Chapter 285: Too Easygoing

"Peak Master Hua."

"Lord Xue."

Xue Xian looked at Hua Changxi, who was calmly facing him without even a change in expression, and a trace of complexity flickered in his eyes.

Once upon a time, when the Jinyiwei came knocking, even a first-rank official would be terrified and trembling.

But now, with the resurgence of spiritual energy, more and more people are becoming cultivators, and the once-feared Jinyiwei are increasingly being looked down upon.

Adhering to the principle of "if the enemy does not move, I do not move," Hua Changxi remained silent as long as Xue Xian did not speak.

Xue Xian had originally thought that Hua Changxi, being young, would be unable to stay calm. He planned to use his own cold demeanor to first put psychological pressure on her, making it easier to seize the initiative in the conversation. But Hua Changxi did not take the bait, nor did she ask the reason for his visit.

Xue Xian was silent for a moment, then had to break the silence first: "Peak Master Hua, what great audacity."

Hua Changxi did not quite understand what he meant by that; though puzzled, she did not follow Xue Xian's lead to ask for an explanation: "Thank you for the compliment."

Xue Xian frowned at this response, looked at Hua Changxi, and said meaningfully: "Before coming here, I had long heard of Peak Master Hua's reputation. Now that I've met you, I find that you are quite different from how everyone describes you."

Hua Changxi looked over and smiled: "People have many facets. What Lord Xue has heard may only be one of my facets."

This answer once again exceeded Xue Xian's expectations.

Before coming, he had gathered intelligence from various sources.

Regarding Hua Changxi as a person, many of those above did not think highly of her. She was too willful and headstrong, utterly ignorant of social graces, and couldn't even get along with her own family and clan.

Geniuses like her, who have excellent talent in some area but don't know how to restrain their temperament, are mostly loners who walk alone.

Throughout history, many similar people have appeared, most of them like ephemeral flowers, blooming only for an instant, quickly withering, and then completely disappearing from people's sight.

But today, having met Hua Changxi, Xue Xian, who had seen countless people, found that he couldn't quite understand this young lady before him.

Knowing that further probing would not make Hua Changxi comply with his wishes, Xue Xian stopped beating around the bush and directly stated his purpose.

"Peak Master Hua, your grand recruitment of apprentices is truly admirable."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi's eyes flickered, somewhat guessing the reason the Jinyiwei had come: "What, is Danyuan Peak not allowed to recruit apprentices widely?"

Xue Xian smiled: "Of course not. Recruiting apprentices is Danyuan Peak's freedom. However... cultivators from all over are converging on the capital. Has Peak Master Hua considered what situation the capital will face?"

Hearing this, Hua Changxi frowned slightly.

Seeing that she remained silent, Xue Xian continued: "Peak Master Hua is a cultivator. You should know how powerful cultivators are. With a mere gesture, they can easily annihilate a group of ordinary people."

"Cultivators are even more belligerent and ruthless than the martial artists of old. Even when cultivators are scattered across the land, the Jinyiwei frequently receive reports of horrific cases where entire villages and towns are wiped out due to cultivator fights."

"Now, because of your recruitment, cultivators are all heading to the capital."

"There are many commoners in the capital. With so many cultivators flooding in, if any cultivator starts a fight in the capital, do you want the capital's citizens to become innocent souls at the hands of these cultivators?"

Xue Xian's words grew stronger and harsher with each sentence, his voice louder and his tone more forceful.

Director Gu, standing nearby, finally understood why Xue Xian insisted on meeting Hua Changxi in the square.

Look, among the onlookers in the square, after hearing Xue Xian's questioning, many people showed anger and worry on their faces, and their gazes at Hua Changxi were filled with dissatisfaction and resentment.

These people's families were all in the capital. If the capital really descended into chaos because of the cultivators coming to register, then their families would be in danger, and they themselves might also be affected.

And this is just within the Medical Department; once the words of Xue Xian's questioning of Hua Changxi spread, Hua Changxi would become the public enemy of all capital residents.

Director Gu sighed inwardly at the ruthlessness of the imperial family's methods. The imperial family was putting Hua Changxi on the fire to roast!

If Hua Changxi couldn't handle this matter well, there might be no place for her in the capital, and she would also implicate the Hua family and the Hua clan.

"Peak Master Hua."

Seeing that Hua Changxi was stunned by his question, Xue Xian immediately pressed his advantage and shouted sternly again: "I would like to ask Peak Master Hua: if the capital really erupts into chaos due to the influx of cultivators from all over, causing casualties among the common people, can you bear this responsibility?"

Hua Changxi indeed had not considered this problem and couldn't think of a solution for the moment, but she was very unconvinced by Xue Xian's questioning.

"Lord Xue, you don't need to be so harsh and stern. Everything you've said is merely your speculation."

"Also, I would very much like to ask you: from what you're saying, it seems that cultivators coming to the capital from all over has become my sole responsibility?"

"The recruitment of apprentices was jointly announced by the Four Sacred Grounds. Why is it that in your eyes, it seems to be my personal affair?"

"Have you gone to the other Sacred Grounds to discuss this matter?"

[]

Xue Xian hadn’t expected Hua Changxi to react so quickly: “I will naturally seek an explanation from the other sacred lands as well. Peak Master Hua, do not change the subject—right now, we are talking about the responsibility you should bear.”

Hua Changxi let out a cold laugh: “Lord Xue, do not take me for a naive youth. If you truly wished to resolve the matter of cultivators coming to the capital, you would gather me and the representatives from the other sacred lands together to discuss a solution.”

“Instead of barging in on me like this, full of menace, and trying to pin the crime of throwing the capital into chaos on me without a second word.”

“What, you don’t dare to provoke the other sacred lands, so you think I’m easy to bully and want to pick on the weakest first?”

Xue Xian’s eyelids twitched—the intelligence report that said ‘Hua Changxi never considers consequences and will go head-to-head with anyone’ was true. Her approach of tearing away all pretense so directly was something he, accustomed to ‘several rounds of verbal sparring before showing his true hand,’ found hard to adjust to.

“Peak Master Hua jests. No one thinks you are a soft persimmon. Why, do you think you are one yourself?”

Hua Changxi narrowed her eyes: “Why don’t you try it, and see whether this persimmon is soft or not?”

Realizing that Xue Xian had not come to genuinely solve the problem but to put her on the spot, Hua Changxi’s gaze darkened as she exploded with her spiritual pressure.

In an instant, a mountain-like force bore down straight toward Xue Xian and all the Embroidered Uniform Guards he had brought.

“Bang~”

“Bang~ Bang~”

“Bang~ Bang~ Bang~”

Every Embroidered Uniform Guard except Xue Xian—whose back was bent and legs were trembling—had fallen to their knees.

At this sight, the onlookers were stunned, and the people from the Qihuang Pavilion and the Lingjing Pavilion were also shocked.

Although Director Gu was not enveloped by the spiritual pressure, he stood not far from Xue Xian and felt the terrifying spiritual might that leaked out, leaving his mouth somewhat dry.

Hua Changxi… was actually this strong?!

Director Gu swallowed his saliva. The Minister had instructed him that Hua Changxi could push for the revival of the Dan Saint Hall, so he should covertly look after her. He certainly could not let Hua Changxi really clash with the imperial family.

“Peak Master Hua, let’s talk things over.”

Hua Changxi kept a cold face. Not only did she not withdraw her spiritual pressure, she increased it, directly forcing even Xue Xian’s legs to bend.

“I used to be too easygoing, that’s why people thought I could be bullied and kept jumping out to make things difficult for me.”

“I just wanted to find a few apprentices for the Dan Saint Hall—how does that get in any of your way?”

Director Gu: “……”

Xue Xian: “……”

The intelligence was inaccurate—it never recorded that Hua Changxi was fond of fighting and would resort to force at the slightest disagreement!

At the same time, Xue Xian was deeply alarmed that Hua Changxi had completely suppressed both him and his more than twenty subordinates. What level of strength did she actually possess?