Yellow Court Daoist

"Fang Xian Dao."

Lu Qingfeng gathered his thoughts and, looking at the Changqing Seven Sons, asked the leading Shouyang Master, "Right now, within Changqing Temple, how many individuals are at the level of Ordained Daoist or above?"

"Replying to Teacher,"

"Currently, aside from Jinzhang County, Changqing Temple has also established Daoist temples in Taihu, Qianshan, Su Song, Wangjiang, and Daguan Counties, each with one. The Ye County that Brother Wu Guang recently took over is likewise preparing to have one built."

"As of the beginning of the month, there are nine hundred Daoist Children within the temple, one hundred and twenty Ordained Daoists, twenty-one Refiners, seven Spirit Platform Real Persons, and two Yin God Masters."

Shouyang Master was thoroughly familiar with the situation of Changqing Temple and spoke with ease.

Hearing this number, the red glow on each of the Changqing Seven Sons' faces was evident. In just ten years since its establishment, although Changqing Temple could not yet compare with the likes of Da Sui and Da Meng among the upper-class Daoist sects, its growth momentum was exceptionally strong.

Due to time constraints, high-end combat forces like Yin God Masters and Yang Shen Heaven Masters were still scarce.

There were at least two Yin God Masters, but it was still uncertain when a Yang Shen Heaven Master would be cultivated.

Of course.

In the seven's minds, given the Sect Leader teacher's Divine Skills, he probably already reached the Yang God level.

"The number of Masters is still too few."

Lu Qingfeng's brow furrowed slightly.

Right now, the entire Lingnan County was just unified, with countless spirits, demons, ghosts, and goblins looking to stir up trouble amidst the chaos. For these beings beyond the ordinary, Lingnan County Officials and generals all had the backing of fortune, deterring common evil forces from causing harm. However, if they were to prey upon commoners, the local troops in each county would be clumsy in their response.

Therefore.

Changqing Temple still needed to play a part, to help quell the disturbances in the region so that Lingnan County could recuperate and thus be able to accumulate sufficient merit within a short period to establish a position in the world.

And that's not all—

"Once the chaos in the southward Da Meng becomes apparent, Changqing Temple will also be the main force against Shenxiao Sect. Without sufficient strength, it will be challenging to hold Shenxiao Sect at bay."

Lu Qingfeng shook his head inwardly, glanced at the worried seven, and spoke reassuringly, "You've done well, but it's not enough for Changqing Temple. Now, the entire Lingnan territory is under the control of the Governor Mansion. As the first Daoist sect of Lingnan County, Changqing Temple will surely attract many Loose Cultivators. Prepare yourselves and screen them well. As before, regardless of aptitude or cultivation, as long as their character is flawless, we'll welcome all comers."

For now, it's just Lingnan County.

But once the grand situation unfolds, Changqing Temple's territory will extend far beyond just one county. Stockpiling a sufficient number of disciples in advance will ensure we don't fall into a scenario where no one is available to act in the future.

"Yes, Teacher,"

The seven responded deeply, their hearts stirring with excitement.

This was clearly the prelude to a significant endeavor.

Originally, they were just common Loose Cultivators in Lingnan County, surviving in the cracks among the local Daoist sects and often looked down upon. Now, in merely ten years, they have become the principal managers of the vast Changqing Temple, the number one Daoist sect in Lingnan – truly a demonstration of how mysterious the world can be.

Among the seven, Shoujing was the most vivacious. She looked to Lu Qingfeng and said crisply, "Most of the Lingnan Loose Cultivators have already joined Changqing Temple. But there are still quite a few Daoist sects entrenched in various Spiritual Mountains. How should we deal with them?"

According to her nature, it was 'grow with support and perish in opposition'—

Those who submit merge into Changqing Temple.

Those who refuse are expelled from the region.

That way, Lingnan can truly be brought under Changqing Temple's control.

"These Daoist sects have been established for many years and have deep roots; there's no need for direct confrontation. Changqing Temple has the support of the governmental offices; whether it's recruiting Daoist Children or cultivating followers, none can compare with us."

"In a few decades, without new disciples and with waning Incense Fire, they will inevitably decline."

Lu Qingfeng shook his head.

With heaven's timing, location's advantage, and human harmony all on Changqing Temple's side, there was no need to stoop to underhanded tactics and spoil our good fortune.

"Yes."

Shoujing promptly agreed, not daring to raise the issue again.

After understanding the situation of Changqing Temple, the second disciple Shou Chun presented the Six Tripods of Incense Fire, the monthly Incense Fire retained by the six Daoist temples of Changqing Temple.

The amount of Incense Fire within each varied.

The least among them could refine to about one tael of Heavenly Silver, which belonged to the newly established Daoist temple in Daguan County with fewer followers.

The most abundant was from the ancestral seat of Changqing Temple on Xia Guang Mountain, where the Incense Fire was most prosperous, yielding as much as nine taels of Heavenly Silver.

Lu Qingfeng recalled the time he spent as the Mountain God of Fufeng Mountain in Red Smoke Realm, overseeing six hundred miles of territory. A year's work yielded just one tael of Heavenly Silver, a middling sum among Sixth Rank gods.

Moreover, ordinary Sixth Rank gods, unlike him, could only refine Incense Fire Small Coin or Incense Fire Big Coin and had no means to refine Heavenly Silver.

Although they could harvest a tael of Incense Fire worth Heavenly Silver each year, they could either refine it into roughly a thousand low-purity Incense Fire Small Coins or seek the help of a Primordial Spirit True One or a Third Grade God, with extortionate handling fees as high as ninety percent, leaving them with just ten percent.

However, Heavenly Silver's purity was extremely high, whether for raising Yin Soldiers, consecrating Magic Artifacts, or accumulating Divine Power; it was far superior to Incense Fire Small Coin and Big Coin.

Therefore, many minor deities accepted this arrangement willingly.

Lu Qingfeng, who practiced the Yellow Court Scripture with the ability of 'Karma Removal,' was spared these exploitations.

Reminiscing on those years made Lu Qingfeng smile.

Back then, everything had to be calculated precisely; obtaining a tael of Heavenly Silver in a year, which could be exchanged for a hundred Spirit Stones, was already a reason to be overjoyed.

Who would have thought that a Daoist temple established at his whim today could yield at least one or two taels of Heavenly Silver a year, with the more bustling ones gathering more than ten taels annually.

Across Lingnan County.

The six Daoist temples of Changqing Temple could accumulate twenty or thirty taels of Heavenly Silver a year, rivaling the prosperity of a Third Grade God.

And this was just the retained Incense Fire of the Daoist temples.

Within Changqing Temple, enshrined were the Capturing God General and his subordinates—the Law Enforcement Evil Extermination Admiral, the Devouring Demon Six Armored General, the Moving Mountain Overturning Sea Iron-Clad General, the Stirring Wind Drum-Shaking Heaven's Might Crimson General, and the Capturing God's Direct Talisman Upper Official—five Dharma Protecting Gods.

Lu Qingfeng alone would take fifty percent of the incense fire offerings of the temple.

The five generals seated below would jointly take twenty-five percent.

What remained in the Daoist temple was merely a quarter of the total incense fire offerings.

"Once Changqing Temple continues to grow and accumulates over time, the incense fire will be considerable."

Lu Qingfeng thought to himself as he took the Six Tripods of Incense, casually waved his hand, and transformed the incense fire into Heavenly Silver.

The Changqing Seven Sons had seen their teacher's Divine Skills before, but they couldn't help but marvel in secret at the ease and leisure with which Lu Qingfeng refined incense into Heavenly Silver.

Lu Qingfeng handed back the Six Tripods, now pure Heavenly Silver, a total of just over two taels. While Lu Qingfeng did not value this small amount of Heavenly Silver, it held wondrous uses for the Seven Sons of Changqing, whether for their own cultivation or for refining magic artifacts.

Their achievements over the past decade were inseparable from the Heavenly Silver gained from incense fire in Changqing Temple.

Apart from personal use, this Heavenly Silver could also be used to reward and cultivate their disciples and strengthen Changqing Temple.

It was something they could never have too much of.

"Now that Shouyang and Shouchun have successfully cultivated the Yin Gods, the temple's incense fire can be managed independently from now on."

"I will pass onto you the secret technique of Changqing Temple, 'Primordial Yang Heart Lamp.' You will understand its mysteries by yourselves."

Previously, without a Mage of the Yin God level in Changqing Temple, refining incense into Heavenly Silver was a tough task for Lu Qingfeng. Now, with two Mages, he didn't need to trouble himself with such errands.

Moreover, Lu Qingfeng had no patience for these mundane matters.

It just so happened that not long ago, he slightly modified the 'Luofu Heart Lamp' technique from the Luofu Sword Scripture, so that cultivators of the Fang Xian Dao could also practice it.

It had many wondrous uses, not weaker than the 'Luofu Heart Lamp.'

To differentiate, Lu Qingfeng named it 'Primordial Yang Heart Lamp.' Once mastered, it would not only benefit cultivation but also make Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and refining Heavenly Silver much easier.

"Go back and reflect on it well."

Lu Qingfeng flicked his fingers, and seven points of spirit light fell onto the foreheads of the Seven Sons of Changqing, disappearing into them.

The seven men stood there stunned. After a cursory glance, they found the technique abstruse and not easily comprehensible. However, from the little they could discern, it appeared to be among the top techniques in the world.

They were thrilled beyond measure.

In the world, mana is easy to cultivate, but wonderful methods are hard to come by. They had entered Lu Qingfeng's tutelage ten years ago, receiving five volumes of scriptures that covered the depths of cultivation, Talisman Making, Alchemy, Artifact Refining, and Arrays. Despite ten years of strenuous cultivation, they had not fully grasped it all.

Yet, they had already far surpassed many loose cultivators.

Having been granted another wonderful method, they were truly overjoyed.

The seven of them hurriedly bowed deeply to Lu Qingfeng and said in unison, "Thank you, Teacher, for imparting the technique."

"Get up."

Lu Qingfeng nodded.

He then reminded them to be extra vigilant in the coming days.

Especially in Taihu County City.

This place was the capital of Lingnan County, where the ceremony to confer titles was about to take place, and no effort could be spared.

The seven acknowledged and took their leave.

...

Lingnan County.

In Northern Yixiu County, the Yi River flows through the county seat.

Many commoners relied on the Yi River for their livelihoods.

The Yi River, flowing from north to south, spans hundreds of miles, starting from Ye County in the north to Wang Mountain in the south, passing through a total of five county cities. Over the years, it has been the most important transport artery for the northern border of Lingnan.

Recently.

In the river section of Yixiu County, a series of strange incidents occurred—

There were numerous disappearances among the boatmen. At first, no one paid much attention, but as reports of missing persons started to pile up at the County Office, they finally took notice—thirteen people had mysteriously vanished.

The county's law enforcement officers led the bailiffs to investigate, but to no avail.

The case fell into a deadlock.

Within two days of the investigation, another four boatmen met their fate, prompting the County Magistrate to dispatch the County Colonel with county soldiers to patrol the river section and figure out the reason.

Still, they came back empty-handed.

With the spirits of Yixiu County residents shaken, the County Magistrate urgently sent for Shou Chun, one of the Seven Sons of Changqing and a master of Changqing Temple from Taihu County.

However, it so happened that Mage Shou Chun was not in the temple; only an Ordained Daoist who was a Refiner could be sent.

This Daoist Jingyi, along with three disciples, came and appeared quite conscientious in his tasks. However, unbeknownst to them, the four Daoist cultivators from Changqing Temple disappeared without a trace while patrolling the river that night, not to be seen even by dawn.

The next morning, someone found the torn and bloodstained Daoist robe of Daoist Jingyi on the riverside in the wilderness.

This sent shockwaves through Yixiu County—

If even a Daoist from Changqing Temple could fall, how could ordinary people survive?

Panic ensued.

On this day.

Captain Zhenwei Wu Guang, commanding three hundred soldiers, followed the Yi River downstream, passing through Yixiu County.

Two hundred large ships sailed down against the wind and waves.

The night sky was clear.

A general holding a Yanyue Blade stood at the bow, eyes half-closed, as if in a trance. The three hundred soldiers on the ship remained silent, accompanied only by the sound of the waves and the evening breeze.