Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 520 Internal Affairs

—One year later, Xiaohuan Mountain, Chongming Sect
When Tang Jiu returned to Chongming Sect from Guo County, he seemed to still carry some fresh, foul smell. This was something he and his master, Jin Shilun, had picked up during their months-long battle with those evil cultivators in Guo County, and it couldn't be easily washed away.

After Duan Anle agreed to the task of eliminating the evil cultivators, the fellow disciples of Chongming Sect responded one after another.

During the nearly half-year that Tang Jiu stayed in Guo County with Jin Shilun, the number of evil cultivators he had beheaded was enough to fill a general's tent, and he had indeed made great progress.

It was because of Ye Yaoling's Foundation Establishment Ceremony that Jin Shilun was unable to leave. To show his importance, he specially sent his eldest disciple back to congratulate his junior sister, which gave Tang Jiu the opportunity to return to the sect for a while.

Upon his return, he noticed that many of the outer disciples standing guard under the archway were unfamiliar faces.

This is quite normal, after all, under the strong persuasion of Ye Zhengwen and other elders, Chongming Sect has loosened its restrictions on accepting innocent rogue cultivators from outside the sect in the past year or two.

Many disciples, including Tang Jiu, were not happy about this, but they knew that it was indeed one of the effective ways to solve the current manpower shortage in Chongming Sect.

Yunjiao Prefecture is still too large for the Chongming Sect at present. No matter which leader is in charge, they all feel that they are short-handed, which is why they have no choice but to open their mountain gates wide.

Today, the person in charge of guarding the archway is Duan Yunzhou, the eldest son of Elder Duan Anle of the Beast Garden. This rising star of the Chongming Sect is quite remarkable. Just half a year ago, he and Jin Tanglu joined forces to kill a seriously injured Blood Dao True Cultivator.

Although they were victorious, they were both severely injured. According to the information Tang Jiuyue had received earlier, their injuries should not have healed yet. However, seeing Duan Yunzhou standing guard under the archway today was an unexpected surprise.

Tang Jiu, Duan Yunzhou, and Jin Tanglu were all outstanding figures among the disciples of the Chongming Sect, and their relationship was quite good. He quickly stepped forward, smiling and bowing.

"I was disappointed to hear that my junior brother was seriously injured and could not come back to visit him. Today, seeing that he has recovered completely, I am overjoyed."

While bowing, Tang Jiu handed over a Snow Spirit Ginseng he had just obtained, and said gently, "I heard my master mention that Junior Brother Yan Duan's Golden-Eyed Leopard seems to have reached a critical moment in its advancement."

This Snow Spirit Ginseng was recently obtained by me from an old friend of the Shujian Sect in Guo County. According to the "True Explanation of Spiritual Creatures of Cold Crow Mountain," it is of little use to cultivators but can be somewhat beneficial to spirit beasts, which is just what Junior Brother Duan needs.

"Then I, junior brother, will thank you on behalf of senior brother, Ah Bao." Duan Yunzhou did not hesitate or refuse, and readily accepted the gift.

Duan Yunzhou didn't care much about when Tang Jiu had any past acquaintances with the Shujian Sect.

This was because this foundation-building sect, which had once been deeply involved with the Chongming Sect, had been coerced and wiped out by Jin Shilun and Kang Changxi half a year ago due to some rather unsavory entanglements with evil cultivators. Since then, its lineage has been severed, and it has only become a few gray seal characters in the newly revised "Records of Sects and Families in Yunjiao Prefecture".

The two brothers exchanged a few more casual words. Seeing that the time for the Dharma assembly was approaching, Tang Jiu decided not to linger any longer. He made an appointment with Duan Yunzhou to have a drink, then lit up his talisman, passed through the great formation, and walked quickly to the small courtyard that belonged exclusively to Ye Yaoling.

The person who greeted them at the entrance was, as always, Jiang Tangpei, Ye Yaoling's only disciple. Tang Jiu knew that this junior sister, whose complexion was not good, was progressing quite quickly and was rumored to be accumulating merits to exchange for foundation-building resources.

She was already considered one of the best among her peers, and her progress was indeed not slow. However, it was said that in order to ensure her master Ye Yaoling's smooth foundation building, Jiang Tangpei had dedicated most of her merits to Ye Yaoling.

Many people know about this, and with Ye Yaoling's successful foundation building, it has long since become a popular story.

Elder Ye Zhengwen, who has always been very concerned about the descendants of the Jiang family, naturally did not remain silent after hearing this. He even summoned Jiang Tangpei several times and bestowed some spiritual objects upon him as encouragement and praise.

Tang Jiu had no particular relationship with this junior sister. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries, she was led into the courtyard by two outer disciples who were assigned to greet her.

Before even meeting the host, the room was already filled with familiar fellow disciples. Among them were many elders, whom Tang Jiu naturally had to greet.

Riding his golden-haired old donkey slowly among the trees in the courtyard, He Chang, holding a jade pot and sipping his drink, was still quite conspicuous even though he was in a corner and far from the crowd.

Over the years, this handsome young man's cultivation level may not have improved much, but his demeanor has certainly become more refined.

No wonder that as he did more and more work outside, there were often some beautiful and well-connected women who would set aside their pride to visit him.

He Chang was quite fond of Tang Jiu, the leading figure of the next generation, since it seemed that the latter's foundation-building stage must have been earlier than his own.

After receiving Tang Jiu's bow, He Chang then asked with a smile:

"I heard that Senior Brother Jin caught Suwen Daoist in Guo County a month ago. He is a notorious thief who has been around for many years. As early as 60 years ago, he was already on the list of evil cultivators of the Demon Extermination Division of Yunjiao Prefecture. This is a very rare thing."

"Reporting to my master, it is true. However, it was captured by a joint effort of my master, uncle Kang and senior Qi. My master also sent a letter after hearing about it. My master has been in a rather good mood lately."

"Haha, that's a late-stage True Cultivator who has committed many serious crimes over the past few decades. However, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators who have passed through his hands is already quite large."

"Haha, it's just that the newly rebuilt Demon-Slaying Division of the Duke's Mansion is somewhat at odds with our Chongming Sect, otherwise, Senior Brother Jin and Junior Brother Kang might still be able to bring that guy's head to exchange for a reward."

Tang Jiu laughed upon hearing this. After Tie Liuyun achieved the Golden Core stage, he also had the opportunity to be reinstated to his original official position. In recent years, the latter had been living a secluded life and focusing on cultivation, but his power base had expanded rapidly.

The hawks and hounds of the Demon-Hunting Division, wielding black iron rulers and wearing xiezhi crowns, were densely packed in the various prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Qin's mansion, which did indeed enhance the prestige of this newly promoted cultivator.

However, disciples from various parts of Chongming Sect encountered them several times, and at least within Yunjiao Prefecture, they were all victorious.

The disciples, however, did not feel uneasy. After all, they were all high-level cultivators, but their sect leader was a mid-grade Core Formation cultivator who had been personally appointed by the current emperor, granted the privilege of establishing his own government and commanding a province. Therefore, from any perspective, they could find no reason to be wary of Tie Liuyun, who was known as the most inconspicuous among his peers.

Kang Changxi, who had always disapproved of the ways of the Demon-Slaying Division, would even deliberately cause trouble in his spare time. After he taught a few true cultivators of the Demon-Slaying Division a lesson, these people became noticeably more restrained in Yunjiao Prefecture, at least in public, they did nothing that would cause public outrage.

The two were engrossed in their conversation when He Yuanyi joined them from the side.

Although this disciple of Yuan Jin had not yet established his foundation, thanks to the concerted efforts of the entire Chongming Sect, he managed to retrieve countless storage bags and a large quantity of refining artifacts.

With ample resources to hone his skills and the selfless cultivation of his master and sect elders, He Yuanyi has become the only second-tier weapon master in the history of Chongming Sect, and his status can be considered somewhat extraordinary.

He Chang and he were quite close, so he naturally had something to say: "Senior Brother, what brings you here today? I just heard Second Uncle mention that he wanted you to forge a top-grade defensive magic weapon that would suit Junior Sister Kang. What, could it be that you've already completed the task in just ten days?"

He Yuanyi smiled and shook his head, replying, "It's not as easy as you think, Junior Brother. After all, it's a magical artifact related to Junior Sister Kang's safety. I haven't even solved the puzzle yet. Let's wait a couple more months and see." The two people beside him laughed upon hearing this. Everyone knew that Kang Lingyi, as the only daughter of the sect leader, had always been deeply loved by the ladies of the household. Even Fei Shuhe, the principal wife, treated her like her own daughter. She and Pei Xiangcao could both be considered the apple of the sect leader's eye.

If the magical artifacts He Yuanyi forges have any shortcomings due to oversights when he delivers them for this task, he might really incur the wrath of the ladies, which would be a loss rather than a gain.
Tang Jiu didn't have many opportunities to meet this senior uncle who often worked in the artifact hall. After bowing and paying his respects, he didn't miss this rare opportunity to learn from him and asked him about the maintenance of magical artifacts.

This is a profound subject. If one of two magical artifacts is properly nurtured while the other is left unattended, their power will be vastly different over time.

Tang Jiu had received much instruction from his elders since childhood, but there are no fixed rules. Different magical artifacts require different nurturing methods. As a second-tier artifact master, He Yuanyi was able to concisely design a suitable method for his junior apprentice.

But he had only spoken halfway when he saw the owner of this place, Ye Yaoling, step out.

After achieving her Dao Foundation, Ye Yaoling shed her appearance as an old woman with white hair, regaining her exquisite figure and beautiful looks. Time only left a few fine lines at the corners of her eyes, reminding others that this beautiful woman was no longer a young woman of sixteen.

Ye Yaoling didn't want to hold today's Dharma assembly, but Kang Rongquan insisted. The latter, who had taken over the Chongming Sect's spiritual plants from Zhou Yixiu, was now a leading figure in the lineage of the late Elder Pei Yi.

It is true that the Chongmingzong clan has made great progress in recent years, but the Pei Yi lineage can hardly be called prosperous. In recent years, only Kang Rongquan has been able to shoulder the main responsibility.

Ye Yaoling, in her twilight years, has painstakingly built her foundation. Although the road ahead is winding and her character is flawed, she still needs to make her voice heard so that her elders may know.

It is true that the Chongming Sect is now in harmony, and it is also true that few people do not miss Pei Yi. However, Kang Rongquan also knows that one must be strong to succeed, and it is not enough to rely solely on the extra care of his master and the sect elders.

Even the current harmonious situation is something that Headmaster Kang cannot be sure can be maintained indefinitely. To put it another way, even if the Chongming Sect's atmosphere does not change, internal struggles between its various branches will still occur.

Chongming Sect is now a major Golden Core sect that governs a province and has over a thousand members. It would be naive to think that it could return to the harmonious and peaceful state it was when Headmaster Kang led his small group of disciples to struggle for survival.

In fact, as the second-generation disciples successively took power, whether for resources or to compete for disciples, many conflicts arose among them.

However, since they had been cultivating together since childhood, even if they were to scheme, they would never be willing to use ruthless methods.

However, as this resentment accumulates, there will inevitably come a time when it cannot be resolved with kind words and gentle words. At that time, Kang Rongquan, as the head of the lineage, will naturally need to have sufficient confidence in order to secure a future and resources for the disciples of his lineage.

Not long after Ye Yaoling stepped out, the cultivators in the courtyard saw Kang Rongquan enter the gate.

The latter has also been living a secluded life for the past year or two, avoiding public view, because he has devoted most of his energy to cultivating the Three Elements Vine that the brothers Kang Changyi and Kang Changxi obtained from the Hundred Fruit Secret Realm of the Fei family in Yingzhou.

According to the records, this spirit vine, which is of the second-grade superior quality, produces nine Three-Element Fruits every half-year. Each fruit is worth ten years of arduous cultivation for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, making it a very precious spiritual plant. For the Chongming Sect today, it is certainly a scarce resource.

If Kang Rongquan can successfully cultivate it, then the foundation of Chongming Sect will also increase, which is indeed a remarkable thing.

However, this matter is still difficult to carry out. In recent years, Kang Rongquan has not even responded to Duan Anle's purge. He and Zhou Yixiu have been studying cultivation methods behind closed doors. Even after burning the midnight oil for a year or two, they have only made some progress.

If there is still little progress after some time, we may have to ask Master Fei Jia or go to Fengming Prefecture to seek guidance from Chu Yanran.

Compared to before, Kang Rongquan's unruly spirit was almost completely gone, and he had become much more taciturn, losing his former carefree demeanor, but becoming more and more like Pei Yi in personality.

After he was admitted to the hospital, all the fellow disciples who had come to celebrate with Ye Yaoling were present. Ye Yaoling also understood Kang Rongquan's intentions, and she didn't know how much preparation she had made for today's Dharma assembly.

The young woman gracefully ascended the steps with her soft, white feet, reaching the high platform erected in the center of the spiritual pool in the courtyard. She sat down, formed hand seals, and began to expound the Dharma.

Ye Yaoling has worked hard on water magic since she was a child. Although she has only reached the Foundation Establishment stage, she is quite knowledgeable in this area within the Chongming Sect.

Furthermore, since there were no outsiders present at this Dharma assembly, Ye Yaoling naturally held back a great deal and revealed the essence of the teachings.

This explanation truly deserves the description "insightful and penetrating." Ye Yaoling had served as a steward of Yulin Hall for many years, and educating disciples was something she excelled at.

Therefore, when he sits cross-legged on the high platform of the Spirit Pool, he can often explain a difficult point in just a few words, which greatly inspires his fellow disciples in the academy.

Not to mention the younger generation like Tang Jiu, even Kang Rongquan, who rushed back to take charge, benefited greatly from Ye Yaoling's teachings, something he hadn't anticipated before his arrival.

After all, his cultivation level has now reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and even if he discusses the Dao and Dharma with the sect elders, he rarely gains any inspiration. Today, he was pleasantly surprised to have gained something from Ye Yaoling's Dharma talk.

As Ye Yaoling's voice ceased, the fine ripples on the surface of the pool gradually subsided. The eight-sided flowing silk skirt she wore, glistening with morning dew, further enhanced her already beautiful face.

She stepped barefoot back from the pond to the center of the courtyard, a faint smile on her face and a self-deprecating voice: "Today's words are merely one person's opinion, and may inevitably be laughable. I ask my fellow disciples for their guidance."

"Don't dare."

"My senior sister's lecture today truly enlightened me! I have to admit I'm impressed!"

Hearing Ye Yaoling's sermon garner a chorus of heartfelt praise, Kang Rongquan felt quite gratified. Even though the Dharma assembly had only just begun, its purpose had already been largely achieved, making the assembly, in Kang Rongquan's opinion, a complete success.

According to the subsequent arrangements, after Ye Yaoling, Kang Rongquan was to give a sermon. The latter's cultivation of the Wood Method was also unparalleled among his peers. Even Duan Anle, who cultivated the same method and was most valued by the sect leader, was outmatched by Kang Rongquan in this path.

Before Kang Rongquan could even step onto the stage, another person holding a talisman stepped in.

"Why are you here, Uncle-Master?"

Kang Rongquan was pleasantly surprised to see Ye Zhengwen enter, but then he heard the latter laugh and say, "The sect leader has to entertain a guest, so I can't keep him here. I've come here to join in the fun."

"Uncle-Master, who is it?"

Meanwhile, inside the council hall of the Chongming Sect, Headmaster Kang was carefully examining the handsome monk seated opposite him, remaining silent for a long time.

(End of this chapter)