Governing the Sect

"Two people with Triple Spirit Root and seven people with Four Spirit Roots." Kang Dabao nodded in approval. The situation was much better than he had expected. At least two disciples with Triple Spirit Root had come to ask to become his disciples.

You should know that in the small and humble families around here, a celestial seedling with Triple Spirit Root is already considered a pillar of the family.

In families with few members, it's possible that they might not see such a person for at least sixty years.

For the Chongming Sect at present, having Triple Spirit Root is not considered a lot. There are only four or five such disciples in the sect so far. Therefore, the Chongming Sect did not give much thought to the Triple Spirit Root immortal talents who came to seek apprenticeship this time, and accepted them all.

Of course, this is also because these two immortal seedlings come from respectable families.

One of them came from the Hong County He Household. He was from a branch of the He Household and, according to seniority, was a cousin of He Yuanbing.

In the past, such a decision would have been difficult for He Degong. But now, the Hong County He Household is not as prosperous as before, while the Chongming Sect is becoming more and more prosperous.

If He Degong were not here, I could still use my elder brother's legacy to give people away when I had the chance to speak with my cousins like Chongming Sect.

Then, in a few more years, when this sense of personal connection has faded, the He Household might not be able to send gifts even if they wanted to.

The other person was a schoolteacher who had traveled a long and bumpy journey before finally managing to find his way here to seek immortality.

This time, Chongming Sect opened its gates wide, and those who came were not only from cultivation forces. Many powerful figures and local tyrants from the mortal world also brought their eligible nephews and nieces to try their luck.

However, none of the nephews and nieces they brought had their Spirit Root tested beforehand, and very few of them were selected.

Compared to the scions of smaller Lineage with more complicated backgrounds, the leaders of the Chongming Sect preferred to select disciples from among these individuals.

After all, the principle that it is difficult to raise Lineage's children properly is something that not only the elders of the Stone Mountain Sect in Pu Prefecture understand.

Chongming Sect had never risen to prominence before, and its immortal seedlings were scarce. Even Mo'er, who had Five Spirit Roots, was being carefully cultivated.

Against this backdrop, the Sect Leader Kang Da was naturally happy to accept disciples from minor Qi Refinement clans like He Yuanbing into his sect.

Once the situation became clearer, even Triple Spirit Root immortal seedling like Ming Zhe might not have been accepted by Kang Dabao if he hadn't been bound by affection and loyalty with Second Master Ming and couldn't break free.

Conversely, for ordinary people seeking immortality like this schoolteacher, with a clean background and outstanding talent, Sect Leader Kang Da would naturally be happy to take in as many as possible.

He was lucky to have met Mo Ku, a kind-hearted person; if he had encountered other Double Brightness disciples, they might not have stopped and wasted time dealing with such a ragged and dirty mortal.

Mo Ku felt sorry for the schoolteacher and was moved by his sincerity. She also seemed to see a bit of her former self in him.

So he took out the Spirit-Testing Ruler to try it out. Before this, he never expected that a rare Triple Spirit Root would appear.

Even though this teacher is already twenty-five years old, his turbid energy has sunk into his meridians, making his cultivation much more difficult compared to younger immortal seedlings. It can be said that he has almost no future in Foundation Establishment.

However, given his Triple Spirit Root, as long as he is willing to work hard, it won't be difficult for him to become a late-stage cultivator by the time he reaches his sixties or seventies. At that time, he would be a solid disciple in a sect like Chongming Sect, and would naturally be accepted.

As for why only seven people are accepted for the Four Spirit Roots Immortal Seedlings, it's certainly not because there are only so many people seeking immortality.

The reason why so few Chongming Sect were admitted was only one reason; the second reason was that the Chongming Sect Four Spirit Roots not support too many disciples.

"Children from Lineage aged eight and above will not be accepted."

"Those Lineage parents are both monks or nuns will not be accepted."

Those with poor character will not be hired.

Those with a bone age of twelve years or older will not be accepted.

He wrote a whole series of articles, most of which were written for the children of small Lineage.

The real concern is that these Lineage members might become too attached to their clans, and if they succeed in their cultivation by relying on the resources provided by the sect, they might neglect their duties for personal gain and do things that harm the sect's interests to make up for the troubles caused to their families.

To be fair, such requirements are somewhat demanding for these small Lineage.

After all, if someone sends their precious child to become a disciple, they must also be hoping to establish some connection with the Chongming Sect.

It's not easy for a small family to make a living. If they can get even a little bit of lynx fur, life at home might be much better.

However, Chongming Sect's selection process truly put their little schemes to rest. Even many established Foundation Establishment sects wouldn't be this rigorous.

However, the Sect Leader Kang Da also had something to say, since the Chongming Sect opening of its mountain gates this time was different from other Foundation Establishment sects.

If this young master of the Lineage were to join a sect, the Chongming Sect wouldn't accept even a single cultivator with a shattered spirit seed as a fee. Moreover, the generous treatment of the Chongming Sect disciples is well-known to outsiders.

Even a less skilled, late-stage Rogue Cultivator, after a year of hard work, might not accumulate as many Spirit Stone as a newly initiated disciple of the Chongming Sect.

Otherwise, the heads of these small families wouldn't have gone to such lengths, bringing their younger generations across states and counties to the Chongming Sect to become his disciples.

Although these selected members of minor families had less direct ties to their Lineage, blood is thicker than water, and there was always some connection between them and their Lineage.

Moreover, these leaders have their own methods, and those with long-term vision naturally know to squeeze out some resources for their disciples.

Human hearts are made of flesh and blood; if this continues, they will surely develop some gratitude towards their clan.

These actions are beyond the control of Sect Leader Kang Da.

After all, since Chongming Sect has enjoyed the readily available and fresh immortal seedlings, it should bear the consequences. There is still much to be done in the struggle between sects and Lineage to win people's hearts.

Kang Dabao carefully put away the roster, looked up at Pei Yi, and said in a gentle voice:

"Junior Brother Pei, you've put a lot of effort into helping these disciples Spirit Awakening powers, urging Zhang Le to teach them well. However, Zhang Le's cultivation level is still somewhat lacking."

Junior brother, you can also assign some introductory tasks within the Merit Points Hall, allowing disciples with free time at home to take them on and help out. This Merit Points won't require your concern; it can be paid from the public funds."

"Junior brother obeys," Sect Leader Kang Da said, making sense Pei Yi agreed, but his thoughts were also opened, and he offered his advice. "Now that you mention it, senior brother, I've also remembered something I've always wanted to do."

"Junior brother, please speak freely."

"Reporting to Senior Brother Headmaster, thanks to the abundant legacy of our master and your skillful management of the household, most of the First Tier inheritances of various arts and crafts in the sect are now complete."

Previously, my senior brother had selected a group of disciples to learn various arts, which was a wise move. However, the rebellion of the Clear Cloud Alliance disrupted his plans. Now, those disciples whom he had painstakingly trained have either died in service to the king or...

Currently, apart from alchemy, artifact crafting, agriculture, spiritual observation, and formation techniques, the sect has no disciples who have reached the required level to teach the other arts.

Therefore, my junior brother thought, could we hire a group of skilled Rogue Cultivator as guest advisors, so that they could reside in the sect and guide the disciples in various arts? If one or two promising talents emerge, it would certainly enhance the sect's foundation."

Pei Yi explained his thoughts methodically, and Kang Dabao pondered them for a moment, becoming somewhat interested.

Hiring or having a master of various arts for one's own disciple is a fairly common practice in Cloud Horn Prefecture.

Just like the former Sect Leader Kang Da, he sent his junior brother Yuan Jin to Master Qi's tutelage to learn how to be a weapon maker.

However, among the Rogue Cultivator in Cloud Horn Prefecture, there are very few like Master Qi who possess both considerable skill and property.

Most independent cultivators with limited skills, even if they open Rogue Cultivator to teach, cannot attract anyone to become their apprentice due to their shallow skills. After a year of hard work, they can't even save up a few Spirit Stone for sustenance.

Back then, Sect Leader Kang Da's situation was similar to that of other Rogue Cultivator. Before he had to lower himself to become a traveling merchant, Kang Dabao had also done some talisman-making business for a few days.

After working hard for half a year, I didn't earn any Spirit Stone. Instead, I ended up with the words "spending more than I earn," not to mention I couldn't earn any supplies for my two junior brothers.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators that Pei Yi mentioned hiring earlier were not the same group of people mentioned later.

While it's rare to find Rogue Cultivator with a mid-to-low- First Tier skill, you can always find some if you look hard enough. The world is in a bad state now, and many cultivators who make a living through various crafts aren't doing as well as they used to.

Zhou Yixiu is a prime example. His mastery of cultivation techniques is top-notch among Qi Refining Powder cultivators, but his combat skills are quite poor.

When Xuanwei City fell, if it weren't for Jiang Qing and Kang Rongquan finding him, he wouldn't be a powerful elder of Foundation Establishment sect like he is now.

If they had walked a few more miles, Zhou Yixiu's entire family would have been wiped out by that treacherous Bandit Cultivator who appeared out of nowhere.

So it's true that skilled craftsmen won't starve in a drought, but if they can find a stable and safe place to cultivate in peace and earn some living with their skills, most of these independent Rogue Cultivator with skills will come.

Once Chongming Sect issues his recruitment notice, it shouldn't be difficult to hire guest advisors and mentors.

After all, if they encountered a generous host, these guest retainers could obtain some not-so-important classics for reference, which would be of some help to their already somewhat lacking knowledge of cultivation.

Furthermore, the title "guest elder" is always attached to the name of a sect's retainer, which not only enhances one's status but also adds an extra layer of security.

Finally, if one were to take on a pillar of the sect as a disciple, and that disciple were to achieve great things in the future, the master would inevitably benefit from it. The life of this Rogue Cultivator could very well be transformed as a result.

In the past, Kang Dabao was always concerned that Chongming Sect only had a few close relatives and friends, and he was always afraid that if he invited a capable guest, the guest would usurp his position and the hostage would be taken over.

Therefore, in the past, Sect Leader Kang Da had always been very hesitant about recruiting Rogue Cultivator.

But times have changed. Chongming Sect now has two Ice Leaf Foundation Establishment, and dozens of disciples, all skilled in Technique Method. There's no need to worry about a few Qi Refinement Refining guest elders causing any trouble.

Under these circumstances, Pei Yi's suggestion was naturally worth Kang Dabao's serious consideration.

Not long after, Sect Leader Kang Da slowly nodded and agreed, saying:

"Then let's get started, junior brother. While testing their skills, also carefully examine the character and conduct of these Rogue Cultivators. If there are any shortcomings, then no matter how high their skill level, they cannot be hired! There's no rush, junior brother, just take your time. Better to have none than to have the wrong one."

Pei Yi answered earnestly and stepped back to his seat.

Sect Leader Kang Da sighed inwardly. Pei Yi was now quite methodical in his actions, and his judgment was also quite good. He was becoming more and more like a qualified successor.

Can.

Thinking of this, Kang Dabao first picked up the cold tea beside him and drank it down in one gulp to dispel some of his chaotic thoughts.

The idea of hiring Rogue Cultivator as guest advisors was a sudden whim of Pei Yi, and it was certainly not on the agenda originally intended for Sect Leader Kang Da.

Now that this matter was settled, it was time for Kang Dabao to address the issue he was most concerned about. He scanned the crowd twice and suddenly asked in a questioning voice, "Where is Junior Brother Niu?"

"This..." Foreign Affairs Officer Chu Huer panicked and looked troubled.

At this moment, Pei Yi also looked over, frowning as he said, "Junior Brother Chu, is there something we cannot hear?"

"Reporting to Senior Brother Sect Leader, Junior Brother Niu Kuang took a few too many Areca Flower tablets while entertaining guests just now and was intoxicated by the fragrance. He is currently drinking wine to dispel the fragrance." Under the pressure of Pei Yi's words and eyes, Chu Huer dared not hide anything and told the whole story.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qing frowned, Ye Zhengwen remained calm, while Yuan Jin and Zhou Yixiu looked displeased.

"Sigh!" Even the usually mild-mannered Pei Yi was so angry that he cursed under his breath and stepped forward again, "Sect Leader, Niu Kuang has repeatedly failed to mend his ways and is no longer fit to serve as the garrison commander of Chongming City. I implore you to dismiss him immediately to uphold the sect's reputation and observe his future conduct!"

"Well, then let's do as Junior Brother Pei says." Sect Leader Kang Da readily agreed to Pei Yi's request. It wasn't to suppress the disciples of Shandu Ridge, but rather because Niu Kuang's behavior was truly excessive.

In fact, ever since Jiang Qing and he himself successively Foundation Establishment, Kang Dabao's slight prejudice against sectarianism had long since dissipated.

He had only recently achieved the Jade-Colored Foundation Establishment, and was not yet fully aware of its mysteries, but in that time he had already figured out two benefits.

One of them is that after Foundation Establishment, the spiritual energy within one's body flows like a long stream into the sea, continuously and endlessly.

Thanks to the extraordinary technique "Long Breath Art," even though Sect Leader Kang Da is only at the Foundation Establishment, he estimates that his abundant spiritual energy is enough to rival some Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivators who have been practicing for many years.

Secondly, the lifespan of Jade-Colored Foundation Establishment is extended by sixty years compared to an ordinary Foundation Establishment, thus allowing them to enjoy a lifespan of three hundred years.

In this one advantage alone, Kang Dabao is not much worse than those fake pill masters who went through countless hardships to achieve their fake pills.

With these two benefits, even if Pei Yi Foundation Establishment, he is about the same age as the Sect Leader Kang Da, but there is a sixty-year lifespan difference between them. Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult for him to succeed the latter.

Therefore, Sect Leader Kang Da did this entirely out of public interest.

If we were to strictly follow the rules of the sect, it would be far more complicated than simply dismissing Niu Kuang.

Taking Areca Flower tablets is a popular pastime among many cultivators, but it offers absolutely no benefit to their cultivation. It's quite normal for cultivators with insufficient self-control to consume Areca Flower tablets to the point of exhausting their vital energy, even to the point of death.

Under the strict supervision of Sect Leader Kang Da, the disciples of Chongming Sect, who had raised themselves from the Chongming Sect, dared not touch such things in the slightest.

Most of the disciples of Shandu Ridge were Rogue Cultivator, and some of them had been unsupervised for a long time, so they had developed bad habits such as drinking spirit wine and consuming areca flowers.

If it weren't for the fact that Niu Kuang had worked very hard in the battle at Little Wu Mountain back then, given his repeated delays in important matters, Sect Leader Kang Da might have given him a penny of Spirit Stone and kicked him out.

"Third, after this is over, send Yuanbing to be the Chongming City for a two-year term. We'll discuss his future after he's served his full term," Kang Dabao said to Jiang Qing after a moment's thought.

Jiang Qing stood up to accept the order, but Sect Leader Kang Da hadn't finished speaking, "After Yuanbing arrives, you need to do the following things. Third, remember them."

"Firstly, the Chongming City Kang Dahou, has recently passed away. As the Chongming City commander, he needs to thoroughly examine the character and abilities of the successor lord. If the successor is deemed unfit for the position, he can be relieved of his duties on the spot, and someone else can be selected to take over."

Kang Dahou died before Kang Dabao came out of seclusion. Unfortunately, the latter had indulged in sensual pleasures over the years, which had taken a toll on his health. After a serious illness, even the most spirit medicine could not save him.

It's truly a pity. If Kang Dahou could have held on for another ten or eight days, we would have witnessed the first Foundation Establishment True Cultivator the history of the Double Brightness Kang Household.

The new city lord was again a member of the Kang Household's main branch, namely Kang Dahou's grandson. The task of testing this new city lord was originally entrusted to Niu Kuang when Yuan Jin was in charge of the sect.

Niu Kuang's reply was full of praise, but Sect Leader Kang Da was quite uneasy after seeing his recent performance.

Mortals are the foundation of cultivators. After years of periodically gathering refugees, Chongming City now has more than 150,000 mortals under its jurisdiction.

This number has increased significantly since Sect Leader Kang Da first took over, but the number of eligible children available for the Chongming Sect verification has not increased significantly over the years.

Kang Dabao knew that this stemmed from his own lack of concern for worldly affairs.

For many years, due to a shortage of manpower, even a strategically important place like Chongming Sect did not have a single disciple to guard it.

This led to the current head of the family Kang Dahou, having a rather decadent lifestyle. His example was followed by his Double Brightness Kang Household relatives, who, under the guise of glorifying the Lineage, imitated his behavior.

The wealthy families in the city were not to be outdone. If a household didn't have a dozen or so beautiful maids serving them, could they even claim to be related to an immortal?

Large numbers of women of childbearing age were confined to the courtyards, and these powerful families were not particularly capable of feeding them, so they could not produce many children.

If this trend is not stopped, the policy of recruiting refugees that Sect Leader Kang Da has implemented over the years will truly become a means for these parasites to enjoy themselves!

"Secondly, after Yuanbing to Chongming City, he should immediately issue an order: no one who is not Bone Refining Martial Artist or above may take a concubine, and those who violate this order will be expelled from Double Brightness territory. If Bone Refining, Blood Refining, or Marrow Refining Martial Artists wish to take concubines, an upper limit should also be set, and the specific number can be determined by the City Lord's Mansion."

Taking a concubine is forbidden and must be registered. City officials must annually record the number of children born to families with concubines. The 100 families with the fewest children will be fined grain, taxes, and additional levies.

Sect Leader Kang Da paused abruptly, a hint of resentment flashing across his face. "Master has already become Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, and he's only just taken a bite of the delicious meat! Those bastards, on the other hand, are enjoying the blessings of having multiple wives."

Kang Dabao suppressed his anger and spoke in a firm voice:

"Thirdly, all ordinary people under his jurisdiction should be registered and properly managed. No one except Martial Ancestor may keep slaves, and the number of slave households shall not exceed ten. Violators will be sent to mine in the two mines in Tanggu County! Establish towns, villages, bao, and jia, and evaluate the number of new ordinary people at each level every year. Those with more will be rewarded, and those with fewer will be punished!"

However, we must not be impatient for quick results. If a woman of childbearing age dies during childbirth, the head of the local security bureau must be held accountable. If any corrupt officials are found to have disregarded human life, they will also be sent to Tanggu County to work in the mines!

"Fourthly. There's really no fourth point. After Yuanbing takes office, he must check and fill in any gaps in these points I mentioned, and do them diligently. He must not simply read from the book!"

Seeing that Jiang Qing had taken notes, Kang Dabao then began discussing the third matter with his fellow disciples. "The Double Brightness Caravan."

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