Reigning Supreme in countless worlds With Beast taming-Chapter 378 - 375: If I Can’t Be Your Wife, I’ll Be Your Stepmother

Chapter 378 -375: If I Can’t Be Your Wife, I’ll Be Your Stepmother

Tieling County.

Qin Guanbao staggered slightly with a buzz from the wine, laughingly declined the enthusiastic invitation to stay from the still voluptuous and beautiful young widow Yunniang, and left the Baihua Pavilion.

He had been invited to a banquet that evening, and the person who had invited him clearly also knew his preferences, so they booked an entire brothel, accompanied by the best oiran from the Baihua Pavilion, as a way to cater to his tastes.

Qin Guanbao knew the purpose of those people inviting him was simply to curry favor with the Qin Family. In recent years, he had seen many similar situations and thus handled them with ease.

After he supported his aged waist and left the Baihua Pavilion, humming a tune, he felt quite satisfied within.

Because both Qin Feng and Qin Xi had entered the Inner Sect of the Beast Taming Sect, the entire family had also benefited a great deal.

Especially when the news that Qin Feng had become a true disciple of the Spiritual Snake Lineage spread, the Qin Family’s fortune soared. Even though Qin Feng and Qin Xi didn’t have much time to return to the family to help strengthen its power, all the major and minor powers and families near Tieling County, who did not antagonize the Beast Taming Sect, were intentionally or unintentionally drawing closer to the Qin Family, with many of them directly lowering their stance to please the Qin Family.

Among them, some who acted quickly began to broker marriages with the Qin Family.

In just a few short years, the majority of the Qin Family’s younger generation of cultivators had gotten married, and their spouses were all considerably talented and good-looking female cultivators from various surrounding families, with many being the legitimate daughters of their families.

Even Qin Ying, that old bachelor, caught someone’s eye and married a female cultivator whose talent was slightly inferior but who was beautiful. He now had a son and a daughter, and he seemed more vibrant, not as dusky as when he was on Spiritual Vulture Peak.

Furthermore, many powerful families, such as the Zhao Family from Tieling, the Fan Family from Anshan County, the Gao Family from Siping County, and several other established families, wanted to establish good relationships with the Qin Family because of Qin Feng’s status as a true disciple, but they were somewhat too proud to lower their status. Their main concern, however, was that they looked down on Qin Family cultivators with ordinary talent, thinking they had limited potential and held no high positions in the Qin Family. Thus, they turned their attention to Qin Long.

Especially the Fan Family from Anshan County, who showed the most sincerity, said that as long as Qin Long agreed, they were willing to marry their second daughter of the direct lineage, already at the Foundation Establishment Realm, to the Qin Family.

It wasn’t because they were unwilling to consider Qin Feng or Qin Xi, but Qin Feng was a true disciple of the Sect, and any marriage alliance would require a family from among the Sect’s nine great families to be eligible, something these mid-tier families that could only dominate remote counties could not hope to achieve.

As for Qin Xi, it was equally difficult.

Although these families had members practicing in the Inner Sect, those with strong cultivation were much older than Qin Xi, and those near her age were far less skilled. Additionally, the Creation Lineage had few disciples, and they had their own circles. Whether going out for training or undertaking missions, only disciples of the Creation Lineage knew of Qin Xi’s whereabouts. These families dared not let their disciples intrude into the Creation Lineage’s domain to express their love directly to Qin Xi, for they would surely be turned away.

Because this approach wouldn’t work, those mid-tier families that believed they had some strength all shifted their focus to Qin Long, Qin Feng’s father.

If they couldn’t become the partner of a true disciple, then being the stepmother to one would suffice!

By marrying their daughter to Qin Long, they could claim a connection to a true disciple. If fortune favored them, and more children were born, they would be Qin Feng’s brothers and sisters.

If these brothers and sisters’ maternal grandparents truly encountered trouble, would Qin Feng really ignore them?

Moreover, Qin Long’s own talent was not weak. Ever since the damage to his Divine Soul was fully repaired, plus the resources Qin Feng left for his father, Qin Long’s cultivation had soared. He had reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment two years ago, just waiting for his Physical Body to be refined to mid-stage peak before swallowing a Breaking Barrier Pill to break through the bottleneck and advance to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

These few years Qin Long had indeed accumulated much and made rapid progress. In the eyes of other families, this was all attributed to having a talented son, certainly due to the resources given by Qin Feng that allowed Qin Long to improve so quickly. Therefore, the idea of marrying into the Qin Family grew even stronger.

Unfortunately, Qin Long was entirely distinct from the smooth-talking and promiscuous Old Family Master.

While the Old Family Master could roam freely among the flowers, Qin Long was stubborn and had no intention of finding a stepmother for his son behind his back.

In fact, the person who invited Qin Guanbao to the Baihua Pavilion for drinking and moon gazing today also intended to form a marriage alliance with the Qin Family and sought the Old Family Master to mediate with Qin Long.

But with the Old Family Master’s slick ways, he would only offer help, never committing to an affirmative answer for the other party. After all, he was acutely aware of Qin Feng’s importance to the family, and he wouldn’t carelessly find Qin Feng a stepmother and risk displeasing the young man.

He was already old, not only the family would need Qin Feng’s care in the future, but his descendants would also need Qin Feng’s assistance. The shrewd Old Family Master would never create trouble for himself for the sake of outsiders.

After finishing up and tidying his clothes, he left.

Even though it was the dead of night, he didn’t care at all, preferring to avoid any further entanglement that might await him if his partner trapped him again in the morning.

Qin Guanbao staggered towards the direction of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion.

His relationship with the manager of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion had always been good, and in recent years, because of Qin Feng, the connection between the Qin Family and the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion had become even closer. He could come over to stay at any time, given that there were plenty of guest rooms in the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion—it wouldn’t matter if there was one more person.

Sometime later, another person appeared behind him, following at a relaxed pace about a dozen yards back.

At first, Qin Guanbao didn’t notice. After all, this was the market, and even though the night was deep and quiet with few cultivators passing by, that didn’t mean there were none. It was normal to have others heading in the same direction on such a big street.

However, as he continued to walk, Qin Guanbao’s white eyebrows slowly furrowed.

On the silent street, a deadly aura had emerged from who knows where.

And that deadly aura seemed to be directed at him.

In the blink of an eye, someone appeared around the street corner ahead, approaching in concert with the one behind him in a pincer move.

Qin Guanbao kept his face expressionless, still humming the exotic melody that he had just heard in the Baihua Pavilion. However, the palm concealed within his sleeve was quietly carrying out several gestures.

Just as the two pursuers were about to make their move, drawn by each other’s Qi, Qin Guanbao abruptly looked over the shoulder of the person in front of him, his face showing surprise, “What is Senior Family Head Zhao doing here at such a late hour?”

Upon hearing this, the expression of the person in front changed and his breath became a bit erratic.

Clearly, he knew who Qin Guanbao was referring to as Senior Family Head Zhao.

In Tieling County, the one referred to as the senior family head of the Zhao Family, apart from the former family head who was merely a step away from the Purple Mansion Realm, was no other.

With the cultivation of Senior Family Head Zhao, if he were to make a move against Qin Guanbao at this time, he would easily kill him.

Therefore, the Qi of the person in front, who was about to attack, suddenly became disordered as he instinctively turned to look back.

But the one following behind saw everything clearly – there was obviously no one in front, and certainly no Senior Family Head Zhao.

So, he immediately shouted, “It’s a trick, don’t be fooled!”

As he spoke, his body erupted in sword light, and his sharp Flying Sword, accompanied by fierce Sword Qi, slashed towards Qin Guanbao.

Unfortunately, his warning came a bit late.

At the moment when the person in front turned his head to look back, from the nothingness of the darkness in front of him, a roar erupted. Subsequently, a Shadow Leopard emerged from the shadows and pounced. Its two sharp claws reached out to scratch at the man’s chest and abdomen, while its gaping maw with several-inch-long fangs glinted with a bone-chilling light as it bit towards his head.

Qin Guanbao’s movements were even faster as he leaped forward, planning to join forces with the Shadow Leopard against the man in front, hoping to take him down with one blow – doing so would buy him more time to deal with the enemy behind him.

But as soon as he sensed the incredibly swift and formidable Flying Sword coming from behind him, Qin Guanbao cursed inwardly, not daring to be negligent. He reached into the Spiritual Beast Bag and pulled out an old turtle about a yard in size, throwing it behind him to defend against the sword light coming from that direction.

This was the second spiritual beast he had nurtured to the Foundation Establishment Realm other than his lifebound one. It was a Spirit Turtle, best at defense. Paired with the attacking Shadow Leopard, they complemented each other perfectly.

However, that momentary delay caused his actions to slow down just enough for the man in front to regain his senses.

In the face of danger, the man shouted loudly, his body flashing with sword light. As the Shadow Leopard’s assault reached him, he protected himself with a layer of Sword Qi. Although he was inevitably scratched by the Shadow Leopard, tearing his vestment robe and leaving multiple deep gashes that reached his bones, the lack of Qin Guanbao’s cooperation gave him enough time to defend himself and, ultimately, saved his life.

Qin Guanbao saw that the opponents’ Sword Qi was fierce, and realizing both individuals were Sword Cultivators at the late stage of Foundation Establishment, he knew that having lost the element of surprise, he might not win in a head-to-head battle, let alone when there were two enemies.

With this in mind, he did not approach them but instead, with a flash of his figure, leaped onto the roof of a nearby tavern; simultaneously, his hand flipped as he drew out a dozen Spirit Talismans from his Storage Bag, activating them in succession and hurling them at the two, in an attempt to use the Spirit Talismans to gain some time for his escape.

At the same time, he also intended to cause a commotion with the Spirit Talismans to attract the experts in the market to come and investigate.

After all, there were rules in the market that forbade Cultivators from fighting, and if discovered, severe punishment was certain.

Therefore, Qin Guanbao cunningly picked out a few Heavenly Thunder Talismans that made a great deal of noise; their thunderous roars nearly instantly alerted the majority of the Cultivators in the market.

“Who dares to fight in the market and break its rules? Such audacity!”

Following a shout from the distance, several auras were also rapidly approaching. The two Sword Cultivators made eye contact, then glanced at the dozen more Spirit Talismans in Qin Guanbao’s hand and immediately gave up the idea of pursuing him, turning around and fleeing in another direction.

Soon, several figures rapidly approached from the distance, all of them Golden Core Cultivators.

Indeed, such a large fluctuation from a fighting event in the market could not be ignored by the Golden Core Cultivators stationed there by various powers; some were also worried that the one under attack might belong to their own group, which is why they had all come rushing together.

“Ah, it’s you?”

The Golden Core Cultivator named Qian Jiang, who was stationed at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, also recognized Qin Guanbao.

After Qin Feng became a True Disciple of the sect, Qian Jiang had even personally visited the Qin Family once; as the Manager overseeing the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion’s interests in Tieling County, he had the duty to look after the families of True Disciples.

So when Qian Jiang saw Qin Guanbao, his expression suddenly changed, “What happened, who dares to attack you in the market?”

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“I have seen Elder Qian,”

Qin Guanbao gave Qian Jiang a bow.

As the Manager of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion’s assets in the county, whose status was similar to that of an Outer Elder, Qin Guanbao did not dare to be negligent, “Reporting to the Elder, just now there were indeed two Sword Cultivators who attempted a surprise assault on this old man.”

“Sword Cultivators?”

Elder Qian’s expression turned grim, and he glared at the Lingxiao Tower Elder not far away, saying coldly, “Jiang Han, Elder Jiang, you need to explain this to me!”

“Explain what?”

Jiang Han said coldly, “The world is full of Sword Cultivators, and our Taiyi Mountain is just one among many. Your Beast Taming Sect has offended countless people, are you going to blame Taiyi Mountain every time a minor subjugated family head is assassinated?

If that’s how you operate, should every Cultivator who is killed by a Demon Beast be attributed to your Beast Taming Sect? After all, it’s well-known that your sect breeds Demon Beasts!”

“Hmph!”

Elder Qian angrily said, “If not your Taiyi Mountain, who else could it be?

Last name Jiang, don’t think I’m unaware of your background. Lingxiao Tower was managed well under Old Zhao, and then suddenly you stepped in to take over Lingxiao Tower in Tieling County. In these past few years, you’ve been quite active with your little schemes; do you really think I don’t know what the Jiang Family is up to?

I’m telling you, if nothing happens to the Qin Family, so be it. But should something happen, I will make sure your entire Jiang Family pays with their lives!”

“Heh…”

Jiang Han sneered with disdain, “You think you’re worthy of threatening the Jiang Family? If you’re courageous enough, march up to Taiyi Mountain and destroy my Jiang Family—then talk! If you don’t have the capability, don’t blow hot air.

As for what happened tonight, I have no knowledge of it, so don’t falsely accuse Taiyi Mountain for everything.”

Having said this, he simply turned and left.

Elder Qian did not stop him, for now, he had no evidence to prove that the disciples of Taiyi Mountain were behind tonight’s attack on Qin Guanbao.

After greeting the other Golden Core Elders nearby, he directly took Qin Guanbao back to the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion.

“Did you see the faces of those two Sword Cultivators clearly, did you recognize any of the Sword techniques they used?”

Back at the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion, Qian Jiang asked Qin Guanbao.

“I did not,”

Qin Guanbao shook his head, “Those two concealed their appearances, and although the Flying Swords they used were sharp, they did not reveal any distinctive Sword techniques, so I couldn’t identify them.”

“In that case, there’s nowhere to start an investigation,”

Qian Jiang shook his head with a sigh, “It’s really not certain that Taiyi Mountain is responsible. It might as well be another power trying to provoke a conflict between our two families, hoping to benefit from the chaos.

However, don’t worry too much, I’ll soon report to the sect and request that masters come to investigate and, at the same time, ensure the protection of the Qin Family so that you will not be harmed.”

“That’s good, I appreciate your care, Elder Qian,”

Relieved by Qian Jiang’s words, Qin Guanbao felt much at ease.

“It’s nothing to worry about; as the Manager of the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion in Tieling County, it’s my duty to protect our subordinate families like yours, especially the Qin Family. If something were to happen, I couldn’t shirk the blame,”

Qian Jiang said, “I still need to guard the Ten Thousand Demons Pavilion and cannot leave lightly. Tomorrow, I will send a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators back with you to the family, lest someone still harbors ill intentions and targets you on the way.

Before the people sent by the sect arrive, let them stay with your Qin Family for a while to help guard the family.”

“Ah, I’m grateful for that,”

Listening to the news of a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators helping to protect the Qin Family, Qin Guanbao’s face immediately broke into a wide smile, “With this, I can truly be at ease.

Frankly speaking, ever since that Huang Family kid returned from Taiyi Mountain to Kun City, he has been aggressively targeting the Qin Family, particularly those fellow sect members he brought back with him. They are not weak, and I’ve indeed been worried that they might harbor some malicious intentions.”

“Rest assured, with the protection of the sect, your Qin Family will not be harmed,”

With Qian Jiang’s reassurance, Qin Guanbao soon relaxed and went to rest contentedly.

…

High above the sky, clouds and mist were swirling.

A White Giant Dragon that did not belong to this realm was spreading its wings and flying rapidly ahead.

Qin Feng, anxious to return home, this time did not choose to travel on the sect’s Tower Ship but instead directly controlled the White Dragon to fly.

With the White Dragon’s speed far exceeding that of ordinary Tower Ships and with no need for stopovers at various places, it took just a day and a night to fly from the sect to Tieling County.