Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 509 After Core Formation (Part 3)

Emperor Wei's voice lingered for a long time, but Kang Dabao showed no sign of smugness on his face. Instead, he felt a sense of unease in his heart.

After accompanying Fei Nanxi into the Fei family's treasury, the former followed Fei Yexi's advice and was extremely generous, even taking out several pills that the Fei family had treasured for a long time and which were said to be of some help to those who had reached the Nascent Soul stage.

As Fei Tianqin just said, when it comes to generosity, it is far inferior to Fei Yeshi.

Although it has no blood relation with the Fei family's cultivators, it might not be willing to entrust all these precious spiritual items to a non-family son-in-law like Headmaster Kang for him to freely plunder.

However, Kang Dabao was well aware of the risks and consequences. He knew that once such a spiritual object was taken out and used for his own purposes, regardless of what the two patriarchs of the Fei family would think, the other cultivators would definitely make him the target of their attacks. This was completely contrary to his way of dealing with the world as the Great Master Kang.

Therefore, he only obtained the complete book of the Qingyang Palace's sect-protecting cultivation method, "The Secret Manual of Xuanqing Kurong," from the Fei family's collection. From then on, after reaching the Nascent Soul stage, he never lacked cultivation methods.

This is also a major advantage that high-ranking cultivators have over those rogue Golden Core cultivators.

Having acquired the cultivation method, one still needs resources. The Three Treasures Wonderful Gathering Pill is a superior cultivation pill that cultivators in this world covet. Its origins are only found within the Dragon Tiger Sect, a sacred site of alchemy, and it is rarely seen outside the realm. Even if one does see it, it will bring disaster.

Even if just one bottle were to leak out, it could cause a bloodbath in some remote and desolate areas. Even among the Fei family's collection, only twenty bottles remain, which shows how precious they are.

Kang Da, the sect leader, boldly took the three bottles, and one could see that Fernandin, who was accompanying him, was enduring the pain.

It would be inappropriate to return it at this point. After realizing this, Kang Dabao chose only one mid-grade defensive magic weapon, the River Luo Mystic Armor, whose brilliance had dimmed slightly, and left the glittering Fei family treasury with Fei Nanxi.

This is something that can't be helped. It's true that the will of Ancestor Ye Sui is above all the cultivators of the Fei family in Yingzhou, but as an outsider, one must know when to advance and retreat in order to leave enough room for oneself and avoid falling into a situation where one is resented.

This is also the experience that Headmaster Kang has gained from his humble beginnings to eventually cultivate a genuine Golden Core. As the saying goes, "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature," so regardless of whether this experience is right or wrong, he is still reluctant to give it up for the time being.

What the Fei family obtained was this much, which might only be a few times the amount of a newly promoted cultivator in the Fei family, but it was still enough for an ordinary Golden Core cultivator like Wu Feng to obtain even after a hundred years of hard work.

For Kang Dabao, this is quite a generous sum.

Therefore, Emperor Wei's sudden question took Kang Da Sect Leader somewhat by surprise. Not knowing the emperor's temperament, he dared not speak rashly, so he could only respectfully reply, "Your Majesty's gifts are all an honor, and this humble subject dares not refuse them."

Fei Yeshi raised an eyebrow. What his son-in-law said was indeed very much in line with Emperor Wei's wishes, and it was worth the earnest teachings he and Fei Tianqin had given him beforehand.

As expected, upon hearing what Sect Leader Kang said, Emperor Wei's brows furrowed with even greater delight, but then a hint of displeasure appeared:
"Now that Marquis Wu Ning is a nobleman of the Celestial Dynasty, he should have some boldness and not act so timidly, lest he bring contempt from other families to my David."

"Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered by this humble subject!" Kang Dabao had subconsciously raised himself up, but then suddenly realized what he was doing and lowered his head even further.

Emperor Wei, who had just offered his admonition, did not seem displeased. He merely added a slight rebuke: "Look at you, Marquis Wuning, how stubborn you are!"

“There is indeed something different in the Dulong Palace. After I leave the palace today, I will certainly not lose my dignity as a subject.”

Fei Tianqin's eyes flashed with a strange light. He sighed and said that his Fei Nanying's judgment was indeed not bad. This young man Kang's ability to be an official was even more amazing than his pupil technique.

Geniuses are naturally proud. Even someone as gifted as Shen Lingfeng, who came from humble origins and gained the favor of the current emperor to become a princess and achieve the Nascent Soul stage, was not so submissive when he first met Emperor Wei.

"Ah, if that's the case, then so be it." The hint of reproach on Emperor Wei's face visibly disappeared. He stroked his long beard and continued, "Since Marquis Wuning cannot express it, then all the rewards will be as I wish."

He raised his hand slightly, and Wei, the Grand Eunuch beside him, had already prepared a brand-new bright yellow silk book, waiting for him to put pen to paper.

"Marquis Wuning is particularly skilled in military affairs. The Grand Commandant's Office is hereby ordered to request one third-rank military officer token, one hundred second-rank military officer tokens, and three thousand first-rank military officer tokens to be delivered to Marquis Wuning's Office."

"The Marquis of Wuning has just completed his Golden Core, but his essence has not yet condensed. He will open the Moon Marrow Golden Ointment Pool for one month to help him cultivate diligently. After his realm is stabilized, he can return to his hometown."

"The Marquis of Wuning has suddenly attained the highest level of cultivation, and still needs the protection of the Dao. Therefore, I bestow upon him a copy of the superior-grade 'Shan Shen Ci' (剉神刺) of the Universe Rank, so that he may cultivate diligently."

"The principal wife of Marquis Wuning, Lady Fei, is virtuous, kind, gentle, and gentle. She is granted the title of Lady of Pingrong County and awarded a seven-jeweled gold crown and a seven-patterned pheasant robe. The pheasant robe is specially made with gold-embroidered sun and moon patterns."

"The relevant officials shall discuss the matter concerning the inheritance and protection of Marquis Wuning's sons and so that the matter be presented to me within the month."

As soon as Emperor Wei opened his mouth, he rattled off more than ten generous rewards. Wei, the Grand Eunuch, was perfectly in sync with him. As soon as the former stopped speaking, Wei also put down his pen and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, I have noted them all down."

“Good, then proceed accordingly. Supervisor Lao, please instruct your subordinates well. Marquis Wuning rose from the ranks and is known for his integrity and public service. Do not follow the usual procedures.”

The military tally is considered a vital military and national treasure, something that only meritorious officials and nobles like the Fei family, who are close to the Celestial Dynasty, can obtain. And now it seems that the still unfinished Wu Ning Marquis's Mansion of the Great Master Kang is also one of them.

The Moon Marrow Golden Elixir Pool is generally a top-grade third-tier spiritual land that is only opened by members of the close branch of the imperial clan after they have cultivated to the Golden Core stage. Even members of distant branches of the imperial clan rarely have access to it without the approval of several clan leaders from the Imperial Clan Court.

A month in the pool is enough to save Grand Master Kang from more than ten years of wasted time, allowing him to solidify his dantian body, transform his dantian essence, and become a true golden core cultivator. This is a situation that even Fei Nanying, a fellow mid-grade golden core cultivator and an ordinary genius, has not achieved.

"The Divine Thorn" is also considered an exceptionally outstanding technique of spiritual attack, though it is extremely difficult to master. However, it is very suitable for use by Master Kang, whose spiritual sense far surpasses that of his peers. The fact that Emperor Wei, who is busy with countless affairs of state, could still think of this point shows that his dedication to Kang Dabao is genuine, regardless of whether someone close to him could have reminded him.
As for the subsequent granting of titles and privileges to his wife and children, it was rather ordinary, just like any other matter.

Leaving aside the reaction of Sect Leader Kang, Fei Yeqing and Fei Tianqin did not show much surprise upon hearing the generous reward. After all, when Shen Lingfeng formed his core, the reward he received was much more substantial than that of Sect Leader Kang, thanks to his position as the Silver Whip Prince Consort.

The current emperor is indeed willing to promote those from humble backgrounds, but after so many years of action, apart from cultivating Shen Lingfeng, a Nascent Soul cultivator from another family, the results of his other bets have not been significant.

However, he still enjoyed it immensely, and the Fei family, both man and bird, understood his intentions and were no longer surprised.

Emperor Wei wanted to keep them here to discuss things further, and Grand Eunuch Wei had no time to spare. He summoned a eunuch in a red robe and led Grand Master Kang to the Moon Marrow Gold Ointment Pool.

After thanking the eunuch who had led the way, Master Kang stepped into the spiritual land alone and saw several spiritual pools scattered in various corners.

The spiritual spring in the pool is like jade and ice silk, and the rising spiritual mist is so thick that it almost solidifies. Just a slight sniff is enough to make one feel refreshed and happy.

Before he could examine it closely, he heard a sound as the gate to the sacred site opened again.

A man stepped in, holding a token identical to the one in the red-robed official's hand. Upon seeing the Grand Master Kang in the sacred ground, he was first taken aback, then overjoyed.

Without even looking closely, Kang Dabao smiled and thought to himself, "I never expected to see an acquaintance even at a time like this."

————The Duke of Qin's Mansion

Kuang Liuting's face was as cold as ice. He didn't say another word and went back to his secluded cultivation.

Only a group of government officials remained in the hall. When Zhu Tong got up, his expression was unchanged. He simply summoned all his colleagues to his side and arranged a few matters, both big and small.

Only when one or two close friends were left by her side did Zhu Tong finally adopt a relieved expression, and a few beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

"Lord Zhu, how do you know that this matter was authorized by a real person?" A green-robed official who had moved from Gyeonggi Province to Sannam Province with Zhu Tong asked suspiciously, which made Zhu Tong frown.

The latter made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction, and a curse almost escaped his throat, but then he suddenly remembered the official's identity and background, and changed to a more tactful tone, explaining carefully: "Regardless of whether there is an authorization from the real person, when the Duke learns of this, it must be an authorization from the real person."

Zhu Tong had already made his point, and the official in the green robe, being from a prominent family, would be incredibly foolish if he still didn't understand.

The current emperor clearly wants the Duke of Qin to achieve great things in both the southern and northern parts of the mountain, both to pave the way for the latter to succeed to the throne and to put on a good show for the powerful families of the world.

The Kuang family's prestige had long since declined, and it was only thanks to two major events that hadn't happened in many years—"Kuang Liuting suddenly achieved a high-grade Golden Core, and the two kings from the North and South unleashed their full potential to wipe out most of the Blood Sword Sect"—that they regained some of their deterrent power.

Under such circumstances, it is already rare that the True Person of Wumu Mountain was willing to devote himself to the sect and act as a protector for the Duke of Qin because of his affairs after death. Not to mention that a great sect like the Hehuan Sect, which is in its prime, was willing to send a True Person with a group of elites to help.

If we were to abandon this excellent situation and incite discontent in the two immortals, who would stand up against the insatiable master of the Star-Picking Tower?!

At this moment, Zhu Tong put herself in Kuang Liuting's shoes and felt a sense of helplessness on his behalf.

He didn't know if the latter had given up the grand ambitions he had made in his youthful vigor; nor did he know if the Duke of Qin had lost his ambition after returning from overseas.

Perhaps only Kuang Liuting, who had returned from the Lanmeng Palace with its million-strong army and millet reserves for a thousand years, and was already shocked and defeated, could understand how ridiculous his ambition was.

The concepts of legitimate and illegitimate children, and close and distant relatives, cannot compare to the great power of personal cultivation.
Emperor Taiyuan, as the legitimate ruler, has decrees from the Xuanqiong Palace that rarely extend beyond the capital region; the evil dragon from the outer sea, stained with lowly blood, can shake the southeast with a single word.

Looking at the two, it's clear which is superior.

Kuang Liuting had spent a considerable amount of time at sea, and it was perfectly normal for him to have his ambition somewhat eroded by the grandeur of the place. After all, human nature is rarely static. However, thinking of the Fei family's plight, Zhu Tong felt a pang of sympathy for them. He had risen from humble beginnings, only gaining his fortune through the service of the Left Prime Minister, Gui Nianzhi, a situation vastly different from that of the renowned Fei family of Yingzhou.

Compared to those noble sons, they are insignificant. Although Kuang Liuting's actions today were understood and guided by him, it is clear that the "cold-bloodedness" inherited from the Kuang family clan is indeed genuine.

It's true that I'm being valued now, but it wouldn't be surprising if I were to be discarded like trash in the future. I must be extremely careful about what I do next and think it through very carefully.

After Zhu Tong wanted to approve it, she couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart. She simply concealed her annoyance and whispered to those around her:

"Keep a close eye on the movements of the Hehuan Sect and the Fei family. I don't care about the Chongming Sect and the Three Immortals Cave, but those two families must not cause any trouble. If Fei Nanying is ignorant of the bigger picture and rashly resorts to violence, then report to me immediately. Shannan Dao can do without the Fei family, but it cannot afford to be rejected by the Hehuan Sect."

"Your subordinate obeys."

————Inside Chu Han Hall

“Since it’s all a misunderstanding, I will send someone to explain things to the Three Immortals Cave. As for the disciples from the Chongming Sect that we invited earlier, I will trouble Fellow Daoists Fei and Chu to bring them back as well.”

Chu Han's apologetic gesture, with its seemingly genuine expression, would earn praise from anyone who saw it, highlighting the outstanding demeanor of this handsome middle-aged man.

If we follow Fei Nanying's original intention, letting this matter drop would be exactly what he wanted.

After all, there was still no news from the two patriarchs in the family, and he was not prepared. It was really not a good time to have a difficult time with Chu Han, a great sect leader.

Furthermore, the sudden appearance of this unknown cultivator surnamed Lian was unexpected. He hadn't figured out why Lian would offer assistance to the Chongming Sect, but in any case, it couldn't have been just a simple act of speaking out for justice.

Even after this incident, there's still no time to relax; many things still need to be considered and planned. Chu Han's ambitions may not end with this, and the Fei family of Yingzhou is far from being able to rest easy.

Being able to go back and settle down, and get some breathing room, would be the best thing ever.

As for Chu Yanran, she was an unknown rogue cultivator within the Hehuan Sect and had no intention of offering any advice.

She merely glanced at the already filthy Ming Zhe, as if trying to identify which member of the Chongming Sect this young cultivator, whose appearance had been completely altered, belonged to.
Unexpectedly, after Chu Han made his decision, the three cultivators present all shared the same opinion. However, the fake cultivator surnamed Lian, who was standing in front of the hall, had something to say:
“What you say is inappropriate, senior brother. How can this matter be left unresolved? Chongming Sect has disobeyed senior brother’s important matter of selecting immortal seedlings. Therefore, all the people in charge of the sect should go to the Three Immortal Cave to apologize to the cave masters.”

However, when the valiant cultivator spoke, his tone was gentle and without a trace of sarcasm. Yet, Chu Han's smile faltered slightly. How could he not hear the unspoken meaning behind the former's words?

He was almost unable to contain his indignation: "You arrogant and spoiled brat! You've exhausted all your options, yet you still dare to bargain with me?! Once the Master has had his fill of you, let's see how I, the Spring Breeze Envoy, humiliate you, the Peach Burning Envoy!!"

After the fake Lian spoke, the three men had different expressions, but Fei Nanying's furrowed brows were particularly noticeable. However, he was still in enemy territory and remained cautious. At this moment, he only hoped that the Chongming Sect could overcome this calamity. As for whether Jiang Qing and the other younger generation should suffer this humiliation, he was indifferent.

Upon hearing what the cultivator surnamed Lian said, Chu Han immediately suppressed his anger and forced a smile, replying, "The Three Immortals Cave does indeed have several Pill Masters similar to my junior brother in charge, so the threshold is not low. Those young friends from Chongming Sect may not be able to enter."

The alchemist surnamed Lian spoke in his usual gentle tone: "If Senior Brother agrees, then we don't need to interfere in the affairs of the juniors! Let them handle it themselves."

Upon hearing this, Chu Han showed a hint of surprise in her eyes, but ultimately did not object and silently agreed.

The two had already reached their point; any further discussion might have led to an unpleasant situation. Chu Han pretended to serve tea and see the guests off, and Lian, Fei, and Chu naturally understood, bowed, and took their leave.

As soon as six feet stepped over the threshold, the black wooden gate behind them slammed shut. The surging air wave made Ming Zhe, who was being held by the fake pill with the surname Lian, furrow his brows and cough lightly.

The three of them showed no surprise at this. Chu Han had clearly suffered a loss when he clashed with the Pill Master surnamed Lian, so his somewhat undignified actions were nothing to worry about.

Fei Nanying suppressed his surprise and, together with Chu Yanran, followed the fake core of the Lian surname through layers of formations and over the towering, magnificent archway of the Hehuan Sect.

"May I ask your esteemed name, fellow Daoist, and where you reside in this immortal realm?!"

Fei Nanying took the unconscious Mingzhe from the Lian-surname fake Dan and bowed to ask.

For someone as proud as him to humble himself and befriend a master alchemist like this is truly rare. Of course, this is also related to the fact that Fei Nanying had roughly guessed that the fake alchemist surnamed Lian was the important figure who was often seen by the side of the Crimson Snow Immortal in the rumors.

"Brother, you're too kind. My humble name is Xuepu, and I'm originally from the Shannan Daoist sect." A genuine smile appeared on the face of the alchemist surnamed Lian, but he didn't elaborate further with the two before him. Instead, he pointed to Ming Zhe and said:
"This child suffered from excessive tonification, resulting in a severe depletion of vital energy. So I used Golden Wind and Jade Dew to boil the heart of the wood and stone until the dew was exhausted and the heart was dry. Then I ground it into powder and fed it to him with Six Yang Autumn Brightness Pill. However, even with this kind of rescue, whether it is good or bad is still uncertain and depends on the child's fate."

When Lian Xuepu said this, even Chu Yanran, a senior cultivator, was surprised. You must know that even with the resources she currently has, it would be difficult to gather the third-tier items that the former mentioned. Even if she could gather them, she would not be willing to give them to a dying Foundation Establishment junior, which would be a real waste.

“This man is no ordinary gigolo, and he has a close relationship with Kang’s Chongming Zongding.”

Chu Yanran and Fei Nanying were thinking the same thing at that moment. Even Xuepu seemed to notice the strangeness in their hearts, but he didn't explain. Instead, after carefully observing Chu Yanran's expression, he kindly offered some advice:
"Fellow Daoist, if it is not necessary, please do not come to my Hehuan Sect in the future."

Lian Xuepu seemed to know a little about Chu Yanran's background. Seeing the latter's lingering fear, he said no more, but instead bowed and took his leave.
"When you two send this boy back to Xiaohuan Mountain, there's no need for many words. Just say that Lian Xuepu will be visiting soon. As for the rest of the Chongming Sect's personnel, I will send them back in a while. They don't need to worry."

"This must be an old acquaintance of some elder of the Chongming Sect. That kid Kang's master is just a minor Qi Refining cultivator, where did he get such connections?!"

Fei Nanying was suspicious, but a sincere look appeared on his face. He then replied earnestly, "I will certainly not fail your trust, fellow Daoist!"

After Fei and Chu watched as Lian Xuepu turned and entered the Hehuan Sect's formation, and after their divine senses had completely detected that he was nowhere to be found, they boarded the flying boat again and, with Ming Zhe and Qi Buxiu, one young and one old, sped off towards Xiaohuan Mountain.

————Xiao Huanshan, Chongmingzong
The arrival of Fei Nanying and his party caused a great stir among the Chongming Emperor's officials. Even Zhou Yixiu, who was already bedridden due to worry, came to see them, leaning on his hoe.

Ming Zhe still needed someone to take care of him, so Yuan Changsheng led several first-level alchemists to take him down and settle him in a quiet room.

Lian Xuepu was right. After being imprisoned for so long, Ming Zhe had been almost completely drained of his essence, leaving only an empty shell. His vital energy and spirit were all gone, and he should have died long ago. He was only kept alive by the kindness of this alchemist. It was unknown when he would wake up so that he could refine a bunch of spiritual objects to nourish his body.

Although Jiang Qing and the other sect elders were very worried, they still had to stay and properly entertain the three elders.

However, Fei Nanying was truly in no mood to deal with the fine wine and tea that the Chongming Sect had just presented, a gift from the entire sect. He didn't stand on ceremony and finally voiced the question that had been weighing on his mind:

Do you all know Lian Xuepu?!

"Lian Xuepu,"

Upon hearing this question, most of the people in the hall were unfamiliar with the speaker, except for Jiang Qing, Yuan Jin, and Ye Zhengwen, whose expressions differed.

However, the former only felt that the name was familiar, while Yuan Jin stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Does the Marquis recognize my Uncle Lian? He has been away from the sect for many years, and now he has found a trace of him?"

Ye Zhengwen's expression also became much more serious. Although he had never met this cheap master, the lineage had been recorded in the sect's jade register and could not be faked. Hearing Fei Nanying mention this name, he was naturally concerned.

"Your martial uncle?" Fei Nanying murmured, his doubts instantly dispelled, and the tension in his heart eased considerably. Then, a smile appeared on his face, and he nodded repeatedly: "I see. Your family was able to escape danger this time entirely thanks to your martial uncle!"

"It's Uncle-Master Lian?!" All the cultivators in the hall were astonished. However, Fei Nanying, remembering what Lian Xuepu had said beforehand, didn't explain further to the younger generation in the hall, but simply said in a low voice:
"Your Uncle Lian said he will be visiting soon, so please keep someone at home these days to avoid missing the opportunity."

Since Fei Nanying was unwilling to answer, Yuan Jin wisely refrained from pressing the matter and simply replied respectfully, "We will certainly remember your teachings, Lord Marquis."

“Very well,” Fei Nanying waved his cloak and prepared to bid farewell to Chu Yanran and return to Xuanwei City. He hadn’t been to the Duke of Qin’s mansion for too long because of his cultivation, which was probably one of the reasons why Kuang Liuting was so cold towards him.

The faction in the court, led by Zhu Tong, was entirely loyal to Prime Minister Gui, and also had disagreements with meritorious officials like the Fei family. While they might be able to unite when facing a formidable enemy, it would be perfectly normal for them to slander each other and use some underhanded tactics in order to stabilize the situation and reveal their interests.

In this light, it seems it's time for Fei Nanying to return and have a proper duel with Zhu Tong. Perhaps once the two patriarchs have some free time and assign other cultivators to handle these tedious matters, Fei Nanying will be able to cultivate in peace.

Fei Nanying, having already received the salutations of the cultivators, was about to turn back when he suddenly seemed to remember something. He turned around and whispered instructions to the leaders of the Chongming Sect:
"Before I came, I saw that your family had started to prepare for war. Don't stop now. Just now, when your uncle was talking to someone, it seemed that he was going to cause trouble for the Three Immortals Cave. You should prepare."

After giving these instructions, before the cultivators of Chongming Sect could react, Fei Nanying greeted Chu Yanran and left gracefully. The beautiful woman pondered for a moment, but had no intention of staying any longer. She simply asked Master Qi, her instructor, to give Yuan Jin a proper explanation.

In his view, the Chongming Sect nowadays is not something that needs to be carefully protected just because of the Black Shoes Taoist's incense offerings.

This previously unknown family, which only began to flourish after the emergence of Kang Dabao, was already enough to warrant her attention. Kang Changyi, whom she had taken as her personal disciple, was a link, as was Yuan Jin, who had a master-disciple relationship with Qi Buxiu; both of them needed to be carefully protected.

After the couple had eaten and drunk their meal, they returned to Xuanwei City.

Ten days after Master Qi and his wife left, on a rainy evening, a handsome cultivator dressed in a lacquered gauze canopy held a paper umbrella and looked at the brand-new Chongming Sect archway with a complicated expression. He murmured in a desolate tone, "They've finally returned."

(End of this chapter)