Chapter 224: Greed Without Awareness

Once the hour of Zi passed and the New Year's Eve vigil ended, each branch of the Hua family returned to their own rooms.

Hua Changxi followed Hua Minghe and Lady Yao to their quarters; Hua Liulang saw this and quickly pulled Hua Dalang and Hua Sanlang to follow as well.

"Father, Mother, these are the New Year gifts I prepared for the family. Please take them out tomorrow and distribute them to everyone."

After entering the room, Hua Changxi took out the prepared medicinal bath herbs and three bamboo baskets of Spiritual Nurturing Fruits, Jade Skin Fruits, and Yang Essence Fruits.

"These spirit fruits all strengthen and nourish the physical body. Spiritual Nurturing Fruits can be eaten by everyone, Jade Skin Fruits are suitable for women, and Yang Essence Fruits are suitable for men."

Seeing his sister produce several hundred spirit fruits at once, Hua Liulang immediately grinned from ear to ear, picked up a Yang Essence Fruit and started munching: "Mm, this spirit fruit tastes pretty good." As he spoke, he also stuffed one each into the hands of Hua Dalang and Hua Sanlang.

"Father, Mother, you should eat too."

Lady Yao looked at her youngest son, who showed no restraint at all, and shot him a laughing glare, then turned to Hua Changxi: "Child, why didn't you bring these out when the whole family was just together?"

"If your Second Uncle and the others saw what you've prepared, they would remember your kindness."

Hua Changxi seemed uninterested: "I don't need them to remember my kindness. It's enough that they owe their gratitude to you and Father."

Lady Yao disagreed: "Although we don't need to be overly calculating within the family, your thoughtful intentions should still be made known to everyone. Don't worry, leave this to your mother—I'll make sure the whole family remembers your kindness."

With that, she enthusiastically began dividing the spirit fruits with Hua Sanlang and Hua Liulang.

But Hua Minghe and Hua Dalang detected something else in Hua Changxi's words.

Both father and son served in government offices with complex interpersonal relationships, so they were better at reading people's minds and discerning expressions.

Ninth Girl's demeanor was exactly like those superiors in the yamen—they only bestow favors on those who catch their eye.

Ninth Girl was unwilling to personally give the spirit fruits to her family and didn't even care whether they remembered her kindness—what did that imply?

It implied that Ninth Girl simply didn't care about her family's opinions; her family hadn't made it into her sight.

Hua Minghe and Hua Dalang looked at Hua Changxi, who wore an indifferent expression, and their feelings grew mixed.

Ninth Girl's disregard for the Hua family left both of them somewhat pained.

Hua Minghe hesitated for a moment but couldn't hold back and asked about the secret realm: "Ninth Girl, quite a few people must already know that you've obtained the Divine Wood Secret Realm. What are your plans?"

Hua Changxi: "I haven't figured it out yet."

Upon hearing "secret realm," Hua Liulang stopped dividing the spirit fruits, walked over, and sat beside Hua Changxi: "Ninth Girl, what is the Divine Wood Secret Realm like? I've never been inside a secret realm before. Take me and our family in for a tour."

Hua Changxi refused outright: "No. Unless you become members of the Alchemy Saint Hall, I won't let any of you enter the Divine Wood Secret Realm."

Seeing her refusal so decisive, Hua Minghe and Lady Yao quickly exchanged glances, while Hua Dalang and Hua Sanlang also flickered their eyes at each other.

Hua Liulang didn't overthink it and said directly: "Our entire family is willing to become disciples of the Alchemy Saint Hall. Ninth Girl, take us in."

Hua Changxi didn't mind Hua Liulang's straightforward nature—saying whatever came to mind. She immediately laughed: "Becoming a disciple of the Alchemy Saint Hall certainly comes with conditions."

"After I've figured out how to manage the secret realm, I'll let the family know."

"At that time, if family members are willing to join and meet the conditions, I will also recommend the worthy without avoiding nepotism—lifting the good regardless of relation."

The first and second layers of the Divine Wood Secret Realm have one hundred fifty million mu of medicinal fields, requiring a large number of cultivators to farm the land—surely the Hua family...

Hua Liulang grinned at once: "I'm sure our whole family will be willing."

Hua Changxi looked at him: "Sixth Brother, didn't you say you like artifact refining? The Alchemy Saint Hall is a place for alchemy."

Hua Liulang's face fell: "I do want to learn artifact refining, but I just can't find anyone to teach me."

Hua Changxi smiled: "I do happen to know an artifact refiner."

Hua Liulang's face lit up with joy: "Really? Is that person powerful?"

Hua Changxi was speechless: "Teaching you would be more than enough. Besides, it's still uncertain whether they'll accept you, and here you are being picky."

Hua Dalang suddenly spoke up: "Is that person from the Artifact Saint Palace?"

Hearing this, Hua Liulang's eyes went wide.

Hua Changxi looked at Hua Dalang: "Big Brother, why do you ask that?"

Hua Dalang: "Your appearance near the artifact workshop last time struck me as too much of a coincidence."

Hua Changxi: "Such a big incident happened at the artifact workshop—it's perfectly normal for me to go and check out the excitement."

Hua Dalang looked at her and didn't say anything more.

What he didn't say was that, at the time, he had seen his younger sister together with a male cultivator.

During the time the Demon-Suppression Army had sealed off the refining workshop, he had seen that male cultivator wandering outside the workshop several times.

Hua Changxi also didn't say anything more.

Although Hua Liulang was rather straightforward in temperament, he wasn't stupid. Though Ninth Maiden hadn't directly responded to Big Brother, from his understanding of Ninth Maiden, this lack of response was itself a response.

"Ninth Maiden, then when will you take me to become a disciple?"

Hua Changxi looked at her Sixth Brother with his blazing eyes: "You'll have to at least let me go ask for their opinion first."

Hua Liulang chuckled: "Right, right, right, you ask first. But you have to put in a good word for me, my talent is still quite good."

Hua Changxi gave him an exasperated glare, then stood up and looked at the four of them, Hua Minghe and the others: "Father, Mother, Big Brother, Third Brother, I'm going back to my room. You all should rest early too."

After Hua Changxi left the room, Hua Sanlang looked at the grinning Hua Liulang and said sourly to Hua Minghe and Yao Shi: "Ninth Maiden is closest to Sixth Brother; she thinks of everything for him."

"She gave the Fire Spirit Mine to Sixth Brother to manage, and since Sixth Brother wants to learn refining, she's even finding him a master. But for me and Big Brother, she doesn't care or ask."

Hearing this sour talk, before Hua Minghe and Yao Shi could react, Hua Liulang was the first to object.

"Third Brother, your words are unreasonable. Whatever I want, I tell Ninth Maiden. If Ninth Maiden is able, she helps me, her Sixth Brother."

"You and Big Brother, if you want Ninth Maiden's help, you have to speak up first. Do you expect Ninth Maiden to fulfill your wishes on her own initiative?"

Yao Shi looked at her three sons: "Sixth Brother is very right. You are all Ninth Maiden's elder brothers. She won't neglect one to favor another."

Hua Dalang frowned: "I did speak up, but Ninth Maiden wasn't willing."

Hua Liulang looked at him: "Big Brother, that wasn't asking Ninth Maiden for help. That was ordering Ninth Maiden to act according to your thoughts in your capacity as an elder brother."

"What is help?"

"It means Ninth Maiden has something Big Brother wants, and then she gives a little extra to you. That's called help."

"And you, Big Brother, what is it that you want?"

"You and Grandfather are the same—you want everything Ninth Maiden has. It would be strange if she gave it to you."

Hua Liulang looked at Hua Dalang seriously: "Big Brother, have you noticed? You and Grandfather are both very greedy, and moreover, you are greedy without knowing it."

Hua Dalang was stunned speechless. Hua Minghe, Yao Shi, and Hua Sanlang also looked at Hua Liulang in astonishment.

They hadn't expected that the person in the main branch who understood things most clearly was actually Hua Liulang, who was straightforward in everything.

Seeing that his parents and elder brothers were all stunned by his words, Hua Liulang felt quite pleased with himself.

Hmph, in his dealings with Old You and the others in the Three Fork Medicine Valley, he had still learned a lot; he was no longer the same ignorant fool he used to be.