Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 247 Unshirkable Responsibility
In the spacious and bright waiting room, Song Xian strode in from outside. Huang Ye was already sitting inside. Upon seeing him, he bowed.

"Please sit down! Did you come here today because of the matter of Xu Ning and Cheng Qian?"

Huang Ye is in charge of the sect's intelligence team and is also his adviser. He will discuss any major events in the sect with him.

"No. I heard a piece of news yesterday that was related to the attack on Qin Feng and the leak of the Yuxiang Pill formula."

"what news?"

Song Xian's expression changed slightly. This matter has always been a knot in his heart. The sect has not been able to find out who was responsible for the incident that day. They only suspected the Ding family, but there was no real evidence, so the matter was left unresolved.

Huang Ye said, "This matter may be related to the Kong family. Recently, a member of the Kong family got drunk at Tianxiang Tower and told others that he had carried out a mission a few years ago and had given the Hunyuan Sect a lecture."

"I've sent someone to Tianxiang Tower to inquire about the details. The general situation is that the person at the table and the Kong family disciple were drinking together and discussing the various sects in Bianxi City. The fellow monk praised our sect highly, and then the Kong family disciple, while drunk, brought up this matter."

"Kong family?" Song Xian narrowed his eyes slightly. If what this Kong family member said was true, then the lesson he was referring to was probably killing Qin Feng and leaking the matter of Yuxiang Pill.

But why did the Kong family do this? Was it because he planned to relocate the market without consulting the Kong family, making them feel disrespected?

Song Xian had never thought that this matter had anything to do with the Kong family, because the two sides had never had any intersection.

"You must investigate this matter secretly and be cautious. No matter what, we cannot conflict with the Kong family now."

"I see."

"You've heard about the incident with Xu Ning and Cheng Qian, right? I was just about to ask for your opinion. What do you think should be done?"

"The Sect Master should have the answer to this question! If we act like good people and get along with everyone, there's certainly ample reason to give him a lighter punishment. However, doing so would be detrimental to the sect's future development."

.........

In the majestic and spacious hall, all the core members of Hunyuan Sect gathered together. They all obviously had their own thoughts, but no one said a word, and the atmosphere was a little subtle.

After an unknown amount of time, Song Xian came in from outside, and everyone stood up almost at the same time and saluted him.

"Please take a seat, fellow disciples! You all should have known that Junior Brother Cheng Qian privately refined the Jade Fragrance Pill and colluded with Senior Brother Xu Ning to sell it secretly in Qingfengfang. I have called everyone together to discuss today, just to hear your opinions on what kind of punishment should be given to the two and other participants." Song Xian sat down in the main seat and waved his hand for everyone to sit down.

“Everyone can bring forward any ideas and speak freely.”

As soon as the words fell, Lin Zixiang spoke first: "Junior Brother Xu Ning has followed us from Qingyun Sect. He has worked hard and made great contributions over the years. Although he violated the sect rules this time, considering that this is his first offense and he is willing to surrender his ill-gotten gains, he should be given a lighter punishment."

"Of course, including Cheng Qian and the other disciples involved in this matter, as long as they hand over the proceeds from the private sale of the Jade Fragrance Pill, they should be given a lighter sentence."

"My suggestion is that Junior Brother Xu Ning be put in solitary confinement for six months and fined one year's salary. Junior Brother Cheng Qian be put in solitary confinement for one year and fined two years' salary. The rest of the participants be put in solitary confinement for three months and fined six months' salary."

This punishment is exactly the same as what Zhong Wenyuan proposed yesterday. It is obvious that the two have discussed it.

"I agree with Senior Brother Lin's proposal." Jiang Zichen immediately agreed.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Quan, Qi Xiaobai, Lu Yuan, Zhang Ningyuan and others also spoke up, pleading for the two men, saying that they should be shown leniency and given lenient sentences.

No one wants to offend others for no reason. The core members of Hunyuan Sect have a good relationship with Xu Ning and Cheng Qian. With Zhong Wenyuan acting as the liaison, they have reached a consensus.

What's more, if I protect Xu Ning and Cheng Qian today, there will be someone to protect me if I break the rules of the sect in the future.

Song Xian remained silent, and his face showed no emotion.

After everyone had expressed their opinions one by one, he spoke slowly in a very low voice.

"These past few days, I've been thinking about the past, about when we set out from Qingyun Sect and were robbed and killed by the Sheshan bandits."

"I remember when we first arrived at Solitary Peak, we were met with such cold stares."

"Thinking back to when we were surviving between the Qingyuan Sect and the Loose Cultivator Alliance, it was so difficult."

"There is no doubt that Senior Brother Xu Ning has made great contributions to the sect. He has made a great contribution to the sect's current status."

"However, merits are merits, and faults are faults. They must not be confused. The sect has developed to this point, and there is no turning back."

"If we turn a blind eye to this matter just because of Senior Brother Xu's previous contributions, then what is the point of the sect's rules?"

"If the sect's rules are not binding, the sect's collapse is only a matter of time."

"If we give Senior Brothers Xu Ning and Cheng Qian a lighter punishment today, the other disciples in the sect will surely follow suit. Should we give everyone a lighter punishment?"

"If we don't have credibility, what are we for?"

"Therefore, Senior Brother Xu Ning, Junior Brother Cheng Qian, and the other disciples involved will be punished according to the sect's rules."

"For disciples who embezzled more than 5,000 spirit stones but less than 10,000 spirit stones, according to the sect rules, they should be sentenced to 30 years in prison. Since they are willing to hand over the embezzled spirit stones, they can be given a lighter sentence of only 20 years."

As he finished speaking, Song Xian's face became solemn. Although his voice was low, it had a sense of majesty. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle as he swept over the crowd.

"Here, taking advantage of this opportunity to discuss matters, I would like to remind all of you fellow disciples not to take the sect's rules lightly."

"Let me be frank. No matter how great your achievements are or how deep your experience is, as long as you violate the sect's rules, I will act in accordance with the rules and will never show partiality or bend the law."

"If you do something wrong, don't say I don't care about our friendship."

.........

Xu Ning and Cheng Qian were eventually sentenced to twenty years in prison, and soul-binding talismans were placed in their bodies, and they were imprisoned in cells.

After the news came out, it immediately caused an uproar in the sect and aroused heated discussions among the disciples.

No one would have thought that someone with Xu Ning's qualifications and status would sell Yuxiangdan privately and be banned for twenty years.

The reason why Song Xian ignored the opposition and made the decision on his own was not only to uphold the sect's laws and regulations, but also to serve as a warning to Zhong Wenyuan, Lin Zixiang and others.

He was a little hesitant at first, but as more and more people came to plead for mercy, his determination became stronger.

Because he discovered that the situation on the mountain inside the sect might be even more serious than he saw.

For such an incident that obviously harmed the sect's interests, everyone was unanimous in their demand for a lenient sentence for Xu Ning, with only six months in prison and a one-year salary fine.

Even Feng Yan and Zhang Ningyuan, who usually didn't get along with Zhong Wenyuan, came to his aid. Didn't they know how much damage this would do to the sect's prestige?
They must have known it, but no one dared to speak out.

This made Song Xian very disappointed, and he became more determined to punish severely to serve as a warning to others.

Since no one wants to offend others and no one wants to be the bad guy, then he, as the headmaster, has no choice but to do his duty.

He has deeply felt that the current Hunyuan Sect is no longer the same as before. The team is larger, the interests are greater, and the people's hearts are more complicated.

.........

In the dim room, George Lam and Zhong Wenyuan sat opposite each other.

"Brother Wenyuan, don't you feel that the headmaster is becoming more and more tyrannical now?" Lin Zixiang took a sip of wine, feeling a little indignant.

"As for Junior Brother Xu Ning's matter, it's only a few thousand spirit stones, no big deal! Why is it necessary to make such a big deal out of it? A full twenty years! Doesn't this end Junior Brother Xu's path to cultivation? When he is released from prison, having missed these twenty years, how can he even have the chance to build a foundation?"

"Junior Brother Xu followed us all the way from Qingyun Sect and has always worked hard for the sect. Just because of greed and a mistake, he was tortured to death. Is it really necessary?"

"To be fair, considering Junior Brother Xu's qualifications, being the shop manager at Qingfengfang is too low a position. Tell me who are the shop managers at our shop now."

"Feng Yan has a low level of cultivation and little experience, yet she became the head of commerce. Many of the people under her are people I've never even met, yet they've all become heads of shops in other cities and markets."

"And Junior Brother Xu, you were just promoted to the head of the Qingfengfang shop a few years ago. Is this fair?"

"It's understandable that Junior Brother Xu secretly obtained some spirit stones for his foundation building needs. But locking him up in a cell for twenty years is too much, isn't it? It's disheartening."

"Stop talking, Junior Brother Zixiang." Zhong Wenyuan frowned and stopped his complaints, then poured him another glass of wine. "Just say this to me, and don't mention it to outsiders. The sect is no longer what it used to be."

"Yes!" Lin Zixiang sighed, "It's not like before. Now that the sect has so many new members, so many independent cultivators who have joined, and the Tianshan Sect, the headmaster no longer needs to rely on us. Your opinion and mine are not important anymore. In the past, he would never have been so arbitrary."

Zhong Wenyuan heard his words becoming increasingly outrageous, and quickly stopped him, saying, "Don't say that. The Sect Master trusts and relies on us the most. He has his reasons for doing this. I understand."

"It's fine if he insisted on using the sect rules to punish Junior Brother Xu, but what about that last sentence during the meeting? What does it mean? No matter how great the merits or how deep the seniority, it's clearly a reference to us."

"They're not targeting us specifically. They're probably worried that other brothers might be in the same situation. Since the headmaster has made it clear, we should take it seriously. It's best to warn those people you recommended before so that they don't cause any trouble and implicate you. It would be embarrassing."

Lin Zixiang's expression changed slightly: "I'm not like Junior Brother Xu."

"I know, but the people below should also be more careful."

…………

Time flies, and a few years pass in the blink of an eye.

In April, Bianxi City is in full bloom, and it is a season of beautiful days and gentle breezes.

The Beastmaster Sect's Foundation Establishment selection competition, held every ten years, was also carried out as scheduled. As usual, before the day of the competition, the area around Yixian Peak was already bustling with activity. The entrance was filled with stalls set up by independent cultivators, and the shouts were endless.

On the day of the competition, there were huge crowds of people and it was extremely lively.

"Master Song is here too." In the inner court of Yixian Peak, Song Xian and his group had just sat down when a middle-aged man with a full beard led his group over from a distance.

"It's Master Liu. Long time no see." The person who came was Liu Yong, the master of Zhenjiang Liu Sect nearby.

"Will Sect Leader Song participate in the selection competition this time?"

"Since we are attending this grand event, of course I want to participate. Master Liu has also signed up, right?" Song Xian asked when he saw that his cultivation had reached the tenth level of Qi Refining.

"I am just accompanying the prince to study, just to liven things up. If you encounter Sect Leader Song, please show some mercy."

"Master Liu is too modest."

The two exchanged pleasantries, and Liu Yong took his men away.

Several people sat down here, and Zhang Ningyuan came quickly from behind.

"Master, I've inquired. There are twenty-three people participating in this round of competition, eight of whom are at the ninth level of Qi Refining, and fifteen at the tenth level. Among them is a cultivator with a single gold spiritual root, a descendant of the Kong family named Kong Xiangyuan. His odds of winning are very high, so he should be a formidable opponent."

Kong Xiangyuan, Song Xian thought silently in his heart.

It is highly likely that the Kong family was behind Qin Feng's murder and the leak of the Yuxiang Pill. Huang Ye has secretly investigated and found many clues. Although there is no conclusive evidence, all the information points to the Kong family.

Only because of his great power, Song Xian pretended to know nothing.

He never mentioned this matter to other people in the sect, but just kept it in his heart.

"Brother Wenyuan, let's just treat this as paying tuition. There's no need to feel any pressure." Song Xian saw Zhong Wenyuan frowning and looking a little serious after hearing this, so he comforted him with a smile.

Not only he participated this time, Zhong Wenyuan had also signed up. His cultivation had entered the tenth level of Qi Refining earlier than Song Xian. Although he had not yet reached the Great Perfection, he could not participate much.

Zhong Wenyuan said sternly, "With my strength, it's basically impossible for me to win the championship. I'm participating in this competition just to broaden my horizons and see how I compare to the other cultivators in Bianxi City. But Master, you can't just focus on participating. You must give it your all. This is related to your future foundation building."

"If we can get the opportunity to go to the Beastmaster Sect's mountain gate to build our foundation, we must strive for it. After all, the richer the spiritual energy, the greater the success rate. This is no joke. Even if the success rate increases by just a little, it is very important."

In order to participate in this competition, the two have fought many times at the mountain gate. He is well aware of Song Xian's current strength.

The two have fought many times, but he has never won once. For him, participating in this competition is more like a runner-up.

"Brother Wenyuan, there's no need to underestimate yourself. Everything is possible. You never know the outcome until the very end."

A few people were chatting until around noon, when they saw two beams of light shooting out from the northwest, revealing two figures: Jiang Feng and another Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Beastmaster Sect who was in charge of the competition and selection.

The two appeared in the middle of the venue, and the noise around them immediately became much quieter.

"Junior Brother Huo Yuan from our sect is in charge of the selection for this competition, and he has the final say." Jiang Feng's words came out with rolling spiritual power, and fell clearly into the ears of everyone inside and outside the competition arena.

Without any opening remarks, he went straight to explaining the rules of the competition.

"The competition is one-on-one. Both parties must rely on their own strength and are not allowed to use any external forces, including talismans, magic tools, formations, spirit beasts, and other external objects..."

(End of this chapter)