Chapter 148: Floating Light Sword Technique

For the six people led by Hua Changxi, who held wooden tokens, Prince Shou was quite dissatisfied; from them, he could feel little submission or reverence toward the imperial family.

Given his temper, he would certainly have made things difficult for them.

However, his purpose in taking over the Medical Department was to bring the Dan Sheng Hall to light, and then seize control of it.

For now, the only tokens of the Dan Sheng Hall that had appeared were these wooden ones; those who obtained them were more likely than others to activate the Dan Sheng Hall.

Since the Dan Sheng Hall was one of the five holy lands of the Central Continent, the imperial family had to get it under their control no matter what. For the time being, he would let these people run rampant for a while.

Seeing Prince Shou’s expression shift uncertainly but holding back from lashing out, Gu Qiming smiled and offered him an out: "Your Highness, if there’s nothing else, let them leave."

Prince Shou glanced at him, snorted coldly, put on an air of giving Gu Qiming face, and waved his hand impatiently.

Seeing this, Yuan Tianchou led the way, and the other five hurriedly left with him.

After exiting the Medical Department building, Hua Changxi avoided the Pilgrim’s Path and chose a detour back to the Chore Hall.

"Hua Ninth Lady."

Gu Jinfan quickly caught up and called out to Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi stopped and turned to look at Gu Jinfan, smiling: "If I were you, I’d stay as far away as possible from someone who nearly took my life."

Gu Jinfan looked at her: "There’s no mortal enmity between you and me. Why must you be so aloof?"

Hua Changxi: "My time is precious. Say what you need to say quickly."

Gu Jinfan paused: "Don’t you think you’ve been too harsh? Just now, with your attitude toward Prince Shou, if he had truly lost his temper, do you know what you would have faced?"

Hua Changxi rolled her eyes: "You called me over just to lecture me?"

Gu Jinfan was silent for a moment: "I just wanted to remind you…"

Hua Changxi cut her off: "No need at all. I don’t think our relationship has reached the point where we can remind each other." Then she turned and walked away.

Gu Jinfan hurried after her, speaking as she walked: "I know you have profound cultivation and can ensure your own safety, but can you guarantee the safety of your family? Do you know that Prince Shou is most fond of using collective punishment?"

Hua Changxi suddenly stopped, a chilling cold erupting from her eyes: "Some troubles are hard to solve, but it’s easy to solve the one who creates them."

Gu Jinfan understood her meaning and her face changed; she gained a deeper understanding of Hua Changxi’s audacity: "Hua Ninth Lady, do you realize that acting so recklessly will affect many things?"

Hua Changxi glanced at her and said as she walked: "Stay out of my business."

Gu Jinfan quickened her pace to keep up: "You think I want to meddle?" She lowered her voice, "Do you know that Prince Shou came to the Medical Department because the Lingguang Hall openly challenged the imperial court?"

In her previous life, the imperial family had also wanted to gain control of the Dan Sheng Hall, but they hadn’t intervened so overtly this early; they only placed the Seventh Prince and some imperial relatives inside and did little else.

This gave the Jiang and Meng families time to gain a foothold in the Medical Department. Later, when the Jiang and Meng families activated the Dan Sheng Hall and brought it back to the world, the imperial family lost their chance to fully take it over.

The Chu imperial clan was very powerful. She truly couldn’t predict what changes the imperial family’s early interference would bring to the Dan Sheng Hall.

Hua Changxi stopped again, fixing a cold stare on Gu Jinfan: "Gu Jinfan, let me remind you once more: I hate trouble. If your loose talk brings me trouble, I will make you disappear without a trace."

"Also, don’t come looking for me again. You and I are not close, nor are we on the same path. There is no need for any contact."

After saying this, she left without looking back.

Only after Hua Changxi turned the corner and disappeared from sight did Gu Jinfan take a deep breath, her face pale.

In the look Hua Changxi had just given her, the undisguised killing intent carried a daunting force.

That force was not unfamiliar to Gu Jinfan; it was divine sense pressure.

Hua Changxi had actually cultivated divine sense!!!

Gu Jinfan’s mind was churning with shock. A cultivator can release divine sense in three cases: first, when they have opened the Lingtai and advanced to the Lingtai realm.

Second, when they have cultivated a rare and special divine sense cultivation technique. However, practicing such a technique requires a robust physical body; otherwise, an overly strong divine sense would tear the body apart.

Third, when one has lost their physical body and become a ghost cultivator specializing in soul cultivation. Many cultivators and spirit beasts who linger in the Nine Underworlds fall into this category.

Which case applied to Hua Changxi?

Excluding the third case, both the first and second scenarios alarmed Gu Jinfan. She simply couldn’t understand why Hua Changxi could be so strong.

Hua Changxi returned to the Chore Hall and entered its gate. Instinctively, she headed toward the Qihuang Hall, but after walking for a short while, she remembered that the Qihuang Hall had been taken over by Prince Shou’s men, so she stopped.

At that moment, she didn’t know where to go.

Eunuch Jia and the others were no longer in charge, and her position as the miscellaneous duty manager appointed by Eunuch Jia had become even more untenable.

Two months ago, she was still troubled by 'how to find her place in the Medical Department,' but at this moment, she wondered if she even needed to stay in the Medical Department at all.

She loved medicine, but medicine could be practiced outside the Medical Department as well. Staying here with restrictions everywhere was truly not the career she wanted.

"Leave the Medical Department?"

As for the Medical Department, Hua Changxi certainly had no sense of belonging, but as for the Alchemy Saint Hall...

Not to mention that she had a responsibility toward the nine Qihuang Clinics she had established, the connection between the Shennong Cauldron and the Alchemy Saint Hall alone made it impossible for her to let go decisively.

Just as Hua Changxi was distressed, Eunuch Yu, now merely an ordinary manager of the warehouse, came looking for her.

"Master, I finally found you. Lieutenant Pang of the Northern Bastille Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard needs to see you urgently."

Hua Changxi put aside her recent worries, knowing that the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted her to save someone, so she followed Eunuch Yu to meet Pang Shaoyu.

As soon as Pang Shaoyu saw Hua Changxi, he blurted out, "Can you treat cultivators?"

Hua Changxi was also straightforward: "Depends on how much you're willing to pay."

Pang Shaoyu was taken aback, then hesitated for a moment: "A sword manual."

Hua Changxi felt a bit tempted after hearing this. Since she started cultivating, aside from the Fire Lotus and the Buddhist Hand divine abilities, she had never practiced any other offensive techniques.

"I need to see the sword manual first."

After hearing this, Pang Shaoyu's eyes flickered slightly. Although the sword manual had been obtained by the Embroidered Uniform Guard from a large ruin, it was only half complete.

Eager to save someone, he could only steel himself and nod, "Fine."

Hua Changxi followed Pang Shaoyu to the Northern Bastille Office.

"Have a seat for a moment; I'll go get the sword manual."

Pang Shaoyu left for about a quarter of an hour and returned carrying a rusty sword and a sword technique manual.

"This sword and the sword manual were found together. As long as you can save the person, they're both yours."

Pang Shaoyu added the sword because the manual was only half complete, and he was worried Hua Changxi would be dissatisfied.

"Are you sure this is a sword manual?"

Hua Changxi looked at what Pang Shaoyu called a sword manual—it was just a single thin sheet of paper.

Pang Shaoyu felt a bit guilty: "Of course it's a sword manual, personally confirmed by the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard." It was just extremely obscure and hard to practice; no one in the Guard had ever cultivated it, and it usually gathered dust in the warehouse.

Hua Changxi glanced at him, then picked up the sheet of paper to examine. As soon as she touched it, her eyes flickered—this was no ordinary paper.

"Floating Light Sword Manual!"

Hua Changxi read the name of the sword technique: "Floating Light..."

Pang Shaoyu quickly said, "The Commander said that 'Floating Light' symbolizes the sun in ancient times. A sword technique named after the sun is definitely extraordinary."

Hua Changxi's heart stirred, but she did not show it on her face. Instead, she put down the sword manual and turned her gaze to the rusty sword, revealing a look of disdain.

Pang Shaoyu spoke again: "This sword is also special. It's called the Floating Light Sword. It looks a bit shabby, but when cultivated with the Floating Light Sword Manual, it is sure to produce miraculous effects."

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Then why didn't you cultivate it yourselves?"

Pang Shaoyu choked: "...We don't have the talent."

Hua Changxi: "You sure think highly of me. Oh well, you could say we became acquainted through a fight. Take me to see the injured person."