Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 401 The Way of Checks and Balances
The next morning, Song Xian sent someone to summon Huang Ye.

"Sect Leader, what are your orders?" Huang Ye entered from outside the spacious and bright hall and bowed.

“I have something for you to do.” Song Xian said solemnly, “Go to the Muhe Grassland and travel to the area bordering the Mo Xinghai. Find out if there have been any reports of ghosts appearing there in recent years.”

Seeing his solemn expression, Huang Ye knew something important must have happened, but he didn't expect him to be trying to find out about ghosts. He was full of doubts: "May I ask, Sect Leader, what has happened?"

"You don't need to know this. This matter must be kept absolutely secret. Don't tell anyone else. You go and do it yourself, and remember to be very careful. Once you get there, don't reveal your identity, and don't ask any organized forces for information. Try to find out information from the independent cultivators who have lived there for a long time."

Song Xian would not tell him the whole story. As for why he was asked to go to the town bordering Mo Xinghai to inquire about the ghosts, it was to verify his suspicions.

Put yourself in his shoes: if he were the owner of that emerald green bead, and had no choice but to hide it in a cave on a deserted island, only to find it had been taken away when he returned.

He certainly wouldn't give up easily and would definitely use all his abilities to search. The most suspicious people would naturally be the cultivators in the towns near Mo Xinghai.

He wouldn't make a big fuss about searching for it, because the bead was too mysterious and special, and it wouldn't do him any good if everyone knew about it.

The best way is to lure people out.

How to lure it in? By utilizing the properties of the bead. The bead needs to absorb the crystal core of a ghost to produce spiritual milk, so let's release the ghost and lure the bead holder there.

Since the owner of the bead could create something like a ghost infant, capturing one or two ghosts would be no problem at all.

Song Xian has had this bead for ten years now. If the owner of the bead has already taken action, then there must be clues to be found in the towns near Mo Xinghai.

If there have indeed been ghostly appearances in that area in recent years, it means that the owner of the bead is still alive and secretly searching for it.

"Yes, I understand."

"You should set off tomorrow. Be careful when you get there. Don't rush things. It's better to take your time to ensure your safety and avoid arousing suspicion."

"Then I'll take my leave." Huang Ye replied and left.

.........

As night fell, dark clouds obscured the moon, and thick layers of clouds pressed down in the sky as if they were about to fall. Lightning flashed across the sky from time to time, clearly indicating that a heavy rain was about to arrive.

On the majestic mountain peak, George Lam stood with his hands behind his back in front of the stone gate, his face solemn.

Beside him, his wife, Lin Huairou, appeared visibly nervous, pacing back and forth anxiously.

With a deafening roar, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.

Raindrops fell from the clouds, turning into a torrential downpour in an instant.

Just then, the stone door finally opened, and a young man emerged from within. His features bore a resemblance to those of George Lam, and he was none other than his son, Lin Xingyu. He held his head high, exuding an air of arrogance and superiority.

Behind Lin Xingyu was a middle-aged man who stepped forward with a fawning expression and bowed to Lin Zixiang: "Elder Lin, congratulations on your son Lin Xingyu's successful transformation into a mortal. After testing with the Immortal Testing Stone, it was found that he possesses the three spiritual roots of metal, fire, and earth."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zixiang's gaze dimmed imperceptibly, while Lin Huairou, standing beside him, breathed a sigh of relief. Her previous tension and anxiety vanished, and she approached Lin Xingyu with a beaming smile: "Yu'er, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?"

“It’s alright. Mother, from today onwards, I am a cultivator too.”

"Okay, okay." Lin Huairou stroked his head with a face full of affection.

.........

In the spacious and brightly lit Finance Hall, Jiang Zichen sat in the main seat, while several men and women below him each held a file and reported on the various expenditures of the month, awaiting his approval.

At this moment, Lin Huairou walked in with a smile on his face.

"Senior Sister Lin, Senior Sister Lin." When they saw her arrive, the group turned around and greeted her politely.

Jiang Zichen also stood up and greeted her with a smile, "Junior Sister Lin is here, please have a seat."

Lin Huairou smiled and sat down: "I hope I didn't disturb your business!"

"It's alright, it's alright. You guys put your things down, I'll look at them myself. You can all go out now!" Jiang Zichen waved his hand, and the group put down the files and left.

"Someone, serve tea," Jiang Zichen called out, and a disciple walked in from the outer room.

Lin Huairou waved his hand: "No need to trouble yourself, I'll just say a few words and leave."

"Isn't today Xingyu's Transformation to Mortal Realm? How did it go? Did it go smoothly?" Jiang Zichen walked over and sat down next to her.

"I came here for this matter. Yu'er has successfully transcended the mortal realm and has the aptitude of three spiritual roots. My husband and I have discussed it and are planning to have him become Senior Brother Jiang's disciple. I wonder if Senior Brother Jiang would be willing to accept him?"

Jiang Zichen smiled and said, "Become my disciple? Wouldn't that be like casting pearls before swine? I'm far inferior to Senior Brother Lin. Cultivating with me is definitely not as good as following Senior Brother Lin."

"Look at what you're saying, Senior Brother Jiang. Who in the sect is more qualified than you? This is what we're thinking: since you don't have any disciples right now, let Xingyu become your disciple. And in the future, after your Yuan'er transcends the mortal realm, if he's willing, he can also become my husband's disciple. What do you think?"

“Junior Sister Lin, I’m not refusing, but I’m afraid it will delay Xingyu. You see, I’m usually very busy, and my cultivation level is far inferior to Senior Brother Lin’s. It wouldn’t be good for Xingyu to become my disciple.”

Lin Huairou's smile gradually faded: "Senior Brother Jiang, do you perhaps look down on Yu'er's aptitude of having three spiritual roots?"

Jiang Zichen laughed and said, "I also have three spiritual roots myself, how could I look down on Xingyu? To be honest, I'm not prepared for that yet. How about this, let me think about it carefully."

"Alright, I'll wait for Senior Brother Jiang's reply! I'll be going now." Lin Huairou got up and left.

After she left the room, Jiang Zichen frowned slightly, sat in his seat for a while, and then returned to the main seat to review the files that everyone had put down.

After finishing his business, it was already night. He left the Finance Hall and returned to his residence. As soon as he entered the house, his wife, Hua Yuan, greeted him happily: "You're back. Guess who came by just now?" "Who?" Jiang Zichen took off his coat and sat down at the table.

"Senior Sister Lin, Xingyu has successfully transcended the mortal realm, and she said she plans to have Xingyu become your disciple!"

Jiang Zichen said calmly, "She also went to the Finance Hall to find me and told me about this."

"She told you, but did she mention that our Yuan'er should also become a disciple of Brother George Lam in the future?"

Jiang Zichen nodded.

Hua Yuan was overjoyed: "That's wonderful! In this way, our Yuan'er will have another powerful backer, and our two families can become even closer."

"What's so good about it?" Jiang Zichen glanced at her. "To tell you the truth, I have no intention of agreeing to this."

"Why not agree?" Hua Yuan asked in astonishment. "This is such a good thing. Senior Brother Lin Zixiang has a high status and seniority. He has great influence in the sect and is the commander of the Martial Guard Pavilion, in charge of hundreds of Martial Guard disciples. His position in the sect is second only to the sect leader."

"In the future, when you become the chief of the cabinet and take charge of all aspects of the sect's affairs, you will become even closer and form a powerful alliance. In this way, even if new talents emerge in the future, they will not be able to shake our position."

"Besides, having Yuan'er become Lin's disciple will give her more support and protection in the future."

Jiang Zichen shook his head helplessly: "You've been in the sect for so long, can't you see the subtle differences in the hierarchy? Can't you sense the subtle power struggles within the sect?"

Hua Yuan didn't take it seriously: "You're talking about Hu Xiaobao, right? Of course I know him. But he's relatively inexperienced. Within the sect, his status, prestige, and power can't compare to Senior Brother Lin Zixiang. Besides, he's not very close to us. If you join forces with Senior Brother Lin Zixiang, do you still need to worry about him? Furthermore, if you take on a disciple, and our Yuan'er becomes his disciple, can he interfere?"

"Don't you even consider who's behind Hu Xiaobao?"

Hua Yuan suddenly realized, then her eyes widened, and she unconsciously lowered her voice: "You mean the sect leader?"

Then a question arose: "Could it be that the sect leader has a grudge against Senior Brother Lin Zixiang? Is he secretly supporting Hu Xiaobao in his fight against Senior Brother Lin Zixiang?"

Jiang Zichen shook his head: "There's nothing that can't be overcome or not. The sect leader needs to maintain a balance of power. Haven't you ever thought about why the sect leader didn't appoint Senior Brother Lin Zixiang or Hu Xiaobao as the chief of the cabinet, but instead appointed Senior Brother Lu Yuan to this position?"

Hua Yuan pondered for a moment: "Senior Brother Lin Zixiang is in charge of the Martial Guard Pavilion. If he becomes the chief of the Inner Cabinet, there will be no one left in the Martial Guard Pavilion. As for Hu Xiaobao, he does not hold any important positions in the Inner Cabinet or the various halls. He has neither experience nor seniority."

Jiang Zichen sighed softly: "It's a wonder you've stayed in the sect for so long and still don't understand. The commander of the Martial Guard Pavilion is just a figurehead. He's supposed to be in charge of hundreds of Martial Guard disciples, but any large-scale mobilization of any battalion under him requires the sect leader's approval."

"The true power structure of the sect is the cabinet, and all industries, trade, and resource territories are under the cabinet's control."

"Senior Brother Lin's influence in the sect is not because of his seniority, nor because he is the commander of the Martial Guard Pavilion. The main reason is that he has placed many of his own people in important positions in the various halls of the inner cabinet."

“From his earliest senior brother Zhong Wenyuan to his current senior brother Lu Yuan, they have all been close to him, which allows him to directly influence cabinet affairs.”

"As for not appointing Hu Xiaobao as the chief of the cabinet, you are half right. First, he has no experience in handling sect affairs, and we don't know his abilities. Such an important position certainly cannot be given to him directly."

“If we just hand it over to him and he doesn’t do a good job, the sect will be in a mess, and then we’ll be in a difficult situation. If we take him down, he will lose all his prestige in the sect, and he might even cause resentment.”

"Secondly, his qualifications are indeed lacking. Promoting him directly to the position of chief of the cabinet will definitely make Senior Brother Lin Zixiang dissatisfied, which may exacerbate the internal conflicts within the sect. In addition, he doesn't usually interact with Senior Brother Lu Yuan, Senior Brother Qi Xiaobai, Senior Sister Feng Yan, and others, so they may not be convinced by him."

"Therefore, the sect leader put him in charge of the affairs of Tianshan, which was also intended to train and test him."

Hua Yuan nodded as if she understood: "According to you, Senior Brother Zhong Wenyuan and Senior Brother Lu Yuan both have a good relationship with Senior Brother Lin Zixiang, right? Didn't the sect leader appoint them as chief secretaries of the inner cabinet? Why do you have any reservations about the two families' children becoming disciples of each other?"

Jiang Zichen shook his head: "Times have changed. The situation in the sect is much more complicated now than before. Not to mention during the time of Guzi Peak and Tianshan, the only people the sect leader could trust and rely on were us. Even after we occupied Luojia Mountain, only Senior Brother Lin Zixiang reached the Foundation Establishment stage."

"Now the sect not only has five Foundation Establishment cultivators, but has also absorbed so many independent cultivators. Various factions have sprung up, especially Hu Xiaobao and Senior Brother Lin Zixiang, who have already formed two factions."

"The sect leader now needs to balance all parties and prevent internal conflicts from escalating. The day I reached the Foundation Establishment stage, he summoned me for this very reason. His main point was that I should try to be impartial and not show too much bias."

"The sect leader has made his words so clear. If I were to accept Lin Xingyu as my disciple and also have Yuan'er become a disciple of Senior Brother Lin Zixiang, what would the sect leader think of such a powerful alliance? Wouldn't that be ignoring his words and openly opposing him?"

Hua Yuan suddenly realized what was going on: "What should we do? Senior Sister Lin has already come to propose. If we refuse, wouldn't we offend them?"

"Let's stall for time! If we don't respond, they won't ask any further questions. Senior Brother Lin is such a proud person, he wouldn't stoop so low as to chase after us to take over his Xingyu. After some time, pick out a few valuable gifts and find an excuse to send them to Junior Sister Lin Huairou, along with some kind words, as an apology."

……

As night fell, the moon was bright and the stars were few. Song Xian finished his day's cultivation and returned to his residence. As soon as the light from his escape ended, a disciple who was guarding the residence came up to him and bowed respectfully: "Sect Leader, Elder Lin has arrived and has been waiting in the waiting room for quite some time. I told him you were in the cultivation room and asked if I needed to inform him. He said no, just let me know when you return."

Song Xian nodded and then went to the waiting room.

"Master." Lin Zixiang stood up and bowed as he saw him enter from outside.

"Brother Zixiang, you've been waiting for a long time. What brings you here today?" Song Xian smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down.

George Lam is stationed at Luojia Mountain and doesn't usually travel to Luoyun Mountain. If it's official business, he would only send someone to communicate with the cabinet. Today, he came in person, which shows that it's something important. However, he didn't send anyone to inform him but waited for him to return alone, which made George Lam a little curious and wondered what it was about.

"My son Xingyu successfully transcended the mortal realm yesterday. My wife wishes to hold a banquet at Luojia Mountain and invite our fellow disciples and acquaintances from the sect to attend. If the sect leader and Junior Sister Su are available, we would be honored to have you grace us with your presence." Lin Zixiang handed over a wedding invitation with both hands.

"This is indeed a joyous occasion; the sect has a worthy successor!" Song Xian accepted the congratulatory invitation: "Alright, I'll come and join in the fun if I don't have anything important to do."

"Then my wife and I will await the arrival of the sect leader. In addition, there is something else I would like to ask of the sect leader."

"Please speak, Senior Brother Zixiang."

"My son has successfully transcended the mortal realm, and I wish to find him a superior cultivation method to lay a good foundation for his future cultivation. I remember the sect leader mentioned that there is a low-grade Heaven-rank divine sense cultivation method. I humbly request that the sect leader impart it to my son, Xingyu."

(End of this chapter)