stjorthotic Chapter 228 - 173: Fishing for Qi at the Cliff’s Edge
Chapter 228 - 173: Fishing for Qi at the Cliff’s Edge
Inside the Grand Council Hall of Celestial Gate Mountain, the preeminent figures who determined the fates of millions of mortals across thousands of miles of the Southern Border were deep in discussion.
The Southern Border Beast Taming Sect now had over a thousand disciples, and the mortal servants living on the mountain numbered more than ten thousand. The vassal families beyond the mountain were simply innumerable. Yet, the number of people qualified to enter this hall and have their voices heard could be counted on two hands.
After reaching Foundation Establishment, Fang Qingyuan’s entry into the hall would have been a stretch, relying on the strength of Yuanling Mountain alone. But now that he was Lechuan’s disciple, when he entered the Grand Council Hall to participate in discussions, others would at most cast envious glances. No one would dare question his status.
It had taken Fang Qingyuan twenty years to go from a down-on-his-luck cultivator ferrying people on a giant skate to standing here in the Grand Council Hall of Celestial Gate Mountain, where his every word and action could decide the fates of tens of thousands.
But this was his first time participating in a meeting of this magnitude, and Fang Qingyuan was exceedingly cautious. He simply listened quietly, refraining from offering any opinions.
The meeting began with Zhao Liangde of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak, who, as was customary, reported on the various matters, both large and small, that had occurred within the sect over the past month. Afterward, the discussion turned to several recent, more influential events from the outside world.
The first matter was the affair of the Secret Mansion, a topic of rampant rumor lately. Deep within the Black River, more than a thousand miles from Celestial Gate Mountain, a Secret Mansion had suddenly opened. It was now attracting thousands upon thousands of cultivators, all flocking there in hopes of gaining some fortune.
The Secret Mansion had been accidentally discovered by a few cultivators. When they couldn’t agree on how to divide the spoils, the news leaked out. This prompted cultivators from both White Mountain and Celestial Gate Mountain to race toward it, each fearing they would be too late and miss out on the opportunity.
A distance of over a thousand miles was, for all intents and purposes, right under the nose of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. However, the depths of the Black River were neutral territory, and the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect wasn’t so domineering as to forcibly claim the Secret Mansion for itself.
Zhao Liangde was bringing this up now to discuss whether the sect should dispatch personnel to secure some of the benefits for themselves.
Seeing the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the hall engaged in a heated debate, Fang Qingyuan feigned an expression of earnest attention. In his heart, however, his mind was already made up. ’I’m absolutely not getting involved in this.’
Fang Qingyuan had always steered clear of places like Secret Mansions, Secret Realms, and grotto-heavens full of secret treasures. Compared to these places where one had to gamble on luck and fight to the death with strangers, he believed staying home and cultivating in peace was by far the safest option.
While Fang Qingyuan was lost in thought, the discussion concluded. Ling Ziqing, the master of Precepts Peak, then turned to him and said:
"Junior Brother Qingyuan, why don’t you go and broaden your horizons this time? It will be quite safe with a few of your senior brothers leading the way."
Fang Qingyuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately demurred.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Ziqing. I have only just reached Foundation Establishment, and my cultivation base has yet to be fully consolidated. I don’t plan on venturing out for the next few years. Once I’ve handled my affairs here, I intend to return to Yuanling Mountain to cultivate in peace. As for the Black River Secret Mansion, it will be enough for my senior brothers to lead the expedition. I will stay here and wish you all a triumphant and fruitful return."
After Fang Qingyuan spoke these diplomatic words, Ling Ziqing tried to persuade him a few more times. Seeing that Fang Qingyuan was genuinely unwilling, he finally dropped the matter.
Ling Ziqing then began discussing with the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators how many disciples to dispatch. After a period of clamor, the Grand Council Hall gradually fell silent.
Only then did Lechuan, seated at the head of the hall, open his half-closed eyes and signal for Zhao Liangde to proceed to the next item on the agenda.
The second matter concerned the newly opened Wilderness Forest. Fighting among Loose Cultivators there had become frequent. There were even reports of Demon Cultivators fishing in troubled waters, using the lives of innocent cultivators to advance their demonic techniques.
With the situation escalating, the sect intended to form a patrol force to venture deep into the forest and maintain order in the few major cultivator gathering places.
This matter had some connection to Fang Qingyuan’s Yuanling Mountain, so he voiced his opinion and secured some benefits for his territory.
Then came the third matter, the fourth...
Once the council meeting was over, Lechuan turned and departed. The remaining Foundation Establishment Cultivators also went their separate ways, each busying themselves with the matters that had just been settled.
These council meetings were held once a month. The rest of the time, the cultivators would focus on their own cultivation and affairs, only being summoned for an emergency meeting if a major incident occurred.
Throughout the entire meeting, Fang Qingyuan maintained a posture of observing much and speaking little. Aside from Lechuan, he had said the fewest words.
Despite this, whenever a matter concerned the vicinity of Yuanling Mountain, Fang Qingyuan spoke up without hesitation. The other Foundation Establishment Cultivators, in turn, readily gave him face, showing him considerable deference.
He remained silent on all other issues. His attitude was clear: ’Yuanling Mountain is my personal domain. If you want to touch its interests, you have to go through me first. Otherwise, I won’t contend for anything else.’
This was precisely the attitude Fang Qingyuan had intended to convey from the start. Yuanling Mountain had once been a remote and unremarkable place, but with the discovery of Crimson Iron Ore, the opening of an eight-hundred-mile expanse of the Barbaric Wilderness, and the establishment of the new Yuanling Square Marketplace, it had begun to attract numerous greedy gazes from within the sect.
Furthermore, with Jiang Kui having been severely poisoned and forced to leave, Yuanling Mountain became an even more coveted prize. During that period, some Foundation Establishment Cultivators had tried to trade their own territories for Yuanling Mountain, but Zhao Liangde had blocked all their attempts.
Fortunately, just as things were escalating, Fang Qingyuan achieved Foundation Establishment and became Lechuan’s closed-door disciple. With this, no matter how resentful those covetous individuals were, they had to hide their ambitions deep down, lest they displease Lechuan.
Zhao Liangde waited for the others to leave before approaching Fang Qingyuan with a smile.
"How does it feel, attending your first sect council meeting? Every issue discussed today will affect the course of hundreds of cultivators’ lives for the next several years. For a young man like you to have a seat at this table... you’re already doing much better than I was at your age."
Hearing Zhao Liangde’s praise, Fang Qingyuan replied in a subdued tone.
"It was a lot duller than I expected. But I could tell that my senior brothers were looking out for me."
Zhao Liangde laughed heartily, stroking his beard.
"When you’re new to a place, there’s always a honeymoon period where everyone works together. But look again in a few decades. By then, I reckon they’ll be at each other’s throats in this hall. They might even come to blows right then and there."
"Surely not? From what I’ve seen, all the senior brothers are quite reasonable. Besides, with the Music Master present, who would dare to act so presumptuously?"
A knowing smile played on Zhao Liangde’s lips. He offered a word of advice.
"The Music Master is still willing to sit here and listen to our discussions for now. But in a few more years, he’ll grow tired of it. When he no longer presides over these meetings, none of the brothers will be willing to yield to another. It will all come down to who is stronger."
Hearing the somewhat bleak tone in Zhao Liangde’s words, Fang Qingyuan was momentarily at a loss for a reply. Zhao Liangde’s comment made him realize that Lechuan indeed spoke far less than when Fang Qingyuan had first arrived at Celestial Gate Mountain.
During today’s meeting, Lechuan hadn’t offered a single opinion, leaving everything up to his disciples to discuss. The optimistic view was that he was delegating authority. The pessimistic view was that he had grown weary of these endless, trivial affairs.
At this thought, a chill ran through Fang Qingyuan. ’Am I not the same when it comes to Yuanling Mountain? I’ve left the affairs of Yuanling Square Marketplace to the She Family and the matters on the mountain to Zhang Yuan. Come to think of it, I haven’t really managed Yuanling Mountain myself in several years.’
This thought strengthened Fang Qingyuan’s desire to return home. He took his leave of Zhao Liangde and headed directly for Lechuan Mansion. If he was to return to Yuanling Mountain, he naturally had to inform his master.
Upon arriving at Lechuan Mansion, Fang Qingyuan was led by servants directly to a mountain in the rear garden without being announced. Lechuan was there, sitting on a large rock, holding a long rod as if he were fishing.
Fang Qingyuan looked around. Before him was only a vast expanse of clouds and mist—no water, no pond. ’Is Master trying to fish for birds or beasts?’ he wondered.
Seeing Fang Qingyuan’s arrival, Lechuan didn’t so much as glance at him. He simply said, "Sit," and then paid him no further mind.
After a moment, Fang Qingyuan couldn’t help but ask, looking at the long rod in Lechuan’s hand.
"Master, what are you fishing for?"
Lechuan casually raised the rod and flicked it upward. A ball of pure qi adhered to its tip. Then, Fang Qingyuan saw a distorted shadow moving within the illusory figure behind Lechuan. The shadow flowed forward and enveloped the ball of pure qi. A few moments later, the illusory figure dissipated, and the ball of pure qi was gone as well.
"I am fishing for qi."
"Fishing for qi?"
Fang Qingyuan repeated Lechuan’s answer, looking quizzically at the sea of clouds before turning back to his master.
"There are thousands of types of people in the world, and just as many types of qi. A dispirited person exudes a qi of despair; a triumphant person, a qi of joy. A person near death has a qi of death, while a newborn child has a qi of vitality. These forms of qi are all different, yet they share a common characteristic. Qingyuan, do you know what that is?"
Hearing Lechuan’s question, Fang Qingyuan understood that he was being tested. ’But I just came to announce my departure! Situ Jingyu and Jinbao are still waiting for me.’
However, Lechuan must have had a profound reason for doing this. After thinking for a few moments, Fang Qingyuan ventured an answer.
"These forms of qi are all generated by the human body. I believe their foundation, therefore, also stems from humanity. Though the types of qi and the people who produce them differ, they all share a single core."
Hearing Fang Qingyuan’s reply, Lechuan burst into laughter. He set down his long rod and said to Fang Qingyuan:
"Excellent! You have a rare gift for comprehension. Truly rare. Back in the day, old Liangde mulled it over for half a day and still couldn’t grasp it. Since you understand, I, your master, will impart to you your first cultivation technique: the *Profound Insight Qi Eating Technique*!"