Beast Taming: I Have an Immortal Mansion

Chapter 276 - 220: Two Years of Change

Qu Jianyan had lost. The moment his ultimate move, the Black Crystal Godslaying Saber, was shattered by Fang Qingyuan, he knew he was defeated.

But his long-held pride made it impossible for him to accept this reality. He couldn’t understand why his ultimate move had been broken so easily, and in a way he couldn’t even comprehend.

Fang Qingyuan looked at the roaring, hysterical Qu Jianyan, a flicker of mockery in his heart. ’The Five-Colored Divine Light can brush away anything. As long as it is within the five elements, not even a Magical Divine Technique a full major realm above my own can escape its power.’

Although the Black Crystal Godslaying Saber was powerful, it was formed from Water Spirit Power, placing it within the five elements. Naturally, it was no match for the Five-Colored Divine Light.

Just now, he had used his divine technique, the Five-Colored Light, to brush away Qu Jianyan’s Black Crystal Godslaying Saber, delivering a devastating blow to his psyche.

Now was the time for his counterattack.

At this thought, Fang Qingyuan’s will stirred. The Fish Dragon beneath his feet carried him before Qu Jianyan. He had intended to spew some trash talk, but then he remembered Lechuan was watching from behind. Cursing Qu Jianyan would be like cursing Lechuan.

So, Fang Qingyuan kept his mouth shut and simply commanded his five Illusion Beasts and the little powerhouse, Jinbao, to launch a fierce assault on Qu Jianyan and his exhausted Green Water Ring Crystal Beast.

A moment later, the Green Water Ring Crystal Beast cried out in agony as Jinbao dragged it to the ground. Jinbao hammered its head with punch after punch, drawing blood after just four or five blows.

Without its Water Spirit Power, the Green Water Ring Crystal Beast was like a toothless tiger, completely at Jinbao’s mercy.

Seeing his own Spirit Beast being beaten, Qu Jianyan, his hair disheveled, brandished a Magic Sword and tried to drive Jinbao away.

But against Jinbao’s Vajra Body, the Magic Sword in Qu Jianyan’s hands was useless.

"Senior Brother Qu, just admit defeat."

Fang Qingyuan said coldly. Qu Jianyan’s movements froze. He held his Magic Sword, his eyes vacant.

"Shameless! Fixed match! It’s a setup! Give us our money back!"

"Damn thief! Liar! Fuck..."

At that moment, the Loose Cultivators who had come to watch the duel—especially those who had placed heavy bets on Qu Jianyan—forgot they were on the Beast Taming Sect’s territory. Seeing red from their losses, they started hurling abuse directly at Qu Jianyan.

Hearing these voices, Qu Jianyan’s gaze hardened. He raised his Magic Sword, circulated what little Magical Power he had left, and charged at Fang Qingyuan.

"Sigh. Must you?"

Fang Qingyuan let out a fake sigh, then struck with a heavy blow that sent him flying. Jinbao then shot forward, grabbed one of Qu Jianyan’s arms and a leg, and with a sudden exertion of force, tore them off.

Just as Jinbao was about to continue, it sensed pressure coming from Lechuan offstage. So, Jinbao pouted, crushed the severed arm and leg in its grasp into a pulp, and sulkily returned to Fang Qingyuan’s side.

And there, Qu Jianyan’s body, along with his Companion Beast, lay on the ground, unconscious.

Amidst the spray of blood and the chorus of dissatisfied boos, the duel finally came to a close.

「 」

Fang Qingyuan felt little regret about not killing Qu Jianyan directly. He knew that with Lechuan present, he wouldn’t have been able to kill him anyway.

Qu Jianyan had trained under Lechuan since childhood; how could Lechuan bear to let him die? Even if Fang Qingyuan wanted to arrange some sort of "accident," it would be nearly impossible to pull off right under Lechuan’s nose.

However, having Jinbao cripple one of Qu Jianyan’s arms and a leg meant he wouldn’t recover for at least a year or two. And besides that, there was something else that would drive Qu Jianyan even more insane.

In the cold pond on the back mountain, Jinbao played nearby while Fang Qingyuan soaked in the water, endlessly toying with a smooth, white jade horn in his hands.

This was the very horn Jinbao had brutally smashed off the head of Qu Jianyan’s Companion Beast, the Green Water Ring Crystal Beast.

All of the Green Water Ring Crystal Beast’s Divine Techniques were channeled through that horn. Without it, the beast’s power was reduced by seventy to eighty percent.

And since a majority of Qu Jianyan’s combat strength depended on this Green Water Ring Crystal Beast, he, while not dead, was now left with only thirty to forty percent of his former power.

He probably wouldn’t be able to keep his position as the Head of Instructor Peak anymore.

There was no shortage of people eyeing his position. Qu Jianyan would likely wake up to find his post in jeopardy. In the end, he might even be sent back to the Beast Taming General Mountain by Lechuan to live out his days in retirement.

Such were the consequences of a power struggle. If Fang Qingyuan had lost, his fate wouldn’t have been much better. Although Lechuan would have spared his life, he would have lost his favor forever.

’Thankfully, I was the one who won.’

Fang Qingyuan casually put away the second-rank, top-grade White Jade Rhinoceros Horn and spoke to the empty space beside him.

"Senior Sister, did you collect our winnings?"

"It’s getting harder and harder to hide from your senses. This is your share. Go on, count it."

Situ Jingyu appeared beside him. She tossed Fang Qingyuan a storage pouch. He swept it with his Divine Sense and found two hundred Top-grade Spirit Stones inside.

"Eight betting houses paid us two hundred Top-grade Spirit Stones, principal and interest included. Two of them didn’t want to honor the bet, so I had to forcefully collect. It’s a good thing I went early, or we wouldn’t have gotten this much back. A few of those houses took a huge loss."

Situ Jingyu gloated. She had taken the Spirit Stones Fang Qingyuan gave her and bet specifically on him to win. But as more information about Fang Qingyuan was leaked, the odds on him actually rose quite a bit.

It seemed no one was a fool; they realized that Fang Qingyuan daring to challenge Qu Jianyan didn’t mean he had a death wish.

But even so, Fang Qingyuan still made a profit, just a little less than he could have.

Fang Qingyuan put the Spirit Stones away. This windfall was enough for him to cultivate his Five Elements Undying Body to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

After saying her piece, Situ Jingyu casually sat on a green rock. She tucked back a loose strand of hair and asked nonchalantly,

"Your senior sister is coming back soon, isn’t she? What will you do about Yuanling Mountain?"

Fang Qingyuan submerged his head, feeling the biting cold of the pond. A moment later, he answered,

"Let’s just let nature take its course. I don’t owe her anything anymore."

When Fang Qingyuan resurfaced, Situ Jingyu was already gone. She had returned to the front lines. Before she left, she had only cast a few glances at him submerged in the cold pond.

Seeing that Situ Jingyu had disappeared, Fang Qingyuan sighed softly. Then, thinking of the newly acquired Spirit Stones and the White Jade Rhinoceros Horn, a smile appeared on his face.

「 」

Half a month later, a now-conscious Qu Jianyan was sent back to the Beast Taming General Mountain by Lechuan to retire. His position was taken over by a managing Elder, Long Shuhong.

And Long Shuhong’s attitude toward Fang Qingyuan was far more deferential. He understood the main reason he had been able to secure this position.

With the addition of Ling Ziqing, the head of Precepts Peak whose vitality was greatly damaged, Fang Qingyuan, riding the momentum of his victory over Qu Jianyan, became immensely powerful and respected throughout the entire Southern Border Beast Taming Sect.

But Fang Qingyuan didn’t immerse himself in this power. He knew in his heart that compared to authority, his own strength was what he should truly be pursuing.

And so, for the next two years, he focused on raising Spirit Fish fry, purifying his own Magical Power, searching for Five Elements Forbidden Lands to cultivate his Five Elements Undying Body, and mobilizing the power of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect to find spiritual materials that could evolve his Five Elements Illusion Beasts.

Ever since obtaining the third-rank, top-grade Fish Dragon, Fang Qingyuan hadn’t seen any spiritual materials of that caliber again. But back then, he was only the master of Yuanling Mountain. Now, with the entire Southern Border Beast Taming Sect helping him search, he held great expectations.

Early in the first year, Jiang Kui returned. After taking the Elixir Pills Fang Qingyuan had sent, the residual poison in her body was completely purged. However, because she had spent all those years focused on fighting the poison, her cultivation had stagnated.

But everything has its pros and cons. Her struggle against the residual poison had made her Magical Power exceptionally pure, allowing her to break through to the Foundation Establishment Second Layer in just one year.

Fang Qingyuan and Jiang Kui met once. With their statuses now reversed, Jiang Kui had to address Fang Qingyuan as Elder Fang. The atmosphere during their meeting was quite delicate.

In the end, Jiang Kui returned to Yuanling Mountain and entered seclusion. Fang Qingyuan also focused most of his attention on cultivation. Between the two of them, there was a sense of unspoken competition.

One day, Fang Qingyuan emerged from the Sword Tomb of a vassal family in the Southern Border, followed by a contented-looking Jinbao.

This Sword Tomb was the accumulation of several hundred years of a vassal family’s efforts. They had collected over a thousand Spirit Swords, and the Gold Spirit Power within was extremely domineering and sharp—perfect for Fang Qingyuan to cultivate the Gold aspect of his Five Elements Undying Body.

By now, Fang Qingyuan had already perfected the other four aspects. He only needed to perfect the Gold aspect to break through to the next realm.

At the exit of the Sword Tomb, a group of Cultivators was waiting quietly for Fang Qingyuan. Seeing him emerge, a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator hurried forward.

"Elder Fang, I hope this humble one’s Sword Tomb was to your satisfaction? If you like it, you are welcome to come whenever you please."

Fang Qingyuan chuckled and said to the man,

"Clan Leader Qian, I will remember this favor. I will need to visit this Sword Tomb three more times. When that is done, you may make any request you have."

"Oh, I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare! It is the Qian Family’s honor that Elder Fang would visit. How could I possibly make a request? It’s just that... my family has a few promising youngsters, and I was hoping you might take a look at them..."

"Of course, of course."

Fang Qingyuan nodded in agreement. Just as he and Clan Leader Qian were speaking cordially, Zhan Zhi’Er came to his side and whispered a few words in his ear.

"Reporting to the Elder, there is news on one of the spiritual materials you put out a notice to acquire."

Fang Qingyuan’s expression changed. Forgetting all pleasantries with Clan Leader Qian, he asked quickly,

"What attribute? Where is it? Take me there, quickly."