who had developed a knack for reading people, he could clearly sense the true thoughts hidden behind the amiable faces of the various sect leaders seated before him.

It was a mixture of unease, fear, and tension. The main reason for this scene was a rumor that had recently been spreading: the Qingyuan Sect was no longer under the protection of the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect, and the two had parted ways.

The rumor had spread like wildfire and seemed to have some substance, giving Liu Xun a major headache. The Qingyuan Sect’s very foundation rested on three pillars: first, its mandate from the Great Zhou Academy; second, the fact that Fang Qingyuan was a Golden Core Cultivator; and third, its deep-rooted connection to the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect.

Now that one of these three pillars had crumbled, it was like a three-legged cauldron losing a leg. Its standing was immediately unstable, inevitably causing worry among its subordinates.

These were the very sect leaders who had once presented Concubines, hoping to establish a connection to Fang Qingyuan through marriage. Upon hearing the rumor, they had come, full of anxiety, to probe for information and find out the truth of the matter.