Chapter 432: Not Quite

For the Holy Land, once decrees are promulgated, they exist like divine edicts.

Those who violate or are unwilling to comply with the decrees are beyond what the Alchemy Saint Hall can tolerate.

This point was well understood by the three major power blocs that once controlled the Alchemy Saint Hall (the faction led by the imperial family, which controlled the Qihuang Pavilion; the faction led by the Xia family, which controlled the Spirit Realm Pavilion; and the faction led by the Holy Land's heir, which controlled the Nine Streets Hall).

Thus, the top-down revolution starting with "Secret Realm Masters taking charge of the Alchemy Saint Hall" steadily began to be implemented within the Alchemy Saint Hall, amid the silence of the three major power blocs.

The turmoil that might have been triggered by the transition of old and new powers was not as violent as everyone had expected; at most, there was passive resistance and non-cooperation, but outright defiance or provocation did not occur.

After all, the former Secret Realm Master Wu Lingyue had personally demonstrated the consequences of open defiance for everyone.

One must know that the Wu family was one of the five Guardian Families and had close ties with the Xia family; with such a powerful background, they could not escape the sanctions of the decree, let alone others.

The first thing the Secret Realm Masters did upon taking charge of the Alchemy Saint Hall was to dispatch physicians and alchemists to the Lingguang Hall to treat the Vermilion Bird Army.

The number of physicians and alchemists dispatched was determined according to the grade of the secret realm.

Finally, after discussion among the Secret Realm Masters, each third-grade secret realm sent ten people; each fourth-grade secret realm sent twenty; fifth-grade sent thirty; seventh-grade sent fifty; and eighth-grade sent sixty.

The eighteen secret realms, in total, dispatched over four hundred people.

On the twenty-eighth of December, the third day after the Holy Land decrees were promulgated, the physicians and alchemists heading to Lingguang Hall to provide treatment gathered early at the intersection of Nine Streets and the Cauldron Altar, at the newly expanded "Nine Streets Plaza."

Not long after, the Secret Realm Masters arrived one after another, each wearing a calm smile, their expressions revealing a sharp and enterprising drive.

The physicians and alchemists dispatched this time were all personally coordinated and arranged by the Secret Realm Masters.

During this process, the Qihuang Pavilion and the Nine Streets Hall sent people multiple times to negotiate, and it was only then that the Secret Realm Masters truly understood the weight of the authority to deploy personnel in their hands; much of the earlier resentment toward the Holy Land decrees dissipated as a result.

"Tell me, will Hua Changxi go to Lingguang Hall this time?"

Among the crowd, Tang Yufeng craned his neck to look toward the Secret Realm Masters, speaking to Gu Jinfan and Huo Yunxiao beside him as he watched.

The Secret Realm Masters would naturally prioritize their own people for the task; originally, people from the Qihuang Pavilion and the Nine Streets Hall had no chance to go to Lingguang Hall for diagnosis, but fortunately, there was Gu Xing.

Gu Xing was in charge of the public secret realm; although he had some trusted subordinates, they were few, and he used most of his quota to arrange for people from the Nine Streets Hall and the Qihuang Pavilion.

Huo Yunxiao smiled and said, "Whether she goes or not, the speculation about whether she is the Lord of Lingguang Hall will not cease from the outside world."

Tang Yufeng laughed upon hearing this: "That's true, but if I were Hua Changxi, I would definitely go. It would make the situation even more confusing. Once things become complicated, opportunities arise."

Gu Jinfan suddenly spoke up: "You don't need to guess. She's here."

Under the gaze of the Secret Realm Masters, physicians, and alchemists, Hua Changxi arrived at Nine Streets Plaza with a group of disciples from Danyuan Peak.

Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, Meng Qingyao raised her hand, and a luxurious, grand flying ship capable of carrying a thousand people landed on the plaza. Then she said to the Secret Realm Masters, "We'll take the flying ship to Lingguang Hall."

Whether intentionally or not, the Secret Realm Masters turned their gazes toward Hua Changxi in unison, as if waiting for her to give the order.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi, not bothering to guess the intentions of the Secret Realm Masters, smiled at Meng Qingyao and said, "As expected of Pavilion Master Meng for being so thorough. The Alchemy Saint Hall is one entity; naturally, we should advance and retreat together. I'll take the Danyuan Peak disciples on board first."

Meng Qingyao had been feeling stifled because the Secret Realm Masters had overlooked her and awaited Hua Changxi's command; she could even feel the strange looks from those around her.

However, when she saw Hua Changxi casually glance at the crowd and then walk straight toward the flying ship, with that indifferent demeanor of "what others think has nothing to do with me," her mood suddenly shifted.

Hua Changxi... truly is utterly unaffected by the outside world!

What do the Secret Realm Masters think? What do others think? It all seems irrelevant to her.

And what about her?

She could never achieve that.

Toward her master sect and family, she hoped to make a difference and live up to their nurturing and expectations; toward outsiders, she also cared about their impressions and judgments of her.

Meng Qingyao, looking at Hua Changxi's back, suddenly felt a pang of envy for her unrestrained freedom and detachment.

As the people from Danyuan Peak boarded the flying ship, the others also got on one after another. Soon, the flying ship started and traced a brilliant arc of light across the sky, heading straight for Lingguang Hall.

On the way, Meng Qingyao saw Hua Changxi standing on the deck of the flying ship. After a moment of hesitation, she walked over and said in a moderate voice, "Peak Master Hua, after we finish treating the Vermilion Bird Army, I would like to make a request to Lingguang Hall."

Hua Changxi, upon hearing this, turned to look at Meng Qingyao with surprise, gazing at her without speaking.

Seeing this, Meng Qingyao did not dawdle: "I've heard that cultivating in the Wutong Forest can purify one's bloodline and promote atavism. I want to let the disciples of the Alchemy Saint Hall cultivate there."

As soon as these words were spoken, the ship fell silent; everyone held their breath and focused.

Hua Changxi could tell that Meng Qingyao was not testing whether she was the Lord of Lingguang Hall but was simply discussing the matter with her, so she smiled frankly and said, "I'm afraid that's impossible."

"The Lingguang Hall Master has only occupied the Wutong Forest for a short while; the Vermilion Bird Legion hasn't even gone in to cultivate yet. How could an outsider get in first?"

"But... that's not necessarily impossible to discuss."

"At least for the few hundred of us going to treat them this time, if we can truly cure the Vermilion Bird Legion's ailments, then proposing the condition of entering the Wutong Forest to cultivate should be negotiable."

Meng Qingyao looked somewhat surprised: "You think my proposal is feasible?"

Hua Changxi nodded: "Of course."

Of the twelve cave paradises in Nanxiang City, she had already taken six.

Each cave paradise's territory was very large; aside from being used for the Vermilion Bird Legion's cultivation, there was surplus that could be shared externally.

She had long thought that later, when more people were available and each cave paradise had enough management staff, she would set aside part of the space specifically for outsiders to cultivate.

Moreover, the strength of Yu Fu and the other four was still too low.

Earlier, she had considered directly throwing the four of them into the Wutong Forest, the Nine Heavens Fire Spring, and the Zhurong Tomb to cultivate, but that would expose her identity.

Although the four were fairly loyal to her and wouldn't tell, she didn't want to gamble on any chance.

If she could rely on the cooperation between Dansheng Hall and Lingguang Hall, then Yu Fu and the others could legitimately enter the Wutong Forest to improve their strength.

Meng Qingyao, having gained support, immediately smiled at the others on the airship: "When we reach Lingguang Hall, we must show our best skills and properly treat the Vermilion Bird Legion. Only then will we have the confidence to make demands of Lingguang Hall."

Everyone enthusiastically agreed, their eyes filled with anticipation.

At the mountain gate of Lingguang Hall, all the department stewards had arrived.

Yun You glanced at the stewards, somewhat helpless. If not for her strong opposition, the chiliarchs would have wanted to come and wait as well.

There was no help for it—regarding the matter of 'Hua Changxi being the Lingguang Hall Master,' not only did outsiders desperately want a definite answer, but so did the Vermilion Bird Legion.

"They've come!"

Seeing the airship approaching from the horizon, Yun You and the others immediately perked up.

Soon, the airship landed.

Then, the physicians and alchemists of Dansheng Hall descended the gangway one after another.

Past the crowd, the gazes of the Lingguang Hall stewards accurately landed on the fiery red figure walking in the back.

"Is that the Hall Master?"

"Not quite."

"Too young."