Chapter 242: Era's Catalyst (11)

"Hua Changxi probably will talk about pill refining, but when it comes to pill refining, no one can match Qingyao. That Hua Changxi can't come up with anything new. I think we should just leave."

The children of the guardian families, who prided themselves on their noble status, were unwilling to lower themselves to sit in the back rows of mats and were hesitating about whether to leave.

Just then, Hua Changxi arrived, bringing with her Yu Gui, Zhou Qiuyu, Wang Yunchu, and Guo Cheng.

Seeing Meng Qingyao and her group standing still, Hua Changxi said nothing, nodded to them, and then led Yu Gui and the other three toward the stone cauldron.

"Hall Master Hua is here; the lecture is about to begin. Let's take our seats quickly."

Dongfang Hao was the first to step forward and sit down on a mat, followed closely by Meng Qingyao, and then the others reluctantly took their seats one after another.

"I want to see what kind of show Hua Changxi can put on with such a big fuss."

As Hua Changxi appeared, the originally noisy square gradually became quiet, and everyone's eyes followed her movements.

Yu Gui and the other three followed Hua Changxi to the stone cauldron, forming two pairs and setting up tables and stools on the left and right sides of the cauldron. They took out the prepared brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and blank bamboo slips and arranged them neatly.

Hua Changxi glanced around the square. Nearly ten thousand mats were almost fully occupied. Being watched up close by nearly ten thousand people at once, her heart was pounding like thunder, tense yet tinged with excitement.

Taking a deep breath to calm her mind, Hua Changxi waved her hand, and a light screen emerged, standing directly behind the stone cauldron. Then she sat down on the mat below the cauldron.

Yu Gui and the other three beside her also took their seats in turn, organizing their brushes, ink, and blank bamboo slips, ready to start recording at any moment.

After sitting down, Hua Changxi did not immediately begin the lecture. Instead, she manipulated her spiritual power to float the spirit herbs on the medicine rack, one by one.

Then, each spirit herb began to slowly fly through the air above the square in a clockwise spiral rotation.

Hua Changxi controlled the intensity of her spiritual power, ensuring that everyone in the square could clearly see each spirit herb.

As the spirit herbs rose one after another, a rich fragrance of medicinal herbs rapidly spread through the air above the square.

Although the spirit herbs in the air were only first-grade spirit herbs, seeing thousands of them moving slowly and orderly in midair was still quite a spectacular sight.

The square was very quiet; everyone was looking up at the spirit herbs in the air.

Even the nobles present, who held abundant cultivation resources, had never seen so many spirit herbs at once.

If that was the case for the nobles, it was even more so for ordinary cultivators.

The resurgence of spiritual energy had only fully entered the public eye a few years ago, and many spirit plants and herbs were still very unfamiliar to everyone.

Even the nobles, though they possessed pill refining and medical techniques passed down to them, lacked a systematic and complete understanding. Many of the spirit herbs now suspended in midair were unfamiliar to them as well.

Even Gu Jinfan, who had been reborn, watched carefully.

Meng Qingyao was the same, and her expression was serious.

She knew that the spirit herbs suspended in midair all came from the high-grade Divine Wood Secret Realm that Hua Changxi had obtained.

At that moment, she was somewhat awed by the sheer variety and completeness of the spirit herbs produced in the Divine Wood Secret Realm that Hua Changxi had obtained.

The seventh-grade secret realm she had obtained did not have nearly as many first-grade spirit herbs.

Could it be that the Divine Wood Secret Realm Hua Changxi obtained was of a higher grade than hers?

Meng Qingyao's heart felt heavy.

She was a fire-wood spirit body, a natural pill refiner, born into the cultivation family of the Mengs, and carefully trained by the Xia clan, a guardian family. Before coming to the Medical Affairs Department, she was confident she would not lose to anyone.

She truly had not expected someone like Hua Changxi to appear.

Independent and conspicuous, at first glance she gave off an arrogant feeling of looking down on everyone.

Although she disliked Hua Changxi's disdainful arrogance, she secretly admired her unrestrained boldness—something she herself could never achieve.

Moreover, everything Hua Changxi did shocked her every time.

For example, promoting the opening of the public secret realm, or this time giving a lecture in the square.

This person wore her emotions on her sleeve, seemingly easy to read, yet her actions were always unpredictable and lacking any pattern.

Hua Changxi...

Meng Qingyao had to admit that although Hua Changxi was hard to get close to, she possessed a unique charm that made people irresistibly want to understand her deeper.

"Qingyao."

Meng Yuchuan saw that Meng Qingyao's expression was not good. Thinking it was because Hua Changxi's limelight was too bright and had displeased her, he pondered for a moment and then comforted her.

"This Hua Changxi, it seems she wants to explain content about spirit plants. These are just basic common sense, completely incomparable to your lecture on alchemy."

After hearing this, Meng Qingyao showed a wry smile: "Brother, have you considered that from the standpoint of the Alchemy Saint Hall, Hua Changxi's approach is actually more beneficial for the spread of the Dao of alchemy and medical arts?"

Meng Yuchuan's expression paused, then he frowned and said: "Basic common sense about spirit medicines, you can just go to the Ghost Market and pick up a book to familiarize yourself with. Why bother giving a special lecture and making such a big fuss?"

Meng Qingyao knew her brother was defending her. She forced a smile and said nothing more, continuing to watch the spirit medicines in midair.

It wasn't just Meng Qingyao who was speculating about Hua Changxi's secret realm grade based on the variety of spirit medicines; Gu Xing was doing the same.

Gu Xing held a seventh-grade secret realm, yet the first-grade spirit medicines inside it were not as many as those Hua Changxi displayed today.

Watching Hua Changxi, who was intently manipulating spiritual power, a sharp glint flashed in Gu Xing's eyes.

Could this girl have obtained an eighth-grade secret realm?

As for a ninth-grade secret realm, Gu Xing didn't even consider it.

No other reason, only the master of the Holy Land is qualified to open a ninth-grade secret realm.

"Eighth-grade secret realm..." Gu Xing's gaze flickered incessantly.

Regarding the Divine Tree's Blessing, most people only know about the secret realm bestowed by the Divine Tree. Actually, aside from the secret realm, the Divine Tree's Blessing also bestowed another opportunity.

That is, from the grade of the secret realm, one can get a preliminary glimpse of the height a person can reach on the path of cultivation.

An eighth-grade secret realm corresponds to the Unity Dao Realm.

Does the Divine Tree think that girl Hua Changxi has the potential to walk her own Dao?

Gu Xing had never doubted Hua Changxi's talent. From the fact that she could take away nine wooden plaques, he knew she was no ordinary person.

Unity Dao Realm...

He had seen in some incomplete bamboo slips left behind from the Holy Land that in ancient times, several masters of the Alchemy Saint Hall were cultivators of the Unity Dao Realm.

Apart from the Four Spirit Emperors and the various deities responsible for maintaining the order and operation of the realms, the Unity Dao Realm is the top tier of powerful beings!

Gu Xing looked at Hua Changxi, his gaze flickering without pause.

Regardless of whether Hua Changxi can become the master of the Holy Land in the future, as long as she is a member of the Alchemy Saint Hall, it means that in the future the Alchemy Saint Hall will have one more Unity Dao Realm powerhouse. For the Holy Land, this is a good thing no matter what.

I hope this girl will not disappoint the approval of the Divine Tree!

Several thousand first-grade spirit medicines circled the square for nearly two quarters of an hour, then flew back behind the stone tripod in an orderly fashion, forming a vertical row and standing steadily in the air.

Watching this scene, many cultivators present changed expression.

"Leaving aside Hua Changxi's medical skills and alchemy Dao for now, her ability to control spiritual power is extremely formidable."

At this moment, many people suddenly realized that Hua Changxi not only had talent in alchemy and medical arts, but her cultivation strength was definitely not low either.

"Skilled in medicine, skilled in alchemy, and her strength is not low..."

Indeed, she has the confidence and capital to be arrogant.

In an instant, most of the nobles present came to this conclusion.

"Refine the spirit medicines of heaven and earth, cultivate the supreme alchemy heart!"

A clear and ethereal voice calmly reached the ears of everyone in the square.

"Hua Changxi, head of the thirteenth Qihuang Hall of the Alchemy Saint Hall, greets everyone. Today, I will teach you about the identification of first-grade spirit medicines."

"The Alchemy Saint Hall enters the Dao through alchemy, uses medicine to benefit the world, helps cultivators break through realms and overcome hardships, and saves the living from illness and suffering."

"Before refining alchemy, one must first learn to distinguish spirit medicines."

"Spirit medicines are the foundation of alchemy, things favored by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth..."

Hua Changxi manipulated the first spirit medicine to hover above the stone tripod, and cast a spiritual light on the medicine. The light shone on the screen behind the stone tripod, and a lifelike, enlarged version of the spirit medicine immediately appeared on the screen.

This projection screen was custom-made by Hua Changxi specifically from Tong Yao, in order to let everyone see the full appearance of the spirit medicine.

Afterwards, Hua Changxi started from the most common and basic spirit medicines, explaining each one's name, growth habits, medicinal properties, and attributes, while Yu Gui and the other three began to record earnestly.

"Hua Changxi makes such a big fuss just to talk about common knowledge of spirit medicines that everyone already knows. What a waste of everyone's time."

Meng Yuchuan couldn't help complaining, and the other nobles were also somewhat disappointed.

"Brother."

Meng Qingyao stopped Meng Yuchuan's clamor, noticing that apart from a few people, most of those present were listening attentively.

The common knowledge about spiritual medicines that they took for granted was actually unclear to many people.

Among them, quite a few had taken out writing materials prepared in advance and were quietly taking notes.