Chronicles of Celestial Origins

Peng Wanli said: "It's good that you have a plan against the Youmei Sect. There's just one more thing you need to be concerned about."

"The funding of your Intelligence Department must be reduced as much as possible. Now that the sect's financial revenue is getting less and less, we must not spend as much as we usually do without restraint."

"The sect has been gradually reducing expenditures in these years. The largest expenditure of the three halls and three courtyards is in the secret academy, and the intelligence department in the secret academy has the highest funding. Let me set a goal for you!"

"One hundred thousand. From now on, the annual expenditure of the Intelligence Department must be controlled within one hundred thousand spiritual stones. Can you do it?"

Tang Ning remained silent. The Intelligence Department's usual funding was 150,000 spirit stones per year. Plus an average of two or three spirit stone subsidies per year. In fact, the annual expenditure was no less than 220,000, and sometimes even as high as 250,000. .

Although it has been decreasing over the years, it would be too much to reduce it to 100,000.

"Disciples will do their best, but all aspects of the operation of intelligence require spiritual stones. Without spiritual stones, many aspects of work cannot be carried out, and it is difficult to move forward."

Peng Wanli said: "You must try your best to reduce the finances of the departments. The sect will issue new regulations and there will be a clear standard for the funding of each department, including rewards, subsidies for disciples, etc. Think about it after you go back. Let’s think about the future work plans of the Intelligence Section.”

"Yes, disciple, resign."

The two of them left the cave and visited Jiang Ming's cave.

Jiang Ming met the two of them, but did not make his position clear during the conversation. Tang Ning chatted with them for a while, then stood up and left.

"Looking at Master Jiang's attitude, it seems he doesn't want to get involved in these things!" Yang Kai said after the two left the cave.

Tang Ning nodded slightly. Jiang Ming's beard and hair were all white, and his face had deep wrinkles. It was obvious that he would not live long. When the two of them were talking, he did not express any position on the matter. He just said something good and then changed the topic to Went elsewhere.

Yang Chang said: "As long as the leader remains neutral, there will definitely be no problem for Senior Brother Tang to serve as the deacon of the Intelligence Section."

Tang Ning said: "Things in the world are unpredictable. It's too early to say whether we will succeed or not. The outcome is often announced at the last moment."

Even so, he knew in his heart that he had at least 80% chance of winning, and three of the eight Jindan senior officials in the sect had expressed their clear support for him.

Although Yin Qingyuan did not finish his words, he still meant that he would support him, while Jiang Mingying would choose to abstain. In this way, he had four votes in support and Lu Guang only had two votes.

Unless the leader Wei Xuande clearly expresses his support for Lu Guang, in which case Yin Qingyuan will definitely follow Wei Xuande, then Lu Guang will have four votes and he will only have three votes.

But this possibility is very slim, not to mention that Wei Xuande is a good-natured person and rarely interferes in these matters.

In terms of personal relationships, I am at least somewhat familiar with Wei Xuande, and my impression is definitely better than that of Lu Guang.

Yu Gong said that he has made many meritorious deeds over the years and his hard work is not small.

Therefore, he is unlikely to support Lu Guang in public or private affairs.

The two walked all the way and went their separate ways.

Tang Ning returned to the cave and sat cross-legged, quietly waiting for the outcome of the sect's high-level discussions.

………………………

At night, a ray of light fell in front of Wei Xuande's Cave in Qianxing Mountain, and an old man with white hair and beard appeared. It was Tong Quan'an, the master of the Secret Academy. He waved his hand and handed the talisman into the thick fog.

Not long after, the thick fog rolled in, and a ray of light shot out from inside, revealing the figure of a tall man with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He was Wei Xuande's disciple Zhuang Xingan. He bowed and saluted: "Master, please come in, Master Tong."

Tong Quan'an nodded slightly, and the two of them entered the inner room and came to an orchard with fragrant peaches and plums. Wei Xuande was teasing a colorful parrot in the pavilion.

"Master, Uncle Tong is here." The two of them walked up behind him and Zhuang Xingan saluted.

Wei Xuande turned around and said with a smile: "Junior Brother Tong is here, sit down!"

Tong Quan'an sat down as he was told, turned his hands, took out several files and handed them to him: "In this battle at Xuanyue Mountain, Ma Xuan, the deacon of the Discipline Section of the Secret Academy, and Zhu Xu, the deacon of the Intelligence Section, unfortunately died. The departments and departments cannot be together." There is no master of the day, so I asked those in the department who thought they were qualified to be deacons to participate in the election. This is the file they submitted. "

"A total of four people participated in the selection of deacons this time, namely Wei Xun and Du Wenyuan, disciples from the Discipline Department, and Tang Ning and Lu Guang, disciples from the Intelligence Department."

Wei Xuande took the file, opened it, took a look at it, and asked, "What do you think, Junior Brother Tong?"

Tong Quan'an said: "Both Wei Xun and Du Wenyuan of the Discipline Division are monks in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. Their cultivation is a little weaker, but fortunately the Spring and Autumn Period is still rich. Although the Demon Sect was defeated, our Xuan Sect suffered a lot of casualties in this battle. The two of them Even if you are short, you should be taller! Besides, the Discipline Department is only responsible for the rules and regulations of the sect, and there is no need to go to the front line and fight against the enemy. "

"Of the two of them, I think Wei Xun is more suitable. One has higher merits than Du Wenyuan. The other has better cultivation qualifications, and Du Wenyuan encountered the Sigh Tribulation and has not improved in cultivation for decades. Therefore, Wei Xun is more with potential."

"Tang Ning and Lu Guang of the Intelligence Department are both late-stage foundation-building monks, and their cultivation is sufficient to serve as deacons of the department. From now on, if we choose between the two, Tang Ning is of course more suitable."

"Whether it is meritorious service, contribution to the sect, or personal ability, strength, and reputation, they all far surpass Lu Guang."

"What's more, he is extremely wealthy and has only been practicing for more than a hundred years. He has the opportunity to go further. Since the sect changed its rules and established the merit system, he once topped the list."

"In this battle at Xuanyue Mountain, he killed three Demon Sect late-stage foundation-building cultivators and one Demon Sect mid-stage foundation-building cultivator. His merits are only lower than those of Junior Brother Zhuang and the kid from the Jiang family."

"Although his cultivation aptitude is slightly worse than Lu Guang's, his flaws do not outweigh his merits. In all aspects, he is far superior to Lu Guang."

Wei Xuande nodded and said, "Let's make the appointment at the next meeting! Junior Brother Tong, there is something I have been thinking about for a long time and want to talk to you about it."

"What does the headmaster want?"

"I don't know what to do with my life?"

"I have a short life span and have been in my position for a long time. Now most of my body is buried in the earth. I intend to abdicate in advance. What do you think?"

Tong Quanan was not surprised to hear him say this, because there have been rumors in the sect for many years that the headmaster intends to abdicate.

In fact, this is not the first time Wei Xuande has talked to him about this matter, but it was just some hints before. This is the first time he has made such a clear statement. It seems that he is really ready to abdicate.

In the Xuan Sect, few leaders would abdicate until the end of their lifespan. Most of them would choose to abdicate in advance.

This is because the personnel system of the Xuan Sect is very complicated. To select a new leader is not decided by a few senior officials, but requires the joint election of all the halls, courtyards, and departments.

Abdicating in advance can, on the one hand, ensure the effective handover of affairs and prevent chaos.

Second, it can calm people's hearts, support the new leader to take office, and maintain the stability of the sect.

If you abdicate only when your lifespan is over, it is unknown what kind of chaos will occur, which may cause the sect to split.

After all, the old leader has great prestige. No matter what happens, even if the result of the new leader selection makes a large part of the people dissatisfied, as long as the old leader is still there, he can calm the disciples below and prevent them from making trouble. It can also reconcile the contradictions between the internal factions. As long as the early chaos is overcome, nothing serious will happen.

The entire sect has split due to the selection of the leader of the sect. This kind of thing has happened more than once in the world.

The most famous of these was the Taixuan Sect rebellion in 9360 of Dao Bing, which was later called the "Yin Jia Rebellion".

This rebellion led to the split of Taixuan Sect, one of the four major sects, and thus it completely declined.

The so-called "Yin Jia Rebellion" was that Yin Ruozhuo, the master of Qingxuan Hall of Taixuan Sect, was dissatisfied with the result of the selection of the leader of Taixuan Sect, and rebelled against Taixuan Sect, causing the internal forces of Taixuan Sect to split and kill each other.

Countless high-level disciples and famous monks died in the internal struggle. Since then, Taixuan Sect has been unable to recover, its strength has plummeted, and it has even lost control of Yanzhou.

Its leader was Yin Ruozhuo, the master of Qingxuan Hall, who launched a mutiny in 93600 of Dao Bing, which was the year of Jiazi, so it was called the Yin Jia Rebellion.

On the surface, this was a mutiny launched with personal grudges, which led to the split of Taixuan Sect, but there was actually another hidden story.

Taixuan Sect has always claimed to the outside world that it was because Yin Ruozhuo, the former master of Qingxuan Hall, was dissatisfied with the result of the selection of the leader that he launched the mutiny.

However, the truth cannot be hidden. With the failure of Yin Ruozhuo's uprising and the suppression of his troops, the truth of this mighty war gradually spread out. This is an open secret that everyone in the world knows.

The fuse of the "Yin Jia Rebellion" actually originated from a conspiracy coup by Qin Jiyuan, the current head of Taixuan Sect and the former master of Xuande Hall.

At that time, Yin Ruozhuo was away from home and had not returned to the sect. The life span of Ding Shengyuan, the head of Taixuan Sect, was approaching, and his spirit power could not be suppressed. He was only a matter of time before he passed away.

Qin Jiyuan, the master of Xuande Hall, took the opportunity to unite several giants from the internal cultivation families and the master-disciple lineage of Taixuan Sect to hold a meeting to elect the head of the sect, and thus successfully became the head of Taixuan Sect.

Qin Jiyuan was afraid that Yin Ruozhuo would cause chaos, so he quickly arrested Yin Ruozhuo's wife, many disciples and grandchildren, and many nephews of the Yin family on various charges, setting up a net to catch him when he returned to the sect.

However, there is no wall that is impenetrable. Although Qin Jiyuan made strict arrangements, the news still leaked out. Yin Ruozhe secretly returned to Yanzhou. Yanzhou's major and minor sects merged with Qingwu Camp, and millions of monks in Yanwu Camp joined him.

Yin Ruozhe has been in charge of Qingxuan Hall of Taixuan Sect for thousands of years, and his prestige is high. His students and former officials are all over the Taixuan Sect. The Yin family is also a prominent family of Taixuan Sect, which has been going on for decades. Yin Ruozhe's brothers, sons and nephews all hold the secrets of the sect. His power is deeply rooted and intertwined.

From the top leaders of the various halls and courtyards of Taixuan Sect, the heads of various departments and departments, to the major and minor sects in Qingzhou and Yanzhou controlled by Taixuan Sect, and the various Wuwei Camps under Taixuan Sect, his confidants control the center.

Therefore, he sneaked back to Yanzhou, raised his arm and called for action, and the whole world responded, and they all turned against the enemy and started their own armies.