Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 631 An Leqian, Chen Liuyuan, and the Fei Family of Yingzhou: The Beginning of Disaster

As a seasoned veteran of the battlefield, when Master Kang woke up the next day, he was refreshed and energetic, showing no signs of fatigue despite working hard all night.

But after all the absurdity, it's time to get down to business.

After the maid helped him change his clothes, Kang Dabao greeted his wives and concubines, who looked as if they were about to fall apart.

Even though the sight of those white, undulating buttocks almost blinded him, he still forced himself to calm down and abstain from desire before stepping out of the room.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw Wan'er, who always served Fei Shuhe.

This sparrow is truly blessed. Back then, it was just a useless mortal that followed Fei Shuhe's concubine daughter into marriage, but after following Fei Shuhe, it gained a great deal of resources.

Over the past hundred years, relying solely on witty remarks, it has now become a second-tier low-grade spirit bird, far surpassing its former strength.

This was an opportunity that none of the personal maids who were married off by Fei Shuhe back then had ever had. Not to mention that it now held a superior position in Qinghan Courtyard. Even the fake Dan Mama, who was newly sent by the Fei family, would speak to this sparrow in a friendly manner when she saw it.

With a sigh, Sect Leader Kang quickly stepped into the council hall.

Over the years, Wei Gu's mastery of formation techniques has improved considerably, and he has meticulously rectified many key areas within the sect.

The hall was adorned with a plaque inscribed with the words "Gathering the Wise to Discuss the Way" in gold lettering. This time, Kang Dabao did not request Master Qi's calligraphy again, because he felt that his own handwriting was still presentable.

The plaque was surrounded by a layer of pale gold spiritual energy, and when the wind blew, one could hear faint Taoist chants flowing around it.

In each of the four corners of the hall, there was a dew-collecting lamp. The wicks were made of third-tier snow flower grass and burned with dark true flames. The pale white flames were wrapped in spiritual mist, and even breathing was filled with clear spiritual essence, without any heaviness or stagnation.

After half a century, the sect leader finally appeared. All the influential figures in the Chongming Sect who were not in seclusion put aside their most pressing matters and awaited the summons upon hearing the news.

Therefore, after Duan Anle, who was temporarily in charge of clan affairs, picked up the mallet and struck the large chime in the hall, the disciples of all departments arrived one after another.

There's no need to elaborate on the three elders of the same generation, Ye, Yuan, and Jiang. They have all relinquished their duties and no longer distinguish rank based on cultivation level, but are simply ranked as senior, second, and third. In name, they no longer concern themselves with anything and have left everything to the younger generation.

Of course, the only one who usually deals with these mundane affairs is Elder Ye Zhengwen, who considers himself hopeless about his future path.

As always, Jiang Qing was devoted to cultivation. Apart from occasionally going out to compete with others, he rarely taught his own disciples how to cultivate.

Yuan Jin followed the same logic. Back then, when Sect Leader Kang obtained two mid-grade Golden Core pills, one of them was given to Kang Changxi, the eldest son of the Fei family, while the other was not even obtained by Kang Changyi, the eldest son of the concubine whom he always favored. Instead, it fell into Yuan Jin's hands.

The deep affection and friendship between them goes without saying. In the end, Yuan Jin listened to the repeated advice of his fellow disciples and chose to switch to the "Mysterious Ape Embracing the Moon Daoist Manual" for cultivation.

This low-grade cosmic-level cultivation technique, which I don't know which sect the Chongming Sect had cut off its lineage from, should have been extremely difficult to cultivate.

However, thanks to the unexpected windfall that Headmaster Kang made, the Chongming Sect is currently not short of resources.

Over the past fifty years, the resources consumed by Yuan Jin in his cultivation efforts would probably have been enough to nurture a Golden Elixir.

In addition, renowned high-level cultivators like Gu Hongzi came to preach and teach, and the entire Chongming Sect worked together to acquire those classic texts and treasures, allowing Yuan Jinye to reach the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

As Lian Xuepu said before, if we can completely eliminate the ape demon that we introduced back then, then we can really try to form a core.

Besides his three fellow disciples, he was also very familiar with the remaining eighth-generation disciples, so there was no need for him to look at them much.

However, after half a century, many ninth-generation disciples have gradually emerged and gained access to the inner sanctum. This prompted Kang Dabao to take another careful look around the hall.

At this moment, He Chang, the steward in charge of announcing the names, had a few gold hairs on his lapel. However, he was so handsome that few people could see the flaw in his otherwise flawless appearance.

However, it is unknown whether the golden-haired old donkey beside him has had other encounters in recent years. After several decades, its cultivation level has increased remarkably, and it is now no less than Duan Anle below him, far surpassing ordinary spirit beasts.

The nephew of the Grand Master Kang was as handsome as ever, with a face like solidified jade, eyebrows slightly raised like distant mountains, and a faint golden light flying at the corner of his eyes.

Perhaps because he had spent many years with the golden-haired old donkey, the few golden hairs clinging to his clothes shimmered with a faint silver light under the dim glow of the lamp, making his complexion appear even clearer, and even the few strands of hair hanging down by his temples seemed to be covered with a thin layer of frost.

He held a white jade tablet in his hand, the name of each person engraved on its surface. When he raised his sleeve to display the tablet, his movements were as light and slow as flowing clouds and the moon. His fingertips were long and slender like jade, and his knuckles were tinged with a faint pink blush. Even the way he picked up the jade tablet exuded a calm and elegant air.

When he began to pronounce the name, his voice was clear and melodious, like a spring gurgling over rocks, and it was also imbued with a touch of spiritual power. As it fell into everyone's ears, it seemed as if there was a spiritual charm flowing through them.

Occasionally, He Chang's gaze would sweep over the old golden donkey beside him. The donkey's mane was fluffy like a golden carpet, and its aura was solemn and imposing. However, He Chang would only slightly turn his head, and in the blink of his eyes, his clear and elegant demeanor would overshadow the old donkey's sturdiness.

Even the most experienced elders in the hall couldn't help but take a second look.

Such a handsome appearance would surely attract the attention of even the female Daoists of the Hehuan Sect who rely on their looks. Moreover, his demeanor when calling out names was neither humble nor arrogant, his spiritual charm was restrained, and he showed no vulgarity whatsoever. He seemed to be a celestial official from the moon descending to earth, checking his name according to the celestial register.

Although He Chang's talent and skills are not particularly outstanding, just like his father and mother, his good looks alone make him a suitable candidate for the position of steward of rites.

"Welcoming and seeing off guests with proper etiquette and decorum," "Confirming and agreeing to treaties and establishing friendly relations," "Sending messages and communicating with each other and discerning public opinion," and "Mediating disputes and protecting the reputation of the clan"—these superficial tasks certainly require a dedicated person to perform efficiently.

It is true that Sect Leader Kang is accustomed to promoting a pragmatic and down-to-earth style within the sect, but he also knows that He Chang's handsome appearance can add some color to the sect on many occasions.

Not to mention, Kang Dabao has always cherished the only bloodline left behind by his master.

Although Headmaster Kang always strives to embody the principle of "selflessness," as long as he doesn't touch the treasury, he can use his own private funds to subsidize his nephew. This principle is universally applicable, and few can find fault with it.

Seeing He Chang lightly trace a few strokes on his tablet, he quickly verified the identities of the disciples who had come to Qi:
Today's assembly has a total of twelve elders present:

Elder Kang Changxi of the Battle Hall, Elder Duan Anle of the Beast Garden and Elder in charge of the sect affairs, Elder Kang Rongquan of the Spirit Plants Hall, Elder Han Xundao of the External Affairs Hall, Elder Wei Gu of the Array Hall, Elder He Yuanyi of the Weapon Hall, Elder Liu Ya of the Punishment Hall, Elder Ye Yaoling of the Nurturing Lin Hall, Elder Zhou Kun of the Guardian of the Treasury Hall, Elder Qi Ke of the Pill Hall, Gun Fangmu, and Chen Zihang.

Besides the elders of this mountain, there are also Jin Shilun, the commander of Qingjue Guard; Tang Jiu, the commander of Chizhang Guard; Duan Yunzhou, the commander of Taxiao Cavalry; Kang Yiqing (husband of Pei Xiangcao), the military governor of the twelve prefectures; Jin Tanglu, the governor of the counties of Yunjiao Prefecture; Zheng Yuntong, the commissioner of Huangpi Road South; and Jiang Tangpei, the commissioner of Huangpi Road North.

The twelve disciples held important positions, including Zhu Yunsheng, the chief interpreter of Huangpi Road; Zheng Wanbi, the town garrison commander of Xuanwei Town; Zhou Xinran, the chief supervisor of Zongmen's assets; Shan Yong, the chief instructor of the Sutra Repository; and Qi Lang (son of Chu Yanran and her husband), the guest master of Baiyilou.

Excluding Shan Yong and Zhu Yunsheng, who had already reached the false core stage, most of these twenty-four people possessed cultivation levels above the late Foundation Establishment stage. Among them, Zheng Yuntong, as the first single-spiritual-root disciple of the Chongming Sect in this generation, had even reached the Ice Leaf Dao Foundation stage.

The so-called Golden Elixir Path is, for him, a relatively smooth road.

Moreover, there were many more disciples of similar cultivation levels outside who were not allowed to attend due to seniority or other assignments. If you count carefully, there were already more than four hundred true cultivators from Chongming Sect's own disciples alone. It is clear that the phrase "having successors and being able to prosper" was not just empty talk made by the fellow disciples and Headmaster Kang.

Kang Dabao raised his hand to suppress the soft noise in the hall. The golden silk Daoist robes passed down from the first patriarch of Chongming Sect were no longer considered respectable by the current Golden Core cultivators, but in this crucial occasion where no outsiders were present, Sect Leader Kang wore them all the time.

He glanced at the table in front of him. The sect leader's stone thumb ring on his hand had been worn for over a hundred years. Although it was an ordinary object, it had been stained with a faint blue spiritual light. At this moment, it reflected the Taiyin flame of the dew-collecting lamp, which made the spiritual mist in the whole hall quiet down a bit.

Kang Dabao's gaze swept over the twenty-three people below the steps one by one. His voice was deep and resonant, like a bell, imbued with profound spiritual power. However, it did not sound dull to the ears of the crowd; instead, it was like a spring breeze.

"Half a century has passed since we last met. You two or three disciples have managed the sect with great success, but it has been hard work."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the cultivators in the hall straightened up and bowed, replying, "We owe it all to the sect leader's guidance."

"I have not dealt with clan affairs for many years. This grand discussion will be just like the old days. My friends, please do not stand on ceremony and speak freely."

After the sect leader Kang set the tone, all the cultivators below responded, and then, according to seniority and rank, they stepped forward one by one to report their important matters.

Seeing that the three elders sitting beside the sect leader showed no intention of making a move, Duan Anle, who was first in rank, stepped forward without hesitation and bowed respectfully:
"Reporting to Master, I am deeply grateful for the favor shown to me by my fellow disciples. For the past twenty-nine years, managing the sect's affairs has been a perilous journey. It is thanks to the guidance and instruction of my teachers and fellow disciples that I have been spared any mistakes or hindrances to the sect's important matters. This is the second..."

"I've already said, let's skip the formalities and get down to business!"

Even though Duan Anle had been reprimanded, his expression remained unchanged, and he still spoke respectfully and calmly:
"All the important matters are handled by my fellow disciples. I am merely doing odd jobs behind the scenes. If Master wants to hear clearly, it is necessary for my fellow disciples to come forward and report to him personally."

"This kid is as generous as ever, so willing to give credit. In terms of kindness, he is even more so than the senior brother." Yuan Jin, who could see clearly from above, couldn't help but praise Ye and Jiang beside him.

The two men had different expressions. Jiang Qingxian could not say that he agreed with Duan Anle's actions, but he sighed in a low voice: "What Senior Brother did does not mean that Anle can do it. Times have changed. If a cultivator wants to maintain his sharpness, he must know the meaning of 'struggle'."

Ye Zhengwen just chuckled. In the past, he had worried about his disciples much more than his two junior brothers, but now he felt that the saying "children and grandchildren have their own blessings" was a wise saying.

So they simply watched quietly as Master Kang took action.

Upon hearing Duan Anle's words, Kang Dabao glanced at the latter with a mixture of worry and joy, and then said, "Then let's just talk about the matters of the Beast Garden. You must have something to say about that."

"Reporting to Master, in recognition of the prestige of our masters, I have established six animal gardens in places such as Yangming Mountain in Xianzhou, Moyunze in Huozhou, and Chaoxia Mountain in Sizhou, all of which are of some scale."

Currently, the various beast gardens have a total of 46 Foundation Establishment cultivators and 1,900 Qi Refining disciples available for use, most of whom have decent beast-taming skills.

Excluding non-ranked livestock in the various animal parks, there are 46,000 first-rank spirit beasts and birds of various grades, 260 second-rank spirit beasts and birds of various grades, and no third-rank demon beasts yet.

Among the three sects in the southwest, apart from the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, our sect can be considered first-rate among Golden Core sects in terms of the abundance and number of spirit beasts.

After further selective breeding, all the adult steeds are now top-grade first-tier spirit beasts. With a stock of three thousand, they can barely ensure that after the Sky-Treading Rider has ridden a long way, there will be no shortage of mounts available.

Furthermore, all the necessary spirit beasts for scouting, training, transporting, fire control, medicine, and meat consumption for the various halls and departments have been prepared, which should alleviate some of the urgent need for the prosperity of our Chongming Sect's various industries.

Kang Dabao was well-versed in administrative affairs and naturally knew how great an achievement was hidden behind Duan Anle's humble tone.

Even if we consider the more than 40,000 spirit beasts he mentioned, most of them would be cheap animals destined for the kitchens of Chongming Pavilion in various prefectures and counties. Just as even a hundred first-grade low-level fire pigs would hardly be worth the price of a Cloud-Stepping Steed.

But to be able to acquire such a large fortune is truly remarkable.

After finishing his statement, Duan Anle remained calm, showing no intention of seeking credit whatsoever. As soon as he saw Master Kang nod, he bowed again and returned to his seat.

After seeing Duan Anle take his seat, Kang Rongquan, before even hearing the proclamation, was about to step forward and recount his recent actions.

Unexpectedly, another imperial edict arrived at the door at this moment. After a brief glance, Kang Dabao frowned deeply and had no desire to listen to what his disciples had to say.

"Disaster is brewing."

—Gyeonggi Province, Yeongju, Fei Family

On the platform of the Lotus Pillar, Fei Tianqin's sharp eyes were filled with dejection, while Fei Yeyi, who had not yet formed his Nascent Soul, looked completely at ease. The latter's body was as thin as a sheet of paper, and he even lacked the strength to speak.

"I've disappointed you again, brother. If you had taken the Profound Infant Nourishing Pill, you might have been able to advance even further. What a pity."

Fei Tianqin shook his head violently and sighed, "My brother knows that although the bloodline I inherited from Mount Kuling is extremely precious, advancing to the next level is incredibly difficult. A single Xuan Chen Infant Nourishing Pill is useless to me; it should have been given to my brother."

Fei Yexian knew that Fei Tianqin was right, so he just chuckled and said, "This desperate struggle is useless. With the help of the Xuan Chen Infant Nourishing Pill, I may only have three to five more years left. Brother, you should make plans for the Fei family soon."

"How could this come to this?" Fei Tianqin exclaimed urgently. "Our Fei family made a great contribution last time, and the Kuang family didn't offer any thanks. How can we just sit by and watch these surrounding families disregard reason and attack our Fei family?"

The old bird was forced to stop halfway through his sentence by Fei Yeqing's gentle gaze.

This man, who could be considered the most outstanding head of the Fei family in Yingzhou since its founding, showed no sign of dejection even in such a predicament.

However, the implication in his words was also difficult to deny his pride:

"This time, my brother was able to safely bring the Xuan Chen Infant Essence Pill back to the Fei family; for fifty years, all families have been obedient and have not dared to invade our territory; the Fei family's eldest son-in-law has become the pacification chief of Huangpi Road. This is already a testament to the Kuang family's achievements. How could you not know this, brother?"

“My brother sees things clearly, and I can’t pretend to be confused.” Fei Tianqin sighed again, then asked, “My brother’s wisdom surpasses mine a hundredfold. How should we plan for the future?”

"There's no need to rush. Even though the Kuang family is currently eager to win over various Nascent Soul sects and has a lot of bargaining chips, it's true that they're aiming for families like ours that are thin-skinned but rich in resources."

But what my elder brother said isn't entirely unreasonable. My Fei family of Yingzhou still has some influence, and the Kuang family remembers it somewhat, so each family won't act too blatantly. We can gradually transfer our supplies and children to various places; there's no need to worry about our entire family being wiped out.”

Fei Yeyi paused here, his gaze falling on a huge map of David. He then whispered to Fei Tianqin, "In the future, besides cultivating Nan Ying, my Fei family can also add fuel to the fire for that son-in-law who has just been honored."

"Okay, I understand."

(Yesterday, I revised a section for a long time, but it was still deleted by the reviewer. There's nothing I can do, please forgive me. Tomorrow, Lao Bai will be officially present for the birth, so please forgive any delays in updates!)

(End of this chapter)