Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 610 Chongming Xingjing Cangjilu Yueyin's Death Announcement Hanbei Camp

—One year later, Yangmingshan
Jiang Qing's Golden Core Ceremony had just ended, and the entire Chongming Sect finally felt relieved, having completed the task of welcoming and seeing off the guests.

This time, Master Kang did not insist on a grand celebration, nor did he publicize Jiang Qingdan's reputation, so there were not many outsiders visiting.

However, once people of some renown in the surrounding area heard about this, as long as they had no old grudges against Emperor Chongmingzong, they would send envoys to offer their congratulations and express their gratitude.

After all, Kang Dabao's love for receiving gifts was already well-known, so sending some reasonably priced treasures at this time would be a cost-effective and worthwhile thing.

You should know that there are indeed many highly skilled cultivators under the Duke of Qin's mansion, but these people from the capital are used to being arrogant, and many of them will hardly give you a kind look even if you give them spirit stones for free.

Even so, it is difficult for ordinary people to curry favor with others.

In contrast, Master Kang is quite different from those who put themselves on a pedestal.

Even if he was too harsh on some unorthodox practitioners, which caused him to have a bad reputation among many cultivators.

But his fondness for bullying women was also endearing, and he was also from the same hometown as Shannan, so all these things made him easy to befriend.

Perhaps even Kang Dabao himself didn't realize that when it comes to the civil and military officials from the three southwestern provinces within the entire Qin State Duke's Mansion, he can be considered one of the leading figures.

He was one of the few figures who was valued by the cultivators in the capital region.

In other words, if another conflict between the natives and the Hakka were to break out within the Qin State Duke's mansion, they might even have to elect Headmaster Kang as the leader. However, this is, of course, just a joke circulating among some cultivators who enjoy exchanging witty remarks, and should not be taken seriously.

Even though outsiders don't know the quality of the pills of this so-called Chongming Sword Immortal, the fact that the Chongming Sect now has two Golden Core cultivators, and both Kang and Jiang are not yet two hundred years old, makes it seem to outsiders that the sect is already thriving and difficult to conceal.

This also means that the era when the rise and fall of the Chongming Sect depended entirely on Kang Dabao is over. Unless there are major upheavals, even if the Chongming Sect stops progressing, it can still prosper for another two or three hundred years.

The confidence that the outside world places in Chongmingzong is also reflected in this year's Ascension Ceremony.

On the arena where skilled rogue cultivators were being selected, what was supposed to be a competition of various cultivation arts somehow turned into a murder case.

Yang Wuwei, the head of the Yang family in Yezhou, didn't even bother to convert his dantian; he immediately led his disciples to pay homage to the mountain gate.

The number of immortal seedlings from the two states attending the meeting exceeded 10,000 for the first time, and even two single-spiritual-root immortal seedlings came out, which saved Kang Rongquan and Jin Shilun from another confrontation.
In this way, the disciples within the sect will naturally feel a sense of pride and honor.

However, Master Kang was not captivated by the lavish scenery. These days, unless necessary, he would stay outside Jiang Qingjing's room to act as a protector. He even sent Yuan Jin to He Degong's funeral on his behalf.

At the same time, Kang Dabao frequently admonished his disciples, telling them to guard against arrogance and impetuosity, and to simply focus on their work and business.

This special opportunity for recuperation granted by the Duke's government cannot be wasted. Chongmingzong, who has just settled in Xianzhou, has plenty to do. Otherwise, if he falls short of the Duke's government's quota of grain and taxes, he will really be in deep trouble.

Furthermore, the emergence of only one Golden Core cultivator is far from sufficient to encourage all disciples in the Southern Mountain Path to seek comfort and develop a spoiled, arrogant attitude.

These days, the Hall of Merit of Chongming Sect is filled with dispatches, such as sorting out the earth veins for the Golden Pivot Gathering Spirit Guarding Array, reclaiming spirit fields on the original site of the Ghost Sword Sect, refining spirit materials from a batch of rough materials that Headmaster Kang just received from the Duke of Qin's Mansion, and training local militias in various counties of Xianyun and other prefectures.
These days have exhausted Han Xundao, who has been dispatching orders, to the point that he has lost weight. He has even missed many of the Daoist gatherings that Kang Rongquan never misses.

However, the disciples who have just graduated from Yulin Hall have ushered in a good time. As long as they have the ability and courage, they will not lack spirit stones in a short period of time.

This thriving scene naturally pleased all the leaders of the sect.

Even Yuan Jin temporarily put aside his anxious thoughts about rebuilding the Qingjue and Chizhang Guards, handing the reins over to Duan Anle and Jin Shilun, and began to focus on his own cultivation.

Previously, Yuan Jin had requested the Snow Forest Pill from Sect Leader Kang in order to quickly achieve a pseudo-pillar. Although the latter did not grant his request at the time, he also expressed his opposition. After all, Yuan Jin was only 150 years old this year, which was considered young for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

It is true that Kang Dabao needs some capable people to stand on their own right now, but he is not in such a hurry and does not need to disregard Yuan Jin's path.

Therefore, Yuan Jin's ability to devote himself to cultivation for a while still made Headmaster Kang very gratified.

Both of his junior brothers were engaged in cultivation, and Kang Dabao did not slack off either, barely even stepping into the doors of his two concubines more than a few times. While Anxin and Jiang Qing were protecting the Dharma, he also summoned many disciples to provide instruction.

The Spring and Autumn Annals Pen, which I picked up from Peng Daoren's storage bag, is indeed a fine educational treasure, enough to be considered half of a top-notch instructor for passing on skills.

Many disciples have made significant progress even after repeated requests for instruction. Outstanding disciples like Kang Rongquan and Duan Anle, who are among the eighth generation, seem to have already reached the threshold of the Foundation Establishment Peak.

However, what surprised Master Kang the most was that Pei Xiangcao, a descendant of Pei Yi, seemed to have become enlightened after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. Originally, she was only considered ordinary in terms of the effectiveness of true cultivation within the sect, but now she has already ranked among the top.

Furthermore, it is unknown what items Kuai En gave Pei Xiangcao when he came to pay respects to Pei Yi and his wife, enough to enable the latter to steadily gain the upper hand in a battle, even against someone like Zheng Wanbi, whose cultivation level is higher and who has mastered the sword techniques of Jiang Qing.

It's rare to see that the younger generation are all so ambitious and have broken through their bottlenecks. Fortunately, Kang Dabao brought a lot of pills suitable for cultivators in the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining stages from the Qin State Duke's mansion's treasury. So, without much consideration, he put them all into the Good Deeds Hall for exchange at a discounted price, as a way to add icing on the cake.

Han Xundao, who was temporarily in charge of all matters of the Good Deeds Hall, naturally had more tasks to attend to, but the cultivators of the Pill Hall, who were so exhausted that they had to keep burning pills, breathed a sigh of relief.

You should know that these days, all kinds of pills and elixirs within the sect have been in short supply.

If it weren't for the fact that everyone in Chongming Sect was taught by Sect Leader Kang Dabao, and that in previous battles, regardless of victory or defeat, the disciples rarely returned empty-handed, which is why the treasury was still relatively well-stocked, otherwise the disciples would have long been running out of the pills they needed.

The actions of Headmaster Kang have relieved the urgent needs of the Pill Hall leaders, led by Qi Ke.

However, just when everything at Chongming Sect was stabilizing and improving, Headmaster Kang received two more pieces of news.

Both pieces of news came from the front lines of Shanbei Road. One was that Qin Sufu, the elder brother of Kang Dabao, had also formed a low-grade Golden Core two months ago.

With only a basic foundation in the Green Leaf Dao, to achieve such accomplishments in less than two hundred years is quite remarkable in the surrounding area.

Of course, like Master Kang, Qin Sufu's success was undoubtedly due in large part to the Kuang family's cultivation of him because of his humble origins. However, Kang Dabao, who was also a member of the Ma Gu sect, was too prominent, which is why Qin Sufu rarely appeared in public.

Over the years, the head of the Kang Sect and this elder brother have had very little interaction.

However, upon hearing this news, after hesitating for a long time, he still chose a storage bracelet embroidered with dragon and tiger patterns and a low-grade magic weapon that had been properly nurtured, and had it delivered by a special person.

The second piece of news came from Uncle Lian, who served Master Jiangxue. In his letter, he said that the Hehuan Sect had worked very hard this time and had repeatedly received praise from Kuang Liuting.

Therefore, Master Jiangxue acted with far fewer scruples. As soon as the disciples of the Hehuan Sect, who had distinguished themselves on both sides, took leave, they inevitably did some dishonorable things that no one could stop. Headmaster Kang was quite famous in this regard, because of the previous incident with the clowns at the Three Immortals Cave and some friction with the Hehuan Sect.

Therefore, even though he was far away in the south of the mountains at this time, and logically should not have encountered any disciples of the Hehuan Sect, Lian Xuepu still wanted to give him a word of advice to avoid any unexpected complications.

Kang Dabao was unaware that Master Jiangxue had recently become more interested in novelty due to her improved cultivation, which made his martial uncle feel somewhat like he was adding fuel to the fire.

If he, with his mere fake core, were to truly lose favor with True Person Jiangxue, his status within the Hehuan Sect would plummet, and he would have no choice but to fear.

Lian Xuepu was, after all, an elder, so it was inappropriate for him to speak these words directly.

Therefore, the sect leader Kang only saw the former letter, which also said that because Kang Dabao was in Xianzhou following the old story and cleaning up the ground, if any fresh evil cultivators or bandits were captured, they could still be sent to the Hehuan Sect's headquarters in Santingzhou for use after a sufficient number were collected.

The Grand Master Kang had already sent quite a few cultivators to Lian Xuepu, and the number captured in all these attempts was several thousand. It was strange that the Hehuan Sect had not stopped its actions.

It should be understood that a major unorthodox sect like the Hehuan Sect would not only seek out Kang Dabao's Chongming Sect for its activities.

Even if others are not as capable as Sect Leader Kang, the number of cultivators entrusted to the Hehuan Sect over time will still be an astonishing figure.

"Next time I see Uncle Lian, I may have to ask him in person."

————Shanbei Road Camp
Fei Tianqin's military tent was set up on the highest earthen slope of the Shanbei Road camp. At this moment, two hastily made giant wolf skeletons stood outside the tent, with iron chains as thick as bowls in their mouths, and countless monster skulls strung on the chains.

These were the heads of the second-tier demonic beasts, the "Black Wind Fangs," that had been slain in battle a few days prior. The claw marks and sword wounds on their skulls had not yet completely weathered away, and one could still faintly smell the stench of blood.

Even when this old bird was on someone else's turf, he didn't change his generous ways. He would always leave these decent spiritual materials outside the tent, allowing any juniors who were short of them to take them at will.

The curtain is made of genuine leather from a third-tier demon school, with gleaming bronze-colored runes sewn along the edges. If one could find a skilled rune master, this curtain would be an excellent material to hold a rune treasure.

Upon entering the tent, one finds it devoid of any superfluous decorations. The lamp bases of the spirit lamps are inscribed with countless names of demonic beasts, further intensifying the somber atmosphere of this small space.

Fei Nanying didn't feel uncomfortable in the military tent, but after being urgently summoned by Fei Tianqin, he felt that his ancestor seemed to be covered with a layer of dejection, as if he had lost a lot of his sharpness in this messy battle.

There seems to be a rumor circulating in the Northern Mountain Road camp lately. It is said that the Fei family's old ancestor, the Flat-haired One, seems to be tired of killing Golden Core cultivators. However, the three True Immortals at the top are still no match for Bai Canhong's fierce power and cannot reverse their decline, which has made the former full of resentment.

Fei Nanying knew from hearing this that there was exaggeration involved and it was not to be believed, but seeing Fei Tianqin's listless appearance, he still felt uneasy and bowed softly:
"Our ancestor has been working very hard lately,"

"That's all nonsense. If I, your ancestor, didn't work hard and show my face more to the Duke, how could I protect the family business in Yingzhou?" Fei Tianqin urgently summoned Fei Nanying, not to say some nonsense.

It flicked its feather, gesturing for the latter to land on the prayer mat. Only then did it speak slowly, "Has young Kang told you about the quality of young friend Jiang's pills?"

Fei Nanying was immediately startled. After pondering the meaning of Fei Tianqin's words for a while, he respectfully replied, "Logically speaking, since no one was specifically named when the announcement was made, it should be a low-grade Dan-forming pill. However, according to the Ancestor's intention..."

“I don’t believe that young friend Jiang can only achieve the lower grade of Dan,” Fei Tianqin said, his tone more excited when he mentioned Jiang Qing.

But then it glanced at Fei Nanying again before saying, "Even you and Kang boy can achieve the middle grade of Dan, so how could young friend Jiang be inferior to you?"

"Huh?" Fei Nanying was slightly taken aback, but then, disregarding the fact that Fei Tianqin's words made no sense, he still bowed and said, "Ancestor's eyes are sharp and he is not wrong! But if that is the case, why would that brat Kang Dabao hide it?"

"This is the stinginess that comes from being from a poor family. No matter what happens, good or bad, you have to be on guard to feel at ease. You only think about playing dumb to take advantage of others, but you are afraid of being taken advantage of yourself."

Fei Nanying was not entirely convinced, but he did not refute it on the surface.

"How easy is it to find a mid-grade Golden Core? Even Nascent Soul disciples are less than one in ten. I am already extremely fortunate to have this opportunity thanks to the Fei family's ancestral blessings."

Kang Dabao is quite lucky and has a superior temperament; he's truly blessed. If Jiang Qing can also achieve a mid-grade dantian, wouldn't that mean their Qi Refining master is even better at choosing disciples than a Nascent Soul cultivator?!

Fei Tianqin also temporarily stopped his bluntness and stopped talking about these outsider matters with Fei Nanying. Instead, he started talking about serious business:

"I overheard in the tent of the three True Immortals that they had met with the Nine True Immortals from the outer sea several times. It should be possible to carry out this joint effort to repel the enemy in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Fei Nanying immediately grasped the key point and asked softly, "Ancestor, this is all orchestrated by the three True Immortals, with no involvement from the Duke?!"

"Perhaps it was at the behest of the Northern King. His relationship with that person in the outer sea doesn't seem as tense as that between the current emperor and the Southern King."

Fei Tianqin realized his rashness after speaking, and quickly looked around before letting out a long sigh of relief. After all, compared to the Southern King and Emperor Wei, this old bird had little interaction with the Northern King Kuang Zefu and could hardly be considered close.

If outsiders were to find out about these things, it would be a real problem for it.

At this time, the battlefield has changed again compared to a few years ago. Gu Xuandao Yuejian Mountain Yunfu Zhenren and Bei Wang Kuang Zefu have also entered the fray. However, because Bai Canhong is on the other side, the Immortal Dynasty has four Zhenren on its side, so it is still difficult to gain an advantage.

Nine True Immortals, under orders from the Outer Sea Dream Palace, have been stationed in Phoenix Cry Prefecture for three years. Even if a Nascent Soul Immortal has a lifespan of over a thousand years, he should not waste it like this.

He's gone far enough in his pretense; it's time for him to put on a show.

This lousy battle is utterly pointless. Today you advance an inch, tomorrow I take a step. Besides taking more lives, what benefits can we expect? It has left even seasoned veteran Fei Tianqin feeling physically and mentally exhausted.

In his view, Bai Canhong had been operating in the southwest for a long time and had received assistance from Yuejian Mountain of the Taiyi Temple. If the immortals of the Immortal Dynasty were truly unable to do anything to him, then this Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion would be in a position of near invincibility.

If the Celestial Dynasty has no other options, this grand operation may just be a flash in the pan, and maintaining the status quo would be a remarkable achievement.

The only thing that could bring some comfort to the royal family was that Kuang Liuting was truly extraordinary; even though he had only recently reached the Core Formation stage, he was already invincible below the Nascent Soul stage by relying on the Kuang family's true methods.

But now time has already turned in favor of the Immortal Dynasty. Once Kuang Liuting completes his Nascent Soul stage, the time to purify the Jade Universe may truly come.

Fei Tianqin gathered his thoughts and was about to discuss some preparations for battle with Fei Nanying, so that the disciples in Xuanwei City and Fengming Prefecture would not become complacent. However, not long after they started talking, a red talisman shot into the tent from outside.

Upon seeing the talisman, its sharp eyes lit up immediately. It quickly tapped its feathers, removed the red talisman, and unfolded it to read it.

Fei Nanying saw a hint of panic flash in his ancestor's eyes, something he rarely saw before. Before he could ask, Fei Tianqin whispered:
"Master Yueyin has passed away."

(End of this chapter)