Hehuan Sect

----- Capital Circuit, Ying Prefecture, Fei Lineage Territory, Core-Embracing Terrace

Fei Ye Shui sat alone in the quiet room. When she put down the spiritual silk in her hand, a hint of weariness was visible in her eyes.

Whether it was the current head of the Ying Prefecture Fei Household, or the Duke of Fu of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, neither was an easy task, and both were draining his remaining lifespan.

The old cultivator couldn't ponder for long before his face grew even more weary. Without being urged, the grass puppet beside him immediately brought him a bowl of ginseng soup.

This Purple Jade Ginseng is extremely nourishing, but even the Imperial Garden, one of the world's finest Spirit Plant gardens, produces very little of it. Furthermore, the Nine Rivers Circuit has not offered tribute for a long time, so only high-ranking and powerful senior officials like Fei Ye Shui can receive Emperor of Wei's favor and be given gifts annually.

Fei Ye Shui was used to drinking it and didn't think much of the wonder of such a precious item. He took a couple of sips and put it down, tapping his index finger lightly on the jade platform beneath him. Then he closed his eyes to rest, and the blue and white aura reappeared around the Core-Embracing Terrace, making the old cultivator appear even more unfathomable.

Before long, Fei Dongwen, dressed in a purple robe, came in to pay his respects. Fei Ye Shui slowly opened his eyes, and the sharp light within them even made the former, Golden Core cultivator, slightly turn his head.

"Greetings, Ancestor," Fei Dongwen sincerely. Fei Ye Shui did not exchange pleasantries, but summoned a gentle breeze and bestowed the silk scroll in his hand upon the former standing below the platform for him to read.

After Fei Dongwen had read it, Fei Ye Shui didn't say much, but went straight to the point. "Dongwen, what do you think?"

"This Ancestor Tianqin is truly divine and powerful!" Fei Dongwen pondered for a long time before speaking.

"Haha," Fei Ye Shui smiled, not minding Fei Dongwen words, and said calmly, "That's natural. Even in the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, I can't find many people below the Nascent Soul stage who can match you, brother. But I don't know why you're working so hard?"

Fei Dongwen simply nodded in agreement without responding. Fei Ye Shui knew that the former would not dare to criticize his elder's actions, so he did not press the matter further, but continued:

"Well, it's alright. My brother knows what's important, and he didn't harm Jin Fengqing's life after all. Otherwise, there would have been a lot of mess to clean up with the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect."

At this point, Fei Dongwen with a few words. Unlike the flamboyant Fei Tianqin, he preferred to act cautiously.

In Fei Dongwen's opinion, the battle of Three Ting Prefectures was a performance match where True Person Moon Hidden was truly going to pledge allegiance to the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty. Whether it was Fei Tianqin's Ying Mountain Army or Shu Zhengde's less than one-du Dawei Great Wei Imperial Guard, there was really no need for them to fight so desperately.

The facts proved his point; it was clear that Songyangzi and Emperor of Wei had a tacit understanding. As soon as Jin Fengqing fled in disarray and the situation of the various families in the Mountain North deteriorated, an imperial edict was issued ordering both sides to cease hostilities.

As for how many lives were lost by both sides in the war over this already shattered sacred land, that was not within the scope of consideration for these two important figures.

What the inside story was, Fei Dongwen could hardly guess. Perhaps only the patriarch Ye Shui knew a thing or two about it in the entire Fei Household, but he would not tell a junior like him until the right time.

However, the specifics are unclear, but in Fei Dongwen's opinion, it's unlikely that the phrases "each gets what they want, snake pearl and bird ring" would come out.

After all, this time they Great Abyss Capital connected with Wenfengzi, who was among the top ten on the list of the Myriad Demons List of the Taiyuan Capital Demon Correction Office. They could also hide under the wings of the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect and eke out a living along with the various families of Mountain North.

In retrospect, the vast amount of manpower and resources that Great Wei Immortal Dynasty had previously expended in searching for and taking this man's life now seems somewhat ironic.

However, the Immortal Dynasty was weak. In the past, because Kuang Liuting formed Upper-Grade Golden Core, Emperor of Wei defied the world and destroyed the lineage of the Blood Sword Sect of the Two Rivers Circuit. Not only were the Wei faction furious, but even the faction that protected Kuang and even those who remained neutral were mostly dissatisfied.

Although the thirty-three Nascent Soul sects in the world have formed factions and pursued their own interests due to their different goals, few are like the Five Old Mothers Mountain sect in Mountain North Circuit, who are wholeheartedly hoping for the Kuang Household clan to be revitalized.

It is rare for a power like the Guandong Circuit Sect of the Hehuan Sect and the Green Jade Pavilion of Liangxi Circuit Immortal Dynasty. This is not hard to understand. No one would like Great Abyss Capital, who has once again become the true ruler of the world who can make absolute decisions.

Although the years that Great Wei was trapped in the High Antiquity forbidden land were not short, the True Person of each family had heard many stories of the tragic circumstances from their sect masters and ancestors. The shadow that had been hanging over them had only recently dissipated, and no one expected it to return.

Therefore, the statement made by the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect this time was not just their opinion. Emperor of Wei was hesitant to act rashly and temporarily spared the lives of Wenfengzi and the various families of Mountain North, but this was only to consider the overall situation.

Before Fei Dongwen could ponder for long, he heard Fei Ye Shui speak up from the side, "My brother said he has urgent business to attend to in Ying Prefecture and cannot be delayed. After he and True Person Moon Hidden have settled matters in the Mountain North, he will temporarily put aside his duties at the Duke of Office of the Duke of Qin."

I will write to it later to inquire how long it will remain there. If it stays for too long, Dongwen, you should entrust all your current affairs to Nanxi and have her go to the Office of the Duke of Qin to do things for your brother."

"Yes!" Fei Dongwen immediately responded. Fei Ye Shui had already made everything clear, and was about to ask him to leave the Core-Embracing Terrace, but he lowered his hand halfway and added:

"The time for the Hehuan Sect to enter the Mountain North has been decided. True Person Crimson Snow will lead seven top cultivators, twelve Pill Master, three hundred True Cultivator, and five thousand Qi Refinement from the Four Seasons Division to settle in Three Ting Prefectures Prefecture for cultivation, so that Duke of Qin can use them to clarify local affairs. The departure date should be in ten days. You should go to the treasury to prepare generous gifts and personally escort them to the Sea of Sin Realm Guandong Circuit a journey gift."

"Yes!"

After Fei Dongwen left the Core-Embracing Terrace, Fei Ye Shui was about to close his eyes and continue to meditate when he suddenly raised his eyelids, looked at the few grass puppets standing respectfully beside him, and sighed with regret.

There are many things that, apart from my brother Fei Tianqin, can only be said when facing these inanimate objects.

Upon reaching this point, Fei Ye Shui murmured, "Betting on Kuang Liuting is certainly a wise decision, but the current emperor lacks benevolence and decisiveness. Relying solely on Kuang Liuting to turn the tide and save the collapsing empire is perhaps a bit too simplistic."

As soon as he had a thought, a map of the Immortal Dynasty hanging on the screen behind him slowly unfolded.

The mountains and rivers are vividly depicted, and the flowers and leaves are rendered with lifelike detail. The intricate network of roads on the map resembles a sturdy spider web, encompassing the isolated Great Abyss Capital in the heart of the land.

Fei Ye Shui, with his keen insight into human nature and extensive experience, was unable to find a way out for the Kuang Household clan. Only after a long time did he finally turn his gaze to the areas of Cloud Horn Prefecture and Billowing Dream Palace.

"Yes, as long as that person from the outer sea, the Kuang Household clan can be protected. My master once told me that something might have happened in that High Antiquity forbidden area, but it's absolutely impossible for it to trap the Great Ancestor. As long as the Soul Lamp doesn't go out, as long as the Soul Lamp doesn't go out..."

Fei Ye Shui murmured for a while and then fell silent. Apart from the sounds of a few straw puppets sweeping, there was no other sound in the empty cave abode.

---- Three Ting Prefectures, Wood Gen Mountain

The Three Ting Prefectures calmed down immediately because of the illusory image cast by the Immortal Shadow Stone. Although the families in the Mountain North were dissatisfied and resentful, they had no choice but to abandon their clan lands and mountain gates, where they had lived for generations, and follow the Wenfengzi True Person Wen Fengzi to the Guanxi Circuit.

Their battle against the Five Old Mothers Mountain faction was not particularly successful, and many of their actions to exterminate the Wei faction had not yet been coordinated. This long-planned rebellion was almost thwarted.

If it weren't for the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect acting as a mediator, many other lineages would likely have been wiped out.

However, even if they go to the Guanxi Circuit, it is hard to say what will happen to them in the future. The local tribes and sects in such fertile lands may be less ruthless than those from the border regions, but with their abundant resources accumulated over thousands of years, their foundation is much stronger than the latter.

Even with the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect backing up the various families in the Mountain North, it remains to be seen how the local forces in Guanxi Circuit will treat these outsiders who come to compete for resources.

However, this was not something that Sect Leader Kang Da of the victorious sect, needed to worry about. He had been pestering Fei Tianqin for a long time, and finally made this veteran, who had fought many battles and was quite exhausted, very impatient, so he granted Fei a favor.

After all, compared to the Ying Mountain Army, which cannot be easily mobilized, the Azure Jue Guard, while possessing some remarkable qualities, is far from indispensable.

Fei Tianqin's original intention was for Kang Dabao to lead the team to stay for a while longer, in case of unforeseen circumstances.

However, the latter clearly had no such intention. The large amount of resources they had acquired on this trip, as well as the substantial experience their disciples had gained, was already more than enough, and it was time to return to their home mountain.

After all, Fei Tianqin, being an old fox, cared about his reputation and, as a guest, had no intention of participating in the rectification campaign that was about to begin at Five Old Mothers Mountain.

After all, Five Old Mothers Mountain has spent a lot of money, not only losing Three Ting Prefectures, one of the most precious places in the Mountain North Circuit, but also losing a lot of strength to its subordinate sects, which are now waiting to be compensated by other families.

The target was naturally those powerful clans that thought they could stay out of it by not taking sides. These clans might have had many complicated relationships in the past, and even a Nascent Soul True Person like True Person Moon Hidden, whose lifespan was not long, would have to be somewhat wary of them.

But now, wielding the power of the Duke of Qin and the prestige of a great victory, he can boldly and decisively remove all the sores in his eyes along the Mountain North Circuit.

In Fei Tianqin's opinion, the old man was eyeing those households' belongings with a green eye. If the Fei Household were to get involved at this time, the favor would be greatly diminished, which would be quite undesirable.

Whether True Person Moon Hidden felt any goodwill towards this old bird's actions was unknown to Sect Leader Kang Da, who himself did not entirely agree with Fei Tianqin's behavior.

Because Shu Zhengde, also a guest soldier, obviously didn't have so many useless thoughts, he spent these days doing things like confiscating and exterminating families and launching counterattacks in the Mountain North Circuit, which made the Imperial Guards' pockets bulge and everyone was satisfied.

Since there was no benefit to be gained, Sect Leader Kang Da was unwilling to lead his disciples to stay in the Mountain North for any longer.

The Azure Jue Guard performed admirably in this battle, far better than the previously favored Yunwei Zheng Household. Fei Tianqin granted their request, thus avoiding public outrage.

Besides the Azure Jue Guard's return, Kang Changyi, who was in Fa Prefecture, also brought news from the various families of the Double Brightness Alliance who were with Chu Yanran.

Compared to Kang Youwei and Jiang Zemin, who had experienced a major battle in Three Ting Prefectures, Yuan Jin's fight with the allied forces in Fa Prefecture was only a minor skirmish.

It's obvious that Chu Yanran's words "the Fa Prefecture has been restored" were merely a ploy to curry favor with the Office of the Duke of Qin. The Crimson Heart Cult had dominated a state for many years, so how could they be willing to give up their base so easily?

To be honest, after the Crimson Heart Cult's mountain gate fell, neither the Crimson Heart Cult nor Daozi Gu Chengsen had any intention of abandoning Fa Prefecture. Even though they were all wounded, they still gathered together, found a place to raise the banner of rebellion, and continued to rally the various families of Fa Prefecture to fight against the foreign enemy.

It must be said that, thanks to the Crimson Heart Cult's thousand-year-old lenient policies, the various families in Fa Prefecture have a very good impression of this unorthodox sect.

Even though the two top cultivators of the Crimson Heart Cult were practically on their own and had no capital left, they still managed to attract many sects from the Fa Prefecture to gather and follow them.

According to Chu Yanran's original intention, there was no need to rush. After defeating the Exalted Cultivator Honggu twice in a row, the beautiful woman had unknowingly developed a sense of pride.

In his mind, rather than going to great lengths to destroy mountains and temples in various parts of Fa Prefecture, it would be better to let the Crimson Heart Cult gather all the rebels together so that they could be wiped out in one fell swoop and there would be less mess to clean up.

However, Yuan Jin, who was entrusted with an important task by the Sect Leader Kang Da, strongly advised Chu Yanran that they should take advantage of the fact that the two senior cultivators of the Crimson Heart Cult were not firmly established, quickly defeat the rebels, and intimidate the various families in Fa Prefecture so that they would lose their will to fight and would willingly submit to slaughter.

Chu Yanran had no impression of Yuan Jin, let alone whether he trusted her or not. However, the relationship between Yuan Jin and her two closest confidants, Kang Changyi and Qi Buxiu, was self-evident. So, after thinking for a while, she agreed to Yuan Jin's request and, without delay, quelled the remaining enemy.

There was nothing particularly noteworthy about this battle. The Crimson Heart Cult had not received any strong reinforcements, and even with Gu Chengsen and Exalted Cultivator Honggu working together, they were still no match for Chu Yanran. If it weren't for the help of several Pill Masters who risked their lives, one of the two might have perished.

Seeing the decline of the Crimson Heart Cult's upper cultivation, the various factions lacked fighting spirit, and the main figures in their formations were not particularly prestigious. After a short while, they began to show signs of fighting independently.

Under such circumstances, as soon as the battle began, the various families in Fa Prefecture were overwhelmed by the Double Brightness Alliance. If they hadn't still had some dignity to maintain, they might have been completely crushed in one blow.

Fortunately, the opposing commander was not entirely incompetent; he was very experienced in commanding the battle formation, and with a series of commands, he finally managed to stabilize the team, which was not exactly well-coordinated.

Based solely on paper strength, the various factions in Fa Prefecture undoubtedly surpass the Double Brightness Alliance by a level. Even though they suffered heavy casualties at the beginning, once things stabilized, they were able to gradually halt the Double Brightness Alliance's fierce offensive.

However, Yuan Jin was indeed the most knowledgeable about military affairs among the Chongming Sect's disciples since Patriarch Zhang. Although the various troops of the Chongming Sect were of varying quality, after winning many battles, they had developed the demeanor of a strong army.

Not only were they brave enough to fight, but what was even more valuable was their ability to endure a bitter battle.

At this point Crimson Zhang Guard were probably less than one-third of their peak strength, yet they still charged ahead under the leadership of Yang Xun and other True Cultivator, causing many richly equipped teams to retreat in defeat, unwilling to fight to the death with these desperate fugitives who disregarded their own lives.

Chu Yanran was confident of victory, Double Brightness Alliance, under the command of Double Brightness Second Yuan, were not at a disadvantage; this was an invincible situation.

After Chu Yanran used the Law Treasure, the Six-Sided Color-Embroidered Bamboo-Frame Golden-Thread Lamp, to take the lives of the two Pill Masters, Exalted Cultivator Honggu and Gu Chengsen completely lost the idea of raising troops to rebel again and abandoned their formation and fled.

However, Golden Core cultivators are not so easy to kill. Chu Yanran's pursuit failed once again, so she had to turn back and take the life of another Pill Master to make up the numbers.

At that time, no matter how loyal the various families in Fa Prefecture were to the Crimson Heart Cult, they could no longer maintain their momentum.

Before the main force could collapse, the main force fled. Bian Hu seized the opportunity and led the Crimson Zhang Guard, who had become a pack of mad tigers, in a desperate pursuit. The brave warriors of the alliance even dared to break away from their formations and fight after receiving permission, which greatly boosted the morale of the cultivators of the Double Brightness Alliance.

From Chu Yanran's victory to Yuan Jin leading his army to crush the allied forces of various factions in Fa Prefecture, only a little over half an hour had passed.

After that, there was nothing more to say. Since childhood, Second Master Yuan had been taught by Sect Leader Kang Da to be diligent and thrifty, and he had not forgotten the family tradition of being hardworking and thrifty.

After he led the various families of the Double Brightness Alliance to search the mountains and seas within the territory of Fa Prefecture for a while, and presented most of the spoils to Chu Yanran, the remaining scraps were enough to make the Double Brightness Alliance members return home in high spirits.

As for the whereabouts of the two high-ranking cultivators from the Crimson Heart Cult, it is currently unknown.

However, if they hadn't boarded Wenfengzi's wrecked ship in time to head to Guanxi, and had instead remained hiding in Mountain North Circuit, they probably wouldn't have survived if Five Old Mothers Mountain had returned.

When Yuan Jin led the various factions of the Double Brightness Alliance to meet with Sect Leader Kang Da and his entourage, more than a month had passed. The distribution of spoils and profits was already planned, so the factions had no time to worry about it. Ye Zhengwen, leading several disciples in charge of strategy, was clearly prepared for a tough battle.

However, this war did not bring Chongming Sect all benefits. The Crimson Zhang Guard, a fighting force he had painstakingly built, was mostly destroyed. Not only were all the efforts and resources he had invested in wasted, but it would also likely damage Chongming Sect's reputation.

The Azure Jue Guard still suffered heavy casualties. This was only achieved after Sect Leader Kang Da and Jiang Qing faced numerous powerful enemies and provided ample support; otherwise, the situation would have been even worse.

The other factions in the alliance suffered even greater losses, with each losing key figures to varying degrees. However, the lives lost were enough to acquire a large amount of resources, so it wasn't a bad deal for them.

The Pine Wind Volunteers and the local militia of Pingjin County, summoned by Pingjin Cold Crow Mountain, suffered many casualties due to their relatively weak cultivation levels. Many small families were likely to be ruined from this point on. Therefore, Sect Leader Kang Da kept a close eye on the matter of compensation. If a family had made outstanding contributions in battle, he could also take their young members into the sect and upgrade their status by exchanging them for spiritual land.

In conclusion, human lives are now far less valuable than rare resources. While following Chongming Sect may involve constant warfare and battles, it can also yield tangible benefits.

Kang Dabao was not one to readily wage war, and if future conscriptions were conducted as fairly as they are now, he would not fear any change in public sentiment.

If things go as Sect Leader Kang Da thinks, he can have a good rest after this battle. Not only will he be able to achieve the Core Formation, but the strength of the entire Chongming Sect and even the Double Brightness Alliance will also see a surge. This is something that people can really look forward to.

But it's unknown whether his wish will come true.

As dusk settled, the Azure Phoenix Flying Boat crushed the last wisp of sunset and entered the sky above Xuanwei City. Afterwards, blue smoke billowed from the flying boat, helping thousands of disciples of the Hehuan Sect land Xuanwei City.

The current leader of the Hehuan Sect, Master True Person Crimson Snow, had his robes billowing with cloud patterns in the mountain wind, while the silver bell at his waist remained frozen as if it weighed a thousand pounds. Behind him, the younger generation lined up with their heads bowed and holding their breath, their hair seemingly still carrying the fragrance of plum blossoms from the Guandong Circuit.

With a clang, gold and jade clashed as Marquis Fei Nanying of Marquis of Gucheng led countless Xuanjia Guards out of the city gate.

Correspondingly, the aura of dragon's saliva that flowed out when the city gates opened collided with the cool air around the cultivators, creating a series of delicate popping sounds that were quite pleasant to the ear.

The two rows of palace maids following the black-armored soldiers were newly transferred from the Eastern Palace by the Imperial Clan Court along with a large amount of supplies. At this moment, they were all kneeling by the roadside, holding nine-branched lanterns.

Clusters of flames seemed to possess a spirit, and at this moment they rejoiced incessantly, casting flickering light on the carved bricks scattered across the ground.

More than ten Pill Masters, all carrying ceremonial implements and dressed in military uniforms, lined up in front of the city gate.

Duke Kuang Liuting of Duke of Qin stood atop the city tower, surrounded by his retinue. The golden lion woven into his python robe shone brightly in the twilight, making him appear even more noble than before.

However, as mentioned before, after returning from the outer sea, Kuang Liuting's arrogance had indeed faded considerably. When True Person Crimson Snow slowly descended on a cloud of red clouds, Kuang Liuting bowed slightly and respectfully said, "Senior, you must be tired from your journey."

The woman who was the main character in the scene was not particularly beautiful. There were fine lines hidden at the corners of her phoenix eyes beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows, and her eyes seemed to tell many stories. However, in terms of appearance, she could only be described as ordinary.

Even her clothing conformed to the imperial guard's etiquette, just like that of a noble lady, which was quite different from the image of the Hehuan Sect's True Person in the public's mind.

However, Kuang Liuting and his group of important officials knew how formidable this woman was.

This is not to say that the woman herself was particularly amazing. In fact, although Master True Person Crimson Snow was senior, her combat skills were only second-rate among the True Person of the Hehuan Sect. Otherwise, she would not have so naturally stepped down and passed the position of sect leader to her disciple so decisively.

However, the Hehuan Sect has been able to Guandong Circuit for nearly a thousand years, and even manage to arrange the unprecedented marriage of its Holy Maiden to Great Abyss Capital as a concubine, is all the work of True Person Crimson Snow.

Kuang Liuting knew that the Hehuan Sect had recently become increasingly close to the Kuang Household clan, and privately speaking, they were even closer than the families in the capital region who had always supported the current emperor.

Indeed, this is the case. Apart from Shen Lingfeng, the imperial consort, the two most intimate True Person from the Immortal Dynasty are the Hehuan Sect.

In this respect, even the current prime minister Chancellor Gui Xuantong, is probably inferior.

When True Person Crimson Snow looked at Kuang Liuting, Hehuan Sect eyes were filled with admiration. It goes without saying that the entire Hehuan Sect was greatly encouraged after the latter formed a top-grade spiritual pill. During that Guandong Circuit, there were many more living bodhisattvas giving alms in Guandong.

The two exchanged few pleasantries, True Person Crimson Snow showed no intention of entering the city for further conversation. After a brief exchange, he instructed his disciples to pay their respects to the Crown Prince and then restarted the Azure Phoenix Flying Boat.

However, before leaving, she did not see any of her many male favorites, including a fake Dan Master with a fair complexion. Before boarding the ship, she glanced at Xuanwei City again, her eyes seemingly filled with reminiscence.

(Thanks to reader 20210301106576334466 for 1,000 coins, thanks to reader 080831085731562 for 500 coins, and thanks to reader Abu for his continued support of Yuan Jin.)