Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 382 Strong Return
Outside Luojia Mountain, when Hu Xiaobao led his people to arrive, the rogue cultivators inside were still unaware of what was going on until the Hunyuan Sect members entered the mountain gate, at which point they finally realized what was happening.

These rogue cultivators were only after the spiritual veins of Luojia Mountain and coveted the cultivation rooms here, so they gathered here by chance.

It was also because the other sects in Bianxi City knew that this was the original territory of the Hunyuan Sect and dared not occupy it for fear of causing misunderstandings and conflicts that these rogue cultivators were able to take advantage of it.

All told, these rogue cultivators have only been entrenched on Luojia Mountain for less than twenty days.

Inside the main hall of Luojia Mountain, Hu Xiaobao had already summoned all the independent cultivators, who numbered only about thirty in total.

Upon seeing the Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Hunyuan Sect arrive with his men, the rogue cultivators all bowed their heads and dared not meet his gaze.

"Who's in charge here?"

Hu Xiaobao's sharp gaze swept over the crowd. He could tell at a glance that these people were a mob with no organization. Therefore, his gaze finally settled on an old man with slightly graying temples and a hunched back. He was the most powerful among them, possessing the eighth level of Qi Refining.

The old man had been keeping his head down like everyone else, not wanting to be the first to speak, but Hu Xiaobao kept staring at him, making him feel uneasy. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Reporting to senior, we were originally all independent cultivators without a leader. We learned that this place had been abandoned by the Luoyun Sect and was left unmanaged, so we came here to cultivate."

"Listen up, this place now belongs to our sect. Those who want to stay can join us and obey our orders from now on. We will arrange for you to use the cultivation room as needed. In addition, your salary and benefits will be the same as other disciples of our sect. We will not treat you unfairly just because you joined halfway. Those who do not want to stay, get out immediately."

Hu Xiaobao didn't waste any words and directly gave two options.

The Hunyuan Sect currently has just over a hundred members, of whom fifty are newly recruited rogue cultivators after settling in Huangyu Mountain. These people can only boost the sect's prestige and will not risk their lives for it.

Now that they have returned to Bianxi City, they urgently need manpower in all aspects.

Upon hearing this, the rogue cultivators looked at each other in bewilderment, clearly not expecting the Hunyuan Sect to invite them to join, and were at a loss for what to do.

"This junior is willing to join your sect and obey your orders, senior." Among them, a young man with a thin build, fair complexion, and a pair of clever eyes quickly stepped past the crowd and bowed to Hu Xiaobao.

Hu Xiaobao glanced at him and, seeing that although he was young, he had the cultivation level of the fifth level of Qi Refining, asked, "What's your name?"

"This junior is Yu Deshui, with three spiritual roots, and is twenty-nine years old this year."

The man took the initiative to introduce himself. He knew that once Hunyuan Sect returned to Bianxi City, it would surely replace Luoyun Sect and become the number one sect in Bianxi City. Naturally, he would not let go of such a good opportunity. Therefore, while others were still hesitating, he made his decision.

"Since you are willing to join our sect, you will be a disciple of our sect from now on. Our sect treats everyone equally. Unlike other sects, our sect does not distinguish between inner and outer disciples. There are only two paths to choose from: literary and martial arts."

"Clerical staff are responsible for handling various daily affairs of the sect. With your spiritual root aptitude, you can receive ten spirit stones per month."

"Martial arts professionals don't need to handle trivial matters; they only need to cultivate spells and techniques and practice team combat, earning fifteen spirit stones per month."

"If there is a problem in the sect, we will send martial disciples to handle it. Unless necessary, such as when the enemy attacks the mountain gate or the sect needs to send out all its forces, the civil disciples do not need to fight the enemy."

"Would you prefer to join a civilian or military unit?"

Hu Xiaobao spoke slowly and deliberately, not only to the man in front of him, but also to everyone in the hall.

"Junior...junior." The man stammered, unsure of what to do.

"No need to rush, you can think about it slowly. You can stand aside for now."

"Yes." The man responded and stood on the left side of the main hall.

"Those who wish to join our sect, stand with Yu Deshui. Those who do not wish to, leave now."

Hearing that there would be a monthly salary of fifteen spirit stones, many people were tempted, even though the monthly salary of a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect was only about that level.

With the war in Xijiang County now over, there is unlikely to be any major conflict.

As a result, more and more people sided with Yu Deshui, while many others chose to leave.

Finally, twenty-three people chose to join the Hunyuan Sect. Hu Xiaobao temporarily organized them into a team, led by Yu Deshui, who was the first to join, and put them in charge of the defense of Luojia Mountain.

.........

While Hu Xiaobao was recruiting rogue cultivators from Luojia Mountain, Lin Zixiang was leading a group of people on a killing spree at Luoyun Mountain. When he arrived at Luoyun Mountain with twenty disciples, they were noticed by the Yuyuan Sect disciples guarding the mountain, who then informed the leader of the group.

The leader of the cultivator was ordered to guard this place, originally to curry favor with the Beast Taming Sect, and to return the spiritual vein after the Beast Taming Sect arrived.

Upon learning of the arrival of the Hunyuan Sect team, he led his men to negotiate. Since Luoyun Mountain did not originally belong to the Hunyuan Sect, he thought he would first try to persuade the Hunyuan Sect cultivators to leave through reasoning. If they insisted on taking it over, he would simply give it up.

But to his surprise, as soon as the two met, before he could even speak, George Lam launched an attack without saying a word.

There were more than a dozen disciples of the Jade Abyss Sect stationed at Luoyun Mountain, but they were not prepared for battle and faced with the fierce attack of Lin Zixiang, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. They had no will to resist and scattered like birds and beasts in an instant.

After killing the leader, Lin Zixiang was still unwilling to let go of the scattered Yuyuan Sect disciples. He ordered his men to pursue them and personally followed along to kill them.

If it were cultivators from other sects stationed at Luoyun Mountain, he might have let them off the hook, but it just so happens to be the Yuyuan Sect.

He harbored a deep grudge against the Jade Abyss Sect. Back when he settled at Lonely Peak, it was the Jade Abyss Sect that bullied Zhong Yang. He had long wanted to take revenge, and now that he had this opportunity, he naturally wouldn't let it go.

.........

As night fell, the bright moon hung high in the sky, and stars filled the heavens. In the dimly lit cultivation room at the Jade Abyss Sect's mountain gate, Wang Xuan was meditating with his eyes closed when a knocking sound came from outside. He immediately opened his eyes and opened the stone door.

"Sect Leader, something terrible has happened." A middle-aged man stood solemnly outside and bowed: "The Hunyuan Sect has arrived in Bianxi City. Our disciples stationed at Luoyun Mountain have been attacked by them, and more than a dozen have been killed or injured."

Wang Xuan's expression changed slightly: "Where are the people from the Beast Taming Sect?"

"I don't know. So far, we've only seen people from the Hunyuan Sect, not from the Beast Taming Sect. The Hunyuan Sect has not only occupied Luoyun Mountain, but also Luojia Mountain. Someone saw a second-tier spirit ship with the Hunyuan Sect flag heading west, probably to Tianshan."

Wang Xuan's eyes flashed: "Immediately summon all disciples outside and bring them back to the sect. From now on, the sect will enter a state of first-level alert."

"Should we recall them all? What if the Hunyuan Sect takes the opportunity to seize our overseas resources and territories?"

"We can't worry about that now. Defending our mountain gate is the most important thing. If the Hunyuan Sect really wants to attack our sect, they will definitely launch a full-scale assault on our mountain gate. We must hold out until the Beast Taming Sect arrives. During this period, the Hunyuan Sect is the king of Bianxi City and can do whatever they want. Our sect must concentrate all its forces to defend our mountain gate." Wang Xuan frowned, his expression extremely solemn. He hadn't expected the Hunyuan Sect to arrive before the Beast Taming Sect.

He originally thought that the Hunyuan Sect would return together with the Beast Taming Sect, and that he could simply offer them a large sum of money to bribe the new head of the Beast Taming Sect.

But I never expected it to be like this. Without the Beast Taming Sect's checks and balances, no one can stop the Hunyuan Sect from doing whatever it wants.

The two sides already had a grudge, and Hunyuan Sect would very likely take this opportunity to attack the sect's gate. For Yuyuan Sect, this was a matter of life and death.

He couldn't help but feel a little regretful. He wished he hadn't provoked the Hunyuan Sect back then. But now it was too late for regrets; no one can see the future.

Peng Yu, who had a direct conflict with the disciples of the Hunyuan Sect, was already dead, so even if he wanted to apologize, there was no scapegoat to take the blame.

"What if the Beast Taming Sect and the Hunyuan Sect collude to wipe out our sect?" After a moment of silence, the middle-aged man voiced his greatest concern.

Wang Xuan gazed blankly ahead and said quietly, "Then we'll have to rely on our luck."

"luck?"

“As long as the newly appointed head of the Beast Taming Sect is somewhat rational and doesn’t blindly side with the Hunyuan Sect, I expect he will keep us around.”

"Why is the sect leader so certain?"

"From the Beast Taming Sect's perspective, they certainly don't want the Hunyuan Sect to dominate Bianxi City. Even though the Hunyuan Sect was supported by them, it still needs to be checked and balanced. Currently in Bianxi City, only our sect can somewhat restrain the Hunyuan Sect. Besides, we have a grudge against the Hunyuan Sect. What benefit would it bring to the Beast Taming Sect to eliminate us?"

Wang Xuan's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. The reason he did not choose to withdraw from Bianxi City and stayed behind despite the risk of his entire family being wiped out was because he was certain that the Beast Taming Sect would keep him around to counterbalance the Hunyuan Sect.

As for his previous rebellion, almost all the sects and forces in the five cities under the jurisdiction of Xijiang County had joined in. He was just swept along, and besides, his relationship with Luoyun Sect was not very deep.

His past feud with the Hunyuan Sect was his biggest protective shield.

.........

Under a clear, cloudless sky, when the spirit ship bearing the banner of the Hunyuan Sect entered Tianshan, the Ding family cultivators stationed inside had already received the news and gathered outside the mountain gate, waiting respectfully like a surrendered army.

At the bow of the ship, Song Xian saw the Ding family cultivators come out to greet him and smiled slightly. He did not stop, but instead had the spirit ship enter the mountain gate directly and return to the council hall.

Before long, a disciple brought the leading cultivator from the Ding family over to pay his respects.

"Greetings, Senior Song. I am Ding Xuan, and I am here on the orders of my patriarch to prevent any forces from the Muhe Grasslands from taking advantage of the vulnerability of Tianshan and seizing it for themselves, thus causing trouble for your clan. My patriarch has repeatedly instructed that not a single blade of grass or tree on Tianshan should be touched lightly. We will return it to your clan in its entirety once your clan arrives."

"Thank you for your trouble." Song Xian didn't say much, just nodded.

"Now that your sect has returned, if you have no further instructions, senior, I will take my leave."

After the man left, Song Xian summoned Lu Yuan and ordered him to lead a team to inspect the resource-rich areas within the Tianshan region.

Then he ordered Jiang Zichen to lead people to Tianshan Gambling House and Market to take over the area.

.........

As night fell, in the brightly lit halls of Tianshan Market, the shop owners gathered together, whispering amongst themselves. They had come at the invitation of the Hunyuan Sect.

The return of Hunyuanzong was something everyone had anticipated and was not surprised by. However, they did not expect that on the very first night after Hunyuanzong returned to Tianshan, he would send someone to invite them to a banquet, which showed how much Hunyuanzong valued this market.

"The sect leader has arrived!" Two disciples shouted from outside the hall.

Everyone inside stood up at the same time and looked out of the hall, where Song Xian walked in with a smile on his face.

"Greetings, Senior Song."

"Congratulations to Headmaster Song on his return to Tianshan."

……

Everyone bowed and paid their respects. Song Xian smiled and nodded to the cultivators on his left and right. After taking his seat in the main seat, he waved his hand and said, "Please sit down, everyone, there's no need to be so polite."

Everyone took their seats.

"The reason I invited everyone to this banquet today is twofold: first, to celebrate our sect's return to the mountain gate; and second, to announce something. From now on, the Tianshan Market will continue to be managed according to our sect's previous regulations. All rules added or modified by the Luoyun Sect are hereby repealed. I hope we can continue to cooperate happily as always," Song Xian said calmly, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

After Hunyuan Sect left Bianxi City, Tianshan Market was taken over by Luoyun Sect, and they made certain modifications to the market rules, making everything conform to the standards of Bianxi City Market.

For example, the previous regulations that Song Xian required all goods to be clearly priced when sold, and that double compensation should be given if the quality of the goods did not match the verbal description, have been abolished.

“We are relieved that Sect Leader Song has returned to take over the market. To be honest, we would prefer your sect to manage it rather than Luo Yun Sect. After all, your sect built this Tianshan Market from scratch and knows it inside and out. After Luo Yun Sect took over, they acted recklessly and caused a lot of trouble.” A shopkeeper from the Muhe Grassland faction below said with a smile.

"Yes! Since the Luoyun Sect took over, there have been significantly fewer customers coming and going in the market these past few years. If this continues, they will ruin the Tianshan Market."

“We long for your sect’s return as we long for rain after a drought. The Luoyun Sect has been in charge for several years now, and not only have they raised shop rents, but the people managing the market are also constantly extorting money and favors from us. We can’t take it anymore.”

"The Luoyun Sect is completely incompetent. Fortunately, your sect has finally returned. Under your management, Tianshan Market will surely get better and better."

Everyone chimed in with their opinions, but how much of it was true and how much was false was anyone's guess. Presumably, that's what they said when Luoyun Sect took over.

However, one fact remains unchanged: in the years since Luoyun Sect took over, the business of Tianshan Market and gambling dens has indeed declined significantly.

Not only because Luo Yun Sect abolished the original rules and regulations of the market and increased shop rents, but more importantly, because Luo Yun Sect did not manage the market properly.

They only saw this market as a tool for making profits, without any long-term planning. In order to earn the price difference, they raised the prices of goods in the market, charged higher commissions, and took many rare Muhe Grassland items to their own shops in the Bianxi City market to sell.

A series of actions led to a decline in the reputation of the market and a decrease in customers.

(End of this chapter)