The Golden Core Cultivator who had just flown over had barely steadied himself when he heard Fang Qingyuan rattle off a long string of titles, leaving him momentarily stunned.

He carefully scrutinized Fang Qingyuan’s group, his eyes lingering on the massive Flying Manta Ray, Yinbao. A Spirit Beast like that was a rare sight in White Mountain.

Just a moment ago, he had been certain he had them dead to rights, but now Fang Qingyuan’s words had planted a seed of doubt.

Nevertheless, the Golden Core Cultivator sneered and said to Fang Qingyuan,

"Others might not recognize a Heaven-Reaching Order, and you might be able to fool those ignorant Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators, but you can’t fool me. Since the Heaven-Reaching Order is a fake, how much of what you just said can possibly be true?"

Caught in his bluff, Fang Qingyuan straightened his back. His powerful Divine Sense resisted the Golden Core Cultivator’s oppressive aura as he spoke with brazen confidence,

"The Heaven-Reaching Order is indeed fake, but my Qingyuan Sect’s enfeoffment for three generations is absolutely real. If you don’t believe me, Senior, feel free to make a move. It would be a fine opportunity to show you the Divine Techniques I learned from the Beast Taming Sect."

As soon as he finished speaking, a long, jet-black banner suddenly appeared in Fang Qingyuan’s hand. It was about ten feet long, its fabric hanging low. Inscribed upon its surface were the simple outlines of birds and beasts. Though rendered with just a few shallow strokes, the images possessed a profound spiritual essence.

"A Top-Grade Magical Artifact?"

The Golden Core Cultivator’s eyes narrowed in surprise the moment Fang Qingyuan produced the banner. Normally, a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator couldn’t afford such a fine Magical Artifact.

But that wasn’t all. With a flick of the banner, Fang Qingyuan pulled Jinbao out from the Immortal Mansion. On Fang Qingyuan’s signal, Jinbao immediately swelled to a size of fifty or sixty feet and let out a ferocious roar.

’A mutated Foundation Establishment Stage Spirit Beast? I feel like its combat power is even greater than a Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.’

The Golden Core Cultivator was inwardly shocked. After these two displays from Fang Qingyuan, he was now eighty percent convinced that his earlier words were true.

Moreover, judging by Fang Qingyuan’s expression, he clearly had many more tricks up his sleeve. It seemed this man truly was from the Beast Taming Sect.

After seeing the Ten Thousand Beasts Qiankun Banner and Jinbao, the Golden Core Cultivator’s expression shifted rapidly, finally settling on a more amicable look.

"I am Xifeng Fuqing. I saw that Fellow Daoist Fang’s Camel Beast had an extraordinary bearing, so I came up specifically to ask where you purchased it."

Faced with Xifeng Fuqing’s clumsy excuse, Fang Qingyuan relaxed inwardly but didn’t let his guard down. With a flick of his wrist, he put the Ten Thousand Beasts Qiankun Banner back into his storage bag and had Jinbao stand guard at his side before replying with a smile,

"If you want one, Senior Xifeng, what’s the harm in me gifting you a cub? I just don’t have any here. You would need to accompany me back to the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect."

Xifeng Fuqing naturally didn’t dare accept Fang Qingyuan’s proposal. Who knew if he’d make it out of the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect alive?

He had just shown killing intent, a fact clear to both of them. The superficial politeness was merely a tacit understanding, as neither wished for the situation to deteriorate further.

Xifeng Fuqing was wary of Fang Qingyuan’s profound background and strength. As someone from the Beast Taming Sect, such a Major Sect Disciple often had monstrous combat abilities. Fighting above their level was as easy as drinking water for them, and there were even absolute beasts who could defeat a Golden Core Cultivator while at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Xifeng Fuqing was afraid of capsizing in a calm sea.

Besides, Fang Qingyuan was clearly not some Loose Cultivator without connections. If he really made a move on him, how could he expect to live peacefully in the future?

On the other hand, Fang Qingyuan was also wary of Xifeng Fuqing’s Golden Core cultivation realm. Even the weakest Golden Core Cultivator could easily crush a Late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Therefore, it was best not to fight if it could be avoided. Doing business amicably was much better.

After all, monstrous talents like Huo Hu only appeared once in many years. Even if Xifeng Fuqing was far weaker than Swen Guang, the gap between himself and someone like Huo Hu was still enormous. And he was only at the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer.

And so, the two cultivators, each with their own reservations, exchanged false pleasantries. After a "friendly" discussion, they went their separate ways.

...

Jinbao shrank back to its smaller size and obediently stayed by Fang Qingyuan’s side. Yinbao’s bat-like wings fluttered as fast as a hummingbird’s, propelling them swiftly forward.

Once they had left Xifeng Fuqing far behind, Mao Cheng and the other disciples dropped all pretense of decorum and plopped down on Yinbao’s back.

"Sect Leader, you’re amazing! That Xifeng Fuqing was clearly about to kill us for our treasures, but you scared him into a sensible retreat with just a few words. Now our sect is one that can chat and laugh with Golden Core Cultivators!"

Fang Qingyuan shot him a speechless glance. These few Qi Cultivation Disciples couldn’t withstand the Golden Core Cultivator’s pressure. They were sprawled out on Yinbao’s back, unable to even stand up.

Still, they hadn’t collapsed immediately, managing to hold on and not bring shame to the Qingyuan Sect. They had some backbone, at least.

"Hmph. Golden Core Cultivators can’t just kill whomever they please. An outsider like him dares to act so presumptuously in White Mountain? If the Spirit Wood Alliance weren’t so busy, an outsider Golden Core like him would never dare to run wild in this Land Realm."

Now that they were safe, Fang Qingyuan’s tone was cold and dismissive of Xifeng Fuqing. His domineering words immediately caused Mao Cheng and the other disciples to gaze at him with worshipful eyes.

They had originally thought that after leaving the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect, they would be stuck eating dirt for years following Fang Qingyuan. Who would have thought that their Sect Leader would seize this opportunity, snatching chestnuts from the fire? He had even scared off a Golden Core Cultivator just now. The last half-year had been more exciting than their entire twenty years in the White Mountain Beast Taming Sect.

After his bout of boasting, Fang Qingyuan sat cross-legged on Yinbao’s back and continued their journey forward. After more than half a day, an academy appeared before them.

This was a post set up by the Great Zhou Academy to handle the follow-up matters from the pioneering war. Although the enfeoffments were complete, there were still various minor loose ends to tie up.

For example, disputes between two parties over a river during the division of Spiritual Lands, or sudden shifts in the terrain of a Spirit Vein, all needed to be properly handled before the Great Zhou Academy could depart peacefully.

Of course, such matters didn’t require a Nascent Soul Cultivator to oversee them; leaving a Golden Core Cultivator behind was sufficient. And so, Ji Xinlong was the one left behind.

Fang Qingyuan had met him once before and wasn’t familiar with him, but relationships are built over time. If they weren’t familiar now, a few more visits would fix that, wouldn’t it?

’The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.’ Recalling Xifeng Fuqing’s chilling killing intent, Fang Qingyuan didn’t dare to continue wandering around outside. He dove headfirst into the Great Zhou Academy’s territory, planning to stay for a while and lie low.

Making Spirit Stones was good, but his life was more important. ’If you walk by the riverside long enough, your shoes are bound to get wet.’ He had managed to bluff Xifeng Fuqing, but that didn’t mean every Golden Core Cultivator would be so easily fooled. If he ran into a stubborn one, Fang Qingyuan would live to regret it.

Taking out a Daoist classic he had just obtained from the Vast Forest Sect, Fang Qingyuan led his disciples forward and, shamelessly, knocked on the academy’s main gate.

Fang Qingyuan had heard that Ji Xinlong had a hobby: he enjoyed discussing scriptures and debating the Dao. Perhaps it was because Ji Xinlong’s overall temperament was more that of a martial general than a scholar; people often crave what they lack. Thus, Fang Qingyuan prepared to cater to his interests, using this rare book from the Vast Forest Sect to test the waters.

...

「Two months later.」

In a small courtyard, Ji Xinlong was playing Go with Fang Qingyuan. At first, Ji Xinlong had been curt with him, but as the saying goes, ’you don’t slap a smiling face.’ Fang Qingyuan visited so often that Ji Xinlong’s attitude evolved from outright ignoring him to their current nodding acquaintance.

Of course, Fang Qingyuan’s background was a major factor in this. Was playing Go with a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect the same as playing with some nameless Loose Cultivator?

It was a perfect example of ’chatting with great scholars, with no unlearned men in his company.’ Fang Qingyuan’s current status barely allowed him entry into Ji Xinlong’s circle.

While Fang Qingyuan was building his relationship with Ji Xinlong, the Spirit Wood Alliance finally freed up its hands and began to clean up the Artifact Talisman Alliance’s territory. If they had delayed any longer, the choicest parts of the Artifact Talisman Alliance would have been plundered by that Loose Cultivator Alliance.

And so, after more than half a month, the lands of the Artifact Talisman Alliance, once crawling with Tribulation Cultivators, were now patrolled by the battle squads of the Spirit Wood Alliance. The severed heads of Loose Cultivators announced to the world that this place was now officially under the Spirit Wood Alliance’s control.

The original Artifact Talisman City was renamed Bomu City by the Spirit Wood Alliance. Together with the existing Bosen City, Bolin City, and Bo Yuan City, it formed the Four Great Immortal Cities of Bo Wood.

From that point on, the Spirit Wood Alliance’s power made it the undisputed cornerstone of the Five Elements Alliance.

As for Fang Qingyuan, he paid all this no mind, content to play Go with Ji Xinlong and strengthen their relationship.