Chapter 290: Xuanyuan City

"As expected of a holy land successor, they took down a Nascent Soul realm tiger demon in just three moves."

Wu Liyun called her subordinates to pack up the tiger demon, and with a look of admiration walked over to the First Prince, Chu Junling.

Chu Junling looked at the dying tiger demon. "Not three moves, but four."

Wu Liyun let out an 'ah', glanced at Chu Junling, quickly walked to the tiger demon, fumbled around on its body for a bit, then returned, her face both shocked and regretful: "The tiger demon's demon core is shattered."

As she spoke, she frowned.

"But I clearly only saw three people make a move."

Chu Junling looked into the Northern Pacification Office. "Every single person from the four holy lands made a move."

Wu Liyun's expression jolted. "Was it Hua Changxi from the Dan Holy Hall who shattered the tiger demon's core? When did she make a move?"

Chu Junling: "She and the successor of the Array Saint Sect made their moves around the same time."

Wu Liyun was silent for a moment. "Shattering the demon core of a mid Nascent Soul realm tiger demon with a single strike... that Hua Changxi truly cannot be underestimated."

The First Prince was at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, and even he couldn't shatter the tiger demon's demon core in one strike, yet Hua Changxi could. Is she a Spiritual Platform realm cultivator?

The corners of Chu Junling's mouth lifted. "Would she dare challenge the royal family without some real skill?"

Wu Liyun found it hard to respond to that, so she could only say, "The successors of the various holy lands are indeed all extraordinary."

Chu Junling turned his head to look at Wu Liyun, a trace of a smile pulling at his stern, serious face. "We are also successors of holy lands. Let's go, and go meet those four inside."

After Hua Changxi, Tong Yao, Jingliao, and Yan Zhenzhen entered the Northern Pacification Office, they were taken to the meeting hall.

Xue Xian did not put on airs. He had been waiting in the meeting hall early. When he saw the four enter, although he did not go out to greet them, he still smiled, stood up to say hello, and personally guided them to their seats.

Only after the four sat down did Xue Xian return to his main seat, smiling as he exchanged pleasantries with them.

The three holy lands of Array, Artifact, and Talisman were very low-key. In the past, whenever the royal family tried to contact them, they were directly refused.

But this time, after he went to the Medical Bureau to find Hua Changxi, the people from these three holy lands actually took the initiative to contact the royal family, and stated that they would jointly bear the responsibility for 'the potential chaos that cultivators entering the capital might cause'.

It seemed that all parties were closely watching the Medical Bureau. It could be said that the Medical Bureau had become the focal point of the capital; any little incident would draw attention from all sides.

Xue Xian's gaze occasionally fell on Hua Changxi. To be honest, even he hadn't expected the royal family to truly choose not to pursue Hua Changxi.

A young lady of fifteen or sixteen had actually aroused the royal family's wariness. He was also extremely impressed.

Hua Changxi disliked exchanging pleasantries with people she wasn't familiar with, especially under obvious conflicts of interest. So she went straight to the point: "Lord Xue, we're all here now. Can we discuss the real business?"

Xue Xian's expression did not change as he smiled. "There are still people who haven't arrived."

Hua Changxi was surprised. "Who?"

Xue Xian smiled. "The people from the Central Holy Land haven't arrived yet."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Zhenzhen leaned forward and quickly said to Hua Changxi in a low voice: "After we released the apprenticeship recruitment notice, the Heavenly Department head, in the name of the Central Holy Land, approached the holy land elders, saying that the five holy lands are connected in spirit and cannot abandon the Central Holy Land, and insisted that we add the Central Holy Land's recruitment announcement as well."

"We should have told you about this earlier, but during this time, the holy lands have been arguing endlessly over who should be responsible for the 'cultivators entering the capital' matter, so we didn't get around to it. Don't be angry, okay?"

After hearing this, Hua Changxi said it didn't matter. Whether or not the Central Holy Land was added would not affect her in the slightest.

After all, as for the matter of using display spirit tools to broadcast the recruitment announcements in rotation, she had only come up with the idea; the specific implementation details were all handled by Tong Yao, Jingliao, and Yan Zhenzhen.

Just then, Xue Xian suddenly stood up, quickly walked to the door, and bowed in greeting: "This subordinate pays respects to the First Prince."

Hua Changxi turned her head and saw Chu Junling striding in with a woman into the meeting hall, with a majestic gait.

Chu Junling raised his hand to support Xue Xian. "Lord Xue need not be so formal. Standing before you today is not the royal family's First Prince, but Chu Junling, the Right General of the Central Holy Land's Demon-Suppressing Army."

Xue Xian was very perceptive and immediately changed his address: "General Chu."

Chu Junling nodded, then lifted his eyes to look at the others in the meeting hall.

Only then did Tong Yao, Jingliao, and Yan Zhenzhen stand up, smiling, and greet Chu Junling with a gesture of equal standing.

"Artifact Saint Palace, Tong Yao."

"Talisman Saint Pavilion, Jingliao."

"Array Saint Sect, Yan Zhenzhen."

Hua Changxi saw this and followed by standing up: "Dan Holy Hall, Hua Changxi."

Chu Junling returned the salute with cupped fists: "Central Holy Land, Chu Junling."

Xue Xian, seeing that the five had finished greeting each other, was about to lead Chu Junling to the main seat.

Chu Junling did not accept but instead sat directly below Jingliao, just in time to see Hua Changxi and Yan Zhenzhen sitting across from him.

Yan Zhenzhen was whispering to Hua Changxi: "I didn't expect that the person sent by the Central Holy Land to handle the 'Cultivators Entering the Capital' matter would be Chu Junling."

Hua Changxi: "Is there something wrong with that?"

Yan Zhenzhen smiled: "Not wrong—it's perfectly right. The capital is the imperial family's territory; even if they have their own schemes, they won't truly let the capital fall into chaos."

"Chu Junling is the eldest prince; he definitely cares about the capital's stability. With him here, I think we can relax a bit."

Hua Changxi nodded in agreement: "Do you recognize the woman standing behind Chu Junling?"

Yan Zhenzhen: "That's Wu Liyun, the second daughter of the Marquis Wu'an's estate."

Hua Changxi's eyes flickered: "So she's the commander of the Women's Army?"

Yan Zhenzhen: "You know about the Women's Army too?"

Hua Changxi nodded: "I've heard people mention it."

Yan Zhenzhen said with admiration in her tone: "Wu Liyun being able to lead a Women's Army—she's quite a figure."

Hua Changxi showed approval. She was at the early Nascent Soul stage and cultivated both body and technique—truly formidable.

Watching Hua Changxi and Yan Zhenzhen whisper to each other, Chu Junling's eyes flickered.

Wasn't Hua Changxi said to be a loner? But seeing her interaction with the heiress of the Array Saint Sect, it felt like they were very familiar.

Xue Xian returned to the main seat: "Since everyone is here, let's begin discussing the matter of 'Cultivators Entering the Capital.'"

Tong Yao looked over: "What are your thoughts, Lord Xue?"

Xue Xian: "Forceful martial artists defy prohibitions. In the early days of the rise of martial arts, many who suddenly obtained great power committed murder and arson, seriously threatening the safety of the common people."

"To protect the people, the court spent nearly a century engaging in a battle of wits and courage with martial artists, constantly regulating laws and discipline, and only then successfully curbed the trend of martial artists causing chaos."

"During this period, the imperial troops suffered countless casualties and expended vast amounts of manpower, financial resources, and incalculable resources."

"All of this is clearly recorded in the Great Jin history books. You may check and verify."

Tong Yao and the others evidently knew about these matters and nodded in agreement.

Xue Xian continued: "Everyone present here is a cultivator. You should be well aware that a cultivator's abilities far surpass those of a martial artist by several levels. If cultivators act recklessly, the harm they cause would be unimaginable."

Hearing this, the faces of everyone in the council hall turned serious and solemn.

Although each person present represented a different faction, they all held the same attitude toward the potential harm of cultivators entering the capital—they did not want cultivators to plunge the capital into chaos.

Tong Yao looked at Xue Xian: "What would you have us do, Lord Xue?"

Hua Changxi, Yan Zhenzhen, and Jingliao also looked over.

Xue Xian glanced at Chu Junling and said: "Maintaining public order in the capital is an inescapable duty of the court. His Majesty has already issued an edict: starting from the first day of the ninth month, which is tomorrow, the Imperial Guard will patrol the capital together with the Five City Military Command and the Six Doors."

"The influx of cultivators from all over will undoubtedly greatly increase the court's burden. Hence, the court requires the assistance of the five great holy lands."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi looked at Tong Yao and the other two, saw them lost in thought, then looked at Chu Junling.

Chu Junling had his head lowered as if thinking about something.

Hua Changxi did not want to passively wait for the imperial family to assign tasks, so she spoke up directly: "Regardless of the specifics, the cultivators entering the capital is closely tied to the five great holy lands' disciple recruitment. We have an inescapable responsibility."

"It is only right that the court requests assistance from the five great holy lands."

"Regarding how to assist, let me share my opinion."

"Each of the five great holy lands has its own specialty. So, my idea is: those with money contribute money, those with strength contribute strength. My side can supply a batch of spirit herbs and elixirs."

After speaking, she looked at Tong Yao and the others, her expression clearly saying, "Your turn to speak."

Jingliao was the first to respond: "This humble monk agrees with Benefactor Hua's approach. The Talisman Saint Pavilion can provide some spirit talismans."

Tong Yao smiled: "In that case, the Artifact Saint Palace will supply a batch of spirit artifacts."

Yan Zhenzhen also smiled: "Then the Array Saint Sect will provide array plates and array flags."

Then everyone looked at Chu Junling in unison.

Chu Junling's face revealed neither joy nor anger: "The Central Sanctum will provide five thousand-strong Demon Suppression Armies."

Upon hearing this, the eyes of Hua Changxi and the other three flickered.

What Hua Changxi thought was: As expected of a member of the imperial family, Chu Junling directly deployed the Demon Suppression Army to help the imperial family maintain stability in the capital, and did so with such justification—truly a masterful move.

What Tong Yao, Jing Liao, and Yan Zhenzhen thought was: The Minister of the Heavenly Department is truly astute. On the surface, the Demon Suppression Army is helping to maintain stability in the capital, but in reality, it may be secretly making preparations to take over the city.

In ancient times, the capital had another name—Xuanyuan City.

Xuanyuan City, the heart of the Central Continent, with the Central Sanctum stationed within and the Four Great Sanctums guarding it from the four cardinal directions—the ruler of Xuanyuan City is not a position the Chu imperial clan can hold securely.