Chapter 588 - 406: Taking Concubines and Enjoying Conquest (Part 2)

But Liu Xun was unaware of the full story. Fang Qingyuan hadn’t told him about the ideological conflict between himself and Lechuan; there was no need to elaborate on such matters.

Besides, Fang Qingyuan believed that the Qingyuan Sect’s entire future rested on his shoulders. If anything happened to him, the sect would collapse in an instant. Conversely, as long as he was safe, the Qingyuan Sect would be as unshakable as a mountain. There was no need to over-explain things to the allied sects under his banner.

"Master Liu, please give us a straight answer. Has our Qingyuan Sect offended the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect? If the rumors are true, I believe it would be best to turn hostility into harmony. Don’t you all agree?"

The Sect Leader of the Pan Mountain Sect spoke with great emotion, prompting several other sect leaders to voice their agreement. The cultivation bases of the sect leaders present were all higher than Liu Xun’s, and with them speaking out together, he was momentarily unable to control the situation.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort, like a blast of winter wind, plunged the hall into a frigid chill. Amidst an unbearable Golden Core pressure, Fang Qingyuan strode into the room.

"What are you all muttering about? I’m not dead yet."

After his brief reprimand, everyone present fell to their knees and bowed in reverence. Qiqi, who was behind Fang Qingyuan, watched the scene curiously but said nothing.

Fang Qingyuan walked to the head seat and sat down calmly. Liu Xun stepped to the side, a look of delight appearing on his face.

"Our sect’s relationship with the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect was never something we could rely on forever. Relying on others is never as good as being strong yourself. Do you really think that without the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect, our Qingyuan Sect is doomed to decline? How absurd!"

When the crowd looked up, they saw Qiqi squatting beside Fang Qingyuan. Qiqi made no effort to conceal her aura, and the presence of a Late-Stage Golden Core Spirit Beast left everyone stunned.

Shock gave way to elation. With a Golden Core Companion Beast joining their ranks, who cared about the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect? It was hardly worth mentioning.

This meant they now had two Golden Cores! In the White Mountain Territory, that was enough to be considered a minor power.

Back in the day, the Wei Family, which had stirred up such a massive storm, had also started with only two Golden Cores.

Wei Tong and his Golden Core Spiritual Flood Dragon. Although Wei Xuan and Wei Yuan appeared later, the initial lineup when Wei Tong led his great army on its expedition consisted of just one man and one beast—two Golden Cores.

"Congratulations on taming a new pet, Old Ancestor! My sincerest congratulations!"

A quick-witted sect leader was the first to speak, offering his congratulations to Fang Qingyuan. However, his flattery completely missed the mark. Fang Qingyuan and Qiqi had a purely professional relationship; how could he say such a thing?

But surprisingly, Qiqi showed no reaction to this. She just squatted quietly to the side, letting these people carry on with their madness.

Fang Qingyuan coughed a few times and dismissed the gossiping sect leaders, keeping only Liu Xun behind.

"This is Qiqi. From now on, she’s one of us. You can just address her as Seventh Uncle Qiqi."

Liu Xun’s face was also wreathed in joy. ’A Late-Stage Golden Core Spirit Beast,’ he thought. ’Even in White Mountain, a creature like that must be one of a kind, right?’

"This disciple understands. There is one other matter. The concubines presented by the five families have been waiting outside the sect for a long time. If you don’t officially accept them soon, I’m afraid it will start malicious rumors that could damage the Qingyuan Sect’s reputation. Therefore, for the sake of the sect’s good name, I implore the Old Ancestor to find some time to settle this."

Fang Qingyuan mulled it over for a moment. ’This matter really can’t be delayed any longer,’ he thought. He gestured to Liu Xun and said, "Fine. You pick a date and get it done as soon as possible."

"Then what about the invitation for the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect? Is it still valid?"

Hearing this, a pang of pain shot through Fang Qingyuan’s heart. He thought of Lechuan and his former sect-mates from the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect. Gritting his teeth, he said:

"Of course it’s still valid. I came from the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect; that is an undeniable fact. No matter what becomes of the sect, I still have a bond of shared history with them. Whether they choose to come is their business. Whether I choose to invite them is mine. We must send the invitation."

Liu Xun accepted the order and departed. Qiqi tilted her head, looking at Fang Qingyuan in confusion. "Since you’ve already parted ways, why go to such lengths?"

Fang Qingyuan gave her a complicated look and replied:

"These are human emotions. You wouldn’t understand them yet."

’Don’t I?’

Qiqi was puzzled but didn’t press the issue. She narrowed her eyes, lost in complex thought.

....

「Half a month later.」

The Qingyuan Sect celebrated a joyous occasion. Their Old Ancestor was taking concubines—five of them at once. This was an unprecedented event in the history of the Qingyuan Sect.

Of course, Fang Qingyuan himself was the one currently writing the sect’s history. His ceremony for taking concubines drew over a thousand Cultivators to bear witness.

The White Mountain Beast Taming Sect also sent representatives, though Lechuan himself did not attend. The many surrounding sects all sent their Guest Officers with gifts, fulfilling all the proper courtesies.

Taking a concubine was not the same as a formal wedding, so the ceremony was naturally not overly grand. Room had to be left for the pomp and circumstance of a future official marriage. Thus, while the scene was lively, it was not particularly solemn.

The five devastatingly beautiful women, led by Liu Wenyan, were thus brought into Fang Qingyuan’s residence. On that auspicious day, Fang Qingyuan took all five women in succession. His conquest was relentless; relying on the powerful physique of a Golden Core Cultivator, he completely overwhelmed them, driving them to beg for mercy again and again. He used this as an outlet to vent all the emotions that had been building up inside him for so long.

From the moment the Great White Bear was killed until now, Fang Qingyuan had been holding a storm of frustration inside him. The subsequent series of events had left him mentally exhausted. Reaching the Golden Core realm should have been a joyous event, but he never expected that a higher status would bring with it even more complex worries. He was discovering there were far too many things he was powerless to affect.

It was like the old saying: the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know. Fang Qingyuan felt the same way. The tangled web between Hao Shi, Bear Wind, and Lechuan; the struggle between Yue’e, Tu Wuzhao, and the Old Lion—all of it made him feel powerless.

And the primary reason for this helplessness was that his cultivation level simply couldn’t keep up. If he were stronger, perhaps the things that had happened could have had a much happier ending.

For a solid half-month, Fang Qingyuan paid no mind to worldly affairs, his thoughts focused solely on conquest. He even secretly collected some Dual Cultivation manuals from the Hehuan Sect that had been circulating and began studying them with the women.

It was only when the women could no longer endure the campaign, their bodies unable to take any more, that Fang Qingyuan finally pulled his attention away from the bedchamber and turned his gaze toward the Barbaric Wilderness.

According to a message from Bear Wind, several large-scale battles between human Cultivators had recently broken out in the front half of the Awakening Lion Valley. Their methods were so brutal that even the local fiendish beasts were horrified.

Upon hearing this news, Fang Qingyuan immediately suspected it was the work of Demon Cultivators. This type of Cultivator, who harmed others for their own selfish gain, was despised by beasts and humans alike.

Constant pursuit by the Great Zhou Academy had made life incredibly difficult for Demon Cultivators in the human world, forcing them to hide in the Barbaric Wilderness. But ever since the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect had captured the Cloud-Clawed Lizard, Bear Wind had secretly allied himself with humans, and the Wind Breath Returning Soil Beast had always been a loner, the space available for Demon Cultivators to operate had shrunk even further. Out of desperation, they had been forced to migrate into the Awakening Lion Valley.

Now, with Yue’e’s arrival, the Beast Taming Sect had intensified its schemes for the Awakening Lion Valley. Fang Qingyuan guessed that the Demon Cultivators must have gotten wind of something, which was why they were causing such a stir.

He recalled that Huo Yao’Er’s two older brothers, Huo Bai and Huo Hu, might be inside the Awakening Lion Valley, and an idea began to form in his mind.

If he could contact Huo Bai, he might be able to acquire some more Demon Artifacts. His "pockets" were feeling rather empty lately; without at least ten thousand Top-grade Spirit Stones to his name, he always felt a bit insecure.

He might even be able to bait Hao Shi one more time, get rid of him for good, and remove a thorn in both his and Bear Wind’s side.

"Is my lord thinking about something?"

On the bed, Liu Wenyan was completely naked. She gently caressed Fang Qingyuan’s chest, her eyes full of seductive charm as she asked in a soft voice.

Lost in thought, Fang Qingyuan had been neglecting his concubine. Of the five women, Liu Wenyan was by far the most captivating and the one Fang Qingyuan favored most.

Fang Qingyuan pulled his thoughts back from afar and said with a smile:

"A few days ago, an envoy from the Hehuan Sect came to discuss important matters with me. Before leaving, he gifted me several of their sect’s secret manuals, claiming they were top-tier Heart Methods. I have been studying them for a few days and have gained some insights. It’s the perfect time for us to practice them together."

"Ah?!"

Hearing this, the color drained from Liu Wenyan’s beautiful face. She instinctively shook her head. "More? My lord, please pick someone else. I... I’ve had enough for today."

"Enough? HAHA, not even close."

After a hearty laugh, an unspeakable scene unfolded. [Ten thousand words omitted here.]