Chronicles of Celestial Origins

Zheng Jiehuai said: "We want to show off to the Qianyi Sect. We can't be so passive. This is exactly why we have come here to meet our junior brothers. Should we directly attack their camp and fight them decisively? Or should we fight with them? Just like the Qian Yizong, they sent multiple teams to attack in all directions, mainly to intercept their property. "

The white and elegant man below said: "Since Qian Yizong has no intention of fighting with us, we don't need to attack their camp directly. After all, their overall strength is not weaker than ours. If we fight, both sides will lose, and it will not be of any benefit to us." If the disciples want to make meritorious deeds, let them do it! I can send more people to attack their various industrial points to make them busy."

Zheng Jiehuai said: "What do you junior fellow apprentices think?"

The people below all nodded in agreement, obviously no one really wanted to go into battle in person and fight to the death with Qian Yizong.

The old man with pale beard and hair said: "There is one more thing that deserves warning. Qian Yizong seems to know our actions very well. We must have many Xuanmen monks inside, so we have to guard against this."

Zheng Jiehuai smiled and said: "The reason why we can grow rapidly is because the sea is open to all rivers and welcomes all comers. As for a few Taoist craftsmen sneaking in among them, it is not surprising. How can we give up eating because of choking?"

"The victory or defeat among sects depends on the overall strength. If we can overwhelm Xuanmen with a big advantage, what do a few sneaky little people mean to us?"

"But this matter cannot be ignored completely, let's do this! A supervisory agency can be set up to find out the sect's secret work. Junior Brother Qiu, you will be responsible for this matter! Find some reliable people to monitor the internal disciples."

"Junior Brother Wu, you can select a group of capable disciples to attack Xuanmen's industrial points."

"Yes." Several people responded

A few months passed in the blink of an eye. Tang Ning was sitting cross-legged in the wooden house. A beam of light came from outside, revealing the figure of a man with a tall and straight body and handsome features: "Senior Brother Tang, Uncle Shi invites you to come and discuss matters."

Tangning didn't dare to neglect, so she got up and walked out of the wooden house with him, and came to the stone hall in front of the formation altar.

Yin Qingyuan and Fang Xiangming were already here. He stepped forward and bowed: "Disciple pays homage to Uncle Shi."

"Sit down!" Shi Ming said.

"Yes." Tangning took a seat below.

Not long after, Zhou Zhongwen also arrived, bowed and took his seat.

Shi Ming followed: "A few days ago, the Demon Sect organized manpower to launch attacks on our sect's Jingyun Mountain Spirit Mine, Yuxuan Mountain Spirit Mine, Pingling Yagu, Qiya Grassland and other industrial areas. Although the disciples stationed in each production area We tried our best to fight back, but we were still unable to catch them. By the time the sect’s support arrived, the Demon Sect disciples had already retreated.”

"You may have heard about this. This is a retaliatory attack by the Demon Sect. I predict that it will not stop here and will definitely take other actions. Therefore, I have called you here to take corresponding countermeasures."

"Uncle Master, please give me your instructions." Several people said.

Shi Ming then said: "Currently, the sect has deployed additional manpower in various industrial areas. You are not needed to guard it for the time being. However, it is now the time when the assets of cultivating families in various places are handed over. I don't think the Demon Sect will let it go." This time, we will definitely send manpower to attack and plunder the supplies, but the escort manpower is not enough, so you need to be responsible for escorting them back to the sect to prevent the Demon Sect from intercepting them on the way."

"The four of you will each lead a team of disciples and be responsible for the escort of one place. Yin Qingyuan, you will be responsible for the escort of materials in Jiangdong."

"Zhou Zhongwen, you are responsible for escorting the assets of the Central Plains."

"Fang Xiangming, you are responsible for escorting the assets in South China."

"Tangning, you are responsible for escorting Beiyuan's assets."

"Yes." Several people responded one after another.

"When you arrive at the local area, you will directly hand over to the disciples of the sect's external relations department and the external imperial department."

"yes."

"The last time you performed a sect mission, each team's manpower was dead or injured. This time we have added new manpower to you. When they arrive, you will set off immediately." Shi Ming followed and shouted: "Come on. people."

Two disciples on duty outside the door came into the hall and saluted: "Master, what are your orders?"

Shi Ming waved his hand, and a piece of paper fell in front of them: "Go and summon these people to discuss matters."

"Yes." The two of them responded and left.

Not long after, one disciple from outside walked in one after another, saluted and stood aside.

The people summoned by Shi Ming were divided into several teams, each under Tang Ning's four.

Everyone took the order, left the hall, and turned into light and left.

In addition to Chen Da and Jin Shan, there are two new members in Tang Ning's team. One of them is Yang Xian, a disciple of Xuande Hall's Military Staff Department. One person's name is Yan Yunlong, a disciple of the Fulu Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Both of them were in the middle stage of foundation building. The group left the sect and within two days arrived in Beiyuan and landed in a Taoist temple.

As soon as they were out of sight, a man wearing Qian Yizong costumes came towards them and saluted Tang Ning and others: "Senior uncles are here, what are your orders?"

"Is Junior Brother Zhu Tao here? We are here under the order of the sect. You take us to see him."

When the disciple saw that several people had advanced cultivation and came under the orders of the sect, he thought something big had happened, and his expression changed slightly: "Uncle Zhu is in the hall, please invite me."

Several people followed him to the main hall in the backyard of the Taoist temple and pushed in. In the hall, a man with rosacea and slightly white temples was chatting happily with another burly middle-aged man.

Seeing several people arriving, both of them were stunned for a moment.

"Uncle Zhu, these uncles said they were ordered by the sect to come to see you." The disciple said from the side.

"I wonder how many senior brothers are you?" the man with rosacea asked.

Tang Ning glanced at the burly middle-aged man.

The man immediately said tactfully: "Fellow Daoist Zhu, I will take my leave first."

Zhu Tao nodded, and the man left the hall and disappeared.

Tang Ning flipped his hand, took out the sect token and a piece of paper, handed it to him and said: "Brother Zhu, I am Tang Ning from the Intelligence Department. This time, we are ordered by Uncle Shi from the Qingxuan Hall to take over the transportation of materials in Beiyuan."

Zhu Tao took the token and the paper, took a look at it, and returned it to him with a smile on his face: "Brothers, please take a seat quickly."

Several people sat down one after another, and Zhu Tao said: "What are the names of these brothers?"

"Chen Da from the Sili Department of the Qingxuan Hall."

"Jin Shang from the Inspection Department of the Jiemiyuan."

"Yang Xian from the Bingzhang Department of the Xuande Hall."

"Yan Yunlong from the Fulu Department of the Internal Affairs Department."

Several people said one by one.

Tang Ning said: "Brother Zhu, Uncle Shi sent us here to escort the materials handed in by the families to prevent the Demon Sect from looting. You must have heard about the Demon Sect's attacks on our industries a few days ago."

Zhu Tao said: "To be honest, I am worried about the Demon Sect! It's just right that you are here. With you in charge of the escort, I have nothing to worry about."

Chen Da asked: "Who was that just now?"

"Cai Xingzong is the head of a local cultivation family. I have some friendship with him, and he invited me to his mansion for a banquet."

Tang Ning asked: "Now, the taxes that the families should pay are all Have you paid it?" Zhu Tao said, "I have sent people to various places to collect taxes. People's minds have changed now, especially those cultivation families, who are ready to move. Many of them want to join the Demon Sect." "Over the years, it has become increasingly difficult to collect taxes. Some families have repeatedly delayed and paid less with various excuses. There is no other way but to urge them again and again." "Don't be afraid of being laughed at by you brothers. I feel like I am not even a debt collector. I am just like a beggar. Every time I go to collect taxes, I say all the good things! I am just begging for help." When he said this, everyone laughed. Only Chen Da looked unhappy: "Why, do they dare to refuse to pay?" "That's not the case. It's just like doing business. If you want to bargain!" "Aren't there strict standards for the amount of taxes? Why is bargaining allowed?" Zhu Tao was somewhat at a loss for words when he asked this question. Tang Ning knew the reason. The sect collected taxes and profits according to the proportion of the industry, but the local families had the problem of underreporting and underreporting the number. This was almost an open secret.

For example, a herb garden planted 1,000 herbs, but the subordinates only reported that 500 were planted, so they only had to pay 250 herbs.

Or, a mineral producing area dug out 30,000 kilograms of minerals a year, but the subordinates only reported that 20,000 were dug, so they only had to pay 10,000.

Chen Da had always worked in the sect's Sili Department, so he naturally didn't understand the following intricacies. Tang Ning had served as a local chief, so he knew it very well.

He changed the subject and asked, "Is the tax collection going smoothly this time? How much has been collected?"

"So far, only some small families have paid taxes, and none of the major cultivation families have paid."

Tang Ning said, "When will the disciples from the Yuanyi Palace's outer defense department and the External Liaison Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrive?"

"At the earliest, they will arrive within seven or eight days, and at the latest, within twenty days."

As soon as he finished speaking, a disciple pushed the door open and bowed to Zhu Tao.

"You are back, how is it? Have you received the supplies?"

The disciple replied, "The Cao family said that they will have a few days to prepare."

"I know, you go!"

"Yes." The disciple responded and retreated.

Zhu Tao smiled bitterly, "The Cao family is a local big family that controls many resource production areas. Since the Hu family, which borders them, changed their flags and turned to the Demon Sect, they have been ready to move. They are waiting for me to come!"

Since occupying the west, the Youmei Sect has been expanding its power to the surrounding areas, in addition to advancing into the western part of the Central Plains. The northwest of Beiyuan and the southwest of South China have also fallen into their hands.

Tang Ning asked: "Where did the Cao family come from?"

Zhu Tao said: "The Cao family is entrenched in the southern part of Beiyuan. There are five foundation-building cultivators in the family. The head of the family, Cao Ruixian, is a late-stage foundation-building cultivator. He usually relies on his family's wealth and power to ignore me. If I were not the head of the family, it would be very difficult to meet him."

"Now the Demon Sect has not reached out, and the Cao family is still a little afraid of the sect. Once the Demon Sect invades, it is only a matter of time for the Cao family to turn to the Demon Sect."