Convincing Old Monster
In Southern Border, Fang Yuan studies a mountain that turns out to be Mount Snail, an immemorial desolate beast, an enormous river snail whose towering, moss-covered shell looks like a mountain when it rests. Its body carries enslavement path and earth path dao marks that spawn resources around it, and it is very difficult for any Gu Immortal, even a rank eight enslavement path one, to control. Southern Border has seven known Mount Snails, and its super forces hold that an unclaimed one belongs to whichever clan’s territory it occupies. Wu clan had, in fact, intentionally expanded its territory in an earlier era to include this one. It is now migrating out of Wu clan’s land toward territory with no righteous path super force, meaning it will turn wild again. Wu Yong, lacking manpower, assigns his younger brother Wu Yi Hai to retain it. ch. 1315
Fang Yuan, as Wu Yi Hai, meets Qin Jin Sheng, called Mountain Moving Old Monster, a lone cultivator over two thousand years old whose battle strength is very high, near the level of Old Treeman Ba De and Wu clan’s Wu Yu Bo. Fang Yuan greets him with the courtesy of the righteous path. Old Monster’s impression of him improves on seeing he carries no airs. Old Monster references rumors that Fang Yuan chased off Xia clan’s Gu Immortals while plundering Frosty Peak; Fang Yuan denies ever having said as much. Old Monster argues lone cultivators like himself must seize every opportunity, unlike righteous path Gu Immortals who are provided for by their clans; Fang Yuan neither agrees nor argues. Fang Yuan knows the words are absolutely not just an attempt at friendliness but a declaration of Old Monster’s resolve to claim the benefit in front of him. ch. 1315
Fang Yuan falls silent, and Old Monster, unable to sit still, hands him an information path mortal Gu whose contents, very valuable, are enough to let him build coiling thread caves outright. Old Monster proposes a trade in which he keeps Mount Snail while the resources go to Fang Yuan personally, an attempt to bribe him. Mount Snail cannot be stored inside an immortal aperture unless completely subdued, an attainment the earth path Old Monster lacks, so claiming it would tie him down as a fixed target Wu clan could pressure indefinitely. Negotiating with Wu clan is his only real option. ch. 1315
Fang Yuan sets three conditions: the resources on the list must at least double, and Mount Snail must remain Wu clan’s in name. Old Monster, though not owner in name, will in truth be the mountain’s owner keeping most of its benefit, on condition he hands Wu clan a yearly portion of what it produces. Old Monster’s expression turns dark, accusing Fang Yuan of playing him, but when Fang Yuan asks leave to pose three questions, Old Monster, barely restraining his anger, allows him to speak. Fang Yuan answers with three points: Wu clan cannot let an unaffiliated lone cultivator hold the mountain outright, Old Monster could not defend sole ownership against other super forces for long, and bribing Fang Yuan alone would not buy Wu clan’s acquiescence. Old Monster falls silent, then objects that this would leave him no more than a guard for Wu clan’s mountain. Fang Yuan answers that the loss is only reputation, and asks whether Old Monster wants face or real benefit. After a long silence, Mountain Moving Old Monster agrees to Fang Yuan’s terms. ch. 1315
