Standing amidst the crowd, Zhan Zhiâer gazed up at the young, high-spirited cultivator, her thoughts in turmoil. The man who had guided her into the sect and saved her from the Wei Familyâs battle arrays all those years ago was now her Martial Uncle.
She still remembered it with vivid clarity: the loneliness and helplessness she had felt as a child leaving the Zhan Family, as if she had been abandoned by the entire world with no path forward.
Consequently, she had firmly committed Fang Qingyuanâs every word and action to memory. He was the first stranger, the first cultivator, to ever show her kindness.
He was also the only person who had helped her sincerely, asking for nothing in return.
A straw to a drowning person, a glimmer of light in the darknessâit was more than enough to make him unforgettable to Zhan Zhiâer.
Watching her two Foundation Establishment superiors, who were usually so arrogant and domineering, now bowing and scraping before this man, Zhan Zhiâer felt a sense of vindication mixed with a touch of confusion.
âThis Martial Uncle is going to replace Elder Zhao as the new Elder, but only for twenty years. Back then, he was just a Mid-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator. How did he become the Elder of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak?â
Over the past twenty years, Zhan Zhiâer had often thought of finding Fang Qingyuan to thank him for his past kindness, but whenever she resolved to go, her heart would fill with hesitation.
âWhat would I even go see him for? Heâs probably forgotten all about me. Bringing me here was just part of a sect mission; thereâs no real connection between us.â
But seeing Fang Qingyuan now, her heart stirred once more. âMaybe he still remembers me... Uncle Fang!â
.....
Fang Qingyuan, of course, remembered the little girl from back then. The Wei Family had been going to war and had rounded up their vassals, the entire Zhan Family. If he hadnât arrived in time, Zhan Zhiâer would have likely been taken away as well.
Even if Zhan Zhiâer wasnât forced to fight on the front lines, her fate would have been far worse than joining the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. She might have been promised to a powerful family as a reward for some meritorious cultivator.
Given the Wei Familyâs lack of principles, that was a highly probable outcome.
After doing that one good deed, Fang Qingyuan had shed his "nice guy" mentality, gradually evolving into the pragmatic, profit-driven cultivator typical of the Southern Border and White Mountain. In a way, Zhan Zhiâer marked the turning point in his mindset.
Even so, Fang Qingyuan merely swept his gaze over Zhan Zhiâer, pretended not to see her, and moved on. He then addressed the many cultivators in the courtyard:
"By order of my esteemed Master, Senior Brother Liangde is currently indisposed. I will be temporarily assuming the duties of the Elder of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak. Iâve only just arrived and am unfamiliar with your procedures, so for now, simply continue doing your work as you have been."
After saying this, Fang Qingyuan didnât make the junior Qi Cultivation cultivators wait any longer. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed them and led his two Foundation Establishment deputies to Zhao Liangdeâs former office.
Zhao Liangdeâs office was naturally well-appointed. Fang Qingyuan didnât touch anything, however. He simply invited the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators to sit, instructed the mortal Servants outside to bring tea, and then began his "heart-to-heart talk."
These two Foundation Establishment Cultivators were Zhao Liangdeâs deputies, his trusted confidants, and were very loyal to him.
Fang Qingyuan showed them sufficient respect. After offering them tea, he said:
"Senior Brothers, I, your junior brother, am only temporarily filling this Elder position. Once Senior Brother Liangde has recovered, I will return the post to him. In the meantime, I hope you two will cooperate with me fully. Letâs work together to keep things running smoothly, lest our esteemed Master find reason to reprimand us."
Faced with Fang Qingyuanâs friendly gesture, the two senior brothers didnât dare take his words at face value. They still didnât know the full extent of Zhao Liangdeâs situation, and as the saying goes, a distant magistrate is no match for the official on the spot. If Fang Qingyuan were to report them to Lechuan, they would surely suffer the consequences.
They were well aware that their own records were far from clean. In the past, Zhao Liangde had protected them and Lechuan hadnât pried. But now, with a new superior, their greatest fear was him digging up their old accounts.
Thus, the two senior brothers repeatedly assured Fang Qingyuan of their absolute and complete cooperation. It seemed as though they were ready to go through fire and water if he but gave the word.
Lechuan had a total of six disciples; Fang Qingyuan was the seventh. Although the two men before him were Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they came from minor familiesâthe "humble class" of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect.
His First Senior Brother, Zhao Liangde, was now severely injured and unable to manage affairs. His Third Senior Brother was Qu Jianyan, the Elder of the Merit Peak, and his Fourth Senior Brother was Ling Ziqing, the Elder of the Precepts Peak.
As for his Second Senior Brother, he remained at the Beast Taming General Mountain, managing the assets Lechuan had left behind, guarding their foundation, and maintaining relationships with the other Beast Taming Clans.
Even though Lechuan himself had left, his connections at the General Mountain had to be maintained. Otherwise, with no one representing him there, Lechuan would truly become nothing more than a local of the Southern Border over time.
Lechuan also had a female disciple, Fang Qingyuanâs Fifth Senior Sister. However, she had married and now lived with her husbandâs family. She didnât normally reside in the Southern Border, only returning once a year for Lechuanâs birthday celebration.
Fang Qingyuan did not know the whereabouts of his Sixth Senior Brother. His other senior brothers never spoke of him, treating the topic as a taboo.
However, Fang Qingyuan had heard some rumors. This Sixth Senior Brother was supposedly a martial fanatic who, in his pursuit of power, lost his way and ended up practicing demonic arts. Consequently, Lechuan expelled him from the sect, leaving him to fend for himself.
Among all the senior brothers, this sixth one had best met Lechuanâs expectations. He had the highest aptitude and Lechuan had placed great hopes in him. Tragically, he fell to the demonic path, which truly broke Lechuanâs heart.
That was why Lechuan hadnât taken another disciple for a full fifty years, only making an exception for Fang Qingyuan after he awakened his innate destiny.
Within the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, the most prominent figures were Lechuanâs disciples, followed by the other Cultivator Clans that had come with him from the General Mountain.
Among these clans, the top tier was occupied by Lechuanâs own kin, the Le Family. Relying on their relationship with Lechuan, they acted tyrannically within the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, looking down on all other families.
Fortunately, Lechuan was aware of his relativesâ arrogance and kept a close eye on them. However, given Lechuanâs esteemed status, other families didnât dare disturb him when bullying occurred, so they had no choice but to swallow their grievances.
Those who were unwilling to submit and tried to file complaints were blocked by Zhao Liangde. As a result, the Le Clan Members became even more conceited, turning into the undisputed tyrants of the Southern Border.
Besides the Le Family, there were also Zhao Liangdeâs Zhao Family, Qu Jianyanâs Qu Family, and Ling Ziqingâs Ling Family.
These four were collectively known as the Four Great Clans of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. Just hearing this title was enough to guess their reputation.
Originally, the Shen Family of Shen Wulei was also among them. But ever since that veteran Foundation Establishment Cultivator met a tragic end at the jaws of a demonic beast, the Shen Family had fallen from its top position. Now, supported only by the newly advanced Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Shen Wenyan, it was clearly in decline.
Further down the hierarchy were the local Foundation Establishment Clans of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect. Seven or eight of these Foundation Establishment Clans formed the middle tier of the Southern Borderâs families. Together with the Four Great Clans above them, they exploited the smaller Qi Cultivation cultivator families and sects both inside and outside of Celestial Gate Mountain.
As for the She Family, although they possessed Foundation Establishment Battle Power, they were at the bottom, among the exploited. If the She Family Patriarch, She Xi Yu, hadnât decisively thrown his lot in with Fang Qingyuan, his family would have had to bleed a significant amount every year to feed these parasitic clans.
Fang Qingyuan was somewhat aware of this situation. Because of the Yuanling Square Marketplace, he had given benefits to Lechuan and Zhao Liangde and had received their protection in return. Therefore, although these families desperately wanted to bleed Yuanling Mountain dry, they were forcefully suppressed.
When Fang Qingyuan first learned of these internal dynamics, he had mocked himself, thinking, âYuanling Mountain has become a model protected zone. It seems Lechuan and Zhao Liangde also know not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.â
Seeing the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators before him pledging their loyalty, Fang Qingyuan smiled faintly.
"I know what kind of person Senior Brother Liangde is. Out of respect for him, letâs not bring up the past. Let bygones be bygones. After all, I wouldnât want to hear any news about a warehouse fire.
"But from now on, you will follow my rules. If I catch you giving me reason, then you two Senior Brothers will be the ones to help me light my first fire."
After saying this, Fang Qingyuan ignored the expressions on their faces and continued directly:
"Enough with the pleasantries. Now, Senior Brothers, tell me about the sectâs tax revenue and expenditures so I can get a clear picture. Of course, if the numbers are too ugly, I wonât be inclined to show any leniency."
Cut off by Fang Qingyuanâs barrage, the two Foundation Establishment Cultivatorsâ expressions turned sour. That Fang Qingyuan would want to audit the accounts right away was within their expectations, but pressured by his earlier words, they still felt a sense of unease.
âThe ledgers are definitely fake,â Fang Qingyuan knew without even thinking. But he didnât care. He just wanted a reasonable figure. Any shortfall would have to be replaced, coming from wherever it had been embezzled.
Fang Qingyuan understood one thing clearly: financial authority must be held firmly in his own hands. Without it, the title of Elder would be empty, and no one would take him seriously.
Therefore, Fang Qingyuan needed to see just how much was left in the sectâs coffers. Only then could he plan his next move.
However, before the two men could even speak, Fang Qingyuanâs brow furrowed. A commotion erupted from the doorway, and then a woman strode in. She stared coldly at Fang Qingyuan and said:
"Junior Brother Fang, is this how you handle matters?"