Chapter 671 454: Gathering Before the Mountain (Part 2)

"I just wonder, Sect Leader Fang, are these Transport Beasts of yours for sale? If you are, I am willing to trade one of our Rosy Clouds for it."

The Rosy Cloud Luo Shiyin spoke of was a specialty of the Yingxia Sect. They possessed a special cultivation technique that allowed them to plant Cloud Fields high in the sky.

That's right—this Rosy Cloud was not a material for artifact refinement, but a Cloud Field. Each Cloud Field spanned about ten mu, placed high in the atmosphere to cultivate Spirit Plants that thrived in the scorching sun. The flames of the Great Sun True Flame in the upper atmosphere were ferocious, making it more suitable for the growth of high-grade, yang-attribute Spirit Plants.

The annual income from a single Cloud Field was around fifty to sixty Top-grade Spirit Stones. To trade this for one of the Qingyuan Sect's transport rays, it would seem the Qingyuan Sect was getting a fantastic deal.

In reality, however, Luo Shiyin's intentions were not so simple. An ordinary Cultivator wouldn't know how to cultivate Spirit Plants on a special Spirit Field like a Cloud Field. When the time came, they would have to hire Cultivators from the Yingxia Sect to do the work.

The Cloud Field itself wasn't expensive, but the fee for hiring the cultivators was. Considering the Qingyuan Sect would also have to give up one of its transport rays, the deal suddenly didn't seem so profitable.

"My apologies, Sect Leader Luo. My sect's transport rays are all descendants of Yinbao, so we do not sell them to outsiders. Please wait a while longer. When the time is right, you will be the first I notify."

Luo Shiyin looked disappointed, but faced with Fang Qingyuan's excuse, he could only say it was no matter. After all, Yinbao was listening right behind them, and he had no desire to be cursed out by the beast to his face.

After his brief exchange with Luo Shiyin, Fang Qingyuan's gaze shifted to the gloomy Vice Sect Leader of the Spiritual Technique Sect. He took the initiative, walking over and pulling the man aside to speak.

"The supply of Tier Two Talismans from your sect has recently dropped by a fifth, and some of them have even been defective. What's going on? Do you expect me to supply our allies in the Pill Alliance with talismans like these? If you don't want the business, just say so. I can find another partner."

Chastised in a low voice by Fang Qingyuan, the Vice Sect Leader of the Spiritual Technique Sect didn't dare to retort. He offered a weak defense.

"One of our Second-Order Top-grade Talisman Makers died unexpectedly. We had no choice but to rush the training of a newly promoted Second-rank Lower Grade Talisman Master. He's new to the rank and lacks experience, but you all were in a hurry for the order, so we had to let some flaws slide."

Fang Qingyuan's brow furrowed, and he continued to press him.

"How could such an important talent just up and die like that? Weren't you watching over him? A Second-Order Top-grade Talisman Maker! There aren't even two or three hundred of them in all of White Mountain. How many does your sect have that you can afford to lose one so carelessly?"

"Say no more. We've already uprooted everyone behind it and killed dozens of people to accompany him in death. They had some nerve, daring to target a Tier Two Talisman Maker."

"Hmph. The man's already dead. What good does killing people do now? It doesn't matter if the monthly output of new talismans is a little lower, but you must ensure the quality. Otherwise, someone will come to settle the score with you later."

After finishing with the Vice Sect Leader of the Spiritual Technique Sect, Fang Qingyuan found another Golden Core Sect to speak with. In the brief time it took for Yan Muyun to go inside, Fang Qingyuan had already spoken with four or five different groups.

The Qingyuan Sect was the primary faction in charge of smuggling materials to the Pill Alliance, as well as transporting supplies to the White Mountain Sword Sect and the Illusion Sword Alliance. This was simply because the Qingyuan Sect possessed the largest transport force in all of White Mountain.

Yinbao's descendants and consorts had certainly done their share of running over the years. Moreover, the routes they took were quite remote, ensuring a high degree of safety.

Previously, they had the dual banners of the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect and the Great Zhou Academy. Now, the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect's banner was no longer used, but it had been replaced with Bear Wind's. Thus, even if they ran into a patrol from the Spirit Wood Alliance, the patrol would usually only confiscate the goods and not dare to harm anyone.

Out of ten encounters, they would only run into the Spirit Wood Alliance or the Li Huo Alliance once or twice. In those cases, the goods would be confiscated, but the people and beasts were always returned unharmed.

Over time, Fang Qingyuan came to understand. 'So this is just another form of paying taxes.'

Now, both sides had reached an unspoken understanding. As for the confiscated goods, Fang Qingyuan didn't care if they all ended up in the great storehouses of the Spirit Wood and Li Huo Alliances. All he knew was that he had paid his taxes.

Ultimately, the Spirit Wood and Li Huo Alliances were groups brought together by a treaty, much like the modern-day EU. There were a few leaders, but in reality, none of the individual factions had much interest in fighting this inexplicable war.

The true reason for this war came down to the wishes of the various Ancestors on White Mountain. For the people actually doing the work, such commands felt even more distant.

"Will the esteemed Sect Leaders and seniors please enter."

Just then, a voice of welcome came from within the Yan Gui Sect. Fang Qingyuan and the other sect leaders composed their expressions and walked solemnly through the mountain gate.

Inside the main hall, Yan Muyun was already kneeling on the ground, holding a vigil for his father, Yan Nanxing. At the head of the hall sat a massive coffin. Fang Qingyuan swept his Divine Sense over it and discovered it contained only some of the clothes Yan Nanxing had worn in life.

According to the rites specified by the Great Zhou Academy, when a Golden Core Cultivator died, the mourning period was to last for three months. This was because the Great Zhou Academy promoted filial piety and placed great importance on ritual.

Although the White Mountain People didn't care much for such things, the Cultivation Realm was ultimately controlled by the Great Zhou Academy. No matter how much you disagreed with the rules they set, as long as you couldn't defeat them, you had to obey.

Years ago, when a Divinity Transformation Cultivator from White Mountain fell, all of White Mountain observed a three-year truce. Everyone wore plain white robes and mourned for three years. Now that Yan Nanxing was dead, only the people of the Yan Gui Sect were required to mourn for three months.

After everyone had come forward to pay their respects, Yan Muyun invited them all to the Grand Council Hall.

Inside the hall, the only ones who could truly be considered in charge were Fang Qingyuan and Luo Shiyin. The other sects were currently just there to make up the numbers and present a strong front.

"Let's discuss it. What should we do about the envoy from the Star-Picking Pavilion? We're all in the same boat now. If anyone tries to jump ship, the rest of us won't let them get away with it."

Luo Shiyin set the tone, while Fang Qingyuan sat in his designated seat, saying nothing.

The hall fell silent. After a moment, Luo Shiyin tentatively spoke up.

"Perhaps Sect Leader Fang could devise a plan for us?"

Put on the spot by Luo Shiyin, Fang Qingyuan finally spoke slowly.

"There's no rush. It's not too late to talk after I've met this envoy from the Star-Picking Pavilion. Mu Yun, you can arrange it."

........

Inside a secret chamber, a middle-aged Golden Core Cultivator with a calm expression was meditating peacefully. He wore robes of intermingled black and white. His jet-black hair was coiled into a topknot, secured by a dark Jade Hairpin, with strands falling naturally at his temples, lending him an otherworldly air.

This man's name was Sikong Chen, one of the six great Golden Cores of the Star-Picking Pavilion. He had been sent this time to inform the Yan Gui Sect of Yan Nanxing's death, but he never expected that he would be forcibly detained here.

Sikong Chen had never experienced something like this before, but he wasn't flustered. After all, any of the White Mountain People who dared to move against the Star-Picking Pavilion were long dead.

CREAK. The door to the secret chamber was pushed open. Fang Qingyuan walked in casually and commented offhandedly,

"This door needs to be oiled."

After saying this, Fang Qingyuan finally turned his gaze to Sikong Chen. He first announced his identity.

"Fang Qingyuan, the Qingyuan Sect Master. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Sikong."

Sikong Chen stood up and walked over to Fang Qingyuan, a puzzled look on his face.

"Did you arrange all of this?"

Fang Qingyuan had no intention of taking the blame for Yan Muyun and denied it outright.

"No. I came this time to help you two resolve this misunderstanding. The boy, Mu Yun, is having a hard time accepting his father's death, and his actions were a bit extreme. I'm sure Fellow Daoist Sikong can understand."

Sikong Chen was noncommittal. He had seen many family members unable to accept a death, but this was the first time he'd been placed under house arrest because of it.

Looking at Fang Qingyuan, he began to sift through his memories for information about him. In truth, the Star-Picking Pavilion had always kept an eye on the various rising stars in White Mountain, and Fang Qingyuan was by far the most dazzling among them.

Fang Qingyuan. He rose from the Southern Border Beast Taming Gate Outer Courtyard, only reaching Foundation Establishment in his forties and Core Formation at one hundred and thirty. His progress was unremarkable at first. But after his Core Formation, it was as if a fish had leaped through the Dragon Gate; his rise was meteoric. First, he participated in the founding of the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect, where it was rumored he clashed with a Nascent Soul Cultivator. Later, he faced Chunyu Hua, a true heir of the Beast Taming Sect, and grandly defeated him. He then single-handedly arranged for a Nascent Soul Bear Beast to join his sect, instantly becoming the tenth-greatest power in White Mountain.

If the White Mountain People hadn't been at war these past few years, with no one having the mind to pay attention to such things, Fang Qingyuan's fame would likely be even more widespread than it was now.

'So, the question is, what is a man like this after? Why come here for a private chat with me?'

.......

I messed up my schedule, so I'm posting this now and will edit it later. As an apology, I'll pull an all-nighter to get an extra chapter out. Two chapters, 8,000 characters. I'm really sorry, I'm all out of excuse slips.

From now on, I'll try to post earlier. I'll start with double releases. I've let you all down.