Chapter 369: Life Comes First

Many people were paying attention to the game between Duke Liang and Hua Changxi.

After the news of the Hua family joining the Xuanfu spread, all sides understood that Duke Liang had lost, but they were still interested in how Hua Changxi would treat the Duke Liang Estate.

Many were disappointed to learn that Hua Changxi only forced Duke Liang to take the Cocoon Pill and then let the matter rest.

Many people wanted the situation to become more chaotic, so that they could profit from the chaos.

It was a pity; Hua Changxi still wasn't impulsive enough.

In the forbidden area of the palace, after learning of Duke Liang's plight, Chu Tianxun said angrily, “Duke Liang is a member of the imperial family. Hua Changxi truly does not take the imperial family seriously.”

Upon hearing this, the Emperor glanced at the silent Grand Emperor, then spoke carefully: “Imperial Uncle, you overestimate Hua Changxi. She is not a person of officialdom. From the news sent back by Junhao, she is just a stubborn person.”

“Duke Liang harmed her, so she went after Duke Liang. I think that when handling Duke Liang's matter, she perhaps never even considered the imperial family's connection behind it.”

Chu Tianxun was somewhat irritated by the Emperor's rebuttal; back then outside the Xuanfu, he had personally felt Hua Changxi's fearlessness toward the imperial family.

If it were other forces, it would be understandable, as the involvement would be too broad, but Hua Changxi is just one person, the Hua family is not worth fearing, and even the Dingyuan Count Residence is no match before the imperial family.

If someone like that dares to provoke the imperial family, and the imperial family cannot suppress them, isn't this indirectly telling the world that the imperial family is in decline?

However, although he was an elder, he could not openly contradict the Emperor, so Chu Tianxun could only express his displeasure through silence.

The Emperor ignored Chu Tianxun and looked at the Grand Emperor: “Father, the matter of Duke Liang is a small matter. What the imperial family truly needs to pay attention to is the matter of Nanxiang County, and the Vermilion Bird Army deployed by Lingguang Hall.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the imperial elders present all changed expression.

Regarding Nanxiang County, the imperial family had begun making arrangements long ago.

Not long after Lingguang Hall appeared, the imperial family discovered that Nanxiang County was the site of Nanxiang City, and also learned that the area around Nanxiang City was full of blessed caves and paradises. All these years, they had been sending cultivators to investigate news of these blessed caves and paradises.

Unfortunately, they had gained very little.

In fact, the imperial family was also closely monitoring not only Nanxiang City but also Dongxiang City, Xixiang City, and Beixiang City. Unfortunately, only Nanxiang City showed anomalies; among the other three, only Dongxiang City had shown some activity recently.

Seeing that no one spoke, the Emperor had to speak again: “Nanxiang County is still under the court's rule, but now the Vermilion Bird Army has begun patrolling Nanxiang County. We must take a stance on this.”

If any other force wanted to interfere in Nanxiang County, the imperial family would drive them away without hesitation, but now they were facing the Vermilion Bird Army.

The Vermilion Bird Army was even more justified than the court in governing Nanxiang County. However, the imperial family still had some room to maneuver, but the measure had to be carefully controlled.

The Grand Emperor spoke: “Regarding the City Lord Token of Nanxiang City, have you heard any news? And how many of the blessed caves and paradises around Nanxiang City have been found?”

The Emperor sighed: “There has been no news of the City Lord Token so far. As for the blessed caves and paradises, only three locations with anomalies have been found, but none can be entered. For now, we have only sent cultivators to occupy those three places.”

After hearing this, the Grand Emperor's face immediately darkened: “Continue to send more people to search. The city lord of Nanxiang City must be a member of the Chu imperial family.”

He paused.

“Regarding the Vermilion Bird Army's patrols, avoid open conflict, but in secret...”

The Grand Emperor looked at Chu Tianxun: “Brother Xun, you personally lead people to probe the Vermilion Bird Army's background. I want to know exactly how strong the Vermilion Bird Army is.”

Chu Tianxun nodded and agreed without a word.

The Grand Emperor hummed in satisfaction, then narrowed his eyes: “The Vermilion Bird Army is imposing; the imperial family will temporarily yield a bit. But once we obtain the City Lord Token of Nanxiang City, the Vermilion Bird Army will also have to obey our orders, and Lingguang Hall will only be a training ground for the Chu family.”

As for Nanxiang City—no, it should be said for the Four Symbol Cities—the Grand Emperor was determined to obtain them.

Only by taking any one of the Symbol Cities would the imperial family truly have a foothold in the general trend of spiritual energy recovery.

Even if they could no longer be the supreme rulers in the future, they would still be one of the top ten powers in the Central Continent, able to influence not only the situation in the Central Continent but even the entire Four Spirit Realm.

The more the Grand Emperor thought, the stronger his desire grew: “You all must, at any cost, seize at least one City Lord Token.”

The imperial elders present immediately responded with assurances.

The Emperor watched the determined Grand Emperor and the crowd of fervent clansmen, feeling quite helpless inside.

The imperial family had people and power, but after the spiritual energy recovery, many matters depended on the word “opportunity.” The imperial family could no longer have everything go as smoothly as before.

As soon as the news spread that the Vermilion Bird Army had taken over Nanxiang County, it immediately became the focus of all forces. Everyone discussed it and sent people to investigate Nanxiang County.

The matter of Duke Liang was thus overshadowed, and no one paid attention to it anymore.

On Hua Changxi's side, after arranging the Hua family into the Xuanfu and resolving her “grievance” with Duke Liang, seeing that Danyuan Peak was operating well and didn't require her much worry, she turned her attention to Nanxiang County.

During the day, she teleported to Lingguang Hall, shuttled over Nanxiang County, and personally monitored the movements and actions of the Vermilion Bird Army; in the evening, she teleported back to Danyuan Peak, made an appearance, and indicated that she was at Danyuan Peak.

After running back and forth between Danyuan Peak and Nanxiang County for five days, she finally received a message from the Hua family, telling her that they had packed up and could enter the Xuanyuan Residence.

After receiving the news, Hua Changxi went directly to the Dingyuan Earl Manor.

Hua Dalang still chose to remain in the Demon-Suppression Army, Hua Sanlang stayed at Danyuan Peak, Hua Liulang stayed at the Artifact Saint Palace, and the three extra slots were allocated to the Hua clan members under Old Master Hua's final decision.

Among them, the Earl Manor took two slots, and the remaining one went to the main branch of the clan in their hometown.

Hua Changxi couldn't be bothered to interfere much with this, but she gave two 'Mindlinks' to Mrs. Yao and Hua Minghe: "Father, Mother, these are for you."

All the Hua family members looked over, their eyes filled with envy.

Hua Minghe felt a bit embarrassed, but Mrs. Yao ignored the gazes of the Hua family, smiled under Hua Changxi's guidance, activated the Mindlink by dripping blood to bind it, and then added Hua Changxi as a friend.

Hua Changxi smiled and said, "Father, Mother, from now on you can use this to send me messages."

Afterwards, Hua Changxi personally escorted the Hua family to outside the Xuanyuan Residence barrier. She did not enter to pay respects to the Five Xuanyuan Generals. When she saw Xuanyuan soldiers come out to receive the Hua family, she bid them farewell and left directly.

Old Master Hua and the rest of the Hua family were all somewhat disappointed. They had hoped Hua Changxi would send them inside, thinking that perhaps out of respect for her, they might receive more care.

Unfortunately, Hua Changxi did not consider their interests much further.

By the time Hua Changxi returned from the Xuanyuan Residence to the bamboo house on Danyuan Peak, it was already dark. Ye Lingxuan and the others had already left, but Yu Fu and his three companions were waiting outside the bamboo house.

They had come to submit their summary reports.

Hua Changxi flipped through the reports—they were recorded in great detail and clarity. Thinking about how Nanxiang County had been occupying so much of her energy, she pondered for a moment, then took out two one-mark Xuanhuang Fruits and two two-mark Xuanhuang Fruits.

Yu Fu and the others did not recognize the Xuanhuang Fruits, but upon smelling the tempting fragrance of the fruits, their breathing stopped short.

"These are Xuanhuang Fruits."

Hua Changxi looked at Yu Fu and the others: "Jia Lu, Zhao Xi, your atavistic bloodlines are not as strong as Zhou Shou's and Yu Fu's. Take these two one-mark Xuanhuang Fruits and consume them. They can break the shackles of your physical bodies to the greatest extent."

"Zhou Shou, Yu Fu, take these two two-mark Xuanhuang Fruits and consume them."

Yu Fu and the others took the Xuanhuang Fruits with hands that were almost trembling.

The Duke of Liang had made a fuss for three whole years and still couldn't obtain a Xuanhuang Fruit from their master, yet they had done nothing and gotten them so easily.

Hua Changxi looked at the four: "You four are my capable assistants at Danyuan Peak. In the future, when I am not here, I hope you can help me guard Danyuan Peak well."

Yu Fu and the others immediately said in unison: "Master, rest assured. We will definitely live and die with Danyuan Peak."

Hua Changxi laughed: "It's not that serious. If something truly life-threatening happens, on the premise that you do not betray Danyuan Peak, I permit you to prioritize your own lives."

Hearing this, Yu Fu and the others felt their hearts shaken. As they looked at Hua Changxi, their gazes held a devout light beyond what they had shown before.