Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 399 Prosperity
The next day, in the spacious and bright room, a slender man pushed open the door and entered. He was Chen Shi, the head of the Miscellaneous Affairs Peak of the Inner Affairs Hall.

"Senior Brother Lu, you were looking for me?"

Lu Yuan looked up at him, his expression unchanged: "Junior Brother Chen is here, please sit down! I've called you here today to tell you something. Zhang Yanqing will be in charge of the array flag forging."

"What, give it to him?" Upon hearing this, the man who had just sat down changed his expression and almost jumped up.

He had given away a lot of spirit stones for this business and received a guarantee from Lu Yuan. He was just waiting for the sect leader to return so that he could ask for instructions and then hand it over to the person Lu Yuan appointed. Unexpectedly, everything fell apart in the end.

Moreover, the fact that it was handed over to Zhang Yanqing and his group of independent cultivators made it even harder for him to accept.

He had also contributed to kicking Zhang Yanqing and others out of the flag-making operation, but he never expected that Su Zhirou would intervene and preserve their flagpole-making business.

That's bad enough, but now they've even been entrusted with the task of crafting the array flags.

"This is the sect leader's intention."

"How could the sect leader do that? Zhang Yanqing is a rogue cultivator, how can we trust him and entrust him with such an important business?" Chen Shi's face flushed red, still somewhat unwilling.

"The sect leader said that we should not be prejudiced against sectarian groups and that we should assign some important tasks to those independent cultivators. In short, this matter has been settled and we will stop here."

"Yes, then I'll take my leave." Chen Shi left the place and went straight out of Luoyun Mountain.

……

At night, the moon is bright and the stars are few.

Inside the brightly lit room on Luojia Mountain, Chen Shi waited for a long time before finally seeing George Lam enter from outside. He then hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.

"Why are you here? What brings you here?" George Lam waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down.

Chen Shi sighed and sat down dejectedly: "Senior Brother Lin, I just received news that the sect leader personally assigned Zhang Yanqing and his group to be in charge of crafting the array flags. Tell me, how can such an important industry be handed over to those rogue cultivators?"

"Is that so?" Lin Zixiang's expression remained unchanged, unconcerned. "If that's the case, then forget it. A flag-making industry isn't a big deal. Even if it's handed over to someone else, it'll still be under the command of your Miscellaneous Affairs Peak, won't it?"

"That's not how it is. Do you know? The cabinet had previously decided to cancel their responsibility for the flagpole forging industry, but then Martial Aunt Su Zhirou ordered the cabinet's decision to be changed. Now the sect leader has personally assigned the flag forging industry to him. Do you know why this is the case?"

"Why?"

"Because they've recently gotten close to Hu Xiaobao, I've heard that Zhang Yanqing has been frequently traveling to and from Tianshan these days. This is clearly Tianshan trying to poach our members. This isn't the first time; in recent years, Tianshan has snatched away several of our sect's assets. And our people have absolutely no say in matters related to Tianshan."

George Lam frowned slightly, but remained silent.

Chen Shi continued, "Hu Xiaobao uses mostly rogue cultivators, and he has a close relationship with the sect leader. If this continues, their influence in the sect will inevitably surpass ours. What will happen when the sect is controlled by a group of rogue cultivators?"

George Lam was silent for a moment: "You came to see me just to say this?"

"You see, why don't you say hello to Senior Brother Lu Yuan? He's been a bit depressed since he failed to establish his foundation, and he doesn't care much about these things anymore. Many of his fellow disciples feel that he's becoming more and more inclined to side with Tianshan."

"Junior Brother Lu has his reasons for what he's doing. If there's nothing else, you can go back now!"

"Yes, then I'll take my leave." Seeing his displeasure, Cheng Shi dared not say anything more and got up to leave.

Watching his departing figure, George Lam's eyes flickered slightly. He sat upright in his seat for a long time, seemingly lost in thought.

.........

In the blink of an eye, several months have passed.

On that day, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly, with not a cloud in the sky.

Luoyun Mountain, the back mountain dojo is under martial law. The rich spiritual energy has condensed into a mist that is visible to the naked eye but not quite. A group of disciples are guarding the area, strictly prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving.

In the center of the dojo, Jiang Zichen sat with his eyes closed, entering a meditative state. Around 5 PM, as the sun began to set, he opened his eyes, took out a pill, and swallowed it.

Soon, the spiritual energy in the world was attracted, and a large amount of spiritual power surged and converged, forming visible spiritual energy vortexes.

As time went by, the vortexes formed by the various spiritual energies merged with each other, eventually leaving only a huge vortex of spiritual energy. Within it, a continuous stream of spiritual energy, visible to the naked eye, turned into mist and rushed towards him like a tiger pouncing on its prey.

Jiang Zichen sat cross-legged in the center, his forehead covered in sweat, and his whole body trembling slightly.

On the outskirts of the back mountain, Song Xian and Lin Zixiang were quietly watching. Beside them were a woman and a child, who were Jiang Zichen's wife and children.

"Mother, will Father be alright?"

"Mother, why isn't this over yet?"

The child kept muttering to himself, clearly very worried.

The woman gently reassured her, saying it was alright and there was nothing to be afraid of. But her eyes and expression betrayed her deep concern.

Lin Zixiang, standing beside him, also frowned deeply. With his cultivation level and eyesight, he could vaguely see Jiang Zichen's situation amidst the misty spiritual energy, which was far from optimistic. He had experienced failure firsthand and witnessed the failures of Zhong Wenyuan and Lu Yuan, so he was very familiar with the situation.

Judging from the amount of spiritual energy stored in the vortex high in the sky and the condition of the Foundation Establishment cultivator, one can roughly tell about 70-80% of the situation. If this continues, they definitely won't be able to hold on until the end.

If he fails, at best his cultivation will regress, and at worst he will suffer the same fate as Zhong Wenyuan and Lu Yuan, which is something he doesn't want to see, so he is worried.

Knowing that Jiang Zichen was establishing his foundation today, he made a special trip from Luojia Mountain.

In terms of personal relationship, the two are considered very close within the sect, especially after they both got married and had children. The wives and children from both families often visit each other. Since the children are about the same age and the wives get along well, the relationship between the two has become even closer.

In addition, if Jiang Zichen can successfully establish his foundation, he will have another important ally in the sect.

In particular, as Hu Xiaobao's faction grew increasingly powerful and was beginning to rival him, he needed someone with significant influence within the cabinet.

He did not hold a position in the cabinet, but was only responsible for the sect's military preparations, so he could not get involved in many important matters, such as personnel transfers and industrial restructuring.

Lu Yuan, having failed to establish his foundation, damaged his spiritual sea acupoint and doesn't have many years left. Jiang Zichen's successful foundation establishment this time will undoubtedly allow him to take over the position of chief of the inner cabinet. Furthermore, his status as a foundation establishment cultivator will be a significant boost to his influence within the sect.

Song Xian remained expressionless and silent, his gaze fixed on the figure in the center of the dojo.

With the influx of immense spiritual power, Jiang Zichen's body trembled more and more violently, and he looked as if he was about to collapse. A gray mist rose from his body and enveloped him.

Upon seeing this, Song Xian's eyes narrowed slightly.

After the gray mist enveloped his body, his trembling gradually subsided.

Time passed unnoticed until the sky began to lighten. The vortex of spiritual energy in the high sky finally dissipated, and the unique spiritual pressure aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator emanating from Jiang Zichen soared into the sky.

"It's done, Yuan'er, your father is done." The woman was overjoyed, relaxing her clenched fist and stroking the head of the child beside her.

"Junior Sister Hua, tell Junior Brother Zichen to come to my place later."

Song Xian also smiled slightly. Jiang Zichen's successful foundation building was entirely beneficial to the sect, so he was naturally happy to see it happen. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come all the way here to watch him build his foundation.

"Yes, Sect Leader," the woman replied quickly.

Song Xian rose into the air and left directly. Now that it was time for his family to enjoy their time together, he did not want to interfere, so he returned to his residence.

Before long, a disciple reported that Jiang Zichen was requesting an audience.

"Junior Brother Zichen, you've arrived. Please have a seat." In the spacious and bright hall, Song Xian entered with a smile.

"Greetings, Sect Leader." Jiang Zichen couldn't hide his joy as he respectfully bowed.

Song Xian patted him on the shoulder, gesturing for him to sit down, and then sat down in the main seat himself: "Your successful Foundation Establishment is not only a joyous occasion for you personally, but also a great blessing for the sect. We currently occupy this vast territory, but our manpower is somewhat insufficient, especially our Foundation Establishment cultivators, who number only four, making us seem insignificant. Your successful Foundation Establishment will be a great boost to the sect's prestige."

"It is all thanks to the sect leader and the sect's blessings that I am where I am today."

"Alright, enough with the formalities. I'm very happy that you've successfully established your foundation. However, there's one thing: it's difficult to assign you a position. I'd like to hear your opinion on which area of ​​affairs you'd like to manage."

Jiang Zichen smiled brightly and said without the slightest hesitation, "I will follow the sect leader's orders. I will manage whatever affairs the sect leader needs me to manage."

“Logically speaking, now that you have successfully established your foundation, you should be promoted. However, you are already the second-in-command of the sect’s inner cabinet. Senior Brother Lu Yuan has worked diligently and conscientiously over the years, and his contributions are significant. It is not appropriate to ask him to step down.”

Jiang Zichen quickly stated, "Sect Leader, there's no need to worry about this. It's already an exceptional honor to have me appointed as the Second Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. How could I dare to covet Senior Brother Lu's position? The sect is like my home. In my home, regardless of rank or status, even if someone is just an ordinary disciple, I will do my utmost to serve the sect."

Song Xian smiled and said, "The sect already has three elders, so it is not appropriate to add any more. We can only ask you to take on the position of second-in-command in the inner cabinet for now. As for your salary, it will be increased tenfold according to the sect's regulations. Senior Brother Lu Yuan's health is deteriorating and he doesn't have much time left. After he passes away, the responsibility of the sect will fall on your shoulders."

"Compared to Senior Brother Lu, my abilities are far inferior, and I fear I may fail to live up to the sect leader's expectations. The position of sect leader is of great importance, so it would be better to let Senior Brother Lin, Senior Sister Su, or Junior Brother Hu take it."

“You don’t need to belittle yourself. In terms of managing sect affairs, none of them are as good as you. You have experience, having worked your way up from the bottom, and you are familiar with all aspects of the sect’s affairs. Besides, they also have their own responsibilities. Senior Brother Zixiang is in charge of the Martial Guard Hall, and he is in charge of several hundred martial arts disciples in the sect. There is no other candidate besides him.”

"Hu Xiaobao is also responsible for the affairs of Tianshan, which is the foundation of the sect."

"As for Zhirou, there's even less to say."

"The sects these days are a mixed bag, with all sorts of people from all walks of life. It's not easy to manage them well. You are resourceful and get along well with them. Whether it's the elders of the sect or the rogue cultivators who joined later, they all speak highly of you."

"Don't let my lack of involvement in sect affairs fool you; I do know a thing or two about the sect's affairs. Among these elders who came from the Qingyun Sect, you have the best reputation."

"Senior Brother Wen Yuan and Senior Brother Lu Yuan are both loyal to the sect, working tirelessly and making great contributions. Without them, the sect would not be where it is today."

"But they also have shortcomings. Their thinking is outdated and they harbor sectarian prejudices. This has caused many disciples in the sect to have grievances."

“You are better than them in this respect. The sect is no longer what it was when it first settled on Guzi Peak. How many of our fellow disciples who came with us from the beginning are still around? The vast majority of the sect consists of rogue cultivators recruited from outside.”

"For a sect to develop, it must look forward. It must be united and not divided, which is why I often emphasize that all disciples should be treated equally."

"No one is more suitable for the position of chief cabinet member than you. In fact, I initially preferred you for this position, but I didn't want you to surpass Senior Brother Lu Yuan, since he has more seniority and greater achievements. That would have caused a lot of controversy for you. Therefore, I made you the second-in-command."

“I am worried that it will hinder your cultivation. Taking care of such a large number of affairs is very energy-consuming.”

.........

The two chatted for a while before Jiang Zichen took his leave.

The reason Song Xian summoned him now to discuss these matters was to give him a heads-up, to make him understand his intentions, and to prepare him for the future when he takes over as the chief of the cabinet and manages the general direction and policies of the sect.

Secondly, there is the matter of appeasement, since he has already advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, but he cannot be promoted in his position or given more power.

To avoid him harboring resentment, I specifically asked him to come and explain.

Song Xian's words were not perfunctory, but rather heartfelt and sincere.

He had indeed been optimistic about Jiang Zichen from the beginning. After returning to Bianxi City, he considered making him succeed as the chief of the cabinet. That's why he promoted him to the second seat of the cabinet, even though Jiang Zichen was only the deputy head of the Foreign Affairs Hall before.

After returning to Bianxi City, he planned to recruit a large number of independent cultivators and develop his sect.

Lin Zixiang and Lu Yuan have always held prejudices against newcomers who are independent cultivators.

Therefore, he wanted someone who could balance the relationship between them. Originally, Zhang Ningyuan was a good candidate, but unfortunately he died. Looking at the sect now, no one is more suitable than Jiang Zichen.

He was a smooth talker and good at mediating disputes. He maintained good relationships with Lin Zixiang and Lu Yuan, and also got along well with Feng Yan, Qi Xiaobai and other newer independent cultivators.

With him in the middle, he can act as a lubricant.

Currently, the sect is rife with conflicting factions, especially the factions of Hu Xiaobao and Lin Zixiang, which are subtly at odds with each other. If this continues, they might form two opposing internal groups, which is not what he wants to see.

Jiang Zichen's successful foundation building not only greatly enhances the sect's combat strength and prestige, but also makes him an important figure for balancing internal factional conflicts in the future. Therefore, he attaches great importance to it and personally went to the site to witness the success or failure of his foundation building.

(End of this chapter)