Deliberations on a Transfer of Fief; Hehuan Moves South

---- About half an hour later

"Come in," Kuang Liuting called softly. The magical barriers on the door withdrew on their own, and Fei Tianqin and Kang Dabao entered the hall together. They found that there were no other True Person inside. All the True Person who had come to observe the ceremony and were guests were nowhere to be seen. Only Kuang Liuting, Grand Eunuch Wei, and the two Nascent Soul True Nascent Soul, True Person Moon Hidden, were still seated.

"Greetings to the Duke, greetings to the Grand Eunuch."

This was not only the first time Kang Dabao had seen Nascent Soul True Person, but also the first time he had seen Kuang Liuting since he Core Formation.

But whether it was just his imagination or not, Kang Dabao felt that the newly appointed Duke of Qin was not only no more imposing, but actually more approachable than before.

"So you are Kang Dabao?"

Somewhat unexpectedly, it was Wei Dajian who spoke first. Kang Dabao didn't know how powerful he was, but Fei Tianqin, the old fox, knew that this head eunuch was actually more capable than the Northern King. Among the Emperor's close associates, he was only slightly inferior to the Southern King, Kuang Shenzhi, and could be considered on par with the Silver Whip Prince Consort, Shen Lingfeng.

Fortunately, Kang Dabao didn't need to be urged; he immediately bowed deeply again and said, "Kang Dabao, the clerk in charge of Ping and Jin counties, pays his respects to the Grand Supervisor."

"Alright," Grand Eunuch Wei him for a while, but his expression didn't change. He then fell silent, leaving Kang Dabao slightly taken aback and unsure how to react.

At this moment Kuang Liuting took over the conversation, saying softly, "I have just returned from overseas and have many matters to attend to. I originally intended to talk to you later, but I thought that I have something important to discuss with you today. You have also shown considerable insight into many matters, so I will listen to your opinions as well."

Kang Dabao's anxiety lessened considerably, and he bowed deeply, saying, "Your Excellency is too kind."

It was clear that Kuang Liuting was in a hurry this time. Without saying much, he directly instructed, "Find a seat and sit down. Observe and listen more, but do not speak unless you are specifically asked to do so."

"I understand." Kang Dabao's heart pounded, but he dared not argue or ask any questions. He could only find a seat at the very end of the hall.

Grand Eunuch Wei remained expressionless, but True Person Moon Hidden, who had not spoken, revealed a hint of surprise in his eyes, thinking to himself, "This young sect leader seems to be a favorite of the Duke of Qin? The younger generation in the sect should try to get closer to him."

Unlike True Person Moon Hidden, who was preoccupied with his own affairs, Fei Tianqin, upon witnessing this scene, was somewhat worried for Sect Leader Kang Da.

This is because the old bird also knows very well that there are many things that are not good to hear when one is not capable enough, and may even bring unexpected disaster.

Not long after Kang Dabao found a seat, Fei Nanying, who had just finished attending to a group of upper cultivators, also arrived late. Just as Fei Nanying was about to apologize, Kuang Liuting interrupted him, saying, "Marquis of Gucheng, no need for formalities, please take a seat."

Gun Shilu followed closely behind, but did not receive a greeting from Kuang Liuting. He quickly glanced around, but only dared to sit at the very end, just like Kang Dabao.

As soon as Kuang Liuting finished urging him on, the spiritual energy on the door lit up again. The Duke of Qin didn't waste any time and went straight to the point. "Bai Canhong is unwilling to submit to the imperial family, unwilling to cede Shannan Circuit, and unwilling to lead his disciples to Yellow Work Island. What do you seniors think?"

"A land swap?!" Kang Dabao was shocked, his brows twitching involuntarily, his heart trembling. "I've heard about the relocation of Nascent Soul sect?!"

Even though he was considered somewhat knowledgeable among his peers, he had never heard of "Yellow Work Island" before and had no idea where it was.

No one cared what doubts Sect Leader Kang Da might have at this moment. True Person Moon Hidden had been present throughout the entire meeting, but upon hearing Kuang Liuting's question, he frowned again.

"My lord, things are different now than they were in the early years of the dynasty. Back then, not to mention those usurpers like Star-Picking Pavilion, even if someone was granted the title of Fangbo or a single-character Zongwang, it would be a common occurrence if they received an imperial edict from Great Abyss Capital to request a transfer to another region. We dared not disobey."

But the situation is very different now. Bai Canhong's talent is also remarkable among the past leaders of the Star-Picking Pavilion. In addition, although Star-Picking Pavilion Tower has few members, none of them are mediocre. We should not act rashly."

Upon hearing True Person Moon Hidden's words, Sect Leader Kang Da couldn't help but inwardly grumble, "The Star-Picking Pavilion is an overstepping authority, but isn't your Five Old Mothers Mountain just as bad?"

However, when True Person Moon Hidden spoke, he was completely frank and expressionless, as if he truly did not know his own situation.

Grand Eunuch Wei to what True Person Moon Hidden said and also deeply agreed with it.

According to the Emperor's original intention, this time the five most pro-Immortal Dynasty True Person from Liangxi Circuit Green Jade Pavilion Hehuan Sect, Two Rivers Circuit Dao Buried Spring Mound, Guandong Circuit Hehuanzong, Yuwang Myriad Weapons Formless City, and King Yu Circuit Nine Heavens Calamity Sea Sect are all to attend the Kuang Liuting Conferment Ceremony, so as to put pressure on the Star-Picking Pavilion.

After all, even when the Immortal Dynasty suddenly launched an attack and annihilated the Blood Sword Sect of Lianghe Two Rivers Circuit, which bordered the Capital Circuit, it was not a very impressive victory.

Remnants of the Two Rivers Circuit Sect were scattered in various factions, some raising banners in rebellion, others lying in hiding. Each faction failed to punish them effectively, and the situation was not as stable as it was before the destruction of the Blood Sword Sect the Two Rivers Circuit Sect, leaving Emperor of Wei in a rather embarrassing situation.

Therefore, if the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty wanted to wage war again in remote border regions like Shannan Circuit and Star-Picking Pavilion, let alone win or lose, even just getting through the journey would require a great deal of effort to coordinate with all parties.

Therefore, Emperor of Wei thought of moving the Star-Picking Pavilion to Yellow Work Island in the outer sea in exchange. After all, although this island is called an island, it is actually about the size of one-third of the Shannan Circuit, and can be considered one of the largest islands in the territory of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty.

Moreover, its resources are comparable to those of Sweden, and even slightly superior to those of Shannan Circuit.

The island was severely damaged by the Nascent Soul War over a thousand years ago, and also suffers from minor drawbacks such as invasions by water beasts, natural disasters like hurricanes, and tsunamis that inundate the island.

After all, if it weren't for this, the royal family of Great Wei wouldn't have been unable to restore local governance after the six kings fought for the capital and the nine dukes came to the aid of the sea.

Emperor of Wei knew that this was a losing proposition for the Star-Picking Pavilion. Bai Canhong had agreed, but he hadn't expected that only the True Person from the Green Jade Pavilion and Hehuan Sect would come, which wouldn't put much pressure on the Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion. As a result, the latter simply refused.

Regardless of how difficult this matter might be, the outcome of this trial was unfavorable. As the nominal person in charge, Kuang Liuting naturally had to think carefully. After pondering for a long time, he finally asked, "Senior Fei, how is that Daoist Peng you have here now?"

A hint of wariness flashed in Fei Tianqin's eyes, and he continued, "I brought him to Xuanwei City, and he even restored his Golden Core cultivation, but his Dantian has been locked."

"My lord, trying to use this matter to blackmail the Star-Picking Pavilion is a bit of a joke," the most composed of the eunuchs, Grand Eunuch Wei, suddenly spoke up. "Those captured this time are not members of the Star-Picking Pavilion- Star-Picking Pavilion Tower, so why would Bai Canhong be afraid? Even if they were, a mere accusation of 'colluding with the Demon Race's would hardly put Bai Canhong in a difficult position."

"That makes sense," Fei Tianqin quickly added. "My lord, this matter is not yet conclusive, and we cannot sway a seasoned True Person. We should not act rashly. It is true that His Majesty wants you to reclaim Mountain South, but even if Bai Canhong is unwilling to submit, we cannot force him to rebel in a short time!"

True Person Moon Hidden seemed to agree wholeheartedly, and immediately added, "My lord, the imperial clan is not yet fully recovered; we must exercise forbearance for the sake of the country."

After listening to the words of the esteemed cultivators, Kuang Liuting showed no sign of distress. Instead, he smiled and said, "What you seniors say is quite true. This matter is inherently difficult to accomplish. Let us discuss it further."

Since this matter was set aside, Fei Nanying, having received instructions from Fei Tianqin, brought up another urgent issue:

"My lord, according to His Majesty's decree, the Guandong Circuit Hehuan Sect relocate its first batch of disciples to Mountain South within ten years. As for where they will be settled, we need to make preparations as soon as possible."

"Where will it be located?!" Kuang Liuting murmured. The Office of the Duke of Qin, which was not yet completed, was under the jurisdiction of five prefectures: Jing, Yun, Ye, Pu, and Ding.

Cloud Horn Prefecture may not be considered a prime location, but Kuang Liuting has been cultivating it for a long time and has no intention of releasing it for the time being.

The war in Jingnan Prefecture rarely ceased; the two sides had been locked in a protracted stalemate, and casualties occurred frequently. Currently, the Han City Yue Household and the White Sand Tie Household were temporarily stationed there, with the Yue Household nominally in charge.

The direct line of the Ye Prefecture Yang Household has just been cleaned up, and they finally managed to drive away the collateral branches of the Yang Household. They certainly wouldn't be happy to have disciples of Nascent Soul Grandmaster settling in.

Pu Prefecture is barren; it's considered lucky that even a False Core sect like the Stone Mountain Sect could emerge from there. There's no money to settle the disciples of the Hehuan Sect.

Ding Prefecture, in comparison, is a prosperous place, capable of supporting several Golden Core cultivators, but it has already been promised to Senior Cultivator Wufeng his own sect.

Although this old man was indeed useless, he had come to us early on, and the offer of Ding Prefecture was made by the old bird Fei Tianqin. Kuang Liuting could not refuse the face of this senior Marquis of Fengcheng.

After much thought, I still couldn't find a suitable place.

Kuang Liuting was about to speak and suggest taking some more meat from the Three Administrations under the jurisdiction of the Star-Picking Pavilion, since Bai Canhong's performance this time showed that he was content to sit on the fence and wait and see.

After all, as long as the commotion isn't too big, there's no way to force him to rebel.

Unexpectedly, True Person Moon Hidden suddenly spoke up, offering a solution. "My lord, Three Ting Prefectures in Mountain North Circuit can serve as a base for fellow Daoists of the Hehuan Sect."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing True Person Moon Hidden's words, the faces of the cultivators in the hall showed varying degrees of surprise. Even Grand Eunuch Wei, who had remained calm and composed except for offering a reminder to Kuang Liuting, was drawn to look at him, demonstrating just how astonishing the words of this Lord of the Mountain North were.

Fei Tianqin also took a careful look at True Person Moon Hidden, and after looking at him, he sighed inwardly, "If this were a hundred years ago, I'm afraid this True Person would have found it difficult to say such a thing."

Then a sense of melancholy arose in his heart, because the predicament of Five Old Mothers Mountain was exactly the same as that of the Fei Household. If the head of the family died, there would truly be no successor.

Although Kang Dabao's cultivation level was low, he knew how rare it was for a place like Five Old Mothers Mountain, a local tyrant for thousands of years, to voluntarily hand over its subordinate prefectures and counties.

Even he knew this, Kuang Liuting naturally saw it even more clearly.

Kuang Liuting had never considered setting aside a portion of the Hehuan Sect under the jurisdiction of Five Old Mothers Mountain to accommodate the Hehuan Sect, but after all, True Person Moon Hidden had adopted a very humble attitude and had done his best to protect the Dao for several years. If he were to actually speak up, it would seem somewhat harsh and ungrateful.

True Person Moon Hidden seemed to have seen through Kuang Liuting's thoughts. He himself understood perfectly well that Five Old Mothers Mountain couldn't even find a Nascent Soul seed. After his death, even with the protection of the Immortal Dynasty, his disciples would have difficulty guarding the entire Mountain North.

Even though he disliked the Hehuan Sect that the Nascent Soul Sect, another Nascent Soul sect, was settling in the Mountain North and becoming neighbors with Five Old Mothers Mountain, True Person Moon Hidden still took the initiative to invite him to do so.

After all, he didn't have many years left to live. After he passed away, apart from Yue Hongguo, who was chosen as the so-called Holy Maiden, there would probably be no one in Five Old Mothers Mountain who could speak to this Duke of Qin.

Therefore, it would be better to do him a favor now, so that the Kuang Household, who are known for their harshness and ingratitude, would remember him for a longer time.

Since True Person Moon Hidden was so accommodating, Kuang Liuting hesitated slightly at first, but he was no longer swayed by his emotions in an instant. According to the Great Wei Clan, they wished that all the Nascent Soul sects in the world were as obedient as True Person Moon Hidden. Offering land to the clan was a great thing for them, and Kuang Liuting had no reason to refuse.

"In that case, we will do as Senior Yueyin requests." Kuang Liuting nodded slowly, and the matter was settled.

Although True Person Moon Hidden had not received a single promise, he was still Ruyi. However, instead of returning to his seat, he said again, "My lord, the various families in the Mountain North have long been colluding with outsiders and rebelling against the Immortal Dynasty. Perhaps we can begin to eliminate them one by one."

"Wow, this True Person has really sold himself out today!" As soon as this thought popped into Kang Dabao's head, he quickly lowered his head, afraid that the look of surprise in his eyes would not be concealed and would be seen by others.

Even Kuang Liuting himself probably didn't expect that after returning from his journey with the crew from the outer sea, True Person Moon Hidden would make such a big decision.

After all, True Person Moon Hidden could easily handle matters like managing the Mountain North Circuit region himself. This immortal path is not as prosperous as the Shannan Circuit; not only does it have only one Nascent Soul Nascent Soul, True Person Moon Hidden, but even top-tier cultivators are hard to find.

In the past, the various families Mountain North, relying on the protection of the True Person Moon Hidden and the outer sea, dared to collude with outsiders and stir up trouble.

But now, the chances of winning are slim. Without external help, no matter how arrogant and unruly those leaders were in the past, they will almost certainly only have one path left: to be called upon and die.

Therefore, as soon as True Person Moon Hidden uttered these words, even Grand Eunuch Wei, who had been listening in, suddenly became much more serious.

The pale-faced eunuch pointed, and the complete map of the Imperial Guard in the hall slowly unfolded. After carefully examining the thirteen prefectures and one hundred and ninety counties of the Mountain North Circuit with his Divine Sense, before Kuang Liuting could speak, he spoke up for him to Yueyin, saying, "My lord, this matter requires our assistance."

Kuang Liuting, however, thought more deeply than Grand Eunuch Wei. He quickly recovered from his earlier surprise. Unlike Grand Eunuch Wei Yueyin, please don't rush this matter. Let's wait until we have established the procedures before proceeding."

"Yes"

True Person Moon Hidden was very humble. After all, it was said that 99% of cultivators in the world would hardly ever meet a True Person master in half a lifetime. Yet, Sect Leader Kang Da was surprised to find a hint of meekness and obedience on his face.

He stayed in the hall for only the time it takes for a lamp to burn, and then he heard three extraordinary things. Just as Kuang Liuting had instructed, he only watched and listened, without uttering a single word.

Fortunately, Kuang Liuting never asked him to speak on these matters. Shortly afterward, except for the most honored angel, Grand Eunuch Wei, all the other cultivators were to be asked to leave the hall by Kuang Liuting.

Kang Dabao was the first to get up, but he was the last to arrive.

After True Person Moon Hidden, Fei Tianqin, and Fei Nanying left one after another, he was about to step across the threshold when he heard Grand Eunuch Wei behind him suddenly speak, "Young friend, please wait."

"Hmm?" Sect Leader Kang Da was startled and suspicious, and even the hairs on his body stood on end, but he dared not show it. After stepping back and standing still, he stood quietly in a corner, waiting for the question.

Grand Eunuch Wei remained expressionless, and simply said in a low voice, "I have heard that the head of the Chenjiang Kang Clan family of Huangpi Circuit Si Prefecture has mentioned that he is related to you, young friend, and recently wishes to come to Mountain South to renew our kinship. I wonder what preparations you have made?"

"The Kang family of Huangpi Circuit, Si Prefecture Chenjiang Kang Clan?" Kang Dabao murmured to himself, then reviewed the thirty-three Nascent Soul factions in his mind. Finding none among them, he understood slightly and respectfully replied, "Reporting to the Grand Supervisor, this humble official has never heard of such a thing. This humble official comes from the Double Brightness Kang Clan, and grew up in the Mountain South; surely we wouldn't have such distant relatives."

Grand Eunuch Wei's expression remained unchanged; he merely nodded for a moment and then remained silent. It was only after Kuang Liuting waved his hand that Sect Leader Kang Da withdrew from the hall.

Kuang Liuting then added, "Do your job well," and without waiting for Kang Dabao's reaction, he flicked his wrist, causing the door to close by itself without any wind.

Just as the doors were closing, the spiritual barrier connecting the entire Sword Nurturing Hall to them reopened. Kuang Liuting spoke with Grand Eunuch Wei again, but their conversation was not about the important military and national affairs they had discussed earlier.

"Your Excellency, what do you think of this boy?!"

"Not bad at all. At his age, he might be comparable to some Daoist disciples from families like Five Old Mothers Mountain. I just wonder what the quality of his elixir will be when he Core Formation."

Under normal circumstances, how could such a person receive Emperor of Wei's authorization?

The reason why Emperor of Wei earnestly instructed the two of them to carefully examine Kang Dabao was something that Grand Eunuch Wei could easily understand: it was simply because the man came from a humble background.

Moreover, the previous question confirmed that Kang Dabao had no intention of currying favor with a noble family, which suited Emperor of Wei's wishes perfectly.

Since gaining Shen Lingfeng, Emperor of Wei seemed to have become addicted to the matter of promoting people from humble backgrounds. However, in the eyes of Grand Eunuch Wei, this was not entirely a good thing.

"His Majesty has been short of servants for some time now. With this matter settled, this old servant shall return to Great Abyss Capital. The Privy Treasury and the Imperial Clan Court will later entrust Myriad Treasures Trading Company to bring the provisions for establishing a new residence, so Your Highness need not worry. Before departing, this old servant has a few more words to say to Your Highness."

He looked at Kuang Liuting, his expression a mix of reminder and warning. "My lord, in my humble opinion, this Great Wei empire will ultimately be ruled jointly by the main lineage and your family."

The latter pondered for a moment, then smiled and said respectfully, "Liuting thanks the Grand Eunuch for the reminder; I will certainly keep it in mind!"

Without further ado, Grand Eunuch Wei rose with the wind. Once Kuang Liuting was left alone in the hall, the latter murmured again, "The main branch, the noble family."

After leaving, True Person Moon Hidden only bowed slightly to Fei Tianqin and glanced at Kang Dabao before heading Mountain North.

He had been away from home for quite some time, and various families in the Mountain North Circuit had frequently rebelled, while the remnants of the Two Rivers Circuit were engaged in a major battle with the imperial guards of the Immortal Dynasty. With Like a Mountain of matters piling up, he naturally needed to return to his sect as soon as possible to take a look.

Gun Shilu didn't exchange more than a few pleasantries with Sect Leader Kang Da before hurriedly leaving.

Just now in the hall, he and Kang Dabao sat at the very end of the table, not saying a word, looking completely different from the spirited people they had when they first came to Mountain South.

In those days, a fake alchemist could be considered a powerful figure; there were only a handful in the entire Yunjiao Prefecture. Gunshilu, by making a firm decision, enjoyed a period of glory.

But nowadays, even True-Grade Golden Core like Senior Cultivator Wufeng can only be used at will and rarely have any dignity. Not to mention Yue Lin, Yuan Buwen, Gun Shilu, who are also False Core users, they are also hard to compare with. Naturally, his status in the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court has plummeted.

Kuang Liuting might still remember him as a former retainer of the Prince's residence. Previously, when discussing important military and national affairs, he had specially summoned him to a banquet to discuss the matter, just like Fei Nanying.

Given the Kuang Household's harsh and ungrateful nature, they will probably forget about it after only a few times.

As things stand, it's only a matter of time before Kang Dabao surpasses Gun Shilu in status. Perhaps the next time the latter attends a hearing, he'll be able to offer his advice, while this Acting Sima Gun will likely remain a mere figurehead.

Watching Gun Shilu's somewhat desolate figure, Sect Leader Kang Da couldn't help but sigh, "I wonder if Acting Sima Gun, regrets it."

"It's none of your business to worry about others," Fei Tianqin said calmly, waking Kang Dabao up. "Did you hear clearly what the Duke and the True Person were saying earlier?"

Kang Dabao respectfully replied, "I heard you clearly, sir."

Fei Nanying also chimed in at the opportune moment. "So, in your opinion, is it possible for our Office of the Duke of Qin to take over the fertile lands of Mountain North in one fell swoop?"

Sect Leader Kang Da didn't correct his Boyue's claim that the so-called "Office of the Duke of Qin" didn't even have a single glazed tile yet. He simply denied it, saying, "Absolutely not! Ever since True Person Moon Hidden voluntarily gave away some land to the Hehuan Sect, it's clear how submissive the Five Old Mothers Mountain sect is."

Even if Five Old Mothers Mountain becomes desolate in the future, we should do our best to help it preserve its lineage. We must never attempt to annex it, lest we cause the other families to feel a sense of shared fate! Right now, everyone is on the fence. At this time, if one side gains a member, the other side will lose two. This is something we cannot do!

"Hmm, you have a good eye." Fei Tianqin seemed quite satisfied, then added with a faint smile:

"If you can see this clearly, Yueyin can see it very clearly as well. He really played his tricks this time. It's only because Grand Eunuch Wei still remembers the small contributions he made in serving the emperor and traveling to the outer seas over the years, otherwise he might have been punished on the spot."

Let's go back and prepare. If one door closes, another opens. Since the Duke doesn't seem inclined to confront Star-Picking Pavilion directly for the time being, we can turn our attention to the Mountain North Circuit.

Even if other places require further consideration, the Three Ting Prefectures allocated to the Hehuan Sect must be vacated. It's a wealthy prefecture, with two Golden Core cultivators and three top-level cultivators stationed there. It's a matter of time before it's moved!

"Yes, I will remember it!"