Chapter Thirty-Five: Rewards for Recruiting Disciples into the Sect

Liao Chen watched his two disciples depart, and immediately after, the system’s voice echoed in his ears:

"Ding! The Morning Light Sect's first recruitment mission is a success. You have successfully recruited one nine-star disciple, seven eight-star disciples, twenty-three seven-star disciples, one hundred twenty-eight six-star disciples, eight hundred ninety-two five-star disciples, three thousand seven hundred fifty four-star disciples, twelve thousand three-star disciples, and fifty-eight thousand two-star disciples. A sect recruitment gift package has been awarded to the host; please check it at your convenience."

Curious about what the package contained, Liao Chen said, "Stupid system, open the sect recruitment gift package!"

System: "Sect recruitment gift package opened. Congratulations to the host for obtaining: 100 billion cultivation experience points, one 3-star Emperor Realm summoning card, seven 10-star Great Saint Realm summoning cards, one hundred twenty-eight 10-star Saint Realm summoning cards, eight hundred ninety-two 10-star Imperial Realm summoning cards, 100 tons of Foundation Establishment Pills, 100 tons of Heavenly Spirit Pills, 100 tons of Saint Essence Pills, 100 tons of Shapeshifting Pills, 100 tons of top-tier Spirit Beast Pills, 10 tons of Divine Beast Pills, 10 tons of Divine Spirit Pills, and 1 ton of top-tier Emperor Pills. Additionally: 100 tons of top-tier Enlightenment Tea, one top-tier spiritual vein, ten medicinal fields, one hundred mission towers, one hundred top-tier Enlightenment Tea trees, one hundred top-tier Bodhi trees, one World Tree, and one Sword Peak."

"Friendly reminder: ten Imperial Realm summoning cards can be synthesized into one Saint Realm summoning card; ten Saint Realm summoning cards can be synthesized into one Great Saint Realm summoning card; ten Great Saint Realm summoning cards can be synthesized into one Emperor Realm summoning card. Does the host wish to perform synthesis?"

Liao Chen shook his head and said, "Not for now. Activate the 3-star Emperor Realm summoning card!"

System: "3-star Emperor Realm summoning card activated. A powerhouse at the third level of the Emperor Realm is on their way."

Soon, a powerhouse at the third level of the Emperor Realm tore through the void and appeared before Liao Chen. This man was named Qin Yu, a grandmaster of the sword path.

"Your subordinate pays respects to the Sect Master!" Qin Yu bowed deeply to Liao Chen.

Liao Chen nodded and said, "Qin Yu, from now on, you shall be the Pavilion Master of the Sword Peak in my Morning Light Sect. If sect disciples wish to obtain swords from the Sword Peak, they must use merit points. As for how many points are required for each sword, you shall decide."

"As you command, Sect Master!" Qin Yu accepted the order and departed.

Just then, Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird appeared. Both were Emperor Realm experts who had clearly sensed the arrival of a strange Emperor Realm powerhouse in the sect, so they had come to investigate just in case.

"Master, we previously detected an Emperor Realm aura in the sect. We were wondering if you were aware of it?" Azure Dragon asked tentatively, unsure if Liao Chen already knew.

Vermilion Bird, being much sharper, knelt immediately and said, "Master, it is our negligence that allowed this person to infiltrate the sect. We deserve death! Please punish us."

Liao Chen replied calmly, "It is nothing. That is merely an elder of our sect who has just awakened from a deep slumber. I have already tasked him with guarding the Sword Peak. If you wish to make his acquaintance, you may go and pay him a visit."

Azure Dragon, not expecting Liao Chen to have more secrets, exchanged a glance with Vermilion Bird before they both left. Upon arriving at the Sword Peak and meeting Qin Yu, they were shocked to discover that the elder was a powerhouse at the third level of the Emperor Realm. The three soon introduced themselves and became acquainted.

News of the sect’s third Emperor Realm powerhouse spread quickly; such a matter was impossible to hide. When the disciples learned this expert was a grandmaster of the sword, many wanted to apprentice under him, but since Qin Yu had no intention of taking on disciples, they had to give up on the idea.

Meanwhile, the inspection delegation dispatched by the Empress of the Great Yong Dynasty had arrived in Vientiane City. The delegation consisted of twelve members, led by Captain Leng Yixuan, whose cultivation had reached the early stage of the Saint Realm. The two vice-captains, Wang Chaobei and Wang Chaonan, were both at the Imperial Realm, while the remaining nine were all experts of the Profound King Realm.

Upon arriving at the City Lord's Mansion, the delegation demanded to see the City Lord. The current Lord of Vientiane City, Jiang Fushou, walked out with his guards. Seeing them brandish the Great Yong Dynasty inspection mandate, he bowed and said, "I, Jiang Fushou, City Lord of Vientiane City, pay my respects to the Inspection Envoys!"

Leng Yixuan said sternly, "You are the current City Lord of Vientiane City? To my knowledge, the City Lord of Vientiane City is Yin Tianxiong, personally appointed by the current Empress. How did you come to occupy this position?"

Jiang Fushou replied neither servilely nor overbearingly, "Reporting to Envoy Leng, this city was indeed once governed by Yin Tianxiong. However, the Yin family committed heinous crimes and harmed the people. With the full support of the Morning Light Sect in the Myriad Demon Mountains, my Jiang family overthrew the Yin family, and the people subsequently elected me as the master of this city!"

After hearing this defense, Leng Yixuan laughed loudly, "A fine 'election by the people.' Since your Jiang family is now in charge, this envoy will certainly investigate whether your claims are true. If the Yin family was indeed as you say, it is not unacceptable for your family to have taken their place. But if your family is spouting falsehoods, the consequences need not be stated by me. Now, I ask you: since you are the master of this city, are you willing to submit to the Empress of Great Yong?"

Jiang Fushou hesitated and said, "I cannot answer Envoy Leng's question directly!"

Leng Yixuan said with some displeasure, "Oh? And why is that?"

Jiang Fushou replied, "May I ask, Envoy Leng, is the Empress the Empress of the Great Yong Dynasty, or is she the Empress of the people of the Great Yong Dynasty? If she is merely the Empress of the Great Yong Dynasty, my Jiang family would naturally be unwilling to follow her. But if she is the Empress of the people of the Great Yong Dynasty, my Jiang family would surely follow her to the death!"

"City Lord Jiang, are the Empress of the Great Yong Dynasty and the Empress of the people not the same thing? What is the difference?" Leng Yixuan, caught in the logic, could not grasp the distinction.

Jiang Fushou said solemnly, "There is a difference. If she is merely the Empress of the Great Yong Dynasty, then she is but a symbol of status, a role anyone could fill. But if she is the Empress of the people, she is the master of the Great Yong populace, representing the interests of the vast majority. My Jiang family would naturally follow such a leader to the death."

"How bold of you! Whoever the Empress represents is not for your mere family to criticize. The Jiang family is but a tiny clan; if the Empress so desired, she could annihilate your entire lineage at any time!" Before Leng Yixuan could speak, the vice-captain, Wang Chaobei, shouted in indignation. He had not expected the Jiang family to be so lawless as to disrespect the Empress; since that was the case, they could be wiped out.

Leng Yixuan raised a hand, signaling Wang Chaobei not to be too hasty. Since the Jiang family was being insubordinate, they could be destroyed at any time, but they were backed by the Morning Light Sect, so he had to handle the matter with caution.

"City Lord Jiang, I admire your family's courage. You may hold Vientiane City for now, but I expect your cooperation in our investigation into the downfall of the Yin family."

"Rest assured, Envoy Leng, my Jiang family will cooperate."

Seeing this, Leng Yixuan said no more and began his investigation starting from the City Lord's treasury. They soon discovered that the Yin family had indeed been corrupt. First, the taxes reported annually did not match the actual yields; given the economic strength of Vientiane City, it was impossible for the annual revenue to be less than ten million low-grade spirit stones.

Second, the Yin family had many treasures listed in their records, but after reporting, these items were missing from official logs—clear evidence of embezzlement.

Finally, in the handling of cases by the Yin family, many were vague or riddled with loopholes, leading to numerous miscarriages of justice.

Of course, Leng Yixuan was not particularly concerned with these past injustices. He was more interested in the whereabouts of the treasures the Yin family had privately pocketed. When he questioned Jiang Fushou about the location of these treasures, the latter could hardly admit they had been swallowed by the Jiang family, so he made up a convenient excuse to deflect.

However, Leng Yixuan would not let the matter rest easily, as these treasures were of immense value. He threatened the Jiang family, demanding they hand over the assets truthfully, or else they would face total destruction.