[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin":3,"chapter-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-229":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The First Iron Rice Bowl of Great Jin",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},151915,261,"Chapter 229: Commoner's Role Model","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-229",229,"\u003Cp>Hua Changxi sent a message to Tong Yao, and to her surprise, he responded immediately. With that, she left the Medical Department and headed to the Southern City Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she stepped onto the street where the Southern City Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was located, Hua Changxi saw Tong Yao waiting at the street corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fellow Daoist Tong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao looked at the red-robed female cultivator walking toward him with a complicated expression. Before this, he had always thought Hua Changxi was older than him, but it turned out she had only recently reached the age of fifteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Should I call you Fellow Daoist Hua now, or Master Hua of the pavilion?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Tong Yao had already figured out Hua Changxi's true identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled and said, \"It's just a form of address. Call me whatever you like.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao laughed as well. \"Then I'll stick with Fellow Daoist Hua.\" With that, he led Hua Changxi into a nearby restaurant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sat down in a private room on the second floor overlooking the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao took out a tea set from his storage pouch, manipulated spiritual fire with his right hand, and in the blink of an eye brewed a pot of spiritual tea. He poured a cup for Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My spiritual tea can't compare to that of the Dan Saint Hall, but please make do with it, Fellow Daoist Hua.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi picked up the tea and took a sip. \"Mm...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Tong Yao expected her to comment on the tea, Hua Changxi said, \"I don't know how to taste tea.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his stunned expression, Hua Changxi asked, \"Is it strange that I don't know how to taste tea?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao shook his head with a smile. \"I forgot, Fellow Daoist Hua is still young.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was even more puzzled. \"What does that have to do with my age?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao explained patiently, \"At a young age, Fellow Daoist Hua is in the stage of daring to explore and strive, focused on conquering the world. As for appreciating life, that might be somewhat overlooked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"What does appreciating life have to do with drinking tea?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao chuckled. \"The eight refined arts of life are: qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, flowers, and tea. We ordinary folk may not master them all, but we should learn one or two, so as not to waste this life.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi laughed dryly. \"If I don't know any of your eight refined arts, does that mean I've come into this world in vain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao smiled wryly. \"That's not what I meant. What I meant is, aside from fame and fortune, life should have some other pursuits. Otherwise, wouldn't it be awfully dull and boring?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Tong Yao with a probing gaze, thinking to herself: Is this guy hinting that I'm dull and boring?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, on second thought, aside from cultivation and alchemy, she had no other hobbies. Her days were indeed a bit dull and uninteresting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Tong Yao. \"Can you really find joy in life just by drinking tea?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao smiled. \"Everyone's appreciation of life is different. I practice tea ceremonies daily to cultivate my character and constantly refine my virtue. The joy in it is hard to put into words.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One day, when Fellow Daoist Hua also finds a practice she can pursue daily and has something to rely on for body and mind, we can sit down and share our insights.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi understood Tong Yao's implication. He was hinting that she was too shallow, afraid she wouldn't grasp the life philosophy behind his tea drinking, as if casting pearls before swine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao didn't continue on the topic of tea. He changed the subject. \"It's the New Year, and Fellow Daoist Hua is in such a hurry to find me. Is there something urgent?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at him. \"Have you heard about what happened at the Medical Department on New Year's Eve?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao nodded. \"The Guardian appeared. Such a major event spread through the capital on New Year's Eve. How could I not know?\" He turned to look at Hua Changxi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I haven't even congratulated you yet, Fellow Daoist Hua. I heard you are one of the two who obtained the high-grade Divine Wood Secret Realm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"Yes, I got a secret realm, and I'd like to collaborate with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao raised an eyebrow. \"Collaboration? How?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"You refine artifacts, I refine alchemy. We can share resources with each other.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao had already witnessed Hua Changxi's alchemy skills. Xia Yang and Xia Xue were safe and sound thanks to the healing pills she had provided in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the five sacred lands had always been mutually supportive. Now that Fellow Daoist Hua had obtained the Divine Wood Secret Realm, she was a member of the Dan Saint Hall. Collaborating with her would benefit the Qi Saint Palace without any harm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's my honor to collaborate with Fellow Daoist Hua.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that he agreed, Hua Changxi smiled and said, \"We can discuss the specific details of the collaboration later. By the way, Fellow Daoist Tong, has the formation master friend you mentioned to me before returned to the capital?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao nodded: \"I did. Even if you hadn't come looking for me, after the new year I would have notified you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi quickly said: \"Can you call them out now? I want to collaborate with them too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without much hesitation, Tong Yao took out a message talisman and began contacting them. Soon, he said to Hua Changxi: \"That friend of mine happens to be free. She'll be here in a while.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's face lit up. Watching the message talisman in Tong Yao's hand burn away, her eyes flickered: \"Message talismans are convenient, but they consume too quickly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each message talisman can generally only be used five times, and there's also the limitation of distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi thought of the cell phones from her previous life. Looking at Tong Yao, she said: \"Fellow Daoist Tong, I've conceived a type of spiritual tool dedicated to communication. It can not only send texts, but also do voice calls and face-to-face conversations...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi explained the composition and functions of a cell phone to Tong Yao in detail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fellow Daoist Tong, what do you think? Isn't my concept good?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can you refine such a spiritual tool?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With this kind of spiritual tool, it would be so much more convenient for us to keep in touch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao actually thought it over seriously. The spiritual tool Fellow Daoist Hua described, though it required recording stones and image stones, would indeed be much more convenient to use than message talismans if it could actually be refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll go back and give it a try.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"If you really manage to refine it, you can give me some.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao smiled: \"Don't worry, if I really refine it, I'll definitely give you some.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two talked for a while, and then there was a knock on the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao got up and opened the door: \"Jingliao, why did you come together with Yan Jin?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked up and saw Jingliao and a female cultivator in purple robes walking into the room together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was just at Yan Jin's place. When I heard you were looking for her, I came along too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jingliao smiled as she explained to Tong Yao, then looked at Hua Changxi: \"Fellow Daoist Hua, Happy New Year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi stood up: \"Happy New Year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao closed the door properly and introduced with a smile: \"Fellow Daoist Hua, this is the formation master I told you about, Yan Jin, Fellow Daoist Yan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled and nodded at the purple-robed female cultivator: \"Fellow Daoist Yan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tong Yao was about to introduce Hua Changxi to Yan Jin, but Yan Jin directly cut him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need for your introduction. Right now, which cultivator in the entire capital doesn't know Fellow Daoist Hua, who obtained the high-grade Divine Tree secret realm?\" Yan Jin looked at Hua Changxi with a smile, curiosity and inquiry in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's eyes flickered as she smiled: \"So I'm that famous now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Jin looked at her and nodded seriously: \"You outshone the alchemy prodigy chosen by the Guardian. Do you think you wouldn't become famous?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On New Year's Eve, the Guardian appeared at the Medicine Bureau and opened the Divine Tree secret realm. That incident has spread like wildfire among cultivators.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know who people are talking about the most?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's not Meng Qingyao, who ignited the alchemy flame in the Second Street, nor the juniors of the five Guardian families. It's you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was puzzled: \"What is there to talk about concerning me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Jin: \"You are a commoner. A commoner's comeback—what a great topic! Do you know? Your appearance has given hope to many commoner cultivators. They even look up to you as a role model.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Also, you're a young woman. You've broken many people's fixed perceptions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi: \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1539,"2026-05-29T04:10:48.594Z","2026-06-01T04:29:08.487Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","d79f1610fa00ffd60bfead864ec335b7d2097df8831a4629b86dd6e8e5c6b469","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-230","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-228",547,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-cover.jpg"]