Chapter 160: Value Exchange

After all the guests had been sent off, Second Uncle Hua immediately dragged Sixth Brother Hua into the main hall, and the rest of the Hua family followed in one after another.

Hua Changxi guessed what they were going to say, turned around, and went straight back to her room.

Seeing this, First Brother Hua initially wanted to pull her along, but then he recalled that the reason Sixth Brother Hua had been so generous with handing out spirit stones today was because he had shown Ninth Lady the spirit mine; he hesitated and abandoned the idea of calling Hua Changxi into the room.

"Fifty spirit stones per person—Sixth Brother, what a lavish hand you have! In no time at all you've given away several thousand spirit stones. Since you're so rich in spirit stones, wouldn't it be better to give them to your own family?"

Second Uncle Hua shouted very loudly. Ever since Hua Changxi stopped providing the family with body-tempering medicinal herbs, they had to go buy spirit plants and spirit medicines themselves if they wanted to soak in medicated baths.

Buying spirit plants and spirit medicines required spirit stones, and the Second and Fourth branches had no way to obtain spirit stones. On ordinary days, the only spirit stones they could get their hands on were thanks to the Earl Manor's allotment.

A qi cultivator got one hundred spirit stones a month, while a body cultivator got only fifty spirit stones a month; they had to save up several months' allowance just to afford a single batch of medicated bath ingredients.

He wished he could split one spirit stone into two to spend, so how could he not feel pained seeing Sixth Brother hand out several thousand spirit stones at once?

Sixth Brother Hua didn't think he had done anything wrong: "The Sheng family dared to openly release a demon beast into our home to cause trouble—that means they look down on our family. Of course I had to display our family's strength."

Second Uncle Hua couldn't be bothered to argue further with Sixth Brother Hua and looked toward Old Master Hua: "Father, Mother—say something, won't you?"

Old Master Hua and Old Madam Hua both remained silent.

Ninth Lady had cut off the family's medicated bath herbs, but the old couple themselves were unaffected. Every time they needed a medicated bath, the eldest couple would prepare everything for them in advance, so they were not in urgent need of spirit stones.

Although Sixth Brother's action of giving away spirit stones was indeed a case of "slapping one's face to look fat," being able to stand tall in front of the Sheng family was still worth it.

Seeing the old couple say nothing, Second Uncle Hua grew anxious: "Father, Mother, are you really going to just watch Sixth Brother squander the family like this?"

Hearing this, Sixth Brother Hua was displeased: "Second Uncle, how am I squandering the family? I spent my own spirit stones, not the family's."

Second Uncle Hua blurted out: "Isn't what's yours the Hua family's?"

Sixth Brother Hua's face darkened and his brow furrowed. This time he truly experienced firsthand why Ninth Lady had once resisted the family so fiercely.

He too was unwilling to hand over what he had earned through hard work to be confiscated as common property.

"Second Son, are you drunk and talking nonsense again?"

Old Madam Hua, seeing the eldest branch's people all change expression, immediately spoke up to rebuke Second Uncle Hua.

Catching the warning look from the old lady, Second Uncle Hua turned to Hua Minghe and First Brother Hua: "Elder Brother, Big Nephew, you know how badly the rest of the family lacks spirit stones. Shouldn't family members help each other?"

"Sixth Brother is so rich he can give away several thousand spirit stones at once, while the rest of us have to rack our brains just to earn a single spirit stone. We're all one family—isn't the gap too big?"

Hua Minghe and First Brother Hua both had headaches and glared at the troublemaker, Sixth Brother Hua.

Seeing that his father and elder brother both looked displeased, Sixth Brother Hua felt deeply wronged. Spending his own spirit stones had actually turned him into someone at fault: "No wonder Ninth Lady doesn't want to come back. If you people are like this, I won't want to come back in the future either."

Having said that, he strode out of the room.

Seeing this, Second Uncle Hua was so angry he pointed at Sixth Brother Hua's back: "Elder Brother, look at what kind of attitude Sixth Brother has!" Then he looked indignantly at Fourth Uncle Hua.

"Fourth Brother, won't you say something? So it's only me playing the villain here, is it?"

Fourth Uncle Hua moved his lips but ended up saying nothing.

Seeing him like this, Second Uncle Hua fumed.

"Father."

Just as Second Uncle Hua was about to scold Fourth Uncle Hua, Twelfth Lady Hua suddenly stood up: "Father, yelling like this here is useless, because you're confronting the wrong person!"

Having said that, she strode out of the main hall and walked straight toward Hua Changxi's room.

The people in the main hall all craned their necks to watch. Yao Shi worried that Twelfth Lady Hua might quarrel with Hua Changxi and wanted to go over to dissuade them, but First Brother Hua pulled her back.

"Mother, let's first see what Twelfth wants to say."

Twelfth Lady Hua reached the outside of Hua Changxi's room, stopped to take a deep breath, then raised her hand and knocked on the door: "Ninth Sister, it's Twelfth. I have something to say to you."

"Creak~"

The door opened by itself.

Twelfth Lady Hua saw Hua Changxi sitting by the window drinking tea, steadied her nerves, and stepped into the room.

Hua Changxi first took a look at Twelfth Lady Hua. Ever since she had started cultivating, the appearance of everyone in the Hua family had improved. Seeing Twelfth Lady Hua, who was only a little over a year younger than herself, already growing into a graceful young maiden, she couldn't help feeling a bit emotional.

"Didn't you say you had something to tell me? Go ahead."

Hua Shi'er Niang: "Nine Sister, you're biased!"

Hua Changxi raised an eyebrow, signaling for Hua Shi'er Niang to continue.

Hua Shi'er Niang: "Sixth Brother is your elder brother, but we are also your brothers and sisters. Yet you only help Sixth Brother—that's blatant favoritism."

Hua Changxi smiled: "Everyone has close and distant relations. Sixth Brother and I have been close since childhood. Isn't it reasonable that I favor him a bit?"

Hua Shi'er Niang was choked: "But... but we are also your brothers and sisters. We need your help too."

Hua Changxi looked at her: "There are too many people in this world who need help. If I helped everyone who needed it, wouldn't I be exhausted to death?"

Hua Shi'er Niang: "We are not others—we are your brothers and sisters."

Hua Changxi: "So what? Just because of that, I should help you for nothing?"

Hua Shi'er Niang wanted to say yes, but seeing Hua Changxi's expression, she knew that answering that way would only bring trouble, so she remained silent.

Hua Changxi saw this and said calmly: "You've been cultivating for a while now—you should have some understanding of the world of cultivators."

"You should have some idea how rare cultivation techniques are and how expensive spirit herbs and plants are."

"In the past, I provided all these things to you for free."

"But what did I get in return after doing all that?"

"Your eternal dissatisfaction."

"Twelve, I don't owe you anything. Do you understand?"

Hearing these words, Hua Shi'er Niang felt a little ashamed, but she still thought Hua Jiu Niang should help her own brothers and sisters: "But you are the strongest in the family. We can only turn to you for help."

Hua Changxi: "If you went to others for help, would you be as self-righteous as you are now? Would you think they are obligated to help you?"

Hua Shi'er Niang was silent for a moment. She knew she would have to be more polite when asking others for help.

Hua Changxi looked at her: "If people want to keep walking together, it's based on each getting what they need. If you want me to help you, then what can you do for me?"

Hua Shi'er Niang moved her lips but ultimately said nothing.

Hua Changxi: "In my world, there is no such thing as getting something for nothing. Everything I have didn't fall from the sky." She paused, "If you really want to earn spirit stones, I do have a way."

"Aren't you learning alchemy, talisman-making, and so on? In the future, you can sell the spirit pills, talismans, and artifacts you refine to the Shennong Medicine Shop in Feng'an Lane. As long as they pass inspection, I'll buy them."

In the main hall, the Hua family members were all listening intently. Hearing that Hua Changxi wasn't truly abandoning the family, Second Uncle Hua immediately walked out.

"Jiu Niang, the spirit mine must be short of people. How can Sixth Lang handle it alone? Why not let Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother help him?"

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Second Uncle, Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother are grown men. If they want something, they should strive for it themselves."

Second Uncle Hua: "They will definitely strive for it in the future, but right now they still need you to give them a push."

Hua Changxi: "Second Uncle is joking. I can't push anyone."

Second Uncle Hua snorted: "I see you just think that Fourth Lang and Eighth Lang aren't your blood brothers, so you won't help them the way you help Sixth Lang."

Hua Changxi: "I help Sixth Brother because he is worthy of my trust. In my book, everything is a value exchange. Since Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother can't provide the value I need, isn't it natural that I don't help them?"

Seeing that Second Uncle Hua wanted to say more, Hua Changxi raised her hand to stop him: "Alright, Second Uncle. Don't bring up some matters again. Even if you do, I won't agree."