Free Web NovelChapter 385: Chapter 303: A Change in the Sect’s Direction (Part 2)
Fang Qingyuan’s stance on disciples burdened by deep-seated vengeance had always been clear. They could seek revenge, but only after accumulating enough strength. Otherwise, it was just a suicide mission.
If any disciple was truly reckless and cared for nothing but revenge, then so be it. They would first have to repay the three Top-grade Spirit Stones the sect had spent to save their life, along with the expenses for their upbringing over the years. After that, they were free to leave the Qingyuan Sect. Once all ties were severed, the sect would no longer hold them back.
The Qingyuan Sect was no charity, especially in a place like White Mountain. By refraining from theft, robbery, scams, and deceit, its principles were already far superior to most other sects. Among a heap of shameless organizations, the Qingyuan Sect—enfeoffed for three generations—was a crane standing among chickens.
After playing with Yinbao for a while and giving it many tasty treats, Fang Qingyuan watched until Yinbao ate its fill, then reluctantly departed.
Yinbao still needed to work here for a few more years. Once its little whelps grew up, Yinbao could announce its retirement.
Returning to the Marketplace, Fang Qingyuan wandered around for a long time, realizing just how hard it was to earn Spirit Stones in Nine Stars Square.
All the profitable industries were monopolized by the major sects. The market for Magical Artifacts was dominated by Vast Collection Pavilion, Treasure Pavilion, and the Li Huo Alliance. Elixir Pills were sold by the Pill Alliance, the Lianshui Alliance, and the Spirit Medicine Pavilion. As for Talismans, although the Artifact Talisman Alliance was absent, the other major powers were still operating. Fang Qingyuan even spotted a shop belonging to the Nanchu Sect here.
The industries within Nine Stars Square were primarily occupied by the great merchant houses of Qi Yun and the Beast Taming Sect. Following them were the hegemons of White Mountain, such as the Five Elements Alliance, the Illusion Sword Alliance, the White Mountain Sword Sect, and the Hehuan Sect. The nine nearest Golden Core Sects could only pick up the scraps, and as for a minor player like the Qingyuan Sect, they couldn’t even get a sip of the broth.
The profitable trades were all monopolized, leaving only labor-intensive jobs that earned meager returns. Take the camel caravans, for example. They were the equivalent of dockside boat trackers—toiling away tirelessly, only to accumulate a pittance of Spirit Stones in the end.
Fang Qingyuan took note of all this. He knew that given the Qingyuan Sect’s current status, trying to get a piece of the pie in Nine Stars Square would be incredibly difficult.
’And even if we managed to establish a profitable shop or business in Nine Stars Square, could we defend it from the covetous eyes of others?’
The Great Zhou’s enfeoffment only protected the sect from being attacked. It turned a blind eye to matters of commerce. In fact, a large number of Cultivators in the Great Zhou Academy thoroughly detested the idea of enfeoffed sects engaging in business.
Watching the people come and go, observing the myriad scenes of the marketplace, Fang Qingyuan began to ponder the future direction of the Qingyuan Sect. Should they become a merchant sect, or take the path of a local powerhouse?
The current Qingyuan Sect looked like a very traditional, righteous sect—not very White Mountain at all.
They didn’t engage in evil deeds, surviving only on income from farming and their camel caravan. As far as Fang Qingyuan knew, some sects in White Mountain occasionally moonlighted as Tribulation Cultivators, preying on lone Loose Cultivators.
There was also the business of running various gray-area industries, all of which were fast ways to make money. Because the Qingyuan Sect was enfeoffed, it was envied by others and attracted more scrutiny, so they naturally couldn’t engage in such activities.
Otherwise, if someone found leverage against them and reported it to the Great Zhou Academy, it would be a huge problem. The Academy might normally not want to get involved, but when an enfeoffed sect was implicated, they had to issue a ruling that would be publicly accepted without question.
Being enfeoffed for three generations was a protective talisman, but it also meant being under the supervision of the Great Zhou Academy. It wasn’t some death-exemption medallion that let you commit all the evil you wanted without anyone daring to touch you.
For instance, if they committed acts like kidnapping infants or harboring Demon Cultivators, the three-generation boon would be useless.
Previously, the sect still had the riches Fang Qingyuan had snatched from the fire, and with the sect’s production over the past few years, life had been relatively comfortable. But now, as the number of disciples grew and their cultivation levels rose, the expenses had naturally increased significantly.
According to the rules set by the Qingyuan Sect, the benefits one enjoyed depended on their cultivation stage. The resource allocation for a Late-stage Qi Cultivation disciple was a full five times that of an Early-stage Qi Cultivation disciple.
Fortunately, the sect currently only had two Foundation Establishment Cultivators, Jiang Wanqin and Fang Qingyuan. If there were a few more, the sect would have collapsed two years ago.
Constrained by their status, the Qingyuan Sect couldn’t engage in black market industries. Legitimate businesses didn’t bring in money easily. For now, the only option was to live off the land—or in their case, the mountain.
The Qingyuan Sect’s territory was only two to three hundred li from the Barbaric Border. Although they didn’t share a direct border, they were close. Before, when times were manageable, Fang Qingyuan hadn’t considered opening up this path, because seven or eight other sects were tangled up in the area, making the situation very complicated.
But now, he had no choice. If things continued this way, in a few more years, the sect would be unable to provide its promised benefits. Once the Spirit Stones ran out, morale would collapse, and it would be incredibly difficult to unite the sect again.
At this thought, a cold glint appeared in Fang Qingyuan’s eyes. Clearing a path from the Qingyuan Sect to the Barbaric Border would be no easy task. There would certainly be people who wouldn’t want to see that happen, and it would undoubtedly require several bloody battles to achieve.
Getting people to give up their source of wealth through pleasantries and negotiation, without resorting to violence—Fang Qingyuan didn’t think he had that kind of influence. Therefore, he had already prepared himself to annihilate entire sects.
After figuring these things out in Nine Stars Square, Fang Qingyuan lingered for a while longer. He then left the Marketplace, summoned his Spiritual Boat, and returned to the Qingyuan Sect. He called for Mao Cheng and several other core disciples of the sect to begin discussing the matter together.
Before undertaking a major endeavor, it was essential to unify opinions and thoroughly eliminate internal dissent. Although Fang Qingyuan could make unilateral decisions within the sect, he disliked acting that way. He believed that only by making his subordinates truly understand the significance of this matter from the bottom of their hearts could they unleash their greatest will and strength.
