[{"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-240":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},151926,261,"Chapter 240: Era's Driving Force (9)","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-240",240,"\u003Cp>\"Guild Master Hua, must you make such a big deal out of this? I only saw you standing at the door and kindly invited you to sit down—how does that lead you to conclude that we're not on the same side?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao felt that Hua Changxi was not only hard to get close to but also liked to argue unreasonably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that he was still pestering her, Hua Changxi was no longer polite: \"Huo Yunxiao, do you realize that your so-called 'kindness' is arrogant?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're angry because I rejected you. You think that as a disciple of the Heavenly Division Minister, you stooped to make friends with me, so I should be grateful and accept joyfully.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I'm unwilling, then I'm unappreciative and disrespectful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This behavior of yours is exactly the same as what the Meng family was doing just now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You people deep down think you're superior to me, and as someone in a lower position, I should unconditionally cooperate with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao opened his mouth to retort but didn't know what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at him: \"If you treat people sincerely, you should know that others have their own principles and thoughts, and they have the right to refuse you. When rejected, you should politely back off. But what are you doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't that forcing your own will onto others?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao fell silent. He glanced at Hua Changxi, then returned inside the guild hall with a somewhat awkward expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Huo Yunxiao return empty-handed and having been dressed down by Hua Changxi, the expressions of the others in the hall were a bit odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today's attendees gathered all the major forces of the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were representatives from the imperial family, the nobility, the great clans, official factions of the court, as well as sect forces like the Heavenly Master Mansion, the Xiangguo Temple, and the Sanqing Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason they attached so much importance to this was that, to a certain extent, the eighteen guild masters of the Qihuang Hall could completely be regarded as the first batch of seed candidates for reviving the Dan Holy Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This secret realm master, who had publicly embarrassed Xia Zhen, had already been thoroughly investigated by all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, just as the investigation found… she does things her own way!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many representatives shook their heads inwardly. In their view, even if one was dissatisfied, one should not say it out loud in public, cutting off the possibility of future cooperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those in power should not show their emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou also whispered to Chu Junhao beside him: \"Little Seven, that Hua Changxi is really difficult to deal with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Junhao smiled: \"Uncle, I don't think so. What Hua Changxi wants is just sincere treatment and equal interaction.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou laughed out loud: \"Sincere treatment?\" As if he had heard a joke, he clicked his tongue and shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Junhao saw this but said nothing. He only looked at Hua Changxi by the courtyard gate, with a peculiar light flickering in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as everyone was appraising Hua Changxi, Mu Qingying made her appearance in a green robe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she came out, everyone turned to look at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Qingying was a bit nervous. This lecture was completely different in significance from her previous lectures at Qihuang Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before, it didn't matter much whether the lecture was good or bad; but now, she represented the Dan Holy Hall to a certain extent. As the guild master of its Qihuang Hall, the quality of her lecture would be judged by the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In particular, those who had come to listen before were only people from the Medical Affairs Bureau, but today, many attendees were influential figures in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These people had extraordinary experience, already knew early about the revival of spiritual energy, and understood far more about cultivation than she did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, these people had enormous influence in spreading information and could steer the direction of many things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking about all this, Mu Qingying felt immense pressure. After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she began the lecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must not disgrace her master. For this lecture, she had brought out all her best skills, determined not to give anyone a chance to look down on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Qingying taught the process of refining the second-rank Condensed Spirit Pill and demonstrated it in person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Condensed Spirit Pill is the most difficult second-rank pill to refine, and it is the breakthrough pill most Qi Sea cultivators need to overcome bottlenecks and enter the Core Formation realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Hua Changxi saw the medicinal ingredients Mu Qingying used to refine the Condensed Spirit Pill, several of which were improperly processed, she knew that Mu Qingying would certainly not produce a supreme-grade Condensed Spirit Pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Mu Qingying's alchemy techniques and procedures were still quite smooth, and her explanations were easy to understand, so many of those present kept nodding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under everyone's watchful eyes, though nervous, Mu Qingying successfully refined the Condensed Spirit Pill in one go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A second-rank superior-grade Condensed Spirit Pill!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smelling the rich pill fragrance in the air and seeing the golden Condensed Spirit Pill suspended above the furnace, the crowd all cast approving glances at Mu Qingying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, a strict master produces outstanding disciples. Director Gu, congratulations! In the future, Pill Master Mu will surely be a top-tier grand alchemist in the Four Spirit Realm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other hall masters also came forward one after another to exchange alchemical insights with Mu Qingying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Mu Qingying, who was surrounded by a crowd, but did not approach; instead, she turned and left the First Qi Huang Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yaoshi hesitated when he saw her leave directly, then stepped forward and said, \"Hall Master, shouldn't you go over and greet Hall Master Mu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi shook her head. \"No need.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yaoshi heard this and looked helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What do you mean, no need? There was every need—this was the most basic social etiquette!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way back to the Thirteenth Qi Huang Hall, passing by the old square, Hua Changxi recalled the congested scene at the First Qi Huang Hall and decided that on the day she gave her lecture, she would teach in this square.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students couldn't just stand there. Then, remembering the large number of meditation cushions laid out in the reopened First Qi Huang Hall, Hua Changxi immediately sent a message to Jing Liao, asking if he had any extra meditation cushions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Liao replied quickly: \"How many do you need?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi estimated the number of people who had come to the First Qi Huang Hall today: \"Ten thousand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the reply was not as prompt. It wasn't until Hua Changxi and her party returned to the Thirteenth Qi Huang Hall that Jing Liao finally answered: \"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi: \"When should I go to pick them up?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jing Liao: \"Anytime.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After receiving the reply, Hua Changxi told Xu Yaoshi and the others, \"I'm going out for a bit,\" and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her leave, Xu Yaoshi and the others felt uneasy, afraid that, just like before, she would disappear without a trace and not reappear for months.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, this time Hua Changxi returned quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after coming back, she immediately plunged into the east room and didn't come out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had entered a secret realm to gather first-grade medicinal herbs. She had already decided what she would teach in her lecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would lecture on spiritual plants!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The secret realm had a wide variety of first-grade spiritual plants. While teaching, she could bring out the corresponding plants to help the audience remember better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the next ten-plus days, Hua Changxi went to listen to the other hall masters' lectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current Qi Huang Hall masters were indeed people with some talent and accomplishment in alchemy and medicine. Even Director Gu Qiming and Heavenly Department Head Wei Zhenjie personally gave lectures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two did not personally demonstrate the alchemical process but instead spoke about their insights and experiences in alchemy, which provided some inspiration and guidance for beginners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other hall masters' lectures all focused on how to refine alchemical pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The process of refining pills was largely the same for everyone; the difference in the quality of the final pills resulted solely from each person's varying level of control over each step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was to hide their true abilities or not, all the hall masters lectured on how to refine second-grade pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi did not believe that all the hall masters were incapable of refining third-grade pills; she felt many were concealing their true strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After more than ten days of attending lectures, the most talked-about figure was Meng Qingyao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple: during her lecture, she refined a furnace of supreme-grade second-grade pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When supreme-grade pills were formed, a pill radiance would diffuse, and this radiance contained Dao resonance. Those who sat close to Meng Qingyao during the lecture were able to absorb some of that Dao resonance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of this, Meng Qingyao's reputation soared to unprecedented heights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Medical Affairs Department now, no matter where you went, you could hear people discussing Meng Qingyao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month was the day of Hua Changxi's lecture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twenty-seventh, after finishing Wu Lingyue's lecture, Hua Changxi had Xu Yaoshi and the others post notices outside the Thirteenth Qi Huang Hall and at the main gate of the Medical Affairs Department, informing everyone that she would be lecturing in the square the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This Hua Changxi, why does she love to court attention so much!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Seventh Qi Huang Hall, Meng Yuchuan kept complaining about Hua Changxi to Meng Qingyao and the Dongfang brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All the other hall masters lecture inside their Qi Huang Halls, but she has to show off by going to the square to teach.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is she trying to do, make herself look special?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dongfang Hao, recalling that whenever he went to listen to lectures at other Qi Huang Halls, he would see Hua Changxi standing among the crowded audience, said, \"...Maybe she just thinks the square is large enough to accommodate everyone who comes to listen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1711,"2026-05-29T04:10:48.594Z","2026-06-01T04:29:08.487Z",1,"deepseek-v4-flash","c4987a25e061f1711ed0b361611210807861e9142d636c09f719a0ca6dffb169","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-241","the-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-chapter-239",547,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-first-iron-rice-bowl-of-great-jin-cover.jpg"]