Chapter 433: Just Generous

As the physicians and alchemists of the Dansheng Hall filed down, Hua Changxi and the other Secret Realm Masters followed closely behind, unhurriedly descending the airship.

Those favored by the Divine Tree of Dansheng Hall and appointed as Secret Realm Masters were all exceptionally gifted individuals. Yet, the gazes of the Lingguang Hall stewards skipped over everyone else and landed directly on Hua Changxi.

Aside from their desire to ascertain whether she truly was the Lord of Lingguang Hall, it was truly because the outstanding and independent bearing Hua Changxi exuded was too penetrating.

Over the short distance from the airship to the mountain gate of Lingguang Hall, she swept her calm gaze across the entire scene—neither arrogant nor timid, like a monarch inspecting their territory, carrying an invincible sense of control.

At this, the stewards who had originally thought Hua Changxi too young to possibly be the Lord of Lingguang Hall began to hesitate and waver.

The stewards of Lingguang Hall were sizing up Hua Changxi, while Hua Changxi's gaze also pierced back and forth over them without any concealment.

She had never had face-to-face contact with these stewards before.

Her open visit to Lingguang Hall to provide medical consultations this time was, first, because she was genuinely worried about the injuries of the Vermilion Bird Army; second, because she also wanted to get a close look at the stewards and chiliarchs of Lingguang Hall.

Soon, Hua Changxi's brows furrowed.

The steward of the Discipline Hall, Yang Zhaoye, the steward of the Training Hall, Luo Xingyao, and the steward of the Martial Arts Hall, Duan Jishan, were all severely injured.

A stream of black qi was surging inside the three of them, eroding their spiritual roots and dantian.

Especially Yang Zhaoye—the black qi had condensed into chains, tightly binding his nascent soul, causing its light to dim and become listless.

Yang Zhaoye and the other two felt very uncomfortable under Hua Changxi's sharp gaze. After all, the rumor that Hua Changxi was the Lord of Lingguang Hall was just that—a rumor, its authenticity unverified. Leaving that aside, Hua Changxi only represented the Dansheng Hall.

As stewards of Lingguang Hall, on their own turf, to be stared at by an outsider until they felt like needles pricking their backs—where was their dignity?

"Steward Yun."

"Hall Master Meng."

Yun You and Meng Qingyao had already begun exchanging pleasantries, then started introducing their respective people to each other.

After the stewards of Lingguang Hall and the Secret Realm Masters of Dansheng Hall had gotten acquainted, Yun You led the Dansheng Hall people into the archway gatehouse engraved with the three gilded characters "Lingguang Hall."

As they passed through the gatehouse, the Dansheng Hall people all held their breath and focused their minds.

Whether it was the awe-inspiring aura emanating from the gatehouse or the stele of the Vermilion Bird Army's military discipline standing beside it, they dared not act presumptuously.

After entering the gatehouse, the first thing to catch their eyes was the majestic pyramid-shaped complex of palaces.

The main hall soared into the clouds, bathed in the perennial mist; the other halls extended downward like steps, the lowest palace dozens of meters above the ground. The red hall walls and vermilion upturned eaves outlined a dignified silhouette under the sky.

This grand and imposing sight struck the Dansheng Hall crowd; they felt as if Lingguang Hall stood like a torch upon the earth, illuminating Nanxiang City and also illuminating the Central Continent.

"This is Lingguang Hall!"

The Dansheng Hall people looked up at the palace complex piercing the clouds, their expressions solemn.

The solemnity and loftiness of Lingguang Hall made them all feel a pressure like a mountain pressing down on their heads.

Hua Changxi also carefully experienced this solemnity and pressure; in the past, she mostly flew directly into the main hall or used teleportation arrays, never approaching step by step like this.

After a brief moment of shock, everyone continued forward.

"Who are those people?"

After the Dansheng Hall people shifted their attention from the palace complex, it immediately fell on the several hundred cultivators walking with bodies ablaze on the square, and further ahead, over a dozen others were crawling with difficulty on the steps outside the Transmission Hall.

Yun You explained with a smile: "These are cultivators who have come to enlist in the Vermilion Bird Army and are undergoing trials."

Upon hearing this, Meng Qingyao quickly asked: "When we just got off the airship, I saw many foreign cultivators gathered outside the mountain gate of Lingguang Hall. Are they all here to join Lingguang Hall?"

Yun You nodded, a look of pride on her face: "Ever since the Hall Lord repelled the invading Phoenix Clan with lightning speed and quickly occupied the Wutong Forest, Lingguang Hall has experienced a peak in cultivators seeking entry."

"The cultivators you see undergoing trials today are still few. A while back, the number of people wanting to join Lingguang Hall and become Vermilion Bird soldiers was truly immense."

As she spoke, Yun You's gaze quickly swept over Hua Changxi, and seeing her appearance as if it were her first visit to Lingguang Hall, a flicker of light passed through her eyes.

Could this person really not be the Hall Lord?

Suppressing her doubts, Yun You withdrew her gaze and continued smiling at Meng Qingyao and the Secret Realm Masters: "However, this scene will soon come to an end."

Meng Qingyao asked in surprise: "Why?"

Yun You smiled: "Lingguang Hall is only recruiting one hundred thousand Vermilion Bird soldiers."

Hearing this, Meng Qingyao and the others understood.

Yan Qianying, who came from one of the four non-imperial prince mansions of Great Jin—the Dong'an Prince Mansion, exclaimed in surprise, "Has the Vermilion Bird Army recruited a full hundred thousand people so quickly?"

Yun You smiled and nodded; the other stewards of Lingguang Hall also smiled smugly.

Yue Heng of the Xiping Prince Mansion also asked, "Are all the Vermilion Bird Army soldiers of the single fire spiritual root?"

Yun You nodded again.

The people of Dansheng Hall all showed expressions of disbelief at the same time.

It wasn't unusual for Lingguang Hall to recruit one hundred thousand Vermilion Bird Army soldiers, but that all one hundred thousand of them were of the single fire spiritual root—that was no trivial matter.

In fact, not only did outsiders find it unbelievable, but even the stewards of Lingguang Hall found it somewhat baffling.

Yan Qianying shot a subtle glance at Hua Changxi and then sighed with admiration, "The Hall Master of Lingguang Hall... must have a magnanimous heart to attract so many single fire spiritual root cultivators vying to join."

Sensing the scrutiny from everyone, Hua Changxi replied frankly, "Actually, it's not about whether the heart is big or not; it's mainly because the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall is generous enough."

"New disciples are taught the 'Vermilion Bird Divine Art,' and backed by the prestige of the Vermilion Bird Army—these temptations are simply too great for cultivators without foundation, background, or a path of cultivation."

Everyone nodded in agreement; however, her frank demeanor actually made those who were doubtful even more confused.

After crossing the mountain gate square, Yun You led everyone up the steps. "The wounded are all stationed at the Training Hall..."

As soon as they stepped onto the steps, faint shouts of battle came from the Martial Arts Hall above. The Vermilion Bird Army was drilling in formation, and a murderous aura vaguely permeated the air, secretly startling the people from Dansheng Hall.

"Here we are!"

On the square outside the Training Hall, dozens of temporary diagnostic awnings had already been set up.

The wounded Vermilion Bird Army soldiers had long been waiting there. When they saw the stewards leading in the people from Dansheng Hall, they all straightened their backs in unison.

When Hua Changxi arrived at the square with Yun You and the others, she immediately received a wave of gazes mingled with admiration, curiosity, suspicion, and awe.

In response, she simply lifted her chin slightly and met their eyes calmly.

Her composed and open demeanor caused the Vermilion Bird Army soldiers who were sizing her up to show less curiosity and more respect.