Chapter 298: Wan Feng's Origins

Half a month after Wan Feng went to the Spirit Realm Pavilion, Meng Qingyao sent people to deliver the ‘fees’ that each secret realm master should share to the Personnel Department of Danyuan Peak.

Pharmacist Xu held the storage pouch, hesitated for a moment, then handed it to Wan Feng: “Take this to the Peak Master.”

Regarding Wan Feng’s promotion, there was actually some undercurrent in the Personnel Department, especially among several medicine boys.

Previously, all the medicine boys felt Hua Changxi’s disfavor towards them, but this time Wan Feng’s being put in an important position gave them hope.

If the Peak Master was willing to give Wan Feng a chance, then she should also give them opportunities.

Therefore, the people in the Personnel Department became more proactive in their work.

Wan Feng did not take the storage pouch, but said with a smile: “Manager Xu, I haven’t yet compiled the resumes of the new apprentices recruited these past few days. You should deliver the things sent by the Spirit Realm Pavilion to the Peak Master.”

Pharmacist Xu had originally felt a sense of crisis because Wan Feng became a manager, but seeing that Wan Feng remained as respectful as ever and was even willing to let him take this chance to gain face, the smile on his face grew a bit brighter.

“Alright, I happen to have something to discuss with the Peak Master. Then I’ll trouble you to organize the new apprentices’ resumes.”

Wan Feng agreed with a smile, watched Pharmacist Xu leave, then quickly walked to the adjacent lecture hall.

After the applicants had their spirit roots tested, they were all led to the lecture hall—first, to learn about the various rules and regulations of Danyuan Peak and the Danyuan Secret Realm; second, to fill out their resumes.

The resume had a dedicated section where applicants needed to fill in their level of understanding and mastery of medical skills and alchemy.

Some apprentices were already alchemists before entering Danyuan Peak; others had never been exposed to medical skills or alchemy.

The Personnel Department staff needed to sort and compile the apprentices’ situations in batches, then send them to the Task Hall, so that the Task Hall could assign the appropriate apprentices to the appropriate positions accordingly.

In the lecture hall, over a hundred cultivators were bowed over their heads, filling out their respective resumes.

Wan Feng walked into the hall, surveying as he went, and said: “Everyone, our Peak Master is best at knowing people and putting them to good use. Right now, Danyuan Peak and the Danyuan Secret Realm have many things waiting to be done. If any of you have real skills, just show them—a bright future awaits you ahead.”

Hearing this, many cultivators who were writing their resumes paused for a moment, their hands holding the brushes stopping.

Wan Feng continued his survey: “I don’t know about other secret realms, but on Danyuan Peak, everyone is treated equally. That is, as long as you are gold, you don’t need to worry about not having a chance to shine.”

While saying this, Wan Feng’s gaze fell deliberately on a few people who were clearly hesitating.

However, he did not say anything else, just waited quietly.

After these people finished filling out their resumes, He Sirong and He Siqi came over to lead them to the summit of Danyuan Peak to swear a heart demon oath.

At the summit of Danyuan Peak, besides the Oath Tablet standing in the center, there were also several bamboo huts built under the cliff on the southeast end.

This was Hua Changxi’s dwelling, built by herself using fourth-level spirit bamboo from the fourth layer of the secret realm. On ordinary days, if there was any business on Danyuan Peak, the managers would also come to the bamboo huts to discuss matters.

Pharmacist Xu had good luck—when he arrived at the bamboo hut, Hua Changxi happened to be there.

The bamboo hut was built on the edge of the cliff, which was convenient for observing the three peaks to the southeast of Danyuan Peak: Shenhe Peak, Qingyao Peak, and Xuanhuang Peak.

“Jiuniang.”

Pharmacist Xu knew clearly that the gap between him and Hua Changxi was growing wider and wider. He wanted her to remember the friendship between them, so when no one else was around, he always called her Jiuniang.

Fortunately, Hua Changxi still remembered their past bond and did not correct him.

At that moment, Hua Changxi was sitting at a stone table by the cliff. Seeing Pharmacist Xu arrive, she smiled and said: “Uncle Xu, come and sit.”

Pharmacist Xu did not refuse. Smiling, he sat on a stone stool beside Hua Changxi, watched her leisurely sipping spirit tea, and teased: “How come you have the leisure to drink tea here today?”

Hua Changxi looked in the direction of the three peaks. In her line of sight, she could clearly see many cultivators on the three peaks busily constructing pavilions and towers.

Just like Danyuan Peak a few months ago.

“Shenhe Peak, Qingyao Peak, and Xuanhuang Peak have been quite lively this period. I’m just admiring the novelty.”

Pharmacist Xu followed Hua Changxi’s gaze, but unfortunately, he could only see the three tall peaks; as for the people on the peaks, his eyesight could not make them out clearly.

“I came to see you precisely to talk about the matter of the three peaks.”

Hua Changxi let out an “Oh” and looked at Pharmacist Xu.

Pharmacist Xu: “All the secret realm masters are now recruiting apprentices, and in considerable numbers. Although the Medical Affairs Department has grown larger, there are actually very few places that can truly arrange lodging for apprentices.”

“Except for the four peaks, all other territories are under the control of the imperial family.”

Places like the Nine Streets, the Apprentice Hall, the Disciple Hall, and the Servant Hall could be used to arrange people’s lodgings, but compared to the four peaks rich in spiritual energy, these places were instantly overshadowed.

“Except for a few secret realm masters who arranged for their apprentices to live inside the secret realms, most chose to rent residences on Shenhe Peak, Qingyao Peak, and Xuanhuang Peak.”

Huā Chángxī understood immediately upon hearing this: "No wonder Sanfeng has been frantically building infrastructure these past few days."

Medicine Master Xǔ, seeing that she had stopped speaking, continued: "Jiǔ Niáng, some secret realm masters also wanted to rent residences on Danyuan Peak, but since you haven't shown yourself these past few days, Steward Yú and I didn't dare agree."

"I came to see you today precisely to tell you about this. If you agree, I'll go notify those secret realm masters right away."

Huā Chángxī shook her head and refused: "No need. Only disciples who have formally joined Danyuan Peak can enter and exit Danyuan Peak."

"When there are too many people, management becomes complicated. If we let in people from other secret realms, Danyuan Peak would likely descend into chaos."

Medicine Master Xǔ hesitated but still said: "But if disciples from other secret realms rent residences on the Three Peaks, over time their relations will likely become even closer."

"There were already many small factions among the secret realm masters. Now, with the binding of interests... by then, among all the secret realm masters, only you will be left alone."

Huā Chángxī smiled: "I'm not afraid of being alone. I'm afraid of trouble."

Seeing Huā Chángxī's attitude, Medicine Master Xǔ knew better than to argue further. He changed the subject and, with a smile, handed Huā Chángxī the storage pouch sent by Spirit Realm Pavilion.

Huā Chángxī took it and looked inside. The pouches contained all sorts of pills—plenty in quantity, but every single one was low-grade.

"Uncle Xǔ, take this to Yú Fú and have him register it for storage."

The compensation pills from Spirit Realm Pavilion were clearly the work of a pill refiner whose skills were far from refined. This reminded Huā Chángxī that Danyuan Peak also needed to urgently train its own pill refiners.

As time passed, the number of apprentices on Danyuan Peak would only increase. Although the pace of secret realm development had quickened, resource consumption was also growing day by day.

The batch of monthly pills she had personally refined and stored in the warehouse for distribution to apprentices was visibly dwindling.

She certainly couldn't rely on herself alone to refine all the pills. So she had to train a batch of pill refiners before the warehouse stock ran out.

Fortunately, among the applicants from outside, there were many exceptionally talented cultivators, including some who were already first-grade or second-grade pill refiners.

Huā Chángxī stood up and looked at Medicine Master Xǔ: "Let's go. I'll go with you to the Personnel Department to see the talent and aptitude of the apprentices recruited during this period."

The two left the bamboo hut and rode spiritual clouds down the mountain.

When they reached halfway down the mountain, they happened to see Hè Sīróng and Hè Sīqí leading a group of new apprentices who had just joined Danyuan Peak to the Logistics Department to choose their residences.

Huā Chángxī's gaze swept over these apprentices, and she suddenly stopped.

Seeing this, Medicine Master Xǔ quickly asked, "Jiǔ Niáng, what's wrong?"

Huā Chángxī narrowed her eyes: "This batch of apprentices has excellent aptitudes." Three Nascent Soul cultivators, two of whom were Wood Spirit Bodies.

Without looking further, Huā Chángxī led Medicine Master Xǔ and vanished from the mid-mountain altitude in the blink of an eye.

The moment they disappeared, among the apprentices, the two Nascent Soul cultivators with Wood Spirit Bodies simultaneously raised their heads to look at the sky. Seeing nothing, they frowned and withdrew their gazes.

Wàn Fēng saw Huā Chángxī arriving at the Personnel Department and hurried forward to greet her: "Peak Master."

"Give me all the resumes of the apprentices recruited during this period."

Hearing Huā Chángxī's order, Wàn Fēng quickly went to the archives and retrieved the resumes of all apprentices who had joined Danyuan Peak after September 1st.

Before handing the resumes to Huā Chángxī, Wàn Fēng placed today's batch of apprentice resumes on top.

Huā Chángxī flipped through the resumes quickly, pulling out some as she went, silently calculating. She realized that the number of geniuses who had come today exceeded the total from all previous days.

"Our Danyuan Peak is in luck today—we've recruited several geniuses with considerable attainments in medicine and alchemy."

Seeing that Huā Chángxī had indeed noticed today's apprentices, Wàn Fēng felt a little nervous. Had his advice to his fellow disciples not to hold back backfired?

Wàn Fēng secretly observed Huā Chángxī's expression. Seeing only the joy of having recruited outstanding talents, he breathed a covert sigh of relief.

Huā Chángxī smiled and said to Medicine Master Xǔ: "I've never interfered with apprentice recruitment before. Since I'm free today, let's go to the Logistics Department and take a look at the newly recruited apprentices."

Medicine Master Xǔ thought Huā Chángxī was just acting on a whim, so he cheerfully called Wàn Fēng and accompanied her to the Logistics Department.

When Huā Chángxī, Medicine Master Xǔ, and Wàn Fēng arrived at the Logistics Department, Hè Sīróng and Hè Sīqí had just arrived with the more than one hundred newly recruited apprentices.

"Peak Master!"

Seeing Hè Sīróng and Hè Sīqí bow to Huā Chángxī, the new apprentices belatedly followed suit.

Huā Chángxī waved her hand, and a bamboo chair appeared in the square outside the Logistics Department gate. She sat down and smiled at Medicine Master Xǔ: "I'd like to get to know today's apprentices. Let them come forward one by one and introduce themselves."

"No need for overly elaborate introductions. Just state your spiritual root, cultivation level, and your area of expertise."

Hearing this, the apprentices were momentarily flustered. A few of them even stole glances at Wàn Fēng.

Hua Changxi keenly noticed this, and a shadow fell over his eyes.

Soon, each apprentice stepped forward to introduce themselves.

Hua Changxi flipped through the extracted resumes while activating the Observation, Auscultation-Olfaction, Inquiry, and Palpation Technique, identifying the nine most outstanding apprentices from this batch.

"Ye Lingxuan, Wood Spirit Body, early Nascent Soul, Third-Grade Alchemist."

"Jiang Henian, Wood Spirit Body, early Nascent Soul, Third-Grade Alchemist."

"Dugu Lie, Five Elements Spirit Root, early Nascent Soul, Second-Grade Alchemist."

"Nangong Yingyue, Single Wood Spirit Root, peak Golden Core, Third-Grade Alchemist."

"Xie Qingyu, Single Wood Spirit Root, peak Golden Core, Third-Grade Alchemist."

"Hua Nongying, Fire-Wood Spirit Root, late Golden Core, Third-Grade Alchemist."

"Xiao Xuan, Fire-Wood Spirit Root, late Golden Core, Third-Grade Master Processor."

"Zhang He, Water-Wood-Earth Spirit Root, late Golden Core, Third-Grade Spiritual Plant Master."

"Wang Yangang, Earth-Wood Spirit Root, late Golden Core, Third-Grade Spiritual Plant Master."

These nine had likely all cultivated techniques to suppress their cultivation, suppressing it to the Qi Hai realm.

Except for Ye Lingxuan and Jiang Henian, who had changed their Wood Spirit Bodies to Wood Spirit Roots, everything else matched what was written on the resumes.

Thoughts churned in Hua Changxi's mind. Several among these nine had exchanged glances with Wan Feng—it was obvious they knew him.

With the strength and talent of these nine, they would be honored guests wherever they went.

Why had they come to Danyuan Peak?

Yet Hua Changxi maintained a calm and lighthearted smile, offering a few words of encouragement to the new apprentices before letting He Sirong and He Siqi take them to the Logistics Department to select their caves.

"You two should head back to the Personnel Department and get busy."

Watching Xu Medicine Master and Wan Feng's departing figures, Hua Changxi frowned deeply. Just what was this Wan Feng's background?