Taking Spirit Dew Again

"Junior Brother Yuan, the gift lists for all the families in Pingrong County this year are here." Since the last major change, Ye Zhengwen's gloomy temperament has faded considerably, and even his single eye has finally regained some luster, no longer as indifferent as before.

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Ye," Yuan Jin said solemnly, accepting the document and examining it.

Now, as the only Foundation Establishment sect in Pingrong County, Chongming Sect, despite the power of the Immortal Dynasty, cannot take on vassals and exploit them like other Foundation Establishment forces.

However, the various Qi Refinement factions in Pingrong County should know better than to fail to pay the taxes due to the state court and should also know that they cannot fail to pay tribute to the Chongming Sect every year.

Under such circumstances, the quantity and type of gifts are not the most important factors. After all, even if these small sects send their gifts, Chongming Sect may not appreciate them, accept them, or even remember them.

But if any household is unwilling to even do this basic superficial work, then Chongming Sect will certainly not forget them.

Yuan Jin glanced at it, but lacking the keen insight of the Sect Leader Kang Da, he could only ask as he flipped through it, "Senior Brother, have you seen this gift list? How is it different from last year's?"

"Hemu Dao is still not paid. The Fellow Cultivators Association paid 30% less than last year. Other families have seen slight increases or decreases, but the total price is still not much different, around 750 Spirit Stone."

Ye Zhengwen had already done his homework before coming, so his answer was effortless.

Yuan Jin simply nodded, examined the items, and upon hearing of the two changes, said nothing more. He only instructed Ye Zhengwen again:

"Please help Senior Brother Ye Senior Brother Pei sort through these items, deciding which should be stored and which should be handed over to the merchant caravan for sale. Once Anle returns to the sect, you two can make the arrangements."

Ye Zhengwen nodded in agreement, then asked, "Junior Brother Jiang is going to entertain four Foundation Establishment seniors. I wonder if we should use some Spirit Stone from the public treasury?"

Yuan Jin shook his head, sighing with a mixture of relief and helplessness, "Third said he has his own Spirit Stone and we don't need to worry about him. Let him be then; anyway, he hasn't sold everything in his Storage Bag yet. By the way..."

Halfway through the conversation, Yuan Jin remembered something and asked with a strange expression, "Junior Brother, I heard that among the bandit cultivators that Senior Brother recruited back then, there was a female cultivator named Shao Meng who recently beat up that Widow Ma sells spirit grains?"

Ye Zhengwen's expression was equally strange upon hearing this, and he asked in return, "Junior Brother has just emerged from seclusion and is already acting as the sect leader, handling countless affairs every day. How come you've heard such idle talk?"

"Senior Brother Ye, you're always so well-informed. Tell me quickly, tell me quickly!" Yuan Jin couldn't hide his curiosity. Ye Zhengwen chuckled dryly before slowly recounting, "I heard it's that Widow Ma making up stories about herself sleeping with Old Kang."

Yuan Jin looked surprised. "She's shameless, but what does that have to do with Shao Meng?"

"She was afraid no one would believe her, so she included Shao Meng and quite a few other pretty female cultivators in the market as well." Ye Zhengwen said, shaking his head. With these three people making a tiger out of a tiger, the reputation of Sect Leader Kang Da as "good at bullying women" became even more unshakable.

Yuan Jin couldn't help but chuckle at first, then put on a serious expression and said sternly:

"What kind of scoundrels are they? I'll write to Deng Baichuan right now and tell him to kick that Widow Ma out of the market immediately. As for Shao Meng, I'll send a message to Shilun and have him deliver a message that if this female cultivator continues to cause trouble, the sect will suspend her and her brother's Alchemist treatment."

It adds up to nearly two hundred Spirit Stone a year. Why are they still restless after getting the benefits, always causing trouble?

Ye Zhengwen nodded in agreement, but before he could leave, Zhou Yixiu walked in with a not-so-good expression.

"What's going on?" Yuan Jin asked.

"It's nothing. My junior brother borrowed some agricultural classics from the Shan Household, hoping to find some formulas to try and make the Glazed Treasure Tree grow." Zhou Yixiu's words were tinged with dejection, and he seemed completely lost.

"Hmm," Yuan Jin could see through his thoughts. Although he disliked his spineless appearance, he didn't say anything. Instead, he asked, "Junior Brother Zhou, have you taken a look at the manor that Ming Household Master Ming mentioned that was rented to the Green Bamboo Gang?"

"I went to check on them last time. The Green Bamboo Gang has been harassed by the Fellow Cultivators Association, so their stewards are quite easy to talk to. They just said that if the Fellow Cultivators Association doesn't interfere, we can take back this manor at any time."

"Send a message to the Fellow Cultivators Association, saying that Lord Shan and Brother Qin no longer care about them, but my family still remembers our past ties and has always treated them with respect. Tell them not to be ungrateful." Yuan Jin frowned and made the arrangements.

Leaving that matter aside, Yuan Jin continued, "Our eldest brother is still seeking the Dharma at Crane Spirit Mountain. Let's prepare a New Year's gift for Senior Lang Yi. Don't be stingy, lest he think we're impolite."

"No need to see me off, no need to see me off. Luckily you're back, otherwise I would have almost lost another sum of money." How could the restrictions of this council hall stop Sect Leader Kang Da? As soon as he entered, upon hearing Yuan Jin's words, he hurriedly shouted out.

"Senior Brother?!" The three people in the hall were all surprised. They were promised five years, how come he's back after only two?

"Yes, I'm back." Sect Leader Kang Da looked exhausted. Traveling thousands of miles back was incredibly tiring, even with a flying boat, so his condition was understandable.

"How is your request for the Dharma, Senior Brother?" Zhou Yixiu, who had been rather listless, became much more excited and asked.

Yuan Jin gave up his seat, and Sect Leader Kang Da returned to the Hardness white jade chair. Not finding it particularly comfortable, he simply sat cross-legged on the ground before saying, "I've gained some insights."

All three knew Kang Dabao's cautious nature; even if he had ten parts to say, he would only say seven, keeping three parts in reserve.

Hearing what Sect Leader Kang Da said, the three of them were relieved. Yuan Jin, whose mood had been ruined by Zhou Yixiu, finally recovered and laughed, "In that case, congratulations in advance, Senior Brother."

"Enough of that. Where's Third? Where's Junior Brother Pei?" Kang Dabao looked around and asked.

"Senior Brother Pei is currently in seclusion refining pills. These days, the pills and magical Law Artifact in the Chongming Small Pavilion are selling like hotcakes. I've only just come out of seclusion myself. It seems that the Third Third has invited several Foundation Establishment seniors to the sect. I guess he's going out to welcome them?" Yuan Jin guessed.

"Well, good business is a good thing, but you shouldn't let small gains lead to bigger losses and delay your cultivation." Kang Dabao gave another habitual reminder, but he was also a little puzzled by Jiang Qing's actions.

This is because the latter has never been one to make friends easily.

However, Jiang Qing now has many matters involving Foundation Establishment, and although Sect Leader Kang Da is his senior brother, he is indeed at a lower level, and there are many things he may not be able to explain clearly.

So he could only mutter, "Foundation Establishment Senior?"

The Sect Leader Kang Da, did not talk with his fellow disciples for long. Instead, he did not ask about any matters concerning the sect, nor did he eat the braised pork knuckle or go to sleep. Instead, contrary to his usual behavior, he buried himself in his sect leader's quarters and devoted himself to cultivation.

Kang Dabao filled the Cloud Chamber with Spirit Stone for the array, affixed several First Tier array talismans, and carefully checked them several times to ensure there were no omissions before cautiously taking out the black glazed gourd from his waist.

Even the usually composed Sect Leader Kang Da couldn't help but feel a sense of despair, like withered seedlings longing for rain.

The black-glazed gourd was still as unremarkable as before, with a black glaze, red base, silver-plated stopper, and a copper-colored spout. No matter how you looked at it, it wasn't pretty, and even had a hint of rusticity.

After all, when Kang Dabao smuggled it from the mortal's tavern, he didn't realize it was a treasure.

Sect Leader Kang Da had a feeling that the quality of the Primordial Gourd in his hand was far superior to that of Black Bone and Jade Jade.

After all, even within this broken gourd, there are two wisps of life-saving, Azure Smoke of Creation.

Each round also produces a bowl of spiritual dew. Kang Dabao's smooth progress in cultivation over the years is truly thanks to this spiritual dew that can cleanse one's bones and marrow.

However, this new cycle of time had already passed when Sect Leader Kang Da was in the Old Pine cave abode on Crane Spirit Mountain.

This Primordial Gourd is of great importance, and Kang Dabao doesn't want to take even a one in ten thousand chance.

After all, cultivators like Lang Yi, who are about to die of old age, have very sharp senses. If he discovers any clues, Sect Leader Kang Da might have to waste another precious wisp of the Azure Smoke of Creation.

Even if they obtained Lang Yi's legacy, it would be of no use and far from enough to compensate for Kang Dabao's losses.

The usually cautious Sect Leader Kang Da held back until he returned to his own little nest before gently unscrewing the silver-plated gourd stopper.

The room of the sect leader was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. A large oil candle burned with a dim yellow light, flickering gently in the quiet room and casting a shadow on the Gu Su, mottled wall.

A surge of celestial energy mingled with the low-grade spiritual fragrance in the cloud chamber, spreading outwards. At the same time, the shadows on the wall seemed to tremble slightly.

The stopper was fully opened, and the spiritual energy instantly surged. Sect Leader Kang Da became exceptionally clear, and he felt the fragrance of the spiritual incense in the room had been almost negligible.

Sect Leader Kang Da put down the stopper, his eyes fixed intently on the clear spiritual dew inside the gourd. His fingers trembled slightly, and his excitement was beyond words.

Twelve years is neither a long nor a short time. Kang Dabao has been waiting for this day for more than four thousand days and nights.

The cloud chamber was completely silent. Sect Leader Kang Da could clearly hear his own increasingly heavy breathing and his strong heartbeat, which was like galloping hooves, passionate and exciting.

"I'll drink it! I wonder what level of aptitude it will raise me to this time? Triple Spirit Root, Dual Spirit Root, or perhaps..."

Kang Dabao raised the gourd and drank it all in one gulp. The cool and refreshing spiritual dew slid down his throat and into his stomach. Immediately afterwards, countless streams of immortal spiritual energy seeped into his pores. His pores opened, releasing impurities, and he appeared radiant with spiritual light, exuding an endless sense of holiness.

After meditating for another ten days, Sect Leader Kang Da finally opened his eyes, feeling as clear as the moon and as light as a cloud.

Kang Dabao recalled the scene of the spiritual dew circulating within his body, and sighed in a tone that was hard to describe as either joyful or sorrowful, "Alas, I never imagined that this time, it would end like this."

(Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone! I'll update another chapter during the day. Thank you all for your support!)

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