Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 599 Rebuking Unfounded Talk and Establishing Authority with a Graceful Demeanor; Welcoming the Spirit Boat and the Great Treasure Awaiting News
—Another ten days passed, in Shannan Circuit and Dingzhou

Kang Changyi encountered a group of true cultivators on the road, and with his exceptional skills, he managed to narrowly escape.

Both sides have these teams operating outside the main force, and they are used to capturing survivors and harassing others. If an ordinary person is caught by them, it won't be as easy as it is for Kang Changyi.

When Kang Changyi returned to the Dingzhou camp, weary from his journey, he was about to pay his respects to his master, Chu Yanran, when he heard his master's husband, Qi Buxiu, say that they were discussing matters in the main tent.

After the Yezhou region, which was presided over by Wu Laoshan, was destroyed by a herd of beasts from the Lishan lineage and Yang Yongcheng, the head of the Yang family, died, Kuang Liuting immediately went to Shanbeidao to take over as prefect.

The two immortals were worried about this precious young lady, so as soon as the Duke appeared, they stayed close to his side. After all, even if the two of them were no match for Bai Canhong, it wouldn't be difficult for them to risk everything and fight Kuang Liuting for a chance to escape.

Since the True Man is not here, the one in charge of Yezhou at this time is Lanxin Shangxiu, a disciple of True Man Jiangxue.

This female Taoist priest acted ruthlessly, even treating her own superiors as mere formalities. Once the facts were verified, she would fight them to the death. There was absolutely no trace of the way the Hehuan Sect should act.

Moreover, she always dressed in a seductive fox-like manner, yet she had no male concubines serving her, which was truly strange and eccentric.

However, because of his extraordinary skills, which were beyond the reach of ordinary people, he enjoyed great prestige in the Dingzhou camp.

Let alone wealthy family heads and carefree individuals like Kuang Jinzhong and Chu Yanran.

Even the descendants of great figures such as Ga Da, the Buddhist disciple of Benying Temple, Xu Lingzhi of the Xu family in Dai County, Gui Baifu, the eldest son of the Gui family in Liaoyuan, and Sha Shan, the contemporary Daoist of Zangchun Tomb, all held him in high esteem.

Lan Xin, the senior cultivator, was late in arriving. The other senior cultivators had been lined up and waiting for a long time. Even so, these nobles, who were usually arrogant and haughty, showed no sign of resentment on their faces.

However, seeing that the spirit tea in the cup had already been served, and the official outside making no attempt to announce it, Sha Shan, sitting opposite Chu Yanran, concealed the lewd glint in his eyes, coughed lightly, and spoke up:
"The army is currently short of manpower. I heard that Fellow Daoist Chu's personal disciple has returned to Yunjiao Prefecture to avoid a life of leisure due to personal matters. I am not wise enough to understand why this is so. I hope Fellow Daoist Chu can enlighten me."

Chu Yanran was not a significant figure in this tent, so it was not surprising that she was targeted. Perhaps some people were tired of staying there and could only listen in for a while as a form of entertainment.

But since Sha Shan mentioned the leisurely Yunjiao Prefecture, all the cultivators perked up and turned their attention to the two of them.

Ultimately, of the three battlefields under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Qin's mansion, Yezhou has been captured, the Yang family has been destroyed, and Wulaoshan is no longer able to suppress the beast horde. They have all now retreated to the northern mountain road to have Kuang Liuting personally take charge of the overall situation.

Dingzhou remained in dire straits. The Duke's mansion sent Zhu Tong to lead a contingent of elite soldiers over. Xu Lingzhi, Gui Baifu, and Sha Shan, all prominent figures, led their servants. The Ten Thousand Beasts Sect even abandoned their families and businesses, accepting imperial orders to come to Shannan to help. Even the Buddhist disciple Ga Da, who had been staying at the Duke's mansion, came out to show his face. The implication was self-evident.

In other words, only Yunjiao Prefecture was able to break the Liangyi Sect's Daoist army formation and thus enjoy peace and recuperation. If this situation were attributed to the Fei family of Yingzhou and the other families under its jurisdiction, it would be understandable, but it was clearly Kuang Liuting who stepped forward and turned the tide.

It's no wonder that the various factions in the Dingzhou camp harbored some resentment towards the Yunjiaozhou camp.

After all, according to what the cultivators thought, the Fei family of Yingzhou didn't even need to put on an act. Even if they sent a small force to make up the story, it would be enough to quell the rumors.

But Fei Tianqin, that old bird, was truly arrogant. Apart from the two masters, he couldn't get anyone to look at him seriously, and he wasn't even willing to put in the slightest bit of face-saving.

Even if my master doesn't come here, your little Fei family shouldn't be looked down upon, as long as Fei Yeyi has a few more days to live.

Therefore, Shanshan's attack, ostensibly aimed at Chu Yanran, was actually a result of his dissatisfaction with the Fei family. After all, you have such a close relationship with the Fei family's son-in-law.

Chu Yanran was still recovering from her injuries and her complexion had not yet returned to normal. She was closing her eyes to regulate her breathing when she suddenly heard the questioning voice from the sand dune opposite her, and only then did she slowly open her eyes.

Her eyes seemed to hold a clear, blue spring. The moment she opened them, even Sha Shan, who had seen countless women, felt a flutter in his heart. However, he was quickly brought back to his senses by the woman's crisp voice.

"May I ask, Fellow Daoist Sha, do you have a father and a mother?"

“Sha is not some kind of supernatural being, born of nature, how could he not have parents?”

Chu Yanran nodded slightly and asked again, "Since you have a father and mother, how could my mother not return home for several days after something happened at home?"

"I don't need to explain to you, fellow Daoist, the principle of bearing heavy responsibilities and the difficulty of balancing loyalty and filial piety," Sha Shan said solemnly.

This made Chu Yanran feel that this young man from a noble family was extraordinary, as if the words "righteous and awe-inspiring" were engraved on his face.

Before the beautiful woman could speak, Shanshan interrupted, saying:

"Furthermore, the principal wife of Chongming Zongkang Dabao is from the Fei family of Yingzhou and is still alive. Since she is alive, whose mother did your disciple return to pay respects to after leaving the battlefield?!"

Before Chu Yanran could answer, she glanced at Gui Baifu on the other side, pointed at the sand dune opposite with her slender finger, and chuckled softly:
"Fellow Daoist Gui, I am foolish and dull, but from what Fellow Daoist Sha said, it seems he meant 'the birth mother is not the mother.' I wonder what Fellow Daoist Gui is thinking?!"

Gui Baifu, who had been watching the show with a smile, suddenly froze. After a few breaths, his face contorted with rage. He was not only angry at Sha Shan for his loose tongue, but also at the beautiful woman in front of him who was harboring wicked intentions and trying to shift the blame.

Everyone in the tent knew that Gui Baifu was the eldest son of the Gui family in Liaoyuan. Chu Yanran's question was difficult for him to answer. Even Sha Shan suddenly realized his mistake and felt that he had spoken carelessly and hurt others.

However, Gui Baifu's anger did not last long. The Gui family was a prestigious family with strict rules. He was not a direct descendant who had grown up smoothly and was pampered. He had seen countless difficulties, injustices, and the coldness of human relationships since childhood. How could he change his stance just because Chu Yanran asked a question with a smile?

But when he spoke in a calm voice, which contained a hint of displeasure, he said, "Fellow Daoist Chu, please answer Brother Sha's question first. Tell me why your disciple deserted his post at this critical moment when we need manpower!"

Without making a sound, Gui Baifu added another layer of severity to Kang Changyi's charges, while Chu Yanran remained completely calm:
"Before you left, I specifically asked Zhu Zhubo for an imperial edict to grant you leave. Are you implying, Fellow Daoist Gui, that the silk scroll without the official seal is nothing but a piece of paper?"

Gui Baifu felt a sudden heaviness on the top of his head, as if an object had fallen out of nowhere.

It's strange, really. Lately, many members of the Gui family in Liaoyuan, the Xu family in Daixian, and the Zangchun Tomb family have been leaving without notice. As long as it's not brought up in public, the cultivators from other families are too lazy to say anything, since few people are willing to offend a Nascent Soul sect.

Therefore, Shan Shan and Gui Baifu, judging others by their own standards, assumed that Chu Yanran would not abide by the rules that had become mere formalities, but they did not expect...
Gui Baifu was already annoyed when he glanced sideways and saw Zhu Tong looking at him with a faint smile, though she didn't speak. He immediately sensed something was wrong and vehemently denied it: "Fellow Daoist, please don't make false accusations. How could I have such an intention?!"

Seeing the fierce look in Gui and Sha's eyes, Chu Yanran was neither afraid nor afraid. Her smile faded, she flicked her red sleeve, and said seriously, "Who is making false accusations today? The people in the tent are all loyal ministers of the country. There is no need for me to say more."

"'Are all the people in the tent loyal to the country?' That's certainly true." Shan Shan sneered for a moment, then said again, "But while we are fighting bloody battles here, some people are enjoying the bliss of having multiple wives and concubines."

Upon hearing this, the cultivators inside the tent finally felt a sense of shared hatred and indignation.

Chu Yanran remained unfazed and asked calmly, "Fellow Daoist Sha, it's good that you speak frankly. Since you've already stated your position clearly, why go to such lengths to cover it up for others?"

Shan Shan suddenly froze, his serious expression becoming increasingly menacing.
"Very well, then let's be frank. How can Kang Dabao, who has been supported by you, Fellow Daoist Chu, for so many years in Yunjiao Prefecture, remain so calm and collected in the face of the situation in Dingzhou?!"

Not content with having women on both sides, and refusing to help those in distress, he also demands that the eldest son of a concubine also leave the battlefield to fulfill his filial duties. Does this man truly have even a shred of patriotism in his eyes?!

“Oh, Fellow Daoist Sha is right,” Chu Yanran seized the opportunity, her beautiful eyes lit up, and she asked in a crisp voice, “When it comes to ‘mentoring’, who can compare to the Duke in relation to Marquis Wuning?”

From the moment the Duke recovered Yunjiao Prefecture, the Marquis of Wuning served under him. Over the course of more than a hundred years, not only did the Duke promote him and praise his loyalty and bravery, but even the current Emperor took the time to personally meet him and bestow upon him a title and honors.

Even within this military tent, besides myself, there is also Zhu Zhubu, who has shown great favor to Marquis Wuning. Why don't you question him about this, fellow Daoist?!

Zhu Tong, who was standing to the side, sighed inwardly, wondering why she had never noticed before that this beautiful woman, who was bewitched by love, had such a talent for sophistry! If she had known that Shan Shan would cause trouble, she would not have sat alone on the high platform. Now, however, things had become somewhat difficult to handle.

Zhu Tong felt a slight pang of regret, but Chu Yanran showed no sign of stopping and spoke up again, shouting sternly:
"Matters of state and military importance are decided by the Duke above and arranged by the Marquis of Fengcheng, who is in charge of the Yunjiao Prefecture camp below. Marquis Wuning should naturally obey his orders. Does Fellow Daoist Sha mean that Marquis Wuning should disobey orders? Are you dissatisfied with the Duke or resentful of the Marquis of Fengcheng?!"

Shanshan was suddenly taken aback. It was true that he was dissatisfied and resentful, but keeping those thoughts to himself was a different matter from having them exposed in public.

If even a single word reaches Kuang Liuting's ears, or drifts to that old, feathered bird of the Fei family, even if Sha Shan carries the title of the current Daoist of Zangchun Tomb, he will likely find it difficult to escape unscathed.

Having said all that was said, the arrogant Shanshan, used to his way of being, was too lazy to argue with Chu Yanran any further.

You slut!

Since the destruction of the Blood Sword Sect, Shan Shan had become arrogant and unruly in the Two Rivers region. He immediately indulged in the behavior of a spoiled young master, but just as he was about to utter a vulgar curse, he heard a soft voice outside the tent asking:
"What's going on?!"

Although the words were spoken softly, they silenced all the cultivators in the tent, who returned to their seats.

At that moment, a figure dressed in a crimson dress embroidered with gold slowly lifted the curtain and entered. The dress was embroidered with intertwined fox tail patterns, and with each step, the gold threads shimmered with a delicate, ethereal light, making her figure appear even more slender, yet also exuding a sharp, unapproachable aura.

Lan Xinshang was without makeup, yet her skin was as white and smooth as jade. Her peach blossom eyes were slightly upturned, with light red fox markings at the corners. Her gaze held both the allure of a fox and the coldness of a superior.

Her black hair was loosely tied into a flying bun, secured only by a fox-shaped hairpin inlaid with red gold and rubies. A few stray strands of hair fell down her neck, trembling gently with her breath, yet she did not appear weak at all. Around her neck was a string of ebony prayer beads, which was incongruous with her charming attire and added a touch of contradictory majesty.

Holding a crimson fan in her clean hand, the fan surface painted with blood-red plum blossoms, she stepped into the room and with just a gentle wave of her hand, the previously stagnant air inside the tent suddenly began to flow, carrying a faint, cool fragrance that made all the cultivators subconsciously hold their breath.

Lan Xinshangxiu's gaze swept across the tent, first landing on Chu Yanran. His peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained silent.

When she turned to Sha Shan and Gui Baifu, the coldness in her eyes intensified. She tapped the Red Bone Fan lightly in her palm. The sound was not loud, but it made Sha Shan swallow back the curse that was on the tip of his tongue. Gui Baifu also subconsciously sat up straight.

All the cultivators bowed in unison. The cultivator Lanxin accepted the bow calmly, and returned half a bow each to the four of them: the chief clerk Zhu Tong, Gui Baifu, Ga Da, and the master of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect. Then, she gracefully moved to the main seat in the tent.

"What's all this commotion about?!" The woman's tone remained unchanged, but no one in the tent stepped forward to answer. She frowned slightly, looking annoyed, and then called on Kuang Jinzhong, who had been too afraid to speak, to step forward and speak.

This upper cultivator was quite honest. He stammered for a while but before he could finish speaking, he was sent away by the impatient upper cultivator, Lanxin.

The latter then chose Ga Da, who had no connection with either party, to answer. This Buddhist monk from the temple was quite fair, explaining the matter clearly and without embellishment.

However, this caused Gui and Sha's expressions to gradually change. This was because some things, while seemingly impartial and true, actually revealed their true stance.

After hearing this, Lan Xin nodded slightly, showing no sign of anger. She then asked Zhu Tong, "Zhu Tong, did you issue a document for Chu Yanran's disciple's previous leave request?"

"That's true," Zhu Tong said, not wanting to lie, so he could only nod in agreement.

Upon hearing this, the female Taoist priest at the head of the table did not dwell on it and instead questioned Shan Shan again:

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Sha has come from afar, yet he has not been assigned any duties in the government office. Is he now taking this military post in my Dingzhou camp without permission?!"

The latter blushed, hesitated for a long time but could not speak, and finally could only bow his head and bow, which was considered as acknowledging that he had caused trouble for no reason today.

Fortunately, Lanxin Shangxiu had no intention of upholding justice for Chu Yanran, so even those who had also intervened in the matter were dealt with leniently.

However, she was also aware of the resentment within the tent, and if it was not dispelled, it might cause further trouble in the future.

This is the time when the entire army must fight to the death. If anything goes wrong, losing some of the cultivators under their command is a minor matter, but ruining their own future is a major one.

Then Lanxin Shangxiu spoke:
"The Liangyi Sect is the head of the three 'administrative units' under the jurisdiction of the Zhaixing Tower, and its strength far surpasses that of the other two. Which of Qiu Yunsheng, Li Yun, or Wei Guze was weaker than Xianyu Daye? Yet they all perished at the hands of the Fei family of Yingzhou!!"
Currently, the Liangyi Sect is only left with one dying old cultivator, Pu Honggu, barely clinging to life, and no one knows how many days he has left. Even with the Duke's arrival to help, the fact that the Fei family of Yingzhou, relying solely on Chongmingzong and a group of minor families, has achieved such success is already astonishing.

Now, thanks to the support of outside bandits, the breach in the Baisha County border has been temporarily closed and will be difficult to reopen in the short term. Given this, what wrong has it done for the various factions in the Yunjiao Prefecture camp to take this opportunity to rest properly?!

Many of you have been fortunate enough to receive instruction from a true master, and your families are not bad either, yet now you are lagging behind a mere wealthy family. Now you are even being suffocated by the small Xianyu family—aren't you ashamed?!

This rebuke was so harsh that the cultivators inside the tent could hardly lift their heads, and no one dared to use objective conditions such as the size of the beast herds in Dingzhou and Yunjiaozhou as a countermeasure; they could only endure it.

However, Lan Xin seemed to remember something else as she spoke, her gaze lingering on Sha Shan for a moment before she said crisply:
"Fellow Daoist Sha just said he couldn't stand seeing people with one woman on each side, well, that's understandable. In that case, you go and take Xianyu Daye's head, and I'll grant you leave to go behind the battlefield and enjoy yourself to your heart's content. Then I'll see who dares to utter a single word of criticism!"

The latter blushed even more at these words. It was one thing for him to say some sarcastic things in private because of his old feud with the Fei family, but it was another to actually compare himself with Kang Dabao.
Heaven knows how such a person came from the shallow pond of Yunjiao Prefecture. Cultivators like Li Yun and Huang Mi could have chosen a sacred mountain to lord it over in the capital region, but they all died at the hands of Master Kang.
The previous attack on the Blood Sword Sect by Zang Chunzhong did not come without a price. Those Blood Madmen would rather ignore the Imperial Guards of the Immortal Dynasty than let them die, which resulted in the demise of half a generation of Zang Chunzhong.

Even if they gained a lot of benefits from this, they not only harmed their own true master, but also ended up in a period of scarcity, just like Wu Lao Mountain.

Although the path to enlightenment in the Sand Mountain was easy to obtain, it could not change the fact that he was almost useless except for having a single spiritual root and could hardly be called a genius.

To put it another way, the Burial Mound in Lianghedao has always been weaker than the Blood Sword Sect. Even if none of the previous Daoists had fallen at the hands of the Blood Sword Sect's true masters, they would probably still be unable to compete with Kang Dabao, a figure who has survived countless mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

The cultivators in the tent saw that the sand mountain was so heavy that it was difficult to lift up, all of them had different thoughts.

These shrewd individuals, who had cultivated for hundreds of years, naturally knew that Lan Xin, the upper cultivator, was dissatisfied with the situation between the two families on the battlefield.

If Kuang Liuting hadn't made a move before, it was somewhat of a pretense, but after Kuang Liuting killed Qiu Yunsheng, people like Gui Baifu, Sha Shan, and Xu Lingzhi dared not act carelessly.

However, the problem of everyone working together while each acts independently remains unresolved. Who suffers and who benefits are all at stake, and this involves countless lives, so it cannot be decided casually.

Lan Xin Shang Xiu is prestigious, but his combat skills are somewhat lacking. Relying solely on his personal strength, he is unlikely to turn the tide.

But today, because of the trouble caused by Shanshan, she was able to give the various families in the tent a warning, which was a step closer to winning them over. However, it also made her a little curious about Kang Dabao, whom she had never met before and who had been chosen by Shanshan as a target.

Seeing the silence fall within the tent, Lanxin Shangxiu took out a sealed silk letter. When she spoke this time, there was a hint of joy in her voice:

"Gentlemen, please look, the officials of the Northern Court have sent a letter saying that the Silver Knife Prince Consort Shen Lingfeng is leading the Imperial Guards to reinforce the southwest."

"Shen Lingfeng?"

These words immediately stirred up a ripple. Chu Yanran, who had been unusually quiet ever since Lan Xin's visit, silently thought to herself:
"There are very few true men who are truly loyal to the imperial family these days, and none of them should be touched lightly. Not to mention that Shen Lingfeng, the Silver Knife Prince Consort, is heading south, and the number of imperial guards he brings cannot compare to what Shu Zhengde could have done back then. Will the various families along the way give way to him? Aren't they afraid that he will use this as a pretext to destroy Guo?!"

Even she, who often resides in border regions, could grasp this principle, let alone the many people from the capital region present in this tent. At this level of cultivation, some may remain pure as ever, but it's impossible for a fool to slip through their fingers.

Xu Lingzhi and the others immediately changed color. After thinking about it carefully, they realized that it was probably because Kuang Liuting had taken action, which caused the rumors outside to be dispelled, that the situation in the world had subtly changed.

Xu Lingzhi, who had been silent all along, murmured a few times: "The adults were right. Although the three southwestern regions are just a remote corner of the Immortal Dynasty, they are the heart of the storm."

Upon further reflection, if Kuang Liuting's performance alone can stabilize David's regime, then what about when he makes further progress in the future?
Lan Xin took in the expressions of the other cultivators, then covered her mouth with her hand and coughed lightly before continuing:

"No one knows if there will be any more real people coming south in the future. If we don't seize this military merit now, it may not be our turn in the future. You all should think carefully about how to do things."

The cultivators displayed varying expressions, but after hearing Lan Xin's words, they bowed earnestly. The latter nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes. Judging from the current situation, the current state of each sect acting independently might be able to change.

Having read this far, she spoke again: "Fellow Daoist Sha,"

"The sand dunes are still there,"

"From this day forward, you will join forces with Fellow Daoist Chu and provide him with proper assistance."

"Senior!! I am Burial Spring Tomb, but..."

"But what?" Lan Xin Shang Xiu was furious when she saw that Sha Shan was so tactless. She frowned and questioned, "Your Burial Spring Tomb is a Nascent Soul sect, how come you haven't even killed a Golden Core cultivator?"

Sha Shan was momentarily speechless, unable to admit that he had been merely going through the motions before. Just as he was about to refute, Chu Yanran, who had received instructions from Lan Xin, stepped gracefully forward and said from the center, "This concubine has killed two people."

"But such a comparison is not appropriate. It is true that I, Sha, have lost my tone. However, my disciples of the Burial Spring Tomb have shown their loyalty and dedication, which need no further explanation."

Chu Yanran sneered, "Your sect is a Nascent Soul sect, and you must have countless talented individuals under your command. Why haven't any of them emerged as true cultivators who have successfully obtained a fake core?!"

My disciple was described by you, fellow Daoist, as someone who seeks only personal gain and avoids harm, yet before learning of his mother's death, he still went to great lengths to kill a direct descendant of the Xianyu family's alchemy master, only then did he receive the grace of being granted leave. I wonder if your family could choose someone better than this inferior disciple.”

Shan Shan had not heard of this matter before, but he knew that Chu Yanran would not lie at this moment. His arrogance immediately diminished by half, and he stopped talking and retreated to his seat.

"This female method is quite useful,"

Compared to Chu Yanran's cultivation level, it was her clever tongue that Lan Xin valued more. Seeing that Sha Shan had retreated, the beautiful woman seized the opportunity to make arrangements for the other families.

At that very moment, the head of the Kang family in Xuanwei City also welcomed the Fei family's spirit boat bound for Yingzhou.

(End of this chapter)