Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 551 The Trip to Fengzhou After the Fruit of the Three Elements
"Little Huanshan? Xu Liuxian certainly knows how to think. This place is the foundation of my Chongming Sect. The sect leader is planning to develop this place into a sacred land in the south of the mountains in the future. Even if we really get the Golden Core Daoist Temple in Dingzhou, why would we give it up to outsiders?!"

Ye Zhengwen chuckled after hearing Duan Anle's report, but after the laughter subsided, a hint of worry flashed in his single eye:
"Don't be fooled by the undercurrents surging in the south and north of the mountain; they've become incredibly valuable. Dingzhou isn't exactly prosperous, but at least it has a Golden Core cultivation center. Even if the sect leader were to personally go to Fengming Prefecture, he might not be able to compete with those families that have flocked in from other places."

Duan Anle was clearly not fixated on the matter of Dingzhou. Instead, he comforted Ye Zhengwen, saying, "Uncle Ye, there's no need to worry. Master said before he left that we should just do our best."

In his view, if Chongmingzong wanted to expand his territory, Huangpi Circuit Xianzhou or Shannan Circuit Dingzhou would be the best choices.

If Sect Leader Kang doesn't mind the unseemly nature of his actions, he could even slowly devise a plan against the Yang family of Yezhou, who have a good relationship with the Chongming Sect. The Yang family of Yezhou used to frequently mention their connection to Mount Wulao, but after all these years, they actually have very few connections to them.

Not to mention that the more than 400 families in Hanya Mountain have been living in peace for many years. If they want to expand their territory further, they would not have any difficulty if they were willing to sacrifice people.

After all, it seems that Zhaixinglou has also identified Shanbeidao as an important place, and the Zhaixinglou master would not be so concerned about such a small place as Yunjiaozhou.

The Liangyi Sect, which faces the five prefectures of Shannan, seems to be keeping a low profile and has little intention to fight.

If his family continues to merely go through the motions as before, then with Chongmingzong's current strength, it wouldn't be difficult for him to put on a more exciting show to fulfill his duty.

Of course, Master Kang understands the importance of being prepared for danger even in times of peace.

He is currently preparing to recall all the troops from the Jade Jade Guard and the Crimson Jade Guard back to Yunjiao Prefecture to garrison. As for the more than four hundred households in Hanya Mountain, since they are now considered to be stable, Yuan Jin will select local soldiers from various counties to train and rotate them for garrison duty.

In this way, if the Liangyi Sect were to launch a sudden and massive attack in the future, the Chongming Sect, with its two Daoist armies as its backbone and the cultivators within the Chongming Alliance as its foundation, would at least not collapse at the first touch and would be able to hold out until reinforcements arrive.

These reinforcements must be obtained from the Duke of Qin's mansion; it's rare to be able to rely on the other four prefectures of Shannan Circuit.

After all, Jingnan Prefecture has lost the Yue family's leadership and is now just a disorganized mess. If the Liangyi Sect wants to break the balance of power, it could be settled in no time.
With the loss of a top-ranking member, the Yang family of Yezhou was left with only one pillar, and Yang Baoshan was hardly an outstanding figure. Otherwise, when they were besieging Yang Baofeng back then, they wouldn't have risked offending the Fei family of Yingzhou and would have insisted on bringing in Headmaster Kang and Jiang Qing as helpers.

Therefore, if things change in Jingnan in the future, it would be commendable if his family could hide and protect themselves and not be divided and attacked by the Liangyi Sect. How could Kang Dabao possibly have any more ambitions?

Puzhou was one of the poorest places in Shannan Circuit, and Bian Hu, who was in charge of the area, was not a good manager.

As a result, in recent years, Shishan Sect has risen along with Chongming Sect and produced two fake Core Formation cultivators. The sect is now struggling to even maintain itself.

The Shishan Sect, which was forced to cut off its own revenue streams, began to increase its exploitation. This caused widespread resentment among the various sects and families in Puzhou. The future of public sentiment was still uncertain, so there was no hope for them.

Needless to say, Dingzhou is safe to say, but Wu Fengshangxiu has been completely missing ever since he fled from Chenjiang County.

He's quite the free spirit among rogue cultivators, willing to give up the little bit of wealth he's painstakingly accumulated rather than risk being confronted by Sect Leader Kang.

To be honest, this decisiveness is something that ordinary people can hardly match, and it's no wonder that he has been able to live smoothly to this day with only a minor skill among those who cultivate.

With his departure, only the Yuan family, under Yuan Buwen's command, can offer any assistance. However, the old cultivator's lifespan is limited, and the question remains: how much support can the Yuan family actually provide to the Chongming Sect now?

Upon closer examination, it became clear that, without anyone realizing it, at least within the five prefectures of Jing, Yun, Ye, Pu, and Ding under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Qin's mansion in Shannan Road, the Chongming Sect had become the most prominent local tyrant, and it was difficult to find another power that could counterbalance it.

It has taken Master Kang less than a hundred years to bring a Qi Refining sect, which originally required three people to cultivate, to its current state.

However, this cannot be considered entirely a good thing, as it also means that Chongming Sect now has no support in Shannan Road.

If the Liangyi Sect raises an army again in the future, the Chongming Sect will definitely be the first thorn in its side to be removed.

Duan Anle understood this principle clearly, and he certainly wouldn't presume to think that the officials of the Duke's Mansion couldn't see it. This was precisely one of the reasons why Ye Zhengwen wasn't very optimistic about Headmaster Kang's trip to Fengming Prefecture.

"Recently, many wealthy and powerful families have flocked to Fengming Prefecture. I've heard that many of them have even donated their original clan lands in the capital region to the imperial family without compensation, which has made the Emperor raise his voice during court discussions. Dingzhou will most likely fall into their hands, and the sect leader will probably have to make a wasted trip."

Ye Zhengwen sighed again, and seeing that Duan Anle had not spoken, he waved his hand and said:
“Anle, you have two important responsibilities and are facing the difficulty of switching to a different cultivation path, but you don’t need to put too much energy into these matters. If the sect leader has something to assign, we are not old and decrepit and can always help out, so there is no need to worry.”

After seeing Duan Anle bow his head in thanks and leave the room, Ye Zhengwen straightened his clothes and composed himself before looking at a map hanging behind him.

The top was densely covered with numerous cultivation portals surrounding the Chongming Sect, which Ye Zhengwen categorized into four types.

Among them, the closest are naturally the forces incorporated into the Chongming Alliance. The Shishan Sect of Puzhou and the Hanshan Sect of Hong County, after all, have pseudo-Dan masters at their helm, making them the most prominent. As for the others, while their strength may have improved somewhat in recent years, they are difficult to rely on.

The next category comprises most of the families in the thirteen counties of Yunjiao Prefecture, which are directly under the jurisdiction of the Marquis of Wuning's mansion, and may also include the more than four hundred families of Hanyashan, who have almost received the grace of being reborn by the Grand Master Kang.

While these forces varied in strength, their loyalty to Emperor Chongming was unquestionable.

After all, good and bad are relative. Even though the Chongming Sect's discipline is indeed much stricter than that of other major families, if they were really asked to return to the days when there was almost no order, evil cultivators ran rampant, and people lived in constant fear, I'm afraid few would be willing.

Comparing the two options, it is more worthwhile to pay taxes to Emperor Chongming and the Marquis of Wuning during peacetime and to contribute able-bodied men during wartime.

The most representative of this group is the Yunwei Zheng family, whose patriarch, Zheng Taibai, is quite similar to Wufeng Shangxiu. However, in recent years, with the Yunwei Zheng family sending the immortal seedling Zheng Wanbi to the Chongming Sect, who has already established his foundation, their family has indeed become increasingly submissive.

In addition to the Zheng family's increased contribution of supplies, Chongmingzong would not let them suffer any losses, and even bestowed upon them a very valuable third-level cultivation technique, which was a rare honor for ordinary families.

Next in line are the families with close ties to the Chongming Sect. The Anshan Gun family and the Xuanlin Yuan family, formerly known as the Jingnan Yuan family, and the Chenjiang Kang family, which has now officially merged with the Chongming Kang family, can all be considered representatives of this group.

The eight Liang families who migrated from the capital region, however, had little mutual trust with Emperor Chongmingzong due to their short-term contact with him.

However, given that they were personally instructed by the Fei family's patriarch Ye Ling, and since they were unfamiliar with the area, they naturally had to take the initiative to get closer to Chongming Sect.

For example, the most outstanding family among them, the Yun Gu Zhang family, because they had a second-level peak alchemist in their family, presented a full three Foundation Establishment Pills to pay their respects as soon as they arrived.

As for the other families, they were all carefully selected by several senior members of the Yingzhou clan. They were not useless, and each of them had made great achievements in a certain craft. In terms of background, they were not comparable to the other families of the same surname in Shannan.

Based on the actual relationship between the two parties, even if the friendship is not deep, these eight families can still be included.

They certainly wanted to be close to him, but it would be difficult to get these families, who had not received any favors, to devote themselves to Chongmingzong.
Besides these, there are forces like the Yang family of Yezhou, the Zhanglongting of Dingzhou, and the Wuweilou of Fazhou, which are on good terms with the Chongming Sect.

This means they are present during times of prosperity but rarely seen during times of hardship. However, if an imperial edict were issued by the Duke of Qin's mansion, it would be no problem for each family to unite and fight together against the enemy. Compared to ordinary families, they are also somewhat closer.

After this calculation, the Chongming Sect now has more than ten pseudo-Dan sects under its jurisdiction, including the Chongming Kang family, Hanshan Sect, Shishan Sect, Yunwei Zheng family, and the eight families that migrated south.

As for the Foundation Establishment forces under them, there are hundreds of them. Moreover, the relationships among them are extremely complex and corrupt.

Therefore, it is a difficult task to manage this huge business well.

Thus, with Sect Leader Kang immersed in cultivation and rarely involved in affairs, and Duan Anle about to switch to cultivation but still lacking experience, Ye Zhengwen almost completely abandoned his own cultivation, devoting nearly all his energy to this.

This was indeed a matter of necessity. After all, while there might be those within Chongming Sect with far greater talent than Ye Zhengwen in managing state affairs, they lacked his self-interest and were unlikely to enjoy the same level of trust and respect from Kang Dabao. However, Ye Zhengwen himself knew that with his mediocre abilities, it would be quite an achievement if he could manage the increasingly burdensome sect affairs. If Headmaster Kang remained focused on cultivation, then Chongming Sect's chances of improvement would likely only be possible when Duan Anle's generation streamlined cultivation and took over the reins.

"In another twenty or thirty years, when there are a few more Foundation Establishment disciples like me who have no hope of reaching the Dao, perhaps they can share the burden."

Ye Zhengwen sighed softly, read through all the documents recently presented to Chongming Sect, carefully drafted his strategy, and then handed them over to Headmaster Kang for review.

He didn't know how long he had been working with a furrowed brow when suddenly the golden bell on his desk trembled slightly. The bell rang crisply and melodiously for a long time before pulling Ye Zhengwen's thoughts away from the mountain of jade slips.

He pointed his halberd, and the doors to the hall opened by themselves without any wind. Then, a talisman slowly floated into Ye Zhengwen's hand, which surprisingly eased much of the worry between his brows. After reading it again, he chuckled and stepped out of the hall.

The attendant standing at the door, like Jiang Tangpei who had become a disciple of Ye Yaoling, was also from the Jiang family. He had been dozing off against a doorpost, but upon hearing the commotion, the token in his hand immediately emitted a golden light.

Just a few breaths later, a soft cry rang out. A second-tier spirit bird with entirely blue feathers flew in from mid-air. Ye Zhengwen waved his hand, urging it to swoop down and eagerly take the latter on his back.

Ye Zhengwen walked straight to the second-tier spirit field that Chongming Sect had cultivated for a long time and which was the first to be developed.

It was just past the White Dew solar term, and the hour of Yin (3-5 AM). The green bamboo fences around the spirit field, painted with spirit seals, rippled under the full moon. Several water mirror toads that guarded the spirit field and preyed on spirit insects fell silent, quietly watching the scene before them.

Kang Rongquan, standing in the field, was covered in fine sweat. His palm was pressed against the crack in the fence, and the spiritual liquid seeping from the muddy crevices had dyed the roots of the green bamboo black.

Nearly thirty years have passed, and on that spiritual land where all the cultivators of the Spirit Plant Hall poured their heart and soul, a vine is shedding the last layer of grime.

The spirit-replenishing array, which was usually kept secret to conserve resources, was now glowing. Suddenly, the hundred-foot-long vines moved without wind, swaying back and forth in the moonlight filtering through the clouds.

A moon-white fluorescence emerged from the surface of the spirit vine, and nine green fruits the size of pigeon eggs had already grown where the vine leaves overlapped, their skin slowly turning from indigo to reddish gold.

Ye Zhengwen could see clearly that just as the last trace of gray on the vine finally peeled away, crystal-like growths sprouted from the cracks in the green bamboo fence. A gentle breeze blew, and the growths transformed into spiritual essences that merged into the morning mist surrounding the nine Three Yuan Fruits.

As the scaly patterns at the stem of the fruit slowly expanded and swelled, gradually releasing an enticing aroma, a look of joy appeared on Kang Rongquan's face.

At this moment, the elder of the Spirit Plant Hall was finally able to break free and bow to Ye Zhengwen, saying, "Uncle-Master Ye, Rongquan has lived up to expectations."

The latter was also overjoyed, and then bowed solemnly, saying, "Rongquan, you've worked hard." As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his gaze back to the nine nearly ripe Sanyuan fruits.

These Three Elements Vine were obtained by the brothers Kang Changyi and Kang Changxi 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, will produce nine three-element fruits every half-year. Each fruit is worth ten years of hard work for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, making it a very precious spirit plant.

It was assumed that such spiritual plants, originating from the spiritually abundant land of Yingzhou, would suffer from some acclimatization issues upon arriving in Yunjiaozhou. However, thanks to the meticulous cultivation of Kang Rongquan and others, they matured several years earlier than recorded in the ancient texts.

You should know that what the Chongming Sect lacks most right now is precisely this kind of thing that can enhance one's practice and has no future troubles.

Kang Rongquan looked at Sanyuan Teng again, savoring the years of hard work, and it took him a long time to calm down. When he spoke afterward, he did not take credit for it:
"It was all thanks to Master Zhou's hard work back then, and Senior Brother Duan's careful cultivation of spirit beasts like the Qingfuzi, and the special commission of the Beast Garden disciples to collect Qingfu Dew to nourish the spiritual roots, that the spirit vine was able to bear fruit. Rong Quan certainly dares not take credit for it."

"Heh, even if you were reprimanded by the sect leader last time, you don't need to push the blame away like this." Ye Zhengwen saw through Kang Rongquan's thoughts at a glance, making the latter slightly embarrassed, and then continued:
"There is no reason for the sect to treat its disciples poorly. When the elders discuss matters at mid-year, they will mention that 'all expenses for the disciples of the Spirit Planting Hall will be promoted by one grade over the next three years.' So don't worry."

Upon hearing this, Kang Rongquan's face lit up with even greater joy, and he immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Senior Uncle."

"Why thank me? I should be thanking you on behalf of my fellow disciples."

Ye Zhengwen looked again at the Three Elements Vine that was still glowing with light. Such a spiritual plant might only be considered average in those established sects, but it was extremely important for a sect like Chongming Sect that was still lacking in foundation.

Moreover, the successful cultivation of the Three Yuan Fruit this time is different from the Glazed Treasure Tree of yesteryear.

Kang Rongquan did not seek advice from outsiders from beginning to end. The cultivation of the Three Yuan Vine was handled entirely by the disciples of Chongming Sect, which also set a precedent for the cultivation of crops in Chongming Sect.

If there is one, then there is two; if there are two, then there is three.
In the long run, although Zhou Yixiu's death will have a great impact on Chongming Sect, the sect's farming affairs are gradually improving and will soon be prosperous.

"These nine Three Yuan Fruits should be handed over to the sect's treasury first. I will write to the sect leader and ask him about it before we discuss how to distribute them."

—Fengmingzhou, Fei Family

Fei Nanying held the Jade Palace Halberd, which had been somewhat improved by the Grand Master Kang, in his hands and examined it carefully. After forcibly concealing the envy in his eyes, he sighed softly, "Even the Ancestor never took me to find Master Gu Rong. You're quite lucky, kid."

The latter chuckled awkwardly, took the magic weapon from Fei Nanying with both hands, and said respectfully, "Boyue is a heroic man, certainly not someone I can compare to. He doesn't need any external aids; he will become a pillar of the nation and a pillar of the clan."

“You,” Fei Nanying pointed at Kang Dabao and shook his head, clearly not taking the latter’s carefully prepared flattery seriously, but then asked softly, “What did that fellow Zhu Tong say? Has Dingzhou been promised to your family?”

Kang Dabao looked unwilling, then replied, "The gift has indeed been sent out."

Fei Nanying chuckled: "Hmm, that's good. Now he's picked up some annoying aloofness and won't accept gifts from just anyone."

"This position is indeed enviable. I gave away a low-grade defensive magic treasure, but I still couldn't exchange more than a few words with him."

Upon hearing Headmaster Kang's complaint, Fei Nanying immediately offered words of comfort:
"Since your magic weapon isn't exactly clean, and it's been repaired, it probably doesn't have even half of its original effectiveness, just give it away. Besides, it's not something Zhu Tong can keep all to herself, so why are you resentful?"

Kang Dabao frowned slightly upon hearing this. He had painstakingly retrieved the Grinding Mountain Shield from Huang Lishangxiu. The latter was all alone, and even after his death, it was difficult to find anyone to offer incense to him. How could it be something unclean?

Fei Nanying had no idea what the Grand Master Kang was thinking. He simply said, "The matter of Dingzhou is still unresolved. Perhaps you could stay a little longer before returning to Shannan."

The latter immediately put away the magic weapon, bowed and said, "This is exactly what I wished for. The reason I came to Feng was to learn cultivation from Boyue."

Fei Nanying, who was opposite him, should have accepted Kang Dabao's words without hesitation, but after pondering for a while, he felt a little guilty. He recalled the disheveled state of Kang Dabao when he first met him at the military camp in Guoxian County, and felt a deep sense of regret.

If we go back a hundred years, how could Fei Nanying have imagined that this cunning and mercenary young sect leader would one day be able to keep pace with him, the Fei family's Zhilan, in cultivation?
Thinking of this, Fei Nanying actually let out a rare bitter laugh. However, he was not a humble person, and even though he knew that it would be difficult to guide Master Kang's cultivation again in the future, he did not make any excuses.

However, at this time, Fei Tianqin was busy searching for Peng Daoren's whereabouts, and Fei Donggu had also been given important tasks by the Duke of Qin. Therefore, in the short term, no one in the Fei family could enlighten Kang Dabao.

But then Fei Nanying coughed lightly and began to speak:
"Now Fengming Prefecture can be considered a place where culture and people gather in the vicinity. Many like-minded people from all over the country have come here. It is a good time to exchange ideas and learn from each other."

"Another gathering will be held in the state in ten days. Top-tier Golden Core cultivators will give lectures, and there will be a place for exchanging items afterward. You and your junior brother should come with me."

Sect Leader Kang became interested and, considering his current needs, asked curiously, "Boyue, will there be any Golden Core pills for sale at that time?"

"But who knows, there may be even more effective spirits."

(End of this chapter)