Chapter 197: Eyes on Hua Family

Xu Yaoshi: "By the way, Ninth Lady, I also heard one more thing—after the new year, all Qihuang Hall masters must start teaching the people of the Medical Department the art of alchemy."

Hearing this, Hua Changxin’s expression shifted: "Teaching?"

Xu Yaoshi nodded: "Yes, the specific arrangements are not yet known. I speculate that within these few days, the Director will definitely summon all you hall masters together to discuss this matter."

Hua Changxin looked at Xu Yaoshi and teased: "Uncle Xu, I see you have quite a wide network in the Medical Department. From what you just told me about the other Qihuang Halls, it’s clear that everyone who becomes an herb boy at Qihuang Hall has their own background. And now you can even find out things that haven’t happened yet. It seems you have many friends in the Medical Department."

Xu Yaoshi smiled and waved his hand: "What wide network? I’ve just been in the Medical Department for a long time and have a bit of face with some people. Besides, the higher-ups weren’t trying to hide the matter of hall masters teaching after the new year. Maybe someone deliberately leaked it to me."

Hua Changxin gave no comment on that, only saying, "I know about this matter."

Xu Yaoshi looked at Hua Changxin: "Ninth Lady, you have to return to the Medical Department for duty this month, right? I’m worried that if you keep not showing up, Prince Shou and the Director might have objections."

Hua Changxin: "Are all the other hall masters present?"

Xu Yaoshi nodded: "They are all there."

At that moment, Pucao brought the food and entered the room.

Since Hua Changxin had decided to take on the identity of Qihuang Hall master, she would naturally do well as the master of No. 13 Qihuang Hall: "I’ll eat and then go back to the Medical Department with you."

Hearing this, Xu Yaoshi’s face immediately brightened with joy, and at the same time, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Ninth Lady had put him in charge of all matters at No. 13 Qihuang Hall. Heaven knows how much pressure he had endured during the time Ninth Lady was away. He had to respond to inquiries from above and also fend off probes from other halls.

Originally, the eight herb boys of No. 13 Qihuang Hall were not of high status, and with Ninth Lady absent, they had even less confidence in front of others.

After eating, Hua Changxin finished reviewing the account books of the major pharmacies for November, and then followed Xu Yaoshi back to the Medical Department.

When they arrived at the Medical Department, Xu Yaoshi led Hua Changxin directly through the main gate.

Standing under the main gate of the Medical Department, Hua Changxin smiled: "Before, to enter the Medical Department, I could only use the back door. Now I can also use the main gate."

Xu Yaoshi heard this and laughed: "From now on, you never have to use the back door again."

Hua Changxin smiled and said nothing. She followed Xu Yaoshi into the Medical Department. Seeing him heading straight for the Pilgrimage Road, and thinking of the Danlan Pillars on that road, she quickly said: "Uncle Xu, let’s take the Nine Streets Alley."

Xu Yaoshi looked puzzled: "To the Apprentice Hall, the Pilgrimage Road is the fastest."

Hua Changxin said, "I haven’t really taken a good look at the Nine Streets." With that, she walked straight toward the nearest alley.

Seeing this, Xu Yaoshi could only quicken his pace to follow.

Meanwhile, on the ninth-floor corridor of the Medical Department building, Heaven Division Chief Wei Zhenjie and Medical Department Director Gu Qiming were watching the two of them walk into the alley.

Wei Zhenjie frowned slightly: "That female cultivator… is Hua Changxin’s twin sister?"

Gu Qiming nodded: "Yes, her name is Hua Changxi." Seeing Wei Zhenjie’s expression was off, he asked, "Chief, is there something wrong with Hua Changxi?"

Wei Zhenjie frowned: "I can’t discern the depth of her cultivation."

Hearing this, Gu Qiming was startled: "Chief, you are a Nascent Soul cultivator. If you can’t detect it, doesn’t that mean Hua Changxi is at the same level as you?"

Wei Zhenjie shook his head: "It’s also possible that she has cultivated a very profound concealment technique."

Gu Qiming immediately chimed in: "That must be the case."

The Chief had advanced to the Nascent Soul stage only because he was backed by the Heaven Division and lacked no cultivation resources; even so, it took him decades. As for Hua Changxi, she had just come of age, started cultivating only a few years ago, and came from a humble family—no resources, no background. It was impossible for her to have reached the Nascent Soul stage in just a few years.

Wei Zhenjie: "What spirit root does Hua Changxi have?"

Gu Qiming: "Single fire spirit root."

Wei Zhenjie’s eyes flickered after hearing this: "Hua Changxin has a single wood spirit root, and Hua Changxi has a single fire spirit root. Back then, why did the Taisu Palace only take Hua Changxin?"

Gu Qiming shook his head—this was something he didn’t know.

Wei Zhenjie: "Have you looked into the Hua family?"

Gu Qiming nodded. The moment he thought of what he had uncovered about the Hua family, his mind grew unsettled: "Except for a few women who married into the Hua family, everyone else’s bloodline has reawakened. Now, the entire Hua family consists of cultivators."

Wei Zhenjie looked at him: "The Body Refining Technique you submitted earlier—did you obtain it from the Hua family?"

Gu Qiming nodded: "I speculate that the Body Refining Technique was found by Hua Changxi in the Qihuang Hall. Many people know about this matter, and they are all keeping an eye on the Hua family."

After hearing this, Wei Zhenjie frowned: "If the Body Refining Technique was really found in the Qihuang Hall, how is it that others found nothing? There’s no reason for the Qihuang Hall to recognize only Hua Changxi, is there?"

Gu Qiming sighed. He couldn’t figure this out either. The others could be dismissed, but even those who had taken the wooden tokens couldn’t detect anything unusual about the Qihuang Hall—this was truly baffling.

"After Hua Changxi took over the No. 13 Qihuang Hall, she only showed up once and then disappeared. Prince Shou was extremely dissatisfied with this. If it weren't for the fact that he still needed Hua Changxi to uncover the secrets of the Qihuang Hall, Prince Shou would have certainly made a move long ago."

Wei Zhenjie remained silent for a while, then said: "Hua Changxin is no ordinary Wood Spirit Root cultivator. As her twin sister, Hua Changxi is probably not simple either. In future interactions, do not fall out with her."

Gu Qiming nodded in agreement. Since the spiritual energy resurgence, everything has been restructuring, and one's former status and position no longer mean much.

In the Heaven Department, he had seen records of many cultivators. Many who were ordinary people before were rising silently, with talent and opportunities far surpassing those of the children of noble families who had known about the spiritual energy resurgence first.

Wei Zhenjie asked again: "As for the other nine wooden tokens, is it still impossible to find out who took them?"

Gu Qiming looked ashamed: "It is this subordinate's incompetence."

Wei Zhenjie shook his head: "I don't blame you. Nowadays, there are more and more cultivators, and various spells and divine abilities keep emerging. It's hard for you and me to guard against them all."

Gu Qiming sighed helplessly: "If Senior Gu could reveal a few words, we would have a direction to investigate. But he refuses to say anything."

Hearing this, Wei Zhenjie fell silent. After a long time, he said: "Senior Gu does not acknowledge... that you and I are members of the Alchemy Saint Hall."

Thinking of Gu Xing's attitude toward them, Gu Qiming let out a long, helpless sigh.

On the Apprentice Hall's Qihuang Hall Street, as soon as Hua Changxi returned to No. 13 Qihuang Hall, the news immediately spread to the other seventeen Qihuang Halls.

The personnel arrangements for the eighteen Qihuang Halls were made at the end of October. By November, people from various Qihuang Halls had gotten to know each other through interactions. Only Hua Changxi of No. 13 Qihuang Hall had yet to be met by many hall masters.

In No. 14 Qihuang Hall, Seventh Prince Chu Junhao and Duan Yuyan were playing chess.

After placing a piece, Duan Yuyan smiled and said: "She's finally shown herself. I thought she didn't want to be the hall master."

Chu Junhao looked at the chessboard, frowned, and placed a piece: "She doesn't care about the Qihuang Hall as much as we imagined."

Duan Yuyan glanced at Chu Junhao: "Maybe we overestimated her." Then she placed a piece.

Chu Junhao didn't respond to that and directly ended the game with his move.

Seeing she had lost again, Duan Yuyan immediately complained: "Cousin, couldn't you have gone a little easier on me?"

Chu Junhao smiled gently: "If I went easy on you, what would be the point of playing chess? When facing a strong opponent, you grow stronger. Lose a few times, and you'll know where your shortcomings lie." As he spoke, he walked to the eaves and looked at the No. 13 Qihuang Hall next door.

"To understand a person, you can't rely on others' words. You have to verify it yourself..."