Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 613 Righteousness dispels old worries in the warm hall, the golden elixir brings victory and revitalizes the nation.

—Ten days later, Xianzhou, Tangxian

Tang County, the seat of Xianzhou, is slightly different today. The autumn sun should be warm enough to scorch the rice ears, but today it is covered by a layer of light gray clouds. Even the spiritual grass on the field ridges is drooping and has lost its usual luster.

The usually useless mirage screen at the city gate kept displaying notices from the Chongming Sect recruiting followers. The conditions listed were extremely good, attracting a large number of rogue cultivators to stop in front of the mirage screen.

Seeing the eager expressions in everyone's eyes, the recruitment points in the county remained deserted.

Although the Chongming Sect has been stationed in Xianzhou for several years and the situation is indeed much more peaceful than under the rule of the Ghost Sword Sect, it is still a difficult task to gain the respect and admiration of all the cultivators in Xianzhou.

After all, even the Ghost Sword Sect, which had ruled Xianzhou for hundreds of years, had never accomplished such a feat. If the Grand Master Kang of the Chongming Sect could achieve such a situation in just a few years, he would truly be a god-like figure.

Lan Ge, who ran Shizhenlou on the outskirts of the county town, sorted out the prominent figures among these rogue cultivators. He carefully swept the notice over and over again, then turned around and strolled back to the main hall of his own tavern.

As soon as Lan Geqing stepped across the threshold of Shizhenlou, an atmosphere mixed with the mellow aroma of spirit wine and murmured discussions enveloped him.

At this time of day, the hall would usually be full.

Because Lan Geqing was willing to give up some profits, peddlers carrying spiritual materials, cultivators running through the mountains, servants from the county official's household, and people from all walks of life loved to gather here to hear some interesting stories.

Today, only seven or eight tables were occupied, and the usual hustle and bustle was gone. People were huddled together, their voices huddled low, as if afraid the wind outside the window would steal their voices.

He wasn't in the mood for small talk today, so he simply bowed slightly to a few familiar guests as a greeting before sitting down at the mahogany table in the corner.

The waiter, with his keen eyesight, quickly brought over some warm spirit wine and a few side dishes, but instead of engaging in conversation as usual, he merely glanced briefly at the door before retreating back inside.

Lan Geqing held his wine bowl and glanced around the hall: at the table near the door, three unfamiliar rogue cultivators, clearly from out of town, were gathered around a copied notice.

They huddled very close together, speaking in hushed tones, being quite cautious. However, due to his slightly lower cultivation level, Lan Geqing, though at a distance, could still hear:

"Those who recruit twenty spirit stones and ten stones from Bailing Valley, and whose cultivation level is above the late stage of Qi Refining, can apply for a magic weapon as needed. All spoils belong to the individual and there is no need to pay public fees or perform merit rankings. The beautiful women of the immortal mountain are all entitled to their due." This message was relayed to my ears intermittently.

At the innermost table, Old Wang, with his full head of white hair, was stroking his beard and sighing, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly.

His cultivation level was average, but he was quite senior among the rogue cultivators in Tang County. This old man had gone on a mission with the Ghost Sword Sect in his early years and lost an arm. After that, he only helped people look after spirit fields in the county and rarely got involved in these kinds of things.

"Senior Wang, do you think Chongmingzong is truly generous, or does he have ulterior motives?"

The young rogue cultivator, who had no spirit stones to buy vegetables and could only drink by the door, couldn't help but speak up, his voice revealing a hint of barely concealed excitement.

This young man had no respectable name or elder brother; outsiders called him Li Erlang. He had only been practicing Qi cultivation for seven or eight years and had been hovering around the first or second level of Qi cultivation for a long time.

He only had a rusty iron sword to pretend to be a magical weapon. He spent his days guarding people's homes at the town entrance, exchanging spirit grains for food to make ends meet. Therefore, the conditions in the notice were really tempting to him.

Wang Laoshuan raised his eyes, his cloudy pupils sweeping over the young man. Chongmingzong had been in charge of Xianzhou for several years, yet this old man was much bolder than the three outsiders.

He tapped his withered fingers on the table for a while: "What could they possibly want? Besides your worthless life, what else could a major Golden Core sect possibly want from you?!"

The old man's voice wasn't loud, but as soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.

"Back then, the Ghost Sword Sect also recruited righteous followers, and the conditions were even better than this. They agreed to guard the spiritual vein, but when we went there, they made us charge into battle. Those who died in front were given coffins, but those who came after couldn't even have their bodies retrieved!"
Countless lives were lost, yet none of the reward recipients were ever seen alive. Eventually, they even stopped bothering to lie. Their Foundation Establishment cultivators, each carrying a black sword like a ghostly messenger, wielded spirit locks and seized any cultivator they encountered in the market. There was no place for us to argue or reason!

To be honest, even when the Great Ancestor recruited cultivators from all sides back then, he was unwilling to offer such conditions as we see today. No matter how benevolent and righteous the Great Ancestor is, can he compare to him?
What about the other prefectures of Huangpi Road outside of Huozhou? Even disciples of the Ghost Sword Sect would be considered of good birth back then; their survival was extremely difficult, or at best, a matter of life and death.

These words were like a bucket of cold water, turning Li Erlang's face pale, and he loosened his grip on the paper he was copying.

Zhang Laomu, a rogue cultivator next to Wang Laoshuan, chimed in. He had worked as a handyman in a Foundation Establishment sect for several years. Although he was exhausted and sick and didn't earn many spirit stones, he claimed to know a little about these major sects.

Seeing that all the cultivators in the hall had been lured over by Wang Laoshuan's words, he immediately put down his wine bowl and confidently declared:
"That's not entirely true. In the few years since Chongming Sect settled in Xianzhou, they haven't mistreated us rogue cultivators. Last year, when Mayang County was plagued by locusts, that so-called elder of their Spirit Plant Hall even led his disciples to help, much better than the Ghost Sword Sect back then. However…"

He paused, then deliberately lowered his voice: "We are independent cultivators, without any sect or faction. If we really go to the camp, the credit will go to the disciples of other sects, while the hard and tiring work will be ours."

"If we perish inside, just as Brother Wang said, forget about the path to enlightenment; we won't even be able to leave behind a corpse."

These words were reasonable and well-founded, and all the cultivators agreed with them, but they also cooled Li Erlang's burning heart.

Lan Geqing listened, took a sip of wine from his bowl, and let the alcohol go down his throat. He wasn't particularly surprised by what he saw in the hall.

He had been running the Shizhenlou restaurant in Tangxian for four or five years, and had the opportunity to meet several disciples from various sects. In his observation, the disciples of the Chongming Sect were slightly different from the disciples of other major sects.

But that was only part of it. He shared the same opinion as the two long-time independent cultivators in the hall, but he didn't believe that the Grand Master Kang was truly the reincarnation of Maitreya and had cultivated a Bodhisattva's heart.

Lan Geqing has a family and a business, so he wouldn't be interested in the small amount of merit he could gain by joining the ranks of wandering cultivators. He was just afraid that the newly settled Xianzhou would be thrown into chaos again, which would affect the family he had acquired with all his savings.

You should know that if the Ghost Sword Sect hadn't been defeated by the Chongming Sect in one battle back then, and all the henchmen who relied on the Ghost Sword Sect had their lives and property confiscated, how could a rogue cultivator like Lan Geqing have been qualified to rent such a thoroughfare as the city gate?
With the two old men setting the tone, the hall suddenly became lively.

Just as Lan Geqing was feeling anxious, realizing that even the soundproofing of his restaurant might not be able to block out the noise, he heard another guest stepping in.

Looking up, they saw a group of unfamiliar cultivators from out of town.

The moment the group of out-of-town cultivators stepped inside, the chatter within the Food Treasure Pavilion paused for a moment. It wasn't for any particular reason, but rather because their appearance was completely different from that of ordinary rogue cultivators.

The leader was a burly man, about thirty years old, wearing a dark-colored robe with spiritual patterns. The material was "cloud-patterned cotton," which was rare in Xianzhou. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with light gold flowing cloud patterns, and when he walked, there was a faint spiritual light flowing in the patterns, indicating that it had been soaked in spiritual power and made by a proper spiritual tailor.

He had a bulging magic bag tied around his waist, with half of the steel halberd protruding from the bag's opening. The scabbard was engraved with fine anti-slip patterns. Although it was only a mid-grade flying sword, it was shiny and new, clearly indicating that it was regularly maintained with entry-level beast oil.

While all cultivators who possess magical artifacts would know the benefits of such meticulous nurturing, judging from the group of rogue cultivators in the hall, only disciples from Foundation Establishment sects could afford such extravagance.

He was followed by several companions, whose clothes, though not as fine as the leader's, were still secondhand robes that had been heavily starched.

The group entered with steady steps, showing none of the awkwardness often seen in rogue cultivators; instead, they seemed to be returning to their own territory. The leader's gaze swept across the hall, finally settling on the empty table next to Lan Geqing.

"Shopkeeper, bring four jars of 'Azure Mist Brew,' and if you have spirit deer meat, cut two more catties, braised thoroughly." The leading man glanced at the food account hanging on the wall in the hall and spoke in a loud voice, unlike the rogue cultivators of Tang County who lowered their voices. After finishing, he added, "Add a few more plates of refreshing spirit vegetables, and hurry up."

The waiter was taken aback for a moment, then quickly agreed and went to do so.

This Azure Mist Brew is the signature dish of Shizhenlou. One jar costs two spirit stones, and ordinary rogue cultivators wouldn't even dare to drink one jar in half a year. But these people just asked for four jars. One meal of theirs was equivalent to an average person's annual income. They were really very generous.

In Shizhenlou, a place frequented by impoverished rogue cultivators, this could be considered a lucrative business.

Old Wang squinted at the man, twirling his fingers on his broken sleeve, and couldn't help but ask, "Are you from out of town?"

The leading man turned around and saw that it was an old cultivator with a broken arm. He was quite polite and cupped his hands in greeting: "I am Zhao Wu, from Yunjiao Prefecture. These are my fellow townsmen, all from the Shangzong Yicong."

"Yunjiao Prefecture? Yi Cong?" These words immediately caused a stir in the hall.

Li Erlang suddenly raised his head, his hand gripping the paper tightening even more; Zhang Laomu also came over, his eyes full of curiosity.

Seeing that everyone was interested, Zhao Wu didn't hide anything. He picked up the wine jar that the waiter had just brought over, poured himself a bowl, and the wine shimmered with a faint, almost negligible light as it entered the bowl.

"Back when Lord Marquis hadn't yet formed his core, a few of us answered the call of the Chongming Sect and became their followers." He took a sip of wine, smacked his lips, and didn't find the taste particularly good. However, seeing the expressions of the cultivators in the hall, a hint of pride appeared on his face.

Old Wang was quite surprised, but after hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Since Fellow Daoist Zhao has already applied, why is he still here?"

The old man's hesitant manner was rather annoying, which made Zhao Wu less inclined to show off.

So he turned away and stopped talking to the old monk, focusing instead on eating the spiritual food on the table, giving a perfunctory reply:
"Who would complain about such wealth and such a path?! You have no idea how difficult it is to enlist in Yunjiao Prefecture. I won't say any more. After we finish this meal, we will go to the tent to await orders. Please forgive me for not saying more."

Zhao Wu's few words made the cultivators thoughtful. At this moment, a laugh came from a corner of the hall: "I wondered why you were so generous. It's your last meal before you're executed! You should eat more."

Upon hearing this, the expressions on the faces of the cultivators became quite varied.

Zhao Wu, who was drinking, frowned. He was new to the place and didn't want to cause trouble, but at this moment, one of his young men couldn't hold back and brandished his magical weapon: "You dog, how dare you bark again?!"

The cultivators in the corner did not back down either. It seemed that a fight was about to break out in the hall, but in the end, it was the manager, Lan Geqing, who stepped forward, bowed to both sides, and then gently advised:

"The sect leader said that within a ten-mile radius of the city, except in life-or-death arenas, no one may use weapons without permission, otherwise they will be arrested and dealt with by the authorities. I urge you two fellow Daoists to reconsider." After hearing these cold words, the fellow merely snorted, glared at Zhao Wu and his group, and then stepped out of the restaurant.

On the contrary, the young cultivator who had revealed his magical artifact looked frightened and hurriedly bowed to Lan Geqing, saying, "Thank you for reminding me, fellow Daoist. If I had really been arrested by the authorities, I would definitely not have been able to continue serving as a righteous follower."

Zhao Wu then followed suit and expressed his gratitude. Lan Geqing, unable to suppress his curiosity, asked, "Judging from what you fellow Daoists are saying, being a volunteer for the Upper Sect is quite a good job?!"

"It is certainly a good job. As long as you are willing to risk your life and make meritorious contributions, the sect will never be stingy with elixirs, magical artifacts, cultivation techniques, and beautiful women. We rogue cultivators have neither lineage nor resources or cultivation techniques. For the sake of pursuing the path of cultivation, it is worthwhile to risk our lives."

Zhao Wu also felt indebted to Lan Geqing, so he generously offered a few more words without being asked:

"One of the loyal generals I used to serve under has now been promoted to deputy commander of the city defense garrison in a major city like Xuanwei, thanks to his merits. Compared to before, he has truly become a figure from heaven."

Zhao Wu's words immediately enlivened the atmosphere in the hall, and Wang Laoshuan and the others asked questions one after another:
"May I ask, fellow Daoist, is everything stated in the notice true?"

"Fellow Daoist, please speak freely: will there truly be no deductions during the post-battle commendation ceremony?!"

"So, are there really any compensations for those who die on the battlefield?!"

Finally, even Li Erlang, who could only lean against the door and drink, couldn't help but break the rules. He hurriedly stepped over the steps, pricked up his ears, and gathered around Zhao Wu's side.

The latter and the others behind him looked rather strange upon seeing this.

Ignoring the words of the other cultivators, Zhao Wuxian instead asked, "If even the Marquis of Wuning doesn't believe it, then who among the important figures nearby can we trust?!"

He spoke with great confidence, and those around him believed him simply by looking at his expression.

Just as the cultivators were hesitating, a figure suddenly leaped out of the hall and rushed towards the recruitment point.

"It's Li Erlang!"

"This little brat is quick on his feet!"

"Come on, I know how to set up formations. I was almost at the next level. Who knows, I might actually be able to make a name for myself there. Let's go take a look."

Most of the people in the hall had visibly left, with only a handful, including Wang Laoshuan and Zhang Laomu, remaining calm. After all, having been fooled many times before, they were naturally much more cautious than the younger generation.

However, Zhao Wu didn't care whether they believed him or not. He simply sat back down, drank his wine, and answered the curious questions from the cultivators sitting next to him in a nonchalant manner.

Before long, even the prudent Wang Laoshuan could not hold back, leaving only Lan Geqing and the ordinary shop assistants to serve Zhao Wu and the others.

After seeing Zhao Wu and his party off, the shopkeeper used his spiritual eyes to look at the recruitment site again, only to find it already bustling with activity.

As groups of experienced righteous men from Yunjiao Prefecture appeared in various parts of the county, these men varied in height, weight, and build, but they were all incredibly generous.

It was only through subtle influence that people began to yearn for change.

And before he knew it, even Lan Geqing gradually began to have some confidence, feeling that Chongming Sect could protect the peaceful place he was in.

————Tangxian County Government Office

The Chongming Sect disciple, who had been dispatched by the county magistrate, gave up the main seat to the elders of the sect, while he himself stood respectfully at the bottom, ready to serve.

Kang Rongquan, seated on the high seat before the desk, withdrew his divine sense, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face. He then praised, "..."
"Junior Brother Jin's method is truly excellent. On the surface, it is to send a small number of volunteers who are about to go to battle to be stationed in various counties of Xianzhou to serve as the backbone for the newly recruited volunteers, but in reality, it is to use them as the mouthpiece of the sect."

The effect was immediate; it seemed that in another ten days, the number of followers would be sufficient. Indeed, Junior Brother Jin's move had a touch of the Sect Leader's skill in using grand and imposing influence.

Zhu Yunsheng, who was standing to the side, seemed a little unconvinced and said, "It's all because Senior Brother worked so hard at the Spirit Plant Hall that we were able to raise enough money to reward the volunteers from various counties, which led to what happened today."

"Heh, don't always have such petty thoughts," Kang Rongquan shook his head, casually remarked to his junior brother beside him, and then asked, "The nineteen heads and managers of the sects in Tang County that I mentioned I wanted to see, are they all here now?"

Dan Yong stepped forward and replied, "Senior brother, everyone is here and just waiting for you to call them."

Kang Rongquan seemed to glare at Shan Yong slightly, causing the latter to panic for a moment before he spoke up: "Go and invite him over properly."

Dan Yong suppressed his temper and soon after, the heads of the two fake alchemy sects and seventeen poor families all came to the hall.

After the two sides had exchanged greetings, Kang Rongquan, who was at the head of the table, said in a gentle voice, "I will have to trouble you all this time."

Although he was the true cultivator, the two alchemists opposite him did not show any disrespect because of Kang Rongquan's warm tone. They all bowed and said, "Elder, you flatter us."

Everyone in Xianzhou knows that Kang Rongquan is known as Elder Lingzhi, but his disciples are truly second to none in their efforts to eliminate bandits and evil cultivators in Xianzhou.

In just a few years, the number of Liang families that were jointly destroyed by this Elder Lingzhi and two alchemists borrowed from the Chenjiang Kang clan was as high as three, which was truly alarming.

He heard that his elders in the sect had told him to focus on his main profession and not to steal the limelight from other sects.

However, Kang Rongquan, relying on the superior bone fertilizer made from the spiritual fields of those families and the corpses of evil cultivators, managed to get the spiritual plant business of Chongming Sect on the right track within a few years, leaving the sect's elders speechless.

Therefore, the various families in Tangxian County who were assigned to serve under Lingzhi Hall inevitably felt uneasy.

Kang Rongquan seemed to notice the unusual situation very quickly. He tapped his fingertips, and a stack of silver papers on the table in front of him fell neatly into the hands of the group of officials in the hall.

"This is..." the silver-haired alchemist at the head of the group asked.

Kang Rongquan immediately replied:
"My sect leader is aware of your concerns. All the assets of the sect that you previously reported, including spiritual veins, immortal mountains, mines, forests, rivers and seas, have now been copied into the sect's register."

The sect leader has already affixed his seal, promising that everyone must not merely go through the motions in this battle. Therefore, for the next two hundred years, regardless of the decline of any family, the Chongming Sect will not allow outsiders to lay a finger on these family businesses.

As soon as these words were spoken, the complexions of all the cultivators improved considerably in no time.

You must understand that even if they are not as heinous as those families wiped out by the Chongming Sect, these leaders still lived under the rule of sects like the Ghost Sword Sect. If you really look closely, how many of them are truly clean?

Normally, life is precarious, and people are afraid that the Chongming Sect will find fault with them and cut off their lineage. Although they still have to risk their lives, at least they have a calming talisman by their side, which makes them feel much better.

As for whether to believe or not? How could I dare not believe?!
Fortunately, the reputation of the Chongming Sect's Grand Master Kang for his integrity was as well-known as his penchant for deceiving women, enough for everyone present to take a gamble.

"Furthermore," Kang Rongquan reached out and brushed the xiezhi (mythical beast) handle on the table, and a beam of light shot from the beast's eyes as it appeared in the hall and spoke:
"The sect leader has opened up the Chongming Treasury. If any family makes a contribution, they can accumulate merit to exchange for valuable items and also receive tax reductions in the future."

This made all the cultivators in the hall happy. After all, it was good to have something to look forward to, something that would benefit their own cultivation. It wouldn't be a bad idea for their own disciples and children to give some of that too.
It seems that Chongming Sect is much as rumored. Although they usually treat wealthy families harshly, they are still willing to give some benefits to those who are willing to work hard.

Working for this family is much more profitable than working for the Ghost Sword Sect back then!

Before the joyful smiles of the cultivators in the Tang County government office had faded, a streak of green light suddenly shot through the air from outside the eaves and landed directly in front of Kang Rongquan's desk.

A talisman wrapped in spiritual light arrived. Kang Rongquan lightly tapped his fingertip, and the talisman transformed into a stream of light that entered his palm. He only glanced at it twice, but a glint of light flashed in his originally calm eyes.

When he looked up, the heads of the various families in the hall had stopped whispering and all eyes were on him. Even the silver-haired alchemist, who had been somewhat cautious just moments before, unconsciously clenched the silver paper in his hand.

"Please rest assured, everyone." Kang Rongquan's voice was a few degrees louder than before as he slowly recounted the contents of the message: "We just received a message from the front lines that the Fei family patriarch led the Yunjiao Prefecture army to attack Huangpi Road and won the first battle. Our clan's Elder Jiang encountered the Golden Elixir Master Kong Chenzi of the Hongfen Temple and killed him in ten breaths."

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted in low gasps of astonishment. The silver-haired alchemist looked up abruptly, his cloudy eyes filled with disbelief.

Kong Chenzi was the only remaining Golden Core cultivator in the Red Powder Temple. He had been a Golden Core cultivator for over two hundred years. Back then, even Wu Jian, a cultivator in the Ghost Sword Sect, could hardly match him. Jiang Qingcai of the Chongming Sect had only recently become a Golden Core cultivator, yet Kong Chenzi was able to kill him in battle.
The news of this victory was more effective than any amount of reassurance, and the tension in the hall dissipated. The heads of various households in the county were no longer forcing smiles; their eyes revealed genuine confidence.

Kang Rongquan avoided looking at the crowd and gazed out the window.

I noticed that the pale gray clouds that had been covering Tangxian County had dissipated somewhat.

The autumn sun shone through the clouds onto the sacred fields outside the county government office. The sacred grasses between the field ridges regained their luster, and even the wind felt less oppressive and more cheerful.

He remembered what his great-uncle had said: "This messy war won't last long, don't worry."

(End of this chapter)