Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 642 Guanyun Residence, Anwufeng, Mani Jewel Leaf, and Great Treasure

"Greetings, Second Young Master,"

Not long after Sect Leader Kang left, Wu Feng Shangxiu, who hadn't contributed much, came over somewhat embarrassed to pay his respects.

Although this old cultivator had been practicing for quite some time, his fighting skills were truly lacking. Kang Changxi merely returned the greeting with utmost politeness and respect, and then leaned close to Master Jiang and whispered a question:

"Third Uncle, there are so many high-ranking cultivators outside who want to apply for guest elder positions at our Chongming Sect, why did Father choose this one?!"

The latter clearly didn't intend to elaborate on this trivial matter, and simply said: "Senior Brother is saying that Senior Wufeng owes others a favor, so he shouldn't expect an annual salary for the first 150 years of service. We'll talk about it again if he does well in the future."

"Oh, if that's the case, then it's not surprising."

Upon hearing this, Kang Changxi immediately realized that his father greatly appreciated this good deal with high quality and low price, and thus his doubts were dispelled.

At first, he didn't realize it, but now Kang Changxi has come to understand how difficult it would be to clean up the mess in Yunjiao Prefecture after his rash confrontation with Shan Shan, the deputy commander of the Duke's Army.

He was about to ask Jiang Qing, who was beside him, how to proceed, when he heard the latter speak and give instructions:
"Yunjiao Prefecture is a place where our Chongming Sect and the Shannan Road General Administration alternately govern. Originally, the two sides had their own tacit understanding on how to get along. However, because of today's events, Kuai En may not be inactive. You should all return to your positions and be cautious."

"Yes."

"We will obey the Third Elder's orders."

Jin Tanglu and Zheng Wanbi, along with the other officials in charge of Yunjiao Prefecture, responded in unison, while Kang Changxi nodded to himself. He thought to himself that although his third uncle disliked official duties, his arrangements were quite appropriate.

Just as Kang Changxi was about to offer a few more words of advice, Jiang Qing turned around and gave him another order: "You will temporarily take charge of this place, Brother Xi. If anything happens, do not suffer in silence. Just send a message to me immediately."

After saying this, Master Jiang and the rest of his men left without even saying goodbye, and then sailed back to Yangming Mountain in their green leaf spirit boat to continue their cultivation.

His actions were so swift that even Kang Changxi, who was familiar with him, was surprised. However, he did not show it on his face, but sighed in his heart: "My third uncle really seems like a pure Taoist."

The matter needs to be cleaned up quickly. Kang Changxi ordered his men to pull the Fang family head, who was still wailing, along with most of the remaining Fang family cultivators from Yun Gu aside, and asked his subordinates to find a quiet place to hold a meeting.

Upon arriving at the destination, he first placed Wu Fengshang Xiu'an in a VIP position, who was feeling somewhat cramped. Then he summoned Jin Tanglu, the governor of Yunjiao Prefecture, and Zheng Wanbi, the garrison commander of Xuanwei Town, to arrange matters large and small for him.

After all the arrangements were made for the resettlement of the Fang family in Yun Gu, the promotion of the number of Xiang Army soldiers, the compensation for the meritorious service of each family, and the re-establishment of spies in the Shannan Road General Administration, half a day had already passed.

Just then, He Chang and the other two urged the golden-haired old donkey, panting heavily, to arrive at Tanggu County.

Kang Changxi not only didn't find it sluggish, but also felt that this golden-haired old donkey, who had been in the sect for many years, was truly extraordinary. After all, even if an ordinary second-tier top-grade spirit beast were driven desperately, how could it possess such abilities?!

Soon after He Chang arrived, he quickly found out what had happened. Having served as a steward for etiquette for a long time, he was quite familiar with the relationships between the surrounding families, so he tentatively asked Kang Changxi:
"Xi-ge'er, in your opinion, should I pay a visit to the Governor-General's residence in Shannan Circuit recently?!"

"Brother Chang, don't be anxious," Kang Changxi, who had just fought a fierce battle, was much calmer: "Since the old man instructed us to return to Yangmingshan as soon as possible, we cannot act on our own this time towards the Shannan Road General Administration."

If the Earl of Feng'en truly takes this matter to heart, then aside from the old man and his third uncle, even the other elders seem somewhat insignificant. If Brother Chang were to visit, he might even lose face, creating unnecessary complications and making things worse.

After listening for a while, He Chang thought about it and found it to be very reasonable. He also agreed, saying, "That's right, that's right. This conflict between the two families happened within the jurisdiction of my Yunjiao Prefecture."

This place was a fiefdom personally bestowed upon my uncle by the current emperor. Even though it is nominally still under the jurisdiction of the Shannan Circuit General Administration, it is wrong for Shanshan to lead a troop of his guards to enter my Chongmingzong's territory without permission.

Therefore, the Earl of Feng'en has no reason to take his anger out on his uncle. Even if the high-ranking officials in the Duke's mansion are biased, they can't blame me, Chongmingzong, for saying a few words.

Having endured too much hardship in the past, the moment I heard that the person I was marrying was from a prominent family in the capital region and had been betrothed to a member of the imperial family, I couldn't help but feel inferior. Fortunately, it was Xi-ge'er who brought that clarity to my senses.”

After thinking it through, He Chang stopped agonizing over it and simply assigned himself another task:
"As Brother Chang said, since no one needs to go to the Shannan Road General Administration for the time being, then I, your foolish brother, will go to Hongyun Mountain first and also visit Venerable Wenxiu."

Hopefully, his injuries aren't too serious; otherwise, the imperial treasury will likely be severely depleted, and who knows how long Junior Brother Zhou's miserable face will remain.

"Yes, Brother Chang, you should go ahead. Or perhaps you could ask Senior Wufeng to come along? That way, he could provide support."

Kang Changxi's good intentions were rejected by He Chang, who then shook his head and said:
"Senior Wufeng is a highly respected elder of our sect, how could he possibly follow his foolish brother to do errands and menial tasks? It's not appropriate. There are still many matters to attend to in Yunjiao Prefecture, so Senior Wufeng should stay by Xige'er's side to be of great use."

"With Brother Donkey's assistance, even a simple mortal like myself couldn't keep me here. Furthermore, Red Cloud Mountain is within the jurisdiction of my Chongming Sect; how could there be any reason for anything to go wrong?!"

Kang Changxi found He Chang's words reasonable, so he did not insist on it.

He then wrote a letter in his capacity as an elder of the Chongming Sect's Battle Hall, instructing the latter to take it with him when he went to Hongyun Mountain as a gesture of comfort.

He Chang did not mind the hardship. Even though he arrived in Tanggu County covered in dust, he immediately rode his golden donkey to Hongyun Mountain the next morning.

Kang Changxi did not linger. He stayed for a few days to give instructions to Jin and Zheng, and then summoned the group of alchemists who had come to help him to give them serious advice. Only then did he return to Yangming Mountain with his two half-brothers and Wu Feng Shangxiu.

During the journey, Kang Changxi made a few subtle probes and quickly understood why Wu Fengshangxiu appeared so submissive.

It should be noted that the latter's ability to escape is extraordinary. Given the harsh conditions set by Master Kang and the lack of any means of restraint, it would not be surprising if he turned around and fled, considering his status as a free spirit.

He couldn't obtain even a single spirit stone in a full 150 years. However, he calculated the remaining lifespan of Wu Feng Shangxiu perfectly.

According to Wu Fengshangxiu, Kang Dabao had warned him that if the former escaped, he would spare no effort to search for and capture him, and that he would not show any mercy when they met again.

If these words were spoken by an ordinary late-stage Golden Core cultivator, Wu Feng might not have taken them seriously. However, since these threatening words came from within the sect of Headmaster Kang, and considering the number of Golden Core cultivators under the latter's control...
Wu Fengshangxiu immediately understood. He didn't need to think too much. As long as he clearly understood the thought that he didn't want to live in fear for the next 150 years, he couldn't make any other choice.

So he decided to do some free labor for Kang Dabao first, and then stay in Chongmingzong to cultivate for a while before making any further plans.

Because Wu Feng was not in a good mood, the three brothers remained mostly silent throughout the journey.

As soon as the spirit boat landed at the sect, Elder Ye Zhengwen, Elder Duan Anle who was in charge of sect affairs, and Qi Lang, the guest master of Baiyilou, were the first to come out to greet it.

Compared to their own three nephews and brothers, the three mentioned above were much more affectionate towards Wu Feng Shang Xiu, an outsider.

Regardless of how Headmaster Kang intends to deal with Wu Feng Shangxiu, the latter is, after all, a genuine Golden Core cultivator, and cannot be truly worthless.

Therefore, as soon as the news arrived, the three of them had not even seen Wu Fengshang Xiumian yet, and they had already made proper arrangements for the beautiful concubines in the cave and the relocation assistance on Yangming Mountain.

Wu Feng had little hope for cultivation, but after landing on the spiritual peak chosen for him by Chongming Sect, he was filled with nothing but "satisfaction".

The sacred peak was hidden in the pale purple mist, with dew-laden jade-like grasses covering the mountain and rare flowers in bloom. The fragrance of lingzhi mushrooms wafted in the wind, making it even more elegant than the immortal abode of the rogue cultivators that Wu Feng had accidentally entered in his early years.

The words "Guanyunju" are engraved on the lintel of the cave dwelling, with a faint spiritual light flowing between the strokes of the brush. Green vines climb on the jade steps, with tiny shimmering lights adorning the leaves.

When I pushed open the door, I saw a crystal curtain hanging down. The curtain beads were made of rounded, century-old ice crystals. They weren't worth any spirit stones, but they were still elegant and beautiful here, and when they swayed, they reflected a clear light throughout the room.

The floor of the inner room was covered with warm jade. Stepping on it, a warm and spiritual energy would rise up from the soles of the feet. In the corner of the wall was a living spring. The spring water shimmered with a light golden spiritual halo. Several "fragrant jades" were sunk at the bottom of the spring. Even the surrounding water vapor had a calming effect.

A stone table with spirit patterns was placed by the spring, on which was prepared the spirit tea that Lingzhitang had just transplanted and harvested this year. When the boiling water was poured in, a layer of light green mist floated on the tea soup, and one could feel the spiritual energy in one's dantian stirring slightly upon smelling it.

Wu Fengshangxiu walked to the window and saw that the clouds and mist swirled around the carved wooden railings. In the distance, the golden summit of Yangming Mountain's main peak was faintly visible among the clouds. The wind carried the fragrance of spiritual plants and brushed against his cheek. He touched the jade cup on the table, feeling the rich and mellow spiritual energy beneath his fingertips. Suddenly, all his previous unease dissipated. This was no mere "temporary residence"; it was clearly a meticulously prepared celestial abode!

Even the place he specially renovated for himself when he founded his sect in Dingzhou back then was probably the most satisfactory place he could find.

As for the temporary residences that have been undisturbed in recent years, which one is worthy of the name "Golden Elixir Cave"?
Even before he could see the beautiful concubines and the wealthy man inside the cave, Wu Feng Shang Xiu was already extremely satisfied.

What grand ambitions could someone like him, who has been stuck at the early stage of the Golden Core realm for nearly two hundred years with little progress, possibly have left?!

The relentless passage of time is a powerful force that erodes willpower. It gradually wears down the legendary rogue cultivators who survived countless near-death experiences to achieve the Golden Core, reducing them to mediocre individuals who can do nothing more than pick up a needle in a haystack.

After his eyes were filled with spiritual light, Wu Feng Shangxiu faced the Great Master Kang, and his resentment instantly lessened.

Ye Zhengwen was quite sensible; seeing that Wu Feng was injured, he didn't linger. He simply made up an excuse and led the group of younger disciples to take their leave of Wu Feng Shangxiu.

He had traveled halfway when he spoke to those around him again:

"Guest elders are still elders. You should all go and give some advice to the disciples below. Even if Senior Wu Feng himself has a somewhat bad reputation, a Golden Core cultivator is not someone that ordinary people can discuss."

If any rumors reach my ears in the future, Liu Ya will likely have a lot to do in the punishment hall and won't have any peace and quiet."

"Please rest assured, Uncle-Master, I will definitely explain this matter clearly to the disciples below."

Upon hearing this, Duan Anle immediately straightened his expression and replied.

At the same time, he thought to himself that Uncle Ye's temperament had really changed. After all, if it were the latter when he was young, he would never have said such blunt and threatening words.

After seeing Duan Anle's reaction, Ye Zhengwen was somewhat satisfied and nodded for a while. Then he said to Kang Changxi, "If you have any free time lately, you might as well come and get closer to this Senior Wufeng."

Seeing that Kang Changxi looked hesitant, Ye Zhengwen continued, "It seems that the matter of replacing all the officials of the Ancient Profound Path General Administration, which was discussed in the previous meeting of the Duke's Mansion, has been decided."

Yuejianshan could no longer hold onto the position of chief steward. Xu Lingzhi, the advisor to the Duke's office, was proposed as the next chief steward. The matter would be settled after the Duke's officials discussed it again.

My Huangpi Dao Huozhou is adjacent to the ancient Xuandao Beiyuanzhou. I have heard from the officials of the government that the position of governor of Beiyuanzhou should be filled by Zhou Yun, the former prefect of Jingnanzhou.

He had already formed a pseudo-core sixty years ago. He was already on good terms with the sect leader and was also a direct disciple of Wu Feng Shangxiu. It was important to maintain a good relationship with him.

He had barely finished speaking when he noticed the strange expressions on the faces of the younger generation in front of him, and then he realized what was going on:

"As the saying goes, there are no parents who are wrong. Even if Senior Wu Feng did something inappropriate back then, Zhou Yun may not hold a grudge as you think. In my opinion, we should just be more respectful to Senior Wu Feng, and we can't go wrong."

“I will listen to what my senior uncle says,” Kang Changxi said obediently to his elder. Although he did not think that Ye Zhengwen’s words made sense, he did not argue but simply bowed in agreement.

"Alright, that's all I have to do here. You may all go your separate ways."

"Yes"

The cultivators responded and dispersed. At this moment, Ye Zhengwen glanced again at Wu Feng Shangxiu, who had already entered the cave.

He seemed to recall the gleam in the latter's eyes when he saw that cave dwelling, and then he curled his lips, shook his head and sneered: "Even if I, Ye Zhengwen, cannot form a core in this life, I will not do such a thing."

After saying this, a hint of determination appeared in his eyes. He turned around and returned to his cave to continue his cultivation.

————Phoenix Cry City

How could the news that the defeated and disheveled deputy commander of the Ya Army, Shan Shan, entered Dezhou City one after the other, along with the Marquis of Wuning Prefecture and the Grand Master of Chongming Zongkang, be kept secret?

After the gatekeeper of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect smiled twice, everyone in the Duke's mansion knew the cause and effect of the matter.

This time, Kang Dabao was unusually free of worries about the future. After entering the city, he hurried to the White Pagoda Temple to see the Buddhist monk Gada.

Ga Daxian had not expected that the progress of the Grand Master Kang would be so smooth. He took the black coffin from the latter and examined it carefully for a while before he was able to decipher the restrictions inside.

It turned out that the ferocious Yongli Demon School had been locked in this black coffin for a long time, and when it came out, it looked even more ferocious. However, when Ga Da gave a wink to the mountain slave beside him, the latter immediately presented a nine-leaf beast heart necklace.

The moment this magical artifact appeared, it caused the Yongli Demon School, which had returned to its original form, to tremble.

Ga Da pointed his finger again, and a radiant light emanated from the Nine-Leaf Beast Heart Necklace. The Yongli Demon School immediately knelt down, its body several feet long, yet it was as obedient as an ordinary fox.

Baochai Mingfei smiled sweetly, more alluring than a ripe cherry. She simply walked gracefully to Yongli Yaoxiao and generously showed him many sights.

Afterwards, she stretched out her delicate hand and stroked the rough scales of the Yongli Demon School for a while, a flash of pleasure crossing her eyes as she exclaimed incessantly, "Good beast!!"

Headmaster Kang also praised it, saying, "The Buddha's Dharma treasure fruit is truly extraordinary!"

Ga Da shook his head and laughed for a while, then said modestly:
“This beast is hard to find. Last time we finally found him, but he still managed to escape because of a moment of carelessness. It’s a small matter for Ga Da’s face, but it’s a real sin to make all our friends run around for nothing.”

Previously, I had been thinking of taking some people to try my luck again, so I asked the temple elders to send me this Buddha Tiger-Taming Necklace, so that things would never repeat themselves.

I never expected Marquis Wuning to act so swiftly, which has made all my efforts futile.

The Buddhist monk from Benying Temple did not keep Kang Dabao waiting for long. A spiritual ring flashed on the index finger of his right hand, and a Mani jewel leaf landed in his fair palm.

This Mani Jewel Leaf is shaped like a mature Bodhi leaf in its unfolded form, about seven inches long and three inches wide.

The leaves have soft edges and slender petioles like mutton fat jade, tapering naturally to a point. The overall shape is free of any angular carvings, as if it were naturally grown yet possesses an inherent precious quality.

The leaves are not flat, but rather slightly curled inward into a shallow cup shape, which can receive the spiritual light emanating from itself, resembling a jade cup filled with celestial energy, which is quite beautiful.

It was true that this item was precious; even someone as extravagant as Ga Da showed some reluctance when it was handed to him. But after a moment's thought, he spoke slowly again:
"Gada dares to speak up and advise Marquis Wuning. Gada knows that the Marquis and your junior brother have a deep affection for each other and should not be bound by the value of worldly things. However, if this Mani precious leaf is used for true cultivation of the mind, it is too wasteful."
Although Ga Da's rank is not high, he is still highly regarded by the abbot in the temple and possesses some rare treasures that are hard to find elsewhere. Marquis Wu Ning could perhaps make a further selection; it might even enhance his own abilities.”

When Gadayan arrived, he saw that Kang Dabao's expression remained firm and unchanged. He sighed inwardly, then summoned a wisp of breeze and presented the precious leaf in his palm to the latter.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Buddha!"

"I dare not accept such praise, thank you for your assistance, Lord Marquis!"

Ga Da's tone of gratitude was genuine. He then had Shan Nu and Baochai Mingfei escort the eager-to-return Headmaster Kang out of the mansion. When the two returned, his meditative composure seemed to finally break, and a hint of excitement appeared on his face.
"After a hundred years here, I have finally found the beast within the barrier of Cold Crow Mountain! Fortunately, it was indeed Kang Dabao who found it, otherwise, if I were to redeem it from those corrupt officials in the government, even a single Mani Leaf would probably not be enough."

He wasn't the only one delighted; Shan Nu and Baochai Mingfei also wore smiles. After her laughter subsided, the latter even scolded in a coquettish voice, "If this were what the Buddhist disciples needed, they would eat until they were stuffed and fat before they would be satisfied. They really deserve to be killed!"

"No problem, no problem. Once this is done, I can go back to the Great Snow Mountain and enjoy myself. Hurry up and prepare it; Zen Master Sewen is still waiting for me."

(End of this chapter)