A Request

The Shannan Circuit has been rather strange lately. The Two Instruments Sect has clearly lost a True-Grade Golden Core cultivator, yet it has not taken any retaliatory action for months, showing no trace of the unruly behavior it displayed in the past years when it dominated the region.

As a result, the Immortal Dynasty's influence in Shannan Circuit increased even further. As boatloads of cultivators from the capital region gradually filled the vacant lots left by those whose families had been raided and exterminated, more and more people speaking with accents from other places traveled all over Shannan Circuit, and the local cultivators gradually became accustomed to their presence.

After all, for most cultivators of Shannan Circuit, the last time they were under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Dynasty was many years ago.

As for how brutal and harsh the Immortal Dynasty built by the Kuang Household was, it was all just something that the Star-Picking Pavilion and the high-ranking members of its "Three Administrations" had been spreading every day, and it was hard to tell the truth from the lies.

However, while everyone may not know how cruel and harsh the Immortal Dynasty is, they are well aware of how those high-ranking cultivators above them are exploiting them to the bone.

In addition, the Star-Picking Pavilion has been governing with a lot of inaction in recent years, and the actions of its Three Administrations subordinate groups are not limited to the Two Instruments Sect. With so much resentment building up in their hearts, they naturally hope that the world will change.

Governor Zhu Tong observed these changes and was delighted.

Back then, how many capable young officials from the vicinity of the capital were willing to follow Kuang Liuting to this remote prefecture?

When Zhu Tong took up his post, even his wife made a fuss for quite a while before he could finally go.

In retrospect, he had chosen the right path. If he had continued like his colleagues in Great Abyss Capital, spending his days buried in endless paperwork and meetings, what chance would he have of rising to prominence with the rising emperor?

Whenever Zhu Tong thought of this, she couldn't help but feel a little smug.

Having cultivated himself for many years, he knew this was not a good thing. Just then, a corner of the official temple wall had plum blossoms about to bloom, so Zhu Tong walked out of the temple alone, intending to admire the plum blossoms and calm his State of Mind.

No sooner had he heard the gatekeeper's greeting than the governor encountered an acquaintance at the entrance of the official temple.

A flash of disdain crossed Zhu Tong's eyes, but he then smiled broadly, bowed, and asked, "Where is Fellow Daoist Qi headed?"

Qi Buxiu was stopped, but he was very respectful. "Reporting to the magistrate, the Fei Household held a grand discussion two days ago. Sima Fei was exceptionally gracious and allowed us, virtuous people, to enter and listen to the lecture. I was just returning Gui Household when I arrived."

Zhu Tong felt a pang of displeasure, thinking to herself, "He has a Golden Core cultivator right on his own bed, yet he still doesn't understand cultivation and insists on going outside to listen to others preach. He's just making a fool of himself."

Despite the jealousy welling up inside her, Zhu Tong still managed a smile on her face. She then asked, "I see. But the Daoist gathering ended yesterday, and you're only just returning, fellow Daoist?"

Qi Buxiu thought for a moment before replying, "It was Chongming Sect Leader Kang hosted a banquet at the Fei Household after the Daoist gathering, inviting us to drink heartily, which caused the delay."

"Oh, Magistrate Kang went too?" Zhu Tong's brows furrowed with interest, and she muttered to herself, "These days I've been buried in my papers, rarely getting a moment's peace, not even hearing a commotion. On the other hand, the Fei Household is decorating and having a great time. It's really..."

Qi Buxiu to anything amiss, added, "He went, with Elder Yuan of the Chongming Sect. That Elder Yuan is no simpleton either. In the celebratory battles at the Dao Assembly, he first defeated a peer from the Yunwei Zheng Household, then a direct descendant of the Han City Yue Household. After two consecutive victories, only a mid-stage cultivator from a Fei Household sect entered the arena, and it took considerable effort for him to gain a slight advantage."

Zhu Tong was unaware of the connection between Qi Buxiu and Yuan Jin, and assumed that this old man was simply ignorant and that's why he praised him so highly. He only superficially agreed with him a few more times, but inwardly he was mocking him. "With your meager skills, what kind of tricks could you possibly see?"

As the two were talking, they saw the gatekeeper on duty at the city gate check the military documents and then Spirit Awakening barrier.

As the city gates swung open, a gust of cold wind swept in from outside, and a battalion of soldiers followed.

Qi Buxiu glanced in that direction briefly, then said excitedly, "The Azure Jue Guard have entered the city. I heard they were sent to Ding Prefecture and did quite well. They helped Zhou Yun, the eldest disciple of Senior Cultivator Wufeng, wipe out two groups of people formed by the Hongyi Sect. The leader, Kang Rongquan, even killed a Hongyi Sect Foundation Establishment the Hongyi Sect. I wonder if it's true or not."

"Of course it's true. The report of merit from the Chongming Sect has been delivered to me by Senior Cultivator Wufeng." Zhu Tong smiled faintly for a while, but inwardly he sighed, "Is it really a stroke of good fortune? Perhaps Chongming Sect is truly on the rise these next few years, with its disciples all becoming talented, like a spring gushing forth."

Upon reading this, Zhu Tong murmured again, "Sima Fei certainly has a good eye."

After a soft murmur, Zhu Tong sighed again, because Qin Sufu's performance in the Battle of Ding Prefecture was also outstanding. Not only did he kill a Foundation Establishment from the Hongyi Sect, but he also joined forces with Zhou Yun to force back a Pill Master.

It should be noted that although Qin Sufu is older than Sect Leader Kang Da, he is only less than a hundred years old. Even if he has only reached the Green Leaf, he is not without the potential to aspire to form True-Grade Golden Core.

"Such a person, actually, was handed over to the Yue Household because of class distinctions?"

At this moment and in this place, a hint of regret inappropriately appeared in Zhu Tong's eyes. However, the conversation coming from Master Qi beside her quickly brought her back to reality.

Seeing that the Azure Jue Guard were somewhat invigorated after entering the city, Qi Buxiu optimistically believed that the situation in Ding Prefecture would become much clearer after this battle.

This wasn't just baseless speculation; after all, even Zhu Tong thought the same thing.

The Hongyi Sect is currently without the support of the Two Instruments Sect, and they are fighting one after another. How many Xie Yi Foundation Establishment have they managed to kill? If this continues, they may really only have Lai Jieyi Shangxiu left, all alone.

Therefore, if this cultivator still has any sense, he would be better off finding a place to rest and recuperate, and waiting for the right time.

"This Azure Jue Guard has rendered considerable service. Sima Fei intends to inspect them along with another unit, distribute their rewards, and then return home."

Zhu Tong did not mention which faction the other force belonged to, but Qi Buxiu had already learned from gossip that Tie Liuyun's Xiezhi Iron Guard were quite impressive in this battle.

Previously, Yuan Buwen led the entire Jingnan province to surrender, and the biggest beneficiary was none other than the Tie Household, who had just exchanged clan lands with the Yunwei Zheng Household. The Tie Household not only avoided facing direct military confrontation, but could also free up the Xiezhi Iron Guard to continue fighting alongside the Tie Liuyun in Yunnan and the north.

Tie Liuyun was indeed one of the few knowledgeable military figures in the area. In this battle, the Xiezhi Iron Guard had locked a Pill Master recruited by the Hongyi Sect firmly in the formation. Just when they were about to take his life, they saw that Xie Yi Shangxiu had easily forced back Senior Cultivator Wufeng, who had not yet found his natal Law Treasure, and was about to come to his rescue. Only then did they take the initiative to withdraw from the battle.

Even so, the False Core was still severely injured, with its meridians ruptured and its wounds difficult to heal.

"The half-life of sixty years that Lord Bo personally set beforehand is probably not even halfway over yet, and Tie Liuyun should have almost accumulated enough resources for Core Formation," Zhu Tong thought of this and sighed with a mixture of admiration and disapproval. "That fellow is ruthless. I wonder how many people have changed in the Xiezhi Iron Guard under his command over the years?"

Unlike Tie Liuyun, a ruthless man who only knew how to risk his life for wealth and a better future, Zhu Tong had spent more time with a pen than a knife in his life. If he were to compare himself to the former in terms of ruthlessness, he would naturally be ashamed of himself.

However, as Chancellor Gui, even if he doesn't put in much effort, he still has enough resources to form a Core Formation within the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court. This time, his fate is much better than Tie Liuyun's.

Not to mention that the five prefectures under the jurisdiction of the state court are currently developing and there is no shortage of funds for the time being; even if something goes wrong in the future, and the state court's treasury becomes very tight and unable to make ends meet, this amount of funds for Core Formation still needs to be prepared for Zhu Tong.

For the courtiers, what was important was not this small amount of supplies, but Kuang Liuting's respect for this tacit understanding that had been passed down for thousands of years.

The first battalion of Azure Jue Guard, led by Kang Rongquan Ming Zhe, quickly and orderly drove straight through the main road of the city.

Zhu and Qi, being of high status, would not be as reluctant to look away as the common people in the city.

Qi Buxiu make a casual excuse to leave with Zhu Tong when he heard the latter ask, "I heard that Senior Yang Baoshan will be setting off for Ye Prefecture soon. I wonder when Senior Chu will be able to get out of prison?"

"Oh, Your Excellency doesn't know?" The old man looked surprised. Seeing Zhu Tong's confusion, he explained, "My wife Gui Household ten days ago, and the one in prison has long been transferred elsewhere."

"Moved elsewhere?" Zhu Tong's face showed a hint of surprise, but he didn't dare to show it for too long, lest he be looked down upon by Qi Buxiu. After a few breaths, he smiled faintly and said softly, "Oh, how could I not know? There have been many things going on in the manor lately, so I forgot about it."

"Your Excellency is extremely busy with state affairs; it must be very tiring."

"Ah, fellow Daoist, you are mistaken. Serving the country with loyalty, what is there to talk about hardship?" Having uttered so many lies that his tongue was calloused, Zhu Tong didn't realize his words were burning. After speaking, he said seriously, "I have official business to attend to, so I must take my leave."

Qi Buxiu to agree and quickly accepted.

Not long after their breakup, Qi Buxiu by the Mandarin Duck Pavilion and saw Kang Changyi emerge from it. With this Jade-Faced Gentleman gone, who knows how many hearts he took with him.

Qi Buxiu felt that the gazes cast by the women opposite him, regardless of their plumpness or slenderness, were like sticky silk, unusually clingy, which made him quite uncomfortable.

However, he had seen this scene before, so he was used to it. Kang Changyi, on the other hand, was somewhat embarrassed and greeted him, "Master, you've come too?"

The old man was about to casually agree when he suddenly realized what he meant and immediately snapped, "Hey, kid, how dare you talk like that! How could I possibly come to this place?!"

Kang Changyi felt even more embarrassed and could only offer a weak explanation. "Today, the Zhu Household family's daughter has chosen this place for her winter banquet, and I simply couldn't refuse, so I came to keep the appointment."

Qi Buxiu simply nodded slightly after hearing this, without any change in expression. This was because Kang Changyi had captured the hearts of quite a few women during the years he had been cultivating in Xuanwei City.

Unlike ordinary people, this woman entered the Mandarin Duck Pavilion without bringing a single Spirit Stone, yet those former courtesans who used to put on airs still flocked to her, which was quite an achievement.

However, since neither Chu Yanran, the master, nor Kang Dabao's biological father cares and doesn't think this matter will affect Kang Changyi's future cultivation, then Qi Buxiu, the master's father-in-law, has even less right to say anything more here.

So he only asked a perfunctory question, "Since the winter banquet is not over yet, Changyi, why are you leaving so soon?"

"Just now, my father sent a message while we were drinking, saying that my maternal grandfather had summoned me, so I dared not delay."

"Didn't we say that after the party, everyone except me, who was completely drunk and unconscious, left? How come that Kang Dabao is still staying at the Fei Household's?" Qi Buxiu somewhat surprised, but he didn't ask Kang Changyi. He simply slapped a Second Tier Clear Breeze Talisman on the latter, sweeping away most of the feminine scent, before nodding and saying, "Since it's Sima Fei who summoned us, then let's hurry on our way and not delay!"

"Yes!"

----Fei Residence, Council Hall

Fei Nanying slowly read through the ledger handed over by Sect Leader Kang Da, his eyes showing surprise. As someone quite skilled in abacus calculation, he could naturally tell that the numbers in the ledger were definitely not falsified; there were only some slightly ambiguous or embellished parts in the text.

This was indeed a harmless matter, but what surprised Fei Nanying was that after the Chongming Sect expanded its territory by a thousand miles, it actually allowed those Rogue Cultivators to settle down and thrive in the Cold Crow Mountain Range.

This is an extraordinary skill. Everyone knows that clearing land is a good thing, but even with Fei Nanying's experience, he can't say how many people have actually made a lot of Spirit Stone from this business.

But what grade of Spirit Vein do those families occupy? In some places, it's as if a single blow with a shovel would send up fragments of Spirit Stone.

What is this newly opened spiritual land of the Chongming Sect? Kang Dabao, who holds several Second Tier low-grade Spirit Vein, still has a slight headache, fearing that uneven distribution might cause discord among the various factions of the Double Brightness Alliance.

How much resources did those families use to cultivate the spiritual land? When Gui Xuantong led his clan to cultivate the Liaoyuan Circuit wetlands, the resources he took from the Immortal Dynasty's treasury were almost as vast as smoke. The cultivators who were conscripted brought their own rations, numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Even if the wetlands were eventually turned into cultivated land, it might not be enough to make up for the resources consumed back then in the past one or two hundred years.

But how much supplies did Kang Dabao actually use?

Of course, the two are not comparable in scale and are vastly different in difficulty, but it is clear that Sect Leader Kang Da is indeed talented in this field.

Although the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty's population is estimated to be in the tens of millions, it is mostly located in fertile and remote areas. In other words, the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty has many impoverished and barren places that are in dire need of development.

This future.

Now Fei Nanying truly understands why Kuang Liuting favors his son-in-law so much. He can see the whole picture from a single spot; as long as Kang Dabao reaches the Core Formation in the future, his future will certainly be bright.

Who knows, in another hundred years or so, we might be dressed in scarlet and purple robes and standing in the temple.

"Not bad,"

Without Fei Tianqin by his side, Fei Nanying no longer needed to act like a grandson, and his arrogant demeanor returned, making even Sect Leader Kang Da slightly dazed.

"I dare not take credit for this."

"Who said you've done anything good?" Fei Nanying grinned and tossed the ledger back to Kang Dabao, who then said, "Growing crops well simply means having more meals. What truly demonstrates your skill is how you turn those rice stalks into spears for slaughtering people."

"I've learned my lesson, lad!"

Fei Nanying's smile deepened, but he said with disdain, "Alright, alright, you're being so respectful today, you must be asking for something again. While I'm in a good mood, hurry up and tell me, so we can go back sooner."

Fei Nanying had already said that, Sect Leader Kang Da didn't stand on ceremony and went straight to the point. "Boyue, my third junior brother, has he not returned yet?"

"What? We've already given him the Azure Firmament Spirit Root, can't we even let him work in Ying Prefecture for a few years to pay off some of his debts?" Fei Nanying said sarcastically.

"I had no such intention, but Boyue, the Azure Firmament Spirit Root was bestowed by the She Mountain Hall, yet Jiang Qing serves under Elder Nanxi of the Qiu River Hall. This is rather..."

As expected, when Sect Leader Kang Da laid out his prepared explanation, Fei Nanying's smile gradually faded. But only a few breaths later, the latter shook his head and sighed, "Why be so blunt?"

Kang Dabao was about to answer when Fei Nanying said, "You can't even write two 'Fei' characters in one stroke, let alone me or him?"

After hearing this, Kang Dabao seemed to understand a little, and his pupils immediately contracted as he thought to himself, "Am I, Boyue, going to take over the position of Ancestor Ye Shui?!"

Thinking of this, Sect Leader Kang Da dared not hesitate any longer and replied, "Boyue's words are correct."

"What future can your junior brother have if you keep him locked up by your side? Ying Prefecture is a prosperous place near the capital, with countless young talents and virtuous cultivators. Many people would kill for the opportunity to stay in the capital. Why do you insist on summoning your junior brother back? After Jiang Qing has honed his skills there for several decades, he will return. Perhaps he will already be able to form his Core Formation by then. Isn't that better?"

Fei Nanying was not swayed by Kang Dabao in the slightest. With just a few words, he silenced the latter, leaving him speechless.

The latter stammered for a while, uttering a lot of useless words, but in the end, he still couldn't utter a single good word.

However, Fei Nanying saw through his nephew-in-law's intentions and was unwilling to force him. He simply said, "Alright, I will write to my cousin Nanxi later and ask him to discuss the pros and cons with Jiang Qing and Chen Qing. If your junior brother also insists on coming back to join forces with you, then I will not force him."

Sect Leader Kang Da breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that if his guess was correct, Elder Nanxi of the Qiu River Hall would certainly not offend Fei Nanying.

He Clear Mind delighted, but on the surface he put on a resolute look of "I'll do whatever you say, Boyue. I won't utter a single 'no'."

"Damn it, get the hell out of here!" Fei Nanying was almost amused by Kang Dabao's antics. Seeing the latter about to leave, he called him back and instructed him, "Ancestor Tianqin took Daoist Peng into Cold Crow Mountain some time ago, so we need to start sorting out the affairs of those bad lands in between. You need to come up with a plan and bring it to me for review."

"I understand, kid!"

"When Changyi arrives later, there's no need to bring him to see me. Go find Gun Shilu yourself and have him given a high-ranking position in the Sima Office. That way, he won't miss out on future rewards and bonuses, and it won't cause any gossip."

"Boyue."

"Less formality and restraint," Fei Nanying glanced at Sect Leader Kang Da with some dissatisfaction before saying, "Do your work well, and don't forget to keep a balanced perspective. In this world, only those of us who are family can truly be relied upon."

"Practice diligently, even at the cost of your life! In this world, people still die!"