Chapter 143: Trial

On the Mid-Autumn Festival, after leaving the Hua family, Hua Changxi realized she had no other place she wanted to go, so she could only wander aimlessly down the streets.

The streets were crowded with people, shoulders rubbing against shoulders, laughter and chatter filling the air; every street was packed with bobbing heads, bustling and lively.

Under the eaves of shops along the street, all kinds of lanterns had already been hung—rabbit lanterns, lotus lanterns, palace lanterns—colorful and gently swaying in the breeze.

Joyful happiness shone on every face. Watching everyone’s smiles, Hua Changxi suddenly felt as though she were drifting outside this warm world.

At that moment, standing in the noisy crowd, she clearly sensed an invisible membrane separating her from everyone else.

Seeing everyone with family by their side, Hua Changxi’s heart grew inexplicably restless. Suddenly she didn’t want to stay in the crowded city anymore, so she quickly walked toward the South Gate and went out through the city gate.

Following the gate, she flew south on a cloud, and only when everything around her was completely quiet and she felt the coolness of the wind on her face did her heart gradually calm.

She had clashed with her family many times before, but this time, the old master told her not to return to the Hua family again—it truly stabbed a sword deep into her heart.

Perhaps influenced by Gu Xing reminding her two days ago to “find her place in the Medical Department,” she now realized that what she needed to find was not only a foothold in the Medical Department but also a place in this world.

In the Medical Department, the orders of higher officials could dismiss her at any time; in the Hua family, if she went against the old master’s wishes, he could directly expel her.

Leaving the Hua family, leaving the Medical Department, shedding her identity as a member of the Hua family, shedding her identity as a menial worker in the Medical Department—what else was left for her in this world?

She suddenly realized that she was still like a floating duckweed in this world, never having truly taken root, never having built an identity that was truly her own.

The owner of Shennong Herbal Medicine Shop?

The mountain master of Wuzhi Mountain?

The hall master of Lingguang Hall?

None of these could represent her completely; they were only parts of her.

Moreover, these were merely superficial identities—when others mentioned them, they would never think of her as a person, and they knew nothing about her.

Hua Changxi sank into thought, seriously pondering how she should live in this world.

Heading south from the capital’s South Gate, she soon reached the border of Nanxiang County. As soon as she entered Nanxiang County, she could see the magnificent palace of Lingguang Hall.

Hua Changxi hadn’t flown long before she saw Lingguang Hall.

She didn’t go over. Instead, she conjured a huge cloud and sat cross-legged on it, silently watching the main road below.

Lingguang Hall was grand and towering, like an immortal palace; even though all the crossroads were blocked by government troops, it still attracted teams from all directions to investigate.

Previously, when Hua Changxi entered and left Lingguang Hall, she never carefully observed the behavior of the stationed soldiers. But today, after watching for a short while, she noticed something unusual.

Ordinary people or cultivators trying to approach Lingguang Hall were absolutely stopped, but those holding various tokens were let through by the soldiers.

Watching this scene of differential treatment, Hua Changxi’s eyes darkened. Although those who were let through all returned empty-handed, it still displeased her greatly.

Hua Changxi looked at Lingguang Hall, thinking about the recruitment mission for the 100,000 Vermilion Bird Army.

If she relied solely on herself to recruit, it was impossible to know how long it would take to find 100,000 cultivators with fire-element spiritual roots who all carried the will of the Vermilion Bird.

She felt she should leverage others’ initiative and let them join the Vermilion Bird Army on their own.

With that thought, Hua Changxi began to ponder.

Lingguang Hall stood there, doing nothing and yet attracting countless people. If she told the world that the hall contained top-tier fire-element cultivation techniques, one could imagine that even with government troops stationed there, it wouldn’t stop swarms of people from all sides from rushing in.

Hua Changxi looked at Lingguang Hall bathed in the clouds, and with a "whoosh," like a shooting star, she rode a cloud down onto the steps outside the main hall.

Moments later, a row of fiery, eye-catching characters, condensed from fire spiritual energy, appeared in the air above the main hall of Lingguang Hall.

"Those with a destined fire-element spiritual root, enter the Transmission Hall of Lingguang Hall to obtain the top-tier fire-element cultivation technique—the Vermilion Bird Divine Art."

To ensure that everyone who could see Lingguang Hall would also see these words, and that the characters would not dissipate for a short time, Hua Changxi expended half of her spiritual energy to enlarge and solidify the script.

"Look, what's that?"

As soon as the characters appeared above Lingguang Hall, all the onlookers saw them, immediately sparking all sorts of discussions.

"'Those with a destined fire-element spiritual root, enter the Transmission Hall of Lingguang Hall to obtain the top-tier fire-element cultivation technique—the Vermilion Bird Divine Art'—what does that mean?"

"Does it mean that as long as we can enter the Transmission Hall, we can get the technique?"

Cultivators and martial artists who had rushed in from all over, and even ordinary people watching, were all deeply shaken when they saw the line of characters Hua Changxi had condensed.

At that moment, even with soldiers stationed at the intersections, it could not extinguish the burning passion in their hearts.

The military commander in charge of guarding the intersection looked at the red characters with a grave expression, ordered his men to secure the crossroads, and personally returned to the city to report to Prince Fu.

"What? The master of Lingguang Hall has announced to the world that anyone with a fire spiritual root who is fated can enter the Inheritance Hall and obtain the *Vermilion Bird Divine Art*?"

"The *Vermilion Bird Divine Art*? What kind of cultivation art is that?"

"The Vermilion Bird is one of the four divine beasts of heaven and earth. What level of cultivation art do you think it is?"

The news spread like a tornado, instantly sweeping through the entire capital.

Gu Jinfan was particularly silent when she heard the news.

She knew that the master of Lingguang Hall was most likely Hua Changxi, and she was both surprised and puzzled that Hua Changxi would take such an action.

The *Vermilion Bird Divine Art* was one of the four most supreme cultivation arts in the Four Spirit Realm. How could she reveal it so easily, and to everyone at that? Did she even know the value of the art?

Along with her confusion came a hint of admiration. The court had sent troops to block all entrances to Lingguang Hall, the intention clear. By doing this, Hua Changxi was directly challenging the court.

Even if her identity had not been exposed to the court's eyes, the fact that she had the courage to conceive of such a scheme and carry it out was enough to earn respect.

Gu Jinfan had to admit that her understanding of Hua Changxi was still far too shallow.

Hua Changxi was completely unaware of the uproar she had caused. When she condensed the characters above Lingguang Hall, the Vermilion Bird jade pendant reacted, and she realized she could use the pendant to control the hall.

Although those who sought to inherit the art had to swear an oath before the Vermilion Bird Stele, this did not guarantee the quality of the recruited Vermilion Bird Army.

After discovering the function of the pendant, she set up two trials.

The first trial covered the distance from the gate tower of Lingguang Hall to the steps. During this stretch, no spiritual power could be used. Underground fire spiritual power would rise, and flames would engulf the body, scorching the flesh. The flames would not actually harm the body, but the test required the candidate to possess strong mental fortitude.

The second trial encompassed the distance from the first step to the Inheritance Hall. Hua Changxi arranged a harsh and perilous environment simulating a battlefield slaughter. Those who surrendered without fighting, fled before battle, bullied the weak, disobeyed orders, violated military commands, or betrayed and abandoned their comrades would be automatically teleported outside the gate tower.

After setting these up, Hua Changxi simultaneously opened the Inheritance Hall and the Training Hall, both located on the fifth level of the palace complex.

Those who obtained the *Vermilion Bird Divine Art* could stay in the Training Hall to cultivate, thereby avoiding subsequent repercussions from the court.

After completing all this, Hua Changxi entered the main hall, retrieved a stone bed crafted from top-grade fire spirit stones, placed it in the center of the hall, lay down on it, and began to cultivate.

She waited in Lingguang Hall, wondering how many people would dare to break through the court's blockade and come to the hall.

Time trickled away. Night fell, and the bright moon hung high in the sky. This day was supposed to be one for everyone to gather and admire the moon, but the proclamation from Lingguang Hall stirred the hearts of countless people.

By midnight, all the spiritual energy Hua Changxi had consumed was fully restored. She opened her eyes and sensed the surroundings. She noticed that, in the plaza between the gate tower and the steps, at least several dozen people were bathed in flames, struggling to advance toward the palace.

"So many people?"

Hua Changxi was a little surprised, but soon she understood why.

The plane she was currently in was called the Four Spirit Realm, where the four divine spirits were the most powerful beings. The allure of the *Vermilion Bird Divine Art* was absolutely unprecedented.

Hua Changxi walked out of the main hall, stood on the steps, and looked down at the dozens of people struggling across the square below. She hadn't been watching long when her expression suddenly sharpened. She jerked her head up and gazed toward the gate tower.

"Boom~"

A massive, unstoppable sword aura swept toward them horizontally, as if intending to annihilate Lingguang Hall with a single strike.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi narrowed her eyes, clasped her hands behind her back, and stood motionless, watching the sword aura descend.

However, just as the sword aura was about to fall upon Lingguang Hall, a fiery red spiritual energy shield appeared. Then, a firebird soared into the sky and shot like lightning toward the source of the sword aura.

"Ah~"

The agonizing scream of a cultivator rang out. A late-stage Core Formation cultivator wielding a long sword was instantly incinerated to ashes by the firebird.

Beneath the bright moonlight, the firebird vanished, as brilliant as a burst of fireworks.