Chapter 1 The Daoming Sect's Ascendancy

In the end, what the Daoming Sect managed to integrate were various minor sects within Xiling. They gradually pushed these secret societies from the shadows into the light, presenting them before everyone. Through various means, they gradually gained the Xiling court's approval, becoming the most enormous religious organization in Xiling, practically with the status of a state religion. Afterward, the Eagle Hall and the newly established Snake Eye organization were also gradually established. Especially the establishment of the Guardian Army, which led the Daoming Sect and Xiling completely down the path of theocracy. Although many in Xiling realized the dangers of a theocratic state and the various power struggles that would occur in this change, the Daoming Sect had spent so much time accumulating power and making thorough preparations in all aspects that this change was practically just a matter of time.

Outside of Xiling, the reason why the Daoming Sect was able to rapidly deploy intelligence work with the Eagle Hall in other places, establishing a relatively large-scale and systematic intelligence system, was because the various small secret society organizations that had previously tried to disperse throughout the land still existed. Some were indeed peripheral organizations of the Daoming Sect, receiving funding, support, and guidance from the Daoming Sect, while others were simply "providing some convenience to those distant fellow believers." But overall, the Daoming Sect directly or indirectly controlled a reported dozens of various sects and Jianghu organizations distributed throughout the Central Earth Continent. These organizations were mainly distributed in Chunnan and Xiling, with only a small number in Dongping, Beiliao, and Yunzhou. Perhaps the reason for this situation was the very different atmosphere within Yunzhou, Beiliao, and Dongping, and the mental state of the people. At least the people of Dongping, although sometimes superstitious, rarely truly needed any spiritual sustenance to soothe their wounded hearts. And Beiliao and Yunzhou had their own unique qualities...

As the power of Wuchenzi's lineage gradually became a vast power system centered on the Daoming Sect, the Chen Jia family, which had originally been in charge of monetary affairs, seemed to become increasingly unimportant. After Chen Jia, although each generation's leader of the Chen family was capable in this regard, none had ever appeared with Chen Jia's genius for the exchange of money, for the various forms of wealth conversion, being able to accomplish them with all his heart. The massive wealth transferred out in those days would naturally gradually be consumed over time, especially to cope with the expenses of the descendants of the imperial family through the ages, and to allow Wuchenzi's lineage, who were summoning the soul of the lost kingdom, to have enough funds to carry out their actions. It was truly not something that ordinary people could do.

The investments made in those days were both relatively dispersed, and the continuous dynastic wars and political changes in various countries would often involve some of them. Even if those large merchants could survive the storms and remain to this day for hundreds of years, many of those large trading houses that had abundant profits in those days were now merely eking out a living, without much profit-making ability. During this time, although several leaders of the Chen family wanted to flexibly use investment methods, it was difficult to accurately grasp business opportunities in this era of underdeveloped information. If it were just various problems with financial management, that would be fine; at most, it would only be criticized by the descendants of the imperial family and the Wuchenzi lineage, who were now not informed of their actual identities unless necessary. As long as the Chen family was still necessary for the three-way support situation between the imperial family's descendants, the Chen family, and Wuchenzi, then the Chen family could continue to play its role.

However, starting decades ago, when the Daoming Sect gradually gained a foothold in the Xiling court and actually enjoyed the status of the Xiling state religion, the necessity of the Chen family seemed less obvious. Indeed, both the operation of the imperial family's descendants and the Daoming Sect required a large amount of money, but the Daoming Sect had already become a powerful force, with countless fanatical, loyal, and even reckless believers. Those disciples who had no relatives often donated all their property to the Daoming Sect, including many wealthy people with huge fortunes. Even if those properties were not of great value to individuals, when they were incorporated into the Daoming Sect and linked to other properties, sometimes the role they played was greater than simple money. For example, many of the Daoming Sect Eagle Hall's footholds outside of Xiling were previously the villas of some bored wealthy people, or even houses accidentally purchased for various incredible reasons. For example, one wealthy man's hobby was collecting famous haunted houses.

If the Daoming Sect's financial management and economic system management were placed before Tan Weixin, it would inevitably be a joke. Because for Tan Weixin, that method was inefficient, too costly, the returns were extremely meager, lacking visible good prospects, and without clear financial goals... Even if it were placed before Chen Kai, he would know that the system was terrible. But for the Chen family, after the Daoming Sect's economy no longer relied on the three-way restraining mechanism that had been running until now, the Chen family was constantly being coerced, oppressed, and despised. If this contempt only came from the Daoming Sect, perhaps the Chen family would not care. But such contempt now also came from the descendants of the imperial family who had transformed into the Sun surname. Gradually, the Chen family's influence became lower and lower, and in recent years, when a huge controversy broke out due to some detailed historical research about whether Chen Jia was a loyal and capable minister or a treacherous official, the Chen family was almost always ridiculed and mocked at every three-party consultation, making it unbearable.

In the end, the Chen family was designed and framed by Xuan Ru, the current leader of the Daoming Sect, from Wuchenzi's lineage, who wanted to kick the Chen family out of the game, whose reputation was already ruined and whose value was almost equal to nothing, and to eradicate the Chen family completely. The descendants of the imperial family, the current patriarch of the reclusive Sun family, actually acquiesced to Xuan Ru's behavior and did not say a word. And when the Chen family was gradually being forced into a dead end, the Chen family finally erupted with all its strength again to protect itself.

At this time, Chen Kai's grandfather summoned all the direct descendants of the Chen family and took out the Canglong Box. The Canglong Box had always been thought to have been lost and its whereabouts were unknown when the capital was hit by war and everyone fled in a hurry. What was unexpected was that the Canglong Box had actually been hidden in the Chen family, passed down from generation to generation by the heads of the Chen family to this day.

The Canglong Box did not contain anything from the era of the Tang Dynasty's collapse, but rather two maps. One of the maps led to a place where various important documents that Chen Jia had rescued from the imperial secret archives before the Tang Dynasty collapsed were stored. At the same time, various important documents that the Chen family, the reclusive Sun family, and Wuchenzi's lineage had gradually accumulated in their affairs over the years were stored there. There were various contracts, countless meeting records, various personnel and financial arrangements of various eras, and various directories. It was almost a map of the entire force hidden in the shadows. Although the Chen family did not know much about the Daoming Sect's arrangements in recent years, especially since its economic independence, the various materials accumulated before, especially the dark lines that had been installed in quite important positions, costing countless money and effort, and were very likely not to be activated, made these materials of life-and-death importance to the Daoming Sect and to the entire three former dynasty clans that had buried themselves.

The other map was a treasure map. This treasure map was left by Yang Yin for his descendants to use in the future when they had the opportunity to restore the kingdom. Because Chen Jia only obtained such a treasure map back then, he never seriously deciphered the information on the treasure map, and had no concept of what was hidden in the treasure and how much wealth was hidden there. But imagine the huge responsibility that this treasure might have to bear, and its value should be quite amazing. The Chen family was ordered to preserve this treasure map and use it when there was an opportunity to restore the kingdom in the future. On the one hand, although the economy was tight, it was not yet so dire that they needed to move the treasure without restoring the kingdom. On the other hand, it was also because the Chen family actually lacked people who were proficient in mechanical techniques, and they did not have enough manpower and resources to pave the way for various mechanisms in the treasure with human lives. They wanted to retrieve the treasure without the other two parties knowing, which was completely impossible.

The old patriarch handed the Canglong Box and the key to Chen Kai and Chen Kai's uncle, Chen Jin, and asked them to leave the place where they were living in seclusion and run to a place where the power of the Daoming Sect and the reclusive Sun family could not reach. Basically, what the old Chen patriarch was referring to should be Dongping, Yunzhou, and even Beiliao, places that regarded the Daoming Sect as heresy and spared no effort to crack down on it. Then, accumulate strength and look for opportunities to retrieve the treasure. At least the Chen family could still exist in this world as a low-key wealthy family. As for those important documents, they should be offered up at some point to a country that has the opportunity to unify Central Earth, in order to seek a protective charm for the Chen family.

Chen Kai and Chen Jin did not believe that the situation was so urgent at the time, but just as they were packing their luggage, the Daoming Sect came to their door. The Chen family's many guards desperately protected Chen Kai's departure, but the old Chen patriarch, Chen Jin, and others all died in a fire, which was also a long-planned suicide strategy of the old Chen patriarch.

Xuan Ru only learned about this when the old Chen patriarch summoned the Chen clan's descendants. For Xuan Ru and his fellow disciples, those documents had to be destroyed, and the huge wealth had to be brought into their possession by any means possible. But it seemed that doing these two things was becoming increasingly difficult. Chen Kai escaped with the Canglong Box, but Chen Jin, who held the key, was dead. After carefully searching the entire fire scene, they did find the key, but the key had almost melted into a lump due to the fire. Not only was it impossible to use, but there was no hope of replicating it by studying the key.

Perhaps it was the frustration of the key being destroyed that made Xuan Ru seem particularly insane in this final step of exterminating the Chen family. After several unsuccessful attempts to intercept Chen Kai and letting Chen Kai escape into the territory of Chunnan, Xuan Ru not only did not stop, but instead ordered a part of the Eagle Hall to enter Chunnan to continue the pursuit. Subsequently, he also continuously activated many dark lines that the Daoming Sect had been lurking in Chunnan, especially those Jianghu gangs with considerable manpower and connections, to cooperate with the Eagle Hall to "take all necessary measures." Xuan Ru was determined to obtain the Canglong Box. These dark lines that he activated dispatched no less than two thousand people to search for Chen Kai. They knew very well that such a large-scale action could not be concealed from the Chunnan government, but on the one hand, the Daoming Sect's arrangements in the government had also been activated, trying to delay the time for the Chunnan officials to intervene, while these Jianghu forces had to ensure that before Chunnan dispatched a large army to suppress them, they would take the lead in capturing Chen Kai and obtaining the Canglong Box. At all costs!

Xuan Ru understood very well that as long as he could get the Canglong Box, the price paid would be completely worth it.

Chen Kai originally wanted to escape to the north. But several interceptions made him give up the idea of entering Dongping or Yunzhou, and then turned south and entered Chunnan. But what he didn't expect was that he didn't go to Yunzhou, but the Yunzhou Pacification Commissioner appeared in front of him. This could not be said to be the manipulation of the hand of fate.

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Don't be surprised why I keep making mistakes in the chapters, it shows that I desperately want to write faster -_-||