Hunyuan Immortal Sect

Chapter 263 A visit from an old friend
"Junior Brother Lin didn't mean that. He felt that such a big change needs to be more detailed. For example, who will join the Punishment Hall, who will join the Personnel Hall, and how many people will be assigned to the Hunyuan Sect, Tianshan Camp, and the Guards? This needs to be discussed and decided slowly." Seeing that the atmosphere was a little tense, Zhong Wenyuan hurriedly tried to smooth things over and cover for Lin Zixiang.

The others sat upright with a serious expression. Even George Lam was refuted mercilessly, so they didn't dare to speak out in rebuttal.

Song Xian followed Zhong Wenyuan's words and continued, "I have already explained the responsibilities of each of the sect's government affairs halls, so I won't repeat myself here. Now let's talk about the subordinate institutions of each hall."

"The Punishment Hall has three subordinate departments: Discipline Peak, Prison Peak, and Pacification Peak."

"The Discipline Peak is responsible for judging disciples who violate the sect's rules, the Pacification Peak is responsible for apprehending disciples who violate the sect's rules, and the Prison Peak is responsible for detaining and caring for convicted disciples in the prison cells."

"The Personnel Department has three subordinate departments: the Appointment and Adjustment Department, the Review and Appraisal Department, and the Administrative Department."

"The Rentiao Peak is responsible for the transfer of sect disciples. The Heshen Peak is responsible for background checks on disciples, such as the meritorious service of disciples and the background checks on new disciples joining the sect. The Sili Peak is responsible for personnel transfers, such as the rotation of staff in the main hall, the staffing of the training rooms, and so on."

"The Ministry of Finance has three departments under it, namely the Finance Expenditure Department, the Finance Revenue Department, and the Investigation and Appraisal Department."

"The Expenditure and Revenue Peak is responsible for the sect's expenses. The Finance Peak is responsible for the sect's income. The Investigation and Examination Peak is responsible for the sect's asset review."

"The Internal Affairs Department has three departments: Miscellaneous Affairs Peak, Spiritual Affairs Peak, and Educational Affairs Peak."

"The Miscellaneous Affairs Peak is responsible for the disciples' food, clothing, housing, and transportation. The Spiritual Affairs Peak is responsible for the sect's alchemy, weapon refining, talisman making, puppet making, and spirit beast making. The Teaching Affairs Peak is responsible for guiding the sect's disciples' cultivation and teaching them techniques, including the cultivation of disciples who have not yet reached the mortal stage."

"His Highness the Imperial Court has three departments: the Economic and Trade Department, the External Relations Department, and the Resources Department."

"The Economic and Trade Peak is responsible for the sect's commercial affairs. The External Relations Peak is responsible for the sect's external communications. The Materials Peak is responsible for purchasing the sect's supplies."

"The Supervisory Palace has three departments: the Internal Affairs Department, the External Affairs Department, and the Resources Department."

"The Internal Inspection Peak is responsible for supervising all personnel within the sect. The External Inspection Peak is responsible for external inspections, reviewing the sect's resources outside its jurisdiction. The Asset Inspection Peak is responsible for reviewing the sect's other assets."

"Each hall is currently allocated twenty personnel. As for personnel appointments, you, the heads and deputy heads of the political halls, will be responsible. Submit a list to me after discussion."

"There are also the Guard Battalion, the Hunyuan Battalion, and the Tianshan Battalion. Each battalion consists of three teams, each with a uniform allocation of fifty men."

"The Guard Battalion is responsible for the security of the mountain gate, the Hunyuan Battalion is responsible for guarding the security of the various resource areas, and the Tianshan Battalion is responsible for the security of the two inspection areas."

"Other personnel, such as shop managers and managers of resource areas, remain in their respective positions."

…………

Although the sect's restructuring seems to be a huge storm of personnel changes, in fact the personnel changes are not particularly large. It only weakens and strengthens the powers of some people.

This is because the core members here already have some subordinates.

For example, when Lu Yuan was in charge of the sect's finances before, he already had more than a dozen disciples assisting him, and these people still belonged to the Finance Hall.

Similarly, departments like the Penalty Hall, Personnel Hall, and External Affairs Hall are under the charge of George Lam, Chung Man-yuen, and Zhang Ning-yuen.

They just need to pull all the disciples who previously assisted in management into the current government halls.

The same is true for the Guard Camp, Hunyuan Camp, and Tianshan Camp.

Lin Quan of Tianshan Camp was responsible for guarding the mountain gate and managing a group of disciples.

Not to mention the guard battalion, Zhong Wenyuan already has great influence in the sect, and many of the sect disciples support him.

Dolph of Tianshan Camp is also the leader of the Muhe Grassland monks in Tianshan Sect. Just bring them into Tianshan Camp.

The only major changes were in the Internal Affairs Hall and the Inspection Hall.

This was originally a matter under the jurisdiction of Zhong Wenyuan, but now it has been separated and divided into two separate government halls, with Qi Xiaobai and Huang He taking up these positions. Neither of them had been in charge of these matters before, but they were both core members and had some followers.

Qi Xiaobai is very popular among the sect's independent cultivators, and has been in charge of the Alchemy Hall for a long time. He is a prestigious person among the sect's independent cultivators.

Huang He was the leader of the Qin monks of the Tianshan sect. Both of them were already quite influential, so taking on this position was naturally not a problem.

The meeting lasted for a long time, with Song Xian speaking most of the time. Occasionally someone would interject and raise a few specific questions, but no one dared to directly raise any objections.

Lin Zixiang sat there with a grim expression, not saying a word. It was not until Song Xian announced the end of the meeting that everyone stood up and left.

.........

At night, the moon is bright, the sky is full of stars, and the house is brightly lit.

George Lam sat at the desk, drinking cup after cup of wine.

"Junior Brother Lin, don't take it too seriously. The Sect Master has his reasons for doing this. Taking this opportunity to merge the Tianshan Sect into our sect will definitely be beneficial to the development of the sect." Zhong Wenyuan sat opposite him, drank with him, and comforted him.

Lin Zixiang drank the wine in his glass in one gulp. "I'm not upset about this. Senior Brother Zhong saw everything that happened today. The Sect Master has now broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and is a high and mighty Foundation Establishment cultivator. He no longer needs us. It's a shame for him to decide on such a big matter without consulting us."

"Those arrangements were clearly aimed at us. I just said we'd consider it in the long run, and he embarrassed me in front of so many people."

"Ever since he arrived at Tianshan and became the head of the Tianshan sect, he's become even more stubborn and self-willed. It's fine that he doesn't listen to our opinions on some things, but now I have to look at his face before I can even say a word. I never thought he would become like this. It's unbelievable."

"If this continues, our position in the sect will become increasingly untenable."

"Brother Zhong, I advise you to worry less about the sect's affairs and focus more on your cultivation. Improving your own cultivation and breaking through the foundation is the key."

Zhong Wenyuan looked at him deeply and said nonchalantly, "I think it's because of Tian Qi's matter that the Sect Master was angered. Although the Sect Master didn't say it openly, he must have thought that we were in cahoots with Tian Qi, so he made this decision without consulting us. Junior Brother Lin, we must be more careful when employing people in the future. This incident also shows that we didn't judge people well. We must be more careful about the disciples below us from now on."

Lin Zixiang paused his movements and then snorted softly, "In the final analysis, it's because he broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage that he's become a bit arrogant. If I had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage back then, would he have treated me like this?"

"No matter where you are, cultivation is the foundation of your life, whether inside or outside the sect. If your cultivation is low, you won't be able to gain a foothold, and others will not respect you. No matter how great your contributions to the sect are or how senior you are, it won't matter. Now I have deeply realized this."

Zhong Wenyuan advised, "That's not the case. Although the Sect Master may have some opinions about us, he still values ​​us. We are still the elders of the sect. You are in charge of punishment, and I am in charge of personnel. I am also the first to sit on the sect cabinet. This shows that the Sect Master trusts us."

"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore." George Lam shook his head, picked up the wine glass and took another sip.

The news of the sect's restructuring quickly spread throughout Tianshan Mountain and immediately caused heated discussion.

Under Song Xian's leadership, it took two months for all personnel to complete their assignments step by step. In the dimly lit room, Zhong Wenyuan was reporting the progress to him.

"Thank you for your hard work, Senior Brother Wenyuan." Song Xian closed the thick file in his hand.

"I didn't discuss this with you because I was worried that leaking the information would cause dissatisfaction among the original Tianshan Sect monks. If they joined forces to oppose it, it would be really troublesome. So I wanted to cut the Gordian knot and suddenly announce it when no one knew about it. I made a decision at lightning speed and forced this matter forward. If we drag it out and take a long time to discuss it, who knows how long it will take to get it done."

"I understand." Zhong Wenyuan responded, "The Sect Master's decision is correct. I fully support it. The Tianshan Sect should no longer maintain its independent existence. It's time to promote integration."

"You are the chief of the cabinet, and you will still be responsible for the sect's affairs in the future. There is something I need to tell you. Now that the Tianshan Sect and our sect have merged into one, there should be no more sectarianism. Whether treating the former Tianshan Sect monks or the former sect disciples, try to treat them equally." Song Xian gave earnest instructions.

There is nothing wrong with Zhong Wenyuan in other aspects except that he likes to form factions and draw camps. This is an old habit he had when he was in the Qingyun Sect, and it is still the same today.

There is a clear difference in how he treats his disciples, Tianshan Sect monks, and independent cultivators. This is why the trend of having many sects on different mountains is becoming more and more prevalent.

Of course, this is definitely not his sole responsibility, there are objective reasons, but as the elder in charge of political affairs, he is also inseparable from it. His actions have undoubtedly exacerbated the sect's factionalism.

Song Xian was the one who least wanted this situation, but there was nothing he could do about it. He could rely on his cultivation and prestige to force the integration of Tianshan Sect and Hunyuan Sect, but he could not bridge the rift in people's hearts.

Once a barrier between people's hearts is formed, it is difficult to eliminate it.

It was impossible for him to replace Zhong Wenyuan. Taking advantage of the opportunity of the sect's restructuring to deprive him of some of his powers was already a form of suppression.

As a sect elder, he is conscientious and has made outstanding contributions to the sect.

"Master, don't worry, I know what to do." Zhong Wenyuan nodded.

"You don't have to handle all the sect's affairs yourself. You can let your subordinates do it. It will also give them an opportunity to gain experience. Don't delay your own cultivation. Brother Wenyuan has reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, right? When are you going to build your foundation?"

"I want to wait a little longer to perfect my technique. In a few years, I'll participate in the Beastmaster Sect's foundation-building selection competition. If I can get the opportunity to go to the Beastmaster Sect's mountain gate to build my foundation, my chances of success will be much higher. Then I can try to break through to the foundation-building stage. If that doesn't work, I'll see how the situation develops."

"If you have any difficulties, please feel free to ask. The sect will fully support you. If you don't have enough spirit stones, we can use the sect treasury to pay for it."

"Master, don't worry. I have saved up a lot of spirit stones over the years, which is enough for this foundation-building."

"By the way, what has Senior Brother Zixiang been doing recently? I haven't seen him for a long time. He seemed unhappy during the last meeting. Could he be angry with me?" Song Xian said casually.

"How could that be? The Sect Master knows Junior Brother Lin. He's not the petty type. He's been practicing in seclusion recently, preparing to make another push for the Foundation Establishment Stage."

"This time, the sect is restructuring and forming a cabinet. Senior Brother Zixiang is only serving as the second-in-command. This is because he doesn't usually take care of the sect's political affairs, so this is the arrangement."

"Junior Brother Lin also supports the sect's reform. He proposed a long-term plan in the main hall that day. He was somewhat surprised by the sudden news. The Sect Master knew that Junior Brother Lin was a straightforward person, so he blurted it out."

"Senior Brother Zixiang is too straightforward, so I'm worried he'll be deceived. I heard that Tian Qi and Senior Brother Zixiang are very close, and he got the position of head of the Chiyan Mine through Senior Brother Zixiang. Senior Brother Wenyuan will have to help Senior Brother Zixiang check things out in the future."

Zhong Wenyuan looked up at Song Xian. When their eyes met, he quickly looked away, realizing that Song Xian already knew the inside story and that his words were clearly a warning to him.

"Yes, I will remind Junior Brother Lin."

Song Xian did not continue to dwell on this matter. In fact, he did not want to have such a roundabout and vague conversation, but there was no way. He could not just say, "I know that Tian Qi's corruption was instructed by Alan Tam."

There are some things that everyone knows but cannot be said openly.

“How’s the construction going on Stone Ridge?”

"Everything is going smoothly and is progressing steadily."

"Now we can send people to the Muhe Grassland to do publicity. Also, send a few Muhe Grassland monks to contact the forces in Dongluo City and invite them to join the gambling city. The conditions can be slightly relaxed."

"it is good."

As the two were talking, a young man with a pale face and no beard walked out the door and reported from across the room, "Master, Senior Brother Lin Quan has come to see you regarding something important."

"Invite him!"

"Yes." The man responded and left.

After Song Xian broke through the Foundation Establishment Realm, he selected three disciples from the sect to serve as his followers.

After all, he is a foundation-building cultivator, and he needs disciples to help him pass messages and run errands. Otherwise, he would be laughed at and look too undignified.

So he selected three people with good spiritual roots from the disciples trained by the sect to serve as his followers and be at his disposal.

All three of them had clean family backgrounds and possessed three spiritual roots. Their parents and relatives were still alive and had been brought to live near Tianshan Mountain, so their backgrounds were very clean.

The person who just spoke was named Zhao Jian, and he was at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

The other two are named Zhuang Yan, who has reached the third level of Qi Refining.

One of them is named Lu Mengjing, who is also a cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Not long after, Lin Quan came in from outside. He glanced at Zhong Wenyuan and respectfully bowed to Song Xian: "Master, there is a foundation-building cultivator from Apu outside the mountain gate who wants to see you. He claims to be your old friend."

A Pu? When Song Xian heard this name, he unconsciously exchanged glances with Zhong Wenyuan.

There was surprise in both of their eyes.

This Apu is undoubtedly the Apules Hussein who was rescued by Zhong Wenyuan that year.

The sect earned its first pot of gold from him, and the golden-armored ants that Song Xian is raising now were also obtained through his channels.

It has been many years since I went to the island with him to search for treasure, and there has been no news from him. I didn't expect him to come to my door again today.

As for the fact that Apu had become a foundation-building cultivator, Song Xian was not surprised. After all, he had already reached the tenth level of Qi Refining back then.

(End of this chapter)