Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 632 Mo Yunze's Thatched Cottage Speaks of Taking Office; Yangmingshan's Recruitment of Talented Individuals Encounters Setbacks
(Thanks to Guo Qiuqiu for the 10,000 coins reward)
— Half a year later, Mo Yunze
The turbulent situation in Yeongju, Gyeonggi Province, has not yet reached here.

As the morning sun just dipped over the dark green mountains of Moyunze, a layer of pale blue mist seemed to rise from the black marshland. When exposed to the colorful light, it turned into dew, dripping onto a few strands of water plants and sliding down, splashing up tiny ripples of spiritual energy that made the newly sprouted green ferns around them glow.

Kang Rongquan stared calmly at the few newly sprouted flower buds in front of him. The tips of the buds were glistening with the lingering moonlight, giving them a faint pink hue. His face was full of satisfaction.

Zhu Yunsheng, the interpreter of Huangpi Road, was also enjoying a rare moment of leisure. His fingertips unconsciously brushed away the spirit-guiding vine that was wrapped around his sleeve. The vine was lush and green, with silver patterns on the edges of its leaves. It was a unique companion spirit plant of Mo Yunze.

He had finally managed to find time to visit his senior brother, only to be dragged to this field.
Although he wasn't particularly interested in farming, he knew what Kang Rongquan's intentions were regarding this sacred field.

Zhu Yunsheng's gaze swept over the vast expanse of aquatic spiritual plants in the distance. At this moment, they were stretching their leaves under the morning dew, and a large patch of purple flower spikes were faintly visible in the spiritual mist, yet they possessed a vibrant and beautiful charm.

After seeing this scene, Zhu Yunsheng didn't harbor much resentment, but simply chuckled softly, "Senior brother, you're being a bit too meticulous."

Kang Rongquan merely chuckled softly, raising his hand to gently brush aside the calyx of the Purple Spirit Heart flower before him. Where his fingertips brushed, the bud seemed to receive nourishment, swelling slightly. Only then did he speak calmly:
"The task personally assigned by my great-uncle is to cultivate all sixty-one kinds of spiritual flowers and herbs of various grades required for Foundation Establishment Pills in the twelve prefectures under the sect's jurisdiction, as well as all nine hundred and seventy-two kinds of spiritual plants of various grades recorded in the 'Preliminary Edition of the Three Realms of the Southwest.' After years of hard work, we are finally seeing some signs of the task being delivered. How can we not be happy?"

Zhu Yunsheng smiled at first, then nodded repeatedly.

Looking towards a spirit field outside the Great Swamp, several first-tier yellow-eyed sparrows were pecking at spirit insects, their wingtips brushing against the spirit grains, scattering countless fragments of spiritual light.

He is now considered outstanding among the disciples of Chongming, and naturally knows how important the task Kang Rongquan has been given.

"It's because we're incompetent that our senior brother has to work so hard."

Even though Zhu Yunsheng had taken a shortcut and achieved a fake elixir, he still showed great respect to Kang Rongquan, which shows that the latter had a high reputation among his fellow disciples.

"Stop saying such meaningless things," Kang Rongquan seemed to scold lightly, casually breaking off a piece of flowing cloud grass still covered in dew.

The blade of grass transformed into a wisp of pure spiritual energy in his palm, drifting to the spiritual field outside the marsh, causing the surrounding spiritual plants to sway in unison.

Zhu Yunsheng was marveling at how much his senior brother Kang's skills in farming had improved when he heard the latter whispering in his ear, "You all just need to do your jobs well within the sect."

Kang Rongquan glanced at Zhu Yunsheng again before saying, "My great-uncle has been in seclusion for many years before he was able to take charge of affairs. He instructed his subordinates not to cause too much trouble, lest they find fault with us again, like last time, and make things awkward."

The latter immediately adopted a solemn expression and said respectfully, "Don't worry, senior brother, I have already given instructions."

"Yes, remember that. They are all disciples of Chongming after all; they can be fought, but not defeated," Kang Rongquan glanced at the flocks of beneficial birds in the field, and then spoke again:

"Now that you are traveling, you may be able to make more friends with knowledgeable people from all over the world. I heard that Junior Brother Qi has been assigned a post, and it seems that the Hundred Arts Pavilion is going to recruit another group of retainers to serve him."

This path is not limited to any particular cultivation technique; as long as one possesses some solid skills, they can remain within the sect for service, with a fairly high annual salary. For those free spirits, it's a decent career path.

Zhu Yunsheng agreed to Kang Rongquan's arrangement. Now, the two are even vying for power with Jin Shilun, and now they are even competing for places like Baiyilou, which is not particularly prominent in the sect.

As for the various prefectures, counties, and townships under the jurisdiction of Emperor Chongmingzong, they were all subject to the same custom.

However, as Kang Rongquan had warned before, although the two sides appeared to be at odds, they still maintained a certain degree of restraint.

To be honest, the prosperity of Chongming Sect over the past fifty years can be attributed not only to the fact that it has made few bad decisions since the time of Grand Master Kang took the helm, but also to the atmosphere of fierce competition among all factions.

The two brothers chatted for a while longer. It was a rare meeting, so Kang Rongquan led Zhu Yunsheng to the thatched hut he had built by the Moyun Marsh. Although the hut was built quite elegantly, the interior was rather shabby.

Zhu Yunsheng saw that apart from some spiritual plant seeds and farming tools, there was only a beautiful woman cooking tea and porridge. It was clear that although Kang Rongquan was one of the most prominent figures in the Chongming Sect, besides his teachers, he was also quite simple in his appearance.

As the Huangpi Dao Tongshi, Zhu Yunsheng, who wielded great power, not only obtained a fake elixir in recent years, but was also so captivated by worldly wealth and riches that he became somewhat out of place in this world.

But he dared not show the slightest disgust in front of Kang Rongquan. As soon as he stepped into the reeds, he bowed to the beautiful woman.
"Yun Sheng greets his sister-in-law,"

The woman didn't seem to come from a humble background; she was very generous when guests arrived.

She smiled at Zhu Yunsheng, then whispered a few words to Kang Rongquan, and then, knowing the proper etiquette, handed the thatched hut over to the two brothers to talk. Afterwards, she went to the fields and cast a few spells to weed and cultivate seedlings.

"This Golden Core cultivator is indeed extraordinary," Zhu Yunsheng sighed inwardly. Even with his current status, it wasn't impossible for him to obtain a Golden Core cultivator.

But if one were to seek someone like Kang Rongquan, who, after Yang Wuwei of the Yang family arranged a marriage proposal and had his Golden Core Eldest Daughter bring a large dowry, would still be willing to forgo her finery and accompany him to various thatched huts to cultivate the land, such a person would likely be unattainable even in a hundred years.

Kang Rongquan's good fortune was partly due to Yang Wuwei's high regard for his abilities and future; another factor was the added benefit of the Chongmingzong plaque.

In fact, among the senior disciples of the Chongming Sect, quite a few have married noble ladies.

Of course, most of these still require the permission of the sect's masters to be carried out.

In recent years, perhaps because the sect leader Kang no longer worries about his disciples being lured away by sweet words and generous gifts, he has become quite lenient about his disciples marrying into wealthy and powerful families outside.

Among the younger generation, besides Kang Rongquan becoming the son-in-law of the Yang family in Yezhou, Jin Shilun also found a descendant of the Biyue Sect to be his second wife after Mo'er's death.

Later generations such as Wei Gu, Han Xundao, and He Yuanyi also benefited from these advantages.

However, Emperor Chongmingzong's style remained consistent: lenient in marriage proposals but strict in dowry proposals.

Even though they have taken in so many daughters from other families, the only female disciple in the sect who can truly be considered significant after marrying out is Zhang Le, who married into the Shan family of Feiyue many years ago and became the matriarch.

As a result, the Dan family of Feiyue rose in status and became a prominent family within the Chongming clan.

Although they knew the benefits of marrying a female disciple of the Chongming Sect into their family, they saw that even members of the Golden Core sects could not obtain such a woman, and most families had given up on the idea.

Compared to Kang Rongquan, who only got married in recent years, Zhu Yunsheng was much more enlightened. Back when he was still young, he had already married a fellow disciple before his fellow disciples.

Although the couple usually enjoyed harmonious music, he lacked the support of his wife's family compared to his fellow disciples, which made him feel frustrated.

Seeing how Kang Rongquan had trained Yang to be so obedient, Zhu Yunsheng couldn't help but feel a little envious.

However, since he had already advanced to the position of Pill Master, and the Chongming Sect had always valued the cultivation of mind and character, Zhu Yunsheng only sighed a few times in his heart before calming down from his troubles and speaking:
"Senior brother, do you know that our sect leader wants to recruit a few high-level cultivators to join the sect as servants?"

Kang Rongquan chuckled softly, then casually added a ladle of animal milk to the rice porridge his wife had just cooked. A flash of inspiration struck him, and a few green plums slipped through his fingers and fell into the pot. Once the milky smell had dissipated from the fire under the stove, he personally handed a bowl to Zhu Yunsheng.
"Why discuss something that's still undecided? This is new grain that was just grown this year. Try it and see how it tastes."

The latter took it with both hands, drank a few mouthfuls, and felt that his mouth was tasteless, but said on the surface: "This spirit grain is indeed worthy of being cultivated by my senior brother. The taste is very good."

"Don't try to fool me with those words. Your tongue has been spoiled by the delicacies served to you by those wealthy and powerful families. How could you possibly taste anything special?"

Kang Rongquan shook his head after speaking, not even glancing at Zhu Yunsheng's embarrassed expression. He simply filled a bowl for himself and began to eat with relish.
"This Spirit Nourishing Valley is a recipe I obtained from the alchemist I killed last time. It was cultivated by sixteen second-level cultivators who spent half a century of their lives cultivating it. They worked tirelessly through spring, autumn, winter, and summer, burning the midnight oil, and only then did we see results."

Zhu Yunsheng only became interested after hearing Kang Rongquan's words. He pondered the matter carefully for a while, but the quality of the spirit grain was not high enough to fool his discerning palate as the alchemist. After a short while, Zhu Yunsheng asked:

"This Spirit Nourishing Valley seems capable of nourishing mortals?"

Kang Rongquan's expression brightened upon hearing Zhu Yunsheng's words, but the former nodded and said, "That's right. If ordinary people can eat one he of Nourishing Spirit Valley every year, able-bodied men can strengthen their bodies and prolong their lives; healthy women can also replenish their blood and energy and give birth sooner."

"According to my senior brother, this thing is good, but it requires spiritual soil and its implementation will be very costly. It would be a pity for mortals to use it."

Zhu Yunsheng shook his head for a while. In his opinion, grains were not a good way to make money. What need did mortals have to chew on spirit grains? Even the cheapest alfalfa was fought over by livestock that had not yet reached the next level, so it was unlikely to end up in their mouths.

"You've already reached a high position, how can you still be so short-sighted?!" Kang Rongquan laughed. "Don't you think about how many people my Chongming Sect could produce each year if this Spirit Valley were implemented? And how many more immortal seedlings could be created?!"
Not to mention that Huangpi Road is a remote and inaccessible place, and most of the people live in the more prosperous areas along the road.

If this Spirit Nourishing Valley can ensure a full population in the twelve states under the sect's jurisdiction in the future, then those originally impoverished places can be sent to cultivators and mortals to carry out colonization work.

"Wouldn't our Chongming Sect then have a much wider supply of spiritual land? And wouldn't our resources be much more abundant?!"

The person sitting opposite Kang Rongquan was not stupid. After hearing the former's explanation, Zhu Yunsheng reacted almost instantly.

But then he suddenly slammed his hand down, causing the bowl of porridge in front of him to crack in several places, and said in a cheerful voice, "If the sect leader knew, he would surely be delighted."

Kang Rongquan was not surprised by his reaction, but frowned as he looked at the cracked rough bowl. After a while, he said, "Of course, my great-uncle's reputation for benevolence is well-deserved. If this spirit-nourishing rice can be promoted, I will be happy."

However, it is not the time to boast yet. Although the Spirit Nourishing Valley has been successfully cultivated, it requires a lot of spiritual soil and is not easy to plant.

"Only when we can cultivate a few seedlings in the fields of ordinary people can we truly consider it a great success, and only then will we have any glory in our sect."

Zhu Yunsheng clearly agreed with Kang Rongquan's vision, nodding repeatedly. Just as he was about to speak, Kang Rongquan interrupted him.

"However," Kang Rongquan paused here, then continued, "the things that benefit mortals are not limited to my Spirit Plant Hall. The Weapon Hall researches suitable spiritual tools, the Mountain Literature Hall dredges the earth's veins and water systems, and..."

The Beast Garden distributes unranked livestock to various counties and townships for farming and sericulture, as well as for the demon-slaying and evil-exorcising tasks performed in the Hall of Merit. The number of such livestock reaches several thousand per month. Under the constant urging of our masters, has our Chongming Sect ever had a moment of peace?

Zhu Yunsheng chimed in at the opportune moment: "What you say is true, senior brother. However, in my opinion, the achievements of the other halls are nothing compared to even a fraction of what you have accomplished in your Spirit Nourishing Valley."

"Can you believe that?" Kang Rongquan's face hardened, his tone carrying a warning: "If Junior Brother Jin's fellow disciples are truly so useless, how could they have cultivated six or seven out of ten Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sect?"

"It was a slip of the tongue, Junior Brother," Zhu Yunsheng paused, then continued, "But after Senior Brother attains the Golden Core stage..."

“Junior Brother Jin may not have perfected the theory of alchemy, but he has many outstanding successors. As for us? Counting them up, we are just Yun Tong.” Kang Rongquan sighed, and Zhu Yunsheng blushed. He put down his porridge bowl, bowed and said, “We are not only lagging behind in cultivation, but we are also behind Senior Brother in teaching disciples. We are ashamed.”

"No need to blame myself, as if I could easily attain the Golden Elixir."

Seeing that Kang Rongquan had finished the bowl of rice porridge, Zhu Yunsheng knew it was time to say goodbye. He cupped his hands and said, "Since you have finished your morning work, I will not bother you any longer. I will go and visit my senior brothers and sisters before heading out to do my work."

Kang Rongquan also stood up, casually picked up the storage bag hanging in the corner of the wall, which contained several stones of Spirit Nourishing Valley seeds that shimmered with a bluish light, and handed it to him:
“These are the new seeds I just harvested. Take some to Tang Lu and let him see. He is the governor of the counties in Yunjiao Prefecture, and Yunjiao Prefecture is one of the most important places under the jurisdiction of my Chongming Sect. Now you can have him recruit some ordinary farmers in the prefecture and counties to try planting some, and then select some ordinary people to eat for a while to test the effects.”

Kang Rongquan chose to conduct this illustrious event on the territory of Jin Shilun's eldest son, which shows that his previous admonition to Zhu Yunsheng to "fight without breaking apart" was not empty talk.

Zhu Yunsheng took the cloth bag with both hands. Although it was a mustard seed magic tool, it felt slightly heavy when he held it.

He looked down at it, then looked up at the window.

Yang was squatting on the edge of the field, her fingertips glowing with a pale green light. She gently touched a tender leaf, and the withered spots on the leaf's edge instantly disappeared, replaced by a lustrous sheen.

Farming is not considered a respectable profession in the Immortal Dynasty, and the sight of a Golden Core cultivator working in the fields is probably hard to find anywhere else in the surrounding area.

"I truly admire your character and temperament, Senior Brother and Sister-in-law," Zhu Yunsheng said sincerely. "From now on, I will definitely follow your example and have fewer frivolous thoughts."

Kang Rongquan smiled upon hearing this and patted him on the shoulder: "Be careful on your way back, and do more practical things in your daily life."

"Recently, there have been many demonic beast attacks on the eastern side of Moyunze, so I have personally transferred a group of disciples from the Spirit Plant Hall to guard the immortal roots. If your Interpreter's Office still has manpower available, you can also send some over to assist me."

Zhu Yunsheng responded, then bowed slightly in the direction of Lingtian as a farewell to Yang, before turning and leaving the thatched hut.

As soon as I stepped across the threshold, I saw that the morning mist had dissipated and the golden sunlight shone on the spirit field. Patches of purple spirit heart flowers swayed gently in the wind, attracting several yellow-eyed birds to circle above them, pecking at the spirit insects among the leaves. The spiritual light that fell from the tips of their wings landed on the ridges of the field, condensing into tiny specks of light.

He walked along the path beside the spirit field, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the storage bag.

Kang Rongquan's words were still echoing in his ears. The five words "do more practical things" had greatly relieved most of the annoyance he had felt earlier because of the "help from his wife's family".

He used to think that once he took control of the Huangpi Dao Tongshi (a position in the Daoist temple), he should be able to move around among the various prefectures and counties, dealing with all the powerful and wealthy, and handling all the important matters. However, he forgot that the foundation of the sect was actually rooted in these spiritual fields, these mortals, and these seemingly trivial matters.

Upon reaching the edge of Moyunze, they saw the attendants and entourage waiting there with their second-tier spirit steeds.

The saddle and bridle on the horse were embroidered with the gold-script emblem of Huangpi Dao Tongshi, which was far more luxurious than Kang Rongquan's thatched cottage.

Zhu Yunsheng mounted his horse, but instead of immediately urging it on, he turned back to look at the thatched hut hidden among the spiritual mist and fields.

Kang Rongquan had already picked up the spirit hoe with remarkable ease and bent down to turn the soil in the field. Yang stood beside him and handed him a sickle inlaid with spirit patterns. They were perfectly in sync, yet there was no trace of the noble bearing that should have been present in these two.

"Let's go." Zhu Yunsheng said softly to his attendants, then looked away, a sudden realization dawning on him.

The Cloud Steed leaped up on a shimmering light, its hooves skimming the water's surface, startling several egrets perched among the water plants. Its wingtips brushed the water's surface, leaving a trail of ripples.

After his figure disappeared in the direction of Yunjiao Prefecture, Kang Rongquan was still turning over the soil in the spirit fields of Moyunze. Madam Yang walked over, handed him a handkerchief, and said softly, "Junior Brother Zhu is quite insightful. It's not a waste of your many teachings."

Kang Rongquan wiped the sweat from his brow, looked towards Yunjiao Prefecture in the distance, and laughed: "There are plenty of fellow disciples in the sect like Junior Brother Zhu right now. Fortunately, they are only temporarily blinded by the wealth in front of them. It's good that they can be awakened."

As my great-uncle said, our Chongming clan has a very weak foundation. Because of his good fortune, the entire clan suddenly became rich after being poor, which inevitably led to some drawbacks.

If the disciples of this sect have impure thoughts and improper intentions, they will be like me back then, and may very well cause great disaster. However, as long as the disciples of our Chongming Sect are willing to calm their minds, none of them are lacking.”

After speaking, a hint of self-satisfaction appeared on his face. Then he bent down, picked up the hoe, and walked deeper into the field.

There is also a newly cultivated spirit field there, waiting to sow the seeds of the Spirit Nourishing Valley and to hatch Kang Rongquan's alchemical theories.

————Yangmingshan, Meeting Room
"Senior Gu Hongzi, your preaching this time must have been arduous." As Ye Zhengwen spoke in a pleasant voice, he pointed his finger and a packet of spirit stones landed on the table of Gu Hongzi, who was sitting opposite him.

The latter has given many lectures to Chongmingzong over the years and has frequent interactions with all the leaders of Chongmingzong. He is also a free-spirited cultivator who earns his living through his own abilities.

Having heard Ye Zhengwen say this, he didn't pretend, and calmly accepted it with a sweep of his divine sense.

After the spirit stones were in his pocket, the old cultivator's smile deepened, and he then praised them:
"People outside say that your sect leader Kang is fond of cooking with firewood, but I feel that there are few families around who are as generous as your sect. It seems that there are too many mediocre people in this world, which makes talented people jealous and thus invite slander."

Ye Zhengwen laughed as he listened. He knew that although his sect leader was usually a bit stingy, he was never hesitant to spend money when necessary.

This Gu Hongzi is insightful and highly accomplished, so we must treat him with sincerity. We cannot ruin our friendship over a few material things.

You must understand that some truths, even if missing just one word, are entirely different. Headmaster Kang has the ability to amass spirit stones, yet he doesn't need to be stingy here.

To be honest, if Gu Hongzi hadn't already been recruited by the Fei family of Yingzhou, Master Kang would most likely have considered hiring him to serve as a retainer in Chongming Sect.

After the money and goods were exchanged and everyone was in high spirits, Ye Zhengwen brought up another important matter: "I wonder if you have made any progress on the matter I asked you to do before?"

"To be honest, Fellow Daoist Ye, there are quite a few free spirits around here who are acquainted with me, and many of them are happy to have a place to stay. However, your sect has very strict rules, and even with a generous annual salary, it is difficult to find a few like-minded and upright individuals."

When Gu Hongzi spoke, there was a lot of confusion in his tone. He had been cultivating for many years and, because his teachings were profound and insightful, he often frequented the homes of the wealthy and powerful.

He also knew that all the rules and regulations in the world were essentially the same.

It's one thing to inscribe something on a jade slip, but whether the head of each household should set an example and how to discipline their disciples is another matter entirely.

A family like Chongmingzong's, whose words and deeds are consistent, is truly rare.

It must be understood that while Kang Dabao has indeed been in seclusion for years, Third Master Jiang's flying sword has already caused a great many deaths among the Huangpi Daoists. Among those who have taken lives are not few newly promoted cultivators or seasoned alchemists.

Cultivation for independent cultivators is inherently difficult, and high-level independent cultivators are even rarer. They come from humble backgrounds and have struggled against fate all the way, yet they have endured countless hardships.

Therefore, they have become accustomed to using extraordinary means for cultivation. Jiang Qing's previous actions were not only to make an example of others, but also made the Chongming Sect, which had the ability to control a path, awe-inspiring and difficult to approach.

Ye Zhengwen understood the reasoning behind Gu Hongzi's words. Otherwise, Chongming Sect could have recruited honest and unaffiliated cultivators to do the work themselves. Why would they need to ask the Fei family, a guest with no connections, for help?

Therefore, Ye Zhengwen was not discouraged. He simply thanked Gu Hongzi gently and then explained, "I hope you know that my family has always been particular about having a legitimate reason for doing things, and that we must punish those who have been taught a lesson. This rule was set by the sect leader and has been proclaimed to all prefectures and counties for many years."

Those who live peacefully in the twelve prefectures under the jurisdiction of Chongming Sect, regardless of whether they are minor or advanced cultivators, are all safe and secure; however, if anyone insists on testing the law, then regardless of whether they are Qi Refining or Golden Core cultivators, they will all be subject to trial according to the rules of our sect to determine their sins.

Gu Hongzi knew that Ye Zhengwen's words were true, but while the principle was sound, it was difficult to accomplish. Even he, with his years of accumulated golden core, felt that it would take a great deal of effort to recite it.

It is truly remarkable that Kang Dabao was able to lead a group of mediocre people to advance Chongmingzong to such an extent.

Gu Hongzi paused for a moment, then said, "However, since this matter was personally entrusted by Fellow Daoist Ye, how dare I take it lightly? In a few days, I will meet some fellow Daoists and may ask them about it one by one. Perhaps I will find someone who is interested in your sect's reputation."

"Then thank you very much, Senior Gu Hongzi." Ye Zhengwen bowed and escorted Gu Hongzi to the outside of the archway before stopping.

Gu Hongzi had already turned to leave, but at the last moment, he stopped and looked back, scrutinizing Ye Zhengwen for a while longer, and said softly:
"Logically speaking, having cultivated for hundreds of years, I know the principle of not speaking too frankly to those I don't know well, and I shouldn't say much in front of Fellow Daoist Ye. But the path you've chosen is simply too dangerous... simply too..."

Upon hearing this, the latter's eyes widened, and the smile on his face gradually faded. However, he did not say anything more, but bowed again to the phantom image left by Gu Hongzi before turning back and entering the archway.

With his thoughts in mind, Ye Zhengwen walked to the outside of the sect leader's room. Whenever Gu Hongzi finished his sermon, the sect leader would take time out to come out and point out the way for his key disciples.

In his words, Gu Hongzi's teachings are like rain falling from the sky, which can be effective on thousands of acres of fertile land. However, if someone were to dig canals and build dams specifically for certain fields, the miraculous effect of this rain would be even greater.

At this moment, many important figures of the Chongming Sect were waiting outside the cloud room. Even though they were usually decisive and ruthless in their actions, they were now all obedient and didn't even dare to make a loud noise.

Outside, the disciples bowed to Ye Zhengwen, who then hastily returned the bow. Once the restrictions on the cloud room were lifted, he stepped inside first.

At this moment, Kang Dabao was holding the Spring and Autumn Annals writing brush, ready to give a lecture to the disciples who came in later.

To be honest, the fact that Chongming Sect has been able to produce so many talented people over the years is inextricably linked to the instructions that the sect leader gave him before he went into seclusion.

Ye Zhengwen and Kang Dabao seemed to have a tacit understanding. Before the former could speak, the sect leader Kang interjected, "Could it be that Senior Gu Hongzi has no one to recommend him?"

Seeing the former nod for a while, Kang Dabao was not discouraged. It seemed that he had already made a plan in his mind. Afterwards, he said softly, "I feel that the Fei family has been making quite a lot of moves lately. Seeing their moves, I thought of recruiting some like-minded people so that I can be prepared for danger in times of peace."

"Alright," Headmaster Kang shook his head again and said softly, "We can postpone the matter of finding an offering. But the sect competition next month will require your help, Old Ye."

"Yes,"

"And that too?"

The morning mist had dissipated, and the spiritual light of Yangming Mountain spilled into the cloud chambers. At that very moment, another large fleet of ships from the Fei family of Yingzhou, which had moved from the capital region, was about to enter the sky above Shanbei Road.

(End of this chapter)