After finally getting the rabble to shut their mouths, Fang Qianyuan summoned them and began questioning them one by one.
What interested Fang Qianyuan was, of course, neither banknotes nor treasure, nor even the Blessed Land Spirit Mine under the Pine Mountain King's direct control.
Before coming here, he had learned that the Pine Mountain King controlled a lesser spirit mine with an annual yield of one hundred thousand, which he used to recruit cultivators, build up his power, and contend with the surrounding cultivation lineages.
The righteous path already had rules for disposing of such assets. The alliance and the sect would each receive a certain share of the proceeds, while his own portion would amount to a few thousand.
The Pine Mountain King's personal wealth could also be confiscated, but there was no hurry.
What Fang Qianyuan truly wanted was the secret of the flying mounts the Pine Mountain King might possess.
"Flying mounts? Yes, yes! There are indeed several places in our Pine Mountain Kingdom that produce flying mounts called Splitfeather Rocs!"
A little under an hour later, Fang Qianyuan sat sideways on the throne in the Royal Palace, with Lin Xiong and Lin Bao attending him on either side. The Pine Mountain Kingdom's National Preceptor, Chancellor, and the others stood cautiously below, answering his questions.
When they heard Fang Qianyuan mention flying mounts, both the National Preceptor and the Chancellor froze for a moment before hastily responding.
"Splitfeather Roc? What kind of spirit creature is that? Why haven't I heard of it?" Fang Qianyuan asked.
Although he asked, he was not particularly puzzled. The varieties of spirit creatures were as vast as a fathomless sea, encompassing practically every living being under heaven, and their classifications and species were extraordinarily complex.
For all that spirit tamers were