Return to the Sect

"We have to leave now," Fei Shuhe said with a hint of regret. This was because there was a Fei Household daughter-in-law from the Li Household of the West River in the Qiu River Hall. She was from a proper Nascent Soul clan and had said last time that she wanted to come and meet Kang Changyi.

While the chances of this marriage falling through are slim, such opportunities are rare. In Fei Shuhe's view, if she could stay in Ying Prefecture for a while longer, she might actually be able to achieve some great fortune for Kang Changyi.

No wonder Fei Shuhe was so concerned. After all, since the eldest son of the family had the opportunity to climb the social ladder and easily obtain a large amount of rare resources, why should he bother with those poor souls who only had a worthless life sitting in meditation?

This principle applies everywhere.

However, she was also sensible. Because the Sect Leader Kang Da was at a critical stage of Core Formation, the heads of the household did not inform Chongming Sect of its recent situation, as Fei Nanying had suggested.

That's why he realized that his own sect had offended Nascent Soul concubine. Given Kang Dabao's personality, it would be strange if he wasn't anxious.

Fortunately, Patriarch Ye Shui remained as kind and benevolent as ever. After understanding the intentions of Sect Leader Kang Da, he not only did not show any anger, but also summoned back Fei Tianqin, who was out handling some business, and asked this patriarch with the flat hair to bring Kang Dabao's family back to the sect.

Even the Sect Leader Kang Da could see the intense resentment seeping from the old bird's eyes, but he could only smile bitterly and bow for a while as an apology.

Just as Elder Ye Shui had previously arranged, the group also included Fei Donggu, an elder of the Fei Household, Fei Wanqing, who had traveled to the Mountain South to find her parents, and a blood-robed Fei Tianqin.

The blood-robed Daoist priest harbors immense secrets, which Sect Leader Kang Da cannot afford to witness.

However, Fei Donggu, the elder of the Fei Household, was truly kind to everyone. Whether it was Kang Dabao, who had just achieved the Golden Core Kang Dabao, or Kang Household's second son, who was still in the realm of True Cultivator, he would never hesitate to teach them if they asked questions sincerely. He treated them as if they were his own close relatives.

Such an opportunity was something that the Sect Leader Kang Da, who was still living in Cloud Horn Prefecture, could never have imagined. However, after becoming Golden Core, he found that the malice in the world seemed to have decreased significantly.

Those Fei Household members who used to secretly mock my background have all disappeared without a trace.

The matter of taking a concubine was mostly handled by Fei Shuhe, the first wife. However, over the years Kang Dabao has suffered a lot of criticism in the Fei Household because of this.

However, even Fei Nanxi, the elder of the Fern Fei Household who was in charge of the Fei Household's external affairs, seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally hinting that if they wanted to take concubines in the future, they could ask the Fei Household for permission again.

To be honest, the titles "Golden Core Cultivator" and "Marquis of Wuning Prefecture" do add a lot of prestige to Sect Leader Kang Da. After all, the Fei Household's top cultivators know which is more valuable: several outstanding daughters or a Golden Core son-in-law.

If it weren't for the truly dazzling brilliance of Sect Leader Kang Da's Middle-Grade Golden Core, and the fact that Fei Donggu had already largely repaid the favor of rescuing Fei Nanxin from the Xiezhi Prison by taking care of the two Kang Household sons in the Hundred-Fruit Secret Realm, there would be no need to ask for another favor here.

After several days of preaching on Fei Tianqin's back, Fei Donggu calculated with his fingers and determined that it would only take another three or four days to reach the Shannan Circuit region. He then concluded his journey and took out a token, handing it to Sect Leader Kang Da.

"What's going on, Elder Zong?!"

Fei Donggu stroked his long beard lightly and said in a calm voice:

"I have a good friend named Gu Rong, who is one of the most outstanding craftsmen of the Chen Craft School in the world. Not long ago, he was recruited by the Duke of Duke of Qin to serve as the chief craftsman of the Duke's mansion. Young Master Kang has just achieved the Golden Core and may still be lacking some suitable magical Law Treasure. If he cannot find a suitable one in the market, he may be able to have one custom-made by him."

Upon hearing this, Kang Dabao showed a grateful expression and was about to thank him when Fei Donggu spoke up again, saying, "His skills are good, but his prices are a bit high. Mention my name, and I can give you a discount."

After saying this, Fei Donggu saw that the gratitude on Sect Leader Kang Da's face had become visibly more genuine, so he smiled and went to talk to Fei Tianqin.

Not long after Fei Donggu left, Fei Wanqing also got up to take her leave. Unlike Fei Shuhe, the latter never missed a single Daoist gathering.

He heard that the Fei Household's top cultivators had bestowed upon him a set of resources for Core Formation his core upon his journey to Mountain South. It seems that once he returns to his parents' side, he will also need to begin the process of Core Formation.

Compared to her exceptionally talented younger sister, the matriarch of the Kang Household was far inferior.

Fei Shuhe had heard countless lectures on Golden Core since childhood, especially after Fei Nanying achieved a middle-grade alchemy, he never hesitated to personally teach Fei Shuhe. However, the latter simply couldn't grasp the principles, and after many fruitless attempts, she simply gave up on such fortuitous opportunity.

For him, it's more practical to honestly refine his resources and cultivate simply. Let's see if, when the time comes, he'll have a chance to compete for a future with False Core.

With only the father and his two sons remaining in the arena, things became much easier to discuss. Kang Changxi, with a strange expression, hesitated for a moment before finally asking in a questioning voice, "Father, is that Martial Uncle Lian truly the True Person Crimson Snow?"

"Silence!"

This rebuke was not unexpected for Kang Changxi, so he fell silent and remained bowed. Kang Dabao's anger had not subsided, and he was about to continue questioning when he saw Kang Changyi come over to smooth things over:

"Father, please calm down. My second brother only misspoke and meant no harm."

Enraged, Sect Leader Kang Da scrutinized his eldest son, who had come to his rescue, for a moment before letting out a cold snort and speaking in a chilling voice towards Kang Changxi:

"If you haven't truly forgotten that you are a descendant of the Kang Household, then don't think that just because you have noble blood, you can't think you can't choose not to do certain things. Some things aren't things you want to do, but things you have to do, things you can't not do, things you dare not not do! In this world, how many people are as fortunate as you, with a choice to make?!"

Kang Dabao's words were a bit harsh, causing Kang Changxi, who was hanging his head in silence, to droop even lower. However, the former did not think that his actions had gone too far.

This was because after going to Ying Prefecture, Kang Changxi's body smelled even stronger of rich food.

Even though the two brothers were more knowledgeable than the sons of minor families in the border states, they still couldn't help but feel a sense of longing when they actually arrived at the prosperous places in the Capital Circuit.

This was to be expected and beyond reproach, but after hearing what his eldest son said today, Sect Leader Kang Da was shocked to realize that Kang Changxi had already been corrupted to such an extent.

"To avoid offending one's elders" is the duty of juniors. Even if the status of Martial Uncle Lian is truly somewhat unworthy, outsiders may laugh, but the Chongming Sect must not criticize it in the slightest, otherwise it would be an act of forgetting one's ancestors.

It took Kang Dabao a while to calm his anger down. After he had lectured the two brothers for a while, he finally turned and left.

Kang Changxi hadn't seen the Sect Leader Kang Da in such a rage for many years. Only when he could no longer detect Kang Dabao's figure with his Divine Sense did he dare to raise his head and let out a long sigh, "Father's anger is still terrifying; it has dragged my brother and me down with him."

"Not at all," Kang Changyi said with a faint smile. He and Kang Changxi were different in status. Although he was the eldest son, he was born out of wedlock. He had learned to read people's expressions from his birth mother Huo Ying, since he was a child.

It was thanks to Kang Changyi's ability that she was able to do this; otherwise, even if Fei Shuhe, the matriarch of the household, was broad-minded, she wouldn't have placed such importance on the former.

Kang Changyi was not very ambitious and had no intention of competing with Kang Changxi.

Compared to his elder brother, Kang Changxi was more confident and lived a much more carefree life. In addition, he could not hide any sinister or treacherous thoughts. Moreover, Kang Changyi had been raised by Fei Shuhe since childhood and was almost like a biological son. Therefore, the two had a very deep relationship.

This is certainly a good thing. At least for now, Sect Leader Kang Da doesn't have to worry about future internal strife like many other families, which is quite reassuring.

After this lecture, the two still had much to digest and process, so instead of going their separate ways, they stayed together to ponder and analyze it.

Several more days passed, and just as the last issue at hand was being clarified, Kang Changyi looked up and a sense of relief appeared in his eyes. "We've arrived at Shannan Circuit."

---- Thunder Splendor Mountain

Jiang Qing hadn't expected that the Golden Core cultivator who led the army to Thunder Splendor Mountain was indeed an acquaintance.

According to what the opposing disciple said in his challenge, Gu Chengsen, the disciple of the Crimson Heart Cult Exalted Cultivator Honggu, the sect leader, had become the Supreme Elders of the Three Immortals Cave at some point.

Most of those under his command were also disciples of the Crimson Heart Cult. He could take this opportunity to settle accounts with the Chongming Sect.

This matter is reasonable and logical, and it can be said that Chu Han, the Spring Wind Envoy, had a good plan. With each step linked to the next, Lian Xuepu, who had agreed with him that "the two families should decide for themselves and outsiders should have no say," speechless.

Anyone with even a basic understanding of military affairs knows that in this situation, running away is unlikely.

It is true that the various teams of the Double Brightness Alliance are all well-trained, but if they were to be attacked from behind by two cultivators led by superior cultivators during their retreat, it would be strange if these thousands of troops did not immediately collapse.

At that time, even the Azure Jue and Crimson Zhang Guards, directly under the Chongming Sect, might have few survivors.

Fortunately, thanks to the information that Jiang Qing had just received, the array masters of the Double Brightness Alliance, led by Wei Gu, had already taken action.

However, this was also because the Three Immortals Cave's original array formation was not of a high grade, which allowed Wei Gu and the other array masters to expend a lot of resources to restore it in such a short time.

When the two senior cultivators returned to Thunder Splendor Mountain with a portion of the original Crimson Heart Cult and the hundreds of defeated soldiers from the Sanxian Cave who had just been taken in, it was already clear that Chongming Sect had only been operating here for a short time, but in that short period of time, it had almost erected an impregnable fortress.

Wei Gu, who was selected into the sect by the discerning eye of the Sect Leader Kang Da, has been so exhausted these days that he is almost half-dried up. His whole body has been scorched so badly that there is no trace of blood left.

However, all their hard work was not in vain. Even though the other side had two high-level cultivators leading them, the cultivators in the Thunder Splendor Mountain inner alliance worked together with all their might to keep them out.

The only regrettable thing is that many lives were lost again. However, the generous reward offered by the Chongming Sect's Sect Leader Kang Da before the recruitment was enough to make the cultivators guarding the formation fearless of death.

Exalted Cultivator Honggu's injuries have not yet fully healed. One reason he came out to work for Chu Han was to earn some money to pay for his treatment.

He and Gu Chengsen took turns probing for a while, but apart from causing the cultivators in the Double Brightness Alliance formation to fall like seedlings, the Daoist techniques they used did not force out any flaws in the Three Immortals Cave's protective formation.

The two immediately stopped fighting and handed over their disciples to charge into the enemy lines and wear down the morale of the defenders.

Jiang Qing and the three Pill Master looked at the scene before them with some sighs, because in the eyes of these two so-called Supreme Elders of the Three Immortals Cave, the disciples who originally belonged to the Crimson Heart Cult were indeed much more valuable than the defeated soldiers of the Three Immortals Cave.

The two Pill Masters from the Three Immortals Cave who had just abandoned their sect could only watch helplessly as their disciples, whose armor was poorly made and whose drums were in disarray, temporarily forgot their fear and wielded various Law Artifact.

Then came waves of charging, followed by waves of collapse, and a look of sorrow appeared in his eyes.

This wasn't because he felt sorry for his disciple, but because he felt sorry for himself, who would now have no resources left and would have to start all over again, just like those rootless Rogue Cultivator.

Therefore, the two of them also hated the Chongming Sect. When the battle reached a critical moment, they even dared to take the lead, which was quite a sign that they were at their wits' end.

Seeing this, Jiang Qing was eager to take advantage of the chaos and rush out to gain an advantage. In his opinion, as long as he acted quickly and killed one of the two stray dogs outside, even with two Golden Core cultivators by his side, he could escape in time.

But this idea was only mentioned to Yuan Jin before the latter shook his head and rejected it. "Judging by the time, Senior Brother Sect Leader should be back soon. If you have someone to protect you then, it might be possible."

At this moment, Jiang Qing did not act rashly. Instead, he listened carefully to what his senior brother said. He then joined forces with the three Pill Masters, Bian, Xu, and Hu, and occasionally released a sword light to snatch back the lives of True Cultivator.

The number of defeated soldiers from the Three Immortals Cave, whom Exalted Cultivator Honggu and Gu Chengsen had taken in, was eventually exhausted. After a day of fierce attacks on Thunder Splendor Mountain, only about 30% of them were still able to catch their breath.

Even among these 30%, a large number were wounded, a sight that evoked endless sighs.

The two Pill Master the Three Immortals Cave requested a day's rest before resuming the battle the following day. They should have been overjoyed after receiving permission, but they never expected that as soon as evening fell, a disciple of the Three Immortals Cave would secretly escape!

"This military camp is guarded by Golden Core cultivators and those with False Core cultivation; how could an ordinary person possibly escape?"

The logic wasn't hard to grasp, but the disciples of the Three Immortals Cave, having witnessed the despair of the daytime scene, disregarded it. Their fate was predictable: most of them were killed on the spot by the disciples of the Crimson Heart Cult. Of the survivors, a portion were selected by the Exalted Cultivator Honggu for future use.

The next day, during the attack, the two Pill Masters from the Three Immortals Cave finally understood why they had kept the others in reserve.

Given the limited resources left by the Crimson Heart Cult, the two cultivators would not be willing to waste them on a formation that would require the sacrifice of many lives.

Hong Exalted Cultivator Honggu clenched his teeth and used his palm as a knife to slice off another piece of his left finger bone. The pale yellow finger bone leaped into the air, its flesh and blood completely gone, becoming crystal clear.

At the same time, the fist-sized black orbs held by more than a thousand Crimson Heart Cult followers had also been refined and melted into a pool of molten iron.

This finger bone, though only an inch long, absorbed all the molten iron from the thousands of pools below it, and even coated itself with a bright outer shell. But before the people in the formation could even be surprised, as the Exalted Cultivator Honggu and uttered a spell, the finger bone shot out like an arrow, breaking through the many obstacles in its path and directly striking the profound light of the great formation outside Thunder Splendor Mountain.

"Boo"

After a soft sound, Wei Gu, who was running the formation, immediately sensed something was wrong and exclaimed, "It's using this finger bone as a formation -Formation-Breaking Pearl!"

However, Wei Gu's call was too late. The finger bone that had absorbed the essence of over a thousand First Tier Formation-Breaking Pearl landed on the Xuan Guang as easily as curdling tofu.

The thick, mysterious light rippled outwards like waves, then quickly dissipated. As the array flags exploded one by one, the relaxed expressions on everyone's faces disappeared; they all knew the great array was about to break.

All the leaders of the Double Brightness Alliance were ready to fight to the death to buy their disciples some room to maneuver, but unexpectedly, they heard a high-pitched scream and a mournful cry from the enemy's ranks.

"Senior brother!!"