Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 490 Recruitment Requirements
Jiang Feng nodded in satisfaction when he saw that Song Xian agreed readily. This was also what he admired most about Song Xian: his shrewdness and pragmatism.

"You won't lose out by exchanging one million spirit stones for peace in Bianxi City. Otherwise, if the Bright Moon Sect really launches a full-scale attack on Bianxi City, the losses will be more than one million spirit stones can make up for."

"Many thanks to the senior for his mediation, our clan is deeply grateful."

"I will send someone to witness this, and afterwards, all grudges between you and the Bright Moon Sect will be wiped clean. No one should mention this matter again."

"Our sect will naturally not cause any more trouble with the Bright Moon Sect over this matter, but I wonder if Xu Zhuoxuan can forget about it."

"Don't worry about that. I've already spoken with him. If the Bright Moon Sect dares to break its promise, our sect will not stand idly by."

…………

The sky is clear and cloudless.

A spirit ship bearing the banner of the Hunyuan Sect landed in a desolate valley.

At the bow of the ship, two people, a man and a woman, stood side by side; they were Xiao Ling and Xu Yaoming.

This trip was ordered to negotiate peace with the Bright Moon Sect. On the spirit ship, stone boxes were displayed, each filled with spirit stones.

A full million spirit stones have been loaded onto a ship and are ready to be handed over to the Bright Moon Sect.

Since it was an apology to the Bright Moon Sect, Song Xian couldn't possibly offer high-grade spirit stones. Although one million spirit stones and one thousand fourth-grade spirit stones were of equal value, one thousand fourth-grade spirit stones were more convenient to circulate.

“The people from the Bright Moon Sect haven’t arrived yet, Fellow Daoist Xiao. Why don’t you have someone move these boxes down first? We can hand them over to the Bright Moon Sect’s contact person later.” Seeing that there was no one around, Xu Yaoming turned to Xiao Ling and said.

He was not sent by Song Xian, but was appointed by Jiang Feng to act as an intermediary between the two parties in this reconciliation. In addition to him, Jiang Feng also sent Wang Yang, the head of the Beast Taming Sect stationed in Humen City, to serve as a witness.

This place is the border between Bianxi City and Humen City. Even now, the Mingyue Sect has not withdrawn their deployed troops. Less than fifty miles ahead is the camp of the majority of the Mingyue Sect's troops, and less than a hundred miles behind, the Hunyuan Sect can be seen standing ready for battle.

Just as Xiao Ling was directing the Hunyuan Sect disciples to carry the stone boxes filled with spirit stones off the spirit ship, the Mingyue Sect's spirit ship slowly approached from afar and soon stopped a few hundred feet away from them.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, please come with me to greet him. After all, it's a good thing to turn hostility into friendship."

Xiao Ling said "okay," and the two of them rose into the air and went straight to the other's spirit ship.

Wang Yang, the head of the Tiger Gate City of the Beast Taming Sect, and Wu Fen, the Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Bright Moon Sect in charge of external affairs, stood side by side.

Wang Yang smiled, like a kind old neighbor, while Wu Fen stood beside him with a stern face.

"Junior Brother Xu, have you been waiting long?"

"No, we just arrived too. It's been so long since we've seen Senior Brother Wang; he's still as dashing as ever!"

"He's practically half-buried, what kind of style does he have left? But Junior Brother Xu, your cultivation has improved to a higher level, congratulations!"

The two greeted each other with smiles and chatted casually.

After a few polite exchanges, Xu Yaoming got down to business. He looked at Wu Fen and spoke in a gentle tone.

"We are all old acquaintances, so I won't introduce you. Fellow Daoist Xiao Ling is here on behalf of the Hunyuan Sect to pay your sect one million spirit stones in compensation. Please check it, Fellow Daoist Wu."

Wu Fen nodded, then ordered his men to move the boxes containing spirit stones onto the spirit ship and begin counting them.

While a group of Bright Moon Sect disciples were checking the number of spirit stones, a few people here were chatting and laughing, like old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time.

Of course, it was mainly Wang Yang and Xu Yaoming who were talking, while Xiao Ling and Wu Fen only nodded and replied with a word or two from time to time. Both of them had serious expressions and no smiles at all, which was in stark contrast to the friendly smiles of the other two.

Before long, the disciples of the Bright Moon Sect finished counting the spirit stones in the stone box.

"Today, we two bear witness that all grudges between the Hunyuan Sect and the Mingyue Sect are wiped clean, and neither of us shall cause trouble for the other in the future." Wang Yang took out a file in his hand, which was a peace agreement document: "Fellow Daoist Wu, Fellow Daoist Xiao, you represent the Hunyuan Sect and the Mingyue Sect respectively. Please sign and affix your seals here."

The two did as instructed and signed their names on it.

"Good." Xu Yaoming clapped his hands. "As the saying goes, it is better to resolve enmity than to make it. The two sects have turned hostility into friendship, which should be celebrated. Today, I am hosting a small gathering at my place with you two fellow Daoists and Senior Brother Wang."

"Thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Xu, but I have important matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. I hope to visit you again next time." Wu Fen declined the banquet offer without changing his expression.

“Since Fellow Daoist Wu has other matters to attend to, I won’t force you. After you return, please pass on a message to Senior Xu: your sect and the Hunyuan Sect have signed this peace agreement. Please recall your sect’s troops as soon as possible. Of course, I will also instruct the Hunyuan Sect to withdraw their people.” Xu Yaoming was just being polite and naturally wouldn’t insist on keeping Wu Fen. Seeing that he said this, he went along with it.

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Yang chimed in, "Junior Brother Xu is right. This is the real issue. Since you two have reached an agreement and promised not to hold past grievances against each other, there's no need to make things so tense. Go back and send your respective sect disciples back to their original positions so they can go about their business."

"Don't worry, Steward Xu and Steward Wang, our sect leader has already given the order to recall our disciples immediately after the peace agreement is signed," Xiao Ling immediately stated.

After she finished speaking, Wang Yang and Xu Yaoming both looked at Wu Fen at the same time.

Seeing the two looking at him, Wu Fen had no choice but to give his answer: "After I return, I will convey the words of the two fellow Daoists to the sect leader."

"Junior Brother Xu, let's get together again next time!"

"Alright, we'll head back now." Xu Yaoming nodded, and he and Xiao Ling rose into the air and returned to the spirit ship of the Hunyuan Sect. Soon, the two spirit ships sailed away.

…………

After compensating the Bright Moon Sect with one million spirit stones, Song Xian voluntarily withdrew his troops from the border of Humen City. A few days later, the Bright Moon Sect also recalled their troops, and the matter came to an end. However, the relationship between the two sides was not restored.

Both sects had previously withdrawn their personnel from each other's territories, including those in the market shops, let alone any business cooperation.

Originally, the Bright Moon Sect imported goods worth hundreds of thousands of spirit stones from the Hunyuan Sect every year, but after this incident, that deal naturally fell through. After this incident, Song Xian did not send anyone to renegotiate the cooperation. Things had already escalated to this point, and the two sides had thoroughly formed animosity, making it virtually impossible to continue cooperating as before.

.........

Time flies, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Song Xian was practicing his magic on the back mountain. As he clasped his hands together in a circle and then slowly opened them, the surrounding space surged like boiling water and was then torn open, revealing a small opening.

But soon, the tear healed quickly. Song Xian's hands fell limply to his sides. He took a deep breath. He had studied the Heavenly Gate supernatural power for many years, but he still hadn't mastered it.

It wasn't that he hadn't grasped the essentials; with his True Eye of Insight, he could see through the essence of spatial changes more easily than anyone else. The reason he hadn't mastered this technique over the years was because his spiritual power was insufficient.

This insufficiency does not refer solely to the total amount of spiritual energy, but rather to the fact that the instantaneous burst of spiritual energy is insufficient to break through spatial constraints and open spatial channels.

Many advanced supernatural abilities and techniques in this world have thresholds; one must reach a certain level of cultivation to practice them.

The improvement of cultivation is not only a change in the amount of spiritual power, but quantitative changes can also bring about qualitative changes.

Clearly, the Heavenly Gate Divine Power is not something that cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage can master, but Song Xian still tries it whenever he has free time, in order to gain a deeper understanding of its subtle essence.

Just as he was concentrating on his cultivation, a flying magical artifact appeared in the distance and quickly arrived. A disciple jumped down from it, bowed to him, and reported that Xu Yaoming had arrived at the mountain gate and had important matters to discuss with him.

Upon hearing this, Song Xian did not hesitate and immediately went to the sect's council hall.

As the head of the Beast Taming Sect stationed in the western city, Xu Yaoming usually wouldn't come to the Hunyuan Sect's mountain gate in person. He would send someone to summon him if there was anything to discuss.

Of course, given Song Xian's current status and cultivation level, he wouldn't rush to Qiyuan Mountain to wait for an audience just because of Xu Yaoming's words. Most of the time, he would send Jiang Zichen instead.

Today, Xu Yaoming personally visited and specifically requested to see him, so it must be for something important.

When he arrived at the council hall, Jiang Zichen and Xu Yaoming were already chatting inside.

"Master Xu, it is an honor to have you here. I am so sorry for not welcoming you sooner." Song Xian greeted him with a smile as he entered from outside.

Xu Yaoming's expression was slightly solemn, lacking his usual amiable demeanor. He simply nodded, and after Song Xian took his seat in the main seat, he went straight to the point: "Sect Leader Song, I am here today on the orders of the sect. Our sect requires Bianxi City to dispatch one thousand cultivators to Xijiang County immediately to await orders."

Upon hearing this, Song Xian's heart skipped a beat. Was the Beast Taming Sect finally going to make a move against the Murong family?

During this period, the Beast Taming Sect has been constantly creating pressure in public opinion. The fact that the Murong family had an affair with the Southern Han County has long been known to everyone. Anyone with eyes can see that the Beast Taming Sect is behind this. This matter has been going on for more than half a year now.

Now that Xu Yaoming has personally come to Bianxi City to recruit a thousand cultivators, it is clear that the Beast Taming Sect can no longer hold back and has decided to take action.

This was because he had not received any news of any disturbances in Nanhan County, so it could only be internal turmoil in Xijiang County. No wonder the Beast Taming Sect had stepped in so quickly and decisively to quell the Bright Moon Sect and stop the two from fighting. Presumably, the Beast Taming Sect had already planned to take action against the Murong family at that time.

As important forces that the Beast Taming Sect had nurtured, the Hunyuan Sect and the Mingyue Sect were naturally not to be allowed to fall into chaos and kill each other at this critical juncture.

"May I ask, Steward Xu, what is the purpose of your sect's sudden large-scale conscription of cultivators from Bianxi City?"

"Even if I don't say it, Sect Leader Song should have already guessed that the Murong family is colluding with the rebels in Nanhan County. The evidence is now conclusive. Our sect will eliminate this great threat to Xijiang County and call on all sects in Xijiang County to wipe out the Murong family. At this moment, our sect has officially declared war on the Murong family. I have already sent people to gather all sects in Bianxi City. In addition to other sects, I need your sect to provide five hundred disciples to make up a thousand recruited cultivators."

“Five hundred disciples!” Song Xian frowned slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Does Sect Leader Song perhaps refuse?"

Xu Yaoming's face darkened completely, his eyes turning cold. The Beast Taming Sect had been plotting against the Murong family for quite some time, and now that they had finally found conclusive evidence, they could take action against the Murong family.

This is a top priority that the sect has been planning for many years. The order has been issued, requiring the heads of each city to recruit a thousand cultivators to participate in the war. If this task is messed up, then he will lose his job as the head of Bianxi City.

"Sect Leader Song, don't forget that just a month ago, the Bright Moon Sect stationed troops outside Bianxi City to attack your sect. It was our sect that resolved the conflict for you. Now, our sect is asking you to send 500 troops to help you. Is that too difficult? You currently have more than 2,000 disciples. Surely you won't say that 500 is not enough, Sect Leader Song!"

"I must warn your sect that this is a major event for your sect. The sect has given me orders to recruit one thousand cultivators from Bianxi City. If you fail to arrive at the gathering point by the agreed time and delay the sect's important matter, I, as the person in charge, will be unable to perform my duties, and your sect will not fare well either. Sect Leader Song, you should weigh the pros and cons yourself."

Xu Yaoming naturally assumed that Song Xian was trying to make an excuse, and immediately gave him a serious warning.

Song Xian remained calm and composed, a faint smile still on his face, showing no displeasure at Song Xian's harsh words.

"Master Xu, please don't misunderstand. Your sect has always been very kind to our sect. Without your sect, our sect would not be where it is today. Not to mention, a few days ago, your sect even stepped in to mediate the conflict between the Bright Moon Sect and our sect, thus saving Bianxi City from a war. Now that your sect has given an order, how could I dare to disobey?"

"That's good. Please, Sect Leader Song, immediately gather your sect's disciples and organize a conscription team of five hundred people. They will travel to Xijiang County together with cultivators from other sects in Bianxi City. The sect has ordered that they arrive before the fifteenth. Time is tight, so please hurry, Sect Leader Song."

“The Murong family is no ordinary family. They have been operating in Xijiang County for many years and have more than 10,000 cultivators under their command. It will probably not be easy to eliminate them. Is it enough to send only 1,000 people to help them?” Song Xian looked at him sincerely.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yaoming's solemn expression finally changed, a hint of surprise and doubt flashing in his eyes. Even Jiang Zichen, who was standing next to him, looked at him with the same astonishment.

The meaning of these words was quite clear: Song Xian felt that recruiting a thousand men was not enough and that more men were needed.

This surprised Xu Yaoming, who wondered what he was up to.

"Does Sect Leader Song mean that your sect is willing to send more disciples to participate in the battle?"

"Our sect has received great kindness from your sect, but we have no way to repay it. I have always thought of repaying your kindness. Now that your sect is facing such a major event and lacks manpower, our sect is of course willing to do its best to help. If Master Xu does not mind, I am willing to personally lead a team of two thousand cultivators from this city to help your sect and eliminate the scourge of the Murong family in one fell swoop."

"Two thousand people?" Xu Yaoming made no attempt to hide his surprise: "Where should we recruit these extra thousand people? I have already sent people to notify the various sects in Bianxi City, asking them to gather the corresponding number of people to Qiyuan Mountain. The number has already been specified. Suddenly adding so many people seems inappropriate!"

"This is no need for Steward Xu to worry about. The deployment of personnel from various sects in Bianxi City will proceed as planned by Steward Xu. The extra thousand people will be the responsibility of our sect."

(End of this chapter)