Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 462 Jiang Qing Returns to the Mountain
The great battle between Zhaixing Tower and Yunjiao Prefecture, which had been a constant worry for Sect Leader Kang, had yet to begin. Instead, preparations were underway to clean up the bad soil near the third-tier spiritual vein occupied by Fei Tianqin.

Fortunately, this time the Chongming Alliance has been granted the task of transporting supplies by Fei Nan, so there is no need to fight any fierce battles.

After all, the banner of the Great Master Kang has been raised, and among the troops available to the State Court Sima Mansion, apart from the Yingshan Army, the Qingjue Guard is the most serious and orderly, and it has the appearance of being the best among all the Taoist armies. There is no fear that anyone will be dissatisfied or resentful.

However, all the families under the Chongming Alliance, along with the Chizhang Guard and the local militia of Ping and Jin counties, naturally had to show their faces on the front lines.

However, there's no need to worry. Kang Dabao's status in the state court is now vastly different from what it used to be; it's just a formality. As for those tough battles, those with grudges against the Chongming Sect, such as the Shujian Sect and the Tie family, should be sent to the front lines.

When Kang Dabao came out of the main hall of Fei's residence, Kang Changyi had already returned from the residence of the acting military commander.

After asking around, I learned that Kang Changyi had been assigned to the position of Military Advisor, which was only a minor official rank and not considered a high-ranking position. However, he was registered in the Imperial Guard, which was not only much more prestigious than other positions, but also offered him much better treatment.

Taking spirit stones as an example, one can earn 800 spirit stones a year, plus 300 spirit stones each for pills and military service allowance.

Afterwards, there will be 100 shi of spirit rice, 10 bolts of spirit silk, and 10 mu of official land, all of which are of the highest grade.

Furthermore, every sixty years, one seal, armor, spear, axe, shield, bow, knife, and club are issued, along with two leather ropes for imprisoning enemies, all of which are pseudo-spiritual artifacts; two sets each of military-style robes, long trousers, trousers, boots, wrist guards, and ceremonial crowns, all of which are top-grade magical artifacts.

These items can be claimed and can also be considered as good deeds, allowing for the selection of suitable items from the Sima Mansion's treasury.

If standard equipment becomes damaged in the future, it can be retrieved from the vault for replacement, without the need for the individual to pay for repairs. However, for items chosen by the individual, they will be responsible for their own expenses thereafter.

In addition, based on Kang Changyi's rank, he can enter the Sima Mansion's Scripture Pavilion once every ten years, request a fake elixir to preach once per cycle, and exchange good deeds for a breakthrough pill every half cycle of sixty years.

As for Core Formation spiritual items, if they become available in the Sima family's treasury in the future, they can be obtained cheaply through good deeds, although there will likely be a waiting list.

In addition, there were year-end rewards from Sima, grand feasts for the emperor's birthday, New Year's Day, and other festivals, as well as subsidies for marriage and childbirth.
When the head of the Kang clan heard his eldest son relay what the fake Sima had said, he felt that it was only natural that the founding emperor was able to lead the imperial guards to sweep across the land and drive back Lishan.

If the current David Imperial Guards could still receive their full pay and salary as they did back then, even if the imperial clan were still in such a decline, with few true masters to uphold the family name, then a powerful sect like the Blood Sword Sect of the Two Rivers Road wouldn't need to wait until Kuang Liuting achieved a high-grade Golden Core before they would have the confidence to launch an attack to destroy it.

Logically speaking, the amounts of these weapons and supplies were all established during the reign of Emperor Taizu, so it is not surprising.

However, the Great Wei Dynasty had been in dire straits for a long time. In places like Shannan Road, even the annual salaries of the officials at the provincial, prefectural, and county levels were hard to pay. How could they dare to dream of so much?
Leaving aside how ridiculous the county magistrate of Pingrong County at the second level of Qi Refining was, even when it was the turn of Master Kang to take charge of the affairs of Ping and Jin counties, the latter only received two bolts of emerald brocade and had to find a spirit tailor and make his own official robe with spirit stones.

While it cannot be ruled out that Kang Changyi was able to be so well-matched because of the favor of his maternal grandfather, Fei Nanying.

But this also shows that Yunjiao Prefecture has indeed become much wealthier in recent years, otherwise the armory should be as clean as it was when Kang Dabao first inspected it as a county magistrate.

It is also evident that although Kang Changyi, who has lived in Xuanwei City for a long time, is the eldest son of a concubine and his bloodline has nothing to do with the Fei family, most of the clansmen have a good impression of him since Fei Nanying. Therefore, as long as it does not affect their own children, they are happy to cultivate Kang Changxi a little.

When Kang Dabao came out from Fei Nanying, he remembered that Fei Shuhe had mentioned to him that he wanted to find a virtuous lady in the Fei family to be a good match for his eldest son. In the past, he thought that the Fei family would probably no longer respect him and his son. Now it seems that this matter is not impossible.

As for the eldest son, Kang Changxi, Fei Shuhe was still thinking about pestering Han Ningyue, dreaming of choosing a bride from the Yu Kun Han family.

The head of the Kang family was not optimistic about this. In the current climate, it was considered a step down for a daughter of a prestigious family to marry a son of a wealthy family. How much influence would Han Ningyue need to help Fei Shuhe make this happen?
Besides, I often heard people say in my past life, "You have to be strong yourself to forge iron." Kang Dabao may have benefited from his wife's family, but if his performance over the years hadn't been quite outstanding, why would the Fei family have been willing to cultivate him like this?

Who knows when, once the situation has stabilized somewhat, he will be "killed unexpectedly" so that Fei Shuhe's husband can have his position made available.

Instead of relying on the Han family to cultivate a child like Fei Shuhe, it would be better to properly instruct the child and expect him to live up to expectations.

As long as one can be as outstanding as Shen Lingfeng back then, achieving the mid-grade Golden Core in less than sixty years of cultivation, not to mention prestigious families, even the late emperor and the current emperor would vie to take him as a son-in-law, and he would even be allowed to be picky.

The father and son hadn't seen each other for some time, and both were busy. Headmaster Kang could only offer a few brief words of instruction to his eldest son:

“Serve Lady Qi carefully, and be extremely respectful to your master’s father-in-law. His word to Lady Qi is probably more effective than the words of the Marquis of Nan’an and the Emperor. As long as you serve him well, you won’t have to worry about losing your position as his disciple.”

"I understand, son." Kang Changyi, who rarely spent time alone with Kang Dabao since childhood, felt a little uncomfortable upon hearing the former's earnest instructions. In haste, he could only give a simple reply.

“Do not do anything that is too ostentatious. You are different from your father. At that time, I had no one to rely on but my wretched life to make a living. Now you must know how to keep a low profile, cultivate yourself in peace, and let your father and mother take care of everything. There is no need to worry. However,”

The sect leader paused here, glancing at a wisp of lingering perfume he'd plucked from Kang Changyi's lapel. The latter, his face flushed with anxiety, was about to explain when he heard his father speak calmly:
"But don't indulge in tenderness for too long. Yi'er, you have outstanding talent. Even the Golden Core stage is not something you can't aspire to. Your future prospects will surely leave your father far behind. Don't be too attached to these beautiful women and fleeting illusions, lest you lose your mind and regret it for the rest of your life."

Kang Changyi's expression turned solemn, and he immediately bowed deeply, his voice even trembling with a hint of humility: "Father."

“Those who cultivate themselves should not be so easily misled by others as they are now. They should be mindful of this when they return home. Cultivation is of utmost importance, but if they have any free time, they should not forget to go home and visit their parents and siblings.”

At this point, Kang Dabao handed over two fist-sized gray cloth bags and whispered, "You have lived up to your potential and have already become a direct disciple of the Golden Elixir. Even if I were to teach you the Dharma, I would be afraid that I would not be able to explain it clearly."

"I'll give you some provisions to keep you safe. They're all respectable items; use them as you see fit, don't worry. This spirit insect bag contains lion-like insects. I've divided the lion-like insects I have into three portions. You and Xi'er will each get one, and I'll keep one for myself. In times of crisis, they should be able to protect you."

"Father."

"Let's go. There's a food box inside. One layer contains braised pork knuckle made by Shilun, and the other layer contains vegetarian soup prepared by your mother. Don't forget to eat."

"Father."

—Gyeonggi Province, Yeongju

"Are you leaving already?" Fernandes asked in a bad tone, her eyes flashing with anger.

Standing to his left was a handsome young man dressed in black. Despite the anger of the superior cultivator before him, the young man remained composed and dignified, earning him respect.
"I will forever remember Elder Zong's teachings and guidance!" Jiang Qing clasped his hands and bowed deeply. Fei Nanxi did not try to persuade him to stay, but let out a soft sigh: "My cousin's son-in-law is really something. He has a Core Formation Spiritual Object, a Magic Treasure, and a beautiful woman, but he still couldn't keep you. I hope you won't regret it in the future."

Jiang Qing thanked her again, after all, Fernanxi had indeed taught him diligently and without holding anything back over the years.

Logically, this elder of the Fei family only needed to follow Fei Tianqin's instructions in his letter and use the Azure Spirit Root to nurture Jiang Qing so that his right arm would grow back, and that would be considered a success. He didn't need to put in any more effort.

But perhaps out of a fondness for talent, Fernandes has treated Jiang Qing with the same leniency as his own nephew over the years. Not to mention the resources and education, he has even opened the library of the Shuishui Hall to Jiang Qing, allowing him free access, just like a direct descendant.

Not to mention the outsiders who were also staying at the Fei family's residence and were envious, even the collateral branches and illegitimate lineages of the Fei family under the Qiongshui Hall couldn't help but feel a little envious.

Jiang Qing lived up to expectations. In the past, the sect leader Kang thought that his junior brother was only a talent of a prefecture, and that he would be happy if he could achieve the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, after receiving instruction from a renowned master in just a few short years, Jiang Qing has indeed made great progress in his cultivation. He even obtained half of the Sharp Sword Technique from the Fei family treasury through Fei Nanxi's merits. It is obvious to others that ordinary talents from prefectures and counties could not possibly receive such treatment.

Not to mention, Fernandes also wanted to take Jiang Qing as her son-in-law and keep him in Yingzhou to cultivate him properly.

How much Fernandes favored Jiang Qing was evident from the fleeting anger in his eyes; when he spoke again, his tone was full of concern.
"Go then. I don't know which quack craftsman cobbled together your spirit sword. I couldn't stand it, so I found a craftsman from the Chen Gong School to reforge one for you. It will take three to five years before you can get it. When that time comes, I'll find a flying boat from the Wanbao Trading Company to take you to Yunjiao Prefecture."

"I have done nothing of merit and am unworthy of such praise!"

"Heh, kid, if you want to speak ill of me, you'd better become a Golden Core cultivator first!" Fei Nanxi chuckled. After all, he was a superior cultivator who had formed a genuine Golden Core, so he wouldn't be saddened by the separation for too long.

He sat on the jade throne, calculated with his fingers, and then said in a low voice, "Dou Tong has given gifts to almost all the nobles and officials in Taiyuan. His rank as a third-class manager of Wanbao Trading Company should have been promoted. He should be heading from Taiyuan to Yunjiao Prefecture in two days."

I wrote to him some time ago to tell him that you should go back with him on this trip. It will save you a lot of trouble and you can see your senior brother sooner.

If the Grand Master Kang and Jiang Qing were in each other's shoes, the former would certainly be grateful, but he would also secretly try to learn from this cunning old fox who had lived for hundreds of years how to win people's hearts.

But the latter was different; not only was he deeply grateful, but he also felt ashamed and filled with remorse.

Seeing this, Fernand's smile deepened, not only because Jiang Qing had thoroughly remembered his kindness from then on, but also because he genuinely admired the latter's deep affection and sincerity.

The conversation between the old man and the young man ended there, and Jiang Qing bowed to take his leave. Fei Nanxi was about to wave him out of the hall when a talisman was recognized by the gate's protective seal and allowed in. Fei Nanxi's eyes lit up. He gently extended two fingers to grasp the talisman, slowly unfolded it, and carefully read it. When he looked up at Jiang Qing again, his tone held a hint of surprise:
"When Ancestor Ye Tai heard that you were going to make the trip, he summoned you to see him."

"Ancestor Ye Sui?!" Jiang Qing looked surprised, and he didn't know how someone as insignificant as him could have made Ancestor Ye Sui, who was rumored to be busy with state affairs, take the time to meet him.

Fernandes didn't explain much to him, and with Jiang Qing riding a cloud of pure energy, they left the hall.

Yingzhou had been managed by the Fei family for a thousand years, making it a prosperous place. After staying there for several years, Jiang Qing was no longer surprised by the bustling scene under the clouds. The two crossed countless spiritual fields and medicinal gardens, and passed through mines and workshops before finally arriving at Fei Yeling's place of cultivation, the Baodan Platform.

Figures like Guan Yu Shangxiu have secluded caves in the Great Void for cultivation, and Fei Yeyi, a key minister and head of a powerful family in the Great Wei Dynasty, is even more so.

However, Jiang Qing discovered that compared to the Guanshan Cave built on Guanyu Mountain, the Baodan Terrace was much smaller, perhaps less than a hundred times the size of the former.

Correspondingly, the spiritual energy here is so abundant that even with Jiang Qing's meager cultivation level, it's difficult for him to articulate.

It can be seen from this that these superior practices, though different, have different wondrous uses.

"If only our Chongming Sect had such a sacred place, then Senior Brother would have much less trouble," Jiang Qing thought to himself. Just then, he heard Fei Nanxi in front of him say, "We've arrived. The Ancestor is just ahead."

Jiang Qing straightened his clothes and composed himself, then looked ahead.

On the jade platform hung seven bronze crane lamps, their verdigris flowing down the lamp frames in the shape of vines, and the candlelight condensed into a few drops of tears in the pale white mist.

Second-tier spiritual items like jade marrow are quite popular in the outside world because of their ability to clear meridians and remove toxins. They are highly sought-after items among Foundation Establishment cultivators, and a piece the size of a fist can often sell for over a thousand spirit stones.

Here, it is treated as an ordinary refining material, only able to be melted into the Bagua array pattern, leaving behind dark red rust marks, with no discernible effect.

An elderly man in a tall hat sat cross-legged on an ice jade platform, made of third-grade Xuanbing jade, gleaming with the color of millennia-old frost. The silver threads hanging from the hem of the Duke's python robe fluttered gently in the lively breeze of the pavilion, adding a touch of vitality to this venerable old cultivator.

The surrounding stone walls stretch for miles, with hundreds of yellow oracle bone inscriptions embedded in the middle, all of which glow and fade as the old man on the jade platform exhales and exhales his cinnabar breath.

With each breath the old man took, azure and gold light flowed across the faintly cracked divination inscription, making it appear even more mystical.

Unlike Jiang Qing, who was only impressed upon arrival, Fei Nanxi, as an elder, understood much more upon seeing this scene. As he approached the jade platform, he suppressed the worry in his eyes and respectfully bowed, saying, "Ancestor, Nanxi has brought Jiang Qing to see you."

The old man opened his eyes the moment he heard the sound, and the sharp light was blinding. Jiang Qing only glanced at it before his head throbbed with pain, and he almost vomited.

Even so, he showed no sign of distress and forced himself to step forward and bow deeply, saying, "Chongming Jiang Qing greets senior."

Just as Fei Yeli opened his eyes, the spiritual mist that had previously surrounded the Baodan Platform flew past the divination inscriptions on the stone wall with a blue and gold light, leaving only pieces of ancient tortoise shells gleaming with glaze.

Jiang Qing received no response, so he looked up and saw that although the old man on the stage gave people a sense of profound and imposing presence, his face was very kind and friendly.

Fei Yewen said in a gentle voice, "So you are Jiang Qing who has mastered the sword essence? You have a heart of music and a courage of sword, indeed."

Upon hearing Fei Yeling speak, Fei Nancy was overjoyed for Jiang Qing. It should be noted that although Fei Yeling had not yet reached the Nascent Soul stage, he had been fortunate enough to ingest an inch of Dragon Heart Grass from the outer sea in his early years, which perfectly suited his Nine-Breath Longevity Body.

Therefore, this old cultivator's lifespan far exceeds the constraints of ordinary Golden Core cultivators, having lived for over seven hundred years and still not withered. Moreover, to receive praise from someone as noble as the Duke of Shan and a Pillar of State, even ordinary Golden Core cultivators would consider themselves proud, which shows that his impression of Jiang Qing is not bad.

"It's just a minor repair, I dare not praise you as a senior." Jiang Qing's respectful expression deepened, but Fei Yeyi waved his hand and said, "Even the founding emperor started from a minor repair and became the Supreme Emperor. You are in the prime of your youth, what is there to be afraid of?"

"Yes!"

"Hehe," Fei Yeyi's face became even more kind. "It is fate that we met today. I can't let you go empty-handed. There is a Void Sword Orchid ten miles outside my platform. It was given to me by Fellow Daoist Yiqiu of the Blood Sword Sect. It is about six hundred years old. Take it back and nurture your sword body. It will be very useful."

"This junior thanks you for your generous gift, senior!"

Following the advice given to him by the former sect leader Kang, Jiang Qing always kept in mind the principle of "accepting pleasant words and taking good things." Therefore, although he did not know what Kong Jianlan was or why Fei Yeyi wanted to give it to him, he accepted it immediately.

Fei Yeqing laughed for a while, then made a hand seal, and a spiritual root lying on the ground transformed into a humanoid grass puppet about ten feet tall, covered in vine armor.

The old cultivator didn't say anything, but simply flicked his finger, and the grass puppet understood, stepping forward to stand in front of Jiang Qing.

“Young man, you can go with Cao Shisan to get it. Afterwards, it will lead you out of the mansion and back to where you were. Nancy and I still have things to talk about.”

"Yes, thank you, senior!!"

After Jiang Qing stood up, he bowed deeply to Fei Nanxi before turning and walking away. Only after his shadow disappeared did the latter murmur, "The situation in Yunjiao Prefecture is turbulent; one must be careful!"

"Don't worry, what's wrong with it? How can a golden carp become a dragon if it doesn't encounter favorable winds and clouds?!" Fei Yeyi chuckled, while Fei Nanxi suddenly sighed: "I thought the ancestor wanted to keep this child for me, but I didn't expect it was just a gift."

Even knowing that his ancestor was always generous and had nurtured countless talented young people, Fernandes' words still betrayed his disappointment. Fei Ye smiled but did not answer, while Fernandes sighed and said:
"However, Ancestor, you have really gone to great lengths this time. The Sky Sword Orchid that Master Yiqiu gave you is quite old. Even Elder Dongwen asked you for it, but you didn't give it to him. Yet today you have."

Fei Yeyi laughed again, truly as benevolent as a living Maitreya Buddha: "Kong Jianlan does not conform to Dongwen Dan Lun. Even if it is slightly beneficial after being refined, it will definitely be difficult to form a Nascent Soul again. He knows this himself, but he is obsessed with it and therefore cannot see through it."

"Then why did the Ancestor summon Jiang Qing today?" Fernanxi asked suspiciously.

"His senior brother had the audacity to refuse to see me back then, and now this junior brother has the audacity to disobey you and refuse to stay in Yingzhou. It's quite amusing. I can't stand the former, so I must see the latter to see if there's something wrong with our Fei family that makes us unsuitable for hiring people."

Fei Ye-yi's words were clearly a joke, and Fei Nan-xi laughed a few times as well. However, after a few breaths, the former's laughter stopped abruptly: "Send a message to tell my brother and Nan-ying to be careful in Shan-nan and not to act rashly."

After the Marquis of Nan'an entered Lanmeng Palace, he sent letters to Xuanqiong Palace every ten days for the past few years, but there has been no news for almost a year. Even Master Yueyin has disappeared without a trace. Something is not right.

"What does the Ancestor mean? That person in the outer sea?!" Fernanxi's pupils widened instantly, and after her exclamation, she hesitated to speak.

“That man is capricious; who can keep track of him? It’s not surprising that he’ll do anything,” Fei Yeyi sighed softly, then added, “However, His Majesty is not entirely unprepared for this. Rest assured, the survival of the David Dynasty will not be entirely entrusted to a junior who has not yet come of age.”

"Yes, I understand." After Fei Nanxi replied solemnly, Fei Yeyi continued, "The heads of each branch must be in high spirits, properly manage their family affairs, and cultivate their descendants. In addition to the Yingshan Army continuing its rotation to garrison Liangxi, each branch's private army still needs to go there for tempering. If you want fewer deaths in the future, don't be afraid of more deaths now!"

The relocation of clansmen and cultivators from Yingzhou is still too slow and needs to be accelerated. Once the collateral branches have largely completed their relocation, the direct line needs to take the lead, starting with the Qiushui Hall.

Fei Ye-yi's words were considered golden rules within the clan. Fei Nanxi didn't hesitate at all on such an important matter and immediately agreed respectfully: "Yes, after I go down there, I will inform the heads of each hall in the name of the Ancestor, and tell them not to slack off!"

After Fernanxi responded, she noticed that Fernanxi's brows furrowed with even deeper worry. After pondering for a while, he hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Ancestor? Is there anything else you haven't said?"

The latter frowned and sighed, "I'm still worried about Shannan. I'll probably have to go there myself later."

"This will probably require His Majesty's permission to proceed."

Fei Yezhi was well aware of this matter, so he immediately dismissed the idea. However, he added a word of advice to Fei Nanxi: "Brother and Nanying should be careful. Cultivators like Kang Dabao, who come from humble backgrounds, may be cultivated if appropriate. If they are lucky enough to form a core, although they may not be of great use, they can still be brought to Taiyuan to meet His Majesty. He likes this the most."

"I'll take care of it right away, lad."

After bowing deeply, Fernandes withdrew from the Baodan Platform. The smile on Fei Yeyi's face faded, becoming as dim and lifeless as the divination inscriptions on the stone wall.

"The current emperor still can't see through things. Promoting people from humble backgrounds is just a formality. If he wants to restore the Great Wei dynasty, he must rely on the imperial family, nobles, court officials, powerful clans, and sects. Even someone like Shen Lingfeng, how much influence does he have on the general trend of the world?!"

"Heh, someone like Kang Dabao?" Fei Yeyi chuckled and then fell silent. He closed his eyes and began cultivating. The azure and gold energies reappeared, and the pale white spiritual mist reappeared. Only the spiritual energy flowed continuously on the platform, and there was no sound.

(End of this chapter)