Meeting with Halberd in Hand

---- Cold Crow Mountain and Hu Household Dam

The newly erected First-Tier Lower-Grade Azure Wood Formation shield by the Hu Household cultivators shimmered with an extremely faint glassy color, dispelling the last wisp of night into tiny specks of golden light.

The morning mist rises in the air, condenses into dewdrops on the eaves of the blue-brick and tile houses, rolls down along the vines growing between the tiles, and shatters on the bluestone-paved well platform.

Several ancient trees, hundreds of years old, stood on the dam, specially moved here by the Hu Household cultivators. Their slender branches trembled slightly in the morning breeze, and dappled sunlight filtered through the branches, which were covered with talismans for warding off evil spirits.

A winding stream flows slowly from the bamboo forest to the east, with peach petals floating on its surface, sometime during the night.

Untainted by Spiritual Qi, they were not valued by the few spiritual fish in the stream, and were far less tempting than the occasional clump of advanced aquatic plants found at the bottom of the water.

The kudzu cloths drying in each household swayed gently in the morning breeze, and the dye vats held unharvested indigo dye. These dyes, gleaming with a strange silvery light, were manifestations of the poison-repelling powder distributed to mortals by the Hu Household cultivators.

However, one must find a specialist to master the technique before one can begin the dyeing process; otherwise, this spirit powder can be even more deadly than those unranked spirit insects in the Cold Crow Mountain Range.

The morning bell tolls, its clear, ringing sound waking the laborers of the Hu Household, who live in a row of blue-brick houses on the dam, along with the sun.

Dou Gou'er stretched and, still half-asleep, climbed out of the soft, warm bed.

After roughly washing himself with cold water in a basin, Dou Gou'er was dressed and on an empty stomach, and hurried towards the kitchen in the center of the dam, where wisps of smoke were already rising from the chimney.

During their journey, Dou Gou'er met his cousin Dou Jugen. The two had grown up together since childhood and were now both low-ranking servants under the Hu Household's immortal master, so they naturally had a good relationship.

Unlike Dou Gou'er's father, who was illiterate his entire life, Dou Jugen's father was a respectable man who knew a few characters, so he gave Dou Jugen such a respectable name.

In the past Dou Gou'er often envied Dou Jugen because of this, but now...

Dou Gou'er thought to himself, "If the farmland I was allocated this year grows the best, then as the farmland manager said beforehand, I can go to the Hu Household's private school to learn to read."

Seeing that Dou Gou'er had stopped in his tracks upon hearing the call, Dou Jugen also hurriedly caught up with a smile. The latter patted Dou Gou'er on the shoulder and teased, "..."

"Why are you running away, you little dog? Things aren't like those miserable days in White Sand County. There's so much rice and flour in the kitchen we can't even eat it all. We're not short of food for you, you big eater. Are you worried the food will escape from the stove?"

"You're the one who should be laughing, Ju Gen. You've only had enough to eat for a few days, and you can't even walk fast anymore? You should know that when we were still in White Sand County, let alone rice, flour, and vegetables, we had to fight with others for even a bite of raw alfalfa."

"Yes, yes, you're always right, you little dog! Let's hurry then. You always think that going early will give you an advantage. Don't you ever think that while going early means getting the food first, you also have to do some work for the master first?"

"We peasants eat other people's food, so we can only repay them with our strength, right? Besides, what's there to be stingy about? The more we use our strength, the faster we grow!"

The two brothers arrived at their destination while chatting and laughing. When they entered the kitchen, the old servant sent by the Hu Household to manage the fields was also inside.

The old man didn't even chew the rice, noodles, or vegetables on the table in front of him. He just stared hatefully at the rough men who were burying their heads in their food, his expression sinister and his heart bleeding.

"What a waste that all that pure white grain has gone into the mouths of these worthless bastards! How can this Chongming Sect have to meddle in such matters? Just like in White Sand County, they fed them tree bark and grass roots, and they still drove them around like that!"

It's true that lands protected by cultivators are almost immune to natural disasters and yield abundant harvests, but no one ever complains about having too much good stuff. Before they moved to Cold Crow Mountain, no one cared about these outsiders working there, let alone gave them such high-quality food!

But now, under the heavy pressure of the Chongming Sect, no one in the various families of Cold Crow Mountain dares to utter a single word.

Ignoring the sinister gaze of Master Guantian, Dou Gou'er and Dou Jugen ate and stuffed themselves until they were stuffed to the brim. Only after licking the bowls and basins clean did they put down their chopsticks, stuff a few steamed buns into their pockets.

The two brothers, their bellies bulging, carried hoes and came to the field to start working. They were going to plant yellow alfalfa, which was of a lower grade than white alfalfa.

Its price is so low that it can only be sold for three hundred stones per fragment of spirit material in a good year. It also attracts the attention of several low-level Demon Beast that like to eat human flesh, so it is hard to find favor among the "high-ranking families" in the vicinity.

Only families like the Hu Household, who are the most insignificant and can only be transferred in and receive a share of the sacred land after the dozens of Evil Dao sects that deceived the Chongming Sect have been exterminated, would still cultivate these low-threshold products in the sacred land.

The Dou Household brothers, unaware of their master's predicament, worked tirelessly until noon before finally taking a short break.

As Dou Gou'er took out his sheepskin water pouch and tilted his head back to drink, he also spotted a patrol team composed of Hu Household. Unlike before, shortly after arriving at Cold Crow Mountain, Dou Gou'er was no longer so afraid of these ruthless lackeys.

The reason is that they used to wield their whips against laborers like Dou Gou'er, but now they have to hold weapons and be ready at any time to defend against Demon Beast attacks for lowly people like Dou Gou'er who are worthless. The difference is self-evident.

Dou Gou'er's envious gaze disappeared along with the retreating figures of the martial arts team. He took out a slightly sour steamed bun from his pocket and swallowed it without any disgust.

"Glug glug," just as he tilted his head back to drink water again, another crisp sound rang out beside him:

"Hello, Uncle Dog."

Dou Gou'er looked down and saw a young boy with his hair in a bun calling to him with laughter.

"Is this Shijiu Lang? Did you just finish your elementary school? Are you hungry? Uncle Gou'er has some steamed buns for you to share." Dou Gou'er, barely suppressing his reluctance, handed over a steamed bun with bite marks still visible.

Nineteen Lang repeatedly declined, saying, "No need, no need, Uncle Gou'er, please eat by yourself. Hu Household at the school provides lunch, and there's even meat!"

"Oh, oh, that's good!" Dou Gou'er was overjoyed, not knowing whether it was because of Shijiulang's words or because of the steamed bun he had lost and found again.

As the two were talking, several boys came up from behind, first politely greeting Dou Gou'er, and then pulling Shijiu Lang along to return home.

The schoolchildren skipped and hopped along the road, reciting the nursery rhyme taught by their teacher. "Double Brightness Immortal, suppresses the mountain demon. The evil tiger injures the ox and plows three acres; the demon steals the chicken and dies young; the ruler does not strike the bones of the poor; the Dharma mirror hangs high, illuminating the jade sky."

Dou Jugen, who had already eaten his fill, was also drawn over by the nursery rhyme. He put down his hoe, walked over to Dou Gou'er, and together they watched the children's backs as they recited:

"When Brother Dazhu and his wife both fell ill with a cold two years ago, I thought that after they died, even Shijiu Lang wouldn't survive. I never expected that they would actually be admitted to the Hu Household School this year."

"A lot of people died from that cold disease two years ago," Dou Gou'er said, a hint of reminiscence creeping into his eyes as Dou Jugen's words touched him. He cursed under his breath before continuing:

"I heard that Master Guan Tian from our area went to Master Hu Household and got a talisman to make water for over two hundred people, which is why thirty to fifty of them survived."

Dou Jugen sighed, "Yes, it's all thanks to the immortal who saved us. Otherwise, according to the old practice, how could only a hundred or so people have died? If only Dazhu's nineteenth son could have his Spirit Root checked like the kid from the Pi family next door last year."

Even if, like that child, we don't manage to become disciples of the Chongming Sect, we can still cultivate under the Hu Household's immortal master. At that time, our Dou Household won't have to work as laborers anymore, we'll eat a few steamed buns, and we won't have to endure anyone's disdain."

Dou Gou'er nodded in agreement, his tone full of longing. "Yes, it would be wonderful if a celestial being could emerge from our descendants. The Hu Household's immortal masters are all compassionate and true immortals; we must repay them in the future."

Hearing these words, the alfalfa spikes spread out like a velvet carpet in the field seemed to laugh in the wind. The wind also seemed to laugh, wishing it could carry the words of these two dullards to Hu Mingsheng, the head of the Hu Household, who was being scolded on the other side.

"Hu Mingsheng! Do you still want this sacred land?!"

Shan Yong slammed his hand on the wooden table. Hu Mingsheng, who had been so angry he could have been so stern, turned pale and knelt down, repeatedly saying, "Brother Shan, please calm down! Please calm down!"

"What can appease your anger?! Of the four hundred or so households in Cold Crow Mountain, how many have more miserable lives for their mortals than yours? You only get rice, flour, and vegetables to eat; you can't even see meat or eggs once every ten days! Last year, during a cold epidemic, so many of your mortals died or were injured? You old man, do you still remember my master's admonitions?!"

Hu Mingsheng trembled and hurriedly replied, "I dare not forget Steward Sun's teachings! I dare not forget! I will go back immediately to rectify my family's conduct and will certainly not repeat this mistake!"

"Too late!" Shan Yong shouted again, then added, "Your family's rent, labor service, and tax payments will be increased by 50% this year. If you dare to do it again next year, then we'll increase it again! We'll keep increasing it until your family is bankrupt!"

After saying this, Shan Yong ignored Hu Mingsheng's pleas for mercy behind him and rode his Cloud-Treading Colt to the next house.

Inspecting the lives of the various families in Cold Crow Mountain was hardly a good job, but Shan Yong had no reason to refuse.

Shan Yong, who came from the Jade Moon Shan Household, was not well-regarded when he first entered the Chongming Sect.

In fact, when he was just a child, he was indeed "of poor character" as assessed during the entrance examination.

Although he had obtained the status of an inner disciple early on due to Shan Sheng's influence.

However, during those years of "indulging in play" and "ruining by following others" in the Nurturing Qilin Hall, even with his identity and the advantage of having Triple Spirit Root, Shan Yong still failed to stand out among his fellow disciples.

Because of this, Shan Yong was never able to obtain a master.

This greatly worried Shan Shijie head of the Shan Household. After shamelessly pleading with several elders to no avail, he had no choice but to find another way. He prepared a generous fee and arranged for Shan Yong to become a disciple of the senior Sun Fu.

Despite being in his eighties, Sun Fu's cultivation level is only at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining. Compared to Shan Yong, who has already reached the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, he is Shan Yong a renowned teacher.

However, based on Shan Shijie's understanding of the new Sect Leader Kang Da Shan Household head, since Shan Yong couldn't achieve mastery in cultivation, it would be better to maintain a connection with Sun Fu. In the future, when the time was right, he might be able to speak up for the Shan Household in front of Kang Dabao, who valued old friendships the most.

Even if it's only said once, the Shan Household won't lose out.

Therefore, because Sun Fu was recently unwell, Shan Yong also had to accept the former's assignment and suspend his cultivation.

Halfway there, Shan Yong saw He Chang, also an inner disciple, returning from his inspection on his golden donkey.

"Junior Brother He, please slow down."

"Greetings, Senior Brother Shan," He Chang with a slight smile, bowing respectfully.

This smile, however, made Shan Yong somewhat dazed, because there were many handsome men in the Chongming Sect: Jiang Qing was one, Pei Yi was one, Ming Zhe before the Battle of Opening the Earth was one, the deceased Han Yundao and Pei Que were one, and Jin Shilun, who was preparing to Foundation Establishment, was one.

But it would be extremely difficult to find anyone among them who could compare to He Chang!

The golden-haired donkey beneath He Chang seemed accustomed to such scenes, snorting to wake Shan Yong. The latter then came to his senses and laughed, "Junior Brother, have you just returned from Tiger-Hidden Mountain?"

"Yes, I just met Ma Yansong, the head of the Ma Household, there. He was very hospitable and we talked about the law for a long time." He Chang's tone was calm, but Shan Yong was full of envy.

However, Shan Yong also knew that this was something he couldn't have through envy.

Although He Chang and He Chang were both inner disciple and of similar age, the former was the direct grandson of the former sect leader and had also become a disciple of Ye Zhengwen, the elder in charge of external affairs.

Among the current second-generation disciples of the Chongming Sect, who could be found more esteemed and noble than him?!

While inspecting the various families of Cold Crow Mountain, even Sun Fu, an outer sect steward, was assigned to some of the poorest families. Shan Yong, after his inspection, felt pitiful, not only ending up empty-handed but also almost losing some money.

But He Chang went to powerful families like the Yang Household and Ma Household, how could he not benefit? The difference between the two is obvious.

Shan Yong put aside his distracting thoughts and looked at the old donkey that He Chang was riding.

"According to Master, this old donkey that was captured by the sect leader back then has been cultivating at an absurdly fast pace in recent years, and it seems to be about to advance to the Second Tier!! Even now, if this old donkey were to carry someone away, even an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator would have a hard time catching up with it even if they didn't risk their lives to chase after it. This Junior Brother He is truly being taken care of by all the elders!"

Anyone who saw this scene would be envious. After calming himself down, Shan Yong racked his brains for something to say, "I heard that the Ma Household head also wants to borrow spiritual objects from the sect to prepare for Foundation Establishment. Did he mention this when you were at the Ma Household, Junior Brother?"

He Chang smiled slightly and replied calmly, "I did mention it. Patriarch Ma Household even wanted me to advise my senior uncle, the sect leader, but I, your junior brother, am of low status and my words carry little weight. How could I possibly accomplish such a thing? Of course not."

However, I spoke with the Ma Household chief about my Third Martial Uncle Jiang's previous seclusion at Jia-Chou Military Stronghold, where he broke through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and was about to give a sermon outside Wild Fox Mountain. It was all to make his hospitality worthwhile.

"Ah, how did you know about this, Junior Brother?!"

He Chang smiled and replied, "It was the sect leader who instructed me to convey the message to Martial Uncle Jiang to give a sermon when I came out. He also personally wrote all the invitations, specifically asking me to come and present them to the senior leaders of the Double Brightness Alliance."

"When?! How could my foolish brother possibly hear this?!" Shan Yong's face showed a hint of anxiety.

He Chang, compared to Shan Yong, was much calmer. "Senior brother, don't be anxious. I imagine a Dharma assembly will be held in Little Ring Mountain in a while. The sect leader's request for Martial Uncle Jiang to hold the altar here is more to intimidate the various families of Cold Crow Mountain; it's unlikely to be about any real Dharma."

"Does Junior Brother know when Martial Uncle Jiang will return to the sect to preach? I hope he can make time for it."

"Hmm," He Chang pondered for a moment before speaking, "Our sect leader didn't mention this, but based on my guess, it was before that temple protector abbot came to Cloud Horn Prefecture."

Kang Dabao was unaware that the younger generation in the sect were already dreaming about the Sword Immortal Method Assembly, which was yet to come. He had not been in a good mood these days, because not long after he came out of seclusion, he heard the news that the abbot of Original Response Temple was coming to Cloud Horn Prefecture to select a concubine.

This news didn't come from the Fearless Tower, but rather it spread like wildfire throughout the entire Cloud Horn Prefecture. No one knew whether someone was stirring things up behind the scenes, or what these people's motives were.

Although it's still unknown when the temple's protector abbot will arrive, Yuan Xiyue's situation is one she can't escape.

As for the matter of the Sect Leader Kang Da monopolizing someone else's candidate for the position of imperial concubine, regardless of whether the former enjoyed it or not, it was ultimately Fei Shuhe, the matriarch of the family, who willingly facilitated it.

Therefore, even Kang Dabao of this house, did not show any signs of distress over this matter during these days. On the contrary, it made the noble lady of the Fei Household very uneasy.

Within just one month, Fei Shuhe returned to Xuanwei City several times, finally managing to catch Fei Nanying once. Even though the latter Core Formation, he still retained his human scent.

As he himself had said before, Fei Nanying couldn't bear to see Fei Shuhe heartbroken. His attitude remained affectionate, and although he didn't give any concrete promises, he did say this time that he wouldn't stand idly by.

This time, he was only one of the eighteen contemporary abbots of Original Response Temple, and he had not yet Core Formation.

Therefore, while the position of Khenpo, the protector of the temple, is considered a rising star in an Esoteric Buddhism ancestral temple like Original Response Temple on the Snow Mountain Circuit, it is far less prestigious than that of contemporary Buddhist disciples.

Fei Nanying is currently a rare Middle-Grade Golden Core Nascent Soul, so he truly has no fear of such a junior.

Kang Dabao has recently become quite respectful, and the gossip within the She Mountain Hall has subsided, so he can be considered to have seen the error of his ways. Therefore, without having to worry about the criticism from his clansmen, Fei Nanying doesn't mind doing his part for this somewhat unruly nephew-in-law.

Moreover, no matter how unpopular Sect Leader Kang Da was with his colleagues, he still had the responsibility of overseeing the affairs of Ping and Jin counties, and the Earl did not mention dismissing him when he left.

This time is different from the last time when the Double Brightness Alliance secretly started a war and opened up the spiritual land.

Regardless of right or wrong, the Snow Mountain Circuit Original Response Temple, a major sect most despised by the Kuang Household clan, would be a serious threat if it truly sent its disciples to Cloud Horn Prefecture to cause trouble.

If Kuang Liuting were to find out about this, given the current temperament of this influential figure, once he returns, the entire Cloud Horn Prefecture Court, from Zhu Tong down to Fei Nanying, will surely suffer a terrible fate.

Kang Dabao was aware of these things, so although he was not entirely at ease, he was not too afraid.

This confidence largely stemmed from his ability to defeat False Core after he emerged from seclusion; a smaller portion came from the protection he received, whether real or not, from the state court and the Fei Household.

Since emerging from seclusion, Sect Leader Kang Da has remained calmly within the sect, managing accounts and educating future generations. He has never even met Yuan Xiyue, the other main figure in this matter.

Fortunately, apart from this unavoidable mess, there have been some comforting things lately.

During the years that Kang Dabao was in seclusion, Duan Anle recovered much from his injuries. In addition, since he had been unable to cultivate for many years, he devoted most of his energy to improving his Beast Master rank.

He was an introverted person, and it was rare for him to make rapid progress in his cultivation. But Duan Anle was patient and cultivated day by day, accumulating knowledge bit by bit, without feeling bored or weary.

So, during these three years, Duan Anle not only recovered from his injuries, but also focused his mind and advanced to become a First-Tier Supreme-Grade beast master.

Such speed astonished the dragon beast master sent by Green Lotus Courtyard to help, who said that the former had entered the wrong sect.

In his view, if Duan Anle had been born in the right place, with his remarkable comprehension as a beast master, he could have made a name for himself by going to Heaven-Spanning Mountain in the North of the Pass Circuit and becoming a disciple of a major Nascent Soul Spirit Beast Sect.

That place is the dream of all beast masters within the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, and even the Kuang Household clan members, a powerful clan of the time, require care and comfort from them every year.

If it weren't for the two True Person of the Spirit Beast Sect having previously cultivated a closer relationship with the Immortal Dynasty and diligently befriended several Demon Lieutenant in the North of the Pass border regions, this critical border threat to the Great Wei Kingdom would have been compounded by another problem.

However, Kang Dabao and his apprentice merely smiled modestly upon hearing such comments.

This dragon beast master might be considered more experienced than an ordinary Qi Refinement, but for a mere first- First Tier beast master to make such a assessment is rather laughable.

The Sect Leader Kang Da didn't take the old cultivator's nonsense to heart, but instead spent time selecting some suitable spiritual items for Duan Anle.

To be honest, even as his master, he was ashamed to admit that he rarely put any effort into his disciples' cultivation.

The fact that Duan Anle and Jin Shilun, with their Four Spirit Roots, could expect to reach the Foundation Establishment after only half a century of cultivation shows that they have indeed put in a lot of hard work in their cultivation.

These days, not only Kang Dabao is diligently teaching students, but even Zhang Qingran, who usually lives a secluded life, has taken on disciples.

The newly True Disciple, Wei Gu, only received his master when he was nearly seventy years old. It is likely that he will receive considerable help in both his future Foundation Establishment and his advancement to the Second Tier array master.

This is certainly a good thing for Wei Gu, a rootless wanderer who came from Rogue Cultivator. But for Sect Leader Kang Da, Zhang Qingran's actions seem to have some other meaning.

It's just that he's been quite busy lately; otherwise, Kang Dabao would have definitely taken some time to go to Zhang Qingran's room for a proper, in-depth conversation.

However, the Sect Leader Kang Da himself did not go to see Yuan Xiyue, but the latter, after reporting to Fei Shuhe, came to pay her respects in full regalia.

After she gracefully curtsied, revealing most of her dazzlingly white skin, Yuan Xiyue didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "My lord, my Ancestor Buwen, wishes to see you."

Kang Dabao was taken aback upon hearing this, and then said, "That is indeed my wish. I should be the one going to see the elder. What did he say?"

"I will arrive the day after tomorrow. Please, Sect Leader, bring your halberd for an audience."