Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method

At the foot of Vast Mist Peak, Song Changsheng and Zhuang Yuechan bid each other a reluctant farewell.

”Yuechan, be extremely careful on your journey. Daqi hasn’t been very peaceful lately.” Song Changsheng held her delicate hand, his heart filled with reluctance. But they both had their own missions and clearly couldn’t be bogged down by romantic sentiments.

Zhuang Yuechan nodded gently and said softly, ”You too. The Thunder King Hall won’t let this go so easily. You must be careful.”

”Don’t worry. Remember to send my regards to your master when you get back.”

”Well... I’m leaving now.” Zhuang Yuechan kept looking back with every step she took, until she finally vanished from Song Changsheng’s sight.

Watching the beautiful woman depart, Song Changsheng suddenly felt an emptiness in his heart. He took a deep breath and turned to head up the mountain.

The best way to distract himself from his longing was to keep busy. And so, he convened the first grand clan assembly since taking office.

Normally, a clan assembly was attended only by the clan’s various Elders, which was why it was also called an Elder Council.

But a grand clan assembly was different. In addition to the Elders, the Clan Elders and the Stewards of the clan’s important industries were also required to attend.

Soon, the assembly hall was filled with people trickling in. A quick glance revealed nearly forty individuals. Song Changsheng sat high in the main seat, with Song Xianming beside him.

In the first row below were Song Xianyun, Song Luzhou, Xia Yunxue, and the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The second row was filled with white-haired old men; nearly all the Cultivators of the Song Clan’s ”Xian” generation were here, though they numbered just over a dozen.

The last two rows consisted of Stewards who had rushed back from various territories, representing the clan’s foundational strength.

The first item on the agenda was to honor Song Xianming as the Supreme Elder.

A Supreme Elder was one who would cultivate in seclusion within Ruyun Hall, not emerging unless a major event occurred. They normally had no authority over the clan’s minor affairs, and their status within the clan was second only to the Clan Leader.

This matter had long been agreed upon within the clan, so it was passed smoothly.

Song Changsheng continued, ”The clan currently has many Elders, but their duties are not clearly defined, which greatly reduces our efficiency. I intend to make some adjustments. What are your thoughts?”

”What the Clan Leader says is reasonable. In fact, a century ago, the duties of the clan’s Elders were not divided as they are today. It is indeed time for an adjustment,” Song Xianyun said in agreement.

”Please elaborate, Twenty-first Grand-uncle.”

”In the past, when our Song Clan had over twenty Foundation Establishment Cultivators at its peak, the Clan Leader at the time, Uncle Yungui, clearly defined the duties of the clan’s Elders.

Overall, they were divided into four categories: Internal Affairs Elders, Foreign Affairs Elders, Honorary Elders, and Honored Guest Elders.

The primary duty of an Internal Affairs Elder was to handle the clan’s minor affairs, such as managing the clan’s finances, teaching the younger generation, and administering rewards and punishments.

Foreign Affairs Elders were similar to Lutong and Changxiu today, responsible for guarding the clan’s important industries or territories. In the past, they were also tasked with protecting and suppressing the clan’s vassal forces.

A century ago, Foreign Affairs Elders were stationed in both the Liuyun Mountain Range and the Wutong Mountain Range, responsible for deterring troublemakers from all sides.

These first two types were also known as Elders with tangible authority.

Next, Honorary Elders were titles granted to Foundation Establishment Cultivators who did not wish to deal with minor affairs and only wanted to focus on their cultivation. They had voting rights but did not participate in the clan’s daily management.

Honored Guest Elders were Tributors to the clan, like Daoist Wang Xuande. The relationship was one of collaboration, not subordination.

Later, the clan suffered a great calamity, and many Foundation Establishment Cultivators fell. This system was clearly no longer suitable, so it was streamlined into its current form.

Clan Leader, I have finished speaking.”

Song Changsheng understood at once and nodded. ”Thank you for the explanation, Twenty-first Grand-uncle.”

He then turned his gaze to the crowd and said, ”My ideas are similar to what the Grand Elder described. However, the system of division he mentioned is a bit too detailed and isn’t suitable for the clan’s current situation.

Therefore, I’ve made a few changes. If there are any issues, please feel free to raise them for discussion.”

He paused here, collected his thoughts, and then continued, ”Currently, the clan has the Minor Affairs Hall, the Law Enforcement Hall, the Wind Language Hall, the Hundred Arts Hall, and the Scripture Pavilion—four halls and one pavilion. Each of them holds different responsibilities.

However, the scope of these responsibilities often shifts depending on who is in charge, leading to unnecessary confusion and impacting efficiency.

Therefore, I have decided to abolish the current Elder ranking system and instead divide the roles by duty into Minor Affairs Elder, Foreign Affairs Elder, Hundred Arts Elder, Punishment Elder, and Instructor Elder.

The Minor Affairs Elder will preside over the Minor Affairs Hall, with Household Affairs Stewards beneath them, and will be responsible for handling the clan’s daily affairs, issuing tasks, and assessing clan members’ contributions.

The Foreign Affairs Elder will establish and oversee a new Foreign Affairs Hall, responsible for coordinating all of the clan’s external matters, such as trade, diplomacy, intelligence gathering, and various issues concerning our vassal forces.

The Hundred Arts Elder will preside over the Hundred Arts Hall, responsible for managing matters related to the clan’s Hundred Skills of Cultivation. They will also be in charge of screening and nurturing clan members with relevant talents, as well as managing the clan’s finances.

The Punishment Elder will preside over the Law Enforcement Hall, overseeing the Clan Law Enforcement Team. They will be responsible for guarding the clan’s important areas and disciplining clan members who violate the clan rules.

The Instructor Elder will preside over the Scripture Pavilion, responsible for teaching the clan’s younger generation, passing on knowledge and skills, and also periodically organizing the Scripture Pavilion’s collection.

Beyond these roles, the remaining Foundation Establishment Cultivators will be dispatched to various regions to act as local guardians.

What does everyone think?”

The crowd carefully mulled over Song Changsheng’s words, realizing that he hadn’t actually made any major changes, but had simply delineated the scope of everyone’s authority.

This way, everyone would have their own duties, preventing any encroachment on another’s authority due to a change in position.