[{"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-205":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},1896979,2531,"Chapter 205: Seizing Territory","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-205",205,"\u003Cp>Seeing such a strong reaction from Prince Shou, everyone curiously stared at the paper crane in his hand, eager to know what had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Prince Shou's unusual expression, Director Gu immediately asked, \"Your Highness, has something occurred?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou glanced at him and handed the paper crane over to Director Gu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu had only asked tentatively, not expecting Prince Shou to actually hand him the crane; filled with suspicion, he opened it, then suddenly shot to his feet, his face exceptionally serious and grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People from the Guardian Clans were coming to the Medicine Bureau?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Guardian Clans...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Gu's expression remained grave; he had heard the Minister say that the reason the Four Spirit Realm had maintained its lineage uninterrupted was due to the Guardian Clans protecting it from the shadows. However, the Guardian Clans were usually very mysterious and rarely appeared before the world. Now, they were openly presenting themselves at the Medicine Bureau, instantly giving him a sense of an approaching storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou knew even more than Director Gu; he knew that since the resurgence of spiritual energy, the Guardian Clans had been secretly manipulating the direction of many events. If one were to ask which force the imperial family feared most, it would undoubtedly be the Guardian Clans!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing such strong reactions from both Director Gu and Prince Shou, the curiosity on the faces of the others in the Council Hall grew even stronger. Even Hua Changxi halted her departure, wanting to see what was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator rushed in, panicking as he reported, \"Your Highness, Director, a massive airship has appeared above the Medicine Bureau! The leader claims they are from the Guardian Clans and demands an audience with the person in charge of the Medicine Bureau.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither Prince Shou nor Director Gu expected the people from the Guardian Clans to arrive so quickly; they exchanged a glance, then hurried out of the Council Hall with rapid strides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apart from a few individuals, most of those attending the meeting today came from powerful noble families and were well-informed; having almost all heard of the Guardian Clans, the news that 'people from the Guardian Clans have arrived' made them uneasy, and they rose one after another to follow behind Prince Shou and Director Gu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't people from the Guardian Clans supposed to stay hidden from the world? What are they doing at the Medicine Bureau?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi followed the crowd out of the Council Hall and, upon exiting the Medicine Bureau building, saw the golden airship hovering above the main gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the appearance of the airship, the entire Medicine Bureau was in an uproar, with many people running out to witness the spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the airship, Hua Changxi remarked, \"This airship looks quite magnificent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing right beside her happened to be Huo Yunxiao, who had laughed at her earlier; hearing her words, he smiled and asked, \"Do you want one?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi glanced at him. \"Don't you want one?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao chuckled. \"Of course I want one, but I can't afford it. Do you know how many spirit stones it costs to purchase an airship that can accommodate up to ten people?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi genuinely wanted to know. \"How many spirit stones?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao replied, \"At least one million low-grade spirit stones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi widened her eyes. \"So expensive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao smiled. \"For others, it is certainly expensive, but for an alchemist like you who can refine top-grade spirit pills, acquiring an airship shouldn't be difficult.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Celestial Division has several idle airships. Do you want one? If so, I can put in a good word for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"I don't have any spirit stones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao responded, \"No need for spirit stones; you just need to refine pills for the Celestial Division.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi shot him a sidelong glance, knowing immediately that this person had ulterior motives. \"The Celestial Division's airships are too high-end for me to use.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her refusal, Huo Yunxiao was not surprised and continued smiling. \"Anyway, if you ever want to buy an airship, come find me. We are colleagues now, so helping each other is only proper.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After he finished speaking, Tang Yufeng also smiled and added, \"Master Hua, the Tang family's spirit talismans are quite good. If you need any spirit talismans, you can come to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at the two of them, smiled, nodded, said nothing further, and continued gazing at the airship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this time, Prince Shou and Director Gu had already flown up to hover outside the airship and were communicating with the people aboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A quarter of an hour later, Prince Shou and Director Gu descended with the people from the airship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were quite a few visitors, numbering between forty and fifty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader was an old man with graying hair; closely following behind him were over a dozen middle-aged cultivators, while bringing up the rear was a group of young men and women possessing extraordinary demeanor and outstanding beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the group descend from the airship, Hua Changxi, who was eager to probe the true strength of the Guardian Clans, immediately activated her Technique of Observation, Listening, Questioning, and Pulse-Taking; her eyes flashed, and she instantly perceived over a dozen radiant physical bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired elder, who was being escorted in the center by Prince Shou and Director Gu and walking at the very front, suddenly stopped, quickly turned his head, and looked in the direction where Hua Changxi stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the elder's line of sight, Prince Shou and Director Gu realized he was looking at the masters of the Qihuang Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elder Xia, those are the masters of the Qihuang Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Shou smiled as he introduced them to the white-haired elder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired elder scrutinized the eighteen masters of the Qihuang Hall appointed by the Medicine Bureau, his gaze shifting constantly; all eighteen were exceptionally young, and judging by their bone age, none were older than thirty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing that most of these masters came from prominent backgrounds, the white-haired elder was not surprised that he could not detect the cultivation realms of some of them; they must be wearing treasures that conceal detection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, who emitted that gaze which just pierced through him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it a special eye technique?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white-haired elder smiled. \"Indeed, talented individuals emerge in every generation.\" Having said this, he turned and continued walking toward the Medicine Bureau building alongside Prince Shou and Director Gu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the white-haired elder withdraw his gaze, Hua Changxi breathed a huge sigh of relief in her heart; this was the first time she had been caught using her Technique of Observation, Listening, Questioning, and Pulse-Taking—the Guardian Clans were truly powerful!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of the ten or so radiant physical bodies she had just seen, Hua Changxi's heart was also far from calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spirit Bodies; those people were all Wood Spirit Bodies, and one of them was even a Fire-Wood Spirit Body!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Are there really so many Spirit Bodies in the world? Have the Guardian Clans brought every single person with a Wood Spirit Body to the Medicine Bureau?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those people are truly... incredibly wealthy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao's exclamation received unanimous agreement from the surrounding masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among those who descended from the airship, some rode on the backs of immortal cranes, some rode spirit deer, some rode green oxen, some held spirit rabbits, and some had green snakes coiled around their wrists; everyone had contracted spirit pets, and some even had two. The spirit robes they wore and the spirit artifacts they adorned themselves with were all of superior quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though the masters came from prominent families, standing before these visitors made them appear somewhat rustic and poor by comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huo Yunxiao remarked, \"With outside guests visiting, today's meeting probably cannot proceed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the moment his words fell, Director Gu's voice reached their ears: \"All masters, proceed to the Council Hall for deliberations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the masters were all somewhat surprised; since the people from the airship were entering the Council Hall, what were they supposed to do by following them inside?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi also found it strange; as her gaze swept around, she noticed Gu Jinfan's serious expression. Thinking that she might be a 'reborn person,' she moved closer and asked in a low voice, \"What do you think the people from the Guardian Clans have come to the Medicine Bureau for?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled by Hua Changxi's sudden voice, Gu Jinfan retorted irritably, \"How should I know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said, \"I saw you watching so intently, so I thought you might know.\" She paused, stroked her chin, and added, \"I guess... they are here to seize territory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Gu Jinfan looked at Hua Changxi in surprise. \"You certainly have sharp eyes.\" Having said this, she quickly followed the others toward the Council Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi hadn't expected her guess to be correct: \"So they really have come to seize territory?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1494,"2026-06-12T02:51:23.636Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","ead9cd6e403ce32fbf52a7272396488effab31e06eab76b70bdefcb43f0d555c","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-206","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-204",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]