Chapter 210: Third Grade Incense

Dan Fire can help alchemists clear their thoughts and improve their alchemy skills; it is the best spiritual fire for assisting alchemists in achieving mastery and breaking through shackles.

After the first street's Dan Fire was lit, the Medicine Department quickly cultivated a batch of first-rank alchemists. Now that the second street's Dan Fire is lit, it means the Medicine Department will soon produce a batch of second-rank alchemists.

Because of this, even Prince Shou, who held hostility and dissatisfaction toward the cultivators of the Guardian Families, had a much better expression, let alone the others in the Medicine Department.

Regardless, those who entered the Medicine Department, even if they had various schemes and calculations behind them, most still hoped in their hearts to improve their alchemy skills.

Director Gu noticed that the onlookers on Ninth Street were all looking at Meng Qingyao with admiration, and even the hall masters beside him were less repulsed by the group of cultivators brought by the Guardian Families; he sighed inwardly, thinking that the Xia family's arrangement was truly brilliant.

Eh?

Director Gu suddenly noticed that unlike the others who looked at Meng Qingyao with surprise, admiration, or appraisal, Gu Jinfan and Hua Changxi's expressions were somewhat intriguing, which he couldn't quite understand.

At this moment, Gu Jinfan looked at Meng Qingyao with a complex expression. In the previous life, the Dan Fire of the first five streets of the Medicine Department were all lit by Meng Qingyao. With the aid of the Dan Fire, the Four Spirit Realm gained many alchemists below the fifth rank. Unfortunately, before she could light the sixth street's Dan Fire, the Dan Holy Hall was completely taken over by external cultivators led by the Jiang family.

In this life, the first street's Dan Fire was lit ahead of time...

Thinking of the first-rank supreme-grade pill that Hua Changxi submitted to Prince Shou, Gu Jinfan's gaze immediately fell on Hua Changxi. Was it her? Did she light the first street's Dan Fire?

Hua Changxi was comparing the methods she and Meng Qingyao used to light the Dan Fire. Clearly, Meng Qingyao's public lighting of the lanterns could gain a wave of fame, while she herself was chased as an intruder. Feeling that she had lost ground, she sensed someone staring at her and immediately looked up, finding Gu Jinfan looking at her with a probing gaze. She immediately glared at her displeasedly.

Having been glared at, Gu Jinfan promptly averted her gaze.

Forget it, never mind. Whether or not Hua Changxi lit the first street's Dan Fire no longer matters. What matters is that the Guardian Families have appeared early, and the five great Guardian Families from the East, West, South, North, and Center have all come to the Medicine Department. The Dan Holy Hall cannot be controlled by external cultivators as it was in the previous life.

After the second street's Dan Fire was lit, Xia Zhen showed a gratified smile on his face. He looked at Gu Xing beside him and said in a low voice, "Daoist Gu, this girl Qingyao has a Fire-Wood Spiritual Body; she is someone born specifically to achieve the Dao of Alchemy."

Hearing that Meng Qingyao was a Fire-Wood Spiritual Body, Gu Xing's eyes lit up, and he looked at Meng Qingyao with fervor and excitement.

Seeing Gu Xing's reaction, Xia Zhen smiled and continued, "Qingyao can already refine fourth-rank pills. Lighting the third street's Dan Fire is only a matter of time."

After hearing this, Gu Xing became even more emotional. He looked at Xia Zhen and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Daoist Xia, for bringing so many alchemy talents to the Dan Holy Hall."

Xia Zhen smiled and said, "It's only right. Everything is for the Holy Land, for the Four Spirit Realm."

The two walked side by side at the front, while the others quickly followed.

Meng Yuchuan and the brothers Dongfang Hao and Dongfang Xu quickly walked over to Meng Qingyao.

Meng Yuchuan was very proud of his younger sister: "Qingyao, well done! I always said that if you take action, you would be the number one alchemist."

Although Meng Qingyao had a smile on her face, she wasn't very happy: "Brother, don't say that. What number one alchemist? Someone lit the first street's Dan Fire before me." As she spoke, she turned to look at the two lanterns at the intersection of First Street.

"I wonder who lit the first street's Dan Fire?"

After hearing this, Meng Yuchuan and the Dongfang brothers couldn't help but look at the first street's Dan Fire.

Dongfang Xu said with a smile, "No matter who lit it, since that person didn't show up to light the second street's Dan Fire, it means they still can't refine a second-rank supreme-grade pill. They can't compare to Sister Qingyao."

Meng Qingyao shook her head with a smile: "That's not necessarily true. I really want to meet that person."

Dongfang Hao: "We've already come to the Medicine Department. As long as that person is in the Medicine Department, we will definitely meet them."

Meng Yuchuan nodded: "Alright, let's not worry about that for now. We're about to worship the Divine Tree. Have you all decided what grade of incense to light?"

Meng Qingyao: "Senior Xia said that as long as I light the Dan Fire, I should take first-grade incense."

Dongfang Hao: "I'll try second-grade incense first. If I can't even light the second-grade incense, then A-Xu will take third-grade incense."

Dongfang Xu said with some concern: "The nine hall masters who got the wooden tokens will consume nine sticks of incense. We ten people still have to compete with the other nine hall masters for the remaining nine sticks. What if before it's our turn, all the incense is already lit?"

Hearing this, Meng Yuchuan also showed a worried expression. He looked up at Gu Xing's back: "Senior Gu... is ultimately more partial to those from the Medicine Department." If Senior Xia had arranged it, then they would have been the first to worship the Divine Tree.

Dongfang Hao shook his head and said, "The Divine Tree's blessing is not so easily obtained. Don't worry too much. Besides, who says that those who got wooden tokens will definitely receive the Divine Tree's blessing?"

Meng Qingyao looked surprised: "Those who can obtain a wooden token must have gained the approval of the Holy Land. How could the Divine Tree not bestow its blessing?"

Dongfang Hao smiled: "You forgot, people have greed. The three grades of incense correspond to three ranks of secret realms. We aren't sure what grade we can light, and the hall masters are certainly the same. Tell me, under the influence of greed, might they make a wrong choice?"

He paused, "We people will definitely each get a chance to worship the Divine Tree once."

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Xu and Meng Yuchuan nodded in agreement, their faces no longer so worried.

Hua Changxi did not walk the Pilgrimage Road with the others but took the alleys of Ninth Street. Because she took a detour, she couldn't help but quicken her pace. When she arrived at the square, she happened to come face to face with the group led by Gu Xing and Xia Zhen.

Gu Xing looked at Hua Changxi, then turned back to look at the Pilgrimage Road behind him, seeming thoughtful, but said nothing.

Xia Zhen beside him, however, spoke with a smile: "Why didn't this young friend walk the Pilgrimage Road with everyone else?"

Hua Changxi replied with a smile, "The Pilgrimage Path, as its name suggests, is for pilgrimage. I know that I lack the wisdom of a sage, so I will not set foot on this path."

After hearing this, Xia Zhen laughed heartily. "You've misunderstood, young friend. There are very few in this world who can become sages, but that doesn't stop us from having a heart that aspires to sagehood."

Before Hua Changxi could respond, Gu Xing spoke first: "I'm afraid she doesn't even have a heart that aspires to sages." With a glance at Hua Changxi, he propped himself on his staff and walked toward the stone cauldron in the official arena.

Hua Changxi hadn't expected Gu Xing to speak about her publicly, and his tone carried dissatisfaction. She was a bit speechless—had she offended this old man?

Because of Gu Xing's sudden remark, Xia Zhen gave Hua Changxi a deep look. The cultivators from the Protector Clan side, who hadn't paid much attention to her before, also began to scrutinize her again. Even those from the Medical Office side showed her a bit more interest.

Hua Changxi rolled her eyes at everyone's reactions.

Gu Xing led everyone to the stone cauldron. Then, with a wave of his staff, an offering table inscribed with green runes appeared.

Seeing the offering table, Xia Zhen adjusted his attire once more, and then respectfully brought out the Divine Wood Cauldron and eighteen sticks of Incense of Elixir.

Gu Xing looked at the nine hall masters who had received wooden tokens. He had intended to say nothing and let them choose the Incense of Elixir themselves, but his gaze swept over Hua Changxi. Recalling that this girl had been indifferent to Qihuang Hall after becoming hall master, he thought for a moment and then said, "The Incense of Elixir is divided into three levels, each corresponding to a secret realm of the appropriate grade."

"The Divine Wood Secret Realm is different from the secret realms you've discovered in the outside world. Remember, the Divine Wood Secret Realm has no concept of nirvana."