[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl":3,"chapter-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-105":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Great Jin's Most Iron Rice Bowl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1896879,2531,"Chapter 105: The Struggle Between Humans and Demons","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-105",105,"\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the patterns on the stone wall, gaining a general understanding of the evolution of the Four Spirits Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Four Spirits Realm, the demon race first flourished, followed by the rise of the human race; although there were no further patterns after that, Hua Changxi guessed that the realm must have experienced at least one Great Extinction, otherwise, there would be no current resurgence of spiritual energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After viewing all nine patterns, Hua Changxi noticed a pattern: when things develop to a certain stage, they begin to reshuffle, much like... reincarnation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this current resurgence of spiritual energy also a cycle of reincarnation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the day the Four Spirits Realm was opened, the demon race has existed; after the emergence of humans, the subsequent history of the realm became essentially a history of conflict between humans and demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nowadays, she was encountering more and more cultivators, yet regarding the demon race...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, when she saw demonic beasts or demonic plants, she hadn't paid them much mind, considering them merely part of the ecosystem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after seeing the patterns, Hua Changxi felt a few more degrees of wariness toward the demon race.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon race was an existence destined to contend with the human race for dominance over the realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the activities of cultivators were becoming increasingly frequent, news of the demon race remained scarce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi thought of the monk in white robes and somewhat regretted burning him to ashes with a single flame; she wanted to know whether he was human or demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the prayer beads was a manual titled \"Demon Race Cultivation Notes,\" which detailed that once a demon cultivates to the Infant Transformation stage, it can refine its original form into a human body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that monk in white robes were a demon at the Infant Transformation stage, he shouldn't have been so easily incinerated by the Fire Lotus.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi felt that the monk in white robes was likely not a demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if he wasn't a demon and was instead human, the situation would be even worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A human actually working for the demon race, hiding among the populace, making them impossible to guard against.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many such people were there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, why was the monk in white robes looking for Ah Niu?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Dharma Protector of the Demon God?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could a human be a Dharma Protector for the demon race?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had an intuition that something was amiss here; she also thought of Xu Ling, who had also been targeted by the monk. Could there be some connection between the two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She needed to find time to visit the Xu Family Pharmacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's gaze fell again on the ninth pattern: the Demon Prison where humans imprisoned demons, and the five continents of East, West, South, North, and Center...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demon Prison was located on the Central Continent; could the Central Continent be the landmass where the Great Jin Dynasty resided?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five continents were separated; so where exactly were the four continents of East, West, South, and North?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was another point that confused Hua Changxi: with five continents in a single realm capable of accommodating so many great demons, the area of each landmass must be absolutely enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had seen the map of Great Jin's territory and knew that other countries surrounded Great Jin, but Great Jin possessed the largest land area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At her speed as a Core Formation cultivator, she could make a round trip from Jingcheng to Qingzhou within one hour; Great Jin had nine provinces, so roughly estimating, traveling from the southernmost to the northernmost point of Great Jin would probably take just one day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Great Jin was this small, then even adding other countries, the total area of the entire landmass couldn't be that large; could such a tiny territory allow those ancient great demons to move freely?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Hua Changxi thought of other matters: Mount Wuzhi was far, far larger than it appeared from the outside; while it took her only half an hour to travel from Jingcheng to Qingzhou, after entering Mount Wuzhi, she still hadn't explored all its regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, many people had stated that many mountains and rivers were growing larger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the occurrence of the Great Extinction, could it be that the land area had been compressed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi felt that many matters were shrouded in clouds, unclear and unfathomable; she could only contact and explore them step by step in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pulling her thoughts back from the map of the Four Spirits Realm, Hua Changxi looked at the Totem Golden Bowl embedded in the stone wall; with a wave of her hand, the golden bowl landed in her palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the stone wall, the spot where the golden bowl had been embedded fused directly, showing no trace that a golden bowl was ever missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the golden bowl was retrieved, the golden light dissipated, and the patterns on the stone wall vanished along with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qihuang Hall was obviously a place for teaching medical arts; the Totem Golden Bowl could project the bloodline totems inherent in a person's body, so its appearance in Qihuang Hall No. 7 was definitely not meant to recount the evolutionary history of the Four Spirits Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, what medical content was Qihuang Hall No. 7 actually intended to teach?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bloodline totems...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bloodlines?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The evolutionary patterns did not detail exactly how the human race originated, but the reason humans survived was that they received the protection of the sacrificed 'divine spirits' and learned the divine abilities of those 'divine spirits'.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, is Qihuang Hall No. 7 trying to teach humans how to awaken the power of their own bloodlines, then return to their ancestors to regain those former divine abilities?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi went to Qihuang Hall No. 3, brought Zhou Qiuyu and the others to Qihuang Hall No. 7, picked up the Totem Golden Bowl, and shone it upon each of them one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the twenty people, not a single one, like her and Ah Niu, immediately projected a clear totem image upon being illuminated by the golden bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, only four people, under the illumination of the golden light, displayed extremely faint totem images.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The totem images of all four were rabbits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the power of the totems in the bloodlines of the other sixteen people had nearly vanished, so the golden bowl could not project their totem images.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi made these twenty people swear a Heart Demon Oath not to speak of today's events, then dismissed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as they left, Hua Changxi walked quickly toward the western stone wall; after projecting the four totem images, another pattern appeared on the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This pattern depicted a medicinal bath: a person sitting in a medicinal tub, soaking in medicinal soup, thereby awakening a totem image.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The formula for the medicinal soup was clearly recorded below the medicinal bath illustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon seeing this, Hua Changxi's expression became extremely excited; she quickly took out paper and brush to record the medicinal bath formula.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She actually already knew how to awaken and strengthen the totem power within one's bloodline: by consuming a Return-to-Ancestor Fruit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Return-to-Ancestor Fruits were encountered by chance rather than sought, making them practically unfeasible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this medicinal bath formula was different; she knew all the spiritual herbs listed, and although preparing it would take some time, at least it no longer relied on luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After recording the formula, Hua Changxi left Qihuang Hall No. 7; seeing sword markings appear on the stone pillar outside the hall, she, who had originally intended to visit Physician Xu, changed direction and went instead to the Old Courtyard in the square.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nowadays, Gu Xing, seeing Hua Changxi come again to take another wooden tablet, remained very calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the single lonely wooden tablet remaining on the wall, Gu Xing thought that if others didn't hurry, this tablet would likely be taken by Hua Changxi as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew that the wooden tablets were keys to open the Qihuang Halls, but he knew nothing about how to activate them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Figures like the Minister of the Heaven Department and the Director of the Medicine Bureau had obtained their wooden tablets twenty or thirty years earlier than Hua Changxi; yet in all that time, neither of them had discovered how to use the tablets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi had only been in contact with the wooden tablet for less than two months, yet that person had already unlocked its usage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was right; the wooden tablet truly shared an affinity with her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Xing looked toward First Street and shook his head. The Qihuang Hall was nearly half occupied by Hua Changxi, yet Gu Qiming was still feuding with others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sigh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Xing suddenly woke up. The Dan Sheng Hall was a sacred ground for pill refining and spreading medical arts, not a place for struggling over power and profit; he had been thinking in the wrong direction before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how far Hua Changxi could go, at least she was genuinely spreading medical knowledge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just on this point alone, she surpassed Wei Zhenjie and Gu Qiming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle Xu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi went to Ninth Street again to find Pharmacist Xu. Seeing his face relaxed, she smiled and asked, \"Uncle Xu, has Ah Ling returned?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu smiled and said, \"Thank you for worrying about Ah Ling; she returned the very next day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi asked again, \"Is Ah Ling alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smile on Pharmacist Xu's face deepened even more: \"She is fine. Ah Ling's problem of excessive sleepiness has been completely resolved. Ninth Lady, we all wrongly blamed Master Kong Hai. He sincerely wanted to help Ah Ling. As soon as Ah Ling's illness was cured, Master Kong Hai bid farewell and left.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's eyes flashed slightly: \"Is that so? Then I overthought it. Uncle Xu, was that Master Kong Hai wearing white monk robes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu looked surprised: \"No, Master Kong Hai wore yellow monk robes. Why do you ask?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled: \"I saw a monk in white robes on the street yesterday. Since I was thinking about Ah Ling, I just asked an extra question.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu nodded with a smile: \"Ah Ling is already well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"Uncle Xu, I haven't seen Ah Ling for a long time. Can I come to your home for dinner today?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu checked the sky: \"My duties for today are finished, so I can go back. Do you have other matters to attend to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi quickly replied, \"I have nothing else to do either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu said, \"Then let us go back now; we can just make it for lunch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi followed Pharmacist Xu away from the Medical Bureau and went to the Xu Pharmacy, where she saw Xu Ling bustling about busily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, you are back!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ninth Lady, why have you come?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon seeing Hua Changxi, Xu Ling's face lit up with joy, and she happily ran toward her, but just as she neared Hua Changxi, she suddenly stumbled, forcing her to stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh dear, I have been busy all morning and am covered in dirt. Ninth Lady, please come in and sit yourself; I will go change my clothes first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Xu Ling flee to the backyard as if escaping, Hua Changxi felt somewhat strange, but seeing that she was no different from usual and remained just as enthusiastic toward her, and recalling that girls loving cleanliness was normal, she did not think too deeply about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Xu Ling had changed her clothes, Hua Changxi and Pharmacist Xu were already seated in the main hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling served tea to the two but did not sit next to Hua Changxi; instead, she sat diagonally opposite her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at Xu Ling and said, \"Ah Ling, Uncle Xu told you, didn't he? I am a cultivator.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling nodded, her expression full of hope: \"Ninth Lady, do you think I can become a cultivator too?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled: \"I heard from Uncle Xu that Master Kong Hai has already taught you how to cultivate. You are already a cultivator now; I can even sense the spiritual energy on you. What, you didn't know this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling looked utterly shocked: \"I am already a cultivator? I thought the breathing technique Master Kong Hai taught me was only meant to cure my excessive sleepiness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, excitement showed on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, did you hear that? I am a cultivator.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after, Xu Ling's face turned to disappointment and loss: \"It is a pity that Master Kong Hai has left; I did not even get the chance to say thank you to him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi quickly asked, \"Wasn't Master Kong Hai living comfortably in the pharmacy before? Why did he suddenly leave? Did he say where he was going?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling shook her head: \"Master Kong Hai actually always wanted to leave; he only stayed at the pharmacy because he saw that I was not yet fully healed. Now that my illness is cured, he has gone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Kong Hai said his lifelong wish was to save all sentient beings and rescue those trapped in hardship and pain. He must have gone now to save others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi intended to see the cultivation method the monk Kong Hai gave to Xu Ling, but after a moment of hesitation, she did not speak of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For cultivators, cultivation methods are secret matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prying into others' privacy was not her style of conduct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Hua Changxi still harbored some suspicion about the monk Kong Hai, after carefully observing Xu Ling and finding nothing unusual, she did not ask further questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After lunch, Hua Changxi departed. As she was leaving, she could not help but pull Pharmacist Xu aside to give him a word of caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uncle Xu, you know I was once kidnapped by an evil Daoist, so afterward I looked up some information.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In this world, besides evil Daoists, there are also evil monks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah Ling is no ordinary person; the power of the bloodline totem within her is very strong and might attract the attention of those with ill intent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have never met this Master Kong Hai, but since he could teach Ah Ling to cultivate, he must possess the ability to protect himself. Why was it so coincidental that he was saved by Ah Ling? Moreover, he then taught Ah Ling cultivation without asking for anything in return. I just feel something is not quite right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, seeing Ah Ling's condition today, she shows no signs of abnormality, but I still hope you will pay closer attention to her in the future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu listened with some tension: \"Ninth Lady, surely it is not as serious as you say. To me, Master Kong Hai truly seems like a good person.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled: \"Perhaps I am overthinking it. Well then, Uncle Xu, I will take my leave now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu watched Hua Changxi depart, then turned back to the backyard, only to find Xu Ling curled up in the main hall, her face pale. His expression changed instantly: \"Ah Ling, what is wrong with you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu supported Xu Ling and realized her body was trembling violently, as if she had been terribly frightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling grabbed Pharmacist Xu's hand tightly, clutching it firm: \"Father, a scene just flashed through my mind. Ninth Lady is going to kill me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu's expression shifted drastically: \"How is that possible?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling shook her head: \"I do not know either; I only know that I was killed by her. Father, please do not associate with Ninth Lady anymore, okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu looked hesitant: \"Ah Ling, could it be that you are overthinking this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling said, \"When Master Kong Hai left, he told me that there are many bad people in this world and that my blood is a great tonic for cultivators.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, can you guarantee that Ninth Lady is definitely a good person? She might have been in the past, but now that she is a cultivator, if she learns that my blood can aid her cultivation, will she really not become greedy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pharmacist Xu helped Xu Ling up and seated her properly: \"Ah Ling, calm down first. Regarding Ninth Lady, Father will handle things as he sees fit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling stared straight at Pharmacist Xu: \"Father, if you continue to associate with Hua Changxi, I will definitely be killed because of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu was stunned; Ninth Lady had ordered him to watch over Xu Ling, while Xu Ling had told him to stay away from Ninth Lady, leaving him now unable to think at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long silence, Physician Xu, holding the still-trembling Xu Ling, murmured, \"Rest assured, Xu Ling; Father will not let anyone harm you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Ling hugged Physician Xu back: \"Father, I do not want to die; I want to stay with you forever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Physician Xu gently patted Xu Ling's back: \"That will not happen. My Xu Ling will live a hundred years; you will not die. Do not be afraid; Father is here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2865,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","ce6168e39c14cb7f73bc9c8c8761d8d56f13b7ededff44f07c56f718c781f8a2","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-106","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-104",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]