Anle Takes Charge

The Office of the Duke of Qin traveled to Phoenix Cry Prefecture much faster than others expected. In fact, most of the families who had come to serve since Kuang Liuting was enfeoffed as a duke had grown tired of this cramped spiritual land.

It's obvious that Xuanwei City was originally just the territory of the Liang family in a certain state; how could it possibly accommodate so many high-level cultivators?

In just a few months, the once bustling Cloud Horn Prefecture quickly became desolate.

Those who left first were the officials and relatives of the Office of the Duke of Qin, then the Fei Household and other relatives who had moved from the capital, followed by families from all over the country, and then the small families and reclusive Rogue Cultivator who depended on the aforementioned people for their livelihood.

In this situation, Sect Leader Kang Da was not dissatisfied at all; on the contrary, he was quite pleased.

This is because Chongming Sect is not the Office of the Duke of Qin, and does not have the prestige to suppress such high-level cultivators to settle in. As for the mixed-race cultivators in the state, he would be happy to have them all leave.

After all, news had already come from the Ying Prefecture clan territory that several families of good surnames, who had been exiled by the Fei Household, were already on their way, and a large area of spiritual land would be needed to settle them.

As for how to take over a large Xuanwei City, which is one of the top cities in the surrounding prefectures, that is also a subject of study.

Fortunately, Ye Zhengwen has cultivated a group of trustworthy and skilled disciples within the sect over the years. Furthermore, since Sect Leader Kang Da is not in a hurry to relocate, Ye Zhengwen has plenty of opportunities to learn by trial and error.

About half a month after the Fei Household members left Xuanwei City, Sect Leader Kang Da went out of the city again to see off Qi Buxiu and his wife.

Regardless of whether Chu Yanran's support for the Chongming Sect was merely to gain favor with the Daoist Black Shoes, this beautiful woman has indeed helped Kang Dabao a great deal over the years.

Furthermore, since Kang Changyi was his disciple and diligently cultivated himself, it was only natural that Sect Leader Kang Da would show him respect.

However, the Qi Household couple did not come away empty-handed. At least Kang Dabao had managed to get back the Spirit Offspring Radiant Color Pill Qi Buxiu longing for. It would probably not be long before their relationship would reach a new level.

Objectively speaking, although this elixir is not of high grade, it is extremely important to those who urgently need it. However, the spiritual materials used to refine this elixir have long been extinct in the wild and are difficult to replace. This is why even in places like the Fei Household's She Mountain Hall, there are only a few pills left in existence, making it difficult for outsiders to obtain them.

However, Sect Leader Kang Da now has enough influence to be able to squeeze another sum out of Fei Nanying.

Leaving aside Master Qi's excitement, after seeing off the two elders and Sect Leader Kang Da soon turned his attention back to how to manage this large town.

The idea that the benefits should be monopolized by the Chongming Sect is naive. After all, one must be willing to give before one can earn more in the future.

Double Brightness Alliance Kang Dabao Alliance. Each family had paid a blood tax to the Chongming Sect, and even though their strengths varied, they were all worthy of this fortune.

The Fei Household is the Yue Household the Sect Leader Kang Da, so it's only right and proper that they send a gift.

The Ye Prefecture Yang Household also had some connections with Kang Dabao. He had also heard Fei Nanying say that Yang Baoshan had never refused to go with him to the Hehuan Sect to ask for people.

Although the Yang Household didn't send anyone because Fei Nanying didn't want to completely break with the Hehuan Sect, they still owed them a real favor.

As a result, even the resentment that Sect Leader Kang Da, felt when Yang Baoshan forced him to seek revenge against Yang Baofeng seemed to have faded considerably.

Chu Yanran also deserves a mention.

Even disregarding her status as an elder and her Golden Core cultivation, just considering that she has made significant progress in her cultivation in recent years and may soon become a rare and exceptional Third Tier cultivation master, Kang Dabao still needs to carefully maintain the relationship between the two families.

After all, with Elder Zhou Yixiu of the Spirit Plant Clan nearing the end of his life and Kang Rongquan having to shoulder the burden alone, Chongming Sect would likely have many more opportunities to learn from him in the future.

And those Liang families who were exiled by the Ying Prefecture Fei Household, their initial settlement may not be smooth and they may encounter some difficulties. They may even need the help of Sect Leader Kang Da. This resource should also be shared from the revenue of Xuanwei City.

However, for the Chongming Sect, which has taken over the entire territory of Cloud Horn Prefecture, how to manage Xuanwei City is just a relatively important matter to be addressed in the future.

Clean up the unruly and Evil Cultivator within the state, organize the various households within the state, and sort out the properties of the Chongming Sect.

There was indeed a lot to do, and it was impossible to choose any that was unimportant or could be postponed. This meant that even the newly-formed Golden Core Sect Leader Kang Da had much less time for cultivation, having to devote most of his energy to these trivial matters.

The more than four hundred households in the Cold Crow Mountain Range still need Yuan Jin to lead troops to guard them in Wild Fox Mountain; as for Han City, Kang Dabao prefers Jiang Qing to be the garrison commander. The Yue Household cultivators just withdrew from there with Yue Lin, and it is unknown whether they have received any promises from Kuang Liuting.

That place had been managed by the Yue Household for a long time, and the relationship between the two families was not exactly harmonious. It was easy to imagine that the Yue Household would not be so generous as to leave no room for maneuver. Double Brightness Jiang Third did not have any great talent for managing affairs, he could easily suppress the Yue Household's undercover agents who were stirring up trouble in a short period of time with just a flying sword.

In addition, there was also Chongming Sect Little Ring Mountain Chongming Sect that needed to be looked after. This matter was to be entrusted to Ye Zhengwen, who was responsible for selecting disciples, teaching them cultivation, managing Merit Points, and overseeing the treasury. There were still countless complicated matters to attend to. Even if Ye Zhengwen could be considered a capable administrator compared to the two mentioned above, it was easy to imagine that he would be overwhelmed with tasks.

As a result, all matters inside and outside Xuanwei City would have to be arranged by Sect Leader Kang Da himself. He couldn't bear to give up his cultivation either; how could he not be exhausted?

Ye Zhengwen, who had come to report on his work, noticed Kang Dabao's exhaustion and said, "You yourself feel weary, why not share some of the work with Anle?"

The latter paused for a moment, then gently shook his head. "Yes, I'm just afraid he might do a bad job. These matters, big and small, involve many lives."

"It's already the 494th year of the Qianfeng Emperor's reign. Your apprentice is already in his eighties. He's been working with his fellow disciples for so many years; he must have picked up some skills by now. What is there to worry about?!"

"Hmm," Sect Leader Kang Da pondered for a moment, realizing it made sense. He pulled out a scroll from the one that smelled of ink, thought about it carefully for a while, and then said, "Then let him give it a try."

The letter was delivered by Wan'er to Duan Anle, who was in the city sorting out old taxes. When Duan Anle came to visit, Kang Dabao realized that he hadn't really looked at this disciple for a long time.

The sect elders all say that Duan Anle possesses inner talent and, in terms of personality, is the most similar to the Sect Leader Kang Da's younger disciple. In this respect, even Kang's children are inferior to him.

However, the former's Spirit Root is not outstanding. In an ordinary sect, a junior who has reached the Foundation Establishment stage at the age of sixty would be considered a pillar of the sect. But in the Chongming Sect today, Duan Anle seems to have faded into obscurity.

As Chongming Sect's position becomes more secure and its reputation more renowned, it's likely that immortal talents like those with Single Spirit Root will emerge from time to time.

Therefore, it seems that Kang Dabao Ye Zhengwen Duan Anle Yuan Jin Kang Dabao more Jin Shilun, this situation will be difficult to reverse.

Duan Anle slowly entered and bowed to the two sect elders, saying, "Greetings, Master and Uncle Ye."

Kang Dabao nodded in agreement, summoned Qingfeng, and handed the scroll to his disciple. After Duan Anle requested permission, he unfolded it again and then whispered, "Suppress the bandits and cultivators."

"Tell me, how should this be done?" The tone of Sect Leader Kang Da had taken on a long-unseen air of testing, which reminded Duan Anle of the time he recited the Great Wei Compendium in the Cloud Chamber.

However, Kang Dabao's actions were always traceable. Duan Anle only needed to follow the example and make some modifications to implement how he managed the two counties of Ping and Jin back then.

Duan Anle had clearly prepared a plan beforehand, and all he heard was Duan Anle speaking fluently and without hesitation:

"Reporting to Master, if you require me to do this, the first step is to clarify which families in the thirteen counties of Cloud Horn Prefecture are wicked and unrepentant, and which have joined forces out of necessity to protect themselves. We must suppress the wicked and appease the allied. Only by combining suppression and appeasement can we achieve twice the result with half the effort and avoid backlash."

Upon hearing this, Sect Leader Kang Da merely nodded slightly. After all, Duan Anle had received years of training; it would be strange if he lacked even this much insight.

He continued, picking up where Duan Anle left off, and asked, "Then tell me, how do you intend to clarify this?"

Without hesitation, the latter said directly, "Send someone to Fa Prefecture to request the old archives from Fearless Tower; one copy can be obtained. Visit the elders in various counties and villages and inquire carefully; one copy can be obtained."

For many years, besides issuing orders and providing provisions, the Merit Points Hall has also inquired about local customs and drawn maps whenever disciples returned from their travels. The "Records of Families and Aristocratic Clan of the Cloud Horn Prefecture" is also revised annually, from which a copy can be obtained. By corroborating these three sources, a general picture can be obtained.

Ye Zhengwen exchanged a glance with Sect Leader Kang Da beside him, and both saw a glimmer of hope in each other's eyes. However, the latter was still not satisfied and asked again, "Having roughly understood the matter, there must be errors mixed in. What if innocent people are harmed?!"

It was only at this point that a hint of hesitation appeared on Duan Anle's face, but he was decisive and did not let this emotion affect him for long before speaking again:

The ancient sage once said, "To weep over a net caught in a calamity is not compassion; to burn thorns to fertilize millet is benevolence!" He also said, "Sometimes, ruthlessness is the greatest benevolence." Since suppressing and pacifying Evil Cultivator is a good policy, then to achieve good results, one cannot be concerned with many other things.

After these remarks, Ye Zhengwen's eyes showed even stronger approval, while Kang Dabao shook his head, unsure whether he agreed or not.

"Once things are cleared up, can we send troops?"

Duan Anle shook his head again. "A prefecture is not the same as a county. Master is in his prime, and his fame is known throughout the prefectures. Ordinary families are not worth worrying about."

However, those powerful families are related by marriage and have deep-rooted connections, and some are even too deeply involved with powerful forces in other states, so we must proceed slowly and not act rashly.

In the future, one could either unite with a smaller clan to support a larger one, and then show kindness after the larger clan has fallen on hard times; or inform their descendants so that the two families can resolve their own disputes and then politely escort them out of the country—both are viable options.

Ye Zhengwen nodded repeatedly after hearing this, thinking to himself that this method was very much in line with the steady personality of the Sect Leader Kang Da. It was nothing more than another version of the "three-seven split" strategy, a familiar and effective method.

Unexpectedly, Kang Dabao shook his head and objected, saying, "It's good, but it's too cautious. This time, it won't work if we don't make a scene."

The other two people in the hall were all surprised, but then they heard Kang Dabao say again, "We can offend even Chunfeng of the Hehuan Sect. How many families in the north and south of the mountain can we not afford to offend? I will disregard other people's feelings this time, as long as they act according to my rules!"

Once Anle has verified the rumors and stories of the various families in Cloud Horn Prefecture, then post a notice asking everyone to come to Xuanwei City to surrender themselves and to discuss matters.

If they don't come, then we'll gather men, cut down mountains, and destroy temples;

If they dare to run, then we'll sharpen our swords and make them even sharper, even if we have to flee to another state, to take their entire families' lives! Let's see if those high-ranking cultivators behind them dare to show themselves!"

Duan Anle's expression darkened further, unsure how to respond. Ye Zhengwen, standing nearby, asked, "What is this all about?"

Kang Dabao sighed, "Do you think Cloud Horn Prefecture is so easy to take?"

Ye Zhengwen's eyes dimmed upon hearing this, and he fell silent.

Sect Leader Kang Da spoke up again, "Since those big shots above have provided the capital, how could they be happy for us to follow the old ways here? If we don't kill a lot of people and let blood flow like rivers, how will others know that the Marquis of Martial Peace's Residence has appeared here?"

These words were spoken quite simply, and Ye Zhengwen immediately understood as soon as they were spoken. Duan Anle was not stupid either, and he did not ask any more questions.

"However, it's Anle you could think of these things, Anle. You will be in charge of this task of suppressing the bandits. In addition to your fellow disciples, you can choose from them. I will also issue a document to Vice Leaders Xu Liuxian and Bian Hu. With them accompanying you, this matter should proceed much more smoothly."

"Your disciple would never disobey, even unto death!"

"Why make such a big deal out of it?" Kang Dabao shook his head again. "If we really encounter a tough opponent, then just call me. This time, even if some ignorant cultivator gets involved, I'll have to humble myself and owe them favors to get a few helpers to kill them."

Otherwise, the internal strife in Cloud Horn Prefecture will be endless and peace will be hard to come by. If we soften our stance even slightly now, others will dare to advance an inch, and when a large army presses in, we will have no choice but to resort to arms again, which would be a very ugly situation."

After Duan Anle listened carefully and pondered his master's words for a while, he had a good understanding of what Kang Dabao had said.

After bidding farewell to his two sect elders, Duan Anle left the enormous mansion that the Fei Household had gifted to the Sect Leader Kang Da, carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders. As for who to seek help from, he didn't need to think for a moment before he already knew.

"I wonder if Junior Brother Kang has finished his work yet."