Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 612 Heavenly Diligence Bestows Sword, Huangpi Cultivators Decide to Go to War Upon Hearing the Change

—A month later, in Xuanwei City, at the Fei family council hall
The oath-taking ceremony that Sect Leader Kang had mistakenly thought would take place today did not. Apart from the three senior cultivators from the Fei family (the two people and the bird), none of the other Golden Core cultivators who were not yet of sufficient standing were present in the council hall. Only he and Jiang Qing remained.

Fei Tianqin looked at Jiang Qing, who had just achieved the Golden Core stage. The latter was still dressed in a black outfit.

The light from the spiritual lamps in the room fell on his face, but it did not reveal the slightest arrogance that a Golden Core cultivator should have.

The coldness at the corner of his eyes faded, replaced by a calmness, like a deep pool reflecting starlight, appearing peaceful yet concealing a bottomless depth.

“It should be even more captivating to those young ladies,” Fei Tianqin thought, glancing at Kang Dabao standing next to Jiang Qing. “This is a skill that some people can hardly possess, even if they have attained the Nascent Soul stage.”

Banishing all the sarcastic thoughts from his mind, Fei Tianqin sighed inwardly, "Indeed, he has the same demeanor as those annoying characters in the Rift Sky Sword Sect."

This isn't a matter of diminished sharpness; it's that the edge has been concealed beneath the tight-fitting armor, hidden within the newly formed golden core. While its inner strength is undeniable, it's actually more unpredictable than before.

Upon reading this, the old bird's eyes immediately lit up with admiration. He felt that this Jiang Sanye, who had shed his sharp edge, was now truly someone to be reckoned with.

Fei Tianqin guessed the answer correctly, and unusually, a childlike amusement appeared in him. He first glanced smugly at Fei Nanying, who was working for him, before turning to speak to Jiang Qing:
"Not bad, the pill is of medium grade, and its future is limitless."

This old bird seemed to be particularly lenient towards Jiang Qing. Whenever they talked, he rarely said anything derogatory about the latter. This was an opportunity that even Fei Nanying, a prospective head of the Fei family, rarely had.

Upon hearing the praise, Jiang Qing bowed with his sword in gratitude.

Without a second thought, the old bird at the head of the group shot out another feather, which landed in the void and created a rift. Soon after, a crimson third-grade low-level flying sword slid out from the colorful stream of light in the rift and landed directly at Jiang Qing's feet.

Fei Tianqin seemed unconcerned about the magical flying sword that could cause ordinary cultivators to fight to the death, and simply smiled at Jiang Qingyue:

"I originally thought that even if my friend Dan Lun was cleared up, it would still take another ten or eight years to prepare for the formation of the core. But I never expected that I would be so wrong this time."

The Fei family, which has been established for so long, has only produced Fei Nanying and one Fei family ancestor whom Fei Tianqin has never even met. Who could have imagined that such a little-known, remote sect could produce two of them in succession?

The old bird's tone revealed a hint of surprise, but his sharp eyes remained unmoved.

Similar to it were Fei Nanying and Fei Donggu, who were also on the list. These Golden Core cultivators, who came from prominent families in the capital and held high positions in the government, should, in theory, be well-informed and knowledgeable.

But when he thought of the plight of the Kang and Chiang brothers, he was secretly amazed.

Fei Nanying thought to himself, "If another mid-grade Golden Elixir were to appear in the entire Great Wei world, it might barely be considered a topic of conversation."

If Kang Dabao had publicized this matter from the beginning, the various masters of the Duke's mansion and the Duke of Qin would have been able to make time to personally summon him.

Kuang Liuting saw that Jiang Qing, a humble cultivator of the same origin as the Great Master Kang, had such good fortune. He wondered if the news had already reached the Emperor's desk at Xuanqiong Palace.

Even the current emperor might not hesitate to use the Immortal Shadow Stone to make another appearance. Indeed, as the Ancestor said, this young Kang is quite composed; is he truly afraid of attracting unwanted attention?! But how long can this news be kept secret? It seems somewhat unnecessary.”

However, Master Kang could not fully comprehend all of his master Boyue's thoughts, and could only sigh inwardly.

Fei Tianqin casually gave Jiang Qing a low-grade third-tier flying sword. Although he knew that this old ancestor with the flat hair was always generous, this gesture still exceeded Kang Dabao's previous expectations.

After the composed Jiang Qing bowed and thanked him, Sect Leader Kang also stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Thank you for your generous gift, Ancestor."

"Your junior brother is capable on his own, unlike you who devoured so much of the Fei family's essence. Why should he thank me? As for this kind of thing, he could easily retrieve it by killing a Golden Core cultivator. Why bother thanking him?!"

Even with his ears perked up, Kang Dabao could hardly discern whether the old bird's words were praise or criticism.

He was struck by the latter's bold words and was about to offer a few more words of humility on Jiang Qing's behalf when the Fei family patriarch at the head of the table interrupted him, saying:
"This flying sword isn't exactly top-quality, but it's fine for temporary use. However, it's not quite to your liking, young friend Jiang. If you have time in the future, young Kang, you could take young friend Jiang to Fengming Prefecture and get him ranked with that kid Gu Rong first."

That kid's weapon-forging skills are truly remarkable. Even though he hasn't specialized in any one weapon, among the many skilled weapon masters lured there by the Sky-Splitting Sword Sect with promises of profit, they might not be able to find many who can compare to him.

Kang, the Grand Master who wields the Jade Palace Halberd, deeply understood Fei Tianqin's words.

At least for him, since acquiring the handy magic weapon, his speed in reaping the lives of Golden Core cultivators had improved significantly. However, Master Gu Rong had deliberately given Fei Tianqin face before, which was how he gained this advantage.

However, if the Kang and Jiang brothers were to ask for his help again, and if they were to use the old man's name even slightly, it would be quite inconsiderate of them.

However, Fei Tianqin didn't think this matter was very important. He only casually reminded Jiang Qing about it and then didn't take it to heart anymore.

It glanced at the feathers in mid-air, and with a thought, the feathers began to dance wildly like dragons and phoenixes. A few breaths later, the edict that Fei Tianqin obtained from the Duke of Qin's mansion was clearly written in golden characters and floated in mid-air.

Fei Nanying and Fei Donggu had obviously seen this military order before, and their expressions remained calm. However, as soon as Sect Leader Kang saw all the words on it, he frowned again.

He felt that the Kuang family's military orders were as concise and to the point as ever.

In short, Fei Tianqin was to lead Chongmingzong and other members of various factions that had been transferred to the Yunjiao Prefecture camp, fight their way through Huangpi Road, and head straight for the gate of Yuejian Mountain of the Ancient Xuandao Sect.

Objectively speaking, the strategy of "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao" is not entirely unfeasible.

The three schools of Huangpi Dao originally had a tripartite balance of power, but this balance has now dissolved. Currently, Zhaixinglou and Yuejianshan have each sent a group of disciples to oversee the area.

These people are naturally incomparable to their fellow disciples who fought for their lives against the cultivators of the Duke of Qin's side on the front lines. From any perspective, they are far from deserving the title of "elite".

What we are doing now is simply mobilizing troops to defend Huozhou and prevent the Chongming Sect of Master Kang from attacking, which is considered a merit and no demerit.

The rest of the people were busy collecting precious resources and supplies from the eleven prefectures of Huangpi Road and transporting them to the battlefield of Shanbei Road intermittently.

These teams, with their thin skins and generous fillings, used to be quite daring. In order to present their achievements as soon as possible, flying boat teams would frequently pass through Chongmingzong's airspace to rush to Shanbei Road.

However, after being intercepted two or three times by the Grand Master Kang and his men, and almost losing his Golden Core life, he learned his lesson and found another route to bypass the Liangyi Sect.

The various families in Huangpi were previously under the jurisdiction of the Yunze Witchcraft Temple, the Thousand Buddha Forest, and the Red Powder Temple. Because it was difficult to find a good person among these three families, their lives were naturally very difficult.

Yet, neither Zhaixing Tower nor Yuejian Mountain had any bad reputations to speak of before, nor were they some sinister or unorthodox sects. However, when it came to exploiting the local populace, they far surpassed the three major Golden Core sects that had previously been under their control. Under such circumstances, even a castrated donkey about to be executed would bray, let alone these cultivators who still possessed magical artifacts and talismans.

Headmaster Kang was well aware that, due to the widespread uprisings, the blood on the magical artifacts that the two Nascent Soul sects had placed in the hands of their disciples in Huangpi Dao had never dried over the years.

Under the intense pressure, the situation in Huangpi Dao was temporarily peaceful. However, these cultivators were like a pile of straw dried by the scorching sun; as long as there was a spark, they would ignite a sea of ​​fire.

If Kang Dabao handles this properly, he could even use this fire to burn all these arrogant and domineering Nascent Soul sect disciples to ashes.

However, it sounds like Huangpi Dao could be defeated in one battle, or at least thrown into chaos. But the two Nascent Soul sects would not sit idly by while Fei Tianqin made such a great contribution, and would definitely send people over to hinder him.

Furthermore, Pu Honggu was not dead after all, and the Liangyi Sect stationed in Tengwen Prefecture might still have some fighting power, so they could be considered a variable.

From this perspective, there are still many difficulties involved, and many lives still need to be sacrificed.

Seeing that Master Kang was deep in thought, Fei Tianqin also became very serious. Although he did not say it, he knew that his son-in-law had some merits in terms of battle skills.

"When the Duke issued the decree, he said that the land of Huangpi Road would remain the same as before, and whatever amount your Marquis of Wuning could occupy would be given to you."

Having the title of Marquis of Wuning was convenient for Kang Dabao, since the Marquis of Wuning was a military honorary title, and it was appropriate to grant him a fiefdom after recovering lost territory and making meritorious contributions.

After all, the Kuang family still had some sense of face. If Kang Dabao had only been given this order by the head of the Chongming Sect, Kuang Liuting might not have been so generous.

This also shows that the weak core of the royal family has not been reversed. After all, logically speaking, the more outwardly fierce but inwardly weak a person is, the more they like to study these trivial and pointless tricks.

Master Kang fully understood the principle of "pointing at a goose and calling it soup," and he himself had used it many times in the past, so naturally he wouldn't be blinded by those generous promises.

The two prefectures of Yun and Xian alone are enough to keep his disciples busy for a long time, so why would he covet more spiritual lands?

Just like the Yunze Witch Lord Palace, which once governed several prefectures, it seemed convenient under the control of the authorities, but in reality, the resources and spiritual treasures it could use were far inferior to those of the Chongming Sect, which was guarding a poor and dilapidated prefecture.

Seeing the gleam in Kang Dabao's eyes, Fei Tianqin was quite pleased. This seasoned veteran didn't try to intimidate Kang with grand principles or offer any further explanation; he simply said in a low voice:
"This battle may determine the rise and fall of my Fei family for the next thousand years," it said, its sharp eyes suddenly turning extremely serious. After staring intently into the eyes of the Grand Master Kang, it slowly asked, "Do you understand the implications?"

Upon hearing this, Kang Dabao immediately abandoned many of his scheming plans.

To be honest, even though he had some initial disagreements with the Fei family of Yingzhou, the Fei family treated him quite well afterward.

Although Fei Nanying, his mentor, had told him more than once that the Fei family never needed anything in return, given Kang Dazhang's personality, if he were to fall behind others at this point, he feared that his future cultivation would be difficult.

Since the Fei family desperately needs someone's help, Kang Dabao cannot refuse. Jiang Qing, who landed beside him, gently brushed the blade of the flying sword he had just acquired, clearly having no intention of contradicting his senior brother.

Since the only two Golden Core cultivators in Chongming Sect share the same idea, there is nothing they cannot accomplish within the sect.

Fei Tianqin was very pleased with this scene; if it were another door, the old man would not have been so lenient.

Even though it was only because of Jiang Qing and Kang Dabao, Chongming Sect could be considered a "close ally" in his eyes, so naturally he couldn't be driven around as easily as those worthless ordinary Golden Core sects.

The heavy atmosphere in the hall immediately dissipated. The Grand Master Kang had been living in Xianzhou for several years, and his mindset of being prepared for danger in times of peace had never stopped. He had often dragged Yuan Jin along to analyze the war situation.

Just as he was about to offer some advice, another messenger arrived from outside the hall, heading straight for Fei Tianqin. The old bird silently glanced at it, its eyes cold. Since there were no outsiders in the hall, it didn't hide anything and spoke directly:
“A series of tragedies have occurred in Yuanzhou, Shanbeidao, with many disciples of Wumushan and ordinary people dying or being injured, and cries of sorrow echoing across the land. The Duke of Qin’s government sent a criminal officer to investigate, and it was found that the perpetrators were all sent by Xiao Xian, the peach-burning envoy of the Hehuan Sect.”

The Northern King was furious and reprimanded the Immortal Jiangxue. Jiangxue offered precious treasures and provisions as an apology and proposed to punish Xiao Xian by confining him to his home for a hundred years, which the Northern King agreed to.

However, Duke Kuang Liuting of Qin believed the punishment was too lenient and defied orders, personally going to Yuanzhou to seize Xiao Xian and execute him before the crowd. The entire Wulao Mountain rejoiced at his avenging of their grievances; all the cultivators and elders of the mountain knelt on the roadside, filled with reverence, their cries echoing through the valleys.

The mere 150 characters, once recited, elicited a variety of reactions from the cultivators in the hall.

Several surprises immediately arose in the mind of the sect leader Kang:

Firstly, the behavior of the Hehuan Sect was so unseemly. After all, the Moon-Hidden Immortal had died in battle for the sake of the Great King of Wei. Such actions were truly disregard for dignity, and they also did not take the Northern King Kuang Zefu and the Duke of Qin Kuang Liuting seriously.

This contradicts the rumors circulating outside that the Hehuan Sect, like the Zangchun Tomb of Lianghe Road and the Wulaoshan of Shanbei Road, has completely submitted to the David Clan and obeyed their commands because of Kuang Liuting's extraordinary talent and unparalleled abilities.

Furthermore, if the struggles between the various Nascent Soul sects within the Great David Immortal Dynasty are all so cold-blooded and ruthless, then the fact that the Fei family's ancestor Ye Ling could single-handedly fight off a pack of wolves with his Golden Core body, allowing the Fei family of Yingzhou to still retain their clan territory in the capital region, is truly remarkable. No wonder Fei Tianqin, that old bird, is so nervous.

Secondly, it seems that the Northern King Kuang Zefu is not as ruthless as rumored. Because of the identity of the Crimson Snow Immortal, he has been lenient and indulgent towards the culprit. While this may have spared a Nascent Soul Immortal from dissatisfaction, it will also greatly demoralize the Duke's faction.

His words and actions did not seem to be those of an experienced military strategist.
Thirdly, Duke Kuang Liuting of Qin seems not to have completely lost his original aspirations. He had several exchanges with the Grand Master Kang and always longed to be a great ruler who would reform the abuses of the state.

Kang Dabao had thought that after he formed his core, the powerful figures had erased his original spirit. Now it seems that this Duke of Qin may still have a trace of it left.
Of course, Master Yueyin of Wulao Mountain placed his bet very early.

Even a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator like Yu Kuang Liuting could be considered "diligent," yet the cultivators of Wu Lao Mountain were already being bullied before his body was even cold. It would be strange if the Duke of Qin wasn't angry, given his temperament.

However, it is difficult to weigh the relative importance of offending a Nascent Soul cultivator versus preserving morale.

The sect leader Kang had thought of these things, and the other cultivators in the hall had also thought of them to varying degrees.

This situation has gotten to the point where, even though I'm prepared to risk my life to help the emperor and punish the wicked, things seem to be turbulent in the rear. Who wouldn't be worried?!

Kang Dabao had already made up his mind, but he didn't want to overstep his bounds. In the end, it was the old fox Fei Tianqin who made the final decision: "Reply to the Shanbei Camp: everything at the Yunjiao Prefecture Camp has been settled, and we will be setting off soon. Please be informed!"

These words coincided with what Master Kang was thinking. Regardless of the circumstances, the Fei family had placed their bets on Kuang Liuting alone, and once the arrow was released, there was no turning back.

Kang Dabao accepted the order and immediately returned to Yangmingshan with Jiang Qing.

At that moment, he had a deep feeling that the key to breaking the deadlock in this battle might lie in his own path. (This part of the plot won't be written for too long.)

(End of this chapter)